National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) has complied a fact sheet on the allegations of torture and sexual abuse of prisoners who were arrested in connection with May 9 riots. The report has been compiled in collaboration with Justice Project Pakistan and Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
The fact-sheet read that one third of male prisoners complained about the use of force during arrest. The brief report further added that most prisoners were not told about the grounds of the arrest.
However, contrary to the allegations made by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, no female prisoner complained about torture or sexual abuse.
As per the report, most jails were overcrowded, housing prisoners beyond their official capacity, while most prisoners were unaware of their rights.
NCHR concludes report on allegations of torture & sexual abuse of prisoners in connection with May 9 protests. Members from civil society @JusticeProject_ & @HRCP87 accompanied NCHR team. Fact sheet below: pic.twitter.com/IDlIxqIyeU
— National Commission for Human Rights (@nchrofficial) June 23, 2023
Muhammad Arslan has been jailed in the U.K for suffocating one of his female colleagues with a face mask and then hiding her body in a suitcase, Geo News reports.
Arslan, 27, claimed to have forced a face mask into the mouth of 21-year-old Hina Bashir in order to “quieten” her after he confronted her over alleged nude photographs that had been sent out. The prosecution rejected his explanation as “elaborate and concocted”, asserting he had killed Hina out of anger and jealousy.
Both Arslan and Hina had grown up together in the same village in Faisalabad. Arslan would try to approach Hina romantically, but she rejected his advances. Within months of her moving to the UK in November 2021, Arslan followed her.
On the eve of July 11 last year, Hina and two of her friends visited Arslan’s shared flat in Ilford, east London, in order to collect some belongings she had left there while she was moving. Hina went up alone, and that was the last time her friends saw her alive, Geo reports.
Arslan admitted manslaughter on the first day of his trial but denied murder and concealing Hina’s body. However, a jury at the Old Bailey found him guilty on all charges.
Judge Richard Marks KC sentenced him to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years for the murder and five years running concurrently for his heinous crime.
The judge told Arslan: “I am satisfied…that your unrequited feelings for Hina boiled over and resulted in you taking hold of a facemask and forcing it into the back of her mouth which led to her collapse and ultimately to her death from asphyxiation.”
He added that Arslan’s prime motivation was to save himself after killing Hina, hence the “campaign of lies” to conceal his crime, before disposing of her body in a “shocking and callous manner”. Arslan had hid her body in a suitcase overnight, before traveling to an industrial estate to hide the suitcase in undergrowth on the side of a lane, evidence reveals.
The Judge declared it was apparent that Arslan had been “obsessed” with Hina, feelings clearly not reciprocated. He went on to say that he was extremely skeptical of the claim that he had been sent naked photos of Hina prior to the attack, as “no such photos were ever recovered”.
In an interview with Geo, the victim’s father, Bashir Khan, stated, “even animals would treat my daughter better.”
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice-president Maryam Nawaz has left for Dubai as the Sharif family plans to celebrate Eid-Ul-Azha in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) together.
According to media reports, Nawaz Sharif has already reached Dubai.
“Vice President and Chief Organizer of Pakistan Muslim League (N) Maryam Nawaz Sharif has left for Dubai on a private visit. Party leader Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has already reached Dubai. Other family members are also with him,” Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb tweeted.
پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) کی نائب صدر اور چیف آرگنائزر مریم نواز شریف نجی دورے پہ دبئی روانہ ہوگئی ہیں۔ پارٹی قائد جناب محمد نواز شریف پہلے ہی دبئی پہنچ چکے ہیں۔ فیملی کے دیگر ارکان بھی ان کے ہمراہ ہیں
Reportedly, Maryam Nawaz will go to London after her visit to Dubai, however, Maryam Aurangzeb didn’t give further information about their huddle in Dubai.
In a recent development, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has taken the decision to lift all import restrictions as part of fulfilling a condition set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The central bank issued a circular to officially end these restrictions, thereby satisfying another requirement put forth by the IMF.
To facilitate the release of over 6,000 containers, the federal government has granted permission to banks for remittance provision. The circular issued by the SBP states that remittances will be provided for all imports following the implementation of this latest order. The central bank has instructed authorised dealers to process remittances based on the recommendations of stakeholders.
It came to light yesterday that Pakistan and the IMF are facing challenges in reviving a loan program, leading to disagreements between the Ministry of Finance and the IMF. Sources revealed that the plan to bridge the external financing gap relied on funds received from a donor conference held in Geneva.
The primary objective of the conference was to garner support and contributions for Pakistan’s financial requirements. As part of this plan, the IMF was tasked with securing $500 million by June through the Geneva Donor Conference. However, efforts to obtain funds for the Ministry of Planning and Treasury have encountered obstacles. Delays in finalising contracts and agreements under the Donor Conference have further impeded the financing process.
Sources within the Ministry of Finance report that the amount received through the Geneva Donor Conference currently stands at $150 million, falling short of the expected sum. This has raised concerns from the IMF, which has expressed dissatisfaction with the level of financial support obtained through the conference.
According to ARY News, the funds acquired from the Donor Conference will be allocated to crucial recovery and rehabilitation projects in regions affected by floods. The aim is to address the needs of these communities and provide support for their restoration efforts.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday, took to twitter to blame the present government for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States (US) President Joe Biden’s joint statement that asked Pakistan to stop supporting terrorism.
“Gen Bajwa along with his PDM cronies claimed that I had isolated Pakistan internationally. The question we want to ask him and PDM is that after a year in government and countless trips of Pakistan’s FM to the US, the joint India/US statement reduces Pakistan to a promoter of cross-border terrorism in India and nothing more. No balancing statement about the gross human rights abuse in Kashmir or the appalling treatment of minorities (esp Muslims) in India. So now the imported govt experiment has not just made Pakistan irrelevant internationally but our democracy, rule of law and the entire economic and institutional structure is also collapsing right in front of our eyes,” wrote Imran while sharing the screenshot of the statement.
Gen Bajwa along with his PDM cronies claimed that I had isolated Pakistan internationally.
The question we want to ask him and PDM is that after a year in government and countless trips of Pakistan’s FM to the US, the joint India/US statement reduces Pakistan to a promoter of… pic.twitter.com/2qyRqnHp5J
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, in response to Imran Khan’s tweet, shared a screenshot of a US-India joint statement released after the Modi-Trump meeting of 2020, during Imran Khan’s tenure as Prime Minister. The statement issued during Imran Khan’s government and the statement issued this week have identical wording.
On Friday, the price of gold in Pakistan witnessed a decline of Rs1,500 per tola, losing its luster due to a decrease in the international market.
The All-Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association (APSGJA) released data indicating that the price of 24-carat gold dropped by Rs1,500 per tola and Rs1,285 per 10 grammes, settling at Rs217,000 and Rs186,043, respectively.
Concurrently, the international market saw a $10 decrease, with the yellow metal settling at $1,919 per ounce.
Recent times have seen the gold rate in Pakistan fluctuate amidst ongoing political and economic uncertainty, as well as high inflation. Consequently, individuals tend to view this precious commodity as a secure investment and a hedge during such periods. The association’s data revealed that the price of silver remained unchanged at Rs2,550 per tola and Rs2,186.21 per 10 grammes.
Furthermore, the data highlighted that the cost of bullion in Pakistan is Rs4,000 per tola lower than the Dubai market, indicating that the Pakistani gold market currently offers more affordable prices than the global market.
In terms of foreign exchange, the Pakistani rupee maintained stability against the US dollar, experiencing a nominal increase of Rs0.01. The interbank market closed on Friday with the exchange rate at Rs286.74.
Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui will be playing a transgender in the film ‘Haddi’, a movie that will also star 300 transgenders, according to debutante producers Sanjay Saha and Raadhika Nanda.
“The process was very adventurous and hard at the same time. It was not very difficult to convince them as we were also learning their life experiences and making them a part of our film. We had a great time learning tons of things from them, including how their life and world is very different from us,” the producers have said.
The filmmakers also spoke about a transgender woman, Renuka, who had helped the filmmakers in researching the character.
“She helped us learn about their community,” revealed Sanjay, “and their upbringing, along with the challenges faced by them from childhood to their day-to-day life. She also made us visit many people from the community which helped us write the script and get a better understanding of their life. She had brought some of her friends from the community to Nawaz so that he could get into the character and deeply understand their life.”
“I’m glad how Nawaz has spent a lot of time with them and making sure he truly understands what they go through.”
Speaking about how Renuka had helped in making Haddi a more accurate film, the producer revealed:
“Renuka has helped us through the entire medical process too, including how the operation happens and what they have to go through post-operation. The writers sat with the transgender people to have a fair understanding of where they live, where they get treated, what they do in daily lives, and followed their lifestyle which helped us a lot to make Haddi a truth based film on them since Nawaz is playing a transgender.”
The AD Ports Group, based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has entered into a 50-year concession agreement with the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) to manage and develop the Karachi Gateway Terminal Limited (KGTL).
The group will invest $220 million in infrastructure development over the first 10 years of the agreement. This agreement is particularly significant as Pakistan seeks external financing to support its struggling economy.
According to the terms of the agreement, a joint venture has been established between AD Ports Group and Kaheel Terminals, a UAE-based company, with AD Ports Group as the majority shareholder. The joint venture will oversee the management, operation, and development of the KGTL, specifically berths 6-9 at Karachi Port’s East Wharf.
