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  • Police baton-charges teachers and health workers in Lahore, Bahawalpur

    Police baton-charges teachers and health workers in Lahore, Bahawalpur

    In an attempt to deter protesting government employees, Lahore police subjected them to baton charging. The incident occurred on Thursday while protesters were holding a rally from the PMG chowk to Aiwan-i-Iqbal. There were more than a hundred government employees, both male and female teachers and health workers. As part of the crackdown they were shifted to different police stations of the city.

    The protest was held by All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA), a coalition of 34 organisations representing many departments including health, education and higher education. Their protest is especially targeteding the Punjab Government and the district administration over the arrest of more than 200 teachers.

    They have a range of demands which include the restoration of leave encashment, reversal of amendments to pension regulations and cancellation of privatisation plans for public schools. To get their protests registered, many teachers are boycotting classes in the schools and colleges throughout the province for the last one week.

    The office bearers of AGEGA have held Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi responsible for all their complaints but they also pledged not to give up on their demands or surrender in front of violence.

    In Bahawalpur, Police booked around 200 employees under 16-MPO for making provocative speeches against the Government and blocking the road. An FIR lodged by the police says that the demonstrators were asked to unblock the road, however, they kept it blocked until action by police became imperative.

  • Scotland willing to take in Palestinian refugees

    Scotland willing to take in Palestinian refugees

    Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf posted a video message on X (formerly Twitter), saying that the U.K. is willing to take Gaza refugees in, following Israel’s bombardment of Palestine.

    “So, many of them don’t want to leave and neither they should have to leave but for the million that have been displaced just in this current conflict, for those that want to leave, there should be a worldwide refugee scheme,

    “Because of the numbers, the world should be involved.”

    Yousaf also urged other countries to open their borders to refugees from Gaza.

    “Let’s say that Scotland will be a place of sanctuary for them as we have shown that kindness and compassion for others. Let us show it once again and this time for the people of Gaza,” Yousaf said, adding that Scotland is willing to lead the way for the rest of the U.K.

    “And Scotland is willing to be the first country in the U.K. to take those refugees,” he said.

    In another video, the First Minister stated that Scotland’s hospitals will care for the Gazans injured in the escalation and requested the U.K. government to “begin work on the creation of a refugee resettlement scheme for those in Gaza who want to, and of course are able to, leave.”

  • How can a convicted man address a jalsa at Minar-e-Pakistan, asks Faisal Karim Kundi

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Faisal Karim Kundi appeared on Shahzeb Khanzada’s show on Geo News on Thursday night. The PPP leader criticised Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif, stating that Imran Khan was ‘selected’, but now PML-N is giving the impression that they are also going to be selected, stressing that Pakistani youth will not accept this.

    The PPP leader also asked how a convicted man can address a Jalsa in Minar-e-Pakistan after his return on October 21. PPP is not sure that general elections are going to be held in January next year, he said.

    On the other hand, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Wednesday that general elections have been put on hold because of just one person [Nawaz Sharif].

    PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah criticised Bilawal Bhutto’s statement while speaking on Khanzada’s show on Thursday that Nawaz Sharif is the only hope for nation and elections have been delayed due to delimitation process.

  • ‘Get bicycles for government servants’: Lahore High Court on combating smog

    ‘Get bicycles for government servants’: Lahore High Court on combating smog

    Lahore High Court on Friday heard petitions pertaining to the remediation of smog and passed its verdict. To thwart the pollution that has made Lahore among the most polluted cities of the world.

    Justice Shahid Karim proposed to control vehicular emissions by banning vehicles that emit smoke, and in a unique recommendation, advised government servants to use bicycles for commuting.

    The court advised the government to provide required funds to the organisations working for the reduction of smog. Commissioner of Lahore assured the court that a warning has been issued to factories and manufacturing units in Kasoor. He vowed to pay surprise visits and updated the court about the awareness campaign that has been started to plant trees. He informed the court about a ban on digging roads without permission.

    The court expressed its disapproval of the officers of the Environment Department who are not charging offenders enough. In a matter-of-fact way, the court remarked that the industries which do not comply should be demolished, stressing that it is high time that the Deputy Commissioner and the police come out of their offices and be active on ground.

    Additionally, the court gave a provisional go-ahead to the construction project in Babu Sabu, refusing to change the Railway Golf Club Administrator.

  • Members of UK Labour Party resign in support of Palestine

    Members of UK Labour Party resign in support of Palestine

    Several members of the Labour Party have resigned since the Israel bombing of escalation on October 7.

    The Labour Party is currently in the opposition in the UK whose leader, Keir Starmer, recently stated that Israel has the “right” to cut power and water supplies to Gaza. Similar comments were issued by prominent members including shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry and shadow defence minister John Healey.

    This was followed by a resignation from Oxford City councillor Shaista Aziz. As a former international aid worker, she has worked in the occupied West Bank, Israel, and refugee camps in Gaza.

    Middle East Eye spoke to her and she said, “The Labour Party leader’s stance on not being able to condemn collective punishment of Palestinians in Gaza was the final red line for me,”.

