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Tag: Pakistan

  • 7,000 cases closed after PECA repelled by court: Federal Investigation Agency

    7,000 cases closed after PECA repelled by court: Federal Investigation Agency

    The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has closed almost 7,000 inquiries and actions initiated under section 20 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act (Peca) Ordinance 2022, a couple of days after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) declared the amended law as “unconstitutional”.

    Majority of these complaints were registered on charges of defamation and serious threats received by citizens via Twitter and Facebook profiles.

    The IHC further directed the federal government to probe abuse of the law and sought a report in this regard within 30 days.

    According to Dawn News, quoting sources, “the action was initiated on 70 percent of the total complaints filed by the women who were harassed on social media by “known and unknown persons.”

    FIA officials stated that over 60 percent of the total complaints of women were registered on charges of sexually harassment through Facebook accounts.

    Furthermore, following the IHC verdict, the FIA’s cyber crime division has stopped receiving complaints under Peca section 20.

    Read more- Civil society, political collectives condemn PECA Ordinance

    Why was the law so controversial?

    PECA received criticism from all quarters of society. According to critics, the law would make it illegal to send text messages without the recipient’s authorisation, be tried and jailed for sending fake whatsapp forwards or to use social media to criticise the government.

    Digital Rights activist Usama Khilji, while talking exclusively to The Current said that “the section of PECA related to sexual harassment is sections 21 and 24 which are very much still a part of the law. Only the harm to reputation part of section 20 has been struck down by the Islamabad High court because it had become a tool in the hands of the powerful to shut down any criticism against them through a criminal defamation case. Defamation is decriminalised in most democracies today. “

    He continued by adding, “the short-lived amendment ordinance only worsened section 20 by criminalising harm to the reputation of public officials as well as organisations and institutions, and making it non-bailable, non-compoundable and cognizable which means that the FIA could arrest accused without warrant, file a case on their own, and not give them bail. it was necessary to preserve basic rights and democracy the unconstitutional and authoritarian ordinance was struck down.”

  • ‘You are not my Prime Minister, Dil toot’: Armeena Rana Khan slams Shahbaz Sharif

    ‘You are not my Prime Minister, Dil toot’: Armeena Rana Khan slams Shahbaz Sharif

    Actor Armeena Rana Khan has announced on her Instagram handle that she refuses to accept Shahbaz Sharif as the new Prime Minister after Imran Khan’s ouster.

    The Janaan star is currently based in Canada.

    She also tweeted a prayer after Imran Khan’s vote-out, “May God protect Pakistan and it’s loyal citizens from darkness and the forces of evil that are about to consume it once more. Ameen.”

    https://twitter.com/ArmeenaRK/status/1512892850744217602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1512892850744217602%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftribune.com.pk%2Fstory%2F2351843%2Fhe-will-rise-again-celebs-lament-fall-of-imran-khan-return-to-purana-pakistan

    Unable to fall asleep, she took to her Insta Stories to add, “Dil thora toot sa raha hai. Aesa lagta hai jese kuch qeemti si cheez kho di (My heart is breaking a little, it feels like we’ve lost something very precious).”

    Earlier she replied to netizens who criticized her tweets in which she highlighted the social hypocrisy towards the choice of dressing of local female celebrities at the Hum Style Awards.

    The Sherdil diva wrote, “Truth is a bitter medicine. My recent statement hit the bullseye, I know this because it brought all the cockroaches out, waving their fake flags of religion and nationalism. Fake faith by day, a farrago of filth by night.”

    Several female celebrities have been criticized by netizens over their choice of dressing at the 5th Hum Style Awards. Actress Armeena Rana took to Twitter to express her opinion on the on-going backlash for the female celebrities.

    After receiving backlash on her tweet the Daldal actress deleted it.

  • Court extends bail of MNA Jam Abdul Karim in Jokhio murder case

    Court extends bail of MNA Jam Abdul Karim in Jokhio murder case

    The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday extended interim bail of MNA Jam Abdul Karim until April 14 in the Nazim Jokhio murder case.

    The counsel for MNA Jam Abdul Karim submitted an application in the court, seeking his client’s exemption from the hearing. “Mr Abdul Karim will appear in the court on next hearing after casting vote in the election for new prime minister,” the lawyer informed the court. During hearing, Justice Umar Sial questioned how the court could exempt him from the hearing. “Why the challan has not been submitted in the Anti-Terrorism Court,” the court questioned the lawyer. To which, the investigation officer informed the court that challan of the case was finalized and subsequently submitted to the office of the Public Prosecutor General. However, it was stopped due to objections raised by the office .

    The bench extended bail of Jam Abdul Karim and other accused till April 14.

    It is to be recalled that the accused MNA reached Pakistan last month after the Sindh High Court granted him protective bail against a surety bond of Rs100,000.

