Tag: Gulzar Ahmed

  • ‘Are we about to sign a surrender document once again?’: Supreme Court asks PM Khan

    ‘Are we about to sign a surrender document once again?’: Supreme Court asks PM Khan

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan appeared before the Supreme Court after he was summoned earlier today by the apex court to attend a hearing of the Army Public School (APS) massacre case.

    When the prime minister appeared at the rostrum, Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan said the parents of the martyred children are demanding action against the rulers of the time when the APS massacre took place, reports Geo News.

    The premier responded and said that when the massacre took place, his party was in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and he had met the parents in hospitals when the brutal massacre happened.

    “Parents are asking where was the security system [that day]? Despite our comprehensive orders, nothing was done,” replied Cheif Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed.

    “There are no holy cows in Pakistan, I believe in rule of law. We won a war against terrorism,” he said. “There were bomb blasts taking place at the time every single day,” replied PM Khan.

    “The government should take action against those involved in the APS massacre,” said the Supreme Court. 

    “You are the prime minister, you should have answers,” said CJP Ahmad.

    “Hold on for a minute, Judge Sahab,” responded PM Khan. “Allah will give patience to the parents of the schoolchildren, what more could the government have done apart from giving compensation?”

    “Find out why 80,000 people were killed, also find out who is responsible for 480 drone attacks taking place in Pakistan,” added the premier.

    “Finding out about these things is your job, you are the prime minister. As the prime minister, you should have the answer to these questions,” replied the chief justice.

    “You can constitute a high-level commission on the APS tragedy,” said the prime minister. 

    “We have already formed a commission and it has issued a report as well,” responded the chief justice. “Our order of October 20 clearly states that the government should find out who is responsible for the massacre and take action against them,” he added. 

    The chief justice reminded the prime minister that seven years had passed since the tragedy took place. 

    “Mr Prime Minister, we are not a small country,” said Justice Qazi Amin. “We have the sixth largest army in the world.”

    Justice Amin told the prime minister that he had now brought the culprits of the massacre to the negotiating table. 

    “Are we about to sign a surrender document once again?” he asked.  

  • PM Khan summoned by Supreme Court in APS massacre case

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan arrived at the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) to appear before the apex court’s bench today (Wednesday) after he was summoned to attend a hearing of the Army Public School (APS) massacre, reports Geo News.

    The apex court summoned the prime minister to appear before the bench when the hearing resumed at 11:30am, in his personal capacity.

    During the previous hearing of the case, parents of the children martyred in the 2014 terrorist attack had complained to the court that they had lost their children in the incident hence the top civil and military leadership of the country should be summoned by the Supreme Court.

    During the hearing, the attorney-general sought time from the court to seek directives from the premier and other officials so he can respond to the court.

    However, the bench said this was a very serious case and that it would summon the prime minister and seek answers from him.

    The attorney-general asked for further time for the prime minister to appear before the court. However, the bench expressed anger at his request and said the parents of the victims of the APS massacre are also in court.

    During the hearing, the issue of the government holding talks with the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was also mentioned.

    Justice Qazi Amin remarked that there are reports that the government is holding negotiations with a group and added, “Is it not the responsibility of the state to identify the real culprits [behind the APS tragedy] and nab them?”

    Meanwhile, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed intervened and said we cannot leave the children alone to die.

  • Chief Justice Gulzar rejects accusations of promoting ‘favourite’ judges

    Chief Justice Gulzar rejects accusations of promoting ‘favourite’ judges

     Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed has said that the recent agitation by the legal fraternity was “totally uncalled for”, reports Dawn.

    Reacting to the lawyers’ September 9 convention, which accused the judiciary of favouritism in the appointment of superior court judges, CJP said, “There had been 41 judges in the judicial history of Pakistan who were elevated to the Supreme Court bypassing the senior-most judges of the respective high courts, but none of such appointments was ever objected to earlier by the lawyers.”

    “Still my doors are open and representatives of the lawyers can come any time to discuss matters of significance,” added the chief justice.

    “The lawyers should have come to us instead of launching a sort of one-sided agitation without any discussion with the CJP on the issue,” he observed. This time, he noted, no one came to him for discussion.

  • PM’s aide, judges allotted plots in Islamabad

    PM’s aide, judges allotted plots in Islamabad

    Two special assistants to the prime minister (SAPM), judges of the superior judiciary, and top bureaucrats are among those who have been allocated residential plots in Islamabad’s F-14 and F-15 sectors, reported Dawn.

