ISLAMABAD: In its first meeting under the PTI-led government, the Board of Privatisation Commission on Tuesday decided to slash the list of entities on the privatisation agenda — including Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) — set by the previous government.

The final list of 34 public sector entities — excluding the national flag carrier, Steel Mills and some other state-owned entities (SOEs) — would be presented to the Cabinet Committee on Privatisation (CCOP) on Wednesday (today).

Sources privy to the board meeting told Dawn that the meeting — presided by Chairman Privatisation Commission Mohammad Mian Soomro — conducted a thorough review of the privatisation programme and finalised the list.

According to sources, the government has decided to exclude PIA, PSM, Pakistan Railways and power distribution companies from the privatisation agenda.

The government will begin the privatisation programme with small entities including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), First Women Bank and National Insurance Company.

Meanwhile, a retired official of Pakistan Air Force has been appointed as the new head of PIA in a bid to regain the glory of national flag carrier. The government may also come up with a new plan for Steel Mills.

The government plans to start privatization of 11 entities on short-term, 12 entities on medium-term and remaining 11 on long-term basis before the end of its tenure.

The PML-N government had decided to restructure PIA, followed by divestment of 26 per cent of government equity stakes to strategic partner with management control. While in the case of Pakistan Steel, the decision was divestment with management control.

The issue of Roosevelt Hotel in New York came up for discussion. However no firm proposal for privatization was considered.

According to sources, the issue of outstanding payment of $800 million by the management of Etisalat of the United Arab Emirates against the divestment of 26pc government share in PTCL also came under review during the board meeting.

The meeting was informed that 95pc properties have been transferred in the name of PTCL. Despite meeting this demand of the UAE telecom company, the outstanding amount has yet to be paid.

Since Pakistan is facing serious financial crunch, Prime Minister Imran Khan may be asked to take up the matter at the highest level to resolve the issue, sources added.

An official statement released after the board meeting said the list of active privatization programme was finalized after consulting all relevant ministries and due consideration was given to the feedback provided by them. The board members gave their suggestions to include and exclude SOEs for the next privatisation programme.

Mr Soomro directed for the recovery of outstanding dues receivable from the buyers of SOEs that were privatized in the 1990s. It must be recalled that approximately Rs3.9bn are yet to be received from defaulter buyers of various SOEs.

The chairman also directed to fix responsibility and approach all relevant investigative bodies to reach the truth and rectify the problem.

Meanwhile, the government has reconstituted CCOP, with Minister for Finance Asad Umar as chairman.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2018

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday declared several provisions of the Fata Interim Governance Regulation, 2018, including assigning of judicial powers to administrative officers in the tribal districts being merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in conflict with the Constitution.

In a short order pronounced by a two-member PHC bench, headed by Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and also comprising Justice Mussarat Hilali, the federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments were directed to make alternative arrangements in accordance with the Constitution within 30 days.

The bench accepted a writ petition filed by Advocate Ali Azim Afridi, who had challenged the Fata Interim Governance Regulation, 2018, on multiple grounds and had requested the court to declare the same unconstitutional.

Directs federal, KP governments to make alternative arrangements within a month

The court pronounced the order after the petitioner and the counsel for the federal and KP governments concluded their arguments.

A detailed judgement will be issued later.

The petitioner earlier argued that the interim governance law was in conflict with Article 175 of the Constitution, which guaranteed separation of the judiciary from the executive.

According to the petitioner, the permission granted to commissioners to act as judges, formation of a council of elders to decide civil and criminal matters, constitution of a qaumi jirga, modification of some chapters of the code of criminal procedure and inclusion of the Third Schedule in the regulation through which judicial powers were assigned to administrative officers violated the Constitution.

The petitioner had implicated the federation through law secretary; the president through his principal secretary; state and frontier region ministry through its secretary, KP government through law secretary, and secretary of the home and tribal affairs department as respondents in the case.

Then president Mamnoon Hussain had promulgated the impugned notification on May 25, which was notified in the Official Gazette on May 29.

The regulation also caused repeal of the colonial-era Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR).

Mr Afridi said the impugned regulation mentioned that agencies in Fata were declared tribal districts and tehsil and frontier regions subdivisions, while nomenclature of political agent was changed to deputy commissioner, additional political agent to additional commissioner and assistant political agent to assistant deputy commissioner.

He said all those administrative officers had been empowered to act as judges in their respective capacity.

In sheer disregard to the law, the petitioner argued, the deputy commissioner had been allowed to constitute a council of elders for settling disputes of civil nature, while a likeminded individual called a ‘judge’ was allowed to form a council of elders for deciding disputes of criminal nature.

He said the interim governance regulation provided for the executive to be considered part of the judiciary, which was against Article 175(3) of the Constitution. He argued that following the passage of the Constitution (Twenty-fifth Amendment) Act, 2018, through which tribal areas were merged with the KP, the government continued to operate under the impugned regulation instead of regular laws, which was illegal.

The petitioner recalled that the federal and provincial government representatives had given undertakings before the Supreme Court that after Fata’s merger with KP all federal and provincial laws would be applicable to the tribal districts.

In their response, the federal and KP governments had pointed out that there was a legal vacuum due to the repeal of FCR and the interim governance regulation was introduced for an interim period and not as a permanent law.

The additional advocate general told the court that the KP government had committed before the Supreme Court that all laws in practice in the province and rest of the country would be made applicable to the tribal districts of former Fata within 30 days.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2018

LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan has set a deadline of two months for provincial ministers in Punjab to improve performance and urged them to either perform or get ready to be sent home, according to provincial Housing Minister Mian Mehmoodur Rashid.

Briefing the media on the prime minister’s address to the PTI’s parliamentary party here on Tuesday, Mr Rashid said Mr Khan warned the provincial ministers that if their performance did not improve the cabinet would not be reshuffled, instead the non-performing ministers would be sent home.

PM Khan paid a short visit to the city on Tuesday during which he addressed the parliamentary party and held a meeting with Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar and Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. He returned to Islamabad in the evening.

Mr Rashid said PM Khan was monitoring performance of the provincial cabinet.

Mehmoodur Rashid says Imran has made it clear non-performing ministers will have no place in cabinet

He said the prime minister believed that 90 per cent bureaucrats considered themselves as employees of the state and followed the rules. “The trouble is with the remaining 10pc who act more as personal servants of the rulers,” he quoted the prime minister as saying.

