KARACHI: Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa is scheduled to hear on Thursday (tomorrow) a petition, filed by former Karachi nazim Naimatullah Khan in 2010, seeking apex court’s intervention to get the amenity plots vacated from “land mafia and political parties” in the city, and around 145 other related cases regarding encroachments on public spaces, illegal constructions and conversion of residential properties into commercial ones.
Led by the CJP, a three-judge SC bench comprising Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan will hear the cases at the apex court’s Karachi Registry.
Notices have been issued to the Sindh chief minister, chief secretary and other functionaries of the provincial government, officials of cantonment boards, Karachi Port Trust, Sindh Building Control Authority, local administrations and over 100 other federal and provincial departments/officials as well as the law officers of the federal and provincial governments for April 25.
The apex court had passed several judgements and orders in the petition of the late Naimatullah Khan and other connected matters in the past, but such cases have not been fixed for hearing for over the past two years as the same were lastly heard by then chief justice Gulzar Ahmed, who hung up his robes in February 2022.
The former Karachi nazim had filed the plea in the apex court around 14 years ago, seeking help of the top court to get over 160 amenity plots vacated and, thereafter, hundreds of civil miscellaneous applications (CMAs) have been filed to either become interveners or impleading parties in the main petition.
The matters fixed for hearing on Thursday also include the issue of two private hospitals, located in Clifton, allegedly being run on amenity plots, encroachments on and around various drains of the city, restoration of Kidney Hill Park and cases regarding the Karachi Circular Railway.
The CMAs to be taken up for hearing are also about resettlement and compensation for the affectees of Gujjar, Orangi and Mehmoodabad nullahs, non-provision of water to the residents of Defence Housing Authority (DHA) through pipelines, construction on the premises of Karachi Gymkhana, suspected commercial activities at Askari Park, wedding halls on the premises of the Civil Aviation Authority office near Karachi airport and food street at Burns Road as well as cases about encroachments on amenity plots and illegal and unauthorised constructions in various parts of the city.
Plea against cancellation of land dismissed
The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed an application filed against cancellation of allotment of a 5,000-square-yard amenity plot in the city and directed the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) to file report whether the subject land could be converted into a park.
The Kanpur Old Boys Association had filed an application in 2015 against an order of the Sindh High Court regarding a dispute about the 5,000-square-yard plot located in Block-1, Scheme-36, Karachi.
The association had approached the apex court against a decision of the SHC which had accepted the local administration’s petition about the cancelation of the subject land.
The lawyer for the appellants submitted that the ombudsman had ordered the authorities to issue challan for the allotment of the subject plot and the then city district government filed an appeal against the order of the ombudsman before the Sindh governor, who had also rejected the same, while the SHC had allowed the appeal of the city government, assailing the orders of the ombudsman and governor.
A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by CJP Isa, questioned the jurisdiction of the ombudsman for hearing and deciding such matters and observed that the counsel for applicants also could not be able to produce the relevant record in the court.
Dismissing the application, the bench asked the KDA director general (DG) whether a park could be established on the subject land. The DG replied that he had to check the status of the land in question first.
The chief justice observed that amenity land could not be used for any purpose other than public services and deplored that the KDA DG was unaware about the status of the land and had no idea about utilisation of such plot. He directed the DG to file a report about the status of the subject plot.
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Tuesday managed to take up the complete agenda on its first private members’ day due to an understanding between the government and opposition as the lawmakers from both sides of the aisle demonstrated civility and mostly listened to each other with patience.
Though the house witnessed a brief ruckus towards the conclusion of the sitting after some women lawmakers protested ‘objectionable’ remarks passed by PTI’s Zartaj Gul, the overall atmosphere of the house remained peaceful.
Lawmakers took up the 18-point agenda, which included introduction of bills, presentation of private resolutions and discussion on the country’s economic situation and strengthening of higher education in Balochistan by establishing varsities, especially for female students.
Shahpur Kandi Barrage
Responding to a calling attention notice moved by PTI members regarding “Indian water aggression against Pakistan by developing Shahpur Kandi Barrage on Ravi River to stop water flow to Pakistan,” Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said Pakistan could not agitate on the matter as under the Indus Water Treaty signed in 1960, India had complete control over the three eastern rivers, including Ravi.
The minister said the treaty had been signed by both countries with the World Bank playing a mediatory role and its implementation was an international obligation. He, however, said the government was resolute in not relinquishing its water rights, emphasising that any alteration to the Indus Water Treaty necessitated mutual consent from both Pakistan and India.
Law minister says Pakistan can’t agitate issue of India’s barrage on Ravi; finance czar calls for ‘tax culture’
The minister claimed that India wanted to revoke the treaty as it wanted to impose a war, but the WB was not permitting New Delhi to do so. He reiterated that the treaty stood immutable unless both Pakistan and India reach a consensus for modification.
Mr Tarar said in the past Pakistan had taken up the issues of Indian violation of the treaty to the WB and got relief in some cases. He gave the example of Kishan Ganga Dam in this regard.
