Tag: Pakistan

  • Court extends bail of MNA Jam Abdul Karim in Jokhio murder case

    Court extends bail of MNA Jam Abdul Karim in Jokhio murder case

    The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday extended interim bail of MNA Jam Abdul Karim until April 14 in the Nazim Jokhio murder case.

    The counsel for MNA Jam Abdul Karim submitted an application in the court, seeking his client’s exemption from the hearing. “Mr Abdul Karim will appear in the court on next hearing after casting vote in the election for new prime minister,” the lawyer informed the court. During hearing, Justice Umar Sial questioned how the court could exempt him from the hearing. “Why the challan has not been submitted in the Anti-Terrorism Court,” the court questioned the lawyer. To which, the investigation officer informed the court that challan of the case was finalized and subsequently submitted to the office of the Public Prosecutor General. However, it was stopped due to objections raised by the office .

    The bench extended bail of Jam Abdul Karim and other accused till April 14.

    It is to be recalled that the accused MNA reached Pakistan last month after the Sindh High Court granted him protective bail against a surety bond of Rs100,000.

    On November 3, last year, Nazim’s tortured body was found in PPP MPA Jam Awais’ farmhouse in Karachi’s Malir area, a day after he filmed a group of foreigners hunting the endangered houbara bustard in his Achar Salaar village in Thatta. According to Nazim Jokhio’s brother, Nazim had broadcast a live stream on social media of a hunting expedition involving foreign guests of PPP MPA Jam Awais, after which Jam Awais called Nazim to the house where he was allegedly murdered.

  • ‘Amazing outpouring of support’: PTI supporters rock streets countrywide

    ‘Amazing outpouring of support’: PTI supporters rock streets countrywide

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters took to the streets across all major and small cities in massive numbers to show their solidarity with their leader and former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Party supporters came out following a call given by Khan for peaceful protest.

    A day after Khan was voted out of power, he, during an address to the nation, had said that he will not tolerate the installation of a “foreign government” in Pakistan and that he will turn to the public for support if such a thing happens.

    “We are not a nation that can be used like tissue papers,” Khan said during a live telecast, maintaining that Pakistan does not want unilateral relations with any country.

    Earlier in the day on April 10, Khan tweeted that today marked the beginning of a “freedom struggle” against what he called was a “foreign regime-change conspiracy”. In an attempt to galvanize his supporters, he said “it is always the people who protected their own sovereignty and democracy.”

    PTI had shared the venues for the protests hours before their supporters took to the streets. 

    Islamabad

    The protest in the capital started from Zero Point. People waved flags while chanting slogans in favour of the former prime minister.

    Former Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry thanked PTI supporters for turning out to Rawalpindi for the protest.

    Lahore

    PTI leader Hammad Azhar posted a video of a rally from his constituency of NA-126 leaving for Liberty Chowk.

    Peshawar

    A large number of protesters including women and children turned up at Peshawar Press Club and expressed solidarity with the ousted prime minister.

    Karachi

    A protest was held in Karachi on Rashid Minhas Road where a large number of supporters, including women and children, were in attendance.

    Overseas Pakistani too came out in support of Khan.

    Khan thanks protestors for ‘amazing outpouring of support’

    Imran thanked his supporters in a tweet done prior to midnight.

    “Thank you to all Pakistanis for their amazing outpouring of support and emotions to protest against US-backed regime change abetted by local Mir Jafars to bring into power a coterie of pliable crooks all out on bail,” he tweeted.

    “[It] shows Pakistanis at home and abroad have emphatically rejected this.”

  • Journalists covering the Parliament session today

    The National Assembly (NA) session chaired by Speaker Asad Qaiser is currently on-going under the Supreme Court (SC) order.

    Here is a lots of journalists and reporters who are in Parliament right now. Click on their names to follow them on Twitter.

    Journalist Asma Shirazi shared a picture where Mohammad Malick, Gharidah Farooqi, Dr Shahid Masood, Batool Rajput, Aamir Ghauri, Saleh Zaafir and Shahid Maitla can be seen.

    Other than them, Journalist Zahid Gishkori is also currently present in the Parlaiment.

    Journalist Nayyer Ali alongside BBC’s Farhat Javed Rabani and Independent Urdu’s Mona Khan posed for a picture.

    Multimedia Journalist Aamir Saeed and Geo News’ Azaz Syed are also present. Syed also interviewed NA Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri.

