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'No corrupt person will get NRO,' PM Khan vows in address to the nation

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Prime Minister Imran Khan addressed the nation through a video message on Wednesday, reassuring people regarding the steps taken by his government to tackle the economic hardships faced by the country.

Beginning his address with the "good news" about the financial package the government has secured from Saudi Arabia, he said: "We were trying for many days to get rid of this burden placed on us of the debt. We had to pay back our debts otherwise we would have been faced with default."

"We have got an amazing package from Saudi Arabia... which has taken off the burden."

He said had the government approached the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout directly, it would have to borrow more money that would result in an increased impact on the poor segments of society.

"So our efforts were geared towards getting loans from friendly countries," he said, adding that now even if the government goes to the IMF, it won't need as big a package from the lender.

The premier said his government is in talks with two more countries, "and we expect a similar package from them". If that is secured, he said, the burden of the loans on the salaried class will be minimal.

Khan, whose address came a day after his visit to Saudi Arabia, also announced that Pakistan is trying to play the role of a mediator in the Yemen war involving the Kingdom.

"We are now trying our best to the play the role of a mediator in ending the [Yemen] war," he said, adding that Pakistan will try to play to its role in ending conflicts in the region and "bring all Muslim countries together".

'No corrupt man will go scot-free'

The prime minister then lashed out at the previous governments for raising Pakistan's debt from Rs6 trillion to Rs30 trillion in the last 10 years alone.

In a reference to the PPP and PML-N, PM Khan said the opposition parties that are accusing his government of 'incompetence' are doing so because they fear that "their corruption will be unearthed when we do an audit of the Rs30 trillion".

He said the PTI government hasn't even begun implementing its policies as yet, but is busy "cleaning up the economic mess" of the last 10 years left by the previous governments.

"They just want an NRO [National Reconciliation Ordinance] from us," he said.

"I want to give them a message: 'open your ears and hear this: you can come out on the streets. We will give you containers and give you food. You can do whatever you want in the assemblies... [But] no one will get an NRO'."

People watch the speech of Prime Minister Imran Khan as he addresses the nation, at an electronic shop in Karachi on Wednesday. — AFP
People watch the speech of Prime Minister Imran Khan as he addresses the nation, at an electronic shop in Karachi on Wednesday. — AFP

"No corrupt person will be let go," Khan said, recalling that he had been elected by the nation on the promise that he will "put the corrupt people in jails".

The premier said the country has no future until and unless corruption is rooted out.

"The fake bank accounts... where is all this money coming from? The money is being stolen [from the nation].

"The country's leaders then have to go and ask for loans abroad... because dollars are laundered out of the country."

He said the entire burden of loans taken by corrupt officials falls on the nation. Taxes are imposed and prices are raised in order for the country to be able to pay back the loans.

"This is the cycle that is functioning in Pakistan... a small class is growing wealthier, while the masses are becoming poorer."

In order to break this cycle, Khan said, the government will ensure accountability is carried out "no matter what anyone does".

He said the cases the opposition parties are accusing the PTI government of backing were all started during the tenures of previous administrations.

"These are old NAB cases against them, which they are using to blackmail [us]."

'Don't worry at all'

Once again urging the nation to not be dismayed by the economic difficulties, he said his government was cracking down against corruption and money laundering.

"Don't worry at all," he told the nation, adding that people who tolerate a corrupt leadership, unfortunately, have to pay the price for it.

He said the government is making all-out efforts to prevent stolen money from flowing out of the country.

The government is also taking steps to make exports competitive, create one-window operations to attract foreign investment and facilitate overseas Pakistanis in sending remittances through banking channels.

Coming to his affordable housing initiative, Khan said the government plans on constructing five million homes in the country. He noted that 40 other industries will experience a boost when construction starts for the housing scheme and employment opportunities will be created.

The prime minister also said he will announce a special package for proverty alleviation in the country in the coming days.

'Day isn't far when we will give loans to others'

While closing his address, Prime Minister Khan urged his fellow countrymen to understand that they will have to face some difficulties for a limited period of time, likening corruption to "cancer".

"When cancer is operated upon and removed, it causes pain to the patient, but then the person recovers [from the disease]," he said.

Khan said people abroad are "sitting ready to invest in Pakistan" once corruption is rooted out in the country and the right atmosphere is created.

"The day is not far when instead of asking people for loans for our country, we will give out loans to others," he concluded with a sanguine smile.

PM didn't address the most important question: PPP

Reacting to the prime minister's address, PPP leader Farhatullah Babar said Imran Khan should reveal who has asked him for an NRO.

"None of us has asked him for an NRO," he said while speaking to DawnNewsTV, adding that Khan should go to courts if he wants to accuse anyone of corruption.

Babar said the premier had failed to address today's most important question in his speech, which he said concerned the terms and conditions of the loan the PTI government has secured from Saudi Arabia.

Regarding Khan's announcement that Pakistan will act as a mediator in the Yemen war, the PPP leader questioned "whether the quid pro quo for the loan is to send additional [Pakistani] troops to Saudi Arabia".

He welcomed the premier's resolve to act against corrupt elements, but cautioned him against using corruption as a means for "political witch-hunting".

Imran Khan has fallen into the trap he set up for us: PML-N

PML-N leader and former federal minister Ahsan Iqbal said while it was good that the PTI government had secured assistance from a friendly country such as Saudi Arabia, but that the loan will only provide a space of a year to the ruling party.

He noted that the government will have to repay the $3 billion deposit, and return the deferred payment for oil imports, both after a year.

"We don't know how they will give out $6bn from the treasury next year," Iqbal said.

He said what Pakistan actually needs is foreign direct investment, but questioned how investors would come to the country when the prime minister himself had pointed out flaws in the country while speaking at the investor conference in Saudi Arabia.

Iqbal held the "political theatre led by Imran Khan" for the past 1.5 years responsible for the political crisis and uncertainty that has resulted in a decline in foreign exchange reserves of the country.

"Imran Khan has today fallen into the same trap that he set up for our government," he told DawnNewsTV.

Confusion over timing

Earlier, there had been some confusion about the timing of the premier's address.