    On November 3, last year, Nazim’s tortured body was found in PPP MPA Jam Awais’ farmhouse in Karachi’s Malir area, a day after he filmed a group of foreigners hunting the endangered houbara bustard in his Achar Salaar village in Thatta. According to Nazim Jokhio’s brother, Nazim had broadcast a live stream on social media of a hunting expedition involving foreign guests of PPP MPA Jam Awais, after which Jam Awais called Nazim to the house where he was allegedly murdered.

  • ‘Amazing outpouring of support’: PTI supporters rock streets countrywide

    ‘Amazing outpouring of support’: PTI supporters rock streets countrywide

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters took to the streets across all major and small cities in massive numbers to show their solidarity with their leader and former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Party supporters came out following a call given by Khan for peaceful protest.

    A day after Khan was voted out of power, he, during an address to the nation, had said that he will not tolerate the installation of a “foreign government” in Pakistan and that he will turn to the public for support if such a thing happens.

    “We are not a nation that can be used like tissue papers,” Khan said during a live telecast, maintaining that Pakistan does not want unilateral relations with any country.

    Earlier in the day on April 10, Khan tweeted that today marked the beginning of a “freedom struggle” against what he called was a “foreign regime-change conspiracy”. In an attempt to galvanize his supporters, he said “it is always the people who protected their own sovereignty and democracy.”

    PTI had shared the venues for the protests hours before their supporters took to the streets. 

    Islamabad

    The protest in the capital started from Zero Point. People waved flags while chanting slogans in favour of the former prime minister.

    Former Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry thanked PTI supporters for turning out to Rawalpindi for the protest.

    Lahore

    PTI leader Hammad Azhar posted a video of a rally from his constituency of NA-126 leaving for Liberty Chowk.

    Peshawar

    A large number of protesters including women and children turned up at Peshawar Press Club and expressed solidarity with the ousted prime minister.

    Karachi

    A protest was held in Karachi on Rashid Minhas Road where a large number of supporters, including women and children, were in attendance.

    Overseas Pakistani too came out in support of Khan.

    Khan thanks protestors for ‘amazing outpouring of support’

    Imran thanked his supporters in a tweet done prior to midnight.

    “Thank you to all Pakistanis for their amazing outpouring of support and emotions to protest against US-backed regime change abetted by local Mir Jafars to bring into power a coterie of pliable crooks all out on bail,” he tweeted.

    “[It] shows Pakistanis at home and abroad have emphatically rejected this.”

  • Journalists covering the Parliament session today

    The National Assembly (NA) session chaired by Speaker Asad Qaiser is currently on-going under the Supreme Court (SC) order.

    Here is a lots of journalists and reporters who are in Parliament right now. Click on their names to follow them on Twitter.

    Journalist Asma Shirazi shared a picture where Mohammad Malick, Gharidah Farooqi, Dr Shahid Masood, Batool Rajput, Aamir Ghauri, Saleh Zaafir and Shahid Maitla can be seen.

    Other than them, Journalist Zahid Gishkori is also currently present in the Parlaiment.

    Journalist Nayyer Ali alongside BBC’s Farhat Javed Rabani and Independent Urdu’s Mona Khan posed for a picture.

    Multimedia Journalist Aamir Saeed and Geo News’ Azaz Syed are also present. Syed also interviewed NA Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri.

  • Saudi Arabia to allow one million Hajj pilgrims for 2022

    Saudi Arabia to allow one million Hajj pilgrims for 2022

    Saudi Arabia has increased the Hajj pilgrimage limit in the country to one million compared to last year’s 60,000 domestic pilgrims.

    To combat the coronavirus pandemic, attendance at the Islamic event was drastically reduced in the past two years due to travel restrictions.

    As per the latest notice, Pilgrims must be under the age of 65 and have received COVID-19 vaccinations that have been approved by the Saudi health ministry.

    All pilgrims must present a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test report within three days (72 hours of departure time).

    The move intends to accommodate the greatest number of pilgrims to perform Hajj while retaining the Kingdom’s health improvements in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the ministry.

    Furthermore, the directives noted that the expansion will be based on the quotas decided for nations that will follow the Kingdom’s mandatory health recommendations.

    As per the official figures, 58,745 pilgrims performed Hajj in 2021. The number of Hajj pilgrims often surpassed the two million count before the Covid-19 outbreak.

  • Indian actor-activist showers praise on Pakistani Supreme Court

    Bollywood actor and activist, Swara Bhasker took to her Twitter account and shared her opinion on the ongoing situation in Pakistan. She is famous for giving controversial statements about both India and Pakistan.

    She penned down, “Looks like the Supreme Court of Pakistan stood up for its country and citizens and not their government.. so apparently, it is possible. Sigh!.”