The provincial minister said the prime minister had made it clear that such bureaucrats “would not and should not get active postings”, he added.

He said PM Khan had told the cabinet members that they should prioritise the development agenda for each district. “Though every district might have its own peculiar development needs the entire province needs clean drinking water and it must be given priority over other needs. The entire planning should be for the good of common man. The common man must feel relieved,” he quoted the prime minister as saying.

He said during his address, PM Khan hailed the financial package from Saudi Arabia and informed the parliamentary party that he was going to China and the nation would get more good news soon. “I would not be seeking loans in China, but investment and technology transfer. The Chinese are also keen to help Pakistan in both areas,” PM Khan was quoted as saying.

Mr Rashid said the prime minister expressed his seriousness about the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme and said he had already presided over half a dozen meetings in this regard.

The minister said during his meeting with Mr Elahi, PM Khan discussed with him the opposition’s boycott of the provincial assembly’s proceedings. The speaker briefed the prime minister on how he was trying to run the house smoothly. The speaker informed the prime minister that the opposition was trying to create disruptions in the house.

The prime minister has reportedly told the speaker that he should run the house according to the rules and regulations, and not bother about the opposition’s behaviour.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2018

The Supreme Court on Wednesday acquitted Asia Bibi, a Christian woman condemned to death on blasphemy charges after accepting her 2015 appeal against her sentence.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel had reserved its appeal on Asia Bibi's appeal on Oct 8.

The judgement was read out today by CJP Nisar.

"The judgement of the high court and that of the trial court is reversed," he read, adding that she is to be set free if she is not wanted in any other case.

"Her conviction is set aside and she is to be relieved forthwith if not required in other charges," the judgement read.

A detailed judgement is expected in the next few hours.

According to a supplementary cause list issued by the SC on Monday, the verdict was scheduled to be announced by a special bench at 9am. The bench comprises CJP Nisar, .

The apex court had reserved its ruling on Bibi's final legal appeal against execution (Asia Bibi v. The State, etc) on October 8. The appeal challenges the Lahore High Court’s October 2014 verdict of upholding a trial court’s November 2010 decision of sentencing Bibi to death for committing blasphemy.

See: What you need to know about Asia Bibi's trial

While reserving the verdict after an hours-long hearing, the top court had restrained both electronic and print media from discussing or commenting on the matter till the final judgement.

High security

The federal capital was put on high alert on Tuesday night. Extra contingent of police and law enforcement agencies have been deployed in the capital. Sources in the administration told Dawn that Rangers and Frontier Constabulary had been called as part of measures to step up security in Islamabad. Security of the Judges Enclave and the Diplomatic Enclave has been handed over to Rangers.

The sources said security personnel had been asked to guard the Red Zone as it houses sensitive installations, including the Supreme Court.

The decision to take stringent security measures was made after a number of meetings held to thrash out a strategy to deal with any unforeseen situation after the verdict.

According to the sources, when some senior police officers met officials of the apex court, the law enforcers were asked to adopt security measures for the Supreme Court and other key points.

About 300 police personnel, along with paramilitary units, are guarding the SC building, adjacent to Parliament House on Constitution Avenue.

On Oct 13 this year, the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan, a religio-political party headed by Khadim Hussain Rizvi, threatened to “paralyse the country within hours if the Supreme Court sets Asia Bibi free”.

Allegations against Asia Bibi

Asia Bibi was convicted for blasphemy under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code for allegedly defaming Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). The offence carries the mandatory death penalty under Pakistani law.

The allegations against Bibi are that she made three “defamatory and sarcastic” statements about the Holy Prophet on June 14, 2009 during an argument with three Muslim women while the four of them were picking fruit in a field in Sheikhupura.

She was asked to fetch water, but the Muslim women objected, saying that as a non-Muslim she was unfit to touch the water bowl.

The women later went to a local cleric and accused Bibi of blasphemy against the Holy Prophet, a charge punishable by death under legislation that rights groups say is routinely abused to settle personal vendettas.

Arguments on appeal

During the hearing of Bibi's appeal on Oct 8, the prosecution side, represented by Additional Prosecutor for Punjab Chaudhry Zubair, and Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry from the complainant side had supported each other by arguing that the accused had not denied committing blasphemy or presence of the accused as well as the witnesses at the place of occurrence. Besides, they said, the allegation of a quarrel before the incident in which Bibi was first insulted for being a Christian had also not been proved.

Advocate Saiful Malook, appearing on behalf of Bibi, had argued that the prosecution’s case was replete with infirmities and subsequent improvements and, therefore, the benefit of the doubt should be given to the accused and the entire investigation be declared illegal and unwarranted.

Meanwhile, Chief Justice Nisar had observed that committing blasphemy was the most appalling and spiteful offence, and not only “our laws but the fundamentals of our religion also place strict standards of proof to prove the crime”.

Case history

The prosecution had claimed that Bibi “admitted” making the blasphemous statements at a “public gathering” on June 19, 2009 "while asking for forgiveness".

A trial court convicted Bibi for blasphemy in November 2010 and sentenced her to death. The Lahore High Court (LHC) had upheld her conviction and confirmed her death sentence in October 2014.

She had then challenged the LHC verdict in the Supreme Court, which stayed her execution in July 2015 and admitted her appeal for hearing.

The top court had first taken up the appeal in October 2016, but had to adjourn the matter without hearing after one of the judges recused himself from the SC bench. Two years later, the appeal was heard earlier this month and the CJP Nisar-led bench reserved its verdict.

Bibi's supporters maintain her innocence and insist it was a personal dispute, and the Vatican has called for her release.

In 2011, former Punjab governor Salman Taseer, who spoke out in support of Bibi, was gunned down in broad daylight in Islamabad. His assassin Mumtaz Qadri was executed in 2016 after the court found him guilty of murder.

If the SC bench upholds Bibi's conviction, her only recourse will be a direct appeal to the president for clemency.

If that fails, she could become the first person in Pakistan to be executed for blasphemy.

Additional reporting by Nasir Iqbal.

PESHAWAR: Wildlife department officials on Tuesday seized nine falcons at Bacha Khan International Airport. The department described the transportation of such costly hunting birds as illegal under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Act, 2015.