The official Twitter account of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had tweeted earlier in the day that the address would take place at 7:15pm.

Later, Special Assistant to Prime Minister of Pakistan on Media Iftikhar Durrani took to Twitter to inform the public that the address would take place an hour late, at 8:15pm.

However, it didn't end here, as PTI Senator Faisal Javed Khan then made another announcement through Twitter saying that "the revised time of prime minister's address to the nation is 7:45pm".

The address follows his return from Saudia Arabia, a trip he undertook on the invitation of King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud to attend the Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference.

Late on Tuesday, the government announced that Saudi Arabia has agreed to provide Pakistan $3 billion in foreign currency support for a year to address its balance-of-payments crisis.

The Kingdom has also agreed to provide Islamabad with a one-year deferred payment facility for import of oil, worth up to another $3 billion.


Horse and Cattle Show to be revived: Buzdar

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LAHORE: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has expressed his resolve to promote cultural activities and revive famous horse and cattle show as well as traditional festivals across the province.

He suggested that known personalities belonging to art and culture should be made brand ambassadors in Clean and Green Pakistan campaign as well.

The chief minister has in this regard started consulting provincial cultural committee members to promote cultural activities in the province.

The cultural committee members led by socialite Yousaf Salahuddin called on the chief minister here on Wednesday and presented different proposals for the protection of heritage and culture of Punjab.

The chief minister assured them of resolving problems, saying the Punjab government would provide every possible assistance for the promotion of art and culture and the artists be given their due rights. He said the support and promotion of artists would help promote soft national image.

The chief minister said different opportunities would be provided to the artists belonging to southern Punjab and other far-flung areas. He also said the role of information and culture department was pivotal for promotion of cultural activities and arts councils would be made fully active to achieve the goal.

Punjab Information and Culture Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, spokesman to chief minister Dr Shahbaz Gill, PTI’s women assembly members and famous personalities like Amjad Islam Amjad, Syed Noor, Shan, Munazza Hashmi, Vasay Chaudhry, Jan Rambo, Shahida Mini, Humaira Arshad and Anjuman Begum were also present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018

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Hamza demands action against speaker for ‘fake pictures’

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LAHORE: The opposition rejects the committee formed by the government to investigate the events of Oct 16 and wants proceedings against Speaker Pervaiz Elahi for issuing fake pictures of violence to the media, and his failure to hold inquiry and punishing people unilaterally.

Hamza Shahbaz, leader of the opposition in the Punjab Assembly, told reporters outside the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday. He said the committee nominated by the treasury included two opposition members and 10 treasury.

“What kind of ratio is this?” he asked, adding the opposition held as much representation as the treasury and it was more of a joke to form such a committee and that too without the consent of the opposition benches.

“In fact, it is personal venom of the chair, which is at display,” he continued.

“Had he acted as a speaker, he would have held an impartial inquiry before issuing any orders. He could have struggled to get the opposition back in the house. We’re responsible members of the house; we come here daily to participate in the budget debate but it is for the personal hatred of the chair, which has blocked everything. It is for the first time in the history of this house that the budget debate has concluded without the participation of the opposition. What else is needed to prove speaker’s partisanship?”

When asked whether the opposition plans to move a no-confidence move against the speaker, he said that the opposition was not in a hurry. “It wants the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) expose itself. It is a bunch of nincompoops, which has gathered to run the country. The immaturity is now evident in everything: before going to Saudi Arabia, the prime minister met a foreign journalist and narrated economic vulnerability and desperation of Pakistan, ignoring national dignity and honour. Later, the prime minister denied the interview when pressure mounted, but only to be contradicted by the journalist, who called it a formal interview, and not a casual meeting as claimed by the prime minister. The latest example of such child-like interview came from the Malaysian invitation. The Prime Minister’s House claimed that the call came from the Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Muhammad, whereas the later said it was Imran Khan who had called. All these episodes reflect the immaturity on the part of PTI and Imran Khan,” he said.

Earlier, the opposition held a house-like session on the lawns of the house, which was presided over by former speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal. Hamza also participated in the proceedings. Members pledged to resist any attempt to reduce share in the National Finance Commission and pledged support to the protesting workers of the Utility Stores Corporations and the poor being thrown out of slums in the name of encroachments..

Six of their colleagues, suspended from the House on October 16, kept occupying the gates of the assembly.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018

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Conversion of state buildings approved

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ISLAMABAD: The government on Wednesday approved conversion of several state buildings, including governor houses, into educational institutions, parks, hotels and museums.

The approval was given at a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan. Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood, Higher Education Commission chairman Tariq Banori, secretaries of foreign affairs, education, housing and national heritage, chief secretaries of four provinces and other senior officials attended the meeting.

The prime minister reviewed operational costs of governor houses and other state buildings and the losses they were causing to the national exchequer.

The meeting approved conversion of the Punjab Governor House into a public park and its outer wall would be demolished for easy access by the masses. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Gover­nor House will be turned into a women’s park and a museum.

Committees formed to convert PM House into an international university

The Governor House at Nathiya Gali will become a boutique hotel.

The Governor House in Quetta, which is spread over 25 acres, will also be turned into a public park.

However, more suggestions will be taken for better utilisation of the buildings.

The meeting recommended that state guest houses in Karachi and Lahore be converted into five-star hotels.

The central building of Chamba House, Lahore, will be used in a way to generate funds.

The building of 90-Shahrah-i-Quaid-i-Azam will be converted into a craft museum and a conference hall.

An information technology park will be established in the annexes buildings of Punjab House and Governor House in Rawalpindi.

The meeting recommended that Punjab House, Pindi Point in Murree, be tuned into a university and Government House, Kashmir Point in Murree, will be renovated.

Three committees were formed to convert the Prime Minister House into a big international university and for its functions. The meeting was informed that the last PML-N government had spent Rs600 million on the renovation of Government House, Murree.

