Tag: Pakistan

  • Indian Supreme Court validates the revocation of Article-370

    Indian Supreme Court validates the revocation of Article-370

    A five-judge constitution bench, presided by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, has given its verdict on the Union government’s 2019 move to amend Article 370 of the constitution, the abrogation of which ended the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

    The decision was reserved earlier on September 5 this year, after 16 days of hearings.

    The unanimous verdict by the panel of five judges came in response to more than a dozen petitions challenging the revocation and a subsequent decision to split the region into two federally administered territories, the central government, on the other hand, had defended its action, asserting there was no “constitutional fraud” in nullifying the provision.

    Chief Justice said that Jammu and Kashmir held no internal sovereignty after accession to India. The court maintains that the president has the right to abrogate any of the articles in the Constitution. The same was carried out on August 5 2019.

    The order also declared that the reorganisation of the erstwhile state into Union Territories in 2019 was a temporary move, it directed the Centre for the restoration of statehood and for Legislative Assembly elections to be held.

    However, Justice Kaul recommended in his opinion that a Truth and Reconciliation Commission should be set up in Jammu and Kashmir, for the acknowledgement of acts of rights violations in the region.

    The revocation was one of Mr Modi’s poll promises in 2019 and the court’s decision comes months before he seeks a third term. Local politicians in the region have expressed disappointment over the order.

    Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he was “disappointed but not disheartened”. An hour later, he also posted Faiz Ahmed Faiz poem, “Dil na umeed to nahi, na kaam he to hai”.

    Meanwhile, Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India wrote this decision is “a resounding declaration of hope, progress and unity”.

    Amit Shah, a major proponent of Hindutva supremacy and Indian Home Minister, criticised India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, on the Kashmir issue, saying in Parliament, “I say this with full responsibility that Kashmir suffered due to two blunders by Nehru. First, the ceasefire (with Pakistan) was announced when our forces were winning…before winning the whole of Kashmir. The second blunder was to take the Kashmir issue to the United Nations.”

    Today he posted on Twitter that because of this decision “separatism and stone pelting are now things of the past.”

    Asaduddin Owaisi says, ” We are disappointed by this verdict.”

    “Pakistan categorically rejects the judgement announced by the Supreme Court of India on the status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK),” states the statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan.

    Caretaker Foreign Minister of Pakistan Jalil Abbas Jilani posted on Twitter that “The judicial endorsement by the Indian Supreme Court has no legal value.”

  • Ayesha Omar shines in ‘Dhai Chaal’; Brace yourself for an exciting espionage thriller

    Ayesha Omar shines in ‘Dhai Chaal’; Brace yourself for an exciting espionage thriller

    Ayesha Omar is all set to sparkle in the film ‘Dhai Chaal’ where she’s taking on the role of a high-profile journalist unraveling the story of Indian spy Kulbhushan Yadav’s conviction in Pakistan. Ayesha’s versatility and enthusiasm for the project shine through while she got to experience working in Quetta.

    The film’s producer, Dr. Irfan, played a crucial role in convincing Ayesha to embrace the character, and she saw working with a new team as an exhilarating adventure.

    On X (formerly Twitter) there is a tweet urging Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar to watch ‘Dhai Chaal’ as it counters Indian-sponsored terrorism in Balochistan. It’s great to see independent productions shedding light on untold stories.

  • PPP leader Abdul Qadir Baloch proposes election delay in security challenged regions

    PPP leader Abdul Qadir Baloch proposes election delay in security challenged regions

    Former federal minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Abdul Qadir Baloch has recommended postponing the general elections in areas that are not safe or facing security challenges.

    The PPP leader said in an interview on Saturday that by-polls can be conducted in these areas later, stressing that it will not be good to postpone general elections due to just six or seven constituencies.

    “Attacks by TTP in Balochistan are way higher than those by Baloch separatists,” the PPP leader said, adding that the terrorist organisation often targets Kalat, Mastung, and neighbouring areas.

    He also said that security threats are real because Baloch separatists don’t believe in the politics of parliament, calling the elements a hurdle for politicians to run their election campaigns.

