Tag: Azad Kashmir

  • Mother of murdered Italian teenager arrested in Pakistan

    Mother of murdered Italian teenager arrested in Pakistan

    After dodging arrest for three years, the mother of Saman Abbas has been taken into custody in Azad Kashmir, Italian news agency Ansa has said.

    The 18-year-old was an Italian-Pakistani teenager who went missing in the Reggio Emilia on April 30, 2021, and her body was found in November 2022.

    Her mother, Nazia Shaheen, left Italy after the murder. An international arrest warrant was issued against her.

    The arrest is said to be made possible through joint efforts between Interpol and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

    Shaheen was taken to Islamabad, where she appeared before the court on Friday for the extradition procedure.

    Her husband, Shabbar Abbas, was also extradited to Italy in August 2023 after he came to Pakistan following the murder b

    In December 2023, a court in Reggio Emilia sentenced the couple to life in prison in absentia after finding them guilty of homicide.

    Ansa reports that as per the orders by Italian judges, Saman’s mother “may have been the person who actually carried out the murder.”

    The judges also dismissed the widely believed notion that Saman’s refusal to marry an older man in Pakistan was the motive for the murder. Instead, they determined that the killing was a “spur of the moment” act, driven by anger over the victim’s desire to leave home and live with her boyfriend.

    Saman’s uncle was also extradited from France for the trial. He has been sentenced to 14 years, while two cousins were acquitted.

  • Hamad Azhar, Mian Aslam to lead PTI in Punjab: Omar Ayub

    Hamad Azhar, Mian Aslam to lead PTI in Punjab: Omar Ayub

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Omar Ayub said on Thursday that PTI founding chairman Imran Khan has given responsibility to PTI leaders, including Hamad Azhar and Mian Aslam, to lead the party in Punjab.

    While talking to journalists on Thursday outside Adiala jail, Omar Ayub revealed that Hamad Azhar and Mian Aslam met the founder PTI in Adiala jail, adding that the party trusts them and always backs them. He stated that Hamad Azhar and Mian Aslam are committed and loyal party workers.

    The opposition leader blamed Shehbaz Sharif’s government for the violence in Azad Kashmir.

  • AJK protests come to end after demands met by government

    AJK protests come to end after demands met by government

    Azad Jammu & Kashmir Joint Action Committee has announced the end of protests according to a notification circulating on social media.

    In its statement, the joint action committee has called on the government to form a judicial commission to investigate the fatalities that took place during the protests.

    On Monday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved an urgent grant of Rs 23 billion in a bid to resolve the issues of people in Azad and Jammu Kashmir (AJK) as three people were shot dead and six sustained injuries due to firing and teargas shelling by the paramilitary Rangers in Muzaffarabad.

    The Government also announced reduced rates of 40kg flour bags to Rs 2,000, down from Rs 3,100, and electricity tariff was reduced to Rs3, Rs5 and Rs6 per unit for up to 100, 300, and more than 300 units, respectively.

    Rangers were also called in to maintain law and order in the state as violent clashes erupted between the police and the protestors

  • AJK protests continue as PM Shehbaz approves Rs23 billion grant for Azad Kashmir

    AJK protests continue as PM Shehbaz approves Rs23 billion grant for Azad Kashmir

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday approved an urgent grant of Rs 23 Billion to resolve the issues of people in Azad and Jammu Kashmir (AJK).

    The development came after violent protests erupted in the AJK on the Awami Action Committee’s (AAC) call against high electricity bills and taxes.

    PM Shehbaz presided over a meeting on Azad Kashmir’s protests in which the grant was approved.

    However, AAC leader Shaukat Nawaz said that he refuses to end the protest until they receive a notification affirming that their demands have been accepted.

    “Promises have been made in the past as well to dissolve protests. (This time) we will not return believing the political promises,” he said, adding that the government’s seriousness would be trusted when a notification regarding the resolution of their demands would reach them.

    The AAC called for a shutter down and wheel-jam strike across the state to protest the electricity price hike and taxes.

  • AJK protests enter fourth day as deadlock between government and protestors continues

    AJK protests enter fourth day as deadlock between government and protestors continues

    The Awami Action Committee (AAC) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) have staged massive protests and sit-ins against high electricity bills and taxation for the fourth day now.

    Protestors plan to reach the capital Muzaffarabad, after violent clashes took place between the AJK police and the protestors.

    The government of AJK called in Rangers and AJK police after clashes between the police and protestors erupted in Mirpur during demonstrations that killed a cop and injured more than 70 others.

    Heavy contingents of police have been posted at roundabouts and sensitive locations, while markets, trade centres and educational institutes remain closed, and transport is suspended.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grave concern on the situation and stated that there should be “absolutely no tolerance for taking the law into one’s own hands”.

    Meanwhile, the central leadership of the AAC has distanced itself from the violent incidents that occurred during the protests.

    A sub-inspector was killed while dozens of other policemen and protesters also got injured during the teargas shelling by the police and stone pelting by the demonstrators.

    Violent protesters damaged multiple vehicles, including a magistrate’s car on the Poonch-Kotli road. Moreover, markets, trade centres, offices schools and restaurants remained closed across the AJK.

    Cellular services have been suspended in different parts of AJK.

  • 10 dead as bus plummets into ditch in Azad Jammu And Kashmir

    10 people have died and 13 were critically injured when the bus they were travelling in plunged into a ravine in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Sunday, Express News has reported. The 35 passengers in the bus were going to Gujranwala from Nairiyan, a small village in the Sudhnoti district near Kotli, for urs festivities.

    The injured were taken to Mirpur district headquarter hospital.

