KARACHI: The Supreme Court-mandated commission on water and sanitation in Sindh on Monday ordered reopening of a hydrant in Baldia Town on a weekly basis and under the supervision of Pakistan Rangers, Sindh.

The commission, headed by retired Justice Amir Hani Muslim of the apex court, observed that the closed Baldia hydrant needed to be reopened on account of non-availability of water from the original source as water level had already decreased at Hub Dam.

It further said that the managing director of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB), contractor and area people agreed that Rs1,000 instead of Rs1,200 would be charged for a tanker.

They also agreed that the hydrant would operate for 12 hours on every seventh day of the week.

The commission asked the KWSB chief to ensure that the facility would be supervised by the Rangers in order to avoid any law and order situation.

It also directed the deputy commissioner (DC) of West district to approach an appropriate forum for getting assistance from the paramilitary force since previously there were complaints that public at large created law and order situation at the hydrant.

It also directed the contractor not to run the hydrant on commercial basis and exclusively use it for the people of the locality at the rate of Rs1,000 per tanker and warned that any complaint would expose the contactor to prosecution.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2018

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed the desire to learn from China how to fight the monsters of poverty, rampant corruption and downfall of agriculture sector.

“Pakistan would like to learn from Chinese experience in poverty alleviation, fighting corruption and agriculture development through sharing expertise, technology and best practices in the sector,” he said on Monday in a meeting with members of a visiting delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) headed by Minister of International Development of China Song Tao at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Earlier, the prime minister received the delegation and hoped that its visit would further cement bilateral relations between the two countries.

PM Khan said the China International Import Expo, being held next month, would provide an opportunity to two sides to look into export possibilities from Pakistan to China.

President Xi Jinping’s terming of this friendship as that of “iron brothers” reflects an undeniable reality.

Mr Khan said President Xi was a great statesman for whom there was much admiration by the people of Pakistan.

Appreciating the growing relations between PTI and CPC, the PM emphasised on further enhancing these ties through exchange of delegations and sharing of ideas. On his upcoming visit to China, Mr Khan said he looked forward to his meetings with the Chinese leadership.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Song Tao underscored the importance attached by the leadership and people of China to relations with Pakistan. He assured China’s support to Pakistan at all regional international fora, as well as in addressing the agenda of poverty alleviation, fighting corruption and agricultural development.

Chinese minister said exchanges between political parties would help in sharing ideas to achieve common and shared development. He termed China Pakistan Economic Corridor as a flagship project of Belt and Road Initiative, which would make significant contributions towards building a “new” Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2018

HYDERABAD: Senate’s standing committee on water resources will recommend to the Council of Common Interests (CCI)-led committee on water issue to determine status of link canals branching off from the Indus and ascertain whether consent of lower riparian (Sindh) is mandatory to operate these canals, besides redefining criteria of Mangla Dam operation.

“We have recommended to the standing committee on water resources to forward the points to the CCI committee, formed by prime minister,” Senator Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah told Dawn. “There are other points [in the set of recommendations] as well, he said.

An Umerkot-based former Sindh chief minister, Mr Shah had signed the Water Apportionment Accord of 1991 as the provincial law minister. The accord is a guiding document to regulate interprovincial water distribution but Sindh has serious reservations over its interpretation by members of the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) from Punjab.

The top water regulator, according to Sindh, allows operation of link canals — Chashma-Jhelum, Taunsa, Panjnad and Thal — unilaterally at the cost of Sindh’s water share.

Upcoming CCI meeting crucial

The prime minister had recently formed a committee, led by incumbent Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan, to look into water issue after the Sindh chief minister raised it in the CCI. But the terms of reference of the committee are yet to be drafted.

“AG Khan just told me on board a flight that he had not yet received any communication about the committee,” said Senator Shah. “That’s why I, as the mover and water resources committee member, have proposed that the committee should recommend the points relating to Sindh’s grievances to the CCI committee, to be headed by Mr Khan for making them part of its ToRs”, he added.

Irsa chairman Sher Zaman, who is from Balochistan, and its member from Punjab, Rao Irshad, in their very recent presentation to the Senate committee on national food security (headed by Senator Shah) and later in water resources committee reportedly contended that it was Sindh’s insistence that the link canals were flood canals and if Sindh had any such grievance it could move the CCI.

Sindh claims that during early Kharif sowing season, Mangla Dam is filled by Irsa when Sindh’s lower region needs water for sowing of summer crops which is denied. Irsa unilaterally allows operation of link canals despite Sindh’s objection. Punjab maintains that these canals are operated to draw its share of water in the Indus and divert it to the Mangla zone.

A former Sindh irrigation secretary, Idris Rajput, says that in fact, Sindh has to come up with a working paper in the CCI to prove that link canals are not operated honestly. “To me, they are neither perennial nor flood canals. If Punjab draws its share from the Indus honestly for diverting water to its areas, this can’t be opposed. We must ensure that this share is drawn as per the allocation,” said Mr Rajput. He termed these canals “need-based channels” and said they, therefore, could be operated intermittently as and when there was a need. “Sindh has the right to question Irsa’s decision in CCI.”

Senator Muzaffar Shah argues that CCI is the proper forum which had approved Water Accord so it must look into the points being raised in Senate’s standing committees. “Telemetry system at barrages to see whether flows are as per gauges remains defective. Mangla Dam should not be filled when there is a shortage in the Indus basin system. These points should necessarily be addressed by the committee headed by Mr Mansoor Khan,” he stressed.

Balochistan feels that Sindh is not judiciously sharing water with it while Sindh feels that when water flows in the Indus River system are inadequate, a shortage is bound to take place for Balochistan. It is in this backdrop that the Irsa member from Balochistan, who is currently its chairman, is taking on Sindh in the current water distribution issue.

Senator Sassui Palijo, who had also raised the point on water issue besides Senator Shah in the upper house, believes that Irsa is not a neutral body. “They [Irsa] have different interpretation of the Water Accord,” she said. She said that Irsa representatives were told that Sindh had peculiar kind of issues when it came to water distribution. “Our [Sindh’s] subsoil water is brackish. We don’t get 10MAF downstream Kotri to push back intruding Arabian Sea that is devouring our lands in the coastal districts of Badin and Thatta,” said Palijo, who hails from Thatta. “Punjab’s groundwater is sweet and they use it easily,” she noted.

She alleges that Irsa violates the accord at will.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2018

KARACHI: A vehicle belonging to the US consulate in Karachi hit and injured a motorcyclist on Monday night, according to police.

The rider, Abdul Jabbar, was hit by the vehicle near the head office of Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation. He sustained minor injuries, said City SSP Dr Samiullah Soomro.

The wounded man is an employee of the Pakistan Navy.

After the accident, another consulate vehicle arrived at the scene and took away a woman who was travelling in the vehicle and her guard.

However, they left the consulate’s vehicle at the spot and it was impounded by Civil Lines police.

Dr Soomro, the SSP, said the injured man was brought to the police station and if he intended to lodge a case, police would do so.

The officer pointed out that some passers-by had gathered at the place of the accident, but no untoward incident took place.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2018

KHUZDAR: Balochistan National Party (BNP-M) president Sardar Akhtar Mengal has said that his conscience will not be satisfied if the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government does not implement his party’s six-point agenda.

Speaking at a public meeting in Khuzdar, he said that his six points were the voice of the Baloch people and that his party would not compromise on any of them. He said he would fulfil the responsibility of representing the Baloch people and continue the struggle for their rights.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl leaders Maulana Qamaruddin and Senator Maulana Faiz Muhammad also spoke at the event. Other speakers included MPA-elect Muhammad Akbar Mengal, Baloch Students Organisation chairman Nazir Baloch and MPAs Akhtar Hussain Langove, Mir Hamal Kalmati, Ahmed Nawaz Baloch and Advocate Sajid Tareen.

Mr Mengal said that both the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and the BNP-M had faced ‘non-political’ forces in the by-election. But despite the pressure, the people in his constituency rejected these actors and chose to support the joint candidate of both parties.

“The six points include the recovery of missing persons and making serious efforts to end unemployment in the province,” Mr Mengal said, adding he understood the pain of missing persons’ families. “My brother, Asad Mengal, went missing 40 years ago. Now, we believe he is not alive.”

Mr Mengal also spoke about the Afghan refugee issue and said that the six-point agreement included a demand for the return of Afghans back to their country. “If the government wanted to issue them national identity cards then it should declare Pakistan as an international orphan house.” He said that no country could allow refugees to stay indefinitely.

Commenting on development projects in Gwadar, he said the port city had not really made any progress. It’s all on papers he argued. The people, he said, are still suffering. “Instead of giving them jobs and authority over their own resources, the government is displacing the real owners of Gwadar.” He said the BNP would continue its struggle for the rights of Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2018

KARACHI: An antiterrorism court on Monday recorded the statement of a prosecution witness in a case pertaining to the murder of renowned social activist Perween Rahman.

