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Category: National

  • NAB arrest: Cat and mouse as Shehbaz not found

    NAB arrest: Cat and mouse as Shehbaz not found

    A team of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) accompanied by police on Tuesday reached the residence of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif to once again arrest him, this time in the assets beyond means case.

    Videos available with The Current showed a contingent of police’s anti-rioting force also reaching the PML-N chief’s Model Town residence in Lahore to make the arrest that comes after Shehbaz, being a cancer survivor, once again avoided appearing before the anti-graft watchdog amid the coronavirus outbreak.

    The teams, however, had to return empty-handed as the leader of opposition in the National Assembly (NA), who has also sought pre-arrest bail in the case, was not at home.

    The teams were headed to the Sharif family’s Jati Umra residence near Raiwind by the filing of this report.

    PRE-ARREST BAIL AND THE CASE:

    Earlier in the day, Shehbaz filed a bail plea in the Lahore High Court (LHC) to avoid arrest in the assets beyond means and money laundering cases against him, which is to be taken up by the court tomorrow (Wednesday).

    NAB had summoned the PML-N president to record his statement in both cases today (June 2) as the bureau needs Shehbaz’s statement to bring the cases to their logical conclusion.

    It had also provided the ex-Punjab chief minister (CM) with a detailed questionnaire as per its standard operating procedure (SoPs), which the PML-N says was submitted by the younger Sharif’s lawyers.

    However, Shehbaz on Monday filed a petition in the LHC requesting the court to grant him bail before arrest in both the cases “in the interest of justice”. He requested that he might also be admitted to ad-interim pre-arrest bail till the decision of the petition.

    The petitions said the power to arrest was permissive and not obligatory and the arrest was not desirable even in most heinous offences so long as the accused cooperated and kept joining the investigation.

    According to The Express Tribune, The PML-N president contended that on October 31, 2017, a complaint was made to various authorities including NAB chairman against management of the public limited companies in Punjab. The complaint claimed that the companies were incorporated and operated in violation of the Constitution and law.

    On November 15, 2017, NAB director general (DG) ordered an inquiry into the complaint “in a slipshod and mechanical manner, without application of judicious mind”.

    On January 10, 2018, the director general passed an order under section 18(C) of NAO 1999 for an inquiry into against management/officers/officials of Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC), management /owners of M/s Lahore CASA Developers (JV) and officers/officials of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) in Lahore’s Ashiana housing scheme.

    Shehbaz said the above-said order was passed on the basis of an anonymous complaint and neither the complaint nor the order for inquiry mentioned the name of the petitioner or his office “yet under its cover”, NAB officials embarked upon “a fishing and sniffing expedition” against him.

    On October 5, 2018, when Shehbaz appeared before a NAB team in response to call up notice in the matter of Saaf Paani Company but he was arrested in Ashiana case.

    READ: ‘NAB forcing me to become approver against Shehbaz,’ former LWMC MD tells court

    During his 64 physical remand, the PML-N chief was also arrested in Ramzan Sugar Mills/Construction of Sullage Carrier case. He was still in NAB’s custody when NAB authorized yet another inquiry against the petitioner and others in assets beyond means case.

    Later, the petitioner was granted bail after arrest in both the above said cases but just after one week’s time of his bail, NAB put his name in the Exit Control List (ECL) – the country’s no-fly list.

    “The petitioner assailed the above said memorandum February 21, 2019 before this court and his petition was allowed.” He contended that NAB served him another call up notice requiring his appearance before the CIT on April 17, 2020.

    Shehbaz said he did not appear before NAB team in view of his ill health and the lockdown. Later NAB again issued call up notice requiring his presence on April 22, 2020.

    “However, hectic efforts were made and a comprehensive reply was submitted within time with an assurance of personal appearance after the holy month of Ramazan subject to lifting of the lockdown.”

    Later, the petitioner appeared before the CIT whereupon he was interrogated for about 2 hours, however, he could not be confronted with any evidence worth name on record to show any act of commission or omission by him to attract the mischief of any offence under NAO 1999.

    “That now the petitioner has again been served with a call up notice for June 2, 2020 requiring his personal appearance and written reply before CIT,” it added.