Annual losses of Chamba House, Lahore, and Qasr-i-Naz, Karachi, were Rs10m and Rs 20m, respectively.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018

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AJK president calls for reviving 1947 spirit to liberate held Kashmir

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Accompanied by IGP Shoaib Dastagir, AJK President Sardar Masood Khan inspects police contingents at the Police Lines on Wednesday.—Dawn
Accompanied by IGP Shoaib Dastagir, AJK President Sardar Masood Khan inspects police contingents at the Police Lines on Wednesday.—Dawn

MUZAFFARABAD: People in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) must revive the spirit of 1947 freedom movement to play their role in taking the ongoing liberation struggle by their brethren in India-held Kashmir to its logical conclusion.

This was stated by AJK President Sardar Masood Khan at a function held in Police Lines here on Wednesday to mark the 71st anniversary of the foundation day of the AJK government.

On Oct 24, 1947, the “Azad” government was founded in the 13,297 sq-kilometre area, liberated by locals from the despotic Dogra rule in the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Terming October 24 an important milestone in the history of the Kashmir liberation struggle, President Khan said that it was the day when Kashmiri people established a free government in the liberated territory under the leadership of Sardar Ibrahim Khan to expedite the struggle for right to self-determination.

71st anniversary of the foundation day of AJK government commemorated

“The journey that began in 1947 will continue until the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir becomes part of Pakistan,” he said.

“On this day, I want to send a message to my brothers and sisters in India-held Kashmir we are part of the same body. Your pain is our pain. Allah will soon unite us and we will celebrate freedom together,” he added.

Mr Khan said Oct 24 was a special day not only for the people of Kashmir but also for the people of Pakistan because the governments of the ‘base camp’ played a pivotal role in highlighting the Kashmir freedom struggle and also bolstered relationship between Kashmiris and Pakistan.

“However,” he said, “this day also invites us to do soul-searching that what more we have to do to get our enslaved brethren liberated... I believe we have to revive the spirit of 1947 to achieve this goal.”

He said India had unleashed a reign of terror in held Kashmir and not a single day went by when there were not mass killings, injuries by bullets and pellets and other atrocities.

“The acts of barbarity by Indian troops who are backed by black laws have left thousands of people dead, injured and blinded and scores of women molested. Thousands of Kashmiris have got disappeared and thousands have been buried in mass graves. The pro-freedom leadership is being framed in false cases and demography of the region is being changed.

“On our side, dozens of households have also faced death and destruction due to indiscriminate and unprovoked Indian shelling from across the LoC,” he said.

Nevertheless, the president said, India would fail and Kashmiris would emerge triumphant at the end of the day.

“India will be called to account for all of its war crimes in Kashmir.”

Mr Khan pointed out that India was desperately trying to exclude Kashmiris as a party to the Kashmir dispute, but there were four parties and they were the Kashmiris, Pakistan, India and the UN.

He lamented that some big world powers were backing India and covering its crimes.

“In fact, turning a blind eye towards the crimes being committed by India in held Kashmir is a crime in itself,” he maintained.

He called upon the international community to give up its double standards and directly hear the Kashmiris and help them exercise their fundamental right to self-determination.

In the same breath, Mr Khan, however, sounded optimist when he said that decades-old international silence on Kashmir was gradually breaking and the UN Human Right Com­missioner’s report on Kashmir was a significant development in this regard.

Similarly, the All-Party Parliamentary Kashmir Group in British Parliament and members of European Parliament were also preparing reports on the human rights situation in held Kashmir to be presented in both parliaments shortly.

Earlier, the president inspected the parade by police contingents, who included women police constables. He also awarded gallantry medals to some police officers and officials on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018

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Khwaja brothers pre-arrest bail extended for 15 days

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LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday extended for 15 days the interim pre-arrest bail of former railways minister Khwaja Saad Rafique and his brother Khwaja Salman Rafiq in a case instituted against them by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Both the brothers appeared before a division bench, along with their counsel, with a request to extend the concession of bail.

The NAB had initiated an inquiry against the Khwaja brothers in Paragon City scam. Saad Rafique is also facing inquiries with regard to railways and Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme.

Plea against Shahbaz arrest dismissed

A NAB counsel told the bench that warrants for arrest of Khwaja brothers were already issued by the bureau’s chairman in Paragon City case.

In their bail petitions, Mr Rafique and Mr Salman said they had nothing to do with the Paragon City. The petitioners said they had already provided the NAB with all the information required by the investigators, but they were being repeatedly summoned with mala fide intention.

They contended that the NAB had lost its credibility and its independence had been compromised.

They said since the ‘illegal’ arrest of Opposition leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, it had become a matter of public knowledge that the NAB officials had been abusing the process of law for political victimisation.

They said the NAB had been reduced to a tool in the hands of sitting government and resorted to victimisation of its political opponents.

The bench had previously granted interim bail to the petitioners subject to furnishing surety bonds of Rs500,000 each. Now the bench extended the bail till Nov 14.

Talking to the media outside the high court, Saad Rafiq said political opponents had been subjected to victimisation under the garb of accountability.

He said some people had put the credibility of justice system at stake, adding there were frequent media reports that the government would crush its opponents in the name of accountability.

Dismissed: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition challenging arrest of opposition leader in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme scam.

A division bench comprising Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and Justice Anwarul Haq Pannu observed that the petitioner had no locus standi to agitate the matter before the court. Senior lawyer A.K Dogar had filed the petition on behalf of Pakistan Lawyers’ Foundation.

According to Dogar, the arrest of a person during investigation and trial was inconsistent with Article 10(1) of the Constitution. He said no person could be kept in custody unless he was informed of grounds of his arrest and such grounds could only be established after completion of investigation.

The lawyer contended that no investigation was constitutionally valid unless accused had been granted the fundamental right. He said the Article 10 provided the right to be defended by a counsel at the time of investigation, which was denied to Mr Sharif.

He pointed out defence by a legal practitioner started as soon as any person was arrested. He further said the moment the investigation/inquiry was started a lawyer must be physically present during the course. He said no one could be arrested for the purpose of mere investigation.

He asked the court to declare that section 24 of the NAB ordinance that allowed chairman of the bureau to arrest an accused during investigation/inquiry was inconsistent with fundamental rights enshrined in Article 10. He further asked the court to set aside the order for the arrest of the opposition leader issued by the NAB chairman.

