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Cabinet settles on deadline for illegally imported phones

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ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Friday set the deadline of Dec 31 for blocking all new mobile phones being brought into the country through illegal means.

The forum also decided that Prime Minister Imran Khan will open the Pakistan-India Kartarpur border in a ceremony to be held on Nov 28.

The cabinet meeting, presided over by the prime minister, strongly condemned Friday’s terrorist attacks in the country — one outside the Chinese consulate in Karachi and the second near Hangu.

Information minister says PM will open Kartarpur border crossing on 28th

“The cabinet decided to impose a ban on new mobile phones to be smuggled into the country after Dec 31,” Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said in a press conference. He exp­lain­ed that mobile phones that have already been brought into the country before the deadline, even through illegal means, can be used, but after Dec 31 no such sets will be allowed to be operational. The minister said the cabinet has also decided to promote the local mobile phone industry and therefore a ban could be imposed on even the import of mobile phones in the next phase.

According to Mr Chaudhry, as per the government’s record around 82 million mobile phones were imported through legal channels every year and 2.5 billion mobile phones were smuggled into the country per year. “We have to control this trend,” he explained, adding that the sale of second-hand mobile phones was completely banned in the country but the sale-purchase of used mobile phones was being carried out freely. “The federal cabinet has decided to take strict action against this business,” he reiterated.

Kartarpur border

The information minister said that PM Khan will, in a grand ceremony, formally open the Kartarpur (at Narowal) border crossing between Pakistan and India on Nov 28.

He explained that the border crossing was being opened on the demand of Sikh pilgrims who visit Pakistan every year in large numbers to perform religious rituals in Kartarpur and other parts of the country. “Following the opening of the border, there will be free entry for Sikh pilgrims,” he promised, adding that besides former Indian cricket star Navjot Singh Sidhu, a group of Indian journalists would also be coming to attend the border-opening ceremony.

The minister maintained that the border crossing was being opened under a peace initiative taken by PM Khan. “It will be a permanent opening, and further details [in this regard] are being finalised,” he said.

The minister said that the government believed that once sour relations between Pakistan and India were normalised, this would benefit Pakistan because the country is located between two international markets and could obtain economic adva­ntages. He qualified, however, that in the absence of a settlement on the Kashmir issue, relations between the two sides would remain tense. “We cannot forget the Kashmir issue because it is an important part of our policies,” he explained.

Responding to a question regarding the regularisation of PM Khan’s house at Banigala, the minister said the house was constructed 30 years ago under the then laws, and therefore there was no need for any regularisation.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018


NAB lock-ups are like torture cells, says PML-N

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ISLAMABAD: With the president of their party in custody, the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has criticised the government for human rights violations, alleging that the lock-ups of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) were like torture cells.

The PML-N has expressed concerns over the ‘deteriorating’ health of Shahbaz Sharif and asked the government that he be provided regular medical care.

In a statement, Marriyum Aurangzeb, former information minister, said that the leader of the opposition, Mr Sharif is a cancer patient and that his health is in precarious condition.

“The recent medical report of Mr Shahbaz Sharif is worrisome — NAB cells have been designed to give mental and physical torture to the inmates,” she said, adding that the treatment he is being given is a gross violation of human rights.

“We demand a medical board to oversee the health condition of Mr Shahbaz Sharif, which has deteriorated in the NAB torture cells. Who is responsible for that?” she asked.

Ms Aurangzeb also said that Mr Sharif will undergo further medical tests on Saturday.

She added that the detention of Mr Sharif on remand by NAB is unwarranted, and unnecessary.

Meanwhile, NAB strongly rebutted the “baseless and hard-hitting” allegations by PML-N that its lockups were like torture cells.

A NAB spokesman in a statement said that NAB presented each accused in the relevant accountability court to get his or her remand. “No accused has so far lodged any complaint of torture in custody or experiencing stay in torture cell and no person in custody has demanded medical examination due to torture,” the spokesman said.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018

Private housing societies to pay for using water through tubewells

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RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) on Friday decided to charge private housing societies for extracting water through tubewells.

“As many as 244 private housing societies in Rawalpindi will have to pay for the water which they extract through tubewells. It will also be mandatory for the societies to get a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) for installing a new tubewell in any private housing society,” RDA Chairman Arif Abbasi told Dawn after meeting senior officials of the RDA and Wasa.

He said officials at the meeting discussed financial problems being faced by Wasa and steps to increase the revenues of the authority.

“The government is not increasing water tariffs this year as it does not want to increase the burden on the citizens. But to overcome the financial crisis, we have decided to impose a fee on tubewells in private housing societies.”

He said a two-phase policy had been formulated to collect water charges from all legal and illegal housing societies.

In the first phase, the private housing societies will be asked to pay the charges to Wasa and in the second phase all government organisations using tubewells will be sent water bills.

He said the housing societies would be charged for using water from the date when electricity was installed in their area.

“Some housing societies were established in 1993 and we will charge them for using water from that date.”

He said Wasa officials presented findings of a survey of houses in private housing schemes in Rawalpindi city which showed that more than 75,000 housing units were using water extracted through tubewells but they did not pay any fee to the government or the civic body.

“Wasa will charge a minimum of Rs7,500 per month for a tubewell and the amount would be collected from the housing societies with effect from the last 10 years along with a fine.”

Mr Abbasi said a letter would be written to the private housing societies after a board meeting of the RDA. The policy has been formulated and it will be implemented after the board’s formal approval. He said there was no need for permission from the provincial government as installation of tubewells and making small water boring in private places had already been banned.

On the other hand, the decision created unrest among private developers and residents of private housing societies. They were of the view that the government should expand its network instead of imposing a fee on private housing societies.

Meanwhile, a senior official of Wasa told Dawn that the imposition of fees on private housing societies was not the solution to the authority’s financial crisis as the residents of private housing societies would resist the move of charging them for water from the backdates.

He said the only solution to the financial crisis was to increase the water tariffs which had not been increased in the last 10 years.

“Under the government rules, Wasa has the authority to revise its water charges after every three years. During the last 10 years, electricity charges have increased and salaries of government employees raised by 10 times. These created a wide gap between the expenditure and income of the civic authority,” he said.

He said a provincial minister has recently promised a bailout package of Rs770 million for the civic agency which would be enough to meet its monetary requirements for a few months. He said the amount would be released after the final approval of the provincial cabinet which would meet next week.

“If the water tariff is increased the civic body will be able to meet the requirement for the next three years without a subsidy from the government. The second option is the government should increase the subsidy in lieu of the hike in water tariff,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018

Dozens killed in the name of honour in Balochistan, says report

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QUETTA: Around 50 people, including 30 women, have been killed by their relatives in the name of honour in Balochistan this year so far. Nasirabad division tops the list in the number of killings.

The Aurat Foundation — a non-governmental organisation — working for protection of the rights of women, disclosed the information in its annual report, unveiled by its programme officer Muhammad Ashfaq Mengal at a press conference here on Friday.

“All these victims were deprived of their lives by their close relatives, including husbands, brothers and other relatives in the name of so-called honour and small family feuds,” he said. He added that all these cases were registered in different police stations in Nasirabad and other towns and cities.

He said that the foundation’s report was based on the incidents reported. He added that the number of honour killing cases could be much higher because many incidents were not reported.

Mr Mengal further disclosed that at least 17 women committed suicide over small family disputes in the province while 29 people were tortured including 21 women.

The report disclosed that at least 14 women were kidnapped in 2018 from different areas of the province, while four were sexually harassed and four were victims of acid attacks in Quetta and other areas.

The organisation has announced the start of a 16-day awareness campaign in Balochistan against honor killings and domestic violence. “Seminars would be held in women universities and government girls colleges, while programs for women protection would be held in all schools across Balochistan.”

Assistant Director Women Development Department Rukhsana Baloch, and members of civil society have urged the provincial government to establish a commission for the protection of women rights and said that all political parties must play a bigger role for the approval of the Anti-Child Marriages bill, which is pending before the assembly for approval.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018

New VCs of QAU, AIOU take charge

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ISLAMABAD: A month after their appointments, the vice chancellors of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) and the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) took charge of their offices on Friday.

QAU VC Dr Mohammad Ali has brought his vast experience in higher education to the country’s top ranked university. He has joined the QAU from the Government College University Faisalabad where he was serving as the vice chancellor.

He is known for his specialision in the field of biological sciences. Dr Ali earlier served as lecturer at the Lawrence College Murree and Bahauddin Zakaria University, Multan.

He earned his PhD in 1999 from the University of Wales, UK, and post-doctorate from MU, Colombia, in 2008. According to a statement issued by the QAU, its new head is the winner of 19 national awards on the basis of research and teaching quality, including Pakistan Academy of Science gold medal, Best University Teacher Award and Tamgha-i-Imtiaz.

He completed 25 research projects and also worked in a project management team for two HEC-funded projects worth Rs79 million – the establishment of Institute of Biotechnology and the Centre for Undergraduate Studies.

Prof Dr Ziaul Qayyum, the new VC of the AIOU, was serving as the VC of the University of Gujrat. According to a statement issued by the AIOU, Dr Zia is an experienced educationist, who earned master’s degrees in mathematics and computer science besides a doctorate from the University of Leeds, UK, specialising in machine learning/semantic information retrieval. His professional experience spans over 28 years.

The two VCs were appointed on Sept 26. On the intervention of Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood, the Punjab government relived them to join their new offices.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018

First 100 days of PTI were a failure: JI chief

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TAXILA: The nation had high hopes from the PTI, but the steps taken so far by the new government has only led to disappointment, said Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Senator Sirajul Haq on Friday.

Talking to mediapersons at the residence of party leader Ghiasuddin Balban, he said the first 100 days of the new government were a failure.

The JI chief said the rulers talk a lot about bringing improvements to the country’s economy but do not take practical steps.

Asked if the PTI government will be able to complete its five-year tenure, Mr Haq said people are upset about massive price hikes and increase in the prices of utilities, especially gas, electricity and petrol within the first 100 days.

The senator said there had been no change in protocol rules despite tall claims made pre-election.

Condemning the terrorist attacks on the Chinese consulate in Karachi and in Orakzai, Mr Haq said the recent terror incidents were proof that security agencies had failed to plug the security loopholes.

He said the Karachi attack was aimed at putting a dent in Pak-China relations and that he believed foreign elements were involved in the incident.

He demanded across-the-board accountability for all who had looted national wealth.

Sirajul Haq said the 436 Pakistanis whose names were included in the Panama Papers should be investigated and any illegal money retrieved from them.

He said the accountability steps taken by the PTI were just an eye wash and that keeping someone behind bars for a few days was not accountability. Unless the stolen money is brought back, the accountability process will be incomplete, he said.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018

South Punjab province: PPP starts coordinating with opposition

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LAHORE: The PPP has decided to actively play its role in the creation of south Punjab province by coordinating with other stakeholders.

The party leadership has tasked its parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly, Syed Hassan Murtaza, with coordinating with other opposition parties, including the PML-N, as well as the defunct Janoobi Sooba Mahaz (South Punjab Front) to seek their support for the cause.

Mr Murtaza will also individually call on the MPAs to build a consensus on carving out a new federating unit from Punjab. He said fresh resolutions would be moved both in the national and the provincial assemblies for creation of a new province The PPP has rejected the committee earlier formed by the PTI-led Punjab government on the creation of new provinces for, what Mr Murtaza called, being non-representative.

“The committee mostly comprised non-elected people and headed by a non-elected person (Tahir Basheer Cheema), excluding other stakeholders, particularly the opposition, the PPP and PML-N,” he told Dawn.

He said when he raised the issue in the Business Advisory Committee of the Punjab Assembly, Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi had admitted that it consisted of only PTI and PML-Q leaders and defended the decision by arguing that the two allies could form such a panel for internal consultations.

Answering a question about Mr Cheema’s statement that in the first stage Bahawalpur province, encompassing the areas included in the defunct Bahawalpur state, would be created before taking up the Janoobi Punjab cause, the PPP leader alleged that the PTI, which had got votes in the southern belt in the name of creating the Janoobi Punjab province, was using delaying tactics by raising such issues.

“It also shows that the PTI is not sincere with the cause and wishes to keep its hold the country, like the PML-N, by keeping resources of the whole Punjab, which consists of 63pc of Pakistan.”