The infrastructure investment will focus on deepening berths, extending quay walls, and expanding the container storage area. These enhancements will enable the terminal to accommodate larger vessels and increase its annual container capacity from 750,000 to 1 million TEUs.
Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, the Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group, expressed enthusiasm about the concession agreement, stating that it aligns with the group’s strategy of investing in strategic maritime trade routes. He believes that this agreement has the potential to bolster the economies of both the UAE and Pakistan, foster stronger relationships with key trading partners, and drive economic growth and prosperity.
The terminal’s operations are denominated in US dollars, minimising exposure to fluctuations in the Pakistani rupee. The terminal has historically generated revenues of approximately $55 million and an annual EBIDTA of around $30 million.
The UAE and Pakistan have a robust trade relationship, with the UAE serving as Pakistan’s leading regional trading partner in 2021. Bilateral trade between the two countries accounted for over 40 per cent of Pakistan’s trade with Arab nations. In 2022, non-oil exports from the UAE to Pakistan amounted to nearly AED 4.8 billion ($1.3 billion), while re-exports from the UAE to Pakistan reached AED 10.6 billion (US$2.9 billion), demonstrating a 7.7 per cent growth compared to 2021.
According to Geo, the agreement between AD Ports Group and KPT has been hailed as a significant milestone by Syed Syedain Raza Zaidi, Chairman of Karachi Port Trust. Zaidi believes that this collaboration will pave the way for a thriving container terminal, driving efficiency, attracting investment, and stimulating economic development in Karachi.
Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP), Mansoor Usman Awan, has told the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday that 102 people are currently in the army’s custody for trials.
A seven-member bench included Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yayha Afridi, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Ayesha Malik hearing the petition.
The AGP took to the rostrum in today’s hearing and told the seven member bench that 102 people are in the custody of the military, adding that no journalist or lawyer is included in the list.
No minors or women are in the custody of the army, he added.
Authorities had doubts about one of the people because his age is less than 18, and if his age is less than 18, he will be released, the AGP told the Supreme Court.
A day earlier, the Chief Justice ignored a request for a stay order to stop the trial of civilians in the military courts by saying that it was not possible before listening to the AGP.
A prominent private school in Karachi is allegedly protecting and, in turn, aiding bullying by a Grade 11 English teacher despite complaints by students and a student’s parents. The teacher went so far as to bully a student, Amal* in front of the school principal but the principal remained silent.
“This is why no one likes you or wants to talk to you.”
“You aren’t allowed to cry and play victim.”
“You’re pathetic.”
The series of bullying events took place at different occasions and almost always in front of eyewitnesses, which included other students and the principal.
Amal states that during a school trip this year to Turkey, the teacher verbally attacked Amal on the bus. Another student was trying to find her missing phone and had forgotten she had given her phone to Amal. When the phone was returned to the owner, the teacher turned to Amal and said, “This is why no one likes you or wants to talk to you. You aren’t allowed to cry and play victim like you always do because this is all your fault. You better not start crying.” The comments were made in front of the student’s classmates and the principal of the school was also present in the bus. The principal did nothing.
This was not the first time that Amal had been bullied by the same teacher.
The teacher targeted Amal by telling Amal’s friends to ‘stay away from her’ and not interact with her. If students did not comply with the teacher’s demand, she approached them and said: “What did I tell you about staying away from her [Amal]?” She also did this while Amal was standing with her friends.
Conversation between Amal and her classmate who passed away, who was told to stay away from her by the teacher involved. She scolded him in the lobby for speaking to Amal.
Bullying by teachers is a common occurrence in Pakistan and in the world. According to recent studies, about 15 per cent of children are likely to be targeted by teachers, and 93 per cent of high school and college students identified at least one teacher as a bully in their school. The reason why the teacher tends to get away with it is because most schools are not willing to take action — and lose — teachers and rather look the other way.
Three months later after the school trip, Amal’s friend and classmate died in an accident. in a It was a difficult time for the school and the student’s friends and classmates. Shockingly, the teacher’s bullying did not stop then either. The teacher reportedly told other students that Amal was an ‘attention seeker’ by crying at the classmate’s funeral. Many students were shocked by how the teacher was speaking about the death of her student, and relating it to another student.
Studies show that teachers who bully students usually were bullied when they were in school. But the problem with school teachers in Pakistan runs deeper.
Our teachers, even those who work at private schools, are not trained or equipped to teach. “They do not have degrees in education or know how to deal with students and this is a serious problem. You’re dealing with the lives of students, their childhood, the way they will grow and treat others. It’s a serious role, the role of a teacher and Pakistani schools don’t take it seriously,” an educationist told The Current.
*The student’s name has been changed to maintain confidentiality.