    Abdul Qadir Baloch then said that interior minister Sarfraz Bugti should not have publicly talked to the media about threats to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, adding that it’s the caretaker government’s responsibility to give security to all politicians.

  • Indian govt issues notices to Shah Rukh, Ajay Devgan, Akshay Kumar over gutka ads

    Indian govt issues notices to Shah Rukh, Ajay Devgan, Akshay Kumar over gutka ads

    The Indian government has issued notices to Bollywood A-listers Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgan for appeared in gutka advertisements despite a ban on promoting the addictive and harmful products.

    The actors have been issued notices by the government after a court hearing in which the state lawyer mentioned that the Supreme Court is already looking into the. matter.
    The actors appeared in the ads years ago. Akshay Kumar has even apologized to his fans for doing the advertisement.

    Gutka is an addictive substance made from areca nuts and tobacco. Once extremely popular in the subcontinent, gutka is known to cause cancers of the mouth, head and neck.

    The next court hearing is on May 9, 2024.

  • Rao Anwar targets Asif Zardari in new interview

    Rao Anwar targets Asif Zardari in new interview

    The controversial former Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Malir, Rao Anwar, has targeted former President and co-chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Asif Ali Zardari in an interview, offering details of alleged corruption within the Sindh government.

    Talking to SAMAA, Rao Anwar claimed that Asif Ali Zardari was involved in corruption of RS 700 billion, stating, “Asif Ali Zardari is the king of the system mafia. In the last five years, 700 billion rupees have been laundered outside Pakistan.”

    He also disclosed that after 2013, Sindh police had also been involved in seizing individuals’ land. He criticised the Sindh government, saying that instead of controlling crimes in Karachi and interior Sindh, they were busy doing other activities.

    Rao, one of the most contentious police officers in Karachi, retired in 2019, mired in allegations of extra judicial murder among other serious charges. He had been charged with carrying out fake encounters and involvement in corrupt practices, including orchestrating the murder of Naqeebullah Mehsud, an aspiring model from Waziristan. Later, an anti-terrorism court acquitted the former SSP.

  • 100 million to be spent on upgradation of 84 police stations in Lahore

    100 million to be spent on upgradation of 84 police stations in Lahore

    Lahore police has released a huge sum of Rs 100 million out of a total of 190 million allocated for the establishment of the Special Initiative Police Stations(SIPs) in the Lahore region.

    To eradicate ‘thana culture’, the department has planned to introduce modern technology and smart idea-based model police stations to provide citizens quick relief and increase trust levels between the public and the police.

    The Police department has announced establishing division-wise committees under the supervision of the respective SPs of the operations wing, making the sub-divisional police officers (SDPOs), station house officers (SHOs), and the muharrars their respective members. This will ensure transparency in the utilisation of the funds released by the Punjab government for the upgrade of all 84 Lahore police stations.

    The project, the brainchild of Punjab Police IG Dr Usman Anwar, will involve converting all 735 police stations of the province, including 84 in Lahore, into the Special Initiative Police Stations. Caretaker setup in Punjab allocated Rs1.9 billion, including Rs190 million (19 crore) for Lahore SIPs. Out of the total allocated amount, Rs60 million (6 crore) will go to the taxes while the rest amount of Rs30 million (3 crore) will also be released in the weeks to come.

    According to the scheme, Two LCDs each will be installed in the lobby (the space for the citizens) and in the offices of the SHOs. the cameras will be installed outside the bars to monitor the activities of the suspects, in the office of the SHOs, and at the front desks of the police stations.
    Each police station will house a control room and Qmatic system to facilitate the citizens.

    Out of the total of 84 police stations, the buildings of the three police stations — Mozang, Hanjarwal and the Civil Lines — have been completed and inaugurated.

    The 70 percent of the total civil work of the rest of the buildings of the police stations is near completion, the official said.

    Talking to Dawn, Lahore Operations DIG Ali Nasir Rizvi suggested that the Lahore police department would submit a request to the Punjab government through the IG office to provide Rs70 million additional amount to meet expenses.

  • Much-awaited wintery winds about to hit Karachi

    Much-awaited wintery winds about to hit Karachi

    Karachi experienced the coldest night of the season so far after the temperature dropped to 13.5°C in the port city on December 8. The temperature is likely to drop further in the coming days as a new wave of cold winds will enter the country from December 15, reports Geo.

    According to weather analyst Owais Haider, the minimum temperature is expected to remain at 12 to 14°C during the next ten days in Karachi. Winds blowing in from the Northeast will worsen air quality. However, there is no chance of rain in the next 10 days, while humidity levels will remain between 50 to 60 percent during the day, he said.

    According to the monthly report issued by the Meteorological Department, normal to slightly above rainfall (snowfall over the high mountain) is likely to happen in most parts of the country, particularly the central parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during the current month.

    It said nearly normal precipitation is likely over most parts of the country particularly Sindh during January.

    “In February 2024, normal to slightly above normal precipitation is expected over most parts of the country particularly the upper Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the report said.

  • Rumours of a Rai-Bachchan divorce. What’s everyone saying?                   

    Rumours of a Rai-Bachchan divorce. What’s everyone saying?                   

    There have been rumors circulating about Bollywood actors Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan’s marriage. While there hasn’t been any official confirmation, some reports suggest that they might be heading towards a divorce. The rumours became more persistent after people noticed that Abhishek is not wearing his wedding ring anymore. Others are also stating that the divorce has to do with father, Amitabh Bachchan distributing property amongst his children.

    Here is what X users are saying.

  • IPP will provide a list of constituencies to PML-N for seat adjustments today

    IPP will provide a list of constituencies to PML-N for seat adjustments today

    The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) has made a list of constituencies of national and provincial assembly seats where it wants seat settlement with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), as per a report in The News.

    A source revealed to The News that the IPP committee, in which Ishaq Khakwani, Awn Chaudhry, and Nauman Langrial are included, has made a list of candidates which will be provided to PML-N on Monday.

    As the country gears up for general elections, political parties are making alliances with multiple political stakeholders to win the forthcoming polls on February 8 next year.

    PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif met with the IPP’s patron chief, Jahangir Tareen in Lahore a few weeks ago, to discuss the issue of seat adjustment in the upcoming general elections, which are going to be held on February 8, 2024.

    According to multiple media reports, the IPP wants seat adjustments with PML-N on 20 National Assembly (NA) seats and 44 Provincial Assembly (Punjab) seats.

    However, sources in the IPP claimed that the figures reported by different TV channels were exaggerated and that the party will ask for seat adjustments in about eight to 10 NA constituencies and 15 to 20 PA constituencies.

  • Delhi’s Zafar Mahal mausoleum vandalised by miscreants

    Delhi’s Zafar Mahal mausoleum vandalised by miscreants

    Zafar Mahal, a historical monument in Delhi’s Mehrauli village, has been vandalized by unknown miscreants in India, damaging part of the jaali (lattice screen) in front of the tombs of three Mughal emperors and Bahadur Shah Zafar’s empty tomb.

    The incident was reported by Sunit Arora, a journalist, who visited the site. He was informed by the guard that the vandalism took place eight days ago, and no action has been taken by the authorities so far.

    Zafar Mahal is an ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) protected monument and is one of the last remnants of the architectural legacy of the Mughals in India. The palace is associated with the festival of Sair-e-Gul Faroshan, initiated by Bahadur Shah Zafar, to honour the Sufi saint Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, whose dargah is also located nearby.

    However, Zafar Mahal is in a state of neglect, with minimal maintenance and frequent vandalism. The jaali, which is now spoilt, was a fine example of the Pachin Kari (inlay work) technique.

    Indian tombs of Mughal emperors, including Akbar Shah II, Shah Alam II, and Mirza Fakhruddin, also stand in a deteriorated condition inside the Mehrauli Archaeological Park.

    Art historian William Dalrymple criticised the ASI for its neglect.

    Twitter user Tamjeed Ahmed said that, “ASI earlier said they will restore Zafar Mahal in October but they never did!”

    However, poet Rafiq Kathwari, was reminded of Babri Mosque, as he said, “If they can do Babri, the worst is yet to be.”

    Another user pointed out that “unfortunately, far too many Indian visitors are extremely disrespectful of our ancient monuments”.

    Meanwhile, a user posted a pictorial comparison of the tomb of the past and the present.