A petition seeking damages for the destruction of public property by protests led by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) was filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday.

The protests had broken out across the country after the Supreme Court's verdict on October 30 acquitting Asia Bibi, a Christian woman previously condemned to death on blasphemy charges.

The petition submitted by citizen Abdullah Malik states that the TLP protests have caused considerable damage to government and public property.

It added that the protection of the lives and wealth of the citizen was the first responsibility of the government and added that not doing so had violated citizens' fundamental rights.

The petition asked the court to issue orders to the Punjab government to compensate for all damage caused to citizens.

Separately, a first information report was registered at an Islamabad police station against mob violence at Taramari Chowk in the capital city.

Pakistanis welcomed a tentative return to normalcy on Saturday following an agreement between the far-right political party Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and the government after three days of violent protests that choked various cities and throttled economic activity.

In Islamabad and Karachi, traffic returned to normal after protesters ended sit-ins and road blockages were removed over the night.

Life returned to normalcy in Lahore after the largest group of TLP supporters wrapped up their protests late Friday night. Road blockages that had crippled the city have been removed and traffic has now begun to flow unimpeded. Public schools have also re-opened, though attendance remained thin on the first day.

According to DawnNewsTV, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYRA), a faction of the TLP, is still holding out and has continued its sit-in at Data Darbar.

Protests in Peshawar had ended soon after the deal between the TLP and the government was finalised last night. Road blockages around the city have also been removed.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had headed a rally in Peshawar on Friday, but ended it after his address. He was scheduled to join the TLP camp later but was advised by police not to follow through due to security risks.

In Quetta, though religio-political parties had held rallies, no sit-ins had been reported.

The TLP and other religiopolitical parties had launched countrywide protests on Tuesday after the Supreme Court acquitted Asia Bibi, who had been on death row for the past nine years on blasphemy charges.

Last night, the government and the TLP had signed a deal to conclude the latter's nationwide protest. One of the major concessions the government agreed to was to "initiate the legal process" to place Asia Bibi's name on the exit control list (ECL).

The government had also assured the party that it would not oppose a review petition filed against the Supreme Court's judgement in the Asia Bibi blasphemy case. The state further promised to take appropriate legal action to redress any deaths that may have occurred during the protests against the Asia Bibi verdict and to release all people picked up in connection with the protests starting October 30.

The TLP, in turn, only offered an apology "if it hurt the sentiments or inconvenienced anyone without reason".

With reporting by Imtiaz Ali in Karachi, Sirajuddin in Peshawar, Javed Hussain in Islamabad, Hafeezullah Sherani in Quetta and Nauman Liaquat in Lahore.

A petition seeking damages for the destruction of public property by protests led by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) was filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday.

The protests had broken out across the country after the Supreme Court's verdict on October 30 acquitting Asia Bibi, a Christian woman previously condemned to death on blasphemy charges.

The petition submitted by citizen Abdullah Malik states that the TLP protests have caused considerable damage to government and public property.

It added that the protection of the lives and wealth of the citizen was the first responsibility of the government and added that not doing so had violated citizens' fundamental rights.

The petition asked the court to issue orders to the Punjab government to compensate for all damage caused to citizens.

Separately, two first information reports (FIRs) were registered at an Islamabad police station against mob violence at Taramari Chowk in the capital city.

The FIRs were registered against more than a hundred people, of which 20 are members of religiopolitical parties.

Those named in the FIRs have been accused of injuring police officials and violating Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which was imposed in the capital city.

The personal secretary and guard of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam's slain leader Maulana Samiul Haq were on Saturday questioned for three hours in connection with his murder, DawnNewsTV reported citing police sources.

Maulana Sami, an influential religious scholar and former senator, was assassinated by unknown persons at his residence in Rawalpindi last night.

The aforementioned members of Maulana Sami's staff were interrogated by police today but both were later let go so that they could attend the funeral of their deceased employer.

The duo were released after Maulana Hamidul Haq — Maulana's Sami's son — asked the police to do so. However, the police said they could be taken into custody again for further questioning.

Meanwhile, a first information report (FIR) of Maulana Sami's assassination was registered at the Airport Police Station in Rawalpindi on his son's complaint.

The case was registered against unknown suspects.

According to the FIR, Maulana Hamid said his father's secretary, Ahmed Shah, had informed him over the phone that someone had stabbed his father.