    Federal Housing Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema chaired the proceedings. Over 4,500 applicants were declared successful.

    A list was posted by the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) on its website after the ballot on Tuesday.

    According to the list posted on the website, Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed has been allotted a plot in Sector F-15/3.

    Dr Waqar Masood Khan, the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Finance (SAPM), was given a plot in F-15/4, while Dr Shahzad Arbab, the SAPM on Establishment, got a plot in Sector F-14/2.

    Judges of the superior judiciary, as well as those of the subordinate judiciary, and a few journalists have been placed in Category I — plots measuring one Kanal.

    Eight incumbent judges of the apex court are featured in the list. Seven retired judges of the Supreme Court were declared successful. Two former director-generals of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) — a former inspector general of Islamabad, the Secretary to Cabinet Division, and a number of other federal secretaries and bureaucrats working in BS-22 and 21 have been allotted plots.

    While the judges of all the provincial high courts have been allotted plots in F-14 and F-15, not a single judge from the Islamabad High Court was among the applicants.

  • Hindu temple attack: CJP reprimands authorities over no arrests

    Hindu temple attack: CJP reprimands authorities over no arrests

    Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed rebuked the Punjab Police chief for failing to take action to protect the Hindu temple from a mob in Rahim Yar Khan. The CJP directed him to arrest all culprits involved in the incident.

    Justice Gulzar had shown concern over the tragic incident and summoned Chief Secretary Punjab and IG Punjab to appear at the apex court and submit a report on the incident.

    During the hearing today, the CJP expressed anger over the incident and criticised the officials. “Three days have passed, but no one has been arrested.”

    He said the police acted as a silent spectator while the mob vandalised the temple. “What were the police and administration doing?” the CJP questioned.

     IGP Inam Ghani informed the court that terrorism clauses have been added in the First Information Report (FIR) lodged against the mob.

    CJP added, “If the deputy commissioner and the DPO cannot perform their duties, they should be fired.”

    Justice Amin said police have failed to perform their duty.

    “Had there been professional officers in the force, the issue would have been solved by now.”

    “Think, how would Muslims have reacted if a mosque was attacked,” CJP Gulzar remarked, adding that one should think about how the incident would impact Pakistani Hindus.

    The Supreme Court ordered the officials to submit a report on the next hearing on August 13.

    On Wednesday, hundreds of people reportedly vandalised a Hindu temple in Bhong town and blocked the Sukkur-Multan Motorway (M-5) after a nine-year-old Hindu boy, who allegedly urinated in a local seminary.

  • Bilawal, Buzdar, Gilani spotted at wedding of ex-Punjab governor’s daughter

    Bilawal, Buzdar, Gilani spotted at wedding of ex-Punjab governor’s daughter

    Former Governor Punjab Muhammad Latif Khosa’s daughter Sehr Khosa tied the knot over the weekend and the two-day event was a glittering affair with several notable politicians, including Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar, Governor Punjab Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, Pakistan People’s Party Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Yousuf Raza Gillani, in attendance.

    Check out pictures from the wedding below:

    While CM Buzdar, Yousuf Raza Gillani, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed and former CJP Asif Saeed Khosa attended the baraat on Saturday, December 19, BBZ, Governor Sarwar and former CJP Saqib Nisar attended the valima on Sunday, December 20.

    The bride looked ethereal on both days in outfits by Allechant Couture.

    Valima
    Baraat

    Picture credits – Bilal Saeed Photography, Wedding Shadding, SS Photography – By Saba Sahar

  • KYA BOLA? (Dec 2): ‘Darakht Kahan Gye?’, ‘Hakoomti Writ Khatam’, ‘Awam Ki Hifazat Ky Lye Jalsa’

    KYA BOLA? (Dec 2): ‘Darakht Kahan Gye?’, ‘Hakoomti Writ Khatam’, ‘Awam Ki Hifazat Ky Lye Jalsa’

    Following are some snippets that stood out from Urdu newspapers on Dec 2, 2020, which The Current takes no responsibility for.

    Darakht Kahan Gye?

    Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmad has taken notice of the PTI government’s billion tree project. Daily Jang quoted the CJP as saying: “Billion tree project ki tehqeeqaat karain gy…Kaya sary darakht Bani Gala mai laga diay.”