  • Saudi Arabia to allow one million Hajj pilgrims for 2022

    Saudi Arabia to allow one million Hajj pilgrims for 2022

    Saudi Arabia has increased the Hajj pilgrimage limit in the country to one million compared to last year’s 60,000 domestic pilgrims.

    To combat the coronavirus pandemic, attendance at the Islamic event was drastically reduced in the past two years due to travel restrictions.

    As per the latest notice, Pilgrims must be under the age of 65 and have received COVID-19 vaccinations that have been approved by the Saudi health ministry.

    All pilgrims must present a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test report within three days (72 hours of departure time).

    The move intends to accommodate the greatest number of pilgrims to perform Hajj while retaining the Kingdom’s health improvements in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the ministry.

    Furthermore, the directives noted that the expansion will be based on the quotas decided for nations that will follow the Kingdom’s mandatory health recommendations.

    As per the official figures, 58,745 pilgrims performed Hajj in 2021. The number of Hajj pilgrims often surpassed the two million count before the Covid-19 outbreak.

  • Indian actor-activist showers praise on Pakistani Supreme Court

    Bollywood actor and activist, Swara Bhasker took to her Twitter account and shared her opinion on the ongoing situation in Pakistan. She is famous for giving controversial statements about both India and Pakistan.

    She penned down, “Looks like the Supreme Court of Pakistan stood up for its country and citizens and not their government.. so apparently, it is possible. Sigh!.”

    She indirectly highlighted that the Indian apex court could do similar actions to safeguard India and its citizens. Many Indian trolled to compare the situation of Pakistan with India.

    One user said, “Looks like Swara Bhaskar of Pakistan stood up for its country and citizens and not their government.. so apparently it is possible. Sigh!.”

    Swara Bhasker is currently in the United States (US) to attend a seminar at the School of Information symposium on ‘Social Media Influencers and New Political Economy in South Asia & Africa’.

    Another user threatened to stay over there and not return to India.

    She said, “Imran Khan is not stopping himself from appreciating India. Look at this shameless woman. Let God stop her to return to India and stay where she is currently now.”

    A user threatened to apply for Pakistan citizenship so it would be easy to reach out Pakistan Supreme Court.

    In past, Swara Bhasker was trolled by Pakistani netizens over her insensitive remarks about the Shariah Laws in Pakistan over banning her film, Veere Di Wedding in Pakistan in 2018.

  • SSP Discipline advises officials to treat every complainant as a VVIP

    SSP Discipline advises officials to treat every complainant as a VVIP

    On Wednesday, SSP Discipline Lahore Ejaz Rasheed paid a surprise visit to Nishtar Colony Police Station, inspecting the front desk, reporting and record room, prison and presence of personnel, hygiene, and other pertinent sections of the office.

    The SSP told the police officers that resolving legitimate public complaints at the police station must be their first priority. He was of the view that police stations represent the department’s image and that boosting quality and providing justice to civilians should be their main focus.

    He remarked that every complainant who comes to the police station is a VVIP and the department must treat everyone with dignity and respect.

    SSP Discipline also inquired about police station personnel’s concerns regarding their job and the resources allocated to them. He also instructed the officers to accomplish the declared offenders and professional criminals’ arrest targets.

    On this occasion, SHO Nishtar Colony, Incharge Investigation, and other relevant police officers and personnel were also present.

  • ‘Stop spreading rumours’: Farah Khan denies corruption allegations

    ‘Stop spreading rumours’: Farah Khan denies corruption allegations

    Farah Khan has denied the corruption charges against her that surfaced recently after dissenting PTI leader and former Punjab senior minister Abdul Aleem Khan  accused Farah Khan of corruption with the connivance of her “contacts in the power corridors”

    “I outrightly condemn all accusations and rumours with regards to myself and my family. I have neither involved myself in politics nor was I ever in a position to interfere in governmental affairs. “

    “Those who have attempted to tarnish my character must remember their sisters. My husband has already given his statement with regards to our business.”

    “Those who have been linked to me have denounced such allegations. My family has been in a constant state of distress and suffering.”

    “For God’s sake! Please stop spreading rumours and connecting me and my family with such hearsay,” she concluded.

    In a crowded press conference, Abdul Aleem Khan accused Farah Khan of corruption with the connivance of her “contacts in the power corridors”. Reports and rumours started making rounds suggesting that Farah Khan has left for Dubai on Sunday in the wake of the no-confidence motion.

