Tag: law

  • Pakistan fails to ensure safety of journalists

    Pakistan fails to ensure safety of journalists

    As the world marks the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, Pakistan’s journalistic community continues to grapple with an alarming surge in violence and impunity.

    Several reports have highlighted the deteriorating situation, shedding light on the challenges faced by media professionals in the South Asian nation.

    According to the recently released annual report by the Islamabad-based independent media watchdog, Freedom Network, Pakistan has failed to combat the rising impunity of crimes against journalists, painting a grim picture of the state of press freedom in the country.

    The report titled ‘One Step Forward, Two Steps Back,’ outlines the harrowing experiences faced by journalists, including incidents of kidnapping, physical assaults, and unjust legal cases.

    Pakistan made history in 2021 by passing two special laws to protect journalists.

    The Sindh Assembly passed the “Sindh Protection of Journalists and other Media Practitioners Act-2021” while the National Assembly passed “Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act-2021” in space of few months.

    Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab have not passed a similar law for their jurisdictions.

    According to the Freedom Network’s report at least 37.5 percent of the violations in Pakistan – 93 out of the total 248 cases in the period between August 2021- August 2023 – were recorded in Islamabad alone.

    The report further states that during this period there were 11 cases of murders of journalists, plus another 20 unsuccessful assassination attempts.

    25 instances of legal cases registered against journalists.


    11 cases of abductions, plus another case of an unsuccessful kidnapping attempt.

    25 cases of arrests, detentions, or illegal confinements of journalists by the State.

    59 cases of physical assaults, 26 of which caused bodily injuries.

    05 cases of attacks on the homes of journalists.

    30 cases of specific threats of murder or other dire consequences issued to journalists.

    59 cases of harassment of journalists.

    At least 37.5% of the violations (93 out of a total 248 cases) were recorded in the federal capital Islamabad alone.

    Sindh was the second worst with 22.5% of the violations (56 cases) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) was a close third at 18.5% (46 cases).

    These were followed by Punjab with 17.3% (43 cases), Balochistan with about 2.5% (6 cases), Azad Kashmir (AJK) with 1.2% (3 cases) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) with 0.5% (1 case).

    The report also cited specific incidents, such as the tragic death of Channel 5 reporter Sadaf Naeem during the coverage of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s rally in Punjab in October 2022.

    The report notes that another Pakistani journalist Ashad Sharif was killed in Kenya on October 23, 2022, and there is still no clarity on his murder.

    Pakistan Press Foundation has also documented at least 157 media-related attacks, including 16 instances of arrests, five instances of detention, and 44 cases of assault this year.

    Between January and September 2023, PPF has documented at least 157 attacks on the media in connection with their work, including 16 instances of arrests and five instances of detention, 44 cases of assault, two cases of damage to property, four instances of raids, 18 instances of registration of cases against media professionals and two instances of legal action, 26 instances of censorship, 20 instances of harassment of journalists or media practitioners, 13 cases of threats, seven confirmed cases of kidnappings and three unconfirmed cases.

    While the country witnessed an improvement in its ranking in the World Press Freedom Index, climbing from 157 in 2021 to 150 in 2023, this progress is overshadowed by the failure to effectively implement the laws designed to protect journalists.

  • Lahore High Court issues directives on safety, environmental hazards

    Lahore High Court issues directives on safety, environmental hazards

    Lahore High Court has issued a written order pertaining to environmental problems and safety hazards on roads.

    The court order said that those who use green belts for parking should be fined Rs 5,000, forwarding the order to all housing societies and authorities concerned.

    The court has also ordered the shutting down of polluting brick kilns, and filing criminal cases against the officials who do not take action against the kilns.

    Additionally, the court ordered the CTO to impose a fine of Rs 2,000 on motorcycle riders without helmets and this order will be enforced across the province.

    The Dolphin police have also been directed to keep a check on people in case of violation of the latest orders.

    Reforestation

    The Lahore High Court also shed light on the importance of reforestation, pointing at the Miyawaki model where more urban forests should be planted.

    To ensure that they meet the necessary environmental standards, the LDA will be closely working with the Environment Department while planning and executing development projects.

    Additionally, strict action is to be taken against kilns emitting black smoke which is one of the major contributors to poor air quality.

  • Dulha arrested for child-marriage in Faisalabad

    Dulha arrested for child-marriage in Faisalabad

    A groom has been arrested on the charge of child-marriage in Satyana area of Faisalabad.

    According to the local police, the accused had married a 10-year-old girl two weeks ago.

    The local police say that raids are being conducted in search of the young bride, while they are also searching for the nikah-khawan, witnesses, and the father of the bride — all of whom are to be arrested

  • 13-year-old Rizwana stands up three months after being tortured

    13-year-old Rizwana stands up three months after being tortured

    13-year-old Rizwana, a domestic violence victim who had been under treatment in the General Hospital in Lahore since three months, has taken her first steps after the ordeal.

