Tag: Pakistan

  • ‘We have full confidence in Election Commission and all its members’, says Asif Zardari

    ‘We have full confidence in Election Commission and all its members’, says Asif Zardari

    Asif Ali Zardari, former president and co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP), defended the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday, saying that since the new census was announced, a new delimitation is now required.

    The PPP’s leader expressed complete trust in Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja and other ECP members in a statement posted on the party’s social media platforms. The statement further stated that the commission will conduct elections in accordance with the Constitution.
    After several PPP leaders, including party chairman Bilawal Bhutto, urged the ECP to declare an election date within 90 days in accordance with the Constitution, Zardari came to the defence of the constitutional body.

    “The stance we adopted today is that the PPP wants the ECP to announce a new election date and the schedule for it. There is restlessness in the nation, and it is very important that a new election date and schedule is announced,” PPP’s Nayyar Bukhari said after the meeting on August 29.
    Asif Zardari urged the caretaker administration to complete the projects started under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), an apex body set up by the previous administration to draw in foreign investment.

    “The country should be put on the path of development by completing these projects,” he added.

  • ‘Let the people make their own decision’; Bilawal takes swipe at establishment

    ‘Let the people make their own decision’; Bilawal takes swipe at establishment

    Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), has criticized the establishment for “making puppets” in a conversation with members of the media.

    “The people of Pakistan have warned you that stop conducting such experiments on us. Let the people make their own decisions,” he said, calling it a message for those who make, search for or impose puppets on the country.

    “If the people of Pakistan choose Mian Shehbaz Sharif sahib or Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif sahib then we should all accept it. If the people choose PPP, then all should accept it. And maybe I may not like this, but if the people choose PTI, then we will have to accept it,” he stated on Friday in Karachi.

    The former Foreign Minister asked Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conduct polls as soon as possible and within the 90 days constitutional limit.

    “Through its performance, the PPP has always proven that it does people-friendly politics and governance. And that is why the PPP still says that elections should be held as soon as possible, according to the Constitution and within 90 days so that we can win the polls and serve the people of the country and take them out of these difficult economic times,” the PPP head stated.

    In response to a question, Bilawal said that his father, ex-president Asif Ali Zardari, had spent the longest time behind bars.

    “And today we are hearing that those politicians who have to go through this ordeal are facing difficulties,” he said about Imran Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

    “We are trying to tell them that ghabrana nahi hai (do not worry). It is time for you and politicians like you to learn. You are being given experience and training and you are now being made a politician.”

  • Fear of further delay in Fatima case after police officers transferred

    Fear of further delay in Fatima case after police officers transferred

    There are fears of further delay in 10-year-old Fatima’s case as police officers working on the child’s mysterious death have been reappointed.

    Currently, the new SSP Khairpur, Samiullah Soomro, has taken charge of his post.

    Pir Asad Shah, the main suspect, and compounder Imtiaz Merasi, are on physical remand while accused Hina Shah and her father could not be arrested.

    Police say that Asad Shah’s recovered DNA samples have been sent to Lahore, adding that it will take more time to receive relevant reports.

    According to police sources, the final post-mortem report of the girl has not been received yet.

    Fatima’s case

    A domestic maid, 10-year-old child Fatima Phuriro was found dead under suspicious circumstances in Ranipur city, District Khairpur.

    The child had been working as a domestic worker at a haveli owned by an influential local, Pir Asad Shah Jilani.

    Fatima’s mother, Shabana, was informed about the death by the employer who asked her to remove the body from the premises where two of Fatima’s sisters are also employed.

    According to DIG Sukkur Javed Jiskani, the parents initially did not share the facts of the case with the police and claimed that the girl was suffering from gastroenteritis. While her diagnosis was also confirmed by Dr Abdul Fatah Memon who treated her, the DIG revealed that Fatima was taken to the hospital either by the Pir or his staff and that the SHO was present at the time she was pronounced dead.

    It was not until videos of torture were leaked by an unknown source and circulated in social media that the case caught media’s eye. By then, the family had buried Fatima on August 15.

    The body was later exhumed and sent for an autopsy which revealed that the child had been raped both vaginally and anally.

  • 12 women raped daily on average: report

    12 women raped daily on average: report

    According to The News, War Against Rape (WAR), an advocacy organisation, published a report based on data taken from Punjab Home Department and Ministry of Human Rights which reveals that 21,900 women were raped in the province between 2017 and 2021. This indicates that an average of 12 women were raped daily or one woman assaulted every two hours.

    However, as per the organisation, this number is only representative of a small portion as many cases are not reported due to stigma, fear, victim-blaming, and systemic biases in the justice system.

    18 per cent of women are subjected to early and forced marriages. There are about 19 million child brides at the moment. Sindh has legalised marriage for boys and girls at 18 while other provinces have set the age for girls at 16.

    Karachi
    As per the police surgeon’s office in Karachi, there were 3,649 cases of domestic violence reported in 2022.

    WAR team investigated 66 cases of different forms of sexual violence from July 2022 to June 2023.

    The News highlighted statistics from the report: 44 survivors were children under 18 years with the most vulnerable age group being 4-11 years; the average age of survivors was only 13 years, with the youngest survivor being mere four years old; and of these cases, 85 per cent involved women and female children.
    A total of 35 of the 66 cases were of rape, 11 were gang rape cases, another 11 were attempted rapes, and nine involved incest.

    Additionally, in 10 cases, boys were also victims while 12 children were murdered after being subjected to sexual violence, including nine girls and three boys.

    Korangi has been deemed a red alert zone as it has the highest sexual violence cases with 31 per cent, followed closely by Surjani Town with 30 per cent of reported cases.

    The Saeedabad area reported 11 per cent of the cases, Iqbal Market nine per cent, Orangi Town seven per cent, Mehmoodabad six per cent and Gulshan-e-Iqbal reported five per cent of the cases of sexual violence.

    Cases underreported
    The official data from three major public hospitals of Karachi revealed the conduction of 1,256 medico-legal examinations (MLEs) in sexual assault cases from January 2021 to December 2022 whereas only 499 first information reports (FIRs) were filed in this same duration.

    WAR report stated: “This underscores the urgent need for improved mechanisms to encourage survivors to report incidents. In the first six months of 2023, Pakistan witnessed a harrowing increase in child sexual abuse cases, with an average of 12 children sexually abused daily, totalling 2,227 cases. The comparison with 2021-22 data shows a disturbing upward trend in child sexual abuse cases.”

    Workplace harassment
    The News highlights that the Federal Ombudsman Secretariat for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH) reveals that more than 2,000 complaints were filed between 2018 and 2022 in the government sector and around 1,400 cases in the private sector, involving both men and women.

    “Due to harassment, a large number of complainants end up leaving their jobs or normalising the harassment and hostile work environment. This discourages women from entering the workforce and restricts them from reaching financial independence”

  • Tekken 7 Pro Arslan Ash who put Pakistan on the eSports map wishes he had a different passport

    Tekken 7 Pro Arslan Ash who put Pakistan on the eSports map wishes he had a different passport

    Arslan Siddique, widely recognised as Arslan Ash, has emerged as an iconic figure within the Tekken 7 community, serving as an invaluable source of motivation for Pakistan’s gaming enthusiasts.

    With an astounding record of four Evo championship victories, Ash has indelibly etched his name into the annals of gaming history, thrusting Pakistan into the global eSports spotlight.

    Nevertheless, recent events have seen Ash express his frustration regarding the limitations of his Pakistani passport, which currently ranks a modest 100th in the Passport Rankings, lagging even behind countries such as Yemen and Somalia, positioned at 99th.

    Taking to the social platform X, formerly known as Twitter, Ash, who notably secured a remarkable $500,000 prize at the Nations Cup in South Korea in July, candidly stated, “Sometimes, I really wish I didn’t have a Pakistani passport.”

    His remarks stem from reported hardships, encompassing visa denials and travel complications encountered while representing Pakistan in international gaming competitions.

    Ash’s statements elicited a diverse spectrum of reactions across social media channels. Some empathised with the obstacles he faces and shared their own feelings of frustration, while others pointed out his triumphant journeys to nations like Japan and South Korea, where, with a Pakistani passport, he clinched multiple prestigious titles.

    Here’s how Ash clarified the ‘context’ of his earlier post:

  • New HRCP report reveals human rights violations in Northern Sindh

    New HRCP report reveals human rights violations in Northern Sindh

    Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has released a fact-finding report titled “Northern Sindh: In Search of Solutions”, detailing violations of human rights in the region.

    The report is based upon a mission conducted by HRCP in February 2023 in which the team conducted interviews and consultations in Ghotki, Mirpur Mathelo, Kandhkot, Jacobabad, Larkana and Karachi where they met human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists, students, workers, political leaders, government representatives and law enforcement authorities.

    The report reveals the lack of law and order, inaccessibility of education and healthcare, and other barriers on basic rights.

    Due to lack of shelters for survivors, the conviction rates in gender-based violence including physical and sexual assault, abductions, premature burials and murders, cases are low and hence, violence is high. Many cases, in fact, remain unreported. Existing shelters lack medical care and legal assistance, where victims are kept in unpleasant conditions. The rooms are few while the management and staff lacks sensitivity as they are untrained.

    Similarly, religious minorities are at a threat due to discrimination, arbitrary blasphemy accusations and faith-based conversions.
    People of the province, especially those residing in kachi abadis, are vulnerable to organised crime, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and exploitative feudal power systems. This too, is linked to poor governance and lack of accountability.

    Conflicts are further topped by tribal feuds, stagnating the socio-economic development.

    And then, the rehabilitation of flood victims and long-term climate sustainability measures are issues still unaddressed.

    Over and above, law enforcement personnel and fake FIRs against journalists are used a weapon to stop coverage of human rights violations.

  • Nawaz Sharif confirms return to country next month

    Nawaz Sharif confirms return to country next month

    Nawaz Sharif, leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has announced that he will be returning to Pakistan in October of this year, Geo News has reported.

    Nawaz, who has been living in self-imposed exile in London since November 2019 for medical treatment, confirmed his return for the first time on Friday at a meeting with party members and supporters at Stanhope House. Former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as well as PML-N leaders Chaudhary Tanveer, Danyal Chaudhary, Chaudhary Nadeem Khan, Dr. Anjum, and others were present.

    Although Nawaz will arrive in Pakistan next month, according to sources present at the meeting at Stanhope House, no specific date has been confirmed as yet.

    Geo News had reported that the three times former Prime Minister was expected to return to Pakistan in the middle of October.

  • Supreme Court seeks reports on Sikh target killings, Jaranwala riots

    Supreme Court seeks reports on Sikh target killings, Jaranwala riots

    As reported by Geo News, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has, on Friday, asked the Inspectors General (IG) of Police to provide reports on cases pertaining to minority rights, asking what steps have been taken by the government on the Jaranwala tragedy and target killing of minority citizens.

    Sardar Bishna Singh, chairman of Baba Gurunanak Welfare Society, appeared in the Supreme Court, where he pointed out that while some of the people from Sikh community went to India in 1947, “We stayed in Pakistan, our religion also started from here. We are not claiming that we are being wronged because we are Sikhs but the Qabza group (land grabbers) does not take anything into consideration — temple, mosque, gurdwara.”

    He also highlighted the destruction of gurdwaras across the country, including Lahore.

    The Supreme Court described the target killing of the Sikh community as deplorable with Justice Ijazul Hassan stressing that the murders have forced Sikh community to move to different places or leave Pakistan, emphasizing that practical steps need to be taken to ensure their safety.

    The Supreme Court asked all the IGs for a detailed report on the recent target killings and also issued notices to the Attorney General and all Advocate Generals.

    The Apex Court also called for a report from a JIT on the Jaranwala tragedy, asking that the initial report be given to the petitioner.

    The petitioner said that after the Jaranwala tragedy, hateful speeches continue unabated.

    The court sought the report on Jaranwala tragedy from the Advocate General Punjab and the IG Punjab and also sought a report from the Punjab Interior Department on the steps taken after the incident, adjourning the hearing of the case for two weeks.

  • Hira Mani says husband Mani has ‘Hritikh ki body’ and she’s not accepting any doubt

    Hira Mani says husband Mani has ‘Hritikh ki body’ and she’s not accepting any doubt

    You thought your man was hot, but actress Hira Mani has six reasons for why her husband is better than everyone else’s, including Bollywood leading actors.

    The actress shared a hilarious post on her Instagram stories, where she pointed out how Mani embodies six of the best qualities from Bollywood actors:

    “Hrithik ke body, Shah Rukh ke adayien, Bobby Deol jaisay mazboot baal, Sallu bhai jaisa commitment, Akshay jaisa manly, Amir Khan jaisa cute papu, 6 mardoun ki khasosiyaat wala Mani.”

    True love aisa hi hona chahiye I guess?

    Hira Mani is known for her outspoken nature, making headlines with some of the most hilarious one-liners but this one takes the cake. Speaking on the ‘Mazaaq Raat’ show, the ‘Teri Meri Kahaniyaan’ actress talked about her marriage to actor and television host Mani:

    “If I had not married Mani, then I would have been married 5-6 times by now.”

    “I am very flirtatous person by nature. When I found Mani, I married him because it was my choice. If I hadn’t found him then I liked a lot of boys…I f hadn’t been Mani’s wife then I would have been married several times.”

    This isn’t the first time that actress was quite bold about her love for her husband. In 2021 Hira said to a media outlet that had Mani been married to anyone else, she still would have married him. Referring to the viral incident where she confessed about going behind her friend’s back and stealing Mani’s number, the ‘Yakeen Ka Safar’ actress said she has no regrets.

    “People criticise me because I stole Mani’s number from my friend’s phone and messaged him behind her back, but the truth is, I have no regrets. People can say what they want. Even if Mani was married to someone else, I would have married him regardless.”

  • Manholes remain uncovered in Karachi as another child falls to death

    Another child has died after falling into an uncovered manhole in Karachi.

    Ramzan was playing outside when he accidentally fell into the gutter in the Orangi Town area.

    According to local residents, Rizwan was with other children of the neighborhood at the time he fell into the open sewer.

    Just last month, two incidents of children falling into a manhole and dying were reported in Karachi.

    One incident took place in the area of Jamot Mohalla where the sewer was left open while the second was in Ghazi Khan Wara, outside the residence of a girl named Umra Baloch who also fell and drowned in the uncovered gutter while playing outside.