    She indirectly highlighted that the Indian apex court could do similar actions to safeguard India and its citizens. Many Indian trolled to compare the situation of Pakistan with India.

    One user said, “Looks like Swara Bhaskar of Pakistan stood up for its country and citizens and not their government.. so apparently it is possible. Sigh!.”

    Swara Bhasker is currently in the United States (US) to attend a seminar at the School of Information symposium on ‘Social Media Influencers and New Political Economy in South Asia & Africa’.

    Another user threatened to stay over there and not return to India.

    She said, “Imran Khan is not stopping himself from appreciating India. Look at this shameless woman. Let God stop her to return to India and stay where she is currently now.”

    A user threatened to apply for Pakistan citizenship so it would be easy to reach out Pakistan Supreme Court.

    In past, Swara Bhasker was trolled by Pakistani netizens over her insensitive remarks about the Shariah Laws in Pakistan over banning her film, Veere Di Wedding in Pakistan in 2018.

  • SSP Discipline advises officials to treat every complainant as a VVIP

    SSP Discipline advises officials to treat every complainant as a VVIP

    On Wednesday, SSP Discipline Lahore Ejaz Rasheed paid a surprise visit to Nishtar Colony Police Station, inspecting the front desk, reporting and record room, prison and presence of personnel, hygiene, and other pertinent sections of the office.

    The SSP told the police officers that resolving legitimate public complaints at the police station must be their first priority. He was of the view that police stations represent the department’s image and that boosting quality and providing justice to civilians should be their main focus.

    He remarked that every complainant who comes to the police station is a VVIP and the department must treat everyone with dignity and respect.

    SSP Discipline also inquired about police station personnel’s concerns regarding their job and the resources allocated to them. He also instructed the officers to accomplish the declared offenders and professional criminals’ arrest targets.

    On this occasion, SHO Nishtar Colony, Incharge Investigation, and other relevant police officers and personnel were also present.

  • ‘Stop spreading rumours’: Farah Khan denies corruption allegations

    ‘Stop spreading rumours’: Farah Khan denies corruption allegations

    Farah Khan has denied the corruption charges against her that surfaced recently after dissenting PTI leader and former Punjab senior minister Abdul Aleem Khan  accused Farah Khan of corruption with the connivance of her “contacts in the power corridors”

    “I outrightly condemn all accusations and rumours with regards to myself and my family. I have neither involved myself in politics nor was I ever in a position to interfere in governmental affairs. “

    “Those who have attempted to tarnish my character must remember their sisters. My husband has already given his statement with regards to our business.”

    “Those who have been linked to me have denounced such allegations. My family has been in a constant state of distress and suffering.”

    “For God’s sake! Please stop spreading rumours and connecting me and my family with such hearsay,” she concluded.

    In a crowded press conference, Abdul Aleem Khan accused Farah Khan of corruption with the connivance of her “contacts in the power corridors”. Reports and rumours started making rounds suggesting that Farah Khan has left for Dubai on Sunday in the wake of the no-confidence motion.

    On the other hand, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz dubbed Farah Khan the “mother of all scandals” and also accused her of receiving huge money for transfers and postings. “I dare to name Farah, a friend of Bushra Bibi who is involved in receiving millions of rupees in transfers and postings and these are directly connected to Banigala (residence of Prime Minister Khan),” said Maryam Nawaz.

    The News investigations reveal that Farah Khan’s fortune increased ever since the premier appointed Usman Buzdar as Chief Minister Punjab. 

  • ‘Unconstitutional’: What else did the Supreme Court say?

    ‘Unconstitutional’: What else did the Supreme Court say?

    The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) has declared the National Assembly (NA) Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri’s ruling on the dismissal of no-confidence motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan as unconstitutional and illegal.

    The session chaired by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and the five-member bench has unanimously ruled that President Dr Arif Alvi’s decision to dissolve the National Assembly is “illegal” and restored Imran Khan as Prime Minister as well as his cabinet ministers. They will now face the no-confidence motion on Saturday April 9th 2022.

    “The deputy speaker gave a ruling on April 3. Leave was granted on the no-confidence motion on March 28. The ruling of the speaker is declared unconstitutional,” Justice Bandial declared.

    Chief Justice Bandial also said the verdict was announced with an unanimous agreement of 5-0 after the judges consulted each other.

    The apex court has also ordered a lower house session to vote on no-trust against PM Khan on April 9th, 2022 [Saturday] at 10 am, saying that the session cannot be adjourned without the conclusion of the no-trust motion and the government cannot interfere in the participation of any Member of National Assembly in the assembly session.

    Ahead of the verdict, SC summoned Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja. Prior to the verdict, PM Khan called a party meeting at Banigala.

    The short order by the SC is as follows: