A session court in Islamabad has sent former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry to Adiala jail on judicial remand in a fraud case on Wednesday.
After the end of a one-day physical remand, Fawad Chaudhry was brought before the judicial magistrate, Yasir Mehmood.
The former minister’s council, Qamar Inayat, requested that the court remove his client’s handcuffs, to which the court agreed.
The lawyer asked for time to hold consultations, upon which the court ordered a 15-minute break.
After the break, Fawad Chaudhry told the court that it’s the third hearing, but a complainant has not been presented. After that, the court announced its decision to send Chaudhry on a 14-day judicial remand to Adiala jail.
Later, Fawad Chaudhry said in his media talk that Nawaz Sharif should play a role in decreasing political tension.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released its latest ODI player rankings. Pakistan captain Babar Azam has lost the number one spot after holding on to it for 938 days.
Azam has slipped to the second position, while Indian opener Shubman Gill has reached the number one position.
Shubman Gill has got 830 points while Babar Azam is right behind with 824 ranking points.
South Africa’s Quinton de Kock is third, India’s Virat Kohli is fourth and Australia’s David Warner is fifth.
Pakistani star bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi also lost his number-one position in the ICC ODI rankings.
Now India’s Mohammad Siraj is in first place with 709 points, while South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj is second with 694 points, and Australia’s Adam Zampa is in third place with 662 points. India’s Kuldeep Yadav is fourth with 661 points and Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi is fifth with 658 points.
In the ICC all-rounders ranking, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan is first, Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi is second, and Zimbabwe’s Sikander Raza is third.
November is about to become an exciting month for Pakistani audiences with the upcoming Pak-Turkish collaboration ‘Kudüs Fatihi Selahaddin Eyyubi’, an exploration of the life of Ayyubid Dynasty founder Saladin, set for release. This is the first time Pakistani and Turkish actors are collaborating together for a drama, with veteran actors Humayun Saeed and Adnan Siddiqui and Pakistani film producers Dr. Kashif Ansari and Dr. Junaid Ali Shah.
Siddiqui shared a teaser of the upcoming series which will pay homage to the legacy of Selahaddin Eyyubi and how his goal was to unite Syria, Egypt, Palestine and Mesopotamia territories under his rule.
“He was a man with exceptional courage, deep sense of justice, and a symbol of honour and bravery. Here’s an ode to his chivalry, nobility, military prowess, and his ability to unite the Islamic world during the Crusades as we bring alive the legacy of Selahaddin Eyyubi on November 13, at 9PM on TRT.”
Adnan previously shared the official poster on his Instagram account which featured main actors Ugur Gunes, Dilin Doger and Mehmet Ali Nuroglu. In the caption, the actor wrote:
“Transport yourself to the 12th century and immerse in the extraordinary saga of Selahaddin Eyubbi, the revered warrior and the founding sultan of Egypt and Syria. The Selahaddin Eyubbi series is set to premiere on TRT, airing every Monday at 9 PM starting November 13th, bringing to life the awe-inspiring story of the sultan.”
Speaking to Independent Urdu, producers Dr Kashif Ansari and Dr Junaid Ali Shah of Ansari & Shah Films said:
“The idea to make a series on [Salahuddin] came about because he was a history-making undisputed ruler in the history of Muslims, admired and respected by Muslims and non-Muslims alike,” opined Dr Ansari.
“This series isn’t meant to be just for the Muslims or Pakistanis or Turkish people. It’s meant to show a great Muslim ruler whose courage, bravery and just nature was appreciated by his opponents as well,” he further stressed.
Junaid Ali Shah further elaborated that the target of the show’s audience is mostly the six billion non-Muslims who were unaware of the work of Muslim rulers.
A show cause notice issued by NED University of Engineering and Technology has surfaced online, which censures students for collecting funds for Palestine, terming it an act “tantamount to misconduct”, and asking the students to give an explanation within seven days.
The official notice explains that a body of engineering students, assumed to be representing a political party, was collecting donations for Palestine funds without permission from a competent authority on October 25. This is seen as a violation of Discipline, Conduct, Welfare, and Code of Honour. The students now have to present their case before a university committee to provide an explanation as to why they should not be punished.
The legal saga surrounding Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s jail trial and the controversial cipher case took center stage in Islamabad this week.
On Tuesday, three witnesses provided their testimonies against the PTI chief and his party’s Vice Chairman, Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Judge Zulqarnain presided over the proceedings at Adiala jail under the special Official Secrets Act court. PTI legal representatives included Barristers Salman Safdar, Taimur, and Gohar Ali Khan, while special prosecutors comprised of Shah Khawar, Zulfikar Abbas Naqvi, and Raja Rizwan Abbasi.
During the proceedings, PTI’s lawyer, Salman Akram Raja, representing Khan, raised concerns over the trial’s confined space within the jail premises, emphasizing that it wasn’t in line with legal protocols.
Family members met the two leaders before witnesses’ statements and cross-examination were conducted; legal teams consulted with Khan and Qureshi. The PTI chief met with his wife Bushra Bibi and sisters Aleema Khan, Noreen Khanum, and Uzma Khan, within the jail premises.
Qureshi’s daughter, Meharbano, was also present during the trial. She also spoke with the media outside the jail, and demanded justice and a fair trial for her father.
“Let the family in; no one can have security concerns from their family. Fair trial is my father’s right and as a daughter, I have the right to see the trial,” she added.
Contempt of court petition
Adiala jail superintendent responded to the contempt of court petition filed by Khan on Wednesday, requesting the court to dismiss the contempt of court petition.
“Can’t even think of disobeying the court order,” he stated in his reply.
The superintendent told the court there is no permanent facility to make phone calls abroad on WhatsApp. He informed the court that the PTI chief spoke with his children on October 18, after the jail took special measures to make the call possible.
“Arrangements are made for prisoners to speak with family and lawyers at the jail PCO,” he said, adding that the court can direct the Punjab Home Department to amend the rules with regard to making phone calls.
The court, meanwhile, adjourned the hearing of the contempt petition till Monday due to the absence of Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain.
Islamabad High Court
Islamabad High Court’s Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb asked the Attorney General of Pakistan to ensure that the cipher case trial was not conducted in an inappropriate manner, otherwise, it might collapse like a house of cards.
An IHC bench, comprising Justice Aurangzeb and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, heard the intra-court appeal filed by Khan against his jail trial and the appointment of the special court’s judge in the cipher case.
The court adjourned the proceedings to November 14, allowing time for the attorney general to present arguments.
Nawaz wants his own umpires
Talking to media persons outside Adiala Jail, Imran Khan’s lawyer Barrister Umair Niazi said the PTI chief had criticised PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and also rejected the trial of civilians in military courts.
The PTI lawyer quoted Mr Khan as saying that Nawaz Sharif cannot play without his own umpires and is again looking towards them. All political parties, except the PML-N, are calling for a level playing field, he added.
Khan expressed concern over the fresh wave of terrorism in the country and said this was because of a “weak” Afghan policy as Mr Bhutto-Zardari, being the foreign minister, did not visit Kabul to address the issue of terrorism.
On Tuesday night, the US House voted to censure Palestinian-American Representative Rashida Tlaib over comments she made on the situation in Gaza.
Among the voters were 22 Democrats who backed a resolution saying Tlaib has been “Promoting false narratives regarding the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and for calling for destruction of the state of Israel.”
The death toll of Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes has soared to 10,000 civilians. UNICEF spokesperson James Elder has called Gaza “a graveyard for thousands of children”, urging world leaders to call for a ceasefire.
Tlaib provoked ire by using the slogan ‘from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’, which Republican politicians claimed was anti-Semitic.
Speaking on the House floor, Rashida defended her stance and urged fellow lawmakers to end USA’s complicity in the genocide of Gaza.
“I will not be silenced and I will not let you distort my words,” Tlaib responded. “No government is beyond criticism. The idea that criticizing the government of Israel is antisemitic sets a very dangerous precedent, and it’s been used to silence diverse voices speaking up for human rights across our nation.”
I am the only Palestinian American serving in Congress, and my perspective is needed here now more than ever. I will not be silenced and I will not let anyone distort my words.
I’m from Detroit, where I learned to speak truth to power, even if my voice shakes. pic.twitter.com/bXhGPCcKat
Social media users were horrified by the censure, hailing Rashida as the bravest politician for having the courage to speak truth during a time of censorship.