    While talking to Geo, the head of the medical board treating Rizwana, Prof. Jodet Saleem, said that 90% of Rizwana’s treatment has been completed and she has started walking now.

    Rizwana’s injuries have also healed, but she still needs an arm surgery as the Orthopaedic is yet to confirm a date.

    Prof. Saleem further said that Rizwana is likely to be discharged from the hospital soon, but she will likely stay in Lahore.

    According to the medico-legal certificate (MLC) issued in July, the extent of Rizwana’s injuries was concerning. The report revealed lacerations on her head, face, and body, including broken teeth, bruises, and signs of strangulation. The girl’s harrowing ordeal came to light when her father, a laborer, filed a complaint with the Humak police station.

    In August, plastic surgery was also performed on the girl.

    Rizwana had been allegedly tortured and abused while working at a civil judge’s home in Islamabad, after she was accused of stealing jewellery. Rizwana’s family revealed that the girl was not paid a single penny by the family for the extensive workload she was doing and was instead subjected to violence.

  • Arshad Sharif murder case proceedings on halt

    Arshad Sharif murder case proceedings on halt

    The proceedings of senior journalist Arshad Sharif’s murder trial have been put to halt in District and Sessions Courts Islamabad.

    According to the details reported by Samaa news, witnesses have failed to appear and there is a lack of interest on their behalf; and so the case’ file was sent to the record room.

    Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah issued the written decision of the previous hearing.

    According to the decision, on March 16, the court received a challan of Penal Code Section 512 in the Arshad Sharif murder case. On April 5, the court summoned witnesses to record their statements. They were summoned several times, but no one appeared.

    The court says that they are not interested in recording the statements of the witnesses in the Arshad Sharif murder case; the prosecution was given an opportunity to submit evidence 15 times. And so, at the previous hearing, the prosecution was given notice that perhaps the file should be sent to the record room. According to the prosecutor, private and official witnesses are not coming to the court to record their statements.

    In the judgement, it has been said that the prosecution can file an application for a new date considering the appearance of the witnesses, till further orders the Arshad Sharif murder case file is sent to the record room.

  • Unprepared lawyers in live Supreme Court proceedings unleash Pakistani Twitter at its best

    Unprepared lawyers in live Supreme Court proceedings unleash Pakistani Twitter at its best

    The live transmission of the Supreme Court’s (SC) full bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qaez Faez Isa on Monday has led to social media blitz of memes.

    Delighted viewers got to see a Supreme Court hearing for the first time, and they did not hold back on jokes.

    Lawyers, particularly Khawaja Tariq Rahim, came under particular scrutiny, and the internet was not particularly impressed with his arguments, or lack thereof.

    We have gathered the best of the internet’s comments on proceedings, judges’ remarks and lawyers’ arguments.

    One user used a meme about what lawyers think they do, what public thinks lawyers do and what lawyers actually do.

    Another user tweeted a meme what CJP Isa might have said to Advocate Khawaja Tariq Rahim.

    More tweets about lawyers and their arguments here:

    Do you agree with these tweets?

  • Jalila Haider wins Justitia Award in Vienna

    Jalila Haider wins Justitia Award in Vienna

    Advocate Jalila Haider has won the distinguished Justitia Award in Vienna on Friday, September 15.

    The Justitia Awards are presented to women in law in one of three categories: international leaders / lifetime awards; academia; game changers / pioneers / young achievers.

    Jalila Haider is a human rights attorney and a political activist from Quetta and the first female attorney of the local Hazara community.

    She is the founder of We the Humans – Pakistan which works towards the empowerment of local communities in Balochistan by creating opportunities for women and children.

    The advocate also heads the Balochistan chapter of the Lahore based organisation Women In Law ‘Women In Law Initiative Pakistan’. It works for equality of opportunity and connectivity of female lawyers in Pakistan.

    Among many other achievements, Haider was selected as one of ‘News Women Power 50’ list of Pakistan’s most influential and powerful women in 2015.

    In 2014, she was selected as an Atlantic Council Emerging Leaders of Pakistan Fellow.

    She is not the only Pakistani lawyer to have won this prestigious award.

    In 2021, Nida Usman Chaudhary won the Justitia Award, becoming the first Pakistani woman to be granted the honour.

  • MDCAT results withheld by Peshawar High Court

    MDCAT results withheld by Peshawar High Court

    Results of the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) have been withheld on the orders of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday following petitions filed by students in the light of cases of cheating via Bluetooth devices in examination halls.

    The court issued orders to the chief secretary, executive director of the Education Test and Evaluation Agency (ETEA), and the registrar of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to provide responses regarding these allegations.

    The court has asked the Education Test and Evaluation Agency (ETEA) to not publish the official results on its website for now as the investigation is underway.

    The hearing was chaired by Justice Syed Arshad Ali who passed orders that the online release of the results must be halted till September 21, the date of the next hearing.