Mr Murtaza clarified that his party demanded bifurcation of Punjab on administrative grounds and not lingual or other basis with full provincial autonomy like the existing provinces.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018

FIF’s media coverage banned to immobilise its fundraising, IHC told

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ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) - an offshoot of Jamatud Dawa - was among organisations on the watch list of the United Nations (UN) and a ban on its media coverage was imposed to immobilise its fundraising.

In its reply submitted to the IHC in response to a petition filed by FIF against the ban on its media coverage, the ministry stated: “Placing a ban on any kind of media coverage is intended to prevent the generation of funds and donations through media advertisement and coverage of these organisations which is a violation of the asset freeze requirement under UNSC 1267 sanctions.”

Justice Aamer Farooq of the IHC on Friday reserved his decision on the petition after hearing the counsel for the foreign ministry, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the petitioner.

The government earlier this year banned Jamatud Dawa (JuD) through a presidential ordinance and issued directions for banning the media coverage of FIF.

The foreign ministry said: “Implementation of the decision of UN Security Council (UNSC) taken under Article 41 of the United Nations Charter is an international obligation from which there is no exception.” It said the “restriction in this case has been imposed in pursuant to the implementation of sanctions of the 1267 Sanction Regime of the UNSC.”

According to the reply, the UNSC imposed sanctions on FIF because of its association with Lashkar-i-Taiba.

Pemra in its written reply said that on Jan 18, 2018, the information ministry wrote a letter to it asking for a ban on FIF’s media coverage. The authority then issued directions to the electronic media.

FIF’s counsel Raja Rizwan Abbasi and Sohail Warraich requested the court to direct Pemra and the information ministry to lift the ban on the media coverage of FIF.

Deputy Attorney General Raja Khalid Mehmood Khan argued that the government had frozen FIF’s assets and how it (FIF) can run a media campaign without paying the cost of advertisements. He requested the court not to lift the ban as it would send out a bad signal to the international community.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018


Journalists stage demo against downsizing

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LAHORE: Journalists and media workers staged a demonstration at the Charing Cross on Friday to condemn downsizing in media houses, accusing the government of encouraging publishers and TV channels’ owners to throw their staff in the street.

PPP’s Hasan Murtaza also spoke and expressed solidarity with the protesting journalists, assuring full support of his party and its Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

“We will support you within and outside the assembly. Our party has always supported the media community. Bilawal has already shown this by attending your demonstration in Islamabad last month,” he said.

Accuse govt of encouraging layoffs in media houses

The demonstration was organised by the Joint Action Committee that consists of former and present presidents of the Lahore Press Club and leaders of media trade unions and unions of journalists.

Carrying placards, journalists and media workers raised slogans against the owners of media houses for firing their staff and the government for supporting them. They also condemned the opposition parties for keeping mum over the treatment being given to media workers and journalists.

They also burnt effigies and tyres, and also blocked The Mall to lodge their protest against sacking of their colleagues.

JAC members condemned Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry for his statement on Thursday that the future of media in Pakistan was bleak and therefore the young generation should stop getting media education. They said this statement exposed government’s designs of paralyzing media.

“On the one hand the prime minister is talking of building five million houses and on the other his government is supporting the media houses in destroying us,” said Punjab Assembly Press Gallery President Khwaja Naseer.

Others said that when the government was damaging media in Pakistan with the help of its owners, the opposition was watching all this silently which was regrettable. “The government wants to weaken and control media in Pakistan,” Shahbaz Mian said.

Former LPC president Arshad Ansari said hundreds of media workers and journalists had been fired all over the country so far and reports indicated further retrenchments. He severely criticised federal and Punjab information ministers for their conduct and said that instead of taking a notice of the downsizing, the government was helping the media owners fill their coffers.

Speakers announced they would stage demonstrations in front of assemblies, government offices and the residences of media owners, against delaying salaries and sacking of staff. They also announced an in-house meeting of the JAC to review strategy for further agitation.

LPC President Azam Chaudhry, Rana Azeem, Ziaullah Niazi and Naeem Hanif were present.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018

Punjab cabinet approves various drafts, laws ahead of govt’s 100 days

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LAHORE: The Punjab cabinet on Friday took up a heavy agenda approving various legislative businesses on the recommendations of the cabinet’s standing committee on legislation.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) Punjab government is completing its first 100 days in a week.

The cabinet retained the ban on recruitments on posts from BPS-1 to 15. Similar to the previous practice, respective administrative departments will have to move summaries for relaxation of the ban in specific cases after which the cabinet committee will present its recommendations. Health and education departments will be permitted to recruit on priority, the cabinet decided.

The Punjab Public Service Commission, however, will continue recruiting candidates regularly in BPS-16 and above.

The cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Usman Buzdar here on Friday, approved draft law for granting concession on property tax in six computerised districts as well as policy on relocation/shifting of sugar mills in the province. It also approved Punjab Industrial Policy 2018 as well as draft Punjab Occupational Safety and Health Act 2018, Punjab Domestic Workers Act 2018 and Punjab Labour Policy 2018.

The cabinet also approved the draft act for establishment of Namal Institute in Mianwali. During the previous government, the Punjab higher education department had kept the act pending.

Approval was also granted to auction 22 luxury vehicles following a suo motu case regarding utilisation of big vehicles by ministers and officers beyond their entitlement. The cabinet, however, decided to retain and provide six bulletproof vehicles to police for security, while 10 luxury vehicles would be placed in the pool. The chief minister directed for constitution of a high-level committee that would devise a unified policy for the allotment of government vehicles.

The cabinet also approved implementation of Health Insurance Programme across the province as well as exemption of Punjab Sales Tax for province-wide implementation of the programme.

Draft amendment to the Punjab Motor Vehicles Rules 1969 under Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1965 was approved to introduce automated registration card in the province. Drafts of amendments to the Punjab Restaurant Invoice Monitoring System Rules 2015 and Punjab Sales Tax for Service Enforcement Rules 2014 were also approved.

The meeting also accorded approval to leaves for performing Haj and Umrah as well as delegation of powers to grant financial assistance and draft amendment to the Indus River System Authority Act 1992 (Chashma Right Canal Lift Irrigation Canal project). Draft laws relating to enforcement of provincial sales tax on intercity transportation, transportation of luggage through roads or provision of services through pipelines were also approved.