    In an interview, Strarmer was asked about the seige, blockade, and the killing by Israel to which he replied that while all action must be taken within the international law, “I don’t want to step away from the core principles that Israel has the right to defend herself.”

    Among other Labour councillors who have resigned are Amar Latif, Mairéad Healy and Jessie Hoskin.

    “As a working GP, I am deeply distressed by the loss of all innocent lives in both Palestine and Israel. However, it cannot be right that there is collective punishment in direct contravention of international law, and it is incumbent on all leaders at a local, national and international level to speak out against this,” said Latif.

    Similarly, Hopkins stated, “I was elected because I believe in human dignity for everyone without exception. The Labour Party no longert reflects those views,”

    While Healy said the Labour leadership was “encouraging collective punishment towards the Palestinian people by condoning the indiscriminate withholding of water and energy supplies in Gaza,” which she believes is illegal under international law.

  • Here’s all you need to know about what PM Kakar has been doing in China

    Here’s all you need to know about what PM Kakar has been doing in China

    Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar is currently on a four day long visit to China, to attend the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. This is the first Forum in four years as the last one was held in 2019. This time around there were delegations from 130 countries and ten heads of states mostly from the global south. The PM is there on the invitation of President Xi Jinping to celebrate ten years of CPEC, the flagship project of Belt and Road Initiative.

    The visit has been packed with attending the opening ceremony, addressing the high-level forum and conducting important meetings with head of states and entrepreneurs and presiding over the round tables about CPEC.

    The activities started off with the two-day forum where Anwaar ul Haq Kakar addressed the opening ceremony of BRF at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. He was welcomed by President Xi and the first lady. Both the countries agreed on growing CPEC as a project ensuring growth, employment and sustainability. Xi talked at length about the Chinese rejection of “economic coercion” and “bloc confrontation”.

    Caretaker PM addressed the high-level forum titled ‘Connectivity in an Open Global Economy’ where he vowed to share responsibility and embrace the vision of working together because he believes by this “we can create a brighter, peaceful, and sustainable future for ourselves and for our generations,” He attended a roundtable on the decade-long progress of CPEC. Different MoUs were signed between the leadership of China and Pakistan during the PM’s meeting with his counterpart Li Qiang.

    The United Energy Group of China and Pakistan Refinery Ltd signed an MoU for a $1.5 billion investment to boost the refinery’s production capacity.

    The rail project, whose cost has been revised downwards from $9bn to $6.7bn, will span 1,733 kilometres, connecting Peshawar to Karachi. Besides, the number of trains travelling to and from both cities could potentially expand to 100.

    Both the projects will help enhance the capacity of the respective department and create thousands of job opportunities.

    Apart from the meetings with Chinese businesses and different ministers, Kakar also met Russian President Viladimir Putin, President of Kenya Dr. William Ruto and the President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremsinghe.
    With Russia, he discussed the areas of convergence like countering terrorism in Afghanistan, trade of energy, petroleum and promotion of bilateral ties.
    PM Kakar also talked about expediting the joint investigation report on the Arshad Sharif murder case in Kenya with William Ruto.
    In his meeting with Srilankan President he discussed about the mutual issues regarding economy and the crisis in Gaza calling for an immediate ceasefire.
    He represented Pakistan at the final Gala Dinner having all the attendees of the forum after his meeting with the President of China. He stated categorically of “Pakistan’s blind trust on China” and the pride Pakistan takes in “Chinese progress”.
    In the last leg of the visit, PM is now on his way to Ürümqi, Uyghur region of China to address the students at Xinjiag University after offering Jumma prayers in the Grand Mosque of Xinjiag.

  • Greta Thunberg calls for ceasefire in Gaza, freedom for Palestine

    Greta Thunberg calls for ceasefire in Gaza, freedom for Palestine

    Climate Change activist Greta Thunberg has raised her voice in calling for an end to the genocide in Palestine. She shared a post on Instagram, holding the poster ‘Free Gaza’ and announced that she was striking in solidarity with Palestine.

    “Week 270. Today we are striking in solidarity with Palestine and Gaza. The world needs to speak up and call for an immediate ceasefire, justice and freedom for Palestinians and all civilians affected.”

    The climate change activist also shared several accounts for her followers to educate themselves on the struggle for Free Palestine.

  • A timeline of Nawaz Sharif’s fall from power and return to Pakistan

    A timeline of Nawaz Sharif’s fall from power and return to Pakistan

    Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif got disqualified when the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) announced its decision on July 28, 2017 in the Panama Papers case.

    After that, Nawaz Sharif and three of his children were referred to an accountability court, which was ordered to file corruption cases against Sharif’s family within six weeks.

    In July 2018, the expelled prime minister was imprisoned for 10 years in Avenfield properties corruption case, an assets-beyond-means trial.

    Nawaz’s sentence then got extended to one more year for not cooperating with National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the same case.

    His daughter, PML-N Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz, had initially received a seven-year jail sentence in the same case. However, she was subsequently acquitted in September 2022, along with her husband, (retd) Captain Safdar.

    In Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption case, the PML-N supremo was sentenced to seven years in jail on December 24, 2018. Nawaz Sharif was taken to Adiala jail in this case, and then he got shifted to Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail on the very next day. He was also fined Rs1.5 billion and US$25 million in this case.

