Tag: Top News

  • No relief for Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi

    No relief for Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi

    A National Accountability Bureau (NAB) team, comprising of four members, conducted a thorough investigation at Adiala Jail, where Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan is currently detained in connection with a £190 million scandal, as per Geo News.

    The team, which included Mian Umer Nadim, Asim Munir, and Prosecutors Rooh ul Amin, and Haroon Baloch, spent over two hours scrutinizing the jail premises.

    After approximately one and a half hours of investigation, the team concluded its inspection and left the jail premises.

    The team will interrogate Khan for three days.

    Bail Rejected

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has recently rejected the post-arrest bail petition of former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the cipher case, directing the trial court to conclude proceedings within four weeks.

    The case accuses him, along with Imran Khan, of “unauthorisedly” communicating the contents of a classified document received from Washington, with unauthorised people i.e. the public at large.

    It is also alleged that Qureshi and Khan had a meeting on March 28, 2022 at Banigala, Islamabad, where a conspiracy was hatched to divulge the contents of the cipher for political advantage.

    The Chief Justice observed that the charges against Qureshi are punishable by death, and if proven, bail relief is typically avoided in such grave cases.

    Qureshi’s counsel argued that there was no evidence proving that Qureshi divulged classified information to the public. The trial of Qureshi and Imran Khan is currently taking place in Central Jail Adiala, Rawalpindi, as notified on October 3.

    However, the counsel argued that the notification did not mention Qureshi’s name.

    The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) special prosecutor countered by stating that Qureshi had aided, abetted, and incited Imran Khan, making him liable under Section 9 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

    The prosecution emphasized that charges had been framed, and three witnesses had already given their evidence.

    Justice Farooq observed that under Section 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code, liability of the person, who abets the commission of offence, is that of a principal offender.

    The court order stated, “Undoubtedly, bail ought not to be held as punishment but where sentence involved is death or life imprisonment, the court has to proceed with caution; in this regard, the balance is to be maintained that liberty of a person ought not be compromised but gravity of charge or allegation is also to be kept in view.”

    Subsequently, the court dismissed the bail petition, but directed the Special Court (Official Secrets Act) “to conclude the trial within four weeks from the date of receipt of this order”.

    Toshakhana Case

    In a related development, an IHC division bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri restored Imran Khan’s petition seeking bail in the Toshakhana case.

    Khan’s bail petition was dismissed by the accountability court for non-prosecution.

    The court revived the bail petition with a direction to hear Mr Khan’s arguments and decide it on merit.

    The bench, however, dismissed Mr Khan’s identical petition seeking bail in the 190 million pounds corruption case for being infructuous as NAB has already arrested the ex-premier in this case.

    The cases

    The former prime minister is currently being held in Adiala Jail after his arrest from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore on August 5.

    He was moved to the prison on September 26 from Attock Jail where he was initially kept after his arrest.

    Khan was first convicted by a lower court in the Toshakhana case in August and sentenced to three years of imprisonment. The IHC suspended his sentence the same month.

    The Islamabad accountability court issued arrest warrants for PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana and 190 million Al-Qadir Trust cases on Tuesday.

    Khan was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case on May 9 for the first time.

    The 190 million (approximately Rs60 billion) settlement case pertains to the money of property tycoon, Malik Riaz, being laundered and caught by the UK authorities during Imran’s government in 2019.

    The UK government had informed the Pakistani authorities regarding the money being caught.

    The former premier is already in prison as he was subsequently booked in the ‘cipher’ case.

    In the cipher case, Khan, along with his close aide and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, has been accused of leaking state secrets.

  • Supreme Court bans the use of ‘Sahib’ for government servants

    Supreme Court bans the use of ‘Sahib’ for government servants

    Supreme Court of Pakistan has banned the use of the word ‘Sahib’ with the titles of government officials, The News reported on Thursday.

    This ruling came about when Additional Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa presented the case of the murder of a nine-year-old child.

    During the hearing, the apex court expressed its disappointment with the quality of the investigation by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police. Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa reproached the public prosecutor for calling a deputy superintendent of police “sir”, adding that the titles have addled minds. The official was only a DSP and that too ineligible, he added to that effect.

    Justice Isa remarked, “Supreme Court has been made a court of magistrate. Is it some joke? Should there be no arguments and we go on merely looking at the faces of lawyers. Was one file so heavy that two officers brought it from KP to Islamabad? Petrol and TA, DA free. While getting print from WhatsApp is costly.”

