Current Final

Category: Politics

  • Zardari case records went missing seven years ago during transportation

    Zardari case records went missing seven years ago during transportation

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday noticed that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has challenged the acquittal of former President Asif Ali Zardari without obtaining the original record of the case, reports Dawn.

    A two-member bench comprising of Chief Justice (CJ) Athar Minallah and Justice Aamer Farooq was hearing NAB’s appeal against the acquittal of Zardari in a case.

    NAB Additional Prosecutor General Jahanzaib Khan Bharwana informed the bench that the original record of the reference had gone missing.

    The court noted that it took NAB seven years to realise that the appeals were filed without possessing the original record.

    Bharwana told the court the record had gone missing while it was being transported from the Lahore High Court to the Supreme Court.

    Justice Aamer Farooq questioned, “Please, tell us whether the anti-corruption watchdog is interested in pursuing its appeal or not?” reports The News.

    Farooq said that NAB’s cases do not have any substance, adding, “NAB’s job is to hold corrupt people accountable. Now it is time to hold it accountable.”

    CJ Minallah said NAB should now admit it had made a mistake by filing these references since it did not have proof against the former president.

    “And if indeed, there were no proofs, then the court will also take action against the former bureau chairman in whose tenure these cases had been filed,” said IHC CJ.

    Justice Minallah asked whether the NAB officials had any idea what cost the country’s economy had to pay for their rash steps. “Truth of the matter is that the bureau had failed to satisfy the accountability court with respect to allegations against Zardari,” he added.

  • Railway uses 53 acres land to illegally build housing society

    Pakistan Railways used its land of 53 acres to construct the housing society for its employees which was allocated for railway purposes only, reports The Express Tribune.

    On Monday, it was revealed during the hearing of Sindh High Court that the land was primarily given for railways purposes but it turned to real estate against all regulations to provide accommodation to their employees.

    The petition was heard by a two-judge bench headed by Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput. Sindh Additional Advocate General Barrister Sheharyar Mehar informed about the government’s decision to the court.

    Shehryar Mehar said that the land consisting of 53 acres was given to the Railways for railway purposes but they did not use the land for the given purpose.

    Mehar added, “The Supreme Court has declared that railway land can only be used for the railway system.”

    He added, “We are taking back the land in the light of the decision of the Supreme Court.”

    Sindh High Court has ordered a reply from Pakistan Railways Corporation Housing Society and others on the response from the Sindh Government regarding usage of land which is adjacent to Safari Park in Gulistan-e-Jauhar.

    The next hearing will be held on December 21.

  • Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ends ceasefire with Pakistan

    Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ends ceasefire with Pakistan

    Taliban militants in Pakistan declared an end to a month-long ceasefire. Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) accused the government of breaching terms, including a prisoner release agreement and the formation of negotiating committees.

    A statement issued by the TTP gave out details of the six-point agreement that it said it had reached with the government under the protection of the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” (IEA) on October 25, 2021.

    According to the statement, the government not only failed to implement the decisions reached between the two sides but the security forces conducted raids in Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, Swat, Bajaur, Swabi, and North Waziristan and killed and detained militants.

    “Under these circumstances, it is not possible to extend the ceasefire,” the TTP said.

    Official sources had earlier said that both sides had agreed to initiate “formal talks” and had finalised five names of negotiators each. The government’s negotiating team included two senior civil officers with good experience of having served in conflict zones. While the TTP said it had formed a five-member committee for negotiations, the government, it appears, took time to notify the committee.

  • In Pictures: Priyantha Kumara buried in Sri Lanka with state honours

    In Pictures: Priyantha Kumara buried in Sri Lanka with state honours

    Sri Lankan manager, Priyantha Kumara, who was lynched and his body burnt by a mob in Sialkot on December 3, was buried in his native village in Sri Lanka on Wednesday with state honours.

    The Buddhist clergy performed his religious rituals before police led the procession along with Kumara’s family and friends. They carried a casket with his remains to the cemetery.

    Condolence banners and white flags that symbolise mourning were displayed along the roads.