According to a statement, the falcons were owned by a Qatari prince who was about to reach Pakistan soon and thus he had dispatched the birds before his arrival for the purpose of hunting.

It was stated that approximate price of the falcons was about Rs20 million.

The falcons were shifted from Qatar to Peshawar through a resident of Kohat, who was arrested. However, the accused was released on payment of Rs300,000 as fine.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2018

GUJAR KHAN: A retired judge of the Lahore High Court (LHC) was shot dead and his niece injured on Tuesday on the Mandra-Chakwal Road in the jurisdiction of the Jatli police station.

Chaudhry Mahmood Akhtar, 70, a former LHC judge who was practicing as a lawyer in Rawalpindi, was returning from his native village when his car was intercepted by an unknown armed man near the Turkwal Village. The man opened fi re, killing the former judge on the spot.

His wife and niece, Sajida, who were accompanying him in the car, started throwing stones at the attacker, who shot his niece in the shoulder before fl eeing. Sajida was rushed to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Gujar Khan from where she was referred to the Combined Military Hospital in Rawalpindi. She is said to be in stable condition.

The Jatli police have registered a case and started investigations. The family is awaiting the post-mortem report. A police offi cial and some close friends of Chaudhry Mehmood Akhtar told Dawn the former judge may have been killed due to an old enmity.

Members of the Chakwal Bar Council came to the hospital when they heard of the incident. The former judge will be buried on Wednesday in his native village of Turkwal.

The Pakistan Bar Council has condemned the killing of Chaudhry Mehmood Akhtar and has urged the government to arrest his killers at the earliest.

Separately, 19-year-old Isma Pervez and her fiancé, Mohammad Bilal, both residents of Gujar Khan, were found dead on the roadside in Sandal, Gujar Khan.

The police have registered a murder case and started investigations.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2018

RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has sought details of funds spent on development projects launched in Rawalpindi by the PML-N government from 2008 to 2018.

A senior offi cial of the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) told Dawn that the civic agency had been asked to furnish the details of the expenditures incurred on the projects during the 10 years of the PML-N government in the province.

He said the civic body had files of all the projects but there was no computer record.

The official said the RDA was collecting the records and would send the photocopies to the government.

On the other hand, the government is yet to decide how to audit the development funds - whether through the accountant general of Punjab or by hiring a private firm.

A senior official of the district administration said every year the accountant general conducted an audit of all the departments and it had the reports but the PTI-led government wanted to check if there had been embezzlement in the metro bus project.

PTI-led govt wants to check if there was embezzlement in metro bus project, official says

He said if a private fi rm was hired to audit the records of 10 years the government would have to pay a hefty amount as a fee to the company.

He said it would be a futile exercise as many cases were already pending with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the previous government had adopted all the formalities in the development projects and executed them as per rules of the Punjab Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA).

Apparently, the new audit would be a political stunt, he remarked.

When contacted, PML-N leader and former MNA Malik Shakil Awan told Dawn that the government would find nothing wrong against the PML-N as all the funds were spent on public welfare schemes.

He said the PML-N government completed all the projects in the stipulated time and saved millions from these schemes.

An audit of funds has also been conducted in the past and the PTI failed to find anything against the PML-N.

“The inefficient PTI government failed to deliver in three months since it came to power and is using such tactics to divert people’s attention from its poor performance.

“The PTI government has made the lives of the citizens miserable by increasing tariffs of gas and electricity,” he said.

When contacted, RDA Chairman Arif Abbasi confirmed that the government had sought the details of all development projects launched during the last 10 years in the city areas to check if proper formalities had been adopted in the contract procedures or not.

He said the PTI government wanted to streamline things and would recover any embezzled funds.

He said he had asked the RDA to provide the records to the government to start an audit.

In reply to a question, Mr Abbasi said a third-party evaluation would be conducted on LehNullah Expressway and the metro bus projects.

However, he said, it was yet to be decided whether a private firm would be hired or the accountant general would carry out the job.

There were reports about embezzlement of funds as the PML-N claimed that it spent billions of rupees during the last five years but the condition of the city is still the same as it was 10 years ago, he said.

Mr Abbasi said he also had asked the RDA to start action against illegal housing societies and check if those given approval by the civic body had fulfilled the criteria or not.

He said many housing societies had also sold plots allocated for parks, schools, colleges and mosques.

Under the law, all facilities should be available in new housing societies otherwise the no-objection certifi cates (NOCs) would not be issued to them.

“We have planned to upload all the details about the legal, illegal and under process housing societies within the limits of the RDA on our website for the information of the citizens.”

The RDA chairman said he had also directed the RDA to upload the plot allotment forms of housing societies on the RDA website so the owners would not sell extra forms.

“If a housing society has 400 plots it would be allowed to sell only 400 forms verified by the RDA,” he added.

He said he had asked the RDA to expedite the work on issuing NOCs to housing societies which had applied and implement the new rules.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2018

ISLAMABAD: The family that was arrested for trespassing on Minister for Science and Technology Azam Khan Swati’s farmhouse was released on Tuesday after a day’s detention in Adiala jail.

Police sources confirmed the release of Niaz Mohammad, his wife, two sons and a daughter.

They further added that the release came about after a settlement was reached between the minister and the detained family.

Both parties submitted their statements on the settlement in the court of the concerned magistrate. Following the agreement, the family was set free.

Earlier in the day, notables of the Bajaur Agency had given the government three days to sack Minister for Science and Technology Mohammad Azam Khan Swati for beating, registering a case against and arresting five of a family for trespassing into his land.

Addressing a news conference, former MNA Sahibzada Haroon Rasheed demanded that Prime Minister Imran Khan take action against the federal minister.

“We have [the support of] hundreds of thousands of people, including residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, who we will ask to conduct a sit-in outside the minister’s house,” he said.

He said the sit-in will be staged outside the minister’s farmhouse and that notable and elders of the Bajaur Agency will hold a jirga on Wednesday to devise a strategy.

Mr Rasheed said that a slum dweller, Niaz Mohammad, his wife, 18-year-old daughter and two sons were arrested and put behind bars when their buffalo entered the minister’s land.