    The court granted bail to the accused.

  • ‘Allegations on Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, if true, would undermine reputation of federal government, armed forces, ISI and Pakistan Rangers’: Supreme Court

    ‘Allegations on Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, if true, would undermine reputation of federal government, armed forces, ISI and Pakistan Rangers’: Supreme Court

    The Supreme Court of Pakistan has issued a written order addressing the allegations made by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Top City-1 Housing Society against the former Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed.

    The Supreme Court observed that allegations leveled by the private housing society CEO against the former spy chief are of an “extremely serious nature” and would tarnish the reputation of the federal government if proven true.

    The observations come as the top court issued a written order for the November 8 hearing of the petition filed by Moeez Ahmed Khan against the former general.

    The three-member bench, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa, alongside Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Aminuddin Khan, had disposed of the constitutional petition last week.

    The petitioner, Moeez Ahmed Khan, had alleged abduction by retired army officers, including Gen Faiz.

    The written order said: “The allegations are of an extremely serious nature, and if true, undoubtedly would undermine the reputation of the federal government, the armed forces, ISI and Pakistan Rangers, therefore, they cannot be left unattended.”

    The court noted that Moeez may have reservations that a complaint filed in the Ministry of Defence would not be entertained because the accused held senior positions in the armed forces.

    “However, the learned AAG (Additional Attorney General) has assured us that the complaint/grievance will be given due consideration, and we have no reason to doubt this statement made on behalf of the government of Pakistan,” the court noted in its order, adding that the apprehension of the applicant is “misplaced.”

    “Accordingly, if the applicant (Moeez Ahmed Khan) submits a complaint/grievance to the Ministry of Defence of the government of Pakistan, it shall be dealt with in accordance with law,” Chief Justice Isa observed as he disposed of the matter.

    Additionally, the order granted the applicant the liberty to explore other legal remedies as per the established legal procedures.

    The Petition

    As per the petition, on May 12, 2017, the Pakistan Rangers and officials of the ISI raided the office of Top City and Moeez’s residence and took away valuables, including gold and diamond ornaments and money, in connection with a purported terrorism case.

    “On May 12, 2017, my house and office were raided on the orders of General (Rtd) Faiz Hamid. During the raid, valuables and records of our private housing society were stolen,” the petitioner had claimed.

    The petition further stated that Gen Hameed’s brother Sardar Najaf mediated and tried to resolve the issue. After his acquittal, the petition claimed, Gen Hameed contacted Moeez through the latter’s cousin — a brigadier in the army — to arrange a meeting.

    The petition claimed that during the meeting, Gen Hameed told the petitioner that he would return some of the items taken away during the raid except for 400 tola gold and cash.

    The petition claimed that retired brigadier Naeem Fakhar and retired brigadier Ghaffar of the ISI allegedly “forced” the petitioner to “pay 4 crores in cash” and “sponsor a private AAP TV network for a few months”.

    As per the petition, former ISI officials Irtaza Haroon, Sardar Najaf, Wasim Tabish, Zahid Mehmood Malik, and Mohammad Munir were also “involved in the illegal takeover of the housing society”.

  • Canada’s Trudeau tells Israel to end ‘killing of women, of children, of babies’

    Canada’s Trudeau tells Israel to end ‘killing of women, of children, of babies’

    Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called for Israel to “stop killing of women, of children, of babies” in the besieged Gaza Strip. However, he did not mention the word ceasefire.

    Trudeau has received flak for his silence on civilian deaths at the hands of Israeli forces. In a video that emerged from a public meeting at Vancouver, Trudeau can be seen surrounded by protestors chanting, “Ceasefire Now”.

    In other videos, it can be seen that people were calling him out for his lack of conscience as protestors were shouting about him “having blood on his hand”

    In a conference in the western province of British Columbia Prime Minister Trudeau said, “The world is witnessing this killing of women, of children, of babies. This has to stop.” He further made his tone harder and said, “I urge the government of Israel to exercise maximum restraint, The world is watching, on TV, on social media – we’re hearing the testimonies of doctors, family members, survivors, kids who have lost their parents.”