    The former prime minister was released from jail in March 2019. After that, Lahore High Court (LHC) allowed Nawaz Sharif to go to London for treatment for fast depleting platelets levels, and then he left for London in November 2019.

    When he didn’t come back to Pakistan for almost a year, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) declared him a fugitive.

    On September 9, 2021, PML-N leader Javed Latif claimed that Nawaz Sharif will come back to Pakistan within the year, but that return didn’t work out.

    Latif, a PML-N MNA, was talking to media after visiting NAB’s Joint Investigation Team for a graft inquiry.

    On November 12, 2022, a PML-N party insider expressed confidence that Sharif will be back in Pakistan next month in December, but that didn’t happen either.

    Once again, on August 15, 2022, Javed Latif claimed that Nawaz Sharif will come back to Pakistan in September, as doctors had allowed him to travel.

    “The doctors change their opinion with time. The people are his doctors; the nation has announced its decision that Nawaz Sharif should come back,” Latif added.

    In June 2023, one of the well-informed sources within PML-N also claimed that Nawaz Sharif will come back to Pakistan next month, in July 2023.

    The former prime minister and PML-N president, Shehbaz Sharif, has confirmed multiple times in the last few months that Nawaz Sharif is coming back on October 21, 2023.

    The PML-N supremo left London for Saudi Arabia on October 11 and performed Umrah there. Nawaz Sharif is currently in Dubai and will land in Pakistan on October 21.

    Meanwhile, the IHC has approved Nawaz Sharif’s plea on Thursday, providing him with bail in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases until October 24.

  • Four more Hollywood superstars condemn assault on Palestine

    Four more Hollywood superstars condemn assault on Palestine

    As the tide turns with more activists and public figures taking to social media and the streets to condemn Israel’s barbaric genocide inflicted upon Palestinians, several A-list celebrities have joined in to condemn the war in Gaza.

    Actor Mark Ruffalo shared a link to a Huffpost article on the 10000 Jewish activists who stormed a congressional office building, and re shared a quote given by prominent Palestinian supporter and Jewish professor Naomi Klein:

    “Since we were children, so many of us have told ourselves that we would not stand by if we were ever witnesses to genocidal violence,” Naomi Klein said. “We told ourselves that we would raise our voices. We told ourselves we would put our bodies on the line. We pledged that such horrors would never again happen on our watch.”

    Ruffalo, Marvel’s Hulk, has been a vocal proponent of the Palestinian cause.

    Jenna Ortega, who is the star behind Netflix’s critically acclaimed series ‘Wednesday’ has remained a staunch supporter towards creating a free state for the Palestinians. She re-shared a post calling for an end to the ongoing genocide by a page called Jewish Voice For Peace.

    She then shared a post by a Jewish American poet and activist Andrea Gibson who wrote a detailed account of how US plays an active role in the on-going genocide of the Palestinians.

    Aimee Lou Wood, the actress from Netflix’s popular series ‘Sex Education’ shared a series of posts spreading awareness about the on-going genocide in Palestine, and shared links to the UN Relief Agency collecting funds to provide humanitarian relief to those suffering.

    Rapper Macklemore shared a lengthy statement on his Instagram account where he called for a Free Palestine and an end to the genocide of all its people.

  • Arshad Sharif’s wife registers case against Kenyan police

    Arshad Sharif’s wife registers case against Kenyan police

    Javeria Siddique, the wife of Pakistani journalist and anchor Arshad Sharif who was killed in Kenya in 2022, has filed a petition in the Nairobi High Court on Thursday against the Kenyan police officials named in her husband’s murder case.

    Arshad Sharif was killed in Kenya on October 23 last year. The Kenyan police admitted at the time that Arshad’s car came under fire due to ‘mistaken identification’.

    After arresting the policemen involved in the incident, recent media reports have told of their reinstatement.

    Javeria has approached the court in Nairobi following this news, confirming in a conversation with Independent Urdu that an application has been filed in the High Court.

    According to Javeria: “GSU (Journal Service Unit) has been made a party to the petition filed. His accomplices include five police officers who were named in the murder case.

    In addition, the Attorney General of Kenya, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the IG National Police Service, the Independent Police and the National Police Service Commission have been made parties.”

    She further stated that she is the petitioner herself and is accompanied by the Kenya Union of Journalists, Kenya Correspondence Association. Apart from this, four international organisations, ICFJ, IWMF, Media Defense and Women Journalism are also included which will provide all kinds of support.

    She said that she got the idea of filing the application in Kenya because there has been no progress in the case in Pakistan.

    “No one has been arrested or punished in Kenya. When a nuclear state will not make any effort for any of its individuals, individual efforts have to be made,” she stated.

    “Individually, I have hired a lawyer to file the application because practising law in another country is difficult”, she added.

    Javeria Siddique also said that filing the application in Kenya was difficult and that no help was granted from Arshad’s friends except from international organisations, adding that there has been no progress in the case in the Supreme Court in Pakistan for two months because “the government had no intention to do so”.