Niaz Mohammad is a labourer who works in a shop in Aabpara and is paid Rs12,000 per month, the former MNA said, adding that the minister’s servants beat the family up and confiscated their animal.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2018

The Supreme Court on Wednesday acquitted Asia Bibi, a Christian woman condemned to death on blasphemy charges after accepting her 2015 appeal against her sentence.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel had reserved its ruling on Asia Bibi's final legal appeal against execution (Asia Bibi v. The State, etc) on October 8.

The appeal challenged the Lahore High Court’s October 2014 verdict upholding a trial court’s November 2010 decision sentencing Bibi to death for committing blasphemy in 2009.

See: What you need to know about Asia Bibi's trial

"The judgement of the high court and that of the trial court is reversed," said the CJP in court, adding that she is to be set free if she is not wanted in any other case.

"Her conviction is set aside and she is to be relieved forthwith if not required in other charges," he added.

The 56-page detailed judgement has been authored by CJP Nisar, with a separate concurrent opinion note from Justice Khosa.

"It is a well settled principle of law that one who makes an assertion has to prove it. Thus, the onus rests on the prosecution to prove guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt throughout the trial," noted the top judge in the order. "Presumption of innocence remains throughout the case until such time the prosecution on the evidence satisfies the court beyond reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty of the offence alleged against him.

"[...] The expression 'proof beyond reasonable doubt' is of fundamental importance to the criminal justice: it is one of the principles which seeks to ensure that no innocent person is convicted.

"Keeping in mind the evidence produced by the prosecution against the alleged blasphemy committed by the appellant, the prosecution has categorically failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt," concluded the chief justice.

High security

The decision to take stringent security measures in the capital was made after a number of meetings held to thrash out a strategy to deal with any unforeseen situation after the verdict.

On Oct 13 this year, the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan, a religio-political party headed by Khadim Hussain Rizvi, threatened to “paralyse the country within hours if the Supreme Court sets Asia Bibi free”.

Islamabad was put on high alert on Tuesday night. Extra contingents of police and law enforcement agencies have been deployed in the capital.

About 300 police personnel, along with paramilitary units, are guarding the SC building, adjacent to Parliament House on Constitution Avenue.

Sources in the administration told Dawn that Rangers and Frontier Constabulary had been called as part of measures to step up security in Islamabad. Security of the Judges Enclave and the Diplomatic Enclave has been handed over to Rangers.

The sources said security personnel had been asked to guard the Red Zone as it houses sensitive installations, including the Supreme Court.

According to the sources, when some senior police officers met officials of the apex court, the law enforcers were asked to adopt security measures for the Supreme Court and other key points.

Allegations against Asia Bibi

Asia Bibi was convicted for blasphemy under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code for allegedly defaming Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). The offence carries the mandatory death penalty under Pakistani law.

The allegations against Bibi were that she made three “defamatory and sarcastic” statements about the Holy Prophet on June 14, 2009 during an argument with three Muslim women while the four of them were picking fruit in a field in Sheikhupura.

She was asked to fetch water, but the Muslim women objected, saying that as a non-Muslim she was unfit to touch the water bowl.

The women later went to a local cleric and accused Bibi of blasphemy against the Holy Prophet, a charge punishable by death under legislation that rights groups say is routinely abused to settle personal vendettas.

Arguments on appeal

During the hearing of Bibi's appeal on Oct 8, the prosecution side, represented by Additional Prosecutor for Punjab Chaudhry Zubair, and Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry from the complainant side had supported each other by arguing that the accused had not denied committing blasphemy or presence of the accused as well as the witnesses at the place of occurrence. Besides, they said, the allegation of a quarrel before the incident in which Bibi was first insulted for being a Christian had also not been proved.

Advocate Saiful Malook, appearing on behalf of Bibi, had argued that the prosecution’s case was replete with infirmities and subsequent improvements and, therefore, the benefit of the doubt should be given to the accused and the entire investigation be declared illegal and unwarranted.

Meanwhile, CJP Nisar had observed that committing blasphemy was the most appalling and spiteful offence, and not only “our laws but the fundamentals of our religion also place strict standards of proof to prove the crime”.

Case history

The prosecution had claimed that Bibi “admitted” making the blasphemous statements at a “public gathering” on June 19, 2009 "while asking for forgiveness".

A trial court convicted Bibi for blasphemy in November 2010 and sentenced her to death. The Lahore High Court (LHC) had upheld her conviction and confirmed her death sentence in October 2014.

She had then challenged the LHC verdict in the Supreme Court, which stayed her execution in July 2015 and admitted her appeal for hearing.

The top court had first taken up the appeal in October 2016, but had to adjourn the matter without hearing after one of the judges recused himself from the SC bench. Two years later, the appeal was heard earlier this month and the CJP Nisar-led bench reserved its verdict.

Bibi's supporters maintain her innocence and insist it was a personal dispute, and the Vatican has called for her release.

In 2011, former Punjab governor Salman Taseer, who spoke out in support of Bibi, was gunned down in broad daylight in Islamabad. His assassin Mumtaz Qadri was executed in 2016 after the court found him guilty of murder.

Additional reporting by Nasir Iqbal.

LANDI KOTAL: The enraged tribesmen besieged the offices of local administration in Jamrud and blocked Peshawar-Torkham Highway for over three hours to register their protest against the visit of police officials to Khyber tribal district on Tuesday. DSP Hayatabad circle Rahim Hussain Khan had to take refuge in the offices of local administration in Jamrud when the angry protesters forced their entry into the premises and started kicking and knocking at the doors of office of local tehsildar.

A heavy contingent of Khasadar and Levies escorted DSP Rahim Hussain Khan to his official vehicle amid vociferous sloganeering by the protesting tribesmen. Some of them also resorted to pelting the vehicle of police official with stones while he drove out of the official premises and Khasadar and Levies personnel helplessly tried to prevent them. Assistant Commissioner Salim Marwat also tried to pacify the angry protesters and sought the help of some proadministration elders to bring the situation under control.

The protesters then converged at the historic Bab-i- Khyber and blocked the main highway while chanting slogans against the government plan of extending police law to the tribal districts.

A similar protest was also held in Takia locality of Landi Kotal where another group of angry tribesmen blocked the road by placing large stones on it. The protest was organised against the visit of a SSP Kashif Khan to Landi Kotal.

Local officials said that Peshawar police officials were visiting the region to discuss possibilities of extension of Police Act and to identify locations for police stations in both Jamrud and Landi Kotal. Malak Abdur Razak, an elder of Zakhakhel tribe, told Dawn that they would not allow establishment of police posts and deployment of police in tribal districts till the government provided all the basic facilities of life at the pattern of major cities of the country to the dwellers of militancy-affected tribal regions.

Meanwhile, scores of labourers and porters again held a protest at Torkham against the attitude of National Logistic staff with them at the border crossing.

The protesters ransacked the offices of NLC and chanted slogans against its staff. They damaged the close circuit cameras and air conditioners installed at the NLC offices besides uprooting the sign boards. Sensing danger, the NLC staff had to take refuge in other nearby government buildings.

The protesters said that the border security officials and immigration staff had only on Monday exempted them from acquiring visa for their cross-border movement but the NLC staff again denied them going to Afghanistan and coming back to Pakistan without visa and passport.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2018

ISLAMABAD: Though Pakistan has shown improvement in the health sector the last 18 years, it needs to do a lot more as the country is far behind in the region and across the globe, a World Health Organisation (WHO) report launched on Tuesday says.

The report titled Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3: Localisation in Pakistan, which was compiled in collaboration with the National Health Services (NHS), says the maternal mortality rate in the country was 290 per 100,000 live births in the year 2000 which has dropped to 160.

However, the SDGs require it to be reduced to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030.

Skilled birth attendance was 23pc in 2000 and is currently at 69pc but the SDGs require them to be over 95pc by 2030. The under-five mortality rate was 112 per 1,000 live births in the year 2000 and is currently at 75 but has to be reduced to less than 25.

Incidents of tuberculosis were 275 per 100,000 people in 2000 and are currently at 269 but have to be reduced to 54 by 2030.

The probability of dying from cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease between the ages of 30 and 70 was 24.8pc in 2000 and is currently at 24.7pc but has to be reduced to 17pc by 2030.

The country has made sub-optimal progress towards achieving MDGs, SDGs, parliamentary secretary says

Parliamentary Secretary of NHS MNA Dr Nausheen Hamid said Pakistan had made a sub-optimal progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)and now the SDGs.

She said the NHS ministry considered the SDGs the national goals of Pakistan and was committed to achieving SDG-3 through its localisation and integration with the country’s health strategies and plans at the national and provincial levels.

The first step towards attaining SDG-3 in Pakistan starts with understanding the ground realities today, she said.

“The health indicators are not up to the desired level and we all need to work very hard to achieve SDG-3 through the universal health coverage. The ministry has completed the process of localisation of health related SDG indicators in consultation with all relevant stakeholders and partners both at the national and provincial levels,” she said.

“The ministry seeks close cooperation with line ministries to monitor progress in SDG-3 indicator. We especially request the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics to work in collaboration with the ministry on data sharing and analysis,” Dr Hamid said.

NHS Director General Dr Asad Hafeez said that by adhering to the SDG Agenda 2030, the country aimed to bring about transformational change in 17 domains covering multiple sectors to improve the lives of the citizens of Pakistan and contribute towards the betterment of all humanity.

He said SDG-3 is aimed and ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well being of all at all ages and that it is the pivot that will drive the SDG agenda in Pakistan due to its centrality to human development.

Dr Hafeez said it is a notable achievement for Pakistan that it is one of the first countries to complete the localization process which is a fundamental first step towards achieving SDGs by 2030.

Head of WHO Pakistan Dr Ni’ma Abid Saeed appreciated the political commitment of the government.

“WHO defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity,” he said.

He added that monitoring health trends and strengthening health information systems are among the core functions of WHO and for which the organisation is committed to work closely with the Pakistani government.

WHO is committed to support all stakeholders for SDG-3 implementation and forth coming voluntary national review, he said.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2018

SHEIKHUPURA: A man was allegedly shot dead by his fourth wife over maltreatment and abuse here on Tuesday in Khan Colony.

Reports said Malik Asghar used to torture his wife Absam Bibi over minor issues. The woman after being fed up with her husband’s behaviour shot him dead with his pistol. The suspect was the fourth wife of the deceased.

Housing Colony police claim to have arrested the woman and recovered the weapon. Further investigation is under way.

VISIT: Punjab Human Rights Minister Alam Ijaz on Tuesday visited Nankana Sahib and went to Sikh girl’s house.

He met her father Mahinder Singh and assured him that justice would be done.

The girl was raped by two Rescue 1122 personnel a few days back.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2018

The Supreme Court on Wednesday acquitted Asia Bibi, a Christian woman condemned to death on blasphemy charges, after accepting her appeal against her sentence.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel had reserved its ruling on Asia Bibi's final legal appeal against execution (Asia Bibi v. The State, etc) on October 8.

Follow Dawn.com's live updates on the protests against the verdict here.

The appeal, accepted by SC in 2015, challenged the Lahore High Court’s October 2014 verdict upholding a trial court’s November 2010 decision sentencing Bibi to death for committing blasphemy in 2009.

"The appeal is allowed. She has been acquitted. The judgement of high court as well as trial court is reversed. Her conviction is set aside," said Justice Nisar in the ruling.

"Her conviction is set aside and she is to be relieved forthwith if not required in other charges," he added.

The 56-page detailed judgement has been authored by CJP Nisar, with a separate concurrent opinion note from Justice Khosa.

"Tolerance is the basic principle of Islam," the top judge read out, noting that the religion condemns injustice and oppression.

"It is a well settled principle of law that one who makes an assertion has to prove it. Thus, the onus rests on the prosecution to prove guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt throughout the trial," noted the top judge in the order. "Presumption of innocence remains throughout the case until such time the prosecution on the evidence satisfies the court beyond reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty of the offence alleged against him.

"[...] The expression 'proof beyond reasonable doubt' is of fundamental importance to the criminal justice: it is one of the principles which seeks to ensure that no innocent person is convicted.

"Keeping in mind the evidence produced by the prosecution against the alleged blasphemy committed by the appellant, the prosecution has categorically failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt," concluded the chief justice.