PTI’s Zartaj Gul criticised the minister for saying Pakistan could not agitate the issue, expressing the fear the BJP government would revoke the Indus Water Treaty after winning the elections this time.
Economy
In a policy statement on the economic situation, Finance Minister Mohammad Aurangzeb called for creating tax culture in the country and improving tax-GDP ratio. He said imposing more taxes on tax payers would not resolve the issue.
Stating that the IMF programme could only provide stability and not development, the minister said agriculture and information technology sectors held the potential to contribute significantly to economic growth. He stressed the government’s commitment to facilitating the two sectors and expressed optimism that IT exports would surpass the $3.3bn mark during this financial year.
He stressed the importance of promoting agricultural growth to achieve a rate of five to six per cent annually, in addition to harnessing the potential of the local livestock sector.
The minister asserted that the country’s economic situation had improved compared to the previous year. Regarding economic indicators, he highlighted a 74pc decrease in the current account deficit, which reached $1bn as compared to $3.9bn previously.
He outlined the government’s focus on three key areas for transformation: tax, energy sectors, and reforms in the state-owned enterprises.
Mr Aurangzeb, who had recently returned from the US, affirmed the support of friendly countries both domestically and internationally for Pakistan’s economic growth. He said the inflation had come down to 20.7pc from 38pc and it would drop to 5pc to 7pc by September 2025.
The NA also passed a resolution urging the government to “take immediate steps to ensure the payment of the minimum wages announced by the government in the government-run departments as well as the private enterprises.”
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ruled that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) cannot undo its own decisions as it lacks the power of review.
Justice Shahid Karim issued the ruling, setting aside an ECP order where it directed a returning officer (RO) to recount votes after the consolidation of election results.
The judge observed that the ECP wrongly interpreted its inherent powers under the Election Acts 2017 by ordering a recount after the conclusion of the election process and the issuance of the gazette notification of the returned candidate.
He noted that sub-section 6 of Section 95 of the Elections Act confers the ECP with the power to direct a returning officer to recount the ballot papers before the conclusion of result consolidation proceedings.
Court dismisses commission’s order directing RO to recount votes after result announcement
If the ECP doesn’t exercise this power within the contours of this provision, “it cannot thereafter proceed to exercise such power on the misplaced notion that it can do so by invoking provisions of Section 8 of the 2017 Act”, Justice Karim said.
Section 8 gives ECP the powers to conduct free and fair elections.
Justice Karim explained that the ECP is constrained by Section 95(6) and cannot exceed its jurisdiction.
In the impugned order, he said, although the ECP referred to the provisions of Section 95(5) but ignored Sub-Section 6, which relates to the commission’s powers.
The judge observed that the ECP committed an error by stating that the commission may exercise “its inherent power to rectify any injustice committed during the course of the election.”
“This view is a violation of law and must be discountenanced. It cannot be sustained in view of the holding of the superior courts in different cases,” the judge wrote in his detailed judgement on a petition by PTI-backed independent candidate Bilal Ijaz from the National Assembly Constituency NA-81 (Gujranwala).
Through a short order, the judge on April 16 allowed the petition and struck down the ECP’s decision to hold a recount wherein Azhar Qayum Nahra of the PML-N was declared victorious.
Justice Karim said it was unfortunate that the ECP passed the impugned order, ignoring the judgments of the superior courts. He said the ECP is not the only authority tasked with the duties and obligations of holding fair and free elections under the Elections Act.
Therefore, after certain events have taken place, the commission must step aside and allow other bodies to take charge.
The judge observed that the lofty and legitimate aim of holding just and fair elections cannot be taken to confer carte blanche (complete freedom) on the ECP to expand its powers beyond the statutory realm.
He noted that a reading of the impugned order passed by the ECP betrays an increased appetite for accumulating power, which goes against the law’s intent.
The judge ruled that the ECP’s order amounts to reviewing its own declaration of results in the official gazette; therefore, the Election Commission should not have exercised its jurisdiction in the instant case after declaring the results.
KARACHI: A man was killed and four others suffered injuries when a portion of a three-storey building collapsed and the debris hit them in North Nazimabad late on Monday night, officials said on Tuesday.
They said that the victims were sitting outside shops located on the ground floor of Jan Plaza in Block K when the incident happened.
A Rescue-1122 official said that the balcony of a third-floor apartment collapsed and as a result five men, present outside a medical store, suffered injuries.
The wounded were taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where doctors declared one of them dead on arrival. He was identified as Munnan Baig, 50.
The rescuers evacuated the residents of the building safely.
The official said that the building appeared to be very old and had already developed cracks.
A team of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) visited the spot and inspected the building.
After examining the structure, the SBCA sealed shops on the ground floor and declared the building “unworthy of living”, the officials said.
Central SSP Zeeshan Shafiq Siddiqui told Dawn that the police would register a case on the complaint of the victim’s family. “We are waiting for them as they said they would come to the police station after burial,” he added.
