Current Final

Category: Politics

  • Local bodies election happening after 18 years in Gilgit-Baltistan  

    Local bodies election happening after 18 years in Gilgit-Baltistan  

    Long awaited local bodies elections are going to take place in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) for the first time in 18 years. Preparations are in full swing for the upcoming polls.

    GB Chief Election Commissioner Raja Shahbaz Khan has said that local body elections will be held in the last week of November. The process of delimitation is in progress, but the demarcation process is already complete.

    The Local Bodies Act 2014 took place on July 20, 2023, in GB. Raja Shahbaz Khan also described that, after door-to-door verification, the voter list has been compiled and will soon be made public.

    On the other hand, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has also arranged a training workshop for government officials in the region.

    The workshop’s fundamental purpose was to provide training to commissioners, deputy commissioners, and assistant commissioners from Gilgit, Diamer, and Baltistan divisions.

    While addressing the closing ceremony of the workshop, GB Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan said that local bodies election is the priority of the government.

  • ‘Special relief’ to Nawaz Sharif; PPP expresses concerns

    ‘Special relief’ to Nawaz Sharif; PPP expresses concerns

    The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has lifted up concerns about speculation that former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif will get “special relief” on his return to Pakistan on October 21.

    PPP’s Secretary General, Syed Nayyer Husain Bukhari, said in his statement on Monday that the PML-N supremo had been legally convicted by courts, stressing that Nawaz Sharif will have to face the law after his return to the country.

    “It is surprising [for PML-N] to hope that the judiciary will set a precedent of special relief for Nawaz Sharif,” he added.

    The PPP leader also said that the election is necessary for the prolongation of the parliamentary system in the country, demanding that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announce a polling date as soon as possible.

    “The PPP demands a level playing field for all,” he maintained.

  • Nawaz Sharif’s legal team all set to file protective bail

    Nawaz Sharif’s legal team all set to file protective bail

    Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s legal team is gearing up to file three petitions seeking protective bail in the Avenfield, Al-Azizia, and Toshakhana cases.

    These petitions are expected to be submitted to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) as per sources of Dawn’s reporter Malik Asad.

    It is pertinent to mention that Nawaz Sharif is set to address a public gathering at Minar e Pakistan on October 21, after spending almost four years in the UK for his ‘medical treatment’.

    Nawaz Sharif had previously faced convictions in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia references, along with being declared a proclaimed offender in the Toshakhana case, which is currently being heard in an accountability court in Islamabad. During his time abroad, he had been granted bail in these cases.

    The decision to approach the IHC for protective bail appears to have been influenced by prior instances where the court had granted protective bail to individuals who were declared proclaimed offenders, including Sharjeel Inam Memon, Arbab Alamgir, and Asma Arbab, without the requirement of surrender beforehand.

    Sources close to the proceedings disclosed that there would be at least two court hearings – one before Nawaz Sharif’s return and another where he would surrender himself before the court.

    Following this surrender, he would be required to pursue pending appeals against his convictions in the Avenfield Apartment and Al-Azizia references, as well as address the ongoing Toshakhana vehicle case.

    The Toshakhana case, previously put on hold under NAB amendments, was reopened following a Supreme Court ruling to revive corruption cases.

    In 2018, Nawaz Sharif was convicted in two cases – the Avenfield Apartments and Al-Azizia references. However, he was acquitted in the Flagship reference. The late Judge Arshad Malik, who presided over the Al-Azizia reference, later claimed to have authored the judgment under duress.

  • Imran Khan gets ‘more room’ in Adiala Jail

    Imran Khan gets ‘more room’ in Adiala Jail

    The cell of former prime minister and Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has been extended in Adiala Jail.

    According to sources, the jail superintendent, following the orders of Judge Abul Hassanat Zulqarnain, has extended the PTI Chairman’s cell from approximately 35 feet to 60 feet.

    During the hearing, the PTI Chairman also made two more requests for the provision of home-cooked meals and a bicycle for exercise.

    The judge, while conversing with Imran Khan, stated that the responsibility for providing meals in the jail lies with the prison authorities.

    The judge also ordered the jail superintendent to provide a bicycle for exercise under the jail manual.

    Imran Khan and the PTI vice chairman, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, are facing charges related to the alleged deliberate mishandling of a diplomatic cipher. The special court announced that PTI leaders will be indicted in the cipher case next week.

    Read more: Court postpones indictment of PTI leaders in cipher case

  • Court postpones indictment of PTI leaders in cipher case

    Court postpones indictment of PTI leaders in cipher case

    The indictment of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi occurred on Tuesday in the cipher case. The special court established under the Official Secrets Act postponed the hearing till next week.

    The hearing took place within Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, during which the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) provided the accused PTI leaders with copies of the challan submitted against them.

    The special court judge, Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain, postponed the indictment of PTI leaders until next week as the counsel refrained from receiving the copies of the challan in the last hearing.

    The FIA special prosecutor, Shah Khawar, Khan, Qureshi, and their legal teams were all present in the courtroom during the hearing.

    In the last hearing on October 9, the court shared copies of the challan with the accused submitted by the FIA.

    “The accused had refused to receive a copy of the challan at the previous hearing,” the FIA special prosecutor said.

    The PTI chief’s focal person on legal affairs, Umair Niazi, told journalists outside the Adiala Jail that copies of the challan were not given in the last hearing.

  • Approval of Al-Qadir UNIVERSITY was done in a hidden manner, even we weren’t aware that Khan took watches from Toshakhana: Farrukh Habib

    Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader and ex-federal minister Farrukh Habib announced his departure from the party on Monday, pledging allegiance to the Jahangir Tareen-led Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) during a press conference held at the IPP’s head office in Lahore.

    In a significant blow to the PTI, Habib condemned the May 9 riots, attributing the responsibility for the turmoil to former prime minister and Chairman of PTI, Imran Khan. He criticized Imran Khan’s handling of the political situation, alleging that the former premier fueled violence and instigated a confrontation against state institutions.

    Habib said PTI’s “war” with the state institutions was “not a war between believers and non-believers,” lamenting that the ex-premier brought the country to the verge of violence.

    The IPP was formed on June 8 by estranged PTI leaders Tareen and Aleem Khan, who left the ex-PM’s party after severe disagreements, while several Imran loyalists have also joined hands with them.

    “I wasn’t at my house for the past five months […] and for the last few weeks, I wasn’t even in contact with my family,” Habib told journalists.

    “Since May 9, we did not face the law and were away from our houses. For the past five months, I was constantly pondering whether I joined politics for this reason,” he said.

    During the press conference, Farrukh Habib highlighted a series of grievances with the PTI’s leadership, citing instances where he felt the party had deviated from its ethical and moral compass. He criticized the PTI chief for allegedly accepting gifts from the Toshakhana despite previously condemning similar actions by other political leaders.

    “I realised that we took our real struggle to the path of violence. We stepped away from Pakistan which was envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam,” he said.

    Habib recalled that the PTI government was ousted via a vote of no-confidence constitutionally, but regretted that the party did not wait peacefully after that. Expressing his perspective, he said the PTI should have opted for a “democratic struggle” and waited for elections.

    “But you opted for violent resistance. We have faced beatings as youth leaders but we never opted for a violent approach. We used to work so dedicatedly for our vision,” Habib said. “But if you look at that struggle and compare it with the post-May 9 violence, you will see a difference.

    “There were messages for people to take to the streets and their minds were hijacked. Their sentiments were provoked that Pakistan’s institutions are working against them,” he claimed.

    Habib stated that “a message of hatred” was run on television all the time and a “bullet approach instead of ballot approach” was taken.

    Habib’s decision to join the IPP follows a series of similar defections from the PTI in recent weeks, suggesting internal upheavals within the party ranks. The former minister’s remarks resonated with similar sentiments expressed by other estranged PTI members who have found a common cause in the IPP.

  • Court rejects Imran Khan’s petition challenging jail trial in cipher case

    Court rejects Imran Khan’s petition challenging jail trial in cipher case

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has said that security concerns justifying Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s jail trial in the cipher case are valid.

    IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq announced the verdict on the PTI chairman’s petition, which challenged the decision to conduct his trial at Adiala Jail in a case registered under the Official Secrets Act.

    The IHC directed Imran Khan to bring forth his concerns regarding the matter before the trial court.

    The PTI chairman, whose government was ousted following a vote of no confidence in Parliament last April, has petitioned the IHC to conduct his trial in a courtroom rather than in prison.

    “The jail trial is in favour of the PTI chairman in view of his security,” the court said, adding that Khan has repeatedly expressed fears about his safety.

    On the other hand, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi has submitted a petition to the IHC, contesting his imprisonment trial and urging the court to nullify the trial court’s decision from October 9. In that ruling, the special court announced that both politicians would be indicted in the cipher case on October 17.

  • Bushra Bibi gets bail in Toshakhana, Al-Qadir Trust cases

    Bushra Bibi gets bail in Toshakhana, Al-Qadir Trust cases

    Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi has been granted interim bail by an accountability court in Islamabad while barring the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from arresting her in the Toshakhana and GBP 190-million Al-Qadir Trust cases.

    Bushra Bibi appeared in the court of duty Judge Raja Jawab Abbas along with her counsel Latif Khosa for pre-arrest bail.
    The interim bail was granted in exchange for bonds worth Rs500,000 in each case and the hearing was adjourned till October 31.

    ATC adjourns hearing on bail:

    The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) of Islamabad has postponed the bail hearing for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in three separate cases until October 24.

    These cases, two of which were registered at the Khanna police station and one at Bhara Kahu, require the court to carefully examine the details of each case. The court requested the relevant records for further review.

    During the hearing, Imran Khan’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, appealed for the production orders of his client, emphasizing that the Islamabad High Court had reinstated the bail applications, making Khan’s appearance in court necessary for all three cases.

    Safdar asserted, “Don’t think you have the powers of an Official Secrets Act court also. When a bail application is filed, it is decided on merit. If the court thinks the production cannot be ensured today, then the hearing should be held tomorrow. Whether the client has to be brought by a helicopter or an armored vehicle, it is the responsibility of the prison authorities.”

    Responding to the concerns raised, Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain stated that if the suspect’s appearance posed a challenge, the court would prioritize the bail application where another case was scheduled for the following day. He emphasized that even though the application was for pre-arrest bail, the fact remains that the suspect is currently in jail.

    In response to the lawyer’s request to avoid conducting the bail application hearing within the jail premises the next day, the judge assured him that the appropriate relief would be provided as per the law.

    Cipher Case Updates:

    Islamabad High Court (IHC) has determined that the trial of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in a cipher case can proceed within the confines of Adiala jail, citing concerns about the leader’s security. Chief Justice Aamer Farooq made the announcement, responding to Khan’s plea challenging the authorities’ decision to hold the trial within the jail premises, under the Official Secrets Act.

    The court directed Khan to take up any reservations he might have regarding the matter directly with the trial court. Khan, whose government was ousted following a vote of no confidence in April last year, had sought for his trial to be conducted in a regular court, rather than within the jail’s confines.

    Citing security as a crucial factor, the court stated, “The jail trial is in favor of the PTI chairman in view of his security,” acknowledging Khan’s repeated expressions of concern about his safety.

    In a related development, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi also filed a petition in the IHC, challenging his own jail trial. He requested the annulment of the trial court’s order and urged for an open trial. The special court had set the date for the indictment of both Khan and Qureshi in the cipher case on October 17, after the copies of the challan provided by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) were shared with the accused’s counsels.

    In response to the developments, Khan’s lawyer, Latif Khosa, presented arguments highlighting the former prime minister’s concerns and previous legal history. Khosa emphasized that Khan had previously been sentenced to three years of imprisonment in the Toshakhana case, which was suspended shortly after. He questioned the legality of the jail trial, stating that it took place after the judicial remand and that the accused had not been provided with substantial evidence.

  • 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza deprived of health services: what do we know about day 10

    50,000 pregnant women in Gaza deprived of health services: what do we know about day 10

    It has been estimated by the United Nations that about one million Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced during the first week of the conflict. The agency has described the situation in the besieged enclave as “catastrophic”.

    ‘May humanitarian rights be respected’, says Pope

    Pope Francis has asserted the need for humanitarian corridors to help the people in besieged Gaza.

    He addressed a crowd of thousands in St. Peter’s Square during his weekly speech, “I forcefully ask that children, the sick, the elderly and women and all civilians do not become the victims of the conflict”.

    “May humanitarian rights be respected, above all in Gaza, where it is urgent and necessary to guarantee humanitarian corridors to help the entire population,” he said.

    The Vatican has also offered to mediate in the crisis.

    Gaza ‘no longer able to provide humanitarian assistance’

    Another alert has been issued. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) chief has warned that hundreds of thousands of people in need in Gaza will no longer be assisted.

    “My UNRWA colleagues in Gaza are no longer able to provide humanitarian assistance.The UNRWA operations is the largest United Nations footprint in the Gaza Strip, and we are on the verge of collapse. This is absolutely unprecedented,” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told a press conference.

    It was also notified that water and power supplies are depleting, and they will run out of food or medicine in a matter of time.

    UNRWA facilities, including schools, are currently sheltering about 400,000 people in the south among whom, a large number is in need of assistance.

    Additionally, the UN has reported that at least four hospitals in northern Gaza are now no longer operational as a result of Israeli bombings, whereas according to WHO, 21 other hospitals have been asked to be evacuated by Israel.

    Persistent warnings are being given that “forced evacuation of hospitals may amount to a violation of international humanitarian law”.

    50,000 pregnant women in Gaza deprived of health services

    The UN has reported that 50,000 pregnant women in the Gaza Strip are without basic maternal medical help among whom 5,522 are due to give birth next month.

    “Imagine going through that process in those final stages and your last trimester before giving birth, with possible complications, without clothing, without hygiene, support and not sure about what the next day, next hour, next minute will bring for themselves and for their unborn child,” United Nations Population Fund representative for Palestine, Dominic Allen said during her interview with CNN.

    16 members of a single family killed in Israeli air raid

    An Israeli air attack has reportedly killed a total of 16 members of a family, as stated by Palestinian territory’s media office.

    Previously, Palestinian health ministry said 45 families have been entirely wiped out from the Gaza civil registry, which means that entire family trees and their potential legacy have perished.

    At least 1,000 people under the rubble in Gaza

    As the Israeli forces continue to bombard Gaza, more than 1,000 people remain missing under the building debris.

    Among them are injured as well as dead, while many have been pulled alive after 24 hours of the collapse, says Palestinian civil defence team .

    So far, more than 2,670 people have been killed by Israeli attacks on Gaza with at least 9,600 wounded.

    199 Israeli captives taken by Hamas

    Daniel Hagari, Israel’s army top spokesperson, has claimed that families of 199 people who were taken captive by Hamas have been notified by the military. The number of Israeli captives have reportedly increased from 155.

    “We are making valiant efforts to try to understand where the hostages are in Gaza, and we have such information,” Hagari was quoted by Israeli media.

    “We will not carry out an attack that would endanger our people,” he said.

  • “The red carpet for his return is not being rolled out by the PML-N but by someone else,” Shah added

    “The red carpet for his return is not being rolled out by the PML-N but by someone else,” Shah added

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Kursheed Shah criticised former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) head Nawaz Sharif, alleging that he had engaged in negotiations with powerful quarters to come back to power.

    “If Nawaz Sharif comes to power by dealing with powerful circles at this age, then what would be left of his politics,” he asked rhetorically.

    “The red carpet for his return is not being rolled out by the PML-N but by someone else,” Shah added.

    Observing that despite facing a lot of problems, PML-N is still doing “backdoor politics”, Khursheed Shah stated that he told the PML-N chief that he was committing a mistake by climbing on “someone else’s shoulder” to come into power.

    The former leader of the opposition also questioned how a convict and fugitive could address a public gathering in Lahore.

    “This is a dangerous trap in which the PML-N is trapped. What was the difference between Pakistan Tehran-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman [Imran Khan] and Nawaz Sharif?”

    Shah asserted that Nawaz Sharif is being taken into power, just as PTI chief Imran Khan was given power in 2018.