Category: National

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  • Islamabad bar moves to identify lawyers from Ahmadi community

    Islamabad bar moves to identify lawyers from Ahmadi community

    Members of Islamabad Bar Association have been directed to declare their faith on the finality of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) or face the suspension of their membership, in a move that is drawing strong reactions from both lawyers and the general public.

    According to The Express Tribune, the lawyers’ group has told its members to submit affidavits by the end of the ongoing month, failing which they would have their membership suspended and names posted on noticeboard.

    The notification in this regard comes in view of the decision taken by the General Body on December 6, 2019, while the report has quoted Association President Malik Zafar Khokhar as saying that “the purpose of seeking affidavits was not the suspension of non-Muslim lawyers from the association, but to identify the members of the Ahmadi community”.

    STRONG REACTIONS:

    Meanwhile, lawyers, as well as the general public, are strongly reacting to the notification.

    “Clearly Jinnah’s Pakistan remains a distant dream! His 11th August speech buried in heaps of paranoia, intolerance and bigotry,” tweeted Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, who is a member of the association.

    Here’s what others had to say:

    https://twitter.com/theRealYLH/status/1218447461397749761

    https://twitter.com/ShahidQuetta/status/1218287233603641345

    There has been no official reaction to the backlash.

  • ‘Qabr mein sakoon?’ Twitter asks PM after ‘400% increase’ in death certificate cost

    ‘Qabr mein sakoon?’ Twitter asks PM after ‘400% increase’ in death certificate cost

    The cost of death certificate has reportedly been increased by 400 per cent, compelling netizens to take to Twitter and call out the Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan-led government in light of a statement by the premier from last week.

    According to a private media outlet, the cost of death certificate has been increased from Rs300 to Rs1,200. The hike comes a week after PM Imran said that life was not a fairy tale, and “one gets peace only in his or her grave”.

    With the increase in death certificate’s cost making headlines, Twitterati took to the social network to ask if “death actually is when one gets peace”.

    Meanwhile, some pointed out that the deceased would actually be resting in peace and the hike would only be a problem for his or her survivours.

    “Happily ever after is a myth. It’s there only in fairy tales. In real life, one gets peace only when he or she lies in their grave,” the premier had said last Friday as he addressed the inauguration ceremony of a skills development programme called “Hunarmand”.

    It wasn’t later that his statements broke the internet as a majority trolled him, and some criticised his government for its “flawed” policies.

    The Current is attempting to independently verify the report pertaining to the increase in cost of death certificates

  • Kashif Abbasi hosts show after PEMRA lifts 60-day ban within 24 hours

    Kashif Abbasi hosts show after PEMRA lifts 60-day ban within 24 hours

    Anchor Kashif Abbasi has hosted his show “Off The Record” after the 60-day ban imposed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Authority (PEMRA) was lifted within 24 hours of its imposition, following the submission of a written reply by Ary News.

    On Wednesday, the media watchdog had issued a notification banning Abbasi for 60 days for “acting unprofessionally” and “not intervening” when Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda produced a boot to put down political opponents during Abbasi’s show.

    The ban was roundly condemned by the Association of Electronic  Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND), which called for the ban to be lifted immediately. 

    Vawda had earlier this week appeared on the talk show along with Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Qamar Zaman Kaira and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) representative Javed Abbasi. He had caught the guests by surprise by suddenly placing a black boot on the table they were sitting around.

    He was mocking the opposition parties for their “unconditional” support for the Army Act amendment bill, saying the parties were “lying down to kiss the boot”.

    PEMRA, in its notification, had said the content aired live during the programme appeared to be a “willful attempt to debase and demean a state institution by dragging it unnecessarily in a debate”.

    “Therefore, in view of the aforementioned reasons the competent authority decides that in the exercise of delegated powers of the authority, the broadcast or rebroadcast of the programme is prohibited with immediate effect for 60 days starting from January 6, 2020.”

    The media regulatory authority further said Abbasi was also banned from appearing on television for 60 days. During the ban, he was not to conduct his show or appear on the television channel he was associated with or any other television channel as a guest/analyst or expert.

    In case of non-compliance by the TV channel, the authority said it would proceed under PEMRA laws, which may result in suspension/revocation of the satellite TV channel license conferred to the television channel.

    Amid protests by the journalist community, ARY reportedly approached PEMRA with its right to reply and was subsequently allowed to continue with the programme with Abbasi in his chair.

  • Rs18 billion scam discovered in PAF housing society for martyrs

    Rs18 billion scam discovered in PAF housing society for martyrs

    An accountability court in Karachi was on Wednesday informed of massive fraud in Fazaia Housing Scheme Karachi (FHSK) by two builders with the connivance of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) officials, cheating people of billions of rupees.

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had arrested Tanveer Ahmed and Bilal Tanveer, said to be associated with Maxim Properties, for allegedly depriving the public of Rs18 billion through investments in the FHSK.

    During the hearing, NAB told the court that the land was allocated to the heirs of martyrs, but only 30 units were allocated to their families out of the 8,400 planned housing units.

    According to the NAB, the detained builders, in connivance with the PAF officials, collected Rs18.2bn under the heads of form fees, registration, open certificate, standard and luxury apartments, surcharge, transfer fees, overseas apartments, overseas transfer fee, bungalows, the surcharge, transfer and proceedings fee for the bungalows and direct deposits.

    The suspects were produced in the court for a physical remand, which was extended by 14 days.

  • Have seen Nawaz’s photo, they’re all fraudsters: PM

    Have seen Nawaz’s photo, they’re all fraudsters: PM

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has said he had seen the viral photograph of ex-premier Nawaz Sharif dining out in London, adding that “all of them were fraudsters”.

    According to The News, the federal cabinet on Tuesday discussed Nawaz’s photograph that showed him at a London restaurant. During the course of the cabinet meeting, some of the members reportedly asked PM Imran if he had seen the photograph.

    “With a smile, the premier said he had seen the picture, and exclaimed ‘all are fraudsters’,” the report said.

    Ex-PM Nawaz, who is currently in London on bail for medical treatment, was on Sunday spotted out and about with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Shehbaz Sharif, his son Hussain and other party leaders, including former finance minister Ishaq Dar.

    With netizens not going easy on Nawaz, who was allowed to travel abroad for medical treatment despite his conviction and subsequent jail sentence in a corruption case, and Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry also criticising him for dining out while being “seriously ill”, Hussain on Monday stepped up to clarify the situation.

    Speaking to reporters outside Avenfield Apartments, the ailing former premier’s son said that Nawaz had been taken to the restaurant on his doctor’s recommendation as the ex-PM felt claustrophobic at home.

    “We insisted that father visited a restaurant so he could get acclimatised… he left the residence on our insistence,” said Hussain.

  • PTI’s Fawad spotted in PPP leader’s car with another friend from PML-N

    PTI’s Fawad spotted in PPP leader’s car with another friend from PML-N

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Federal Minister for Science & Technology Fawad Chaudhry has been spotted in the car of a Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader along with one belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), leaving supporters wondering if “a deal has been struck”.

    According to the details, Fawad on Sunday evening was spotted getting on the car of PPP senator and party chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s spokesperson Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar. PML-N Senator Musadik Malik and two others also accompanied Fawad and Mustafa as the latter drove to a five-star hotel.

    With Fawad, who has never shied away from training guns at the two major opposition parties — the PML-N and PPP — accompanying the two leaders belonging to the ruling party’s arch rivals, it wasn’t later when speculation ran rife that a deal had been struck between the three largest political parties of the country and there lied no disputes among them whatsoever.

    Amid all rumours, The Current went an extra mile to investigate and figured out that the three leaders had only decided to accompany each other for a cup of tea following “Where is Pakistan heading in the next 10 years” — their session at the recently-concluded two-day Afkare Taza ThinkFest 2020 in Lahore.

    Their bond also dates back to a private media outlet’s show “Khabar K Peechy” where the three represented their respective political parties.

  • ‘Sakoon sirf qabr mein’: Twitter trolls Imran, again

    ‘Sakoon sirf qabr mein’: Twitter trolls Imran, again

    Not coming down easy on him as usual, Twitterati are once again trolling Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan for saying that life is not a fairy tale, and “one gets peace only in his or her grave”.

    “Happily ever after is a myth. It’s there only in fairy tales. In real life, one gets peace only when he or she lies in their grave,” the premier said Friday as he addressed the inauguration ceremony of a skills development programme called “Hunarmand”.

    It wasn’t later that his statements broke the internet as a majority trolled him, and some called his government out for its “flawed” policies.

    https://twitter.com/qureshik74/status/1215505916705026048

    A few also took to the micro-blogging website to express their support for the premier:

    https://twitter.com/rayqaaf/status/1215332507631214592

    The Rs30 billion four-year Hunarmand programme will provide easy loans, capacity building and internships to the youth.

  • Spanish hunter pays $83,500 to kill season’s third markhor in Gilgit

    Spanish hunter pays $83,500 to kill season’s third markhor in Gilgit

    A Spanish hunter in Gilgit has killed the third markhor of the season after paying a whopping $83,500 as the permit fee, ARY reported.

    According to Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Wildlife Department, Carlo Pasco successfully hunted a flared-horned markhor in the conservation area.

    The hunting fees for different local species were decided in November last year as the Wildlife Department auctioned off the permits for markhor for $83,500. In 2018-19, the hunters paid $110,000 for hunting the animal.

    The Wildlife Department claims that 80 per cent of the amount paid by hunters is given to the local community to invest in themselves and the conversation of these animals. The remaining 20 per cent is deposited to the national exchequer.

    Pakistan’s national animal, markhor, is a large Capra species native to Central Asia, Karakoram and the Himalayas. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List, it is listed as a near-threatened species since 2015.

    Earlier on December 12, an Italian citizen had hunted the first markhor of the season.

  • Mubasher Lucman ‘banned until he apologises to Fawad Chaudhry’

    Mubasher Lucman ‘banned until he apologises to Fawad Chaudhry’

    The Lahore Bar Association (LBA) has banned the entry of anchor Mubasher Lucman in its premises over “false reporting and accusations” made against Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry, who is also an advocate of the Supreme Court (SC) and an LBA member.

    Fawad made the revelation in a tweet, sharing a copy of the notification released by the LBA executive committee. The press statement condemned the journalist’s act and considered his action “blatant misuse of freedom of speech and information”.

    Fawad said that Lucman will not be allowed to enter the premises of LBA until he tendered an apology over his unjust accusations.

    The notification stated that the executive committee had expressed “distress and frustration” over the recent statements made by Lucman. The Bar has also sought a written and an on-air apology from the anchorperson. The executive committee warned Lucman for taking further legal actions against him within the parameters of law and constitution.

    On January 5, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry had slapped anchorperson Mubasher Lucman in a valima ceremony of Mohsin Leghari’s son.

    Several leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), including Jehangir Tareen, were present at the time of scuffle between the two. Reacting to the incident, Fawad in a Twitter message had criticised Lucman, saying that the anchorperson could not be considered a journalist.

  • ‘You messed up,’ Gen Bajwa told US secretary of state: ISPR chief

    ‘You messed up,’ Gen Bajwa told US secretary of state: ISPR chief

    Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor has quoted Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa as telling United States (US) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that White House’s misadventure in Baghdad was detrimental to efforts aimed at regional peace.

    “The region is making progress towards peace from a very bad situation and the Baghdad incident is detrimental to the peace efforts in the region,” the ISPR chief quoted the COAS as telling Pompeo as US-Iran tensions soar following the killing of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani and other officials in a US President Donald Trump-ordered drone strike on Friday in Baghdad.

    Speaking to a private media outlet, Maj Gen Ghafoor also said that Pakistan will only play the role of a peacemaker and not take sides in the ongoing conflict between the two countries.

    “Pakistan has defeated terrorism on its territory and will not allow its soil to be used against any other country.”

    According to Geo News, to a question regarding claims made in Indian media that Pakistan’s policy towards Iran has changed in the light of US resumption of military training program for Pakistan Army, the ISPR chief deemed it “Indian propaganda” and “fake news”.

    “Islamabad and Washington were in talks for the last four or five months over the issue and linking it as Pakistan aligning with US is Indian propaganda,” he said. “Pakistan Army is a responsible and professional force and has exercised restraint despite provocative statements from Indian leadership.”

    The military spokesperson also said that Gen Bajwa had an important role to play in regional security and Afghan peace process, and Pakistan didn’t want to see another conflict in the region.

    “Pakistan would oppose any thing that is affecting Afghan reconciliation process as it needs focus from all parties. We are of the view that dialogue is the way forward to achieve lasting peace,” he said.