The FIR stated that Maulana Sami was shifted to the Safari Hospital but could not be resuscitated.

Further details in the FIR reveal that Maulana Sami received a total of 12 wounds on his stomach, heart, forehead and ears.

The son said that he did not want to have a post-mortem examination conducted on the body of his father as it was "against Islamic law".

Maulana Sami — the "Father of the Taliban"

Maulana Sami, said to be around 82 years old, was the head of the Darul Uloom Haqqania seminary in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Akora Khattak.

He was a member of the Senate of Pakistan from 1985 to 1991 and again from 1991 to 1997.

He had been aligned with the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf for the July 25, 2018 election.

Prime Minister Imran Khan's party had sought to work closely with him to implement various reforms and mainstream madrassah education.

Maulana Sami was an influential figure among members of the Taliban on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan border.

Last month, a high-level delegation from Afghanistan had called on Sami, known as the "Father of the Taliban", at Darul Uloom Haqqania and urged him to play a role in resolving the Afghan issue.

The delegation had appealed to the JUI-S chief to play the role of a mediator between different groups of Taliban as they considered him [Maulana Sami] their elder. The delegation members assured him that they would accept his decision for reconciliation in Afghanistan.

Maulana Sami had told them that the Afghan issue was very complicated and its resolution was not an easy task for him. However, he had said he wished to see a logical end to the Afghan issue and an end to bloodshed in the country.

A mother of two was killed in Azad Jammu and Kashmir's (AJK) Lawana Khetar village by a gunshot from across the restive Line of Control (LoC), officials said on Saturday.

Twenty-two year old Munazza Bibi died in her home on Friday night, said Chaudhry Zulqarnain Sarfraz, senior superintendent of police (SSP) in Bhimber.

Lawana Khetar is barely a kilometre away from the heavily militarised LoC.

The victim was shot by a sniper from an Indian army post across the LoC when she switched on a torch to search for something in the veranda of her house, the SSP said.

The bullet pierced her head and she died on the spot, he added.

Bibi's casualty has raised the death toll in AJK in the ongoing year to 27 — 19 men and 8 women.

Apart from them, another 146 — 77 men and 69 women — have sustained injuries, according to Saeed Qureshi, a senior official of the AJK State Disaster Management Authority.

Cross-border shelling in the current year has also left at least 29 houses partially damaged and three houses and a shop completely damaged, he said.

Though India and Pakistan are signatories to a November 2003 truce, the LoC and Working Boundary have consistently witnessed ceasefire violations for more than two years now.

In May this year, the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan had agreed to undertake "sincere measures" to improve the existing situation, ensure peace and avoid difficulties for civilians living close to the LoC and the Working Boundary.

They had also agreed to fully implement the ceasefire understanding of 2003 in letter and spirit and ensure that the ceasefire would not be violated by both sides.

However, ceasefire violations and sniper attacks have not stopped despite the agreement.

Of late, apart from exchange of fire with small and big arms, Indian troops have started using snipers in their attacks from across the LoC.

Former Senate chairman Raza Rabbani on Saturday lamented the state's decision to give in to the demands of and enter an agreement with those who had "provoked the nation against the army and judiciary".

After three days of violent protests across Pakistan, the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) on Friday reached an agreement with the federal and Punjab governments under which the latter will initiate the process to put the name of Asia Bibi — who has been acquitted by the Supreme Court of blasphemy charge — on the Exit Control List (ECL) and refrain from objecting to review of the court judgement

The agreement, which came days after Prime Minister Imran Khan had unequivocally warned protesters to "not clash with the state", disappointed Rabbani a great deal.

"It is unfortunate that the state of Pakistan is under the rule of combatants," the senior PPP leader said in a statement. "The Constitution and the law are being moulded according to the wishes of these warlords. Quaid-i-Azam would be rolling over in his grave."

Rabbani felt that the state was unable to perform its job, saying: "The public is being provoked against the judges who ruled as per the law. Those who provoked the army to mutiny are given reassurances. The state failed to take action against those who issued provocations."

The PPP stalwart warned that the fallout of a state that allows its writ to be challenged is "very severe".

"This is very dangerous that the state is not willing to safeguard its own institutions," he said. "In these circumstances, no judge or special court would dare to give a verdict against terrorists. The confidence of the common man gets eroded this way."

China said on Saturday it was willing to offer assistance to Pakistan to help it weather its current fiscal woes but that terms of such aid are still being discussed.

That followed a meeting in Beijing between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Prime Minister Imran Khan, who met the previous day with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Following Li's meeting with Khan, Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou said the two sides had “made it clear in principle that the Chinese government will provide necessary support and assistance to Pakistan in tiding over the current economic difficulties.

“As for the specific measures to be taken, the competent authorities of the two sides will have detailed discussions,” Kong told reporters.

And despite Pakistan's looming balance of payments crisis, Kong said there were no plans to scale back the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), although he did say it would be altered somewhat to “tilt in favour of areas relating to people's lives”.

“There's been no change in the number of CPEC projects. If there were to be any change, it would be an increase going forward,” he said.

Media reports had earlier said China was preparing a $6 billion package of aid, including loans and additional investment for CPEC.

The issue did not come up in opening remarks between Li and Khan. Li said Prime Minister Khan's visit would “further consolidate and develop the firm, enduring ties between our two countries”.

Khan responded by saying that CPEC had evolved from the concept stage to showing tangible results “on the ground” that have “caught the imagination of the people of Pakistan.

“We feel that this is a great opportunity for our country to progress, to attract investment. It gives us an opportunity to raise our standard of living (and) growth rate,” Khan said.

Though China is Pakistan’s closest ally, Khan’s newly elected government has sought to rethink the $60 billion CPEC that Beijing calls the flagship infrastructure programme in its vast Belt and Road Initiative. Pakistan seeks to amend the CPEC to focus on socio-economic progress besides infrastructure development.

Pakistan’s foreign reserves have plunged 42 per cent since the start of the year and now stand at about $7.8 billion, or less than two months of import cover.

Officials say the recently announced $6 bailout package from Saudi Arabia is not enough as Pakistan still have to approach International Monetary Fund to avert a balance of payments crisis. This will be 13th rescue package Pakistan plans to receive from the lender since the late 1980s.

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Friday declined to sit with the government to discuss the issue of countrywide demonstrations by workers and supporters of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) after the National Assembly’s session was adjourned due to a lack of quorum.

The main opposition party urged the government to discuss the issue of prevailing law and order situation, which emerged after the acquittal of Aasia Bibi by the Supreme Court in a blasphemy case, on the floor of the house and not in closed door meetings.

The house was adjourned till Monday when after recitation from the Holy Quran (at the start of the session) Agha Hassan of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal, an ally of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), pointed out the quorum.

Party leaders say matter will be discussed on the floor of the house and not in closed door meetings

Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri, who was presiding over the session, adjourned the session without any delay.

Interestingly, a Pakistan Peoples Party member had pointed out the quorum on Thursday soon after its beginning and the proceedings of the house remained suspended for half an hour. Later, the session resumed and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan expressed dissatisfaction over pointing out of the quorum soon after the recitation from the Holy Quran. “We welcome the gesture of the opposition but it has never been experienced in the past that the quorum pointed out soon after completion of the recitation from the holy book,” he said.

The opposition was of the view that the government intentionally pointed out the quorum so that opposition leaders could not criticise the rulers.

It is believed that the quorum issue has once again created a breach between the government and the opposition who had come on the same page on Thursday and held a meeting to devise a strategy to handle the fragile law and order situation in the country.

Democratic norms

Later, senior leaders of the PML-N met their party president and the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Shahbaz Sharif, in his chamber and decided that they would not sit with the government to discuss the issue of demonstrations.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that the issue of demonstrations should be discussed in the assembly and a solution must be found with the support of the opposition. He claimed the government had tried to avoid parliament and intentionally created the issue of quorum.

“We were expecting that the government would talk about the prevailing situation in the country in the house as the people of the country are in trouble due to road blockades and disturbed rail and flight schedules. It is the need of the hour that the house should be taken into confidence,” he added.

The former prime minister said that no one from the government had any answer how the country could be protected from the bad impact of these demonstrations. “This is unfortunate that a democratic government is unable to give respect to democratic norms,” he added.

Another PML-N leader, Ahsan Iqbal, said in a statement that the opposition would not go for any negotiation with the government on the issue.

He said making the National Assembly ineffective in the prevailing situation reflected that the government was not sincere to handle the situation. “Therefore, we will not hold any negotiation with the government and now we will talk to the government on the floor of the house,” he added.

Former defence minister Khawaja Asif said that the tradition of sit-ins in the country was set by Prime Minister Imran Khan when he was in the opposition. “Now he (Imran Khan) was reaping what he sowed,” he added.

He said the PML-N government had faced similar situation in 2014, but it did not suspend the session of National Assembly for the sake of democracy.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2018

China has agreed to “firmly move forward” on various infrastructure projects in Pakistan following a meeting between Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Chinese counterpart, Li Keqiang, on Saturday.

The agreement follows concerns that Islamabad's spiralling financial crisis could lead Beijing to scale back its projects in the country, where it is helping to build the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Project (CPEC).

The project is at the heart of Chinese President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative, an ambitious, globe-spanning trade and infrastructure programme.

The massive undertaking has drawn both praise and criticism from around the world, with some saying the initiative is filling a critical funding gap in the developing world, while others fear the Chinese loans financing the work are designed to entrap their recipients in debt.

In Pakistan, Belt-and-Road-linked projects have come in for heavy criticism for their opaque lending terms, with some arguing that Beijing's largesse may worsen Islamabad's fiscal dilemma.

But both Pakistan and China played down those concerns on Saturday, describing the programme as a key part of Islamabad's recovery plans.

In his meeting with Li, Khan invited the Chinese premier to visit Pakistan and see for himself the difference the mega-project has made in the country.

“CPEC in 2013 was just an idea. Now it is on the ground. And it has caught the imagination of the people of Pakistan,” he said.

“We feel that this a great opportunity for our country to progress, to attract investment. It gives us an opportunity to raise our standard of living, growth rate.”

Li praised the relationship, saying “China and Pakistan are all-weather partners".

"Pakistan has always been regarded as a foreign policy priority by China."

15 MoUs signed between China and Pakistan

About 15 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for cooperation between China and Pakistan in multiple fields were signed in Beijing by officials of both countries, RadioPak reported.

Prime Minister Khan and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang overlooked the signing ceremony, that was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Both countries pledged to cooperate in various fields, including forestry, earth sciences, agriculture as well as in the industrial sector.

The neighbouring countries also agreed to work together to alleviate poverty in Pakistan as well as to ensure the provision of technical training to potential labour.

The Chinese Academy of Science also signed MoUs with the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan and Pakistan Meteorological Department.

The personal secretary and guard of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam's (JUI-S) slain leader, Maulana Samiul Haq, were on Saturday questioned for three hours in connection with his murder, DawnNewsTV reported citing police sources.

Maulana Sami, an influential religious scholar and former senator, was assassinated by unknown persons at his residence in Rawalpindi last night. He was buried in his hometown of Akora Khattak on Saturday afternoon. Thousands attended the funeral prayers.

According to the Associated Press, the JUI-S chief's funeral prayers were led by his son, Maulana Hamidul Haq.

Various political leaders were in attendance for the funeral prayers, which were offered at the Khushal Khan College Ground.

They included Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq, former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Awami National Party's (ANP) Ghulam Bilour and PML-N's Raja Zafarul Haq. KP Governor Shah Farman and Chief Minister Mahmood Khan also attended the funeral.

Maulana's personal staff interrogated

Maulana Sami's personal secretary and guard were interrogated by police today, but both were later let go so that they could attend the funeral of their deceased employer.

The duo were released on Hamidul Haq's request asked the police to do so. However, the police said they could be taken into custody again for further questioning.

Meanwhile, a first information report (FIR) of Maulana Sami's assassination was registered at the Airport Police Station in Rawalpindi on his son's complaint.

The case was registered against unknown suspects.

According to the FIR, Maulana Hamid said his father's secretary, Ahmed Shah, had informed him over the phone that someone had stabbed his father.

The FIR stated that Maulana Sami was shifted to the Safari Hospital but could not be resuscitated.

Further details in the FIR reveal that Maulana Sami received a total of 12 wounds on his stomach, heart, forehead and ears.

The son said that he did not want to have a post-mortem examination conducted on the body of his father as it was "against Islamic law".

Maulana Sami — the "Father of the Taliban"

Maulana Sami, said to be around 82 years old, was the head of the Darul Uloom Haqqania seminary in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Akora Khattak.

He was a member of the Senate of Pakistan from 1985 to 1991 and again from 1991 to 1997.

He had been aligned with the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf for the July 25, 2018 election.

Prime Minister Imran Khan's party had sought to work closely with him to implement various reforms and mainstream madrassah education.