    The statement has gained him the ire of Israel’s Netanyahu who addressed Trudeau in a post on X, “It is not Israel that is deliberately targeting civilians but Hamas that beheaded, burned and massacred civilians in the worst horrors perpetrated on Jews since the Holocaust, the forces of civilization must back Israel in defeating Hamas barbarism.”

    While Trudeau has maintained that Israel has the right to defend itself, Trudeau’s statement is seen as a major shift in the country’s stance, even though a complacent one. “The price of justice cannot be the continued suffering of all Palestinian civilians,” Trudeau said on Tuesday. “All wars have rules. All innocent life has equal worth. Israeli and Palestinian.”

    Last week, Trudeau called for a significant humanitarian pause in the conflict to allow for the release of all hostages and the delivery of enough aid to address civilian needs in Gaza.

    After France’s Macron, he has become the second leader from the West to call out Israel as a major shift of stance.

  • Bushra Bibi wants solitary meeting with Imran Khan

    Bushra Bibi wants solitary meeting with Imran Khan

    In a notable development, Bushra Bibi, former First Lady, and the wife of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, has submitted a request to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking permission for a solitary meeting with her husband, reported Geo News.

    The request filed by Bushra Bibi in the IHC emphasises the legal constraints that hinder private interactions on domestic matters.

    The application states that the court has granted permission for meetings with Chairman PTI every Tuesday.

    It further states that discussions on personal matters are challenging in the presence of prison officials. 

    Bushra Bibi, in her plea, implores the court to issue specific instructions to the Superintendent of Adiala Jail, ensuring that solitary meetings are facilitated in accordance with legal provisions.

    The former prime minister is currently being held in Adiala Jail after his arrest from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore on August 5.

    He was moved to the prison on September 26 from Attock Jail where he was initially kept after his arrest.

    Khan was first convicted by a lower court in the Toshakhana case in August and sentenced to three years of imprisonment. The IHC suspended his sentence the same month.

    The Islamabad accountability court issued arrest warrants for PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana and £ 190 million Al-Qadir Trust cases on Tuesday.

    Khan was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case on May 9 for the first time.

    The £ 190 million (approximately Rs60 billion) settlement case pertains to the money of property tycoon, Malik Riaz, being laundered and caught by the UK authorities during Imran’s government in 2019. 

    The UK government had informed the Pakistani authorities regarding the money being caught.

    The former premier is already in prison as he was subsequently booked in the ‘cipher’ case.

    In the cipher case, Khan, along with his close aide and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, has been accused of leaking state secrets.

  • Pensions in dollars for 164 retired government servants settled abroad

    A Right to Information (RTI) request has revealed that civil and military pensioners living abroad are receiving their pensions in foreign currency, mainly dollars.

    According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), there are as many as 164 pensioners who are living in foreign lands and receiving their pensions in a currency other than the Pakistani rupee. On the contrary, there are tens of thousands of government servants complaining about the non-payment of pensions which they receive in rupees.

    This information was extracted by Naeem Sadiq, an RTI activist who got to know, through an acquaintance, about a retired squadron leader who left the country to settle abroad and is receiving a pension from Pakistan in dollars. Before filing a petition in Islamabad High Court, Sadiq opted for all the official channels mentioned in the constitution, The News reports in detail.

    Sadiq then filed an RTI request to the Pakistan Air Force under the Right of Access to Information Act (2017), inquiring about the number of retired PAF officers living abroad and receiving pensions in foreign currency; he made sure not to ask for their names. The information however was not shared.

    The RTI Activist thought of asking MoFA about the same information. He inquired how many pension cases of such individuals are processed through it. The ministry was reluctant to share any information and so advised him to check with the Accountant General of Pakistan (AGPR). The AGPR also declined to provide the requested information.

    As all doors remain closed, Sadiq decided to approach the Pakistan Information Commission. This is the appellant body you turn to when such departments refuse information. The commission didn’t entertain his request either.

    This is when he decided to move to the Islamabad High Court. All the bodies mentioned previously were made a party to the case. When the court served a notice to the respondents to provide an explanation for refusing to furnish the requested information, MoFA agreed to share details with the complainant.

    The reply from the ministry stated, “There are a total of 164 civil and military Pakistani government pensioners, residing abroad, who are every month paid pension in foreign exchange, sent from Pakistan. That the yearly burden of this select few government pensioners is Rs200 million (paid in foreign exchange).”

    Sadiq wrote to both MoFA and AGPR that this practice is a sheer violation of Article 25 of the constitution which ensures the equality of all citizens before law. He accused the two departments of violating the law of the land harming the country’s interests. “The payment of pensions in forex to a chosen few deprives Pakistan of its critical and deficient resource ie foreign exchange. This is a country that had to sell its self-respect and compromise its sovereignty to beg for every single dollar. How come when Pakistan fights its battle for financial survival, you decide to provide special indulgence to an elite group of 164 individuals, this must come to an immediate end and all pensions of all retired government officials be paid in Pakistani rupees only,” Sadiq wrote in his letter.

    Incidents of diplomatic staff not getting their salaries on time due to a shortage of dollars have been reported in the past while the media has carried multiple reports of pensioners not getting their dues every month due to a shortage of funds.

  • Nawaz Sharif attracts over 30 electables to PML-N camp

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif has successfully garnered the support of more than 30 influential electables from Balochistan, Geo News reports.

    The seasoned politician, who recently returned to Pakistan after a four-year self-imposed exile, orchestrated the feat during his visit to Quetta.

    Accompanied by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz, Nawaz engaged in discussions with leaders from various political factions during his visit to Balochistan.

    Following these deliberations, over 30 individuals from diverse backgrounds, including Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Balochistan National Party–Mengal (BNP-M), National Party (NP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) joined the ranks of PML-N.

    From BAP, former Balochistan chief minister Jam Kamal Khan, Mir Saleem Khosa, Noor Mohammad, Baba Buledi, Sardar Masood Luni, Rubaba Buledi, Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran, Shoaib Nosherwani, Ramin Jan Muhammad Hassni and Muhammad Khan Lehrijoined the PML-N ranks.

    PPP leaders Saeedul Hassan Mandokhail, Sardar Fateh Muhammad, and Faiq Jamali jumped ship to join the PML-N.
    From the National Party, Mujib Mohammad Hassni and former senator Dr Ashok Kumar, while Zeenat Shahwani of BNP-M and PTI’s Muhammad Jamali and Sardar Atif Sanjrani also joined the PML-N.

    The PML-N delegation, which held discussions with a BAP delegation led by Nawabzada Khalid Magsi, also marked a noteworthy reconciliation between the historically contentious parties. BAP, founded in 2018, has roots in political dissidents from both PML-N and the PML-Q.

    To strengthen its position in the province, PML-N is reportedly exploring electoral alliances, including with the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F).

    Talks suggest that, if successful, the parties may jointly contest the general elections, with a shared decision on the chief minister’s candidacy.

    Sources said that the JUI-F has also put forward the name of Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri conditioning their support if he is made the province’s chief executive.

    The development comes as earlier this month the PML-N and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) announced their electoral alliance to jointly contest the upcoming general elections in Sindh.

    In response to these developments, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari offered a suggestion to Nawaz Sharif, urging him to “focus on Lahore,” on Tuesday.

    “Mian sahab has been adviced to visit other provinces. I would suggest that he should stay in Lahore and focus on its problems,” said the PPP chairman during a presser in Mithi, calling on PML-N to do politics on its own and stop relying on others.

  • Grade system to be introduced in Matric and Intermediate by 2024

    Grade system to be introduced in Matric and Intermediate by 2024

    The Inter-Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC) has decided to curb the race to obtain more marks by introducing a 10-point grade system in 2024. The results of classes 9 and 11 will be announced under the new grading system.

    The development of the new grading system has been in the process for years and it has finally been announced for 2024. Contrary to the previous marks-based system, based on a 7-point grading system (A-1, A, B, C, D, E, F), the ten-point grading system includes A++, A+, A, B++, B+, B, C, D, E, U. This system is designed to enhance the assessment criteria and evaluation process for students.

    Addressing the IBCC transformative workshop dedicated to the implementation of the new grading scheme for Sindh Examination Boards on November 14, Chairman Ghulam Ali Mallah said “The event witnesses an overwhelming response and reflects the commitment Sindh Examination Boards towards embracing progressive changes aimed at enhancing the quality of education and assessment.”

    Even though the system of grading has changed, the scheme of studies has not.

  • Imran Khan recognized selecting Usman Buzdar as CM Punjab was mistake: Zulfi Bukhari

    Imran Khan recognized selecting Usman Buzdar as CM Punjab was mistake: Zulfi Bukhari

    In a candid discourse at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) University of London, Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari, a close aide to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, publicly acknowledged that appointing Usman Buzdar as Chief Minister of Punjab was a monumental mistake for the party, as per Geo News.