    Buddhist Clerics are performing Religious Rituals
    The wife of Priyantha Kumara prays with children and family members during a funeral held in Srilanka

    Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan national was working as a manager in a factory located in Sialkot since 2010. He allegedly tore posters off a wall in the factory, which had religious text written on it. After taking down the poster, hundreds of people gathered, dragged him outside, killed him, and then burnt his body on Friday.

    The victim’s brother, Arunasiri Wasantha Kumara Diyawadana, who is also working in Pakistan at a garment factory as a technical director, said that factories should have a secure environment.

    He added, “That was not happening in this particular case.”

    He requested both governments to find the root cause of the incident, whether it is a religious or industrial dispute and they have to find the solution accordingly.

    Family members of Srilankan manager Priyantha Kumara carrying his casket to a cemetery during his burial in Colombo, Sri Lanka
    The mother of Priyantha Kumara crying in front of his casket
    Gavith, a son of Priyantha Kumara, places his father portrait on casket during burial
    The wife of Priyantha Kumura cries in front of his casket

    Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said that from now on, no one will be spared who resorts to violence in the name of religion.

    PM Khan made these comments during an event that was being held to honor Malik Adnan who tried to save Kumura.

    The police have arrested more than 100 people involved, and one of the main culprits, Farhan Idrees has been arrested. Farhan gave an interview to local news channels, taking pride in the murder he committed.

  • 293 journalists jailed, 24 killed in 2021: CPJ report

    Record number of journalists were jailed around the world in 2021 with China remaining the world’s worst jailer of journalists for the third year in a row with 50 journalists behind the bars, states a report by Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

    Apart from China, 26 journalists are behind bars in Burma, 25 in Egypt, 23 in Vietnam and 19 in Belarus.

    Adding those jailed in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Russia, Ethiopia and Eritrea, the CPJ said a total of 293 journalists were in prison worldwide as of December 1.

    Forty of the 293 detained journalists – less than 14 per cent – are women.

    Executive director of the group Joel Simon said, “This is the sixth year in a row that CPJ has documented record numbers of journalists imprisoned around the world. It’s distressing to see many countries on the list year after year, but it is especially horrifying that Myanmar and Ethiopia have so brutally slammed the door on press freedom.”

    According to the report, 24 journalists are believed to be killed around the world this year. India has the highest number of journalists – four – confirmed to have been murdered in retaliation for their work. A fifth was killed while covering a protest. While, in the west, Mexico is at the top as three journalists were murdered for their reporting and the motives for six other killings are under investigation.

    The CPJ said the number of journalists behind bars reflects “increasing intolerance for independent reporting around the world”.

    Last month, Freedom Network reported that two dozen journalists in Pakistan had been prosecuted (2019-21) over the past under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).

  • ‘Govt is going to ensure Pakistani citizens are safe without blood being spilt on either side’: Moeed Yusuf on BBC HARDtalk

    ‘Govt is going to ensure Pakistani citizens are safe without blood being spilt on either side’: Moeed Yusuf on BBC HARDtalk

    National Security Adviser (NSA) to the Prime Minister, Dr Moeed Yusuf, while giving an interview to BBC host Stephen John Sackur on BBC HARDtalk said that the state’s job is not to kill another Pakistani.

    “We are going to try our level best to ensure that Pakistani citizens are safe without any more blood being spilt on either side.” The NSA’s comments come in reference to the Pakistan government’s talks with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

    “How secure is Pakistan after the Taliban are back in power in Afghanistan?”: Sackur

    Sackur questioned Yusuf on how secure Pakistan is after the Taliban are back in power in Afghanistan.

    “Frankly it depends on how responsibly the international community plays the future. Pakistan was not behind anything. There was a policy employed by the United States (US) and others who are in Afghanistan. That was always a failing policy. The only country that kept saying that you will not find a military solution to this problem was Pakistan and our advice was not heeded.”

    “We kept saying negotiate from a position of strength, we weren’t listened to, we were blamed and scape-goated and the result is in front of you,” added Yusuf.

    “We heard the worried voices of the Supreme Court when they were grilling PM Khan,” Sackur

    “Pakistanis are very worried. We heard the worried voices of the Supreme Court when they were grilling PM Khan on what was going on under these negotiations with the Taliban,” responded Sackur and further added that during the grilling of the premier, one of the judges alluded to the 2014 terrible atrocity where the TTP attacked the Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar and killed more than 130 children and questioned PM Khan whether the government was about to sign a documented defeat with those who killed these children, and are we going to surrender once again.

    “You should recognise the state of democracy in this country that the judge calls in the prime minister who goes gets grilled and now Stephen Sackur has the opportunity to ask me. That’s the state of democracy and I am proud of that,” responded Yusuf.

    “We have a consistent policy as a state to say that negotiation must happen from a position of strength and this is what we told the Americans and United Kingdom (UK).”

    “No military bases of China in Balochistan”: Yusuf

    Yusuf said there were no military bases of China in Balochistan, rather there were economic bases there where any country could invest.

    “Let me clarify that there are no military bases offered to China in Balochistan, including Gwadar. Yes, there are economic bases and the same was also offered to the United States, Russia, and the Middle East and we are open to all the countries,” the NSA said, adding, “CPEC is what, it is road infrastructure and energy infrastructure and anybody can come and invest there, we are not closed to anybody.”

    “Is Pakistan developing relations with China at the cost of its principles of supporting the rights of Muslims in the world?” Sackur

    Sackur asked whether Pakistan was developing relations with China at the cost of its principles of supporting the rights of Muslims in the world. “You raise your voice for Kashmiri Muslims but refuse to condemn the violation of human rights in a Chinese province,” the interviewer asked.

    Moeed said that Pakistan did not accept the Western version of human rights violations in Xinjiang province and if they have any concerns, they should talk to China. “We have relations of trust with China and our ambassador and other delegations from here also visited the Xinjiang province,” he said.

  • Police and judiciary most corrupt institutions in Pakistan, reveals National Corruption Perception Survey 2021

    Police and judiciary most corrupt institutions in Pakistan, reveals National Corruption Perception Survey 2021

    The National Corruption Perception Survey 2021 conducted by Transparency International (TI) Pakistan finds the police and judiciary are the most corrupt institutions in the country, reports Ansar Abbasi for The News.

    The police department has been ranked at number one with 41.4 per cent votes while the judiciary comes at number two with17.4 per cent votes. According to the Judicial Statistics of Pakistan 2020 report by the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee, there are 46,698 cases pending in the Supreme Court and 1,772,990 cases pending in the District Judiciary.

    In 2021, TI Pakistan conducted the NCPS 2021 in all four provinces. The survey was conducted from October 14, 2021, to October 27, 2021. It reflects the perception of the general public on governance issues. 

    According to the survey, the three most important causes of corruption are weak accountability (51.9 per cent), the greed of powerful people (29.3 per cent) and low salaries (18.8 per cent).

    40.1 per cent of Pakistanis say an increase in/stringent punishments is a way to reduce corruption while 34.6 per cent Pakistanis say accountability of public officers by expediting NAB’s handling of corruption cases, and 25.3 per cent say a complete ban on those convicted of corruption from holding public office are key to combat corruption in Pakistan.

    Moreover, the vast majority of people think the federal government’s self-accountability is unsatisfactory.

    In the report, a total of 89.1 per cent of Pakistanis claim that they did not pay any bribe to any government official during the federal government’s Covid-19 relief efforts for deserving citizens.

  • Pakistan declines United States invitation to Democracy Summit

    Pakistan has turned down an invitation by the United States (US) to the summit for democracy which was going to be held virtually from December 9-December 10.

    The Pakistan Foreign Office thanked the United States for the invitation to participate in the Democracy Summit. According to the statement issued by the Spokesperson. Pakistan said that they would engage with the country on a wide range of issues “at an opportune time in the future.”

    The statement further added that Pakistan is committed to promoting democracy, eradicating corruption, and safeguarding the human rights of all our citizens.

    “We value our partnership with the U.S. which we wish to expand both bilaterally as well as in terms of regional and international cooperation. We remain in contact with the U.S. on a range of issues and believe that we can engage on this subject at an opportune time in the future,” he added.

    The statement concluded, “Pakistan will, meanwhile, continue to support all efforts aimed towards strengthening dialogue, constructive engagement, and international cooperation for the advancement of our shared goals.”

    According to the official website of the State Department, President Biden will be hosting the virtual meetings on December 9-December 10. He will discuss issues regarding democracy with leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector.

    The statement stated, “The summit will focus on challenges and opportunities facing democracies and will provide a platform for leaders to announce both individual and collective commitments, reforms, and initiatives to defend democracy, and human rights at home and abroad.”

    The summit will be based on key important points which include defending against authoritarianism, addressing and fighting corruption, and promoting respect for human rights.

    In this summit, leaders will be persuaded to share their policies and plan of action for reforms and initiatives to curb the issues that meet the goals of the summit.

    Pakistan is being criticised by some for not attending the summit, with people saying that Pakistan has refused to attend because President Biden has not called PM Khan since he came to power.

    Afghanistan has not been invited to the summit and India’s PM Modi will be attending and speaking about commitment to democracy

  • Nawaz is against Pakistan says Zardari, Shehbaz lashes back

    Nawaz is against Pakistan says Zardari, Shehbaz lashes back

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shehbaz Sharif has criticised Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari for his remarks against Mian Nawaz Sharif.

    “Zardari Sahib’s statement about Mian Nawaz Sharif is unfortunate. Mian Sahib’s unwavering commitment to Pakistan has always been unquestionable. Zardari sb. knows the conditions in which MNS had to go abroad. We should refrain from such remarks & work for [the] greater good of [the] country,” tweeted Shehbaz.

    Without taking Nawaz Sharif’s name, Asif Zardari had accused PML-N chief of being against Pakistan. “They are against my homeland. Those who don’t wish to die in my homeland, what can they do?”

    Zardari said, “We belong to this land and we will die here.” The former president was addressing a media talk on Monday in Lahore.

    On Sunday (December 5), PML-N’s Shaista Pervaiz Malik defeated PPP candidate Aslam Gill in Lahore’s NA-133 by-polls. Shaista Malik secured 46,811 votes while Gill’s votes were 32,313.

  • CM Buzdar ‘imitates’ Shehbaz Sharif, pays surprise visit to own office

    CM Buzdar ‘imitates’ Shehbaz Sharif, pays surprise visit to own office

    Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar paid a surprise visit to his own office, where he inspected the attendance, pace of file work, and disposal of summaries. He directed the staff to observe office timings and official discipline, reports Mansoor Malik for Dawn.

    Buzdar paid a “surprise visit” to the tourism office and transferred the additional secretary “for being absent from duty” while not being aware that the officer held the additional charge of the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) Managing Director (MD).

    Tourism Department additional secretary Kalsoom Saqib was meeting an official delegation of civil officers, undergoing training at NIPA for their promotion from BS-18 to BS-19, at her MD TDCP office, when the chief minister “raided” the tourism department.

    The chief minister conducted a “surprise visit” to the head office of the tourism department on Tuesday morning and made administrative secretary retired Capt Mushtaq Ahmad and additional secretary Kalsoom Saqib Officer on Special Duty (OSD).

    The report published in Dawn suggests that some officials say Buzdar has tried to imitate former CM Shehbaz Sharif by making “surprise raids” on government offices and suspending senior officers but has so far failed to set an example.

    Soon after her transfer, Kalsoom took to her Facebook and posted her transfer order alongside a group photo with the trainee officers outside her MD TDCP office. She wrote in her post: “What a day when you are made OSD for being on duty. These are strange times but got absolutely bizarre today.” She also thanked her team at the tourism department, stating: “Nonetheless it was a great opportunity to do my bit for putting Tourism on the map. Great team, whom I will always adore.”

    A senior officer in the CM office, maintaining anonymity, told Dawn that either the CM office was unaware or the information of Kalsoom holding an additional charge was “deliberately kept secret to embarrass the chief minister”.