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  • The curious case of PTI’s missing lawyer

    The curious case of PTI’s missing lawyer

    A lawyer representing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) failed to appear before the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Monday in a case related to providing a level playing field in the upcoming elections.

    The PTI lawyer had been scheduled to appear before Chief Justice of Pakistan, Qazi Faez Isa. The Chief Justice had instructed the PTI lawyer to appear at 11 am after a recess.

    After the recess, the PTI lawyer did not appear in court, and proceedings were initiated by the Supreme Court Bench once the cases were complete.

    Journalists criticized the lawyer’s absence, stating that the advocate held a press talk but didn’t focus on the case.

    PTI’s lawyer, Shoaib Shaheen, stated that his team had a meeting with the Registrar of the Supreme Court.

    He further mentioned that the Registrar had assured them that the application would be scheduled for a hearing either today or tomorrow, expressing confidence that their application will be heard. He also said that PTI’s legal team is doing their best.

    In another electoral development, a written decision has been issued rejecting the nomination papers of former PTI Chairman Imran Khan for NA-122 and NA-89 constituencies in Lahore.

    Imran Khan’s lawyer, Rai Muhammad Ali, described in detail that he was unable to meet Imran Khan for the signing of nomination papers.

    He further stated that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) changed the constituency of people at the last moment which led to the rejection of nomination papers.

    According to the decision, Imran Khan has been sentenced to five years for ethical misconduct, and he has been declared ineligible under Article 63 of the Constitution.

    The decision clarified that Imran Khan has not been disqualified or declared defunct; rather, he has been declared ineligible under Article 63, and the complainant’s objections are legal.

    It’s noteworthy that Mian Nasir Ahmad, a former PML-N MPA, had raised objections to Imran Khan’s nomination papers. After a three-year legal battle, the Election Commission decided to declare Imran Khan ineligible for five years.

    Imran Khan now has the option to file an appeal in the High Court. Appeals in the High Court Tribunal will be accepted from January 1 to January 3, and the Election Tribunal will begin hearings from January 3. The Election Tribunal will make decisions on all appeals by January 10.

    As the legal proceedings unfold, with 3345 candidates screened during the scrutiny process, the election process for the third phase of general elections 2024 is well underway. The Supreme Court and Election Tribunal will play pivotal roles in ensuring fair and transparent elections in the country.

  • Gujrat girl kills sister over TikTok video

    Gujrat girl kills sister over TikTok video

    An 18-year-old girl has allegedly shot dead her younger sister, 14, after an argument over a TikTok video at village Kariala in the Sara-i-Alamgir Saddar police area, reports Dawn.

    Reports said Maria Afzal opened fire at her younger sister Saba Afzal after both quarreled while making a TikTok video at home.

    Police reached the scene and shifted the body to the Civil Hospital where doctors conducted the autopsy before handing back the body to the family. The deceased was laid to rest in the local graveyard.

    Police said they have collected the evidence from the scene and launched an investigation.

    A murder case has been registered against Maria on the report of Nabeel Afzal, the brother of both the sisters. The suspect has not been arrested yet.

  • Imran Khan kitnay ameer hain?

    Imran Khan kitnay ameer hain?

    It’s that time of the electoral season when we find out just how rich are the people who rule us.

    Financial details in nomination papers reveal a noteworthy surge in the assets of former Prime Minister and founding Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, a rise of a whopping Rs277 million over the past five years.

    According to the documents, Imran Khan’s assets, which were valued at Rs38.694 million in 2018, have now exceeded Rs315.95 million as per the nomination papers submitted for the upcoming elections in 2023.

    Imran Khan has made public the possession of a seven kanal eight marla house in Zaman Park, Lahore, with an associated construction expenditure of more than Rs48.6 million.

    At the same time, the PTI founder also owns another piece of land in Islamabad, much smaller in size though – six kanals and 16 marlas- with a stated market value of over Rs 5 million.

    Additionally, he has disclosed ownership of a 300-kanal land in Bani Gala received as a gift.

    Notably, the former PTI chairman does not own any vehicles, as indicated in his documents.

    Other assets in Islamabad include a Rs120m shop and a two-bed apartment which has been priced at Rs34m.

    According to the documents, the items bought from Toshakhana – the infamous pieces that resulted in a case and disqualification – are valued at over Rs11.8m.

    On the other hand, the PTI founding chairman says his wife – Bushra Bibi – is the owner of 698 kanal in Deepalpur and Pakpattan besides another three-kanal house located at Banigala.

    The financial trajectory showcases a substantial increase in Imran Khan’s wealth.

    He mentioned the value of his assets at Rs38.694m in the 2018 general elections’ nomination papers, which has now reached Rs315.95m, representing a massive jump, out which over Rs60m are in cash deposited with different banks of Islamabad.

    In 2021, he declared assets valued at over Rs141 million to the Federal Board of Revenue, which further rose to over Rs320 million in 2022.

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) certificate attached to his nomination papers for the upcoming elections in 2023 verifies that the current value of Imran Khan’s assets is over Rs315.9 million.

    This revelation holds significance as Imran Khan, the jailed former Prime Minister, gears up to contest the upcoming elections. The submitted details to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) depict a considerable financial evolution over the specified five-year period.

  • Supreme Court to finalise lifetime disqualification case on Thursday

    Supreme Court to finalise lifetime disqualification case on Thursday

    Chief Justice of Pakistan, Qazi Faez Isa, has announced that the Supreme Court (SC) aims to finalise the proceedings on the lifetime disqualification case by January 4 (Thursday). This significant decision will determine whether the Election Act 2017 amendment aligns with Article 62(1)(F) and establishes whether lawmakers’ disqualification from contesting polls should be lifelong or limited to five years.

    The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) addressed the matter of lifetime disqualification of lawmakers today.

    A seven-member larger bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, and comprising of Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, and Justice Musarrat Hilali.

    During the hearing of a case submitted by former PML-N provincial member Sardar Meer Badshah Khan Qaisrani last month, the top court noted discrepancies over the length of disqualification in the Election Act, 2017 and a Supreme Court ruling.

    The apex court noted that there is a contradiction regarding the duration of disqualification in the Election Act, 2017 and a SC verdict.

    In 2007, Meer Badshah Qaisrani filed a petition against his lifetime disqualification over a fake degree.

  • No surveys; PEMRA to take action against media channels violating ECP’s Code of Conduct

    No surveys; PEMRA to take action against media channels violating ECP’s Code of Conduct

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has officially communicated with the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), seeking strict action against media channels found violating the established code of conduct for the upcoming February 8 polls.

    The letter explicitly points out the airing of voting surveys by certain media channels. This practice, as per the ECP’s Code of Conduct for National Media, is prohibited under Clause 12.

    According to Clause 12, individuals working in print, electronic, and social media are prohibited from obstructing the election process and are required to display accreditation cards provided by the Election Commission.

    The ECP emphasized that both print and social media should refrain from conducting polls and surveys at polling stations or constituencies. The electoral watchdog stated that such activities have the potential to influence voters’ free choice and may disrupt the electoral process.

    The letter stated, “Given the seriousness of this issue, I am directed to state that PEMRA shall take prompt and appropriate action against the electronic media channels in strict alignment with Clause 12 of the Code of Conduct for National Media. A compliance report in this regard be also shared with this office as soon as possible for placing it before the Election Commission.”

    The ECP’s comprehensive 18-point code of conduct for media during elections includes provisions preventing the dissemination of content that reflects opinions prejudicial to the sovereignty, uprightness, or security of Pakistan. It also prohibits statements that could harm national solidarity or create a law and order situation.

    The regulatory framework extends to personal attacks on candidates or political parties in media content, mandating that any allegations should include comments from both sides. Monitoring responsibilities are delegated to Pemra, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, Press Information Department, and the Cyber Wing and Digital Media Wing of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

    The ECP further emphasized that these authorities are accountable for monitoring political parties’ and candidates’ coverage during election campaigns through electronic channels, print, and social media. Details of payments made by political parties and candidates must be submitted within 10 days after the poll day.

    The Election Commission of Pakistan warns that, in case of any violation of this Code of Conduct, it reserves the right to withdraw accreditation from individual journalists or media organizations. The authority to determine violations also rests with the electoral body. The media is also prohibited from airing unofficial results of a polling station until one hour after the close of the poll during the polling process coverage.

  • Five men accused of stripping woman found dead in DI Khan

    Five men accused of stripping woman found dead in DI Khan

    Local police have found the bodies of five men accused of stripping and parading a woman in 2017 in district Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

    “The bodies are of those five persons who were accused of stripping a woman’s clothes off in Garahmat village of Daraban town in Dera Ismail Khan district in October 2017 when she was fetching water from a local pond. It is an honour killing issue,” said the police as reported by The Khorasan Diary.

    According to Saeedullah Marwat, reporter Geo News, all bodies were found near the canal area. The killers are unknown as of now. The five men were accused of stripping Sharifan Bibi, and then parading her in town. At the time, complaints were lodged against the men who were arrested. Consequently, a peace agreement was also signed.

    The suspects have gone into hiding post the discovery of the bodies while the corpses have been shifted to a nearby hospital.

  • Aymen Saleem’s wedding pictures continue to go viral

    Aymen Saleem’s wedding pictures continue to go viral

    Aymen Saleem’s wedding ceremonies are underway in Karachi with pictures from the events regularly being shared on social media.

    Pictures and videos from Aymen Saleem’s mehndi had social media in raptures. Netizens loved the vibe, decor and theme as the bride and groom, Kamran Malik grooved to hit songs.

    In the viral photos and videos shared on social media, Aymen can be seen wearing a unique silver dress for her mehndi ceremony.

    She delighted wedding guests with a special dance performance during the mehndi ceremony.

  • Nobel winner Yunus convicted in Bangladesh labour law case

    Nobel winner Yunus convicted in Bangladesh labour law case

    Dhaka (AFP) – Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus was convicted on Monday of violating Bangladesh’s labour laws in a case decried by his supporters as politically motivated.

    Yunus, 83, is credited with lifting millions out of poverty with his pioneering microfinance bank but has earned the enmity of longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has accused him of “sucking blood” from the poor.

    Hasina has made several scathing verbal attacks against the internationally respected 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner, who was once seen as a political rival.

    Yunus and three colleagues from Grameen Telecom, one of the firms he founded, were accused of violating labour laws when they failed to create a workers’ welfare fund in the company.

    A labour court in the capital Dhaka convicted and sentenced them to “six months’ simple imprisonment”, lead prosecutor Khurshid Alam Khan told AFP, adding that all four were immediately granted bail pending appeals.

    All four deny the charges. Dozens of people staged a small demonstration of support outside the court for Yunus, who left without speaking to media.

    “This verdict is unprecedented,” Abdullah Al Mamun, a lawyer for Yunus, told AFP. “We did not get justice.”

    Yunus is facing more than 100 other charges over labour law violations and alleged graft.

    He told reporters after one of the hearings last month that he had not profited from any of the more than 50 social business firms he had set up in Bangladesh.

    “They were not for my personal benefit,” Yunus said.

    Another of his lawyers, Khaja Tanvir, told AFP that the case was “meritless, false and ill-motivated”.

    “The sole aim of the case is to harass and humiliate him in front of the world,” he said.

    ‘Travesty of justice’

    Irene Khan, a former Amnesty chief now working as a UN special rapporteur who was present at Monday’s verdict, told AFP the conviction was “a travesty of justice”.

    “A social activist and Nobel laureate who brought honour and pride to the country is being persecuted on frivolous grounds,” she said.

    In August, 160 global figures, including former US president Barack Obama and ex-UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, published a joint letter denouncing “continuous judicial harassment” of Yunus.

    The signatories, including more than 100 of his fellow Nobel laureates, said they feared for “his safety and freedom”.

    Critics accuse Bangladeshi courts of rubber-stamping decisions made by Hasina’s government, which is all but certain to win another term in power next week at elections boycotted by the opposition.

    Her administration has been increasingly firm in its crackdown on political dissent, and Yunus’s popularity among the Bangladeshi public has for years earmarked him as a potential rival.

    Amnesty International accused the government of “weaponizing labour laws” when Yunus went to trial in September and called for an immediate end to his “harassment”.

    Criminal proceedings against Yunus were “a form of political retaliation for his work and dissent”, it said.

  • 60-year-old woman raped and killed in Bihar, India

    60-year-old woman raped and killed in Bihar, India

    An elderly woman in the Indian state of Bihar was found dead by the police after being raped and murdered.

    According to Indian media, the woman was killed after being gang-raped in Nawada district of Bihar.

    The report said that the incident came to light when the mutilated body was found by the police on December 26.

    Local police took action and arrested four persons suspected of involvement in the rape and murder.

    The police said that three of the suspects have confessed to raping and killing her by slitting her throat, while one man is still on the run.

    Talking about the incident, a police officer said that the woman and her husband, originally from Gaya, had gone to the city on December 25 to meet their relatives.

    He said that the old couple had to take a rickshaw from the railway station to reach their destination. However, as soon as only the old lady sat in the rickshaw, the driver started the rickshaw and took her away.

    Police apprehended the suspect with the help of CCTV footage.

    According to the police, during the investigation, the blood of the woman was found on the clothes of the suspects, while the weapon used to kill her has also been recovered.

  • I’m not part of PML-N decision-making anymore, says Muhammad Zubair

    I’m not part of PML-N decision-making anymore, says Muhammad Zubair

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Muhammad Zubair revealed on Sunday that his role in the party is limited now as the party doesn’t consult him while taking decisions.

    Acknowledging that country is heading towards the much-awaited general election, set to take place on February 8, 2024, Zubair said that he is in PML-N, “just like Abbasi.”

    The quote was in reference to former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi who is also at odds with the party. Ex-federal minister Miftah Ismail has also been sidelined.

    Muhammad Zubair said while speaking on the Geo News programme “Naya Pakistan” on Sunday, “I think, I am in the PML-N. I am in [the party] just like Abbasi is,” he added, as Abbasi had stepped down from the party office soon after the appointment of Maryam Nawaz as senior vice president and chief organiser.

    The PML-N leader also said that he supported the party with full energy from 2013 to 2018. “I stood firm with the party when a difficult time came in 2017 after the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif.”