Security guard dies by suicide
A young security guard of a hospital ended his life by shooting himself to death while talking to his friend on his cell phone in Surjani Town on Tuesday.
Police said that the guard, Sameer Ibrahim, 18, fatally shot himself near POB Eye Hospital in Sector-7-B.
West SSP Dr Hafeezur Rehman said that the teenager was the guard of the hospital. During initial probe, it had transpired that he possessed a 12-bore repeater. He was talking to his friend, Asif, on his cell phone. In the meantime, in a fit of anger, he shot himself, said the SSP while quoting a witness, Mohammed Ateeq.
DSP and SHO Surjani reached on the spot and shifted the body to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
Meanwhile, 31-year-old Mehtab Muhammad attempted suicide by shooting himself at football ground in Ali Mohammed Goth on Tuesday, Bin Qasim police said.
Another man, Abdul Hakeem, 20, tried to save him but he also suffered bullet wounds. Both the wounded men were shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.
ISLAMABAD: The number of proscribed outfits has swelled to 79 after the first addition in the list of terrorist organisations in four years.
The latest addition to the list, the Zainebiyoun Brigade (ZB), is a militant group which was designated by the US State Department as a terrorist organisation in 2019.
The decision to ban Zainebiyoun Brigade was notified after escalation of tensions with Iran in January and implemented on March 29.
Seen by observers as a move by Islamabad to appease Washington, while others speculate this was done to win favour with Riyadh, whose foreign minister visited Pakistan recently.
According to security analyst Mohammad Amir Rana, the Zainebiyoun Brigade is believed to have been involved in supplying weapons to the IRGC in the Middle East.
Last month, reports emerged of alleged Zainebiyoun members of Pakistani origin being apprehended in international waters for carrying weapons to be given to the IRGC in the Middle East.
In another incident, the death of a Pakistan-origin commander in Syria affiliated with the group paved the way for Pakistan to ban it. Pakistani law-enforcement agencies are believed to have sufficient proof of the Zainebiyoun Brigade`s involvement in sectarian violence in the country and recruitment for the Iraq and Syria conflict, but the government had not acted earlier because of circumstances linked to the alleged presence of Baloch insurgents on Iranian soil.
The loyalty of its members, who prioritise ideological affiliations over national ties, also remains a major challenge for security institutions.
Formed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) after a civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, the Zainebiyoun Brigade, also known as Liwa Zainebiyoun, is charged with mobilising Pakistani Shias to fight forces opposed to Syrian ruler Bashar Al Assad, a close ally of Tehran and Moscow.
The Brigade has acknowledged ties with the Quds Force since around the 2001 US invasion of Afghanistan, and its formation was announced in 2014 during the conflict in Syria. It recently pledged its readiness to follow orders from the IRGC.
The process of maintaining a list of proscribed organisations started on Aug 14, 2001, when Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipah-i-Mohammad Pakistan were outlawed.
Later, the government banned Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan, Tehreek-i-Islami and Tehreek-i-Nifaz Shariat-i-Mohammadi on Jan 14, 2002.
QUETTA: A provincial government meeting on Tuesday expressed serious concern over poor law and order situation in the province despite spending a huge amount of Rs55 billion annually to ensure peace and security.
The meeting, presided over by Home and Tribal Affairs Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove, pledged to ensure security and law and order across the province, especially on highways linking the province with other parts of the country.
The meeting discussed recent incidents of terrorism, which claimed innocent lives in different areas of the province. The authorities concerned briefed the meeting about steps taken by law-enforcement agencies to ensure security and safety of the masses.
It decided to use all available resources to maintain law and order and all highways and inter-provincial roads would be made safe for secure and peaceful travel of the people.
The meeting noted that ensuring security of the masses was the basic responsibility of any government in the world.
“All steps must be taken to eliminate terrorism and from the province,” Mr Langove told the meeting and directed all institutions concerned to ensure security across the province.
He appealed to the masses to cooperate with security personnel to maintain law and order.
The minister stressed the need for better coordination between police and Levies Force and other law-enforcement agencies and said that accurate information should be used to take action against criminals.
Additional Chief Secretary Zahid Saleem, Balochistan police chief Abdul Khaliq Sheikh and senior officials of Frontier Corps and police attended the meeting.
CM’s presser
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has said that the provincial government has decided to resolve the issue of the ongoing insurgency and acts terrorism taking place in the province with consensus.
CM Bugti added that for this purpose, lawmakers, tribal elders and all opposition parties will be taken into confidence as the problem was badly affecting the province and retarding its progress and development.
Speaking at a press conference late on Tuesday night after his return from Islamabad, the chief minister said that he has formed a committee at the provincial level for holding talks with leaders of all political parties, coalition partners and opposition parties for developing consensus to adopt a mechanism for resolving the issue on a permanent basis.
Mr Bugti said the negotiation committee comprised Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran and Mir Shoaib Nosherwani (PML-N), Mir Ali Madad Jattak (PPP) and Mir Ziaullah Langove (BAP).