Rashida Tlaib is legitimately the bravest politician in America right now and the Dem attack dogs circling around her are scum. A car thief has more integrity
Rashida Tlaib has more integrity and courage than every single spineless worm who voted to censure her for daring to speak out about the genocide of her own people
The greatest American politician right now is Rashida Tlaib. For years she’s been ruthlessly subjected to the most vicious racism by both parties, and she still stands tall as a moral beacon. We are all extremely fortunate to have her.
Ehsan, a 9-year-old domestic worker, was allegedly sodomized and then murdered by his employer Shan Ali, an estate agent, in Lahore. The employer claims that the boy committed suicide by hanging himself.
The incident occurred in Baghbanpura, Lahore on Tuesday as per the police. A murder case has been lodged while Shan has been nominated in the FIR on the complaint of the child’s mother, Nawab Bibi.
The child, a resident of Kasur, was sent to work as a house help at Shan’s residence some five years ago. According to the mother, her brother-in-law, Imran, used to collect wages from the employer while family members were not allowed to meet the boy. They met him only once in five years. The suspect himself called the family to inform them that the boy has taken his own life. Reportedly, the alleged killer shifted the body to the morgue before the boy’s parents arrived at his home. She told the police that her son was sodomized and then hanged by Shan.
The alleged murderer has already fled the scene, while the police is in search of the suspect.
Amidst the deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan, the media is uncovering instances of families getting ripped apart.
One such story is that of Bilal and Rabia in Karachi, who are now facing the risk of separation after 15 years of marriage, Geo has reported.
Bilal, born to immigrant Afghan parents in 1988, has lived all his life in Karachi. Rabia, originally from DG Khan, used to live in the same locality as Bilal. The two fell in love.
Bilal talked to his parents to ask for her hand in marriage, however, his brothers threatened to cut all ties with him if he married a Pakistani girl. Unfazed by their sentiments, he married Rabia. Bilal’s brothers left for Afghanistan and Rabia’s family gave them their consent and blessings.
Fifteen years on, the two are happy and Bilal is also taking care of his widowed mother-in-law and a divorced sister-in-law. In the wake of Afghan expulsion from the country, fear is looming over the couple’s minds constantly. Despite every effort to get Bilal a CNIC, he has not got one in all these years and the couple is determined to get it through a legal route.
Addressing this predicament, Bilal said, “I heard about the directive from the Peshawar High Court to grant identity cards to Afghan nationals married to Pakistani citizens. I joined the struggle in light of this landmark judgment. Unfortunately, it did not yield results. I regret not taking this matter more seriously at first. I was unaware that lacking an identity card in Pakistan could lead to separation from our families. My roots are in this country, and I have a deep affection for it. Regardless of legal decisions, our financial commitments are in Pakistan, and even if we are deported, our homeland will remain Pakistan.”
Rabia said, “My husband’s brothers have not accepted us in the fifteen years of our marriage. They even threatened us, saying if you return, we will harm you. I am worried for my husband because he is my only support. As for myself, why should I go anywhere? I am a Pakistani. They are not my people, and neither is Afghanistan my homeland.”
The couple, parents to five children, urged the government to review its decision or reconsider its policies regarding cases like their own.
Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) head Nawaz Sharif will visit Balochistan on November 13, marking his first visit within the country after his return to Pakistan on October 21.
Nawaz Sharif will meet more than 20 electable politicians and known political personalities of the province.
According to Samas, the politicians will join PML-N after meeting Sharif.
On the other hand, the PML-N will announce seat adjustment with the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP).
The former prime minister will also meet with the newly formed party structure in Balochistan.
Hazardous levels of smog in India have created problems for international players who have come to play in the cricket World Cup, leading to practice sessions being canceled.
According to data released by IQ Air, a company that monitors air pollution, some of the major cities in India where World Cup matches are being held have unhealthy air, while others are extremely polluted.
Cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata are among the top 10 cities in the world in terms of air pollution.
Before the match in New Delhi on Monday, the training session of the Bangladesh and Sri Lanka cricket teams was canceled on the advice of the doctors, some players were shifted to the hotel due to breathing problems.
