Current Final

Category: National

  • What you need to know about viral video of lawyer who was kidnapped and tortured for a week

    DISCLAIMER: A picture of the survivor has been used while respecting her decision to come forward and making her voice heard

    A police team has been formed to probe the kidnapping and week-long torture of a woman lawyer, Advocate Irshad Nasreen, who was recovered from Mailsi, the district police officer (DPO) has said.

    The DPO, while formally announcing the woman’s recovery, said the special team, comprising the superintendent of police (SP) for investigation, Shamsul Haq, and two deputy superintendents of police (DSPs), was tasked with searching for and arresting the kidnappers.

    The police officer noted that a FIR [First Information Report] — including charges of kidnapping — was registered on behalf of the woman’s son on August 22.

    The special team was investigating the case in light of her recorded statement, Geo quoted the cop as saying.

    The woman has been shifted to the Dipalpur Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital, the police officer said.

    A resident of Dipalpur, police had earlier told media that Nasreen was recovered in a semi-conscious state from a field near Dhoda Road in Mailsi. She was found with her hands and legs tied and unable to speak.

    The day she was recovered, police said she told them she had been kidnapped from her office by unidentified men on August 14.

    A viral video that followed her recovery showed the lawyer in a traumatised state.

    Further investigation was underway, police added.

    On Monday, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan also reportedly took notice of the incident after the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) issued a statement condemning incidents of targeted killings, kidnappings and incidents of torture of lawyers.

    In the statement, PBC Vice Chairperson Abid Saqi strongly condemned the incident, saying the increasing lawlessness in Pakistan was extremely concerning. Five lawyers have been shot dead in targeted killing so far, including four in Punjab and one in Sindh, he said.

    Three lawyers in Lahore, Pakpattan, Sialkot were kidnapped and tortured, Saqi added.

    The PBC official said the torture and abduction of the woman lawyer was extremely worrisome. The woman lawyer, he added, was tortured continuously for six days after her abduction.

    She was recovered in a very critical condition in the fields in Mailsi, he added.

    Saqi further said these incidents of violence have made lawyers vulnerable and their safety compromised. The government’s indifference to targeted killings, kidnappings, and violence in just three weeks was reprehensible, he added.

    It was the duty of the government and the administration to improve the law and order situation, he said, lamenting that the incumbent leadership had failed to protect its citizens.

    The official said the current situation called into question the ability of the government. He demanded action against those involved in the targeted killings, kidnapping, and torture of lawyers.

    Meanwhile, according to reports, she was once kidnapped earlier in October 2019 as well.

  • PM Imran declared Muslim world’s ‘Man of the Year’ by Jordanian institute

    PM Imran declared Muslim world’s ‘Man of the Year’ by Jordanian institute

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has been declared as “Man of the Year” from the Muslim world, by the Jordan based Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, an official said. “Jordan’s Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre named Prime Minister Imran Khan as ‘Man of the Year’ in its recent list of the most persuasive Muslims in the World”.

    In its latest edition “The World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims, 2020″ the center also named American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib as “Woman of the Year”.

    Abdallah Schleifer, who is chief editor of “The Muslim 500” project, while declaring Khan as “Man of the year”, wrote that his quest for peace with neighboring India and his philanthropist work entitled him for the honor. Schleifer is Professor Emeritus of Journalism at the American University in Cairo.

    He added that he was impressed by Khan, launching a successful fund-raising campaign to establish a hospital devoted to treating cancer victims and research.

    Recalling Khan’s first address to the nation as prime minister in August 2018, the author said he genuinely wanted to normalise relations through trade, and settle the Kashmir dispute with India.

    “Khan also wrote three letters to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling for dialogue and lasting peace. Modi did not respond,” Schleifer noted.

    The centre also declared the US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, as the most prominent “Muslim Woman of the Year”.

    “American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (Democrat, Michigan) is this year’s Muslim 500 Woman of the Year,” the centre announced.

    She is the first Palestinian-American woman elected to the American Congress, as member of the House of Representatives, Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre said.

    The centre also included other top 50 influential Muslims personalities in its edition. They are Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamid Al-Thani, President Joko Widodo President of Indonesia, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud King of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, King Mohammed VI King of Morocco and others.

    Eminent religious scholars Mufti Taqi Usmani and Maulana Tariq Jameel have also been named among the most influential Muslims.

    Maulana Tariq Jameel’s sermons focus on ‘self-purification, avoidance of violence, observance of Allah’s orders and pursuing the way of Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).’ He has been named continuously as one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought in Jordan from 2013 to 2019.

    In 2019, the religious scholar stood 40th of a list ranking the world’s most “influential” Muslims. The annual publication was compiled by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre in Jordan and highlights people who are influential as Muslims. The publication defines influential as meaning “any person who has the power to make a change that will have a significant impact on the Muslim World”.

  • Pakistan gets most advanced Chinese warship amid New Delhi’s tensions with Beijing

    Pakistan gets most advanced Chinese warship amid New Delhi’s tensions with Beijing

    China has launched an advanced warship for Pakistan, the largest it has built for any country, and the first among the four most sophisticated naval platforms it is readying for the Pakistan Navy amid deepening military and strategic ties.

    According to reports, the Type 054A/P, a guided missile frigate, is the largest combat ship China has sold to a foreign navy and is “an important milestone” for China’s military export sector.

    The acquisition of the warship will double the combat power of the Pakistani Navy’s surface fleet, Chinese state media reported. By 2021, the Pakistan Navy is expected to have three more similar warships in its fleet.

    The Chinese state-owned Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai held the launch ceremony for the advanced warship with top officials and naval officers attending the function.

    The shipyard is a wholly owned subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, the largest builders in the country.

    The ship launch took place two days after Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi discussed the situation in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir region with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during the second round of the China-Pakistan foreign ministers’ dialogue in Hainan.

    The development comes at a time while New Delhi is locked in tension with both Pakistan and China over disputed boundaries and the abrogation of Article 370 in the troubled valley.

    India is reportedly closely monitoring the military cooperation between its two neighbours.

  • KYA BOLA? (Aug 24): ‘Media ka Usman Buzdar se pyar’ to ‘Jahangir Tareen se Ch Sarwar tak sab wazire aala ban’nay k khuwahishmand’

    KYA BOLA? (Aug 24): ‘Media ka Usman Buzdar se pyar’ to ‘Jahangir Tareen se Ch Sarwar tak sab wazire aala ban’nay k khuwahishmand’

    Following are some snippets that stood out from Urdu newspapers on August 24, 2020, which The Current takes no responsibility for.

    ‘Media Ka Usman Buzdar se Pyar’

    It has been reported by Daily Jang that Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar was asked why he is so reluctant to interact with media, to which he said“Taa k media ka hum se pyaar barqaraar rahay.”

    ‘Usman Buzdar Aur Phone’

     Senior journalist and analyst Irshad Bhatti, in his column for Daily Jang, has stated that he asked Usman Buzdar how did he feel after becoming the chief minister, to which he said “Allah ka shukar adaa kr rha tha… mein 5 saal har maah Shehbaz Sharif ko fax krta aur milnay ki darkhuwast krta magar woh 5 saal mujhe nahi milay. Soch raha tha ab Allah ne mujhe wazire aala bana dia.”

    To another question he said, “Yeh sach hai mujhe mobile phone k baray mein zayda nahi pata… call krna, call sun’na aur kabhi kabaar WhatsApp messages bus.”

    ‘Jahangir Tareen se Ch Sarwar Tak Sab Wazire Aala Ban’nay K Khuwahishmand Thay‘

    It has been reported by Daily Dunya that Punjab Governor Chaudhary Sarwar has said, “Mujh samait Shah Mahmood Qureshi aur Jahangir Tareen sab wazire aala ban’nay k khuwahishmand thay lekin Imran Khan ne Usman Buzdar ko chuna. Pervaiz Elahi ney wazire aala ban’ny ki khuwahish zahir nahi ki.”

  • ‘Ask Agriculture Department’: Govt hints at deal between Nawaz and establishment for London departure

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s Adviser on Accountability and Interior Mirza Shahzad Akbar has told a reporter, who attempted to equate the decision to allow former premier Nawaz Sharif to travel abroad with an NRO [National Reconciliation Ordinance], to ask the “Agriculture Department” instead, implying the involvement of a secret agency.

    NRO is a controversial ordinance issued by then president Pervez Musharraf in 2007 to grant amnesty to politicians facing corruption, money laundering and murder cases.

    Akbar’s response, an open secret in power circles, came during a press conference held Saturday to announce that the federal government had approached the United Kingdom (UK) government for Nawaz’s extradition.

    The government in November last year had allowed the former premier to travel abroad for medical treatment after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended his sentence in Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference for eight weeks. He has been residing in London ever since.

    “Ask the Agriculture Department,” Akbar said when asked about the former premier’s London departure.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Akbar, however, later clarified that his statement did not refer to any state institution, adding that he had referred to “adept” PML-N leadership that “fooled the entire nation into believing Nawaz’s forged medical reports”.

    Independent observers claim the decision to allow Nawaz to leave the country was a result of a silent agreement reached between the establishment and the PML-N as the alleged deal had come on the heal of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s vow to not give NRO to those facing corruption probes.

    ‘AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT’:

    The term “agriculture department” for secret agencies was coined in 2018 when a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate for Punjab Assembly alleged that he was manhandled by the security personnel of a secret agency over his refusal to withdraw from the upcoming elections.

    In a statement to media, Rana Iqbal Siraj had said the personnel raided his godown and threatened to destroy his business in case of non-compliance.

    However, Siraj had later backtracked his statement, saying it was the officials of the agriculture department who raided his godown and not the security personnel.

  • ‘PPP trying to occupy Karachi’

    ‘PPP trying to occupy Karachi’

    Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) chief Mustafa Kamal has claimed that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is trying to occupy Karachi, warning that if it did so, the people would take the Sindh government away from it as well.

    Addressing a protest amid heavy rain a day after the Sindh cabinet approved the creation of a seventh district in the city, Kamal said neither the “Sindh card” nor the “Muhajir card” would work anymore.

    “We will never allow our motherland, Sindh, to be divided and nor will we let anyone rip its heart, Karachi,” he stated.

    “The PPP is fanning ethnic hatred in the province, but we will thwart every conspiracy hatched by it or the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) to create rifts between Sindhis and Muhajirs for their own political gains.”

    Kamal claimed that the PPP-led provincial government always made decisions on ethnic grounds, pointing to changes in National Assembly seats in the city following the census.

    ‘65% FUNDS USED IN OTHER PROVINCES GENERATED IN KARACHI’:

    Separately, The Express Tribune has quoted Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar as claiming that approximately 65 per cent of developmental funds used in other provinces are generated in Karachi but the port city remains neglected.

    Inaugurating a library and art gallery at Markaz-e-Islami in Aisha Manzil, he said that people of Karachi paid Rs1,100 to Rs1,200 in taxes, but received nothing in return.

    Akhtar maintained that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation had spent all the funds at its disposal to facilitate the people. “We tried our best to carry out uplift works despite having limited resources.”

  • ‘Coronavirus over in Pakistan’: Myth [busted?]

    The nationwide coronavirus lockdown in Pakistan ended on August 10 as the government announced returning to pre-coronavirus life with a few standard operating procedures (SOPs) and social distancing guidelines amid a significant drop in infections and fatalities.

    Previously shut down sectors, including tourism and recreation, food among all other businesses except marriage halls and educational institutions were allowed to re-open and now, despite the passage of nearly two weeks, no prominent increase in COVID-19 cases has been recorded against officials and experts’ predictions in light of Eidul Azha and Independence Day celebrations during which people flouted all guidelines.

    While large gatherings, including religious congregations and family feasts over the Eid weekend, added to the risk of a second wave of the virus in the days to come, a large number of people taking to roads on August 14 to express their love for Pakistan, mistaking the drop in COVID-19 cases for its eradication, did the same. Independence Day was marked by firework displays at midnight in major cities, including Lahore and Karachi, where tens of thousands flooded the roads without face masks or any regard to the SOPs.

    Here is how the pandemic situation turned out from August 1 to August 20 amid the said recklessness of the masses:

    While the country is still at risk owing to the behaviour of the people over Eid and the Independence Day as officials fear it can lead to a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases, some experts believe that herd immunity has been achieved in metropolises like Lahore and Karachi as they were the most affected by the virus when it peaked in June.

    A study conducted in 25 cities shows that almost 11% of Pakistanis have developed protective immunity (antibodies) across the country against COVID-19. The research further says that seropositivity in urban areas is more when compared to rural areas, and a majority of those who came into contact with corona-positive patients are more likely to have developed antibodies.

    While infectious disease experts such as Prof Dr Faisal Mahmood of Aga Khan Hospital say the drop in number of cases is real but the reason that led to it has not yet been ascertained, according to a report by The Telegraph, Pakistan’s young population — two-thirds of its total population is under the age of 30 — can also be a major factor if herd immunity has actually been developed.

    Even though it is too early to be sure about Pakistan’s victory in the battle against COVID-19, the significant drop is a huge achievement. It, however, might not last if people continue flouting social distancing guidelines in the days to come, leading to the second and or even third wave of the pandemic in September.

  • NAB launches new investigation into contracts awarded by Buzdar govt

    NAB launches new investigation into contracts awarded by Buzdar govt

    National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday launched an investigation into contracts allotted during the tenure of current Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar.

    According to sources, the anti-graft watchdog has sought records from Lahore Development Authority (LDA), Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency (TEPA), and other departments in this regard.

    The bureau has also directed the concerned authorities to submit details of key development projects’ contracts, in a move some elements claim is aimed at getting rid of the provincial chief executive despite NAB’s repeated reminders that it is an autonomous institution.

    Earlier, CM Buzdar had appeared before NAB Lahore office in a case of allegedly issuing a liquor licence to a hotel in violation of the law.

    Buzdar handed over all the documents regarding the issuance of a liquor license to the anti-corruption bureau and said, “I do not know anything as I am not prepared. Give me time to think and answer these questions”.

    Meanwhile, former director-general (DG) of Excise Akram Ashraf Gondal also recorded his statement and claimed he had informed Chief Minister Office that issuance of the liquor license will be against the policy and rules as NOCs were not complete.

    However, he approved the license on the request of then principal secretary to chief minister Raheel Ahmed Siddiqui.

    Former Excise DG Akram Ashraf Gondal had also submitted an application to become an approver in the case.

  • Punjab govt revised working hours again; 8 am to 10 pm

    Punjab govt revised working hours again; 8 am to 10 pm

    Punjab government has again revised working hours for business operations in the province to curb the surge of COVID-19 cases.

    All businesses in Punjab will be allowed to operate all week long from 8 am to 10 pm every day.

    Other essential businesses such as medical stores, clinics, grocery stores, petrol pumps will be permitted to operate 24/7.

    The minister has directed all district administrations to ensure the wearing of face maks in markets all over Punjab.

    It was decided in a high-level meeting held yesterday in Lahore chaired by the provincial Law Minister, Raja Basharat. The meeting discussed the Coronavirus situation across Punjab and adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to stop the transmission of the viral infection.

    It must be noted that the Punjab government had allowed all businesses to operate 24/7 after a steady decline in Coronavirus cases across the province.

    In the last 24 hours, Punjab has reported 158 new cases and 2 deaths due to Coronavirus.

  • Did a sniper really take shots at Maryam Nawaz in Lahore? IG answers

    Did a sniper really take shots at Maryam Nawaz in Lahore? IG answers

    Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Shoaib Dastgir has dismissed reports of bullets being fired at the vehicle of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz last week when she was to appear before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Lahore.

    Many police officials were injured when a scuffle broke out last week between policemen and PML-N workers ahead of Maryam’s appearance. Footage of the incident suggested that workers had brought bags full of stones which were pelted at police and security officials.

    READ: Safdar for police case against Imran over ‘assassination attempt’ on wife Maryam

    Former senator Sajid Mir, after meeting Maryam on Sunday, claimed she had been targeted by some sniper during her appearance, saying the windscreen of her bullet-proof vehicle could not be smashed by a stone.

    Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Dastgir said no evidence was offered to back up claims asserted through reports and social media.

    He also said the institution of police is an independent one and has no tussle with any political party. However, he warned, those who took the law into their hands will be punished.