  • India reacts to Pakistan’s assertion, says ’embassy officials were caught red-handed while spying’

    India reacts to Pakistan’s assertion, says ’embassy officials were caught red-handed while spying’

    India has rejected Pakistan’s contention that two high commission staffers were detained on unsubstantiated charges and tortured, people familiar with developments told Hindustan Times, adding that the officials “were caught red-handed while indulging in spying”.

    New Delhi on Sunday expelled two junior officials of the Pakistan High Commission after they were detained during an operation by the Delhi Police and Military Intelligence while allegedly trying to obtain classified documents on security installations.

    The officials were identified as Abid Hussain Abid, 42, an assistant in the Pakistani mission, and Mohammad Tahir Khan, 44, a clerk.

    Pakistan condemned India’s decision to declare the two officials persona non grata and to expel them, saying they were detained on false and unsubstantiated charges. A statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) also contended that the two men were tortured and threatened to “accept false charges” despite identifying themselves as diplomatic staff.

    The FO said the Indian action was in clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations as well as the norms of diplomatic conduct.

    “The High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi has always worked within the parameters of international law and diplomatic norms. The Indian action is clearly aimed at shrinking diplomatic space for the working of Pakistan High Commission,” it said.

    The FO said that the Indian ploy to heighten tensions would fail in diverting attention from the ongoing internal and external issues faced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government or from the worsening situation and gross human rights violations being perpetrated by the Indian forces in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

    It again called on the world to take note of the Indian designs and play its role in ensuring peace and security in South Asia.

    “The assertions of the Pakistan FO are false. The two officials were caught red-handed while indulging in espionage activities,” said one of the people cited above, speaking on condition of anonymity.

    “They did not disclose their identity that they were high commission officials. When they were taken into custody and questioned, they confessed to indulging in espionage and also informed that they were high commission officials,” the person added.

    The Pakistani mission was immediately informed and the two men were handed over, the person said.

    “They were never subjected to any torture. They have also undergone medical examinations. Pakistan appears to be making false accusations and possibly creating ground for some tit for tat reaction and torture of Indian officials in Islamabad,” they said.

  • Gen Bajwa for sorting out long-pending disputes

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Monday said that the future of enduring peace and stability in South Asia hinges on the ability to resolve long-pending disputes within the region.

    “This can be complemented through meaningful international support and will to take on challenging regional issues,” he said while addressing officers and faculty during a visit to Command and Staff College in Quetta, a press statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

    The statement comes two days after Islamabad approached the United Nations (UN) over New Delhi’s blatant attempt to turn the Muslim-majority in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoJ&K) into a minority.

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has written letters to the UN Security Council president and the UN Secretary General, apprising them of the latest situation in the occupied valley particularly the recent changes brought by the Modi government in domicile laws that would pave the way for non-Kashmiris to acquire permanent residence there.

    Addressing the military officials, Gen Bajwa said that a well-trained and professionally competent Army is guarantor for peace. “Pakistan Army with the backing of the nation is one such formidable force,” he maintained.

    The COAS stressed the need for officers to remain focused on pursuit of professional excellence and keeping abreast with latest developments to overcome new challenges.

    Dilating upon COVID-19 pandemic, Gen Bajwa said that Pakistan Army along with other state institutions will do all to mitigate the challenges faced by people of Pakistan.

    Only a cohesive national effort shall take Pakistan to progress and prosperity COAS, he stressed.

  • Cops in KP to be called ‘Sheru’, which is also the name of PM Imran’s dog

    Cops in KP to be called ‘Sheru’, which is also the name of PM Imran’s dog

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Bahramand Tangi has objected to the provincial authorities’ decision to not call personnel of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Police by informal names, highlighting that one of the names approved for the cops is that of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s pet dog.

    According to media reports and a written order issued by KP Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Headquarters, a copy of which is available with The Current, no informal names such as “mama ji”, “khan ji” and “pehlwana” will be used for the police, which “undermine the sacrifices rendered by the force”.

    Instead, the personnel will only be addressed by their own names or by approved nicknames that are “jawaan“, “sheru” and “sahib“.

    With the order making headlines, it drew a strong reaction from the PPP leader who said that “Sheru [tiger]” was the name of one of PM Imran’s dogs.