    Rescue personnel reached the spot after receiving information, Mirpur Commissioner Chaudhary Shaukat has said. He further stated that at least three of the 13 injured passengers are in critical condition. He added that the accident was caused by brake failure.

    Shaukat also confirmed that a large number of Jamia students reached the hospital to voluntarily donate blood for the victims.

  • PTI govt in Azad Kashmir gone, as region gets PDM-backed PM

    PTI govt in Azad Kashmir gone, as region gets PDM-backed PM

    Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-backed Chaudhry Anwarul Haq has been elected unopposed as the 15th Prime Minister (PM) of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

    Haq won with a comfortable majority of 31 votes in the 52-strong Legislative Assembly in the wee hours of Thursday.

    Initially, the session was convened at 2pm on Wednesday, however, it got delayed amid hectic political manoeuvring. Consequently, a new election schedule was issued by the speaker late in the night with proceedings starting at 12:40am on Thursday.

    The election of the prime minister was triggered by the disqualification of Tanveer Ilyas of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) by the AJK High Court on April 11. Later, the decision was upheld by the region’s Supreme Court.

    After Imran, another PTI prime minister removed from power

    Earlier, PM of AJK Sardar Tanveer Ilyas was disqualified by a full bench of the region’s High Court on contempt of court charges.

    Ilyas is associated with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). He assumed the office of PM in April 2022 and has been removed a year later, making him the first premier of the region to be removed in such a manner.

    Almost exactly a year ago, on April 10, his party chief and then-PM Imran Khan was ousted through a no-confidence motion.

    Ilyas had indirectly blamed the judiciary for affecting the functioning of his government and interfering in the domain of the executive through the grant of stay orders at an event in Islamabad.

    On April 14, 2022, AJK PM Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi tendered his resignation even before voting on the no-confidence motion against him could be held. Later, Ilyas was elected unopposed by the Assembly.

  • When are assemblies going to dissolve? PTI to decide today

    When are assemblies going to dissolve? PTI to decide today

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry has announced that the former ruling party will decide on the matter of dissolution of the assemblies today in the presence of senior leadership.

    Chaudhry explained in a tweet, stating that the party’s senior leadership will be meeting on Monday. “In this meeting, the date of dissolution of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly, and resignation from the Sindh and Balochistan Assembly will be considered.”

    The former minister added with these decisions, 64 per cent of seats in all assemblies would be “vacant and will pave the way for general elections”.

    On Saturday, party chief Imran Khan, addressing a charged crowd in Rehmanabad, said that PTI wouldn’t be part of “this system” and would quit all the assemblies.

    Khan said that he would announce the exact date in the next few days.

    It is pertinent to mention that Khan’s PTI is in power in Punjab, KP, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

    Following the announcement, Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi showed support for Khan’s decision.

    In a video message on Sunday, he said, “When Imran tells me to dissolve the assemblies, I won’t even wait half a minute,” Elahi said, adding that “PM Shehbaz Sharif’s 27km-long [federal] government won’t even last for 27 hours.”

  • ‘First trip to Azad Jammu and Kashmir’, US ambassador under fire by Indians for tweet

    United States (US) Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome, on his visit to Quaid-e-Azam Memorial Dak Bungalow, tweeted on Sunday, “The Bungalow symbolises the cultural and historical richness of Pakistan and was famously visited by Jinnah in 1944. I’m honoured to visit during my first trip to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).”

    Blome—who is currently in Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) for his first visit—mentioned Pakistan’s part of Kashmir as “Azad”.

    It is pertinent to mention that Washington officially still considers both Jammu and Kashmir as a disputed territory between India and Pakistan.

    Indians seem to have taken offence with the tweet, lashing out at the US official. One user called the US a “backstabber” while the other was of the view that Americans should never be trusted no matter what.

    https://twitter.com/gyanendrra/status/1576647000728428544?s=20&t=GBwS8xjjPGIV5m6bpnWNdQ

    https://twitter.com/NCC1701_x/status/1576612210142416896?s=20&t=GBwS8xjjPGIV5m6bpnWNdQ
    https://twitter.com/NCC1701_x/status/1576612210142416896?s=20&t=GBwS8xjjPGIV5m6bpnWNdQ

    US and Pakistan relations seem to be warming up. Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met US President Joe Biden at his reception for world leaders participating in the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

    Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa is scheduled to meet with senior Biden administration officials this week during an official visit to the US.

  • Alert issued after Lahore and Islamabad terror attacks

    Alert issued after Lahore and Islamabad terror attacks

    The Interior Ministry of Pakistan has issued a notification on Saturday in which it directed the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) to exercise “extreme vigilance”.

    The notification alert has asked LEAs of all provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan to tighten security measures to prevent any unforeseen terror attacks.

    “… In view of recent terrorist attack in Anarkali Bazar, Lahore and threat posed by activities of anti-state elements, all provincial and special area governments/Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) are requested to exercise extreme vigilance and be on alert to deal with any untoward situation,” the notification said.

    On January 17, militants opened fire on a police checkpoint in the vicinity of the Karachi Company Police Station in Islamabad. The incident resulted in a policeman’s death and two injuries. The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility.

    After this incident, Interior Minister, Sheikh Rasheed has also warned of more terrorism-related incidents in Islamabad and said that the capital’s police and other forces are on alert.

    However, another terror attack on January 20 took place in which terrorists targeted the famous Anarkali market in Lahore. Three people died and 28 people got injured in the Lahore bomb blast. An investigation is still underway.

    Sheikh Rasheed also faced criticism from the Opposition for rising terrorism activities in the country. One of the senators from the Opposition commented that he “not seen the interior minister in the House for any briefing during the last nine months”.