Earlier, to a court’s query on the maintainability of the petition, Advocate Dogar said he was not engaged by Mr Sharif as counsel but filed the petition as a student of law.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018

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Babar Awan seeks acquittal in Nandipur reference

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ISLAMABAD: Former law minister Dr Babar Awan on Wednesday filed an application in an accountability court seeking acquittal in the Nandipur reference filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Accountability court judge Mohammad Arshad Malik issued a notice to NAB and adjourned the hearing till Nov 26.

Mr Awan appeared in court along with over 100 lawyers. Before the start of the court proceedings, he hosted a breakfast for lawyers in the Federal Judicial Complex.

In his application filed under Section 265-K of the Criminal Procedure Code, Mr Awan argued that NAB had accused him of causing delay in furnishing legal opinion for the Nandipur project when he was law minister. It said causing delay was not a crime and the prosecution could not point out any criminal intent for the alleged delay.

Former law minister appears in accountability court along with over 100 lawyers

The application further said that former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf had been nominated as accused in this reference for not referring the matter to the federal cabinet whereas Mr Awan’s stance was also the same that the matter could have been decided by the then cabinet.

According to the application, no summary had been kept pending before Mr Awan, instead, there was only a letter from the Pakistan Electric Power Comp­any (Pepco), whereas according to Rules of Business, Pepco was not supposed to write the letter to the law ministry directly but through the controlling ministry which was the water and power division.

On Sept 5, the Rawalpindi NAB filed a reference against seven politicians and officials.

In the reference, NAB contended that the project had faced a delay of two years, one month and 15 days, resulting in a loss of Rs27.3 billion to the exchequer. The project, located in Gujranwala district, could not be completed and operated on time because the accused failed to issue legal opinions.

The Supreme Court, NAB officials stated, had decided the Constitutional Petition No 67 of 2011 over delays in the Nandipur project and formed a commission, which submitted its report on April 9, 2012.

According to the report, officers of the ministry of law and justice were mainly responsible for the delays. Subsequently, the apex court referred the matter to NAB.

The Nandipur project was approved by the Economic Coordination Committee on Dec 27, 2007, at a cost of $329 million.

After approval, the contract was signed on January 28, 2008, between the Northern Power Generation Company Limited and the Dong Fang Electric Corporation, China and two consortiums – Coface for 68.967 million euros and Sinosure for $150.151m – were set up for financing the project.

The water and power ministry sought legal opinion on the project from the law ministry in accordance with the schedule of the agreement in July 2009, but the accused repeatedly refused to do so.

The ministry of water and power also failed to take any concrete steps to resolve the issue and the matter remained pending.

According to details shared by NAB, the legal opinion was issued in November 2011 after Mr Awan was replaced as the law minister.

During the course of investigation, it was established that the accused committed the offense(s) of corruption and corrupt practice.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018

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PML-N requests NA speaker to issue Shahbaz’s production order

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ISLAMABAD: Members of the main opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Wednesday formally submitted an application to the National Assembly Secretariat, requesting Speaker Asad Qaiser to issue a production order for opposition leader and party president Shahbaz Sharif so that he could attend the upcoming session of the house beginning on Oct 29.

The application has been signed by former speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, ex-deputy speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Tahira Aurangzeb, Zehra Wadood Fatemi and PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb. It was handed over to acting NA secretary Qamar Sohail Lodhi.

Mr Sharif is presently in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lahore in the Ashiyana housing scam case. He was arrested by the NAB authorities on Oct 5 and since then he has been in detention on physical remand.

Soon after his arrest, the PML-N had submitted a requisition notice to the speaker who later called the session on Oct 17 after issuing the production order for Mr Sharif.

No word from ruling PTI or speaker’s office after receiving the application from opposition members

The PML-N president had been specially brought to the Parliament House by the NAB authorities for the one-day session in which Mr Sharif revealed the questions being asked to him by the investigators, alleging that there was an unholy alliance between NAB and the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

Last week, while talking to reporters, Prime Minister Imran Khan also criticised Mr Sharif for his speech in the NA and alleged that the opposition leader had used the parliamentary floor for a media trial of NAB.

Sources in the PTI told Dawn that there was a group within the party which was in favour of issuing the production order for Mr Sharif. During the requisitioned session, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had stated that there were some legal questions over the issuance of the production order by the speaker as Mr Sharif was not in jail, but was under remand.

He claimed that perhaps for the first time it was happening that the speaker had issued a production order for a person under remand.

There was no official word from the ruling PTI or the speaker’s office after receiving the application from the PML-N members.

On the other hand, a PML-N leader said the party would definitely lodge a strong protest if the speaker did not issue the production order.

While the PML-N had recently submitted two adjournment motions in the NA Secretariat against the government’s recent decisions about media regulatory authority and abolition of subsidy on Metro bus services, the opposition parties are expected to lodge a protest over the government’s move to increase power tariff.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had already announced that his party was planning another multiparty conference (MPC) of the opposition parties in an effort to devise a joint strategy against the PTI government.

In reaction to the opposition parties’ plan to join hands against the government, the information minister had sarcastically remarked on his Twitter account that the venue for the MPC should be Adiala jail.

The information minister also ridiculed the statement of former president Asif Ali Zardari that the opposition parties must unite and move a “resolution” that the present government was incapable of running the country. The minister was of the view that the governments could not be toppled through resolutions and for this purpose, votes were required.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018

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Dar’s wife moves court against auction of asset

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ISLAMABAD: The wife of former finance minister Ishaq Dar has filed an application in the accountability court against the confiscation of property of her husband after he was declared an absconder in a reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for accumulating assets beyond means.

On Oct 2, accountability court judge Mohammad Bashir had attached Mr Dar’s properties with the Punjab government and allowed its auction as per rules.

Tabassum Ishaq Dar, however, challenged the confiscation of a house in Gulberg Lahore, saying her husband had verbally gifted the property to her on Feb 14, 1989, in lieu of her dower amount. Ms Dar said that since she had accepted the gift and was residing there, NAB had erroneously shown the property as an asset of Mr Dar.

She requested the court to recall the order for auction of the said property.