See: What you need to know about Asia Bibi's trial

The court also noted that "it is not for the individuals, or a gathering (mob), to decide as to whether any act falling within the purview of Section 295-C has been committed or not, because as stated earlier, it is the mandate of the court to make such decision after conducting a fully qualified trial and on the basis of credible evidence brought before it".

The CJP ended the judgement with a hadith of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) on the rights of minorities.

Justice Khosa, in his note, said: "Blasphemy is a serious offence but the insult of the appellant’s religion and religious sensibilities by the complainant party and then mixing truth with falsehood in the name of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) was also not short of being blasphemous."

Chaudhry Ghulam Mustafa, a lawyer for one of the plaintiffs, rejected the verdict, saying Bibi had confessed to making derogatory remarks against the prophet to seek pardon.

Bibi's lawyer Saiful Mulook told AFP: "The verdict has shown that the poor, the minorities and the lowest segments of society can get justice in this country despite its shortcomings. This is the biggest and happiest day of my life.

Bibi appeared to be in state of disbelief after hearing the decision from her lawyer.

"I can't believe what I am hearing, will I go out now? Will they let me out, really?" Bibi told AFP by phone from prison after the ruling. "I just don't know what to say, I am very happy, I can't believe it."

Bibi's husband also hailed the verdict. "I am very happy. My children are very happy. We are grateful to God. We are grateful to the judges for giving us justice. We knew that she is innocent," said Ashiq Masih.

"My wife spent so many years in jail and we hope that we will soon be together in a peaceful place," he added.

Shortly after the ruling, hundreds blocked a key road linking Rawalpindi with Islamabad. People are also gathering for protests in Karachi and Peshawar. Similar rallies are being held elsewhere as police urge demonstrators to disperse peacefully.

Amnesty International's Deputy South Asia Director Omar Waraich described the SC decision as a "landmark verdict".

"For the past eight years, Asia Bibi's life languished in limbo. The message must go out that the blasphemy laws will no longer be used to persecute the country's most vulnerable minorities."

High security

The decision to take stringent security measures in the capital was made after a number of meetings held to thrash out a strategy to deal with any unforeseen situation after the verdict.

On Oct 13 this year, the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan, a religio-political party headed by Khadim Hussain Rizvi, threatened to “paralyse the country within hours if the Supreme Court sets Asia Bibi free”.

Islamabad was put on high alert on Tuesday night. Extra contingents of police and law enforcement agencies have been deployed in the capital.

Paramilitary troops have been deployed in the capital to prevent protesters from reaching the Supreme Court, where security for the judges was beefed up.

About 300 police personnel, along with paramilitary units, are guarding the SC building, adjacent to Parliament House on Constitution Avenue.

Sources in the administration told Dawn that Rangers and Frontier Constabulary had been called as part of measures to step up security in Islamabad. Security of the Judges Enclave and the Diplomatic Enclave has been handed over to Rangers.

The sources said security personnel had been asked to guard the Red Zone as it houses sensitive installations, including the Supreme Court.

According to the sources, when some senior police officers met officials of the apex court, the law enforcers were asked to adopt security measures for the Supreme Court and other key points.

Allegations against Asia Bibi

Asia Bibi was convicted for blasphemy under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code for allegedly defaming Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). The offence carries the mandatory death penalty under Pakistani law.

The allegations against Bibi were that she made three “defamatory and sarcastic” statements about the Holy Prophet on June 14, 2009 during an argument with three Muslim women while the four of them were picking fruit in a field in Sheikhupura.

She was asked to fetch water, but the Muslim women objected, saying that as a non-Muslim she was unfit to touch the water bowl.

The women later went to a local cleric and accused Bibi of blasphemy against the Holy Prophet, a charge punishable by death under legislation that rights groups say is routinely abused to settle personal vendettas.

Arguments on appeal

During the hearing of Bibi's appeal on Oct 8, the prosecution side, represented by Additional Prosecutor for Punjab Chaudhry Zubair, and Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry from the complainant side had supported each other by arguing that the accused had not denied committing blasphemy or presence of the accused as well as the witnesses at the place of occurrence. Besides, they said, the allegation of a quarrel before the incident in which Bibi was first insulted for being a Christian had also not been proved.

Advocate Saiful Malook, appearing on behalf of Bibi, had argued that the prosecution’s case was replete with infirmities and subsequent improvements and, therefore, the benefit of the doubt should be given to the accused and the entire investigation be declared illegal and unwarranted.

Meanwhile, CJP Nisar had observed that committing blasphemy was the most appalling and spiteful offence, and not only “our laws but the fundamentals of our religion also place strict standards of proof to prove the crime”.

Case history

The prosecution had claimed that Bibi “admitted” making the blasphemous statements at a “public gathering” on June 19, 2009 "while asking for forgiveness".

A trial court convicted Bibi for blasphemy in November 2010 and sentenced her to death. The Lahore High Court (LHC) had upheld her conviction and confirmed her death sentence in October 2014.

She had then challenged the LHC verdict in the Supreme Court, which stayed her execution in July 2015 and admitted her appeal for hearing.

The top court had first taken up the appeal in October 2016, but had to adjourn the matter without hearing after one of the judges recused himself from the SC bench. Two years later, the appeal was heard earlier this month and the CJP Nisar-led bench reserved its verdict.

Bibi's supporters maintain her innocence and insist it was a personal dispute, and the Vatican has called for her release.

In 2011, former Punjab governor Salman Taseer, who spoke out in support of Bibi, was gunned down in broad daylight in Islamabad. His assassin Mumtaz Qadri was executed in 2016 after the court found him guilty of murder.

Detailed judgement on Asia Bibi's appeal

Supreme Court detailed judgement on Asia Bibi's appeal by Dawndotcom on Scribd

Additional reporting by Nasir Iqbal.

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday urged all the national institutions to stand with the Supreme Court of Pakistan on its decision to acquit Asia Bibi.

"The Supreme Court is our national institution. All other institutions, including the National Assembly, should stand with the Supreme Court," he said in a statement. "We cannot run the country from the streets. We can [only] run this country according to the Constitution and law."

Bilawal is the first party head to come out in support of the SC's verdict. Earlier, party members Sherry Rehman and Farhatullah Babar also lauded the judgement.

