Current Final

Category: Politics

  • Justice Ayesha Malik takes oath, becomes first woman to be SC Judge

    Justice Ayesha Malik takes oath, becomes first woman to be SC Judge

    Justice Ayesha Malik has taken oath as the Judge of Supreme Court of Pakistan. With her appointment, she has become the first woman of the country to reach the apex court.

    Her swearing-in ceremony was held at the apex court today. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed administered the oath to her.

     Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz has lauded Ayesha Malik’s appointment.

    Senator Shibli Faraz has termed her appointment as the “historic moment” in the judicial history of Pakistan.

    President Arif Alvi on Friday gave final approval of her elevation. The Judicial Commission of Pakistan had on January 7 approved the elevation with a vote of five for and four against after a heated discussion on whether judges should be appointed based on merit or seniority.

  • New Zealand PM cancels own wedding due to Omicron restrictions

    New Zealand PM cancels own wedding due to Omicron restrictions

    New Zealand Prime Minister (PM) Jacinda Ardern has cancelled her own wedding as the nation imposes new restrictions in the wake of the Covid-19 Omicron variant.

    The prime minister was rumoured to be planning to marry her longtime partner Clarke Gayford.

    “My wedding will not be going ahead,” she said.

    In a briefing, Ardern said, “I just join many other New Zealanders who have had an experience like that as a result of the pandemic and to anyone who’s caught up in that scenario, I am so sorry.”

    She also urged citizens to get booster and reduce contact with others to avoid the spread.

    In a video, she was asked by a reporter how she felt about the postponement of her wedding, Ardern replied: “Such is life.”

    The “red setting” of the country’s pandemic response includes heightened measures such as mask-wearing and limits on gatherings which will go into effect on Monday.

    The latest curbs come after nine cases of Omicron were detected in a single family that flew to Auckland for a wedding earlier this month.

  • Alert issued after Lahore and Islamabad terror attacks

    Alert issued after Lahore and Islamabad terror attacks

    The Interior Ministry of Pakistan has issued a notification on Saturday in which it directed the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) to exercise “extreme vigilance”.

    The notification alert has asked LEAs of all provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan to tighten security measures to prevent any unforeseen terror attacks.

    “… In view of recent terrorist attack in Anarkali Bazar, Lahore and threat posed by activities of anti-state elements, all provincial and special area governments/Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) are requested to exercise extreme vigilance and be on alert to deal with any untoward situation,” the notification said.

    On January 17, militants opened fire on a police checkpoint in the vicinity of the Karachi Company Police Station in Islamabad. The incident resulted in a policeman’s death and two injuries. The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility.

    After this incident, Interior Minister, Sheikh Rasheed has also warned of more terrorism-related incidents in Islamabad and said that the capital’s police and other forces are on alert.

    However, another terror attack on January 20 took place in which terrorists targeted the famous Anarkali market in Lahore. Three people died and 28 people got injured in the Lahore bomb blast. An investigation is still underway.

    Sheikh Rasheed also faced criticism from the Opposition for rising terrorism activities in the country. One of the senators from the Opposition commented that he “not seen the interior minister in the House for any briefing during the last nine months”.

  • ‘Nation stands with PM Khan, Opposition can’t harm him’, claims Asad Umar

    ‘Nation stands with PM Khan, Opposition can’t harm him’, claims Asad Umar

    Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar dismissed the news of factionalism within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and said no one could be Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s substitute within the party.

    While talking to Geo News’  programme “Naya Pakistan”, Umar stated that 99 per cent of the PTI’s vote bank belongs to PM Khan.

    “I reiterate that the nation stands with Imran Khan and this is the only reason that the Opposition has been unable to harm him,” he said while referring to Opposition claims that allied parties are not with the government.

    The federal minister also seconded his party fellow Fawad Chaudhry’s statement about Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) members being “hell-bent on removing Nawaz Sharif from their party”.

    Despite inflation and new taxes that have been imposed, Asad Umar claimed that the country’s economy is progressing.

  • ‘Onus lies on India to take steps for constructive dialogue’: Pakistan

    ‘Onus lies on India to take steps for constructive dialogue’: Pakistan

    Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, during a weekly media briefing, said, “On multiple occasions, the prime minister and the foreign minister have expressed our position on this matter (dialogue). But India has vitiated the environment — the conditions are not there. We have repeatedly said that the onus lies on India to take necessary steps for an environment conducive for constructive dialogue.”

    Recently, Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane had said that India was not averse to the possible demilitarisation of the Siachen Glacier provided Pakistan accepted the 110-km Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) that separates the positions of both Pakistan and India.

    FO spokesperson was asked about Pakistan’s reaction to any possibility of India’s demilitarisation of the Siachin Glacier.

    “Pakistan has a policy, which is derived from the principle of a friendly neighbourhood. We want peace and friendship in our neighbourhood, good relations with all including India,” the FO spokesperson said.

    “But you have seen how the developments have unfolded in our region; you have witnessed the very hostile Indian attitude especially during the last couple of years and since the illegal and unilateral actions of August 5, 2019, in IIOJ&K, the situation has further deteriorated and in this context, we have to see how we can move forward,” he added.

    Talking about law firm Stoke White submitting a report based on over 2,000 testimonies taken between 2020 and 2021, providing extensive evidence to the Metropolitan Police’s War Crimes Unit documenting how Indian military and civil leadership were responsible for the torture, kidnapping, and killing of activists, journalists and civilians, he added: “It is self-evident that India can no longer escape international and legal censure for its rampant human rights violations in IIOJ&K, and we call upon the international community, particularly the United Nations and international human rights and humanitarian organisations to hold India accountable.”

  • US President Biden nominates first-ever Muslim woman as federal judge

    US President Biden nominates first-ever Muslim woman as federal judge

    Washington announced the nomination of the first Muslim woman as a judge of a federal court on Wednesday.

    Nusrat Jahan Choudhury, a Bangladeshi-American, is a civil rights lawyer who currently serves as the legal director of the Illinois chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

    Last year, Democratic Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer recommended Choudhury to serve on the federal bench in New York, calling her an “expert in civil rights and liberties”.

    She was nominated by US President Joe Biden. The nomination is yet to be confirmed by a simple majority in the Senate.

    If confirmed, Choudhry would serve as the first Muslim woman, first Bangladeshi-American and second-ever American Muslim to serve as a federal judge.

    Apart from this, Joe Biden has also nominated 24 Blacks,17 Hispanics and 16 people who are Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. 

  • Watch: PM Modi’s slip of tongue of ‘beti patao’ makes him a Twitter meme

    Watch: PM Modi’s slip of tongue of ‘beti patao’ makes him a Twitter meme

    Addressing the World Economic Forum (WEF), Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi landed himself in some trouble. His slip of tongue moment went viral on social media, where he could be heard saying ‘beti patao’ instead of ‘beti padhao’.

    Modi ideally wanted to address the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao‘ initiative being adopted in India, but his faltered speech changed the entire meaning of the word and idea communicated.

    https://twitter.com/suryapsingh_IAS/status/1484051506932633601

    ‘Patao’ primarily is translated as ‘dating or flirting’ while the actual term ‘padhao’ means ‘educating or teaching’.

    Twitter is all pumped up as the recent subject of the meme world is Narendra Modi for his beti patao gaffe.

    https://twitter.com/AseemAn33925929/status/1484113301965803526
    https://twitter.com/ImOdd_MF/status/1484252506926743552
  • Google dedicates doodle to murdered Karachi activist, Perween Rahman

    Google dedicates doodle to murdered Karachi activist, Perween Rahman

    Today’s Google Doodle was dedicated to murdered Karachi activist Perween Rahman. She did her postgraduate diploma in housing, building and urban planning from the Institute of Housing Studies in Rotterdam, Netherlands. She was the director of a NGO based in Karachi, Orangi Pilot Project.

    She was born in born in Dhaka in 1957. Pervween did part of her schooling in former East Pakistan and migrated to Karachi after the fall of Dhaka.

    She received a bachelors in engineering and architecture from Karachi’s Dawood College of Engineering and Technology in 1981 and joined a private architect’s firm. She later joined, Orangi Pilot Project, a NGO based in Karachi.

    She also did postgraduate diploma in housing, building and urban planning from the Institute of Housing Studies in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

    Perween Rahman was an outspoken critic of the land mafias in Karachi. Perween has received numerous awards from the government, including the Sitara-e-Shujaat for her efforts.

    Rahman was killed on March 13, 2013, when four gunmen opened fire on her vehicle near Pirabad police station in Orangi Town. She was rushed to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where she was pronounced dead. The bullets fired that day ended her 28-year-long career for advocating for land and basic services rights for the underprivileged.

  • CIA joins investigation of Lahore blast, arrest suspects

    CIA joins investigation of Lahore blast, arrest suspects

    The Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) has joined the Lahore bomb blast investigation and will interrogate the case with the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), reports Dawn.

    Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Rao Sardar Ali Khan also announced that the CIA has been assigned to investigate the probe beside the CTD.

    Law enforcement agencies have started their search operations all over the city and arrested some accused on the suspicion of their alleged involvement in the Lahore bomb blast.

    The CIA chief held a meeting on Friday after investigating the crime scene and also sent teams to inspect the roads that the prime suspect could have used the route for escape from the crime scene.

    He said, “We have dispatched teams to all the bus stations, railway stations, and exit-entry points of the provincial capital.”

    He also added that the regional police officers and district police officers of Punjab have also been given orders by the IGP to be vigilant for intensifying the security to track down the culprits.

    Sources shared with Dawn the initial development that the law enforcers received a tip-off about the presence of suspects in the area near Anarkali market and other locations of the city. The investigative team has received some important leads through CCTV video and call records.

    Meanwhile, officials refused to confirm any major development as the interrogation is still underway.

    On Thursday, a bomb blast took place in Lahore near Pan Mandi in New Anarkali in which three people died and 28 people were injured. The injured people were shifted to Mayo Hospital. 20 people who were injured got discharged from Mayo Hos­pital whereas eight victims are still under treatment.

    While replying to Dawn, an official source revealed that there is a “strong possibility” of the Baloch Nationalist Army’s involvement behind the bomb blast.

  • Judicial history made, Justice Ayesha officially elevated to Supreme Court

    Judicial history made, Justice Ayesha officially elevated to Supreme Court

    President Arif Alvi on Friday gave final approval to the elevation of Lahore High Court Justice Ayesha Malik as a judge of the Supreme Court (SC).

    Justice Ayesha will make history as the first female Supreme Court judge in the judicial history of Pakistan. She will be sworn into office on Monday, January 24, and her tenure will begin immediately. Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmad will administer the oath to Malik.

    Her oath-taking ceremony will be held at the Supreme Court. Judges of the Supreme Court, the attorney-general of Pakistan, and the advocate general will be in attendance.

    The Judicial Commission of Pakistan had on January 7 approved the elevation with a vote of five for and four against after a heated discussion on whether judges should be appointed based on merit or seniority.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Justice Ayesha Malik is ranked fourth in the Lahore High Court in terms of seniority.

    Justice Ayesha Malik’s name came to fame after her landmark judgment against the ‘two-finger test’ or two-finger virginity test of sexual assault survivors.