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

Following filing of the reference against Mr Dar in the accountability court in September last year, NAB had seized all of Mr Dar’s 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; a plot measuring two kanals and another of nine marlas in Islamabad and six vehicles.

The bureau said that Mr Dar had acquired in his name and/or in the names of his dependants assets worth Rs831.7m, which was disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018

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Govt asked to disclose conditions linked to Saudi bailout package

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ISLAMABAD: Expressing disappointment over Prime Minister Imran Khan’s address to the nation, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Wednesday asked the government to brief the nation about the terms and conditions on which Saudi Arabia had agreed to provide a bailout package to the country.

The leaders of the two opposition parties lashed out at Mr Khan for what they called his threatening tone for the opposition and called upon the government to take parliament into confidence regarding the proposed bailout package being offered by Saudi Arabia.

Talking to Dawn, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb criticised the prime minister for not elaborating the terms on which Saudi Arabia had agreed to allow Pakistan to play the role of a mediator in its conflict with Yemen. She said this was a very serious and sensitive matter, but Mr Khan provided no details.

PML-N, PPP question premier’s move of becoming mediator in Yemen conflict; warn against using threatening tone for opposition

“What is the strategic value of the (bailout) package? What economic benefits and relief will the people of Pakistan get from this (Saudi) loan?” she asked.

The PML-N spokesperson, who had served as the information minister in the previous government, said that instead of showing embarrassment over his failure to deliver, Mr Khan was still asking the people to wait for “good news”. She asked the prime minister to apologise to the nation for making false promises with them during the past five years.

Ms Aurangzeb also criticised the prime minister over his announcement that no relaxation or deal would be offered to any politician, saying that Mr Khan should tell the nation as to who had been asking for a deal. Instead, she said, despite facing frivolous charges, the PML-N leaders were appearing before the Supreme Court, high courts and accountability courts.

She alleged that Mr Khan had been threatening the opposition as he wanted to protect the “group of thieves” around him.

Responding to Mr Khan’s assertion that the previous government had put the country in a debt trap by obtaining huge loans, she said the PML-N government had fully utilised the loans on the betterment of the people by launching a number of development projects in the energy and transport sectors.

She said being in the government Mr Khan now possessed all the records of the loans and their utility and he could carry out audit of the projects launched by the previous government. She said the PML-N government did obtain loans but it effectively managed the economy and kept inflation at the historic low.

In a statement, PPP senator Raza Rabbani asked the government to take parliament into confidence regarding the proposed bailout package and the construction of oil refinery in or near Gwadar “in total disregard to Article 172 of the Constitution”.

“It is demanded that the government should lay the terms and conditions of the recently-concluded financial arrangements between the governments of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia before the parliament as these agreements will have strategic repercussions for Pakistan and the region,” he said, adding that if there was anything sensitive, then the government could convene in camera sessions of either both the houses separately or a joint session.

Mr Rabbani regretted that during the short tenure of the present government, the parliament was “deliberately being reduced to a barn house where un-parliamentary language and insults are exchanged while the government continues to take important and strategic decisions without a debate or parliament being informed”.

The parliament, he said, had not been taken into confidence on the visit of the US secretary of state and the subsequent meeting of Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi with him, nor had parliament been taken into confidence on the conditions agreed to with the Financial Action Task Force.

Meanwhile, PPP senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, who is also the spokesman for PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, in his reaction over Mr Khan’s address said the person who was claiming that he would neither beg nor ask for loan from anyone was now not only roaming around the world with the begging bowl in his hand but also going from one country to the other and one institution to the other asking for loan and no one was ready to believe him.

He said Imran Khan should come to parliament and tell whether he had sold national asset of Reko Diq mines to get this loan or what else he had promised to the lender.

“Imran Khan has also claimed that Pakistan will play a role of mediator in Yemen conflict but has he read the resolution passed on the issue by the parliament?” he asked.

Senator Khokhar demanded of Imran Khan to clarify the mediation role he has claimed to play.

“Imran Khan should come down from the container” as people do not trust the person who has increased power tariff just on the day he addressed them, he said, asking Mr Khan to first create South Punjab province, before initiating the project of building five million houses.

Pulished in Dawn, October 25th , 2018

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SC issues notices to Sharifs on NAB plea against suspension of sentences

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ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notices to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz on a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) appeal against the suspension of sentences awarded to them as well as retired captain Mohammad Safdar by an accountability court.

A special bench of the SC, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising two other judges, wondered why NAB was pressing its appeal against retired Capt Safdar, too, when the trial court had sentenced him to jail just for a year. NAB’s prosecutor general Syed Asghar Haider said the bureau pressed the issue only to the extent of the observations given by the high court in its order that suspended his sentence along with the jail terms awarded to the Sharifs.

Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law retired Capt Safdar were awarded 10 years, seven years and one year imprisonment, respectively, in the Avenfield apartment reference on July 6. The Islamabad High Court, however, suspended their sentences and gave a detailed judgement on the petitions filed by the Sharifs on Sept 19.

On Wednesday, the chief justice wondered if there was any precedent of a case related to the grant of bail or suspension of the sentence in which a 43-page judgement had been given.

“It takes only one or a half page to issue orders in such a situation,” Justice Nisar observed.

Adjourns hearing in Avenfield apartments case to Nov 6

The chief justice, however, said the parties had the right to go into a writ before the high court since they could not be debarred from their constitutional rights especially when ordinary laws under the criminal procedure code did not apply in matters relating to special courts like NAB (accountability) courts.

NAB’s special prosecutor Akram Qureshi referred to the 2014 verdict of the apex court in the Mohammad Arshad case and argued that suspension of sentence was granted only in cases of extreme hardships such as serious ailments, the treatment of which was not available in the prison or unnecessary delay in the hearing of appeals of convicts.

At this, the chief justice observed what NAB was trying to argue was that the high court committed a glaring error by not keeping in view the basic principles in the NAB law while dealing with the suspension of sentences awarded by the accountability court.

The counsel further argued that the high court usually did not go deep into appreciation of merits or admissibility of facts in such cases, but the IHC ‘virtually decided’ the fate of the main appeals against the conviction in the Avenfield corruption reference.

After a brief hearing, the SC adjourned further proceedings till Nov 6 and issued notices to Nawaz and Maryam.

In its appeal, NAB contended that the IHC failed to appreciate that it had seriously prejudiced the case of the prosecution by holding that the trial court judgement suffered from obvious and glaring defects and infirmities and that the convictions and sentences handed down to the accused might not sustain ultimately.

NAB argued that the conviction awarded to the Sharifs was based on cogent and tangible evidence, thus, the offence of corruption and corrupt practices stood proved.

Meanwhile, the same SC bench disposed of a case pertaining to airing of a false news item by some TV news channels about the recusal of Justice Umar Ata Bandial to be part of the bench hearing the NAB appeal.

The case was disposed of with a caution to be careful in future after Tayyab Baloch, president of the Press Association of the Supreme Court, Javed Soomro and Mian Aqeel Afzal representing different TV channels tendered unqualified apology.

The matter was taken up when the chief justice took serious notice of the false news and summoned all the CEO/owners of the channels that had aired the news item with a direction to appear before the court and clarify reasons for airing the news item.

At the hearing, Chief Justice Nisar observed that he suggested to Justice Bandial to go home and take rest as the latter was not feeling well. Yet Justice Bandial cleared the backlog before going home, he explained.

The chief justice referring to senior journalist Abdul Qayyum Siddiqui observed that being a senior reporter he should guide and train his fellow reporters. Mr Siddiqui conceded that stories should not be filed on mere assumptions and observed that the mistake could be the result of an error of judgement.

Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel regretted that such mistakes happened due to the cut-throat competition between the channels.

The court also ordered Pemra, which also had issued notices to the channels, not to take any action by dropping its notice after accepting the apology of the reporters who pleaded before the bench to ignore the mistake.

Pulished in Dawn, October 25th , 2018

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GB people assured of constitutional rights

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GILGIT: President Dr Arif Alvi has promised to play his due role for provision of constitutional rights to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).

After arriving in GB on Wednesday on a four-day visit, he assured the people they would get maximum benefits from the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as the region was an important part of the project.

Talking to Radio Pakistan and Pakistan Television in Skardu, President Alvi said that GB was one of the most beautiful places in the world and its economy could get a boost from tourism and trade through CPEC.

The government, he said, wanted the people of GB to prosper through trade activities.

Dr Alvi reached Skardu in the morning. Later in the day he flew to the army’s helipad in Jutial Gilgit where he was received by Governor Raja Jalal Hussain Maqpoon and other officials.

Sources said the governor briefed the president on the socio-economic and political situation in the region.

A delegation comprising GB government functionaries and assembly members — including Speaker Fida Muhammad Nashad, Deputy Speaker Jaffarullah, Minister Dr Muhammad Iqbal, Farman Ali, Fida Khan, Opposition Leader Muhammad Shafi Khan and other opposition and treasury members met President Alvi at a local hotel.

According to the sources, Dr Iqbal informed Dr Alvi that GB had been deprived of its constitutional rights for the last seven decades. The minister added that local people had liberated the region themselves and had annexed it to Pakistan unconditionally.

The GB people, he said, had always thought of being a part of Pakistan but despite the passage of 70 years this dream had not turned into a reality.

The enemies of Pakistan were taking advantage of the situation by exploiting the sense of deprivation among locals and hatching conspiracies against CPEC, Dr Iqbal said, adding that Kashmiri leaders had “always been a hurdle in the provision of GB people’s rights”.

Dr Alvi assured the delegation he would look into the matter upon his return to Islamabad. He promised he would discuss the issue with Prime Minister Imran Khan and review the recommendations of the Sartaj Aziz Committee.

The president, who is accompanied by his family, will visit various areas in the region in the next three days of his trip.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018

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Terrorist involved in D.I. Khan jailbreak killed

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DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The most wanted terrorist involved in the Dera Ismail Khan jailbreak was shot dead in a joint operation of CTD and police in Bagowi North on the outskirts of Dera Ismail Khan on Wednesday.

Muhammad Abid was wanted to the district police in the central jailbreak and an attack on the police van at the Mission Mor near Babu filling station.

The CTD and police personnel during the joint operation shot dead Abid while his accomplices fled.

Two hand grenades, a pistol and ammunition were seized.

The police took the action on a tip-off that five armed men had gathered in the area and they were planning some terrorist activity.

The suspects opened fire on seeing the raiding personnel, triggering an exchange of fire which continued for 30 minutes and resulted in the death of Abid.

The body was handed over to his family members.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018

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Media workers’ protest continues

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LAHORE: The Joint Action Committee of journalists and media workers on Wednesday staged a sit-in outside the press club here.

They were protesting against lay-offs and salary cuts.

Besides office-bearers of journalists and media workers’ bodies, newsmen, cameramen, photojournalists and media workers joined the sit-in and chanted slogans against the owners of media houses.

They announced staging a sit-in daily to press the authorities concerned for making media house owners withdraw the retrenchments.

They demanded that the government order audit of media houses’ financial matters, including the advertisements payments as well as taxes paid.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018

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Dasti among 91 booked for thwarting clean-up drive

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MUZAFFARGARH: Police on Wednesday registered a case against former MNA Jamshed Ahmad Dasti and 90 other people for resisting an anti-encroachment operation at Tibba Kareemabad (Bihari Colony) a day earlier.

A team of district administration and police were about to launch operation to retrieve land at Bihari Colony when the ‘illegal occupants’ called Jamshed Dasti to help them stop the action. Dasti reached the spot after some time and warned police and Assistant Commissioner Ashraf Gujjar against undertaking the cleanup operation. The residents led by Dasti protested against the government move and scared the officials away.

On Wednesday, police and anti-encroachment team again visited the area and people gathered at Thermal Power Chowk and protested. Dasti and PPP MNA Irshad Sial once again came to the rescue of the people and said they would not let the government deprive them of shelter.

Commissioner Tahir Khursheed ordered police to register a case against Dasti and others and said the operation would be carried out. He asked the chief engineers of irrigation and highways departments to give data of the occupied land within two days.

