Tag: ATC

  • Two PIA planes miraculously avoid mid-air collision

    Two PIA planes miraculously avoid mid-air collision

    Two Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flying on the same route and altitude avoided mid-air collision over Iranian airspace near the United Arab Emirates (UAE) border.

    It has been reported that the two carriers came close to mid-air collision due to the alleged negligence of the Iranian Air Traffic Control (ATC). However, the Iranian ATC then cleared the altitude for both airplanes. One was directed to dive while the other was asked to go higher in altitude as per standard practice.

    One airplane was PIA Boeing 777, which was en route from Islamabad to Dubai while the other airplane was Airbus A320, en route from Doha to Peshawar.

    A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) spokesman said that flight (PK-211), a Boeing 777 was maintaining a 35,000-feet altitude when it came close to a Peshawar-bound PIA flight (PK-268) of Airbus A320 from Doha. He said the PK-268 flight was flying at an altitude of 36,000 feet at the time and was cleared to descend to 20,000 feet.

    According to the PIA spokesman, the descent would have come in the flight path of PIA flight of Boeing 777 PK-211.

    Over the negligence matter, the spokesman said that the Pakistan Airlines is writing to the ATC to investigate the matter.

  • Three men sentenced to death over blasphemous posts

    Three men sentenced to death over blasphemous posts

    An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad has sentenced three men to death over blasphemous posts on social media.

    The verdict was reserved in the case on Dec 15, 2020 after a four-year long trial.

    ATC judge Raja Jawad Abbas, while announcing the verdict, said the prosecution succeeded in proving its case against the accused.

    All three accused, Abdul Waheed, Rana Noman Rafaqat and Nasir Ahmed, have been found guilty, the ruling pronounced.

    A 10-year imprisonment sentence and Rs100,000 fine was also awarded to a professor, reported Geo.

    Blasphemy is a sensitive topic in Pakistan. Rights advocates have long been demanding a reform of the controversial laws, introduced by military dictator General Ziaul Haq in the 1980s.

    Human rights groups say blasphemy laws are often misused to persecute minorities or even against Muslims to settle personal rivalries. Such accusations can end up in lynchings or street vigilantism.

  • Imran gets clean chit in PTV, Parliament House attack case

    Imran gets clean chit in PTV, Parliament House attack case

    Prime Minister Imran Khan has been acquitted by an Islamabad anti-terrorism court (ATC) in a case pertaining to an attack on Parliament House in 2014.

    The verdict announced by ATC judge Raja Jawad Abbas Hassan absolved the prime minister of all the charges filed against him by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government. The court said it would indict Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Pervaiz Khattak, Shafqat Mahmood at the next hearing on Nov 21.

    The court had on October 26 reserved its verdict on the PM’s acquittal plea in the case. The prime minister through his counsel Babar Awan had pleaded that court to quash the case against him. He had said the prosecution was no longer interested in pursuing the case.

     Awan had maintained that there was no evidence proving the involvement of the prime minister in the case. He had also mentioned that no eyewitness has come forward regarding this.

    In September 2014, hundreds of PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers had attacked parliament premises and the PTV office in Islamabad during the 126-day protest against the then PML-N government.

    During the riot, at least 50 people were injured, including police officer Asmatullah Junejo. Subsequently, the government pressed terror charges against the PTI chairman and PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri.

  • ATC sentences man to jail a day before his wedding

    ATC sentences man to jail a day before his wedding

    A man was sentenced to jail for 55 years a day before his wedding.

    According to reports, the bridegroom Mohammad Atif was among the 86 people sentenced by a Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court (ATC) for holding protests over the arrest of Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi two years ago.

    Family members of the bridegroom said that Atif’s mehndi function was to be held on Friday at 3pm in Pindigheb while the baraat was planned for Saturday. A marriage hall had been booked and all arrangements were made for Valima reception on Sunday.

    However, he, and 85 others, were sentenced to 55 years in prison by the ATC on Thursday night in a case related to holding of protests, destroying property and interfering with the police duties in Pindigheb, the hometown of the TLP chief, in 2018.

    The case had been registered by the Pindigheb police of Attock on November 24, 2018.

  • Hospital attack case: Court rejects bail of Imran’s nephew for arriving late

    Hospital attack case: Court rejects bail of Imran’s nephew for arriving late

    An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday rejected the bail of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s nephew, Barrister Hassaan Khan Niazi, in the case pertaining to lawyers’ attack on Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) in Lahore last month.

    According to ARY News, Niazi turned up late for the hearing, irked by which, ATC Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta cancelled the former’s interim bail, regretting he showed up late despite being a lawyer.

    With Niazi then offering an unconditional apology and filing a new bail application, he and nine of his colleagues were granted bail until January 6.

    The bail was granted subject to submission of a surety bond worth Rs100,000.

    A group of more than 200 lawyers, who had an ongoing “tussle” with the doctors of the PIC, had stormed the hospital last month, vandalised property and damaged dozens of vehicles besides setting a police van on fire.

    At least 52 lawyers were arrested and dozens of others booked after the attack during which at least four patients lost their lives.