    Hakoomati Writ Khatam

    JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has been quoted by Dunya News as saying: “Hakoomti writ khatam… PDM kisi kisam ky muzakaraat nahi kary gi. Agla lahema-e-amal 8 December of PDM ijlaas mai teh ho ga.”

    Awam Ki Hifazat Ky Lye Jalsa

    PTI leader Andleeb Abbas said that government allowed PDM to organise jalsa in Multan. “Hum ny logon ki jaan-o-maal ki hifazat karni ha, chahy wo corona sy ho ya takhreebkaari sy. Aur jo in ki dando wali takhreebkaari thi hum ny us sy awam ko bachaya aur un ki hifazat ky lye jalsa hony diya.”

  • Fact Check: Authorities break silence on claims regarding top judge ‘contracting coronavirus’

    Fact Check: Authorities break silence on claims regarding top judge ‘contracting coronavirus’

    Claim: Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed has contracted COVID-19

    Fact: CJP Gulzar Ahmed has not tested positive for COVID-19

    Authorities have rubbished claims regarding Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed contracting coronavirus, which had surfaced after an employee reportedly from the top judge’s chamber at the Supreme Court (SC) tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday.

    According to Dawn, the apex court, in a statement, has said that the CJP, his family and his secretary have all tested negative for the coronavirus.

    The statement added that the top judge’s tests were conducted after an employee of the court developed symptoms of Covid-19, following which he was put under quarantine as a suspected coronavirus patient.

    The employee, a Naib Qasid at the apex court, had first tested negative for the virus, but the result was “doubtful” and another test was conducted which turned out to be positive, the statement read.

    The employee has now been isolated at a polyclinic in Islamabad.

    Earlier in the day, reports circulated on local media that an employee in the CJP’s chamber had tested positive. However, the statement did not clarify whether the coronavirus-positive employee worked in the chief justice’s chamber but merely referred to him as an “employee of the Supreme Court”.

    The reports had led to claims that the top judge had also tested positive for COVID-19.

    VERDICT: FALSE

  • CJP slams Imran govt for failing to contain coronavirus at border

    Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmed has criticised the Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan-led federal government for its inability to contain the new coronavirus — COVID-19 — at the border, leading to an outbreak in the country.

    The total number of COVID-19 cases stands at 296 in the country with 208 cases in Sindh while Punjab has 28, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 19, Balochistan has 23, Islamabad two, Gilgit-Baltistan 14 and one in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, two patients were confirmed to have died in KP on Wednesday, making them the first cases of death due to the deadly virus in Pakistan.

    The CJP was referring to the pilgrim influx from Iran through the Taftan border. Almost half of the Zaireen, who are kept at a largely mismanaged tent city at the border, have tested positive for the virus.

    “The coronavirus came from abroad through the airports due to PIA and the government’s incompetence,” remarked CJP. He noted that the coronavirus is now being talked about everywhere in the country.

    “If security remains like this, then I do not know what kind of new diseases will be introduced to the country [in the future],” remarked the CJP.

    The top judge was also irked by the National Security Committee’s (NSC) request to adjourn civil cases and instruct magistrates and sessions judges to conduct hearings at prisons for three weeks.

    He observed that the authorities had not made arrangements to minimise the risk instead asked the judges to suspend judicial work.

    The CJP made the remarks while hearing a plea filed by Air Marshal Arshad Malik seeking a stay against the Sindh High Court’s December 2019, order restraining him from working as the chief executive officer of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

    The SC allowed Malik to continue performing his duties as the head of the national carrier.

    During the hearing, the CJP asked the government to explain a single good thing that happened in the national airline.

    “PIA is playing with the lives of the people,” CJP Ahmed complained.

    However, Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Jawed defended Malik and described him as a competent person. He added that, God-willing, Malik would take the PIA forward. However, the CJP interjected and told the government lawyer that work cannot be done by merely uttering “By the grace of God”, “God-willing” and “Thanks be to God”.

    Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan also criticised the government, saying that the court knows that a lot of lobbies were working against the airline.

    “There are lobbies inside PIA who do not want it to work,” remarked the judge. He also suggested that the air marshal implement those decisions which a political government cannot.

    “If actions had already been taken, the airline would not have been in its present state,” Justice Ahsan said.

    To this, the AGP replied that if Arshad Malik is allowed to work as the CEO, he will take all those actions. He added that whenever the court will say that Malik has to go, he will go.