The top court in the morning acquitted Asia Bibi, a Christian woman condemned to death on blasphemy charges. Soon after, protests erupted across multiple cities on the call of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan, a religio-political party headed by Khadim Hussain Rizvi.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Jamaat-i-Islami's (JI) Islamabad chapter also issued a call for protest against the verdict.

Meanwhile, Section 144 was imposed across Punjab and Sindh to maintain the law and order situation.

Follow live updates on the protests against the verdict here.

Prime Minister Imran Khan will address the nation "shortly", Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry announced on Twitter at around 6pm.

The information minister did not state what the prime minister is likely to talk about in his address.

The premier has communicated with the people through televised addresses several times since his election to the top office. In his speeches, Khan has shed light on various issues of national importance.

His last address to the nation was on Wednesday last week, when Khan reassured the public regarding the steps taken by his government to tackle the economic hardships faced by the country.

The prime minister, whose address came soon after he returned from a visit to Saudi Arabia, had described the $6 billion bailout package by the Kingdom as a big relief for Pakistan and vowed to mediate between Saudi Arabia and Yemen to end their ongoing conflict.

Khan had said he also expected Saudi Arabia-like monetary assistance from two other friendly countries after which the government might not need to seek as big a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as had been planned earlier.

A sessions court in Quetta on Wednesday sentenced a police constable to death on charges of sexual abuse of children.

The convict, Tayyab Raza Kazmi, was arrested by police for sexually abusing three children in Police Lines area of Quetta. Cases were registered against him in 2015, police said.

According to the judgement announced by Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Ali Mubeen, Kazmi has been handed death sentence on two counts.

The convict, who is a police constable, was taken into custody on complaints of the victims' parents.

The trial had lasted for almost three years. The suspect was convicted by the court after evidence proved his abuse of children.

Following the court verdict, police shifted the convict to District Jail Quetta.

Prime Minister Imran Khan will address the nation at 7:45pm today, Special Assistant to PM on Media Iftikhar Durrani announced on Twitter.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had tweeted around 6pm that Khan would address the nation "shortly".

The information minister did not state what the prime minister is likely to talk about in his address.

State-run PTV also said it would broadcast an "important message" from the prime minister at 7:45pm.

Khan's anticipated address comes a day before he is scheduled to leave for China for on an official visit. According to the Foreign Office, the prime minister will depart for China at midnight on November 1.

The premier has communicated with the people through televised addresses several times since his election to the top office. In his speeches, Khan has shed light on various issues of national importance.

His last address to the nation was on Wednesday last week, when Khan reassured the public regarding the steps taken by his government to tackle the economic hardships faced by the country.

The prime minister, whose address came soon after he returned from a visit to Saudi Arabia, had described the $6 billion bailout package by the Kingdom as a big relief for Pakistan and vowed to mediate between Saudi Arabia and Yemen to end their ongoing conflict.

Khan had said he also expected Saudi Arabia-like monetary assistance from two other friendly countries after which the government might not need to seek as big a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as had been planned earlier.

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday issued a stark warning to religiopolitical groups that have been agitating against the Supreme Court verdict to acquit Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death on charges of committing blasphemy.

The premier addressed the matter in a short video message that solely focused on the Asia Bibi verdict and its aftermath. The message was broadcast on state-run PTV.

He said he had been "compelled" to communicate with the nation due to the reaction given and language used by a "small segment" in response to the SC verdict.

He sharply criticised the protests that broke out, and are still underway, across the country in response to the judgement, saying people's livelihood was being harmed through the roadblocks and demonstrations.

Live blog: Protests erupt against Asia Bibi's acquittal in different cities

"The kind of language used today... and the narrative that there should be opposition against the judiciary... It is my belief that the principles on which Pakistan was founded, if they are not adhered to Pakistan has no future."

"Our faith is incomplete if we don't love our Prophet [PBUH]," he said.

"Which government can function when people say that kill the judges, do away with the army?

"We are already facing such tough economic hurdles. We have yet to take a day off... we are struggling continuously to uplift the people [and] to improve the conditions of the underprivileged."

Referring to the protesters who have disrupted routine life across the country, he said: "If the Supreme Court does not issue a verdict according to their wishes, will they come out on the roads?

"The people are to bear the brunt of this. The labours who are reliant on daily wages... how will they survive?"

He urged the nation not to allow themselves to be "provoked" by the agitators.

"This is not a service being done for Islam. This is enmity taking place against the country," Khan observed.

In a stern warning to the extremist elements, the prime minister said: "I appeal to these elements... do not clash with the state.

"I appeal to you, don't harm this country in order to [increase your] vote bank.

"If you continue doing this... let me make it clear to you... the state will fulfil its duty [and] protect people's properties and lives.

"We will not allow any vandalism [or] blockage of traffic.

"I appeal to you... do not take the state to a point where it has no option but to take action," he concluded.

Prime Minister Khan's address comes as supporters of various religiopolitical groups burnt tires and blocked roads across various parts of the country in reaction to the SC verdict.

One of the most vocal groups — the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) — called for “mutiny” against the army's top brass and the assassination of the top court's justices.

Severe traffic jams ensued, causing great diffculty to commuters who reported being stuck on the roads for multiple hours.

The Punjab home department as well as the Sindh and Balochistan governments imposed Section 144 across the respective provinces citing "threats to the law and order situation, sectarian harmony and public peace". Paramilitary troops were deployed in Islamabad to prevent protesters from reaching the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl has announced that it will hold countrywide protests on Friday in opposition to the SC ruling.

Address timing

Special Assistant to PM on Media Iftikhar Durrani had earlier announced on Twitter that Khan would address the nation at 7:45pm today.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had tweeted around 6pm that Khan would address the nation "shortly".

The information minister did not state what the prime minister is likely to talk about in his address.

Khan's anticipated address comes a day before he is scheduled to leave for China on an official visit. According to the Foreign Office, the prime minister will depart for China at midnight on November 1.

The premier has communicated with the people through televised addresses several times since his election to the top office. In his speeches, Khan has shed light on various issues of national importance.

His last address to the nation was on Wednesday last week, when Khan reassured the public regarding the steps taken by his government to tackle the economic hardships faced by the country.