Maulana Sami was an influential figure among members of the Taliban on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan border.

Last month, a high-level delegation from Afghanistan had called on Sami, known as the "Father of the Taliban", at Darul Uloom Haqqania and urged him to play a role in resolving the Afghan issue.

The delegation had appealed to the JUI-S chief to play the role of a mediator between different groups of Taliban as they considered him [Maulana Sami] their elder. The delegation members assured him that they would accept his decision for reconciliation in Afghanistan.

Maulana Sami had told them that the Afghan issue was very complicated and its resolution was not an easy task for him. However, he had said he wished to see a logical end to the Afghan issue and an end to bloodshed in the country.

Pakistanis welcomed a tentative return to normalcy on Saturday following an agreement between the far-right political party Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and the government after three days of violent protests that choked various cities and throttled economic activity.

In Islamabad and Karachi, traffic returned to normal after protesters ended sit-ins and road blockages were removed over the night.

Life returned to normalcy in Lahore after the largest group of TLP supporters wrapped up their protests late Friday night. Road blockages that had crippled the city have been removed and traffic has now begun to flow unimpeded. Public schools have also re-opened, though attendance remained thin on the first day.

According to DawnNewsTV, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYRA), a faction of the TLP, is still holding out and has continued its sit-in at Data Darbar.

Protests in Peshawar had ended soon after the deal between the TLP and the government was finalised last night. Road blockages around the city have also been removed.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had headed a rally in Peshawar on Friday, but ended it after his address. He was scheduled to join the TLP camp later but was advised by police not to follow through due to security risks.

In Quetta, though religio-political parties had held rallies, no sit-ins had been reported.

The TLP and other religiopolitical parties had launched countrywide protests on Tuesday after the Supreme Court acquitted Asia Bibi, who had been on death row for the past nine years on blasphemy charges.

Last night, the government and the TLP had signed a deal to conclude the latter's nationwide protest. One of the major concessions the government agreed to was to "initiate the legal process" to place Asia Bibi's name on the exit control list (ECL).

The government had also assured the party that it would not oppose a review petition filed against the Supreme Court's judgement in the Asia Bibi blasphemy case. The state further promised to take appropriate legal action to redress any deaths that may have occurred during the protests against the Asia Bibi verdict and to release all people picked up in connection with the protests starting October 30.

The TLP, in turn, only offered an apology "if it hurt the sentiments or inconvenienced anyone without reason".

With reporting by Imtiaz Ali in Karachi, Sirajuddin in Peshawar, Javed Hussain in Islamabad, Hafeezullah Sherani in Quetta and Nauman Liaquat in Lahore.

The interior ministry announced on Saturday it would register cases against all those "miscreants who under the guise of peaceful protests caused destruction to property and harmed helpless citizens" during the three-day protests against the acquittal of Asia Bibi.

In a statement, the ministry said it respects the ulema's stance that they had no involvement in any of the destruction which they too had attributed to "miscreant elements".

Steps are being taken to identify these miscreants, the statement added.

The ministry also said the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) cybercrime wing and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) have both been directed to investigate propaganda circulated on social media to incite hate.

Additionally, the chairman of the cybercrime wing along with the PTA chairman have been instructed to obtain "the forensic data of the miscreants".

"The interior ministry will also initiate criminal proceedings against all those who spread extremist and hateful propaganda on social media," the statement said.

To this end, all camera footage will be analysed so these individuals can be identified.

"All the miscreant elements identified will be arrested and cases registered against them," the ministry has stated.

The Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and other religiopolitical parties had launched countrywide protests on Wednesday after the Supreme Court acquitted Asia Bibi, who had been on death row for the past nine years on blasphemy charges.

Last night, the government and the TLP had signed a deal to conclude the latter's nationwide protest. One of the concessions the government agreed to was to release all people picked up in connection with the protests starting October 30.

Sindh Police to take 'strict action' in future

Meanwhile, the Sindh Police have decided to take strict action and register First Information Reports (FIRs) against ‘illegal’ sit-ins, protests and rallies on roads and highways in future because of the hardships such activities cause to citizens, who remain stuck in traffic jams for hours.

This decision was taken in a high-level meeting chaired by Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Syed Kaleem Imam on Saturday at Central Police Office.

“Whatever happened during the last five days... I feel great regret over it,” the provincial police chief was quoted as having said in the meeting.

“If any rally or protest is taken out anywhere in Sindh for whatever cause, be it against a lack of civic facilities or any other issue, without seeking mandatory permission from the district administration and other authorities, strict action would be taken against the organisers of such protests,” the IG vowed.

Similarly, protests on highways and the Lyari Expressway will not be allowed as such rallies trigger prolonged traffic jams.

“Sharea Faisal will not be allowed to be blocked at any cost in the future,” the IG declared.

In an apparent reference to the current law and order situation in the country, IG Imam directed all Additional IGs, DIGs and other officers to put anti-riots and reserve platoons on red alert to meet any eventuality.

A senior official privy to the meeting told Dawn on condition of anonymity that police authorities have decided to register cases against the organisers of this week's sit-ins over charges of riots and damaging property on behalf of the state or on the complaints of aggrieved persons whose properties were damaged.

The officer pointed out that Korangi police station had already registered a case on a complaint of the watchman of a factory in the area, after around 15-16 protesters tried to ‘forcibly’ shut the industrial unit and resorted to riots on Friday.

Two of the protesters have been arrested, the officer revealed.

A mother of two was killed in Azad Jammu and Kashmir's (AJK) Lawana Khetar village by a gunshot from across the restive Line of Control (LoC), officials said on Saturday.

Twenty-two year old Munazza Bibi died in her home on Friday night, said Chaudhry Zulqarnain Sarfraz, senior superintendent of police (SSP) in Bhimbar.

Lawana Khetar is barely a kilometre away from the heavily militarised LoC.

The victim was shot by a sniper from an Indian army post across the LoC when she switched on a torch to search for something in the veranda of her house, the SSP said.

The bullet pierced her head and she died on the spot, he added.

Foreign Office (FO) spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh in this regard and conveyed Pakistan's condemnation of the unprovoked cease-fire violation that led to her death.

Bibi's casualty has raised the death toll in AJK in the ongoing year to 27 — 19 men and 8 women.

Apart from them, another 146 — 77 men and 69 women — have sustained injuries, according to Saeed Qureshi, a senior official of the AJK State Disaster Management Authority.

Cross-border shelling in the current year has also left at least 29 houses partially damaged and three houses and a shop completely damaged, he said.

Though India and Pakistan are signatories to a November 2003 truce, the LoC and Working Boundary have consistently witnessed ceasefire violations for more than two years now.

In May this year, the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan had agreed to undertake "sincere measures" to improve the existing situation, ensure peace and avoid difficulties for civilians living close to the LoC and the Working Boundary.

They had also agreed to fully implement the ceasefire understanding of 2003 in letter and spirit and ensure that the ceasefire would not be violated by both sides.

However, ceasefire violations and sniper attacks have not stopped despite the agreement.

Of late, apart from exchange of fire with small and big arms, Indian troops have started using snipers in their attacks from across the LoC.

FO issues statement

The foreign office issued a statement condemning the ceasefire violation along the LoC by Indian forces in the Bhimbar Sector which led to the death of 22-year-old Munazza Bibi in Pakka Kothavillage.

Pakistan has urged the Indian side to investigate this and other incidents of ceasefire violations and instruct the Indian forces to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement in letter and spirit in order to maintain peace on the LoC and the working boundary.

Dr Faisal said that the Indian side should permit UNMOGIP (United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.

According to the foreign office statement, the Indian forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary are continuously targeting civilian populated areas with heavy weapons, with more than 2,312 ceasefire violations in 2018 alone, leading to the death of 35 innocent civilians and injury to 135 others.

This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing since 2017 when the Indian forces committed 1970 ceasefire violations, the statement added.

A suspect nominated in the murder case of 10-year-old Amal Umer was indicted by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi on Saturday in two related cases pertaining to armed robbery, 'encounter', attempted murder, and terrorism.

The accused, Khalid, has been charged with committing offences punishable under Sections 397 (robbery or dacoity with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt), 34 (common intention), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 324 (attempted murder), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

The ATC-VIII judge, who is hearing the matter in the judicial complex inside the central prison, read out the charges to the accused today. The accused, who was produced from the prison, pleaded not guilty and opted to contest the case.

The court has summoned the investigating officer and prosecution witnesses on November 12 to record their testimonies.

Amal Umer, who was travelling along with her parents in their car, had died after she was hit by a bullet fired by a policeman in Karachi's DHA neighbourhood on August 13 during an alleged shoot-out between police and robbers.

According to the prosecution, the police had arrested Khalid on September 24 in some other cases concerning robbery and illicit weapons and claimed that during questioning the suspect had disclosed his involvement in the murder of the girl and also in robbing her parents and others.

Earlier, the case had taken an interesting turn as the prosecution pointed out defects in the investigation and loopholes in the charge sheet submitted by the investigating officer to the administrative judge of the antiterrorism courts.

Investigating Officer (IO) Imdad Ali Khawaja had submitted a charge sheet and named Khalid as an accused, but made no mention of the police party which had taken part in the alleged shoot-out.

The charge sheet further stated that Khalid's accomplice, Shahzad, had already been killed.

The husband of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman acquitted after eight years on death row for blasphemy, on Saturday criticised the government deal with protesters of religious groups that left her in legal limbo, and called on authorities to protect her.

Bibi's conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court on Wednesday and she was ordered to be set free, triggering protests by the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and other religiopolitical groups that lasted three days.

The government and TLP reached a deal on Friday to conclude the latter's protests. One of the major concessions the government agreed to was to "initiate the legal process" to place Bibi's name on the exit control list (ECL).

The government had also assured the party it would not oppose a review petition filed against the Supreme Court's judgement in the Asia Bibi blasphemy case. A review petition has been filed with the top court.

“It is wrong to set a precedent in which you pile pressure onto the judiciary,” Bibi's husband Ashiq Masih told German Deutsche Welle radio.

He said the government should never have yielded to pressure from protesters.

Masih said the court had been “very courageous” to acquit his wife, an illiterate mother in her 50s whose case started in 2009 when she was accused of having uttered blasphemous remarks after an argument with two Muslim women.

“The current situation is very dangerous for us. We have no security and are hiding here and there, frequently changing our location,” Masih said.

Bibi's lawyer fled Pakistan on Saturday, fearing for his life.

Masih demanded the government reinforce Bibi's protection in prison, worrying that she may be attacked. He cited the case of two Christian men who were shot dead after a court acquitted them in another blasphemy case.

“The situation is dangerous for Asia. I feel that her life is not secure,” he said. “So I appeal to government to enhance Asia's security in jail.”

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Saturday the agreement reached between the government and violent protesters who demonstrated against the acquittal of Asia Bibi was "firefighting" and not a permanent solution to the larger problem of extremism.

"We need to take steps against extremism, we need to take steps against such kind of violent protesters and we need to come up with a permanent solution," he told the BBC.

"Right now this is not a cure. This is firefighting, what we are doing," he said, adding that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government was committed to the cure, which is "the real thing".

Editorial: Another surrender

He defended the government's decision to negotiate with the protesters, who blocked roads and disrupted traffic throughout the country for three days.

"We had two options: either to use force, and when you use force people can be killed. That is not something a state should do... We tried negotiations and (in) negotiations you take something and you leave something."

Chaudhry said the decision on whether or not to bar Asia Bibi from the leaving the country will be taken by a court.

The government will "take all steps necessary" to ensure Bibi's safety, the minister added.

The Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and other religiopolitical parties had launched countrywide protests on Wednesday after the Supreme Court acquitted Bibi, who had been on death row for the past nine years on blasphemy charges.

Last night, the government and the TLP had signed a deal to conclude the latter's nationwide protest. One of the major concessions the government agreed to was to "initiate the legal process" to place Bibi's name on the exit control list (ECL).

The government had also assured the party that it would not oppose a review petition filed against the Supreme Court's judgement in the Asia Bibi blasphemy case. The state further promised to take appropriate legal action to redress any deaths that may have occurred during the protests against the Asia Bibi verdict and to release all people picked up in connection with the protests starting October 30.

The TLP, in turn, only offered an apology "if it hurt the sentiments or inconvenienced anyone without reason".

QUETTA: Traders and shopkeepers in the city observed a strike on Saturday. The strike was called by the All Balochistan Traders Organisation in protest against alleged anti-traders attitude of the local administration.

Majority of shops, offices and other business centres in important commercial areas of the city remained closed. However, in some parts of the city, traders carried on with their normal business activities.

Anjuman Tajran Balochistan president Abdul Rahim Kakar alleged that the local administration was not solving their problems and creating hurdles in the way of smooth business activities. He claimed that the local administration was seizing traders’ goods in the name of crackdown against encroachment, and imposing huge fines on shopkeepers.

Striking traders called for the transfer of some officials of the district administration and asked the provincial government to take notice of the situation.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2018

QUETTA: The opposition and treasury members of the Balochistan Assembly on Saturday expressed concern over the laying off of journalists and other people who were working for news organisations across the country and said they would move a joint resolution on the issue during the next session.

Journalists staged a walkout from the press gallery of the assembly in the evening when the session began with Deputy Speaker Sardar Babar Khan Musakhail in the chair.

A provincial minister, Mir Asad Baloch of the Balochistan National Party-Awami, drew the attention of the house to the walkout and said that media houses had sacked a large number of journalists and other workers.

“It is a matter of great concern because many media persons have become jobless because of the downsizing in their organisations,” he said, adding that 16 people in the province had lost their livelihood.

Syed Fazal Agha of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F said the house should move a joint resolution on the matter soon.

Nasarullah Zeray of the Pakh­tunkhwa Milli Awami Party, on a point of order, said the Balochistan government had stopped issuing advertisements to local newspapers, causing anxiety among editors and publishers of the dailies.

He said he and his colleagues had been protesting against the government’s decision for last many days because it had created serious problems for the newspaper industry.

Provincial Minister for Information and Higher Education Mir Zahoor Ahmed Buledi said that unfortunately about 70 per cent of the publications in the province getting government advertisements had no circulation and issuing them ads was a waste of taxpayers’ money.

“We have listed dummy newspapers and cases have been lodged against them in the National Accountability Bureau. We are going to constitute a committee comprising information department’s officers to check the circulation of newspapers,” said Mr Buledi.

He said that government wanted to promote the local newspapers that were being published since long but could not increase their circulation.

Sanaullah Baloch of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal suggested that the government should abolish the information department and divert its budget of Rs900 million to the education and health department.

He said that information department was established in the country to issue official advertisements to newspapers in order to either control the media or use them for own publicity.

Gwadar University draft bill approved

The house also approved the Gwadar University draft bill without any opposition.

Mr Buledi said the draft law had immense importance because after massive investments in Gwadar, a university had become vital for the port city.

“During the previous session, the honourable members didn’t oppose the draft bill. The federal government has allocated Rs1 billion for Gwadar University; therefore we shouldn’t delay it,” Mr Buledi added.

The opposition members said the draft bill about the appointment of a special assistant along with salary and other perks should be presented again in the house for discussion.

However, Mr Musakhail said the assembly approved the bill in the last session, when opposition members had walked out in protest.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2018

ISLAMABAD: The government on Saturday appointed Air Marshal Aasim Zaheer as Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force.

AM Zaheer was commissioned in GD(P) branch of PAF in November, 1984.

He is a qualified flying instructor. During his career, he has commanded a fighter squadron, an operational air base and PAF Academy, Risalpur, said a press release.

In his staff appointments, AM Zaheer has served as deputy director operations (F-16) and chief project director (Falcon). He has also served as air attaché to France.

At present, he is serving at Air Headquarters as Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Administration).

He is a graduate of Combat Commanders School, National Defence University and General Staff College, Germany.

He holds a Masters degree in War Studies.

AM Zaheer is a recipient of Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military).

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2018

KHUZDAR: Eight people, including a minor girl, were killed and 22 others injured in an accident on the Quetta-Karachi highway near the Zawa area of Khuzdar on Friday night.

Sources said on Saturday that a passenger coach going from Quetta to Karachi collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction.

Soon after receiving information security personnel and rescue workers rushed to the area and shifted the bodies and the injured to the Khuzdar Teaching Hospital. The injured in a serious condition were later referred to the Combined Military Hospital, Khuzdar, and a hospital in Karachi.

Deputy Commissioner of Khuzdar district retired Major Ilyas Kibzai said that five passengers died on the spot and the other three during treatment in the hospital.

Levies officials said that except the coach driver all the victims belonged to the Hindu community. They said women and children were among the injured.

They said the cause of the accident, which occurred at a turning point on the highway, was over-speeding. Six of the deceased were identified as Muhammad Arif (driver of the coach), Suresh Kumar, Anash Kumar, Dalip Kumar, Suresh and Guryia.

“We have received eight bodies and 22 injured,” hospital officials said, adding the critically injured had been sent to Karachi.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2018