Police registered a case against Dasti and 90 other people under sections 341, 148 and 149 of PPC, and 16 MPO. Thousands of acres have been illegally occupied by influential people in Muzaffargarh. An operation was launched last week to retrieve graveyards from illegal occupants but had to be stopped halfway.

MNA Mehr Irshad Sial said the PTI government was depriving the poor of shelter and a square meal.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018

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SC asks why former chairman’s name surfaces in CDA illegalities

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ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday asked why the name of former Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman Kamran Lashari surfaced whenever a case of illegality by the authority came before the court.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar was hearing a case related to a commercial building built on land originally allotted for a swimming pool in F-6 Super Market.

The bench consequently issued a notice to Mr Lashari to appear before the court on Tuesday, when the hearing will resume.

Such notices were also issued to incumbent Member Estate Khushal Khan and CDA officer Ghulam Sarwar Sindhu.

The chief justice also hinted at referring the case, related to the illegal construction of a facility meant specifically for a gym and swimming pool, to the National Accountability Bureau.

During the hearing the SC was also informed of illegalities in the awards of 1 Constitution Avenue and Safa Gold Mall, as well as violations committed by Centaurus Mall.

The CDA is accused of giving undue favours in these projects, as Safa Gold Mall and Centaurus – according to CDA sources – are being run without completion certificates for the authority that are a prerequisite to occupy buildings.

Several other commercial buildings in Islamabad are also being run without completion certificates.

The bench formed a committee that included senior counsel Chaudhry Mushtaq, Additional Attorney General Nayyar Abbas Rizvi and Ali Raza to look into the case of 22 traders who were tenants of the aforementioned F-6 building and were evicted by the landlord.

Of the 22 tenants, six are members of the Hindu community and had been running handicraft businesses there for 30 years.

The traders recently held a press conference in Islamabad where they said the plot where they were operating their businesses was, according to the city’s master plan, reserved for a swimming pool.

They alleged that the landlord had used the plot for commercial activities with the CDA’s help.

Ramesh Kumar, a trader, said he had been running his business for 30 years and had been deprived of his business by the landlord.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018

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30,000 children in capital out of school, minister informed

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ISLAMABAD: The education minister was on Wednesday told there are 30,000 out-of-school children in the capital.

Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood gave the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) directions to take measures to bring these children into schools.

The minister was visiting the FDE, which looks after the 423 educational institutions of the capital, for the first time to get a briefing about Islamabad’s education sector.

Shafqat Mahmood also visits Peira, briefed about its functions and issues

The FDE was earlier under the control of the Ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division which the PTI government abolished. FDE has now been placed under the education ministry.

The minister was briefed about the functioning and challenges of the directorate by directors as the FDE does not have a permanent, or temporary, director general (DG) and has been headless since Oct 10 when temporary DG Hasnat Qureshi relinquished his charge.

Mr Qureshi was the chairman of the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (Peira) and looked after FDE affairs as an acting DG for over a year and a half.

The minister said the government had a vision for bringing 25 million out of school children into schools and that the 30,000 children in Islamabad should be enrolled in schools on a priority basis.

Sources quoted the minister as saying that the federal capital should be a model for the provinces.

The minister said adult education will also be focused on and that double shifts should be started in areas which are short on schools.

He said the education ministry will help FDE become paperless and start an online filing system.

The minister was also briefed on the Prime Minister’s Education Reform Programme which was started by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

The minister said the buses procured under the programme should be distributed fairly and that those schools which are facing a shortage of buses should be given preference.

The sources said that the minister will be given another briefing on the reform program by the officers who have been dealing with the project.

“The minister also assured us that a DG will soon be appointed,” an FDE official who participated in the meeting said.

Mr Mehmood also visited Peira, an organisation which deals with private sector education in the capital city.

Peira Member Imtiaz Qureshi briefed the minister about the functioning and issues being faced by the authority.

He was told about litigations between Peira and elite schools which had challenged its rules which bars them from charging fees above the set limits.

The minister was told that there are some 700 unregistered schools in the capital and that of the total 1,242 schools of which the authority has data, 525 have valid registration.

According to sources, Peira Chairman Hasnat Qureshi was told hours before he was to brief the minister that he had been repatriated to his parent department many days ago by the ministry and that he should therefore not give the briefing.

They said Mr Qureshi had concerns regarding the procedure adopted by the ministry for repatriating him which is why he was reluctant to relinquish charge.

Sources said that Peira Member Imtiaz Qureshi was given acting charge as the authority’s chairman till a regular appointment is made and that Hasnat Qureshi later relinquished his charge.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018

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Fire at PID destroys financial records, damages building

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ISLAMABAD: A fire broke out in the Press Information Department (PID) building Wednesday afternoon, causing damage to the building, which consists of several blocks, and destroying financial records.

No serious injuries or loss of life was reported in the accident, rescue departments including the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI), said. However, three staffers sustained minor injuries who were sent home after being provided medical assistance at a hospital.

“Over 70 people were trapped in the building during the fire,” a rescue worker said, adding that many of the staffers were on the eaves on the first and second floor, waiting for the rescue teams to come.

Committee to be formed today to ascertain damage, incident logged in daily diary of Aabpara police but no formal complaint has been made

The employees were brought down to safety via ladders.

Army officials under the supervision of a lieutenant colonel and majors cordoned off the building after firefighters had almost extinguished the fire.

They took control of the building and made deployments inside the building and at the main gate.

Army officials also collected details of the buildings including the number of offices it contained.

Relevant officers in capital administration and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) said they had not called the army and that army officials had come as PID is a government building and holds records.

MCI officials said an incomplete emergency call was made to the fire department to inform it of the incident.

However, the caller did not give further details including the name and location of the building.

“Officials of the fire department had come to the mosque for prayers when they saw the smoke and found that the PID building was on fire,” an official said.

The cause of the fire is yet to be established and it is also not yet known where it started.

PID employees have contradictory accounts of the incident. According to these statements, the fire started either in the ABC Department, the Directorate of Electronic Media and Publication or the Benevolent Fund Office.

“The fire may have started in the southern part of the front block’s mezzanine floor,” a firefighter said.

He said it spread to adjacent rooms and corridors, helped by the false ceilings and the wooden partitions.