Five detained accused — Raheem Swati, his son Mohammad Imran Swati along with three co-accused Ayaz Shamzai alias Swati, Amjad Hussain Khan and Ahmed Khan alias Ahmed Ali alias Pappu Kashmiri — have been charged with her murder.

Ms Rahman, head of the Orangi Pilot Project, who devoted her life to the development of impoverished neighbourhoods across the country, was gunned down near her office in Orangi Town on March 13, 2013.

On Monday, the matter was fixed before the ATC-XIII judge to record testimonies of the prosecution witnesses, including a private citizen. The West range DSP Khalid produced two witnesses; a private citizen and a policeman.

The private witness had his statement recorded. However, the prosecution gave up the second witness, who had already had his testimony recorded earlier that one of the accused, Imran Swati, was arrested in his presence.

After recording the statement of the witness, the judge directed DSP Khalid and the investigating officer to produce the remaining prosecution witnesses on the next date and fixed the hearing for Oct 22. The prosecution has listed 29 witnesses in the investigation report, but hardly nine of them had testified before the court, as others were reportedly not turning up due to security threats. The remaining witnesses included nine private citizens.

The court had recently dismissed bail applications of Raheem Swati, the main accused charged with planning and executing the murder, and his son Imran Swati, who has been charged with concealing information about the accused persons.

A case was registered under sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Pirabad police station.

Later, Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 was incorporated in the case on the directive of the Supreme Court that had also ordered a judicial inquiry into the case by the then district and sessions judge (West), Ghulam Mustafa Memon.

Arrest warrants for policemen

Meanwhile, another antiterrorism court has issued non-bailable warrants for arrest of the police officials who were not turning up to record their testimonies in a case pertaining to the alleged sectarian killing of four clerics.

The detained accused Syed Farhat Abbas Zaidi has been charged with killing the clerics Dilshakur, Mohammad Umer, Ansar and Imran near Siddiq-i-Akbar Masjid in Scout Colony, Mobina Town in 2012.

The ATC-VI judge, who is conducting trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison, issued arrest warrants in sum of Rs25,000 each for former inspector Changez Khan, inspector Abbas Ali Kolachi, sub-inspector Ghulam Mustafa Shah and constables Badaruddin and Imtiaz.

The judge directed the IG police Sindh to ensure presence of inspector Changez Khan, who had been dismissed from service, as he was not appearing despite issuance of summons in the case, which is pending since 2012.

It also directed the investigating officer to arrest and produce inspector Kolachi and the two constables on the next date. The hearing was adjourned till Oct 22.

A case under sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the PPC read with Section 7 of ATA was registered at the Mobina Town police station.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2018

ISLAMABAD: The accountability court has asked the Punjab government to confiscate three plots owned by Ishaq Dar, his spouse Tabassum and son Ali Mustafa, since the former finance minister has been declared an absconder in a reference pertaining to his assets.

Accountability judge Mohammad Bashir, in his order issued on an application of NAB regarding confiscation of three more plots of Mr Dar on Monday, said the plots had been placed at the disposal of the provincial government within the meaning of Section 88(7) of the Criminal Procedure Code. “The investigation officer is directed to inform the provincial government concerned in this regard,” he ordered.

NAB special prosecutor Mohammad Imran Shafique informed the court that the two vehicles — Mercedez Benz and Land Cruiser — could not be taken into possession as these were to be traced.

On Oct 10, Mr Shafique had informed the accountability judge that a sum of Rs508.31 million had been attached and placed at the disposal of the Punjab government.

Accountability court’s directive follows the declaration of former finance minister as absconder in the assets beyond means case

The accountability court, on the request of NAB, has already placed Mr Dar’s properties at the disposal of the provincial government.

Following the filing of the reference against Mr Dar in the accountability court in September last year, NAB had seized all of his moveable and immoveable assets, including a house in Gulberg III, Lahore; three plots in Al-Falah Housing Society, Lahore; six acres of land in Islamabad; a two-kanal plot in the Parliamentarians Enclave, Islamabad; a plot in the Senate Cooperative Housing Society, Islamabad; another plot measuring two kanals and nine marlas in Islamabad and six vehicles.

The anti-graft body alleged that Mr Dar had acquired in his name and/or in the names of his dependants assets worth Rs831.7m, which is disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Citing Section 88 (attachment of property of person absconding) and sub-sections (2) & (3) of the Criminal Procedure Code, the prosecutor requested the court to appoint a “receiver” who would receive and deposit the revenue collected from the properties in government’s treasury.

Regarding the attachment of shares, the court was informed that a compliance report regarding shares amounting to Rs3.4m of Hajveri Holding (Private) Limited in the name of Ishaq Dar and Tabassum Ishaq and shares amounting to Rs2,700 in the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited was awaited from the joint registrar of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan that would be submitted on the next date of hearing.

The accountability court directed NAB to submit the compliance report on the shares of Mr Dar at the next hearing on Oct 17.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2018

LAHORE: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) is facing resistance from the quarters concerned in the federal government over its plan to hire local consultants for supervising and the execution of Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams’ projects, it has been learnt.

The opposition started from the relevant ministries after Wapda finally decided in principle to give the lead role to local consultants instead of international firms for 4,500MW Bhasha and 800MW Mohmand dams. International companies under the Wapda’s decision may only work with local consultants as associate partners and not as lead ones.

“Wapda’s decision has irked some forces having interests as they are trying to create doubts over the abilities of local engineers to handle such mammoth projects. But we will not change our decision, as we want to proceed towards self-reliance rather than the foreign one,” a senior Wapda official told Dawn on Friday on condition of anonymity.

“Following the decision, we have also stopped the entire process of inviting bids from international bidders in this regard,” he added.

Official accuses some quarters of trying to create doubts over ability of engineers to handle execution of Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams projects

Under the plan, local companies will make joint ventures (JVs) or consortium as a lead role for monitoring and execution of the two dams’ construction. The Supreme Court of Pakistan desires the construction work on the country’s two mega projects to start as soon as possible.

Wapda wants local companies to take lead in supervising construction and execution of the dams by making JVs or consortiums. “In the JVs, Wapda preferably wants only local companies for providing consultancy services. However, international companies may also be part of such JVs, but not in lead role,” the official said.

Pakistan continues to rely mostly on foreign consultants and companies for the accomplishment of several hydropower projects. Though foreign companies’ lead role helped the country in accomplishing several projects, it didn’t build capacity of local engineers. Wapda sees giving lead role to local consultants as a major step toward self-reliance for technical capacity as well as tremendous socio-economic spin-offs.

The official said local consultants would also be liable to build capacity of as many as 700 engineers in performing various jobs of design of the dams, civil, mechanical, environment and other engineering works. Any project is completed with mutual coordination and skills of three segments — client (owner of the project), consultants (those who get the project executed by contractors under certain standards/parameters) and contractors (firms engaged in civil and other sorts of construction work directly). So consultants always play a commanding role in projects.

The official said since hiring local consultants for such projects never happened in the past, Wapda would do it by all means now. Local consultants will be selected through competitive bidding under the PPRA rules and other relevant laws.

However, the local consortium of consultants will continue to seek assistance and support of international consultants wherever required. “As the plan will also provide opportunities to a large number of local talented engineers, the quarters concerned must support this rather than resisting this. Please look at China that has now its own local consultants comprising over 3,000 engineers, as they succeeded in doing so during construction of China’s Three Gorges project. And to date, 3,000 Chinese engineers succeeded in building 22,000 dams in their country,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2018

The Foreign Office (FO) on Monday said that Pakistan hopes that both Turkey and Saudi Arabia will jointly probe the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Khashoggi, a US resident and The Washington Post columnist critical of Riyadh’s policies, disappeared on Oct 2 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Turkey believes he was murdered in the building and his body removed. Saudi Arabia has denied the accusations.

FO Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal, while responding to a question about the journalist's disappearance, said: "We understand that the investigation is ongoing and it would therefore be appropriate to await its outcome."

Pakistan, which enjoys friendly relations with both Turkey and the kingdom, welcomed Saudi and Turkish efforts to resolve the issue.

According to Arab News, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has praised the Turkish-Saudi initiative of forming a joint working group and bringing together specialists from both countries to investigate the circumstances of Khashoggi’s disappearance.

"The two countries are capable of presenting a model of bilateral cooperation in the most difficult circumstances, as well as the means to produce results that translate into their good intentions and the depth of good inherent in their leadership," OIC Secretary General Dr. Yousef Al Othaimeen said.

Meanwhile, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Jordan and Yemen have all come out in support of Saudi Arabia, Arab News reported on Monday.

Late Sunday, Saudi King Salman spoke by telephone with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about Khashoggi. Turkey said Erdogan “stressed the forming of a joint working group to probe the case". Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, said King Salman thanked Erdogan “for welcoming the kingdom’s proposal” for forming the working group.

The king also said Turkey and Saudi Arabia enjoy close relations and “that no one will get to undermine the strength of this relationship”, according to a statement on the state-run Saudi Press Agency. While Turkey and the kingdom differ on political issues, Saudi investments are a crucial lifeline for Ankara amid trouble with its national currency, the Turkish lira.

Saudi media backs state

On Saturday, US President Donald Trump had threatened “severe punishment” if it turned out that Khashoggi was killed in the consulate, though he said Washington would be "punishing" itself if it halted military sales to Riyadh. The next day, Saudi Arabia warned that if it “receives any action, it will respond with greater action, and that the kingdom’s economy has an influential and vital role in the global economy”.

The statement did not elaborate.

However, a column published in English a short time later by the general manager of the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya satellite news network suggested Saudi Arabia could use its oil production as a weapon. Benchmark Brent crude is trading at around $80 a barrel, and Trump has criticised OPEC and Saudi Arabia over rising prices.

Saudi media followed on from that statement in television broadcasts and newspaper front pages on Monday.

The Arabic-language daily Okaz wrote a headline on Monday in English warning: “Don’t Test Our Patience”. It showed a clenched fist made of a crowd of people in the country’s green color.

The Saudi Gazette trumpeted: “Enough Is Enough” while the Arab News said: “Saudi Arabia ‘will not be bullied".

The Arab News’ headline was above a front-page editorial by Dubai-based real-estate tycoon Khalaf al-Habtoor, calling on Gulf Arab nations to boycott international firms now backing out of a planned economic summit in Riyadh later this month.

“Together we must prove we will not be bullied or else, mark my words, once they have finished kicking the kingdom, we will be next in line,” al-Habtoor said.

Already, international business leaders are pulling out of the kingdom’s upcoming investment forum, a high-profile event known as “Davos in the Desert”. They include the CEO of Uber, a company in which Saudi Arabia has invested billions of dollars; billionaire Richard Branson; JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Executive Jamie Dimon; and Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford.

News that the CEO of Uber, Dara Khosrowshahi, would pull out of the conference drew angry responses across the region. The foreign minister of the neighboring island kingdom of Bahrain, Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, tweeted Sunday night that there should be a boycott of the ride-hailing app both there and in Saudi Arabia.

A two-member Lahore High Court (LHC) bench is expected to issue today its verdict on an appeal made by the father of six-year-old Zainab Amin, who asked the court for a public hanging of his daughter's rapist and murderer, Imran Ali.

Ali, a resident of Kasur, was accused of being involved in at least nine incidents of rape and murder of minors, including Zainab's, which he had confessed to during her murder investigation. Out of the seven rape and murder cases registered against Ali, the court has given its verdict in five. Two cases against Ali remain pending.

In total, Ali has been sentenced to 21 counts of death, three life sentences and a cumulative 23 years in jail. He is scheduled to be sentenced to death on Oct 17.

Amin Ansari in a writ petition filed on Saturday pointed out that the convict's appeals had been dismissed by all legal fora available, including the high court, the Supreme Court and the President of Pakistan.

He added that the convict's death warrants had already been issued, and that the government could hang Ali publicly under Section 22 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.

He complained that the government was not complying with the law available on the subject, and asked the court to ensure Ali was hanged publicly to satisfy the requirement of a deterrence in society. Previously, the high court had referred a similar appeal by Amin to the government.

During yesterday's hearing, the bench headed by Justice Sardar Shamim had ordered the Punjab home secretary to appear in court today.

Details to follow

National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) key witness, Wajid Zia, on Tuesday submitted documents gathered by the Panamagate joint investigation team (JIT) as evidence in the Flagship Investments corruption reference against former premier Nawaz Sharif.

Zia, who was the head of the Panamagate JIT, appeared before an accountability court today to continue recording his testimony in the case. He submitted the financial statements of Flagship Investments dating from 2002 to 2016. He also presented letters from Qatari royal Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al-Thani which, he claimed, were sent to the JIT by Director of the Foreign Secretary's Office Afaq Ahmed. The letter also held the Qatari prince's seal.

Sharif's counsel, Khawaja Haris, objected to the submission of the letter and said that Ahmed had appeared before the court but had not submitted the letter.

During the hearing, Accountability Judge Arshad Malik said that Zia should make a list of the documents that he wished to submit in court as evidence and give it to Haris in a portable hard drive so that Sharif's counsel could note its objections and submit them in court, saving time.

Haris said Zia could give him the list on Wednesday.

Sharif, who appeared before court for the hearing today, was allowed to leave midway through the hearing.

According to the charge-sheet against the former premier, Sharif had told the JIT that he was a shareholder in 15 companies, including Flagship Invest­ments, Hartstone Properties, Que Holdings, Quint Eaton Place 2, Quint Saloane, Quaint, Flagship Securities, Quint Gloucester Place, Quint Paddington, Flagship Developments, Alanna Services (BVI), Lankin SA (BVI), Chadron, Ansbacher, Coomber and Capital FZE, Dubai.

The court was told that his sons, Hassan and Hussain were his dependents in 1989 and 1990. However, Sharif, submitted a record of assets for Hassan from 1990-1995, the charge-sheet read.

Sharif was indicted in the corruption case last year.

LAHORE: The Women’s Action Forum and some pro-democracy citizens have filed a reference against Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar before the Supreme Judicial Council at the Supreme Court in Islamabad.

Farhatullah Babar, Afrasiab Khatak, Nighat Saeed Khan, Farieha Aziz, Rubina Sehgal and others, who are among 98 signatories to the reference filed on Oct 10, said the petition accused the Chief Justice of misconduct.

Seeking inquiry into complaints against the top judge, the petition read out by Ms Aziz alleged that “through his remarks and actions he has indulged in conduct unbecoming of a judge, politicised the judiciary, violated the principles of the separation of powers, and demonstrated negligence and inability to adjudicate in any independent, neutral, non-partisan and impartial manner.

“He has failed to keep his office free of controversy or to discharge the mountainous heaps of pending cases that plague the judiciary and prevent it from serving as an efficacious provider of justice and due process to the citizens.”

The petition said that if this reference was taken up, the inquiry must be instituted by a judicial officer other than the respondent to ensure the proceedings were fair.

Insisting that filing of the reference is in public and national interest, Ms Aziz said “it’s the only lawful avenue available to record our protest and seek a corrective course — which is our right”.

She said the petitioners were advised against filing the petition to avert “contempt proceedings” and “an inquisition with harassment”, but they had decided to take the risks for “…reclaiming the balance of powers and restoring some semblance of a systemic and pro-people, democratic method of regular dispensation of justice in Pakistan”.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2018

The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances on Tuesday in a monthly progress report submitted to a special bench said that 36 'missing' persons had been traced in Sept 2018, of whom 13 are currently detained in internment centres.

The special bench comprising SC Justices Manzoor Ahmad Malik and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood was constituted by the chief justice to supervise long-running 'missing' persons cases, monitor the commission’s proceedings, and ensure implementation of production orders issued by the commission.

The commission had been directed to share details of missing persons from 2011 onwards, and to provide the bench a monthly progress report on the cases.

According to the progress report submitted today, 36 'missing' people had been tracked down by the commission.

Of the total traced, 14 were found to be detained at various internment centres for militants. Six have been detained at internment centre Paithom (Pak-Austrian Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management), four at Lakki Marwat, two at Fizagat, and one at Kohat.

The case was adjourned for an indefinite period of time.

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday handed over suspected land grabber Malik Mansha Ali Khokhar — widely known as Mansha 'Bomb' — to the Punjab police on a one-day transit remand.

Mansha was presented before ATC Judge Kausar Abbas Zaidi from where the Township police took him to the judicial complex.

Mansha, who is wanted by police in over 80 criminal cases in Lahore, was taken into custody from the Supreme Court on Monday after he had gone there to "surrender himself".

He had spent more than four to five hours in the SC premises on Monday in the hopes of meeting Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar in person.

However, the chief justice did not take the matter up or meet Mansha. The suspected land grabber was then taken into custody by officials of the Secretariat Police Station.

The court on Tuesday rejected the request for judicial remand put forward by Mansha's lawyer.

During the hearing, Mansha expressed fear for his life in the Punjab police's custody.

"I am being maligned, false cases are being made on the basis of politics," he said.

The ATC judge told the inspector of the Township police station that Mansha's safety was his responsibility and that the suspect should be presented in the relevant court tomorrow.

An ATC had earlier issued arrest warrants for Mansha and his three sons in a case registered by Johar Town police on charges of attacking a team of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA).

According to the FIR, Mansha and his sons Faisal, Tariq and Asim, were accused of attacking an LDA team during an anti-encroachment operation in Johar Town area.

The suspects neither appeared before the court nor joined police investigation.

On Oct 4, an investigating officer (IO) told the court that the suspects had gone underground since the Supreme Court ordered a crackdown on land grabbers in Johar Town.

The IO asked the court to issue warrants for the arrest of the suspects. The court accepted the request and issued warrants, directing the police to produce them on Oct 10.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday was informed that former finance minister Ishaq Dar's property in Pakistan has been confiscated and that efforts to extradite him are underway.

A day after an accountability court asked the Punjab government to confiscate three plots owned by Dar, his spouse Tabassum and son Ali Mustafa, additional attorney general gave the apex court an update on the case.

It is pertinent to mention here that Dar, once a senior minister in former PM Nawaz Sharif's cabinet, has been declared an absconder in a reference pertaining to his assets.

"NAB has confiscated the properties," the additional attorney general told the Supreme Court today, adding that "talks are being held with the UK government for Dar's arrest."

Following the attorney general's remarks, the case's hearing was adjourned till an unspecified date.

A day earlier, accountability court judge Mohammad Bashir, in his order issued on an application of NAB regarding confiscation of three more plots of Mr Dar, had said that the plots had been placed at the disposal of the provincial government within the meaning of Section 88(7) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

“The investigation officer is directed to inform the provincial government concerned in this regard,” he ordered.

NAB special prosecutor Mohammad Imran Shafique had further informed the accountability court that the two vehicles — Mercedez Benz and Land Cruiser — could not be taken into possession as these were yet to be traced.

Last month, during the hearing of a case related to non-appearance of Dar before the apex court, the SC had asked the government departments concerned to find a way of getting the former finance minister extradited so that he could be produced in court.

The court has already suspended the notification declaring Dar a senator-elect over his failure to appear before it despite repeated summons.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sardar Muhammad Raza on Tuesday extended Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Secretary Babar Yaqoob's employment by 14 months.

Yaqoob's current contract with the electoral watchdog was set to expire on October 31. However, weeks before he was to be out of contract, the CEC has granted him a contract extension.

An official notification of Yaqoob's contract extension is expected to be issued today.

A two-member Lahore High Court (LHC) bench on Tuesday dismissed an appeal made by the father of six-year-old Zainab Amin, who had asked the court for a public hanging of his daughter's rapist and murderer, Imran Ali.

During the hearing, Amin Ansari's lawyer argued that Ali can be executed in public under Section 22 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. The bench responded that only the government has the authority to order a public execution under Section 22.

"We are not the government," said Justice Sardar Ahmed Shamim, who was heading the bench. He asked if the appellant had submitted a request to the government. Amin's lawyer Ishtiaq Chaudhry replied in the affirmative, saying that the government had not taken any action on the request.

The bench asked Ishtiaq why his client had not approached the court earlier if that was the case.

"You have come here so late. The date of the hanging has been fixed for tomorrow [Oct 17]," said Justice Shamim.

Ishtiaq urged the court to "allow a live telecast of the hanging inside the jail". He said that his client was ready to bear the expenses if the court were to allow them to take a camera inside the jail.

The court dismissed Amin's appeal.

Ali, a resident of Kasur, was accused of being involved in at least nine incidents of rape and murder of minors, including Zainab's, which he had confessed to during her murder investigation. One case against Ali is still pending.

In total, Ali has been sentenced to 21 counts of death, three life sentences and a cumulative 23 years in jail. He is scheduled to be sentenced to death on Oct 17.

PPP opposes public execution

Speaking during a meeting of a special Senate committee regarding the increasing cases of child abuse, PPP leader Sherry Rehman on Tuesday opposed the public hanging of Zainab's murderer, arguing that if permission is given, such demands will come forward again in the future.

If we resume public hangings, there won't be any going back, said Rehman, adding that Zainab's parents should be allowed to go to the site of the hanging.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday was granted a 14-day extension in the remand of Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif in the Ashiana Iqbal Housing scandal.

The PML-N president, who has been in NAB custody since Oct 5, was presented in the accountability court in Lahore amid tight security as NAB's earlier physical remand expired.

Shahbaz brought his own files to the court of Accountability Judge Syed Najamul Hasan, rejecting any involvement in the case and began reading out his files in court.

He was asked to wait by the court, which said it would first hear NAB's stance.

According to the NAB lawyer, the PML-N leader had expressed ignorance in each of the questions they had asked him.

As NAB asked for a 15-day extension in Shahbaz's remand, the PML-N leader's lawyer opposed the request saying that the bureau had been unable to extract any information from Shahbaz in the past 10 days.