    Speaking on the theme of “Democracy in Crisis,” organized by the SOAS Pakistan Discussion Forum, Bukhari delved into the intricacies of PTI’s nearly four-year tenure, addressing critical questions from the student audience.

    Bukhari disclosed that Imran Khan himself recognized the misstep in selecting Usman Buzdar for the pivotal role of Punjab Chief Minister.

    “There was Aleem Khan group and other power groups. There would have been a war within the PTI if Buzdar was removed and Imran Khan did the right thing by sticking to him, to avoid the war within,” said Bukhari.

    The former special assistant to the Prime Minister, now residing in London and active in advocating for Imran Khan’s case on international media, expressed his reservations about Buzdar’s performance.

    He asserted that Buzdar’s incapacity to deliver effectively was evident

    He said: “I don’t think he was a good chief minister and was able to perform and deliver. By the time calls against Buzdar grew after two years, it was too late and changing him after a year or two would have made the post a revolving door. Nobody would say Usman Buzdar was a good decision but we supported his decisions.”

    Addressing recent controversies, Bukhari distanced himself and PTI from Farah Gogi, best friend and confidante of former first lady Bushra Bibi. He emphasized that if allegations of Gogi’s corruption were true, she should face strict legal consequences.

    Responding to questions about Imran Khan’s defense of Gogi in the media, Bukhari clarified that Khan was unaware of Gogi’s business dealings and that investigating her was not within his purview.

    The former special assistant to PM also condemned the May 9 attacks on military installations.

    “We have condemned all forms of violence, especially the attack on Jinnah House which has a sacred value. We have always stood against violence. Ordinary people say things in the heat of emotions. It’s the job of the leadership to positively tunnel their emotions towards a democratic process to bring about a real change. We are the biggest stakeholder being the biggest political party and we will get more losses than others in any such scenario,” said Bukhari.

    Imran Khan’s former special assistant claimed that over 13,000 activists were arrested after May 9 and put in dire conditions but the rest have been released and around 7,000 remain in jails.

    Acknowledging PTI’s mistakes during their governance, Bukhari asserted that with a different leadership in place, those errors would not be repeated if given another chance.

    He expressed willingness to engage in dialogue with all political parties, including PML-N and PPP, for the betterment of elections and democracy.

    “We want them to sit with us and talk about elections and democracy,” said the PTI leader.

    He also revealed that things were initially fine between PTI and the army but issues started later on.

    He said: “As far as General Bajwa is concerned, he could have suggested things to the PM and not dictate.”

    Answering a question, Bukhari said that two people closest to Imran Khan during the PTI govt were behind making a false case against him.

    “The Ring Road case against me was framed by two people who were then closest to Imran Khan: one of them (Azam Khan) has now become an approver against Khan and another (Shehzad Akbar) has left Pakistan. The purpose was to campaign against me. I resigned from my position and didn’t return to the government after that.”

  • Rape convict’s death penalty converted to life imprisonment by LHC

    Rape convict’s death penalty converted to life imprisonment by LHC

    Lahore High Court (LHC) has on Tuesday changed the death sentence of a man convicted of raping an 11-month-old to life imprisonment. The decision was made in light of a negative DNA report and the age of the convict at the time of the incident.

    Justice Aalia Neelum headed the two-judge bench hearing the case, where she remarked, “We have concluded that the prosecution has proven its case against the appellant, Muhammad Rafique, beyond any doubt. However, the factors that have persuaded us not to uphold the capital sentence of the appellant are the negative DNA report and the appellant’s age at the time of the incident.”

    The verdict states that the High Court has maintained the fine of three lac rupees as charged by the trial court but the court believes that the death sentence awarded to the appellant is quite “harsh” considering the age of the convict at the time of the crime and the negative result of the DNA report. As per law, the accused always gets the benefit of the doubt and in this case this results in mitigating the severity of the punishment by changing it to life imprisonment.

    Justice Neelum observed that there is no doubt that the baby girl was raped because in our traditional society, no parent of a minor girl will risk her future by falsely implicating somebody of raping her.

    The case against Muhammad Rafique was registered back in 2019 at a police station in Kasur.