    The case

    Dozens of candidates had been caught cheating in the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) MDCAT exams conducted in a number of cities on Sunday.

    Over 40 candidates, including 20 female candidates, were arrested in Peshawar while 10 were taken into custody in DI Khan.
    All of the detainees were said to be using Bluetooth to cheat in the test. And as reported by Geo, DI Khan police sources claimed that VIP passes were issued to the candidates for which a hefty amount was paid to take the exam through dishonest means.

    Students and parents filed complaints to the Human Rights Cell in Peshawar regarding the results and integrity of the system which were then sent to the PHC chief justice.

    The applicants asserted that approximately 200 students were caught using Bluetooth devices during the examination.

  • Nobel laureate Maria Ressa acquitted in Philippines tax evasion case

    Nobel laureate Maria Ressa acquitted in Philippines tax evasion case

    Maria Ressa, Nobel prize winner and co-founder of the online news platform Rappler, has been acquitted of a tax evasion charge in the Philippines on Monday.

    This is another feat in her legal fight against a number of charges that were filed under the government of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

    “You gotta have faith,” she said outside the court.

    Ressa and Rappler have been hindered by five government charges of tax evasion after the sale of Philippine depositary receipts in 2015 — a route for companies to raise money from foreign investors.

    In January, they were acquitted on the other four charges.

    However, Maria Ressa and Rappler have two more court cases to fight.

    Ressa and Rey Santos Jr, a former colleague, have appealed for a cyber-libel conviction that carries a nearly seven-year jail sentence.

    Similarly, Rappler is challenging a Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission order to close for allegedly violating a ban on foreign ownership in media. Under the country’s constitution, investment in the media is reserved for Philippine citizens or entities controlled by citizens.

    “It shows that the court system works and we hope to see the remaining charges dismissed,” she said.
    Ressa won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 alongside Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov in recognition of their efforts to “safeguard freedom of expression“.

    Ressa is also an American national but has remained in the Philippines and is currently on bail pending the appeal against the cyber-libel conviction.

    Maria Ressa was awarded the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize along with Dmitry Muratov for “their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.”

  • Blasphemy laws; major change in mindset needed, say lawmakers

    In a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights held on Monday in Islamabad, the Ministry of Human Rights and the Human Rights Committee have recommended the formation of a National Coordination Committee to avoid incidents like Jaranwala riots.

    The committee has also asked for details of incidents related to blasphemy across the country.

    Blasphemy Laws:

    Chairman of the Standing Committee on Human Rights, Senator Waleed Iqbal, spoke with Annie Shirazi for Independent Urdu, stating that, “Great concern has been expressed on the matter of people taking the law into their hands.”

    “Several recommendations were to be presented on this matter, including the recommendations of the Ministry of Human Rights, while a couple of members also presented recommendations in the meeting.”

    Senator Waleed Iqbal said an important and necessary change in mindset is required in the country, which includes brotherhood, love, and mutual tolerance.” These are the values that are derived from the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, he emphasized, adding the issue will be discussed in detail.

    The Senate Committee recommended the formation of a National Coordination Committee.

    In the committee meeting, Senator Sami Ezadi of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf proposed to review the blasphemy law again. He pointed, “Not many incidents like this used to take place in the past.”

    “Many people are afraid to even talk about it. The blasphemy law should be re-examined.”, he added

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Irfan Siddiqui, however, did not agree and said, “If there is no law then there will be no prevention. There should be laws to prevent every incident. The road should not be closed.”

    Sami Ezidi replied that the road won’t be closed and the law will be reviewed.

    The committee also sought details of blasphemy incidents across the country.

    Briefing of Ministry of Human Rights on Jaranwala Incident:
    Human Rights Secretary Allah Dino Khawaja told the committee in the briefing that two young Christians were accused of desecrating the Holy Quran. More than 60 houses were burnt, while 100 people were also arrested in the case. “The entire community should not be targeted at the request of one person.”

    “Our mothers and sisters were not afraid of animals as much as they were of humans.”, he added

    He said that the Ministry of Human Rights has decided to compensate 92 families.

    The Federal Secretary confirmed a lack of communication between the federation and the provinces regarding such incidents and supported the proposal for the establishment of a National Coordination Committee.

    Allah Dino also revealed that four such incidents took place in Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad after the Jaranwala incident, while two people were shot in Faisalabad on the charge of alleged blasphemy.

    In this regard, the federal secretary emphasised on the need for reforms in the police as well.
    After the meeting, Senator Sami Ezadi also spoke with Independent Urdu and said that such incidents there is a reason for such incidents taking place. People believe that if they do this, they will go to heaven. We have only to revise the law, we have not changed the law, he said.

    “We are not changing the law, we will only review it. If the law is right, then it is right.” We have to make this decision after a great deal of thought, he stressed.