He asked the court to reject NAB's demand for an extension.

Shahbaz also apprised the court of his case and said that no officers had investigated him for three days. His lawyer added that the former Punjab CM has been named in the case for political reasons and he had not issued any illegal orders.

The NAB prosecutor held that further investigation of Shahbaz was necessary. He said that the inquiry is ongoing and other aspects of the case need to be investigated.

The prosecutor added that others had also been summoned in the Ashiana case and they had been investigating Shahbaz within the limits of the law.

During the hearing, Shahbaz maintained that whenever NAB had called him, he was present. He added that he answered all questions that NAB had asked, including during the initial 10-day remand. "I am fully cooperating with NAB in the investigation," he said, asking why they wanted an extension in the remand.

The opposition leader maintained that he had not misused his seat or done any corrupt practice. "I was called for Saaf Pani and arrested for Ashiana," he told the court.

He stated that he had not given any illegal orders and was being accused of giving a contract to Kamran Kiyani's company in 2013 in order to win the election.

"This is a false accusation, I have saved the country's money and put it in the national exchequer," Shahbaz said.

Earlier, prior to the arrival of the former Punjab chief minister, all routes leading to the court were cordoned off with security barriers. Individuals unrelated to the court were stopped from entering the premises, and lawyers went through a comprehensive search before being permitted to entire the court.

Shahbaz is accused of ordering the cancellation of a contract given to successful bidder Chaudhry Latif and Sons for the Ashiana Housing Scheme, and engineering the subsequent award of the contract to Lahore Casa Developers, a proxy group of Paragon City Private Limited, resulting in a loss of Rs193 million to the exchequer.

He is also accused of directing the Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC) to assign the Ashiana-i-Iqbal project to the Lahore Development Authority (LDA), resulting in the award of contract to the Lahore Casa developers, causing the loss of Rs715 million and the ultimate failure of the project.

NAB has also accused Shahbaz of directing the PLDC to award the consultancy services of the Ashiana-i-Iqbal project to Engineering Consultancy Services Punjab (ECSP) for Rs192 million while the actual cost was supposed to be Rs35 million as quoted by Nespak.

The court granted NAB a 14-day extension in Shahbaz's remand until October 30.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said on Tuesday that the government has decided to carry out an audit of power plants established by the previous government in order to fix responsibility of "wrongdoings" in them, Radio Pakistan reported.

During a press conference in Islamabad, Chaudhry said that power plants that were set up by the PML-N government are generating electricity at a high cost.

He added that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had already initiated an investigation into Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) power plants established in Punjab.

According to Radio Pakistan, the minister said that the current average price per unit of power was Rs15.53 while consumers were being provided electricity for Rs 11.71 which caused the national exchequer a loss of Rs 2.63 per unit.

He added that a deficit of Rs1.2 billion was being incurred daily in the winter months and Rs1.8 billion in the summer months.

"As a result of these losses, circular debt is ballooning by thirty-four to thirty-six billion rupees every month."

The Radio Pakistan report added that the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) recommended an increase in the power tariff.

The minister said the issue would be taken up in the next meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC).

During the press conference, the minister also said that a framework to check money laundering had been prepared.

According to Chaudhry, "corrupt elements" would be brought to justice and a new Pakistan would emerge as a result of the vision of the prime minister.

The government has called a meeting of the ECC today to take a decision on the electricity tariff increase it had deferred on Oct 2 owing to by-elections.

Pakistan Navy on Tuesday commissioned an indigenously built 17,000-tonne fleet tanker named PNS Moawin to its fleet during a ceremony held at Pakistan Navy Dockyard in Karachi, which was attended by President Dr Arif Alvi, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Naval Chief Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi.

According to a statement issued by the navy’s media wing, PNS Moawin is the biggest warship ever constructed at Karachi Shipyard.

The newly inducted ship is “capable of performing a variety of maritime operations including the provision of logistic support to other ships at sea by transferring fuel and other important military cargo”, read the statement.

“PNS Moawin can transport two helicopters. The ship is also equipped with state of the art medical facilities and can provide overseas support to friendly countries during any humanitarian assistance and disaster relief,” the navy’s media wing said.

While addressing the ceremony, President Alvi said the development of the maritime sector will enhance the country’s exports, generate employment and increase foreign exchange.

“With the realisation of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the maritime trade and activity off our coast will increase manifold which calls for a strong navy to provide security and seaward defence,” the president was quoted as saying.