    On the other hand, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz dubbed Farah Khan the “mother of all scandals” and also accused her of receiving huge money for transfers and postings. “I dare to name Farah, a friend of Bushra Bibi who is involved in receiving millions of rupees in transfers and postings and these are directly connected to Banigala (residence of Prime Minister Khan),” said Maryam Nawaz.

    The News investigations reveal that Farah Khan’s fortune increased ever since the premier appointed Usman Buzdar as Chief Minister Punjab. 

  • ‘Unconstitutional’: What else did the Supreme Court say?

    ‘Unconstitutional’: What else did the Supreme Court say?

    The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) has declared the National Assembly (NA) Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri’s ruling on the dismissal of no-confidence motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan as unconstitutional and illegal.

    The session chaired by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and the five-member bench has unanimously ruled that President Dr Arif Alvi’s decision to dissolve the National Assembly is “illegal” and restored Imran Khan as Prime Minister as well as his cabinet ministers. They will now face the no-confidence motion on Saturday April 9th 2022.

    “The deputy speaker gave a ruling on April 3. Leave was granted on the no-confidence motion on March 28. The ruling of the speaker is declared unconstitutional,” Justice Bandial declared.

    Chief Justice Bandial also said the verdict was announced with an unanimous agreement of 5-0 after the judges consulted each other.

    The apex court has also ordered a lower house session to vote on no-trust against PM Khan on April 9th, 2022 [Saturday] at 10 am, saying that the session cannot be adjourned without the conclusion of the no-trust motion and the government cannot interfere in the participation of any Member of National Assembly in the assembly session.

    Ahead of the verdict, SC summoned Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja. Prior to the verdict, PM Khan called a party meeting at Banigala.

    The short order by the SC is as follows:

  • 17 Pakistani universities listed among world’s best institutions

    17 Pakistani universities listed among world’s best institutions

    As many as 17 Pakistani universities have been listed among the best global universities for 2022.

    According to the ranking published by US News, Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) Islamabad has been ranked 461 in the World Ranking for 2022. Aga Khan University, Karachi and COMSATS University Islamabad are following the QAU in the ranking respectively.

    Apart from these institutions, more universities have made to the list, such as the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) which is placed at 922, the University of Peshawar, at 933, University of Agriculture Faisalabad at 954, Government College (GC) University Faisalabad at 1,149, University of Punjab at1,242, Bahauddin Zakariya University at 1,368 and University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore have been placed at 1,458th position.

    Following the news, the Vice-Chancellor (VS) of QAU Prof Dr Muhammad Ali Shah congratulated the faculty, students, staff, and alumni on the official website of the university.

  • Political use of ‘diplomatic cable’ to haunt Pakistan’s Foreign Office for many years: report

    Political use of ‘diplomatic cable’ to haunt Pakistan’s Foreign Office for many years: report

    The ‘diplomatic cable’ which has plunged Pakistan into a constitutional crisis, also attracted fair resentment from the Foreign Office (FO) against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for using the communique for gaining ‘political mileage’.

    Kamran Yousaf in his report for The Express Tribune writes, “Two Foreign Office officials, spoke to The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity due to sensitivity of the issue, revealed that the diplomats were not happy with the controversy.”

    One diplomatic on condition of anonymity told Yousaf that the repercussions of the way the government used “secret and classified communication” to achieve its “political objectives and its negative impact” would be felt in the FO for “many years” to come.

    “Diplomats are eyes and ears of Pakistan who give frank and honest feedback from the countries where they serve,” the official added.

    “Such honest and candid assessments are meant for policymakers to devise a strategy accordingly,” the official explained.

    “But if governments start using such secret communications for their political gains, then the diplomats would be reluctant to write honest assessments,” the official cautioned.

    “If the Foreign Office start making public diplomatic cables, people would be blown away,” the official said, insisting such candid discussions between diplomats are common.

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on April 3, named Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu as the United States (US) representative who had a meeting with Pakistan’s Ambassador in the US, which led to the “threatening diplomatic cable”.

    PM Khan on March 27 claimed that the Opposition’s no-trust move is part of an alleged “foreign-funded conspiracy” hatched against his government. It is pertinent to mention here that the Opposition tabled the no-confidence motion against PM Khan on March 8. The government claims to have received the threatening communique on March 7.