According to the chief minister, the committee will start its work immediately and hold talks with leaders of all political parties irrespective of having representation or no representation in the parliament.
QUETTA: One person was killed in a rocket attack at the election office of a PPP candidate in Kohlu town of Balochistan late on Tuesday evening.
Officials said two rockets, fired from an unknown location, landed and exploded near the election office of Mir Nasibullah Marri. The victim was hit by splinters, resulting in his death.
Mr Marri had contested the election for Balochistan Assembly from Kohlu’s PB-9 constituency and was elected MPA.
However, the losing candidate challenged the result, and the Election Commission ordered re-polling in seven polling stations.
PML-N’s Nawab Jangeez Khan Marri won the seat after repolling.
LAHORE: The Punjab government has announced setting up a provincial enforcement authority to check the price hike.
Presiding over a meeting to review the implementation of various government policies on Tuesday, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed the officials to establish the Provincial Enforcement Authority in Punjab.
“Enforcement authorities will also be established in every district and tehsil of Punjab. The Provincial Enforcement Authority will be headed by the chief secretary supported by a DG. The district enforcement authorities will be headed by deputy commissioners while the tehsil enforcement authorities will be headed by the respective ACs,” she said.
The enforcement authorities would have the powers to take action against the price hike, encroachment of government land and hoarding, besides performing other special tasks assigned by the government from time to time.
CM gives nod for new authorities at provincial, district, tehsil levels
The chief minister directed the officials to make these enforcement authorities functional within six months and immediately start legislation for the purpose. She approved a proposal to amend 11 laws, rules and ordinances for the establishment of the authorities across the province.
“A police station and a special force will be established at the tehsil level under the supervision of the tehsil enforcement authority. The authority in-charge, investigation officers, enforcement officers and constables will be appointed in a tehsil enforcement authority, which will have the powers to register cases, investigate them and to make arrests in addition to the enforcement of law,” she said while addressing the participants of the meeting.
The chief minister further added: “The offices of provincial and district enforcement authorities are being established to ensure effective monitoring.”
Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Senator Pervaiz Rasheed, Provincial Minister for Food Bilal Yasin, Minister for Information and Culture Azma Zahid Bokhari, Minister for Agriculture Muhammad Ashiq Hussain, MPA Sania Ashiq, the chief secretary, secretaries agriculture and finance and other relevant officers attended the meeting.
• KE resorts to 10 hours of loadshedding in Karachi, says Awais Leghari
• Minister believes power theft can’t be resolved without help of provincial govts, law enforcers
• PPP MNA Nabil Gabol accuses KE of overbilling
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Power Awais Leghari on Tuesday admitted on the floor of the National Assembly that the K-Electric (KE) had resorted to loadshedding for an average duration of 10 hours a day in different localities of the metropolis to recover losses due to power theft and that the federal government had planned to engage provincial governments to improve the situation.
“This is an economic loadshedding to recover losses,” said the power minister while responding to a calling attention notice moved by Pakistan Peoples’ Party MNAs from Karachi regarding “unscheduled load-shedding and overbilling” in Karachi, especially in Lyari and Azam Basti.
Mr Leghari said besides 10-hour daily loadshedding, the people of these two localities had to face power outages even for a longer time keeping in view the power theft and losses.
The minister, however, said out of 2,109 feeders in Karachi, 1,500 were facing no loadshedding, while others were subjected to loadshedding according to their loss rates, which meant that there had been no loadshedding on 71 per cent of feeders in Karachi.
Mr Leghari said that he was planning to visit Karachi sometime in the next week to have a meeting with Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, declaring that the power theft issue could not be resolved without the support of the provincial governments and the law enforcement agencies (LEAs).
He also revealed plans to establish a new board aimed at enhancing governance in the sector. The minister mentioned that in Azam Basti, three feeders served 12,200 people, leading to 10-hour loadshedding due to losses.
Efforts were underway to reduce the current loss rate of 38.3 per cent, he added.
Regarding Lyari, the minister detailed that out of 82 feeders, there was no loadshedding on 31, while others were experiencing varying durations of loadshedding based on losses.
Moreover, the minister mentioned ‘proactive’ measures taken by the Sindh government, including setting up over 3,000 mini-camps in collaboration with the KE, to encourage bill payment and cooperation in minimising losses.
The minister said that the people had ‘no habit’ of paying electricity bills and sought the help of elected representatives of Karachi in this regard.
He said that during his visit to Karachi, he would meet the officials of the KE and asked the Karachi MNAs to accompany him to KE offices.
One of the movers, Nabil Gabol alleged that the minister had been provided wrong information by the KE, claiming that there had been loadshedding for up to 18 hours in whole Lyari.
Due to lengthy power outages, he said, the people were also facing water shortages in Lyari.
Mr Gabol accused the KE of overbilling the consumers and questioned hefty salary packages of the KE officials.
“The KE itself is the biggest thief. Its directors are receiving salaries up to Rs4.2 billion. No one is there to question them. Privatisation doesn’t mean that they [KE people] are above the law,” he said.
The minister said that it was the responsibility of Nepra to ensure post-privatisation quality and that he would ask the regulatory body to ensure it.
MNA Asad Alam Niazi was of the view that those paying the bills regularly should not be penalised for the fault of others and that depriving law-abiding citizens of this facility was a violation of their fundamental rights.
Mr Leghari acknowledged that it was a human rights issue, but said that they did not have any mechanism or technology in place to disconnect power supply to individuals without the assistance of the LEAs.
He disclosed that the KE had installed some mechanical devices on transformers to monitor the situation, but the area residents intentionally damaged those devices, thus forcing the KE to switch off the feeders, instead of disconnecting transformers.
In response to a question asked by Mirza Ikhtiar Baig about anti-theft measures so far taken by the government, the minister said that the previous caretaker government had launched a drive in this regard which produced good results in some places whereas it failed in others.
He said his ministry was taking action against those officials of the power companies who were found involved in the power theft.
BAHAWALNAGAR: Six policemen, including a sub-inspector (SI), were booked on Tuesday for allegedly torturing a mentally challenged youth after the family approached the DPO for justice in an open court.
Police sources told Dawn that Junaid of Basti Roda Singh went missing on April 21. The next day, his brother Zeshan received a call from Haroonabad City police that his brother had met with an accident and was lying injured at the police station.
Later, the family came to know that SI Muhammad Umar along with five unknown City police officials had subjected Junaid to brutal torture, broke his cell phone and took out Rs5,000 from his pocket.
The police officials ordered the victim’s family to remain silent on the matter and threatened them with dire consequences in case of any complaint. The policemen instructed the family to call the above matter an accident and took a signature from the family on a blank paper.
When the family tried to approach the DPO over the matter, the cops threatened to implicate them in criminal cases.
On Monday, the family contacted the district police officer at an open court held at DPO office, narrated all the event in a written complaint and sought justice. Responding to it, the DPO took notice, investigated the matter on the spot and ordered to book the policemen after they were found guilty in the probe. A departmental inquiry was also initiated against them.
When contacted, Bahawalnagar DPO Naseebullah Khan confirmed that a case had been registered against six officials under section 342 of Pakistan Penal Code and 156D Police Order 2002. He said the abuse of authority was not acceptable in any case and those found guilty in the inquiry would be dismissed from service.
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Apex Committee on Monday decided to increase the powers of the counter-terrorism department to address the issue of extortion and gave the green light for necessary amendments to the law for the purpose.
The committee met here with Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur in the chair.
The other participants included Peshawar Corps Commander Lt-Gen Hassan Azhar Hayat, provincial chief secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, police chief Akhtar Hayat Khan and other senior officials, according to an official statement.
It added that the forum declared extortion and drug peddling the “areas of most pressing concern for the province” and decided to set up a task force comprising all law-enforcement agencies and increase the powers of the CTD to address the issue.
The committee agreed in principle to legislate in that respect, according to the statement.
It also reiterated its resolve to handle extortionists and narcotics peddlers with an iron hand and agreed on strict action against the government officials involved in the goods’ smuggling.
The participants agreed to reinforce checkpoints and carry out an indiscriminate crackdown on smugglers.
They also decided about the clampdown on the supply of drugs to educational institutions and said a modern rehabilitation centre would be set up in the province for drug addicts.
The apex body decided that the law would be amended to hand down exemplary punishments to narcotics dealers, while action against drug barons would be intensified.
It observed that extortion, illegal hundi and hawala businesses, smuggling, fake documentation, and drug smuggling were fuelling militancy, and therefore, those activities should be effectively checked.
The participants called for better coordination between federal and provincial entities for the purpose and recommended that the meeting of the Central Apex Committee be held in Peshawar to address the issues related to the centre.
They also examined the profiling of non-custom paid vehicles and registration of seminaries in the province and directed federal and provincial authorities and intelligence agencies to carry out a coordinated action against illegal activities.
The committee agreed to set up a “track and trace system to control the smuggling of banned and illegal substances” and said district committees would be strengthened to implement the apex committee’s decisions.
It also ordered the formulation of a plan to strengthen the excise, police, customs, Anti-Narcotics Force, and other agencies.
The participants decided to take up the issue of NCP vehicles in the province with federal authorities.
They also discussed the illegal use of explosive substances in the province and decided to outlaw the use of fireworks at weddings and other functions, according to the statement.
The apex body also decided about the audit of permits issued for explosives-related businesses and the strengthening of the role of the district explosive committees.
Officials informed the meeting that around 300,000 illegal aliens had so far voluntarily returned to their homes, while the profiling of the Afghan Citizen Card holders was under way.
They also said Rs6 billion worth of smuggled goods and 78 tons of contraband were confiscated in the last one year, while Rs1.39 billion currency notes were seized in actions against the illegal hundi-hawala business.
The officials said the province registered 3,571 seminaries, blocked 100,000 illegal mobile SIM cards, and profiled 100,000 NCP vehicles.
The chief minister called for better coordination among civil and military agencies in the province to improve the law and order situation.
PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the advocate general of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa seeking his response to a petition of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz against the recent authorisation of expenditure by the provincial government for a month.
Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Shahid Khan held a preliminary hearing into the joint petition of two PML-N MPAs, including Leader of the Opposition in the provincial assembly Dr Ibadullah Khan and Sobia Shahid, for declaring the government’s expenditure authorisation move unconstitutional and illegal.
The bench fixed May 2 for next hearing into the petition.
The petitioners insisted that the April 5 decision of the provincial cabinet regarding the authorisation of the government’s essential expenditure for the current month of April was against the Constitution and the law.
Fixes next hearing into plea against govt’s move for May 2
They also prayed the court to direct the provincial government to immediately call the provincial assembly’s session for the approval of the essential expenditure for an “appropriate period until the presentation of the regular budget” in the house.
Lawyer for the petitioners Aminur Rehman Yousafzai said that the provincial assembly was dissolved on Jan 19, 2023, by the KP governor on the advice of the then chief minister and a caretaker government was later installed in the province.
He said that piecemeal authorisation of expenditure for four months was approved under Article 126 of the Constitution by the caretaker cabinet for July-Oct 2023 and Nov 2023-Feb 2024, respectively, in July and Nov 2023.
The counsel said that the general elections were held on Feb 8, 2024, and the first meeting of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial assembly was held on Feb 28 for the oath taking of the newly-elected members.
He added that the previous period of the authorisation of expenditure expired on Feb 29 and therefore, the provincial assembly approved the authorisation of expenditure for a further period of one month (March 2024) under Article 125 of the Constitution on March 4.
Mr Yousafzai said that the period of authorisation also expired on March 31.
He contended that after the lapse of a one-month period of authorised expenditure, the provincial government, in order to approve authorisation of expenditure for a further period, opted for the analogy of Article 126, through which a caretaker provincial government was authorised to sanction its expenditure.
The lawyer argued that without following the prescribed constitutional procedure, the cabinet authorised the essential expenditure for the month of April in its meeting held on April 5.
He contended that the provincial cabinet had deliberately misinterpreted Article 126 of the Constitution for ulterior motives in order to frustrate judgement of the high court on March 27, wherein it directed the speaker of the assembly to administer oaths to the opposition members elected to seats reserved for women and non-Muslims in the assembly.
Mr Yousafzai argued that the provincial assembly had been there since Feb 28, 2024, whereas Article 126 of the Constitution, which was exclusively related to a caretaker government when the assembly had been dissolved, had been invoked by the government, which was illegal and unconstitutional.
Meanwhile, Dr Ibadullah told reporters on the premises of the high court that the provincial government had been undermining the importance of the provincial assembly by authorising its expenditure in an illegal manner.
In a reference to detained PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, the opposition leader insisted that the affairs of the provincial government were run at the whims of a convicted person.
He complained about a delay in the appointment of regular vice-chancellors to the province’s 18 public sector universities and insisted the chief minister had no interest in the affairs of the province.
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has ruled that male family members deciding the terms of Nikah on behalf of the bride is “accepted as a cultural and social norm”, but it puts her at a disadvantage in the later stages of marriage.
The order, released on Tuesday, was pronounced by a two-member Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices Aminud Din Khan and Athar Minallah, in the case of determining the bride’s entitlement to a plot mentioned in Nikahnama.
In 2022, the Lahore High Court (LHC) decided in favour of a woman, Huma Saeed, who had married Mohammad Yousaf in May 2014.
Mr Yousaf, who divorced his wife in October 2014, challenged the decision in Supreme Court on grounds that the said plot, mentioned in column 17 of the Nikahnama, cannot be interpreted as part of the dower or gift.
In case of any ambiguity in Nikahnama, benefit should go to the wife, Justice Minallah holds
The title of column 17 was ‘special conditions’, “making it distinct from the other columns which have been specifically provided for the purposes of settling the terms of dower”, the petitioner pleaded.
In his written statement before the SC, Mr Yousaf pleaded that the plot was meant for the construction of a house, and his wife was to live in it for as long as their marriage lasted.
“A plain reading of the description of the property, as mentioned in column 17, does not indicate nor support such a stance,” said the 10-page judgement authored by Justice Minallah.
It added that the question before the bench was how to interpret the terms and conditions of a nikahnama in case of any doubt and ambiguity.
“Its [dower’s] determination at the time of the execution of the [nikahnama] must necessarily be guided by an informed understanding of the bride regarding her rights. The freedom to negotiate and settle the terms by the bride, therefore, becomes crucial.”
Bride’s consent
Justice Minalllah regretted that society’s “paternal tendencies” and “dominance of the male members” in deciding the terms and conditions on behalf of the bride has generally been accepted as a cultural and social norm. “It places a bride in a disadvantageous position, inevitably adversely affecting her capacity to execute the contract with free consent”.
The bench held that a Nikahnama “is the deed of marriage contract” entered into by two parties, and its clauses are to be interpreted “in the light of the intention of the parties”.
“The headings, therefore, are not sufficient to determine the intention of the two parties to the [Nikahnama].”
“The courts, while interpreting the contents and terms and conditions of a [Nikahnama], also have to take into consideration the factor of free consent of the bride and her freedom to settle the terms and conditions as a person having an informed understanding of her rights.”
The judgement added that in case of any ambiguity in the terms of Nikahnama, “the benefit ought to go in favour of the wife” if it was established that she wasn’t informed of her rights at the time of the Nikah.
The bench dismissed the husband’s appeal on the grounds of correct interpretation of the Nikahnama by the LHC.
LAKKI MARWAT: Public health minister Malik Pakhtoonyar Khan and Bannu deputy commissioner Shah Saud on Tuesday distributed compensation cheques of Rs270 million among the landowners hit by Baran dam upraising project.
Speaking at a jirga held on this occasion, Mr Pakhtoonyar thanked the tribesmen for donating lands for the dam project, and said the government had fulfilled its promise to provide them with compensation. He said the provincial government would soon approve mega uplift projects for Bannu.
Declaring peace inevitable for development, he said people should play a role in that regard. The jirga was held at the residence of Malik Mir Shamad and attended by elders of Mamandkhel tribe.
Acknowledging the role of tribal elders in restoration of peace in the region, the deputy commissioner said lasting peace would help bring sustainable development to the area.
Mr Saud asked elders to use the platform of jirga to provide a better living environment to tribesmen. He said the government was committed to bringing the backward regions on a par with developed parts of the province. He said problems faced by tribesmen would be resolved on a priority.
On the occasion, the elders said they would assist law enforcement agencies in ensuring writ of the state in the region.
In Lakki, district police officer Taimur Khan has asked the SHOs to tighten the noose around drug barons and criminals and ensure their arrests at all costs.
Speaking at a meeting held on Tuesday, he said narcotics sellers were enemies of future generations and their dens must be eliminated.
He warned that SHOs and in-charge officers of police posts would face departmental action if they did not improve their performance within a week.
Separately, a man was shot at and stabbed by his rivals over a murder enmity near Dallokhel Phatak (old railway crossing) on Tuesday.
Police said the incident took place on Tajazai-Lakki Road. They identified the injured as Hayatullah, 53, a resident of Shadikhel Bitanni.
Police said the wounded man was shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital, Tajazai, and a case was registered against the suspects, Alo Khan and Rehmat.
They said the police launched efforts to arrest the attackers.
ISLAMABAD: Rejecting speculations about secret talks with the establishment, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan made it clear on Tuesday that the party was neither interested in nor holding talks with anyone.
“Today, I asked party’s founding chairman Imran Khan that if some institutions had contacted him for the talks? Imran Khan clearly said that no one had contacted him,” Mr Gohar said while speaking to media persons outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
He said no one had even contacted him for dialogue, nor had he received any message for talks from anyone.
“Same is the case with the other party leadership. Even if we receive any message from anyone for dialogues, we will inform the media,” he said.
Demands Bushra Bibi be shifted to Shaukat Khanum Hospital forthwith
He made it clear that whenever PTI is interested in dialogues, they would be held openly and the media would be informed about it.
In reply to a question, he said Mr Khan did not believe in sharing power and would not make an alliance with any party which has stolen the mandate of the PTI. However, he said, the party would continue efforts and struggle for the rights of the people of Pakistan.
Bushra Bibi’s health
Expressing serious concerns over the health of Bushra Bibi, the wife of former prime minister Imran Khan, after a team of doctors with an ambulance visited Banigala overnight to examine her, the PTI leadership on Tuesday warned that the rulers would be held responsible if anything happened to her.
Speaking at a press conference, the PTI leaders warned that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, jail superintendent and other authorities would be held responsible if anything happened to Ms Bibi, alleging that the current regime had crossed all boundaries of “fascism and inhumane acts”.
Accompanied by PTI Senator Dr Humayun Mohmand, Naeem Haider Panjutha and party’s Women Wing president Kanwal Shauzab, central information secretary Raoof Hasan demanded that Mr Khan’s wife be immediately transferred to Shaukat Khanum Hospital and treated by doctors of her and her husband’s choice.
PTI Senator Mohmand questioned the credibility of medical assessment reports of Bushra Bibi, alleging that her medical examination had been delayed for two months. He said that if tests were not conducted in a specific period of time, their results could be different.
He said if Ms Bibi was allowed to undergo medical tests when she complained about health deterioration, only then they could accept the test results, adding that she needed a clinical evaluation because here medical examination diagnosed that her stomach layer was inflamed and digestive canal was damaged.
That was the reason doctors suggested a better diet for her and, therefore, the chances of her being poisoned could not be ruled out, he claimed.
Mr Hasan alleged that all state institutions badly failed to perform their legal and constitutional duties. He said the chief justice inaction and silence on human rights violations in the country raised many eyebrows.
Mr Panjutha said Ms Bibi had no health issues before her detention and the issue of her medical examination had been dragged for two months with “malicious” intent.
Ms Shauzab said that after the “regime change conspiracy”, a new but alarming tradition had emerged in the country to specifically target women.
PLANNING Minister Ahsan Iqbal launches the National Human Development Report 2024, in Islamabad, on Tuesday.—APP
ISLAMABAD: Over half of the country’s population does not have access to internet, but districts that perform better on digital transformation are also among the better performing areas in terms of human development, reveals the first-ever Digital Development Index (DDI) report, released on Tuesday.
Prepared in the collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the report is part of the National Human Development Report 2024, which was launched by Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal.
The report placed the country in the ‘moderate’ category in terms of digital development and noted that women are underserved by digital development and 83.5pc of whom claimed their spouse or parents dictate their phone ownership.
According to the report, digital development in Pakistan’s richest quintile was 15-fold greater than the poorest quintile, meaning that wealth is a huge marker of the digital development.
First-ever Digital Development Index reveals over 80pc of women’s phones are ‘controlled’ by their parents or spouse
Islamabad is the district with ‘very high’ digital development, followed by Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Haripur and Abbottabad in the ‘high’ category.
It showed a strong correlation between districts that perform better on digital transformation and those having the higher human development outcomes.
The country has a low Human Development Index rank of 164 out of 193 countries, coupled with a Gender Inequality Index position of 135 out of 166 countries.
The digital divides further exacerbate poor development outcomes, the report noted.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Iqbal claimed the government was committed to harnessing the benefits of technological innovation to improve livelihood prospects, accelerate financial inclusion, improve employment, and deliver efficient public services.
Recognizing digital access as a fundamental necessity in the modern era, akin to essential services like electricity, healthcare, and education, the minister stressed the government’s responsibility to bridge the digital divide across all regions.
UNDP Assistant Administrator and Regional Director Regional for Asia and the Pacific Kanni Wignaraja said that over 60pc of the population in Asia-Pacific was online, with women and marginalised groups being significantly underrepresented.
“Pakistan is the sixth largest contributor to the global middle-class growth between 2022 to 2030, contributing 25 million,” she said.
“Targeted digital transformation efforts for this growing middle class could greatly improve the country’s productivity,” she said.
UNDP Pakistan Resident Representative Dr Samuel Rizk said: “Our ambition is to contribute to a future-oriented Pakistan where digital transformation becomes a hallmark of its inclusion, and a cornerstone for its prosperity”.
The report highlighted that over half of Pakistan does not have access to internet because of inadequate digital infrastructure and affordability challenges and nearly half of the country’s districts have low DDI rankings. Without
equitable access to digital technology, the report noted, Pakistan’s human development outcomes will remain low and under-served.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said his government wants to work with the UK to improve the quality of education and promote higher studies in Pakistan.
Mr Sharif made these remarks during a meeting with the representatives of leading UK universities at the PM House.
The prime minister welcomed the delegation and emphasised the importance of promoting quality education, saying it was his government’s top priority.
He expressed his commitment to ensuring every child’s access to education and said the federal government was working with the provinces to achieve the goal.
Australian envoy praises bravery of Pakistani guards in Sydney
He praised the UK’s support for Pakistan’s education sector and expressed hope for strengthening bilateral cooperation in the fields of education and trade.
PM Sharif also welcomed the launch of reciprocal degree programmes in UK universities of both countries.
The PM said Pakistan’s bilateral relations with the UK “spanned over decades” and called for more collaboration in the fields of research and technology between the universities of the two countries.
Envoy meets PM
In a separate meeting with the PM, Australian High Commissioner Neil Hawkins praised the bravery of Pakistani security guards who attempted to tackle the man who fatally stabbed six people in a busy Sydney shopping centre earlier this month.
The prime minister also invited Australian companies to train their Pakistani counterparts and acknowledged the Pakistani diaspora’s contribution to Australia.
A delegation of the Chinese International Development Cooperation Agency, led by its Chairman, Luo Zhaohui, also called on the PM on Tuesday.
The PM acknowledged the agency’s “pivotal role” in bolstering Pakistan’s economic development and commended its “vital support” during the 2022 floods and later for relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction.
RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) Punjab reiterated its commitment to eliminate plastic bags from the district, announcing a complete ban on the use of all types of shopping bags and polythene bags from June 5.
This decisive measure aims to eradicate plastic bags and mitigate the risks posed by plastic to human life, wildlife and aquatic ecosystems.
This was informed in an awareness session with schoolchildren held on the occasion of Earth Day. The initiative, in collaboration with Murree Brewery, Attock Oil Refinery and the National Cleaner Production Centre aims to promote environmental protection measures.
The function was attended by Deputy Director Environment Protection Agency Maria Safeer, along with assistant directors Anza Niazi, Namra Tariq, Romaisa Babar and Inspector Inamul Haq.
Themed ‘Plastