The Ministry of Interior announced on Monday that Afghan migrants are barred from supporting candidates in the upcoming general elections scheduled for February 8 next year.
The caretaker government, citing security concerns, has initiated a nationwide campaign to expel millions of illegal foreigners, predominantly Afghan citizens, residing in the country.
The Ministry of Interior specified that both illegal and “legal” Afghans residing in Pakistan are prohibited from funding political and electoral activities, including providing funds to any candidate, in the upcoming polls.
“Any Afghan citizen involved in such activities will be deported regardless of his or her legal status in Pakistan,” it stated.
Pakistanis were also cautioned not to provide employment to illegal aliens or assist such individuals in obtaining employment.
“Information about any such illegal alien or the person providing employment to him should be provided to the Ministry of Interior for legal action on the helpline available on the website of the Ministry.”
Of the over four million Afghans in Pakistan, an estimated 1.7 million are undocumented, many having fled their war-torn country during decades of internal conflict, with another exodus occurring after the Taliban’s takeover in 2021.
While the government asserts that its policy targets all illegal aliens, irrespective of nationality or ethnicity, human rights organizations, including the UN, have expressed concerns, emphasizing the importance of a “voluntary” return.
Amidst the ongoing efforts, several Pakistani politicians and Human Rights activists have approached the Supreme Court, seeking judicial intervention against the caretaker government’s deportation of illegal foreign nationals, including Afghans.
A special court declared on Tuesday that the trial proceedings of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case will be conducted at Adiala Jail.
Today, Judge Zulqarnain presided over the hearing at the FJC, where Barrister Salman Safdar appeared as Imran’s counsel while Advocate Ali Bukhari was present as Qureshi’s lawyer. FIA’s prosecutors Shah Khawar and Zulfikar Abbas Naqvi also appeared before the court.
This decision comes after Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain emphasized the importance of security, prompting the trial to be held within jail premises.
The court previously ordered that the former prime minister and Shah Mahmood Qureshi be present at Islamabad’s Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) for today’s hearing.
However, Adiala jail authorities, citing “security risks” in their report, failed to produce Imran Khan, despite the court’s directives.
The initial orders for a jail trial were issued in the first hearing of the cipher case outside the Adiala jail following the Islamabad High Court’s decision to nullify the August 29 notification for a jail trial.
Judge Zulqarnain has been conducting the trial within the jail premises due to security concerns since Khan’s indictment last month.
Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi were booked under the Official Secrets Act 1923 in the cipher case in August.
The case revolves around a missing diplomatic cable allegedly containing a threat from the United States to topple the PTI government.
The court’s decision to hold the trial within Adiala Jail, in an open court setting, aims to ensure transparency and accessibility for those interested in the proceedings.
During the hearing, the jail authorities submitted their report to the court, which Judge Zulqarnain reviewed. The judge then said, “The jail officials are saying that he (Imran) cannot be presented.”
According to reports by intelligence agencies and the police, the PTI chairman faces threats to life, the report stated. It further said, “It has been informed that the PTI chairman faces security risks of a serious scale”.
The special court stated that those who wished to attend the court proceedings would not be stopped from doing so and that journalists would also be permitted to witness the case.
It further said that five family members of each suspect would also be allowed inside the courtroom. The hearing was adjourned till Dec 1 (Friday).
Both Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi were indicted in the cipher case on October 23, with the trial initially held at Adiala Jail.
However, the proceedings were deemed “erroneous” by an Islamabad High Court division bench, leading to the initiation of a fresh trial. The court’s decision to approve an open jail trial addresses concerns about transparency and legal protocols.
An Israeli hostage named Danielle Aloni held captive by Hamas for 49 days, has penned an emotional note, expressing gratitude to her captors for their remarkable kindness towards her daughter Emilia, TRT World has reported.
The note reveals that she was doted upon by everybody in captivity. Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, shared the letter on its official Telegram account.
“Children should not be in captivity, but thanks to you and other kind people we met along the way, my daughter considered herself a queen in Gaza and in general, acknowledges feeling like the centre of the world,” Danielle stated in her letter.
She expressed her gratitude by stating, “Thank you, thank you, thank you for the countless hours you spent as caregivers.” Danielle acknowledges the challenging circumstances and substantial losses experienced by her captors in Gaza. However, she finds it within herself to express a desire for their health and well-being.
“I wish in this world we could truly be good friends,” she wrote and added her well wishes to Gazans, “I wish you all health and well-being… health and love to you and your families’ children.”
Danielle and Emilia Aloni were among 24 Israeli hostages released by Hamas on November 24. They were visiting Danielle’s sister and her family at Kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel before being taken hostage.
It’s 2023, can we please stop prying into religious beliefs? On Sunday, actress Merub Ali shared pictures on Instagram of her visit to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib.
Some users responded with hateful rhetoric. Instagram commentators trolled the actress by claiming she wasn’t Muslim enough and that she wasn’t supposed to visit a Sikh temple. And honestly, we love the way Merub responded to a troll.
“News flash: ANYONE can go to a gurwara!! You should go to. The people were really kind there. Maybe you can learn a thing or two.”
We also have to appreciate how some users responded warmly to Merub’s visit, and encouraged others as well to visit the temple.
The average air quality index (AQI) of Lahore was recorded at 356 (hazardous) on Sunday while the maximum was 444 at 3 am.
The government completely closed vehicular traffic on Mall Road for a day but the effort seemed futile as the AQI around the road was 458 in the morning while AQI in the DHA Phase 8 was 437, in Gulberg it was 412 and in Johar Town, it stood at 402, reports Dawn.
As of today, the air quality index of Lahore was recorded at 415 (extremely hazardous) around 10 a.m. and by the evening, when this report is being filed, it is standing at 305 (hazardous).
While Mall Road was totally barricaded, some markets and shops were found open despite restrictions till 4 pm on Sunday and people were thronging food points in Liberty Market, Ichhra and Anarkali Bazaar.
Netizens criticised the Punjab government for a lack of effective steps to counter smog.
A user posted about it being attributed to the endless construction in the city while others complained about it being lethal for citizens.
This is 10 minutes before sunset in Lahore. It’s not cloudy. This is smog. Growing up here I remember blue skies. Now we see it rarely, only after heavy rain. pic.twitter.com/8YpX39WErq
Smog proving to be deadly for children in Lahore. What causes smog? Surely, it can’t be crop burning; been happening for 100s of years. Biggest cause is uncontrolled, needless expansion of real estate housing projects, owned & operated by state affiliated institutions & tycoons.
Muhammad Naveed, a blind man from Ali Husssainabad in Maraka, Multan Road fell in an open manhole. He reportedly went missing three days ago after saying he was going to the nearby stop. On his return, he fell in the open manhole, a 10 feet deep sewer, and remained there for three days.
Yesterday, passersby heard his cries and informed the shopkeepers on the street. They took immediate action, trying to pull Naveed out of the hole with the help of ropes. Meanwhile, the rescue team also arrived and helped speed up the process.
The sewage drain was right in front of the office of the National Highway and Motorway Police, reports Jang. Naveed was injured and was given first aid upon recovery.
Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s lawyer Abuzar Salman Niazi revealed that Imran Khan is worried about his biceps while in jail.
He took to X (formerly Twitter) and said, “A lot of people are asking me whether this is true or not. Let me narrate what actually happened. As I and @BarristrUKNiazi were waiting for khan sb to come and see us on Thursday. As soon as he came, when we asked him if he is facing any problem in Jail. He said I am not affected by anything, even i can sleep on floor. But I can’t comprise on my muscles.”
A lot of people are asking me whether this is true or not. Let me narrate what actually happened. As I and @BarristrUKNiazi were waiting for khan sb to come and see us on Thursday. As soon as he came, when we asked him if he is facing any problem in Jail. He said I am not… pic.twitter.com/zYlKRCQstd
He further stated that Khan said his biceps are getting a little out of shape due to the non-availability of dumbbells.
He explained that he had requested many times for the provision of the same but was denied for no apparent reason.
Due to security issues, Khan can’t go to Gym like other poisoners.
He further stated, “All I have asked for is pair of heavy dumbles from my own expense which has been denied. In nutshell, jail has made Khan sab more determined and strong. All machinations of Govt to Pester him are counter productive and making him stronger.”
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.
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.
Eying each other across a stream of traffic, rival biryani joints vie for customers, serving a fiery medley of meat, rice and spice that unites and divides South Asian appetites.
Both sell a niche version of the dish, steeped in the same vats, with matching prices and trophies commending their quality.
But in Karachi, where a biryani craze boomed after the creation of Pakistan, it is the subtle differences that inspire devotion.
“Our biryani is not only different from theirs but unique in the world,” says restaurateur Muhammad Saqib, who layers his “bone marrow biryani” with herbs.
“When a person bites into it he drowns in a world of flavours,” the 36-year-old says.
Across the road, Muhammad Zain sees it differently.
“We were the ones who started the biryani business here first,” the 27-year-old claims, as staff scoop out sharing platters with a gut-punch of masala.
“It’s our own personal and secret recipe.”
Cooked in bulk, biryani is also a staple of charity donations. PHOTO: AFP
Both agree on one thing.
“You can’t find biryani like Pakistan’s anywhere in the world,” says Saqib.
“Whether it’s a celebration or any other occasion, biryani always comes first,” according to Zain.
British colonial rule in South Asia ended in 1947 with a violent rupture of the region along religious lines.
Hindus and Sikhs in newly created Pakistan fled to India while Muslim “Muhajirs” — refugees — went the other way.
Pakistan and India have been arch-rivals since, fighting wars and locked in endless diplomatic strife. Trade and travel have been largely choked off.
Many Muhajirs settled in Karachi, home to just 400,000 people in 1947 but one of the world’s largest cities today with a population of 20 million.
Every Karachi neighbourhood has its own canteens fronted by vendors clanking a spatula against the inside of biryani pots. PHOTO: AFP
For Indian food historian Pushpesh Pant, biryani served in South Asia’s melting-pot cities such as Karachi is a reminder of shared heritage.
“Hindus ate differently, Nanakpanthis (Sikhs) ate differently, and Muslims ate differently, but it was not as if their food did not influence each other,” he told AFP from the city of Gurugram outside Delhi.
“In certain parts of Pakistan and certain parts of India, the differences in flavours and foods are not as great as man-made borders would make us think.”
Every Karachi neighbourhood has its own canteens fronted by vendors clanking a spatula against the inside of biryani pots.
The recipe has endless variations.
The one with beef is a favourite in majority Muslim Pakistan, while vegetarian variants are more popular in largely Hindu India.
Chicken is universal. Along coastlines, seafood is in the mix.
And purists debate if adding potatoes is heresy.
“Other than that, there is Pulao Biryani which is purely from Delhi,” says 27-year-old pharmacist Muhammad Al Aaqib, describing a broth-stewed variation.
“My roots lead back to Delhi too so it’s like the mother of biryanis for us.”
“Perhaps every person has a different way of cooking it, and their way is better,” says 36-year-old landlord Mehran Khoso.
The origins of biryani are hotly contested.
However, it is generally accepted the word has Persian roots and it is argued the dish was popularised in the elite kitchens of the Mughal Empire, which spanned South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries.
In spite of that pedigree, its defining quality is permutation.
Quratulain Asad, 40, spends Sunday morning cooking for her husband and son, Muhajir descendants of a family that arrived in Karachi from the Indian town of Tonk in 1948.
The origins of biryani are hotly contested. PHOTO: AFP
But at the dinner table, they feast not on an heirloom recipe but a TV chef’s version with a cooling yoghurt sauce and a simple shredded salad.
Asad insists on Karachi’s biryani supremacy.
“You will not like biryani from anywhere else once you’ve tasted Karachi’s biryani,” she says.
“There is no secret ingredient. I just cook with a lot of passion and joy,” she adds. “Perhaps that’s why the taste comes out good.”
Cooked in bulk, biryani is also a staple of charity donations.
At Ghazi Foods, 28-year-old Ali Nawaz paddles out dozens of portions of biryani into plastic pouches, which are delivered to poor neighbourhoods on motorbikes.
A minute after one of those bikes stops, the biryani is gone, seized by kids and young adults.
“People pray for us when they eat it,” says Nawaz. “It feels good that our biryani reaches the people.”
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday issued arrest orders for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Marriyum Aurangzeb in a hate speech case, directing authorities to produce the former federal minister in court on December 9.
ATC Judge Abher Gul Khan issued the arrest warrant for the PML-N leader and ordered the concerned station house officer (SHO) to execute the orders of her arrest.
The non-bailable arrest warrant was issued against the former information minister for not appearing before the court.
A terrorism case had been registered against Aurangzeb, PML-N stalwart Mian Javed Latif, state-run Pakistan Television’s Managing Director Sohail Khan and others for allegedly trying to incite hatred by using the religion card against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.
In the previous hearing, the ATC judge canceled the non-bailable arrest warrant against Latif after he appeared before the court. On November 25, Advocate Farhad Ali Shah representing Javed Latif and Marriyum Aurangzeb appeared before the court.
During the hearing, Judge Khan inquired about the whereabouts of the PML-N leaders and was informed that Latif had appeared while Aurangzeb had not.
Consequently, the judge issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for the former information minister and directed all suspects named in the case to appear before the court on December 9.
The case, registered on September 19, 2022, implicated both Aurangzeb and senior PML-N leader Javed Latif for allegedly “using religion to instill and spread hatred” against Imran Khan, the chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and former prime minister.
According to the FIR, the complainant had said Latif accused the PTI chief of “attacking the basic principles of Islam” by “supporting” the Ahmadiyya community during his tenure.
“When Imran made the Naya Pakistan, units of Qadianis became active in Karachi […] Did Imran not give interviews to the foreign media in which he said that Qadianis will be given religious freedom,” Latif had said.
The FIR had said Latif made the controversial remarks at the behest of the party leadership as well as Aurangzeb in order to spread religious hatred against Imran.
The complainant had said he watched another presser by Latif a day later wherein he insisted that he stood by his earlier statement. The complainant said, “The world knows Imran Khan for his welfare work. He is a true Muslim, a Prophet (PBUH) lover and a patriotic Pakistani.
“He (Imran) made Quranic teachings in schools compulsory and also constituted Rehmatullil Alameen Authority. He also made it clear before the world through his speech at the United Nations that we will not tolerate blasphemy at any cost and raised his voice against Islamophobia which is matchless.
“In his news conference, Latif declared Imran a non-Muslim and deliberately used words to incite his followers to create a law and order situation.”
The FIR added that the PTI chief’s followers and supporters were enraged by the derogatory remarks of the PML-N leader. “Latif made the controversial remarks at the behest of his party leadership as well as Marriyum in order to spread religious hatred against Imran.”
Complainant Rehman said that he had watched another news conference a day later in which Latif said that he stood by his earlier statement.
He demanded action be taken against the PML-N leaders and others nominated in the complaint under the law.
Senior politician Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar is reportedly seeking a return to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as per Geo News.
Having previously been associated with the PTI, Sarwar, currently the chief organizer of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), parted ways with Imran Khan’s party during last year’s no-confidence motion in April, leaving when Imran Khan was ousted from the prime minister’s office.
In March this year, Sarwar joined the PML-Q in the presence of its president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. In December 2021, Sarwar slammed Khan’s government by saying that the PTI had handed over everything to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
During the no-confidence motion, Sarwar, as the chief organizer of the PML-Q, defied Khan’s orders and explored the possibility of joining the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
However, this idea was rejected by PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, citing Sarwar’s earlier defection to the PTI after the failed 2014 sit-in led by Khan and Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri.
Sarwar joined the PML-Q in March of the current year, assuming the role of chief organizer.
However, he has been residing in Scotland since several months, showing little interest in party affairs.
Despite initial hopes of the PML-Q gaining prominence, especially without Parvez Elahi and Moonis Elahi, it appears that Jahangir Tareen and Aleem Khan’s Istehekam Pakistan Party (IPP) is currently the frontrunner.
Sources reveal that Sarwar, for the past two weeks, has been reaching out to PTI leaders directly and indirectly, discussing his potential return to the party from his base in Scotland.
A senior PTI leader disclosed that Sarwar had expressed a desire to rejoin the party, but the PTI has not responded to the overtures thus far.
“The only person who can allow re-entry of Chaudhary Sarwar is Imran Khan but he has made it clear he will not forgive and forget those dozens of leaders who let him down in difficult times. Those who lobbied against Imran Khan and the PTI are not acceptable.”
Chaudhary Sarwar wants to join the PTI again because his family members want to run for elections on the party’s tickets in Faisalabad, as there are no seats vacant in PML-N ranks and no other option, said a source close to Sarwar.
The source also said that the senior politician’s son Anas, the Scottish Labour leader, also has an election coming up in Glasgow and there is a considerable Pakistani vote in the local constituency.
Another source said that so far the PTI had not shown any interest in the offer and it had no time to even consider it given the circumstances the PTI was facing in Pakistan.
When asked about efforts to rejoin the PTI, Sarwar didn’t deny it.
He said: “All options are on the table. Discussions at various levels are ongoing. I have not made a final decision yet. I will make the final decision soon.”
Sarwar joined PTI in 2015 after criticising Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif, days after resigning as the Punjab governor. However, he was appointed to the post for a second time once the PTI came to power in 2018.
Sarwar’s allies said he was not happy as Punjab governor and didn’t like Usman Buzdar. He was sacked from the post around the no-confidence vote by the PTI government, with Omer Sarfraz Cheema being appointed as his replacement.