The cabinet approved the draft act for bifurcation of Punjab Institute of Neurosciences from Ameeruddin Medical College/Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore. It also approved the draft relating to the nominations and constitution of search committees for dealing with relevant matters, including determination of educational qualification, experience among others, for filling the post of vice chancellor of Punjab-Tianjin University of Technology, Lahore. Draft laws about policy for reallocation of sugar mills and the establishment of Punjab Skills Development Authority were also approved. The notification regarding establishment of Punjab University of Technology in the Rasul town of Mandi Bahauddin was also validated by the meeting.

Meanwhile, amendments to the Punjab Right to Information Act 2018, Punjab Right to Public Service Act 2018, Police Order 2018 (ADR committees), Punjab Prevention of Conflict of Interest Act 2018 and Punjab Whistleblower Protection Act and Vigilance Commission Act 2018 were approved by the cabinet.

Supplementary grant for the release of arrears worth Rs4.60 billion for the 1,263-megawatt re-gasified liquefied natural gas power project of Punjab Thermal Power Limited in Jhang was also approved during the meeting. The meeting also validated the audit reports of the auditor general about public sector companies as well as reports about the Punjab government’s civil works department, commercial audit and evaluation receipt of taxes, forestry department and others for 2016-17 and 2017-18.

The cabinet decided to constitute a cabinet committee for the construction of Dadhocha Dam on Ling River on build-operate-transfer basis; as much as 35 million gallons water would be provided to Rawalpindi from this dam, the meeting was told.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said implementation of the industrial policy would help increase investment and employment opportunities in the province.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018

Ill-equipped Sindh Food Authority to set up two mobile testing labs

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KARACHI: The death of two minor boys in a suspected food poisoning incident has exposed the performance of the Sindh Food Authority (SFA) and also served as a wake-up call for the provincial government, which is now aiming to reorganise the ill-equipped regulatory body, it emerged on Friday.

Officials said that the SFA, which does not have its own laboratory, had decided to prepare two mobile labs with all modern facilities and technology to meet the immediate requirements.

They said that a proposal to build a state-of-art laboratory was already in planning phase.

In the first phase, the authority is hiring 50 officers for its Karachi operations alone

“We are working to build two mobile laboratories which can help meet the current requirements of testing and all other formalities,” said SFA director (operations) Abrar Sheikh.

Recently, the SFA held various meetings that focused on serious loopholes, lack of resources and shortage of manpower.

Operations to be expanded to Larkana

While the authority is ready to hire technical people, it also decided to expand its operation to Larkana division within the next few months.

“During this fiscal year [ending June 2019] we will be expanding our operations to Larkana division and gradually move to other Sindh cities like Hyderabad, Sukkur and Nawabshah,” Mr Shaikh added.

Sindh Food Minister Hari Ram Kishori Lal directed the SFA management to complete all legal formalities within shortest possible time.

A top official said that after a series of meetings and coordination between the institutions concerned, the authority was hopeful to start recruiting required number of professionals from next month.

50 food security officers to be appointed

Another major decision to revamp the authority is about adding qualified human resources and the officials hope the process would begin in the next few weeks.

“The good thing is that now we are going to fill the positions for our required manpower,” SFA director general Amjed Leghari told Dawn. “We have received the government’s nod and soon we will be looking for young university graduates having degree in food sciences. They will be recruited as food security officers in the first phase for our operations in Karachi.”

When asked about the number of such positions sanctioned by the government in the first phase, Mr Leghari said: “It would not be less than 50 officers in the first phase and the number can even be higher than this [50].”

The SFA chief said after the tragic incident, the authority had completed different tasks on a war-footing.

“We have finalised rules and regulations for the functioning of the authority,” said Mr Leghari. “We have opted [for] the laws and rules of the federal government to make it compatible with authorities in other provinces and keep the rules at par with federal standards, which apply [to] other businesses. It’s been done to facilitate the business owners.”

DCs to facilitate SFA’s teams in Karachi

He said in a recent meeting with the Karachi commissioner, deputy commissioners posted in different districts of the city were also assigned the job to facilitate the authority’s team during their visits/raids on restaurants and eateries within their remit.

“Once the organisational structuring is done for Karachi we would move to other cities and districts of the province. The change and effective performance of the authority would be visible to everyone very soon,” Mr Leghari claimed.

The SFA was made functional in April this year but it has so far been working in Karachi alone with an aim to gradually expand its domain to other districts.

A board of governors headed by the food minister was also established for the authority. The health and food secretaries are the BoG’s vice-chairman and convener, respectively.

Other members of the board include provincial secretaries of the culture, agriculture, social welfare, local government and public health engineering departments. Three nominated members of the Sindh Assembly and a representative of the chamber of commerce and industry are also part of the BoG.

Moreover, deputy commissioners posted in different districts of the province would also be members of the board.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018

Woman seeks PHC nod for sex reassignment surgery

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PESHAWAR: A 22-year-old woman on Friday moved the Peshawar High Court seeking permission to undergo the sex reassignment surgery (SRS) to become a man.

Kainat Murad filed the petition saying she suffers from gender dysphoria, a condition in which the feelings of one’s biological and psychological identity is opposite to one’s biological sex and therefore, she has problems like depression, anxiety and insomnia, which could only be treated through the SRS.

She said she was the only child of her parents, while her father has been suffering from paralysis for over a decade and that she was unable to earn a livelihood for family.

The petitioner said the violation of women’s rights was very common in the underdeveloped and developing countries and that women couldn’t move freely from home to workplace.

Insists permission will prevent legal complications

She said she had been living a life of a male person since childhood as she loved to play sports, wore men’s clothes and was friends with men whom she played cricket with.

The petitioner claimed that she rode motorcycle and all her hobbies were men’s.

She requested the court to direct the hospital directors of the three major public sector hospitals of Peshawar to provide free treatment to her for changing sex from a woman to a man by experts in the province for SRS.

She prayed the court to direct the respondents, including Nadra chairman, to change her name in the official records to Mohammad Kaif.

The petitioner claimed that she was advised by doctors to approach the high court for permission to undergo the SRS to prevent legal complications.

The petition filed through advocate Saifullah Muhib Kakakhel.

The respondents in the petition are the federal government through secretary of the federal secretariat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government through its chief secretary, Nadra chairman, and hospital directors of Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Hayatabad Medical Complex and Lady Reading Hospital.

The petitioner claimed that her condition was called gender dysphoria, a condition in which the feelings of one’s biological and psychological identity was opposite to one’s biological sex and as a result, she suffered from depression, anxiety and insomnia, which could only be treated through the SRS.

She said women were not even safe at their workplace and are sexually harassed, humiliated and exploited on ground of their sex.

The petitioner claimed that very few women had come forward and lodged complaints before the forums constituted under the Protection against Harassment of Women at Work Place Act, 2010.

She said it was her legal and constitutional right to live life of her choice and change her sex from female to male by undergoing the required surgery.

Highlighting importance of her petition, the petitioner said it was the first ever case in KP and the court would be hearing and adjudicating it to lay down a law which would permit not only a person suffering from genetically as well by psychological diseases which could only be cured by SRS to change his/her gender but also transgender would get benefit out of it.

She said she belonged to a poor family and won’t be able to afford private treatment and therefore, the court should direct the government hospitals for treatment.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018

Murad orders intelligence-based operations against militants, abettors

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KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed law enforcement agencies to speed up intelligence-based operations against terrorists in the city.

“The attempt to attack the Chinese consulate general shows that still there are abettors of terrorists in the city,” he said while presiding over a special meeting on law and order here at the CM House on Friday.

The CM directed the inspector general of police (IGP) to investigate the incident like the police had previously investigated some other high-profile cases including the Safoora bus carnage so that the abettors of terrorists in the city could be eliminated.

The CM questions why heavily armed militants were not checked anywhere in city

He also directed the IGP to conduct a security audit of all the diplomatic missions/consulates and install most sensitive CCTV cameras in the vicinities of the foreign missions.

The meeting was attended by CM’s Adviser Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, IG Dr Kaleem Imam, Home Secretary Kazi Kabir, Commissioner Iftikhar Shalwani, Karachi police chief Dr Amir Shaikh, representatives of Pakistan Rangers, provincial heads of intelligence agencies and representative of the army’s Corps 5.

He said that after the recent bomb blast in Quaidabad Friday’s attack was the second such incident in the city.

He said that the heavily armed militants must have stayed somewhere in the city and travelled from their place to Clifton. He questioned why they were not checked anywhere.

“This shows that our snap-checking system needs to be more effective and strict,” he said, directing the city police chief to ensure snap checking of vehicles in the city.

Briefing the CM, the IGP said: “On Nov 23, at about 9.30am unknown armed terrorists armed with heavy weapons and grenades attacked the Chinese Consulate General near the shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi, in Block-4 Clifton. The Sindh police’s special security unit and Rangers reached the scene and killed all three terrorists. Two civilians died, one private security guard was wounded. All were shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.”

The chief minister directed the IGP to get the incident investigated properly. “This must be worked out as the police have worked out high-profile cases like Safoora carnage and others,” he said.

The chief minister was told that the Clifton police and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) were investigating the case.

The CM directed the IGP to look after the families of the slain policemen, who valiantly laid down their lives in the line of duty.

He also asked to make necessary arrangements for shifting of the bodies of the two civilians to their native town in Balochistan.

Funeral prayers

The chief minister, governor, chief secretary, corps commander, DG Rangers and senior police officers offered funeral prayers for the martyred policemen at police’s headquarters in Garden.

The IG announced “bravery award” for both martyred policemen.

Martyr ASI Ashraf Dawood, father of three children, was a resident of Lyari, while martyr constable Mohammad Amir, father of two children, was a resident of Neelum Colony in Clifton.

The CM met with their family members and assured them that they would not be left alone. “The provincial government will look after you properly, you are not alone ... we are with you,” he told the aggrieved family members.

Visit to Chinese CG

Following the attack on the Chinese consulate, the CM spoke to Consul General Wang Yu and asked him about his well-being.

He also rushed to the spot and met with Mr Wang and his staff. He told them that the security was enough to thwart the attack.

“As soon as the incident was reported to me I got in touch with the IGP and Rangers DG and remained in constant touch with them until they controlled the situation,” he told the consul general.

The consul general of China thanked the chief minister for his prompt action and also lauded the efforts of the law enforcement agencies in controlling the situation.

Woman police officer appreciated

The IGP also briefed the CM and the diplomat about the incident.

He said that it was Clifton SHO and SP Suhai Aziz who reached the spot and fought bravely with terrorists. After them, SSP Tariq Dharejo reached the scene and by the time Rangers also arrived there they had killed all the three terrorists, he added.

The CM called SP Suhai and appreciated her for taking a prompt action.

“Our women are brave and can stand shoulder to shoulder with men,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018

TLP head Khadim Rizvi taken into 'protective custody', scores of workers arrested in crackdown

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Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi was taken into "protective custody" by police from Lahore as law enforcement agencies launched a massive crackdown against workers of TLP and Tehreek-i-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYRA) on Friday night.

"Khadim Hussain Rizvi has been taken into protective custody by police and shifted to a guest house," said Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry late Friday night, confirming reports of the incendiary leader's arrest via Twitter. High/red alert had been generated to heighten the security in the provincial capital.

The crackdown came ahead of Rizvi's call to party members to observe martyrs’ day on November 25 (today). He had asked workers and supporters to gather at Faizabad in the federal capital — the same venue where the party had staged a weeks-long sit-in last year that had virtually paralysed the federal capital and led to several people losing their lives.

Law enforcement personnel on Friday night also took in custody TLYRA head Dr Asif Ashraf Jalali.

Soon after the news of the arrest of the two clerics spread, hundreds of activists of the two parties took to the streets and blocked many roads for traffic.

A constable was seriously injured at Multan Road where the violent activists clashed with police.

Following the unrest and severe clashes, Rangers reached Lahore, taking control of city’s major roads. Prior to the agitation, a police officer said, hundreds of trained police commandos and personnel of the anti-riot force were dispatched to the Multan Road after the information that violent activists of the TLP had held a senior police officer — Iqbal Town SP Syed Ali — hostage along with his guards.

Mass arrests

The district authorities in Rawalpindi issued detainment orders for TLP divisional leader Inayatul Haq. According to the notification, Haq will be detained in a jail for 15 days.

According to a correspondent in Sialkot, police arrested Sufi Mohammad Rafiq, district emir of the TLP, and four main activists of the party, identified as Saleem Shahid, Mehbub Hassan, Nasir Dogar and Syed Kaleemul Hassan Shah.

On Saturday, security officials said that since last night, at least 30 of the party's workers have been arrested from various parts of the capital.

Around 100 police personnel have been deployed at Faizabad interchange.

According to police sources, 143 TLP workers have so far been arrested from Rawalpindi, 18 from Attock, 55 from Jhelum and five from Chakwal, taking the total arrests from the four cities to 221.

More than a hundred arrests were also made in Karachi, according to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) East Azfar Mahesar, who visited Numaish Chowrangi to brief police officials.

'Nothing to do with Aasia Bibi protest'

"The action was prompted by TLP's refusal to withdraw its call for protest on November 25. It’s to safeguard public life, property and order," Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry shared on Twitter on Friday night.

The arrest "has to do nothing with Asia Bibi case", Chaudhry said, adding the TLP had insisted on coming to Rawalpindi "refusing [the government's] proposal for alternative arrangements".

"The TLP has become a continuous threat to the life and properties of the citizens and is doing politics under the guise of religion ... the situation is fully under control, people should remain peaceful and fully cooperate with authorities," he said in a tweet in Urdu.

The minister said the government "did it[s] best" to convince the party against convening for the protest, "but they refused every offer and started to provoke violence".

"State is responsible to defend finality and respect of Holy Prophet PBUH. Law shall take its course and it cannot be left to individuals," Chaudhry concluded.

Reports of arrest

Prior to Chaudhry's tweets, a family member of Rizvi had confirmed to DawnNewsTV that the TLP chief had been taken into custody. “He was arrested from his hujra in Lahore,” a family member of Rizvi told Samaa TV.

Rizvi's son, Saad, while talking to 7 News said along with his father, all district leaders of TLP had been arrested.

The Punjab information and law ministers, however, had said they did not know about any such action being taken against Rizvi.

Examine: Is TLP here to stay?

TLP leader Pir Afzal Qadri in a video message had corroborated that police "was raiding their mosques in order to arrest leaders".

Aasia Bibi protests

The reports of the arrests come weeks after the TLP led three-day protests across the country against the acquittal of Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman whose blasphemy conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court at the end of last month.

The demonstrators during the protests had termed the chief justice “liable to be killed” and had called for a rebellion against the army chief “because he is a non-Muslim”.

This had led to Prime Minister Imran Khan issuing a stern warning to the agitators and telling them: "Do not clash with the state".

“Do not take us [to a situation] where we are compelled to take [strict] action,” the prime minister had said in a televised speech.

Two days later, however, the TLP had agreed to end the nationwide protest sit-ins after reaching an agreement with the federal and Punjab governments under which the latter agreed to initiate the legal process to put Aasia Bibi's name on the Exit Control List (ECL) and refrain from objecting to review of the court judgement.

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

One year to Faizabad

In November 2017, TLP workers demanding the resignation of then law minister Zahid Hamid had staged a weeks-long sit-in at the Faizabad interchange that had virtually paralysed the federal capital and led to several people losing their lives.

On November 21 of the same month, the apex court had taken notice of the sit-in and directed the defence and interior secretaries to submit a detailed report on the matter.

Days later, the then PML-N government had launched against the protesters an operation which, when failed, had forced the authorities to cave and Hamid to resign.

The Supreme Court yesterday reserved its verdict on the suo motu case over the Faizabad sit-in. The reserved verdict pertains to a variety of issues stemming from TLP's infamous sit-in, including its party registration as well as its violent protest.

Lahore court reserves verdict on petition seeking sedition charges against Khadim Rizvi

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A Lahore sessions court on Saturday reserved its verdict on a petition seeking sedition charges against Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi and others for their diatribe against the judiciary, armed forces and other state institutions.

Filed by advocate Abdullah Malik, the petition states that the station house officer (SHO) of Civil Lines police station in Lahore had failed to file a first information report (FIR) against Rizvi and company after they had incited the masses to violence and stage mutiny against the state, in the aftermath of the apex court's acquittal of Aasia Bibi from blasphemy charges.

Take a look: TLP chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi taken into 'protective custody', information minister announces

The Civil Lines police, in today's hearing, submitted its report and told the court that an FIR had already been lodged against Rizvi under Sections 291, 290, 186, 353, 427 and 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code as well as Section 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order.

At this, the petitioner's counsel insisted that sedition charges against the TLP leader should also be added to the FIR.

Additional Sessions Judge Rai Mohammad Kharal, following the conclusion of the arguments, reserved the verdict on the petition.

Rizvi is currently in the "protective custody" of Punjab police after being arrested late on Friday, according to Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry.


NAB under fire in NA over ‘ruthless’ probe methods

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ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was blamed in the National Assembly on Friday for using ruthless methods of investigation against accused of white-collar crimes. Prime Minister Imran Khan’s U-turn remarks and negotiations between the government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout package also came under discussion during the session.

The house also condemned an abortive terrorist attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi and stressed that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project should not be made controversial.

Take a look: NAB lock-ups are like torture cells, says PML-N

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif endorsed a proposal of his own party leader Rana Sanaullah for forming a parliamentary committee that should visit the NAB office to ascertain whether the bureau was using inhumane tools against the accused. “I think the formation of the committee will help restore peaceful political atmosphere in and outside the house. This will also benefit NAB,” he added.

Opposition demands committee to ascertain allegations against anti-graft watchdog

Talking about Mr Khan’s recent remarks regarding U-turns, Mr Sharif said the prime minister should avoid passing such remarks as these could shatter confidence of other countries in Pakistan and its government. “I cannot understand the logic behind the PM’s statement. Now if the country’s foreign minister signs an agreement with any country the same country can raise a question that Imran Khan can wrap it up in the name of U-turn,” he added.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president said the government should honour the agreements made under the CPEC and avoid giving any statement against the project. “Whatever has been done in the past should not be repeated,” he said, urging members of the treasury benches to avoid passing harsh remarks about the CPEC.

Another PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique, who is also facing a NAB case, said the bureau was using torture as a tool against the accused to get statements favourable to it. He also accused the anti-graft watchdog of operating a torture cell in Lahore and claimed that drugs were given to the accused so that they could not give statements against NAB in courts.

“When NAB failed to get anything against me, my friend Qaisar Amin Butt was given drugs so that he could not say anything against NAB in court,” he said.

Mr Rafique asked the speaker to order conducting a blood test of Qaisar Butt, an accused in the Ashiyana housing scheme scam, so that facts could come to light.

The opposition leader said the Lahore NAB director general had become a tool of the government for arm-twisting of political opponents. “His [DG] own educational degree is fake and the house should also look into it,” he said.

Fact-finding committee

Rana Sanaullah asked the speaker to constitute a three-member committee comprising Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Khan and Riaz Fatiyana of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) to ascertain the allegations levelled against NAB.

He said that according to Law Minister Farogh Naseem, out of all the cases being investigated by NAB, only one per cent belonged to politicians and 99pc to other people. “If it is true then the proposed committee must be formed to look into the cruelty of NAB,” he added.

Replying to the opposition’s concerns, Ali Mohammad Khan said the government would have no objection to the formation of the fact-finding committee provided there was no legal hitch in it. “I think we should have legal opinion on it before taking any decision,” he said, asking Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, who was presiding over the house, to avoid taking any decision on the opposition’s demand.

Finance Minister Asad Umar gave a detailed reply to Shahbaz Sharif’s allegations, saying that before NAB, the Ehtesab Bureau was formed by the PML-N government in the mid-1990s. He said that today the opposition was pressing hard for amendments to NAB laws, but it had failed to do so during the last decade.

In response to the opposition leader’s criticism of the prime minister’s U-turn remarks, the finance minister said that actual U-turns had been taken by Shahbaz Sharif as he had promised the nation that he would hang Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in a square in front of people, but later backed out of it and restored friendly ties with Mr Zardari.

Government-IMF talks

Talking about the government-IMF talks, the finance minister said the government would not make any agreement with the IMF which would be harmful to the nation and the country. “We are not in hurry to finalise the deal because we have to watch the interest of the people and the country.”

He said the PTI government was facing a severe economic crisis which it inherited from the last PML-N government. “We are trying to get out of the crisis by putting minimum burden on the nation.”

Mr Umar claimed that taxes on diesel were still five times lower than those levied by the last government.

Fakhar Habib, a member of the treasury benches, lashed out at the opposition for making hue and cry on NAB investigations and said leaders of the opposition parties were trying to hide behind false allegations that the bureau was using inhuman ways of investigations.

PPP leader Naveed Qamar said regretted that NAB kept “torture chambers” to use inhuman ways of investigations against accused of white-collar crimes. “It is quite alarming that such allegations are not coming from politicians but from businessmen and top officials of educational institutions,” he added.

He also endorsed the idea of constituting a committee to ascertain the allegations levelled against NAB.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018

Sindh govt given two-week deadline to build forensic lab

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Acting Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed on Saturday set a two-week deadline for the Sindh government to establish a forensic laboratory in the province after berating its representatives for not having done so already.

"The time granted [for the formation of the lab] was one year but a year and a half has passed," the acting chief justice observed while chairing a high-level meeting also attended by provincial home and health secretaries, JPMC Executive Director Dr Seemi Jamali and officials from the University of Karachi.

"Why haven't you established the lab?" Justice Gulzar asked the government representatives. "Do you have any excuse for the delay?"

The judge remarked that "no one is realising the problems that the lack of a forensic lab is creating".

The Sindh government officials claimed that the lab has not been established yet due to delays with the release of funds. However, they assured that the funds have now been released.

"Any further delay in the establishment of the lab will not be tolerated," the chief justice warned.

On Oct 21, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, the adviser to the chief minister of Sindh on information, law and anti-corruption, had said that the Sindh government would establish a state-of-the-art forensic laboratory and that the feasibility and technical report in this regard had already been made.

The barrister further said that the demarcation of land and allocation of funds had already been complete for the lab, which he said would be built in Malir.

Woman seeks Peshawar High Court nod for sex reassignment surgery

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PESHAWAR: A 22-year-old woman on Friday moved the Peshawar High Court seeking permission to undergo the sex reassignment surgery (SRS) to become a man.

Kainat Murad filed the petition saying she suffers from gender dysphoria, a condition in which the feelings of one’s biological and psychological identity is opposite to one’s biological sex and therefore, she has problems like depression, anxiety and insomnia, which could only be treated through the SRS.

She said she was the only child of her parents, while her father has been suffering from paralysis for over a decade and that she was unable to earn a livelihood for family.

The petitioner said the violation of women’s rights was very common in the underdeveloped and developing countries and that women couldn’t move freely from home to workplace.

Insists permission will prevent legal complications

She said she had been living a life of a male person since childhood as she loved to play sports, wore men’s clothes and was friends with men whom she played cricket with.

The petitioner claimed that she rode motorcycle and all her hobbies were men’s.

She requested the court to direct the hospital directors of the three major public sector hospitals of Peshawar to provide free treatment to her for changing sex from a woman to a man by experts in the province for SRS.

She prayed the court to direct the respondents, including Nadra chairman, to change her name in the official records to Mohammad Kaif.

The petitioner claimed that she was advised by doctors to approach the high court for permission to undergo the SRS to prevent legal complications.

The petition filed through advocate Saifullah Muhib Kakakhel.

The respondents in the petition are the federal government through secretary of the federal secretariat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government through its chief secretary, Nadra chairman, and hospital directors of Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Hayatabad Medical Complex and Lady Reading Hospital.

The petitioner claimed that her condition was called gender dysphoria, a condition in which the feelings of one’s biological and psychological identity was opposite to one’s biological sex and as a result, she suffered from depression, anxiety and insomnia, which could only be treated through the SRS.

She said women were not even safe at their workplace and are sexually harassed, humiliated and exploited on ground of their sex.

The petitioner claimed that very few women had come forward and lodged complaints before the forums constituted under the Protection against Harassment of Women at Work Place Act, 2010.

She said it was her legal and constitutional right to live life of her choice and change her sex from female to male by undergoing the required surgery.

Highlighting importance of her petition, the petitioner said it was the first ever case in KP and the court would be hearing and adjudicating it to lay down a law which would permit not only a person suffering from genetically as well by psychological diseases which could only be cured by SRS to change his/her gender but also transgender would get benefit out of it.

She said she belonged to a poor family and won’t be able to afford private treatment and therefore, the court should direct the government hospitals for treatment.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018

Minister defends his presence at Chinese consulate following attack

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KARACHI: A terrorist attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi was foiled by the Sindh police and Rangers on Friday.

Shortly after the attack was thwarted, federal Min­is­ter for Water Resources Faisal Vawda showed up at the site in a bulletproof vest and armed with a gun.

When asked by a reporter if he was ready to take part in the operation, Mr Vawda answered in the affirmative. “I have a Glock and a lot of other things. Insha Allah this is our country and we will fight for it,” he said when asked about the weapon he was carrying.

However, the minister’s attempt came under heavy criticism on social media.

Journalist Abbas Nasir wrote: “I will support any move for the first non-posthumous Nishan-e-Haider for Faisal Vawda. Loved the body armour, Glock in hand and then tucked into the waistband at the back. Most of all that swagger. Living legend. Pls RT if you support such a move.”

The Pakistan Press Watch account on Twitter also commented. “For the sake of being on television [screens], Faisal Vawda styles himself as James Bond with full body armour, Glock in hand and then tucked into the waistband at the back for cameraman to film. The minister breached laws and interrupted counter-terror operation. Was the pistol licensed?” it said.

“What in the blazes is Faisal Vawda doing at the #KarachiAttack site with a gun and using a bullet proof vest that could be given to a cop? Is he a trained commando?” wrote journalist Mahim Maher.

The federal minister was quick to respond to his critics and tweeted: “I was informed as I was in the vicinity & I further informed the concerned agencies. As a Pakistani I didn’t shy away, it’s my right to use my licensed weapon for self defence. At least I’m not a coward like many hiding behind keyboards and bullshitting.”

He added that “as Federal Minister it is my domain to assist Federal agencies”.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018

War against terrorism, militancy not over yet: Bajwa

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MULTAN / RAWALPINDI: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has said that war against terrorism and militancy is not over yet.

The army chief’s remarks came during a visit to Multan Garrison on Friday where he witnessed training demonstration on combat readiness by an armour formation of the strike corps.

Take a look: ‘Engineered protests’ won’t be allowed, says army chief

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Gen Bajwa underlined that an army deterred war through professional competence and readiness.

Army chief confirms death sentences to 11 hardcore terrorists

During his visit, the army chief interacted with officers of Multan Garrison and shared his thoughts on the security situation of the country, challenges and the response, the ISPR added.

“After kinetic operations, we are now into the phase of stability operations. War against terrorism and militancy is not over yet,” the ISPR quoted the army chief as saying. “Besides kinetic efforts we have to take on measures to address the root causes while staying cognisant of inimical forces and foreign hostile agendas,” he added.

Gen Bajwa said that within the folds of national action plan, the country should support national focus on socioeconomic development so that the people of Pakistan reaped dividends of improving security.

He said some elements were wittingly or unwittingly trying to pull the country back into confrontation. “The State shall not let them do it whether on the name of religion, ethnicity or any other pretext,” he said, adding that peace, stability and progress of the country was contingent upon rule of law by all.

Meanwhile, the army chief confirmed death sentences awarded to 11 hardcore terrorists, who were involved in heinous offences related to terrorism.

According to the ISPR, the terrorists were involved in attacking armed forces, law enforcement agencies, killing of an innocent civilian and destruction of an educational institution.

The convicted terrorists, it said, were involved in the killings of a total of 26 people — one civilian and 25 armed forces/security personnel — and injuring 22 others. Arms and explosives were also recovered from their possession.

According to the ISPR, these convicts were members of proscribed organisations. They were tried by special military courts and were awarded death sentences. The courts also handed down imprisonment to 22 convicts.

Details of conviction provided by the ISPR are as follows:

Anwar Salam was involved in an attack on the armed forces which resulted in the death of Major Ziaul Haq, Subedar Ali Asghar, Havildar Muhammad Afzal, Havildar Muhammad Bashir and Lance Naik Muhammad Anwaiz.

He was also found involved in the kidnapping of Lt Col (retired) Khaqan Afzal for ransom. The convict confessed to his crimes before a judicial magistrate and the trial court, which sentenced him to death.

Irfanul Haq was involved in abetting terrorist commander Mufti Meraj Uddin in the kidnapping of Capt Najam Riaz Raja and Capt Jonaid Khan along with two soldiers. The officers/soldiers were later slaughtered by the terrorists.

He was also found in possession of explosives. The convict was awarded death sentence after he confessed to his offences before a judicial magistrate and the trial court.

Sahibzada was found involved in attacks on armed forces/law enforcement agencies personnel, which resulted in the death of Naib Subedar Muhammad Hanif along with four soldiers, a civilian and injuries to eight others. He was also involved in destruction of Government Primary School, Langar (Swat). In addition, he was found in possession of firearms/explosives as well.

The convict confessed to his offences before a judicial magistrate and the trial court. He was awarded the death sentence.

Nadir Khan, Izat Khan and Imtiaz Ahmed were involved in attacks on armed forces personnel, resulting in the death of a junior commissioned officer along with two soldiers and injuries to two others.

They were also found in possession of firearms and explosives. These convicts were sentenced to death after they confessed before a judicial magistrate and the trial court.

Ameer Zeb and Badshah Iraq were involved in attacks on armed forces/law enforcement agencies personnel, which resulted in the death of three soldiers and injuries to nine others.

Arms and explosives were also recovered from their possession. The convict confessed to their offences before a judicial magistrate and the trial court. They were awarded the death sentence.

Izhar Ahmed was involved in attacks on law enforcement agencies, which resulted in the death of Constable Ayub Khan and Constable Islam Gul. He was also found in possession of explosives.

He was sentenced to death after he confessed before a judicial magistrate and the trial court.

Akbar Ali was involved in attacks on armed forces personnel, which resulted in the death of Sepoy Asif Mehmood and injuries to an officer and two soldiers. He was also found in possession of explosives.

The convict confessed to his crimes before a judicial magistrate and the trial court. He was awarded death sentence.

Mohammad Imran was found involved in attacks on law enforcement agencies, which resulted in the death of a soldier. He was also found in possession of firearms.

He was sentenced to death after confessing to the offences before a judicial magistrate and the trial court.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018

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