Amanullah Kanrani was elected to the highly coveted post of president, Supreme Court Bar Association (SBCA) on Wednesday after a tough contest between the Independent Group (Asma Jahangir’s panel) led by Ali Ahmed Kurd, and the Professional Group (Hamid Khan’s panel) led by Kanrani.

Both Kurd and Kanrani were running for the SCBA presidency for a second time. The former had won the election and served as SCBA president in 2008 whereas the latter lost the election against Kamran Murtaza in 2013.

In Lahore, the vice president's election resulted in victory for Karamat Ali Malir, who secured 466 votes against his opponent, Tayyab Nasir Mohammad, who garnered 331 votes.

Azmatullah Chaudhry of the Asma Jahangir group was elected to the post of SCBA general secretary for Lahore after securing 438 votes, as opposed to the Hamid Khan panel hopeful Shamimur Rehman, who obtained 360 votes.

After the results were announced, Kurd walked over to Kanrani's camp to congratulate him on his victory.

"I thank all those who voted for me and showed me tremendous support," said Kanrani in jubilation. "I thank God for granting me victory and vow to work tirelessly for the betterment of the entire lawyers' community."

Kanrani also promised efforts on his part to resolve hurdles that lawyers are facing regarding the allotment of plots.

He also thanked the media for providing "excellent coverage" during the elections and promised to work for the freedom of the media and judiciary.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) on Wednesday summoned Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry for his "irresponsible" and "double meaning remarks" about the recent transfer of Islamabad's inspector general of police (IGP).

While hearing a case pertaining to IGP Jan Mohammad's transfer, CJP Mian Saqib Nisar criticised Fawad and said the minister should appear before court and offer a "clarification of his statement".

Yesterday, Fawad had declared that the prime minister — the chief executive of the country — had full authority to suspend any police officers who were insubordinate.

The information minister had questioned the point of electing a prime minister if he couldn't even remove an officer over "legitimate complaints". He had added that the government would present its arguments to the Supreme Court and follow the latter's verdict.

However, the chief justice took exception to the information minister's strident tone.

"Fawad Chaudhry gave an irresponsible statement," CJP Mian Saqib Nisar remarked today.

CJP Nisar remarked that Fawad had "talked about the judiciary behind the scenes" and added that he will "look into [the matter]".

CJP Nisar also responded to the information minister's statement — that the prime minister had "executive powers and he will use them" — saying that the government was bound to exercise its powers "responsibly".

"He [Fawad] said that the IGP is bound to receive [phone] calls [from ministers]. Tomorrow, he will say that the chief justice is also bound to receive phone calls," Justice Nisar remarked.

"How can a minister say that an IGP is bound [to entertain ministers]?"

He further said that "those who say that the Supreme Court has no authority should appear before the court".

"The Supreme Court has removed a prime minister because of the powers granted to it under the Constitution."

Advocate Faisal Chaudhry, who is also the brother of the information minister, apologised to the court on Fawad's behalf. However, the CJP turned the apology down and asked Faisal to call his brother to court and clarify his statements.

Further, Minister for Science and Technology Azam Swati — who allegedly influenced the transfer of IGP Mohammad — was also summoned to court.

Proceeding to address the matter of IGP Mohammad's transfer, Justice Nisar inquired into the circumstances in which the IGP was transferred.

The attorney general (AG), who was present in court today, said that the process to remove the Islamabad IG was initiated on Sept 1.

"I will not hide anything from the court, I will present the truth," the AG declared. He added that the transfer took place "after consideration", and that he had submitted pictures and video clips of meetings that took place between the IGP and state minister for Interior (ahead of the decision) for the court's consideration.

The secretaries of the interior ministry and the establishment division were also present in court.

Justice Nisar also ordered that clips of Chaudhry and Swati's statements be submitted to the court.

After a brief recess, the information minister appeared before the bench. Addressing him, the chief justice said he had not expected the statement made by Chaudhry, and admonished him for "taunting the court".

Fawad responded saying he had not said "any such thing", adding that he had brought a newspaper (quoting his remarks) with him to court, presumably to demonstrate his innocence.

However, the Chief Justice of Pakistan told the information minister that he himself had heard the latter speak on television.

"You said that 'If the bureaucracy is to rule, what is the need for elections?'," the top judge remarked, reminding the minister it wasn't the bureaucracy, but Chaudhry's government that was doing the ruling.

The information minister responded saying that he agreed fully with the court, but added that there were some problems between the government and the bureaucracy and the government had the authority to transfer officials.

The CJP agreed, saying the government had full prerogative to make transfers, but this approach — doing it without due process — was wrong.

"The IG was transferred for not picking up the phone of one person," he reminded the minister.

Fawad argued saying Azam Swati was no ordinary person, but a federal minister, but the CJP asked if this (calling a police chief) was the job of a federal minister.

"You have come today to fight the case for this federal minister. What contest can there be between a poor man and a federal minister," the top judge remarked, referring to the circumstances in which the controversy had allegedly arisen — the IGP's refusal to act on Swati's complaint that a peasant's buffaloes had ruined plantations on the latter's land.

He asked why Swati had not come to court himself, to which Fawad responded saying that the CJP had asked him to get some documents, and he may have gone to get those.

"I am doing something good for your government," the top judge remarked wryly, adding: "We want only good people to be included in your cabinet."

The information minister, perhaps wary of the implied warning, responded saying Swati was "a decent man", which elicited a smile from the top judge, who said simply that: "an individual is known for his deeds".

The court subsequently postponed the hearing till Friday.

Swati, who had also been summoned by the chief justice, appeared before court after the hearing concluded. Justice Nisar remarked that the minister was "such an important personality that an entire family was persecuted on his orders".

The CJP ordered Swati to submit the details of property owned by him and his family. He also barred the minister from going to the United States.

Controversial transfer

Last week, IGP Mohammad, a retired lieutenant and a BS-20 officer of the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP), was posted out from the force and his services were surrendered to the Establishment Division. He is currently in Malaysia on ex-Pakistan leave to attend a course, and will return on November 5.

Soon after his transfer, local media reported that Mohammad had been transferred because he did not receive Swati's calls. The news was rubbished by the government's Fake News Buster Twitter account, that quoted the Interior Ministry spokesman who termed the news as "baseless".

The reports did catch the attention of the Supreme Court, that suspended the IGP's 'unlawful transfer'.