    “This is unethical,” he said in a statement, adding that the personnel of KP police weren’t employees of Bani Gala.

    IMRAN & HIS SHERU:

    The premier has had a total of five pet dogs, all of which have been a focus of interest in several media reports.

    In 2011, former military ruler General (r) Pervez Musharraf gifted a puppy to Imran before the former’s self-imposed exile. The puppy was born at Musharraf’s farmhouse, and according to the premier’s former wife Reham Khan, his name was Sheru, who was an Alsatian.

    In September 2014, Imran in a television talk show revealed that Sheru had died three months earlier. However, in April 2018, reports and social media rumours emerged that he had removed Sheru from his Bani Gala residence on the advice of his third and current wife Bushra Bibi.

    According to local media, a new quarter was then built for the dog outside the main residence building, as his wife was not comfortable with pet animals inside the house.

    However, the premier, during a press conference had later denied the media reports, saying that Sheru died three to four years ago.

  • 670,000 coronavirus infections in Lahore alone?

    670,000 coronavirus infections in Lahore alone?

    A summary forwarded to Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar by Primary & Secondary Health Secretary Captain (r) Usman last month estimated that there could be 670,000 cases of the new coronavirus — COVID-19 — in Lahore alone.

    The summary was forwarded to Buzdar on May 15, Geo quoted the secretary as saying, and reported that it contained results of samples collected from hotspots, residences and offices in Lahore.

    As per the summary, 6 per cent of the total samples collected, tested positive for COVID-19. In some towns, the percentage of positive cases went up to 14.7 per cent. The report said that there wasn’t a single area in Lahore where the infection had not reached. 

    Members of the Technical Working Group — formed to ascertain the number of coronavirus affected persons in the city — have recommended imposing a complete lockdown for four weeks and quarantining persons aged above 50 years. The group has also advised the government to declare it essential for people to stay inside their homes. 

    Lockdown restrictions have, however, only been eased since before Eidul Fitr last month.

    Amid soaring cases, the Punjab government has decided to further ease lockdown restrictions that were imposed to contain the outbreak. Buzdar last week chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Anti-Coronavirus Measures, wherein it was agreed that recommendations for the opening of the different departments and institutions, according to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) defined by the government, would be forwarded to the federal government.

    In the meeting, Buzdar said that a request would be made to the federal government to provide 1,500 ventilators. He added the instructions of the federal government regarding opening of restaurants, cafes etc, would be followed by the provincial government.

    The Cabinet Committee allowed the Punjab Public Service Commission to conduct interviews of one thousand lady doctors. It was also decided in the meeting that the Drug Regulatory Authority Of Pakistan (DRAP) would be approached for permission to prepare ventilators and respirators at the local level.

    It was decided the National Command and Operation Centre ( NCOC ) would take final decision to reopen the parks’ proposal, new working hours for the commercial enterprises and two-day holidays.

  • Law minister resigns again; this time to represent govt in Faez Isa case

    Law minister resigns again; this time to represent govt in Faez Isa case

    Federal Minister for Law and Justice Dr Farogh Naseem resigned on Monday to represent the government in the Supreme Court (SC) in the presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

    This is the second time that Naseem, a Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) stalwart, has resigned from his post. Previously, he had resigned in November last year to represent Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa before the apex court in the case pertaining to the extension in his tenure as the army chief.

    Confirming the news of his resignation, Naseem said, “I will ensure that the respect and dignity of judges is maintained. I have no personal agenda. I have the greatest respect for the Bar.”

    READ: ‘Farrogh Naseem can go to jail for representing Gen Bajwa with a suspended licence,’ PBC says

    Last year in September, Justice Isa filed a fresh application requesting the SC to form a full-court bench comprising all eligible judges to hear his petition against the presidential reference filed over non-disclosure of assets in his wealth statement.

    Justice Isa had requested that the case be heard by a full court bench comprising all eligible judges of this court since the matter pertained to reference against an SC judge and as per precedent of this court in the case of ex-chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Chaudhry versus president of Pakistan, PLD 2010 Supreme Court.

    Justice Isa had said matters narrated in accompanying civil miscellaneous application dated August 26 – “which may for the sake of brevity be read as a part hereof” – demonstrates the necessity for hearing by such full court bench.

    “The petition also raises a number of important constitutional questions, including that of the independence of the judiciary, formation of an independent opinion by the president, obtaining federal cabinet’s approval and other vital issues of surveillance, and the manner and method of collecting evidence against a judge of the Supreme Court and his family,” he had said in his application.

    READ: New top lawyer excuses himself from fighting Justice Faez Isa case for PTI govt

    On Friday, Justice Isa questioned the eligibility of Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Accountability Shahzad Akbar’s appointment as the head of the Asset Recovery Unit (ARU) and for public office.

    A 10-member judge bench, led by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, will resume hearing the case on June 2, which was earlier scheduled to be taken up on March 30. The apex court had postponed the hearing due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    On the last hearing on February 24, the federal government had sought a three weeks’ adjournment in the case.

  • PPP writes to ISI chief for action against Pakistan-based US blogger over tweet about Benazir Bhutto

    PPP writes to ISI chief for action against Pakistan-based US blogger over tweet about Benazir Bhutto

    Former ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has written to the director general (DG) of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), seeking action against Pakistan-based American blogger and columnist Cynthia D Ritchie over her “hateful comments and slander” against the late former prime minister (PM) Benazir Bhutto.

    As per the details, Ritchie made the comment on a tweet discussing the recent violent confrontation between model Uzma Khan and a woman named Amna Usman, who accused the model of having a relationship with her husband of 13 years and used this allegation to justify her violent treatment of the model.

    Ritchie’s tweet garnered a strong reaction from PPP leaders and supporters, with Sherry Rehman saying, “Attributing such filth to a champion for women’s rights, a martyred prime minister degrades the writer of this bot-handle more than anything else.”

    While Ritchie is since continuing her tirade against the PPP over the micro-blogging website, former PPP senator Sehar Kamran has written to spymaster Faiz Hameed, seeking an investigation into the “notorious activities” of Ritchie.

    In the letter, a copy of which is available with The Current, Kamran highlighted how the American columnist has “time and again instigated controversy” and is also playing a role in “deepening the civil-military divide”.

    “The imagery presented by her pictures with military leadership and senior bureaucracy, and access as a foreign tourist to generally sensitive locations ([erstwhile] FATA [Federally Administrated Tribal Areas], Kashmir, etc) is deepening the civil-military divide by unnecessarily implicating national institutions as her support base. It may be useful at this juncture to further investigate all of Ms Ritchie’s activities, which I am certain range beyond her social media commentaries, to protect our national interests,” read the letter.

    The excerpt was followed by a list of questions:

    • Why and in what capacity is Ms Ritchie a resident in Pakistan?
    • What is the nature and duration of her visa status?
    • Who is her sponsor to this end?
    • A regular expat who initially introduced herself as a ‘tourist’ and a ‘belly dancer’ has somehow become embroiled in Pakistani politics, by her own assertion at the highest levels? How?
    • What Is the purpose behind her provoking public sentiment, and furthering bitterness in an already politically polarised society?
    • Furthermore, why is her vitriol targeted towards Sindh, and has conveniently emerged at a time when the province was receiving praise and support for its efforts in the fight against COVID-19?
    • What is the official government policy on the continued presence of such suspicious characters in Pakistan?

    While the PPP leader also sought Ritchie’s deportation, here’s what the blogger hit back with:

    As neither side appears to be going easy on each other, a war of words is continuing over Twitter.

    Separately, in a letter to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), an advocate at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and Islamabad president of the PPP, Shakeel Abbasi, has also sought action against Ritchie for her “very derogatory and slanderous remarks” about Bhutto and former president Asif Ali Zardari’s marital life.

  • ‘There is no corona’: Mob attacks Karachi hospital as health workers remain at risk amid rising fatalities

    ‘There is no corona’: Mob attacks Karachi hospital as health workers remain at risk amid rising fatalities

    In yet another incident of a hospital being ransacked by survivors of a deceased coronavirus patient, a mob on Friday night attacked Civil Hospital Karachi while also harassing and attempting to assault the medical staff on duty.