A large part of the mezzanine floor and the first floor was burnt.

It took 20 fire engines and 250 rescue workers two hours to put out the fire.

Rescue workers said a large number of the office records were burnt in the fire which was corroborated by PID and Benevolent Fund staff.

PID staff said records were moved to Directorate of Electronic Media and Publication and the Benevolent Fund Office a few days ago.

Many rescue workers and PID staff believe the fire might have been arson.

“The fire started in working hours but employees including security did not inform the fire or emergency departments of the CDA’s disaster wing,” an official said, adding that only an incomplete call was made in which the location of the fire was not mentioned.

The officials said legal proceedings were going on against the Benevolent Funds Office in the Supreme Court as well.

In 2013, MCI had issued an advisory to the PID building, telling the management to install and repair equipment and facilities used to deal with emergency situations, including fire, but the MCI did not receive a reply from the PID, officials said.

Press Information Officer (PIO) Shafqat Jalil said the fire did the most damage to Directorate of Electronic Media and Publication and that the extent of the damage is not yet known.

The PID block was partially damaged in the fire, he said, adding that a committee will be constituted on Thursday to ascertain the extent of the damage.

When asked, the PIO said he had no information of the Directorate of Electronic Media and Publication records being burnt and that he also does not know anything about the moving of the records a few days ago.

The Aabpara police told Dawn the fire had been entered in the daily diary but no complaints were lodged so far for the registration of a case.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018

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IGPs’ help sought to recover luxury vehicles

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RAWALPINDI: Customs intelligence have sought assistance from the inspectors general of police (IGP) Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan, Islamabad, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan to recover 254 luxury vehicles that they claim were brought into the country illegally by evading customs duty and taxes worth Rs6 billion.

Customs intelligence is also investigating the customs appraiser and principal appraiser in Karachi who gave the vehicles customs clearance.

According to sources, these vehicles were imported in the name of a member of the ruling family of Qatar and his relatives and were in the use of various Pakistanis including a parliamentarian.

They said efforts were underway by some PML-N leaders to convince customs intelligence not to pursue the case to recover the remaining vehicles.

Through a letter the IGPs were informed that a customs intelligence wing recovered 21 luxury vehicles in a raid on a Redco Textiles compound owned by former senator Saifur Rehman on Sept 27, located in the limits of the Rawat police.

The investigation revealed that the vehicles were imported in the name of the Embassy of Qatar, and also found that as many as 330 were brought into Pakistan illegally since 2012 after acquiring illegal exemption certificates issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The police was informed that of the 330 vehicles just 50 were re-exported out of Pakistan, while the remaining 280 vehicles imported in the name of dignitaries and members of the Qatari ruling family are still in Pakistan.

“All these vehicles are liable to seizure under section 168 of the Customs Act, 1969. However, 23 such vehicles have been impounded by the customs intelligence so far while the remaining 257 such luxury vehicles are still plying illegally or kept in hiding in Pakistan,” customs authorities said, adding that most of these vehicles have been in Punjab.

A list of 257 vehicles was also sent to the IGPs to help impound them when found, to be handed over to the customs intelligence directorate.

According to customs sources, Customs Intelligence Director General Shaukat Ali, who has been leading the crackdown on illegal luxury vehicles, is likely to be removed from his position in the next couple of days.

A senior customs official revealed that customs intelligence wrote to Qatari authorities in Islamabad but did not receive a response regarding the import of vehicles in the cover of diplomatic immunity.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018

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Entangled dolphins released back into sea

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A PANTROPICAL spotted dolphin being released back into the sea.
A PANTROPICAL spotted dolphin being released back into the sea.

KARACHI: Two dolphins incidentally caught by fishermen recently were released safely back into the sea, the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P) reported on Wednesday.

In the first instance, according to the organisation, a two-metre long pantropical spotted dolphin, named tushuk in Balochi and gokin in Sindhi, got entangled in the gillnet being used by fishermen operating in the Indus Canyon about 176km southeast of Karachi last Tuesday.

Fishermen led by Ameer Badshah, captain of a tuna fishing boat, safely released the dolphin back into the sea.

In the second instance, Ghulam Mustafa, Ghulam Sarwar, Ghulam Murtaza helped by Abdul Qayyum released a 1.5-meter long Indian Ocean humpback dolphin, which was entangled in their gillnet while they fished along Balochistan’s coast on Sunday.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the Indian Ocean humpback dolphin as endangered and pantropical spotted dolphin as ‘least concern’.

However, population of the pantropical spotted dolphin in the Southeast Asian region is listed in the Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals.

“Numbers of pantropical spotted dolphin is believed to have declined in Pakistan. They easily get entangled in fishing nets laid in the coastal and offshore waters,” said Mohammad Moazzam Khan, technical adviser on fisheries resources at WWF-P.

Pantropical spotted dolphins, he said, were found in all temperate and tropical oceans and considered to be very active in making large, splashy leaps in the sea.

Elaborating on threats to dolphins, he said that once entangled, most dolphins drowned and died immediately, though in some cases, entangled dolphins did survive onboard fishing vessels, he added.

Sharing some estimates, he said that dolphin mortality in the gillnet fisheries was estimated to be as high as 12,000 annually a few years back.

To address this concern, he pointed out, the WWF-P created awareness among fishing communities and trained fishermen on the use of subsurface gillnet in offshore waters and how to release endangered marine species from fishing nets.

“This has led to a significant decrease in dolphin mortality and we now estimate that only about 30 to 40 dolphins die annually as a result of these operations,” he said, adding that there were about 8,700 gillnet vessels operating in the coastal and offshore waters out of which around 700 fish in offshore waters.

Dr Babar Khan, regional director (Sindh and Balochistan) at WWF-P, said that the organisation had developed an action plan to protect cetaceans in 2013 which was endorsed by all major stakeholders.

“There is a need to adopt and implement this action plan, which will ensure protection of cetaceans including dolphins, porpoises and whales in Pakistan’s waters,” he said.

It might be recalled that dolphins are now protected under Sindh and Balochistan fisheries laws as well as under Balochistan (Wildlife Protection, Preserv­ation, Conservation and Manage­ment) Act, 2014.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018

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