    According to the hospital’s management, at least 70 people entered the hospital and took the body of the deceased from the emergency ward.

    The hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr Khadim Qureshi, reportedly confirmed the incident and said the police were asked to lodge an FIR [First Information Report] against those involved in the attack.

    No medical staffer were, however, injured in the attack.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    “Doctors are demanding security. It’s hard for them to work under this kind of situation,” Dr Qureshi said.

    Another doctor who was on duty at the time, said the incident took place at around 11 pm. He and other doctors on duty were also tortured and abused. “It’s the third time in a week, ” he claimed, alleging that the police deployed outside the hospital gate did not help the medical staff.

    While no arrests have been made as of yet and doctors have demanded deployment of Sindh Rangers for security, it is worth mentioning that it is not the first incident of its kind as hospitals across the country are being attacked every day amid the rising number of deaths due to COVID-19.

    Among other incidents being reported across the country, over a dozen people last week barged into and vandalised the isolation ward at Karachi’s Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) after a coronavirus patient being treated there died, officials said.

    Videos taken of the ward, where 37 coronavirus patients were being treated, after the attack showed pieces of glass, furniture and fans strewn on the floor. The glass windows of a counter were also shattered.

    Pakistan has so far reported 1,395 deaths due to the novel virus.

  • Government mulls allowing restaurants to reopen

    Government mulls allowing restaurants to reopen

    As coronavirus cases continue to surge across the country, the Punjab government has decided to allow restaurants to reopen.

    The decision was taken during a cabinet committee meeting on coronavirus which was convened on the directives of Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar.

    Reportedly, recommendations in this regard have been sent to the federal government and would be presented before the National Coordination Committee (NCC) for final approval.

    The committee also decided that markets and shopping malls would be allowed to open from 9 am to 5 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, while on the remain three days, they would remain closed.

    The provincial government also recommended opening recreational sites and tourist destinations such as Murree.

    The meeting was attended by Law Minister Raja Basharat, Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan and Commerce Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal.

    Officials of the health department also briefed the meeting about the coronavirus situation while administrative agencies presented a report on the implementation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs).

    Earlier, Lahore Restaurants Unity (LRU) and Lahore Super Markets Association (LSMA) sought help from the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) for reopening their businesses with implementation of SOPs.

    LCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, along with Senior Vice President Ali Hussam Asghar and Vice President Mian Zahid Jawaid Ahmad, met the delegations of the LRU and LSMA and listened to their grievances.

    LRU Chairman Amir Rafiq Qureshi and LSMA President Ahmad Nawaz and Marriage Halls Association Chairman Mian Muhammad Ilyas said that the lockdown had destroyed their businesses to such an extent that they were no heading towards a point of no return.

    They said that restaurants and marriage hall owners were ready to follow the SOPs set by the government to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

    Sheikh said that the LCCI was well aware of the miseries of traders and had already taken up the issues at the highest level. He said that a number of countries, including Turkey, had allowed hotels to open up. “We have to live with coronavirus like various other diseases, therefore, the government should manage and allow businesses to reopen,” he said.

    The LRU representatives demanded relief in rents of restaurants located in buildings of government and semi-government departments. They demanded a 100 per cent waiver in utility bills of small restaurants and 50 per cent waiver in utility bills of large restaurants for the next three months.

  • Currency worth Rs3 crores was being smuggled on PK8303; discovered in PIA plane’s debris

    Currency worth Rs3 crores was being smuggled on PK8303; discovered in PIA plane’s debris

    In a shocking development, local and foreign currency amounting to Rs30 million was allegedly being smuggled in the plane that crashed in a Karachi neighbourhood on May 22, a spokesperson of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has claimed.

    “Local and foreign currency worth millions of rupees was recovered from the crash site,” said the spokesperson, adding that a total of Rs30 million had been recovered from three separate bags.

    The PIA official said that such an amount cannot be transported without informing the airline and that an extra seat ticket needs to be purchased for transporting such huge amounts of cash. “A passenger cannot carry it in their luggage or cabin baggage.”

    He said for such large amounts of cash, a passenger has to be seated next to the cash but no passenger had brought an extra seat.

    So far, three people have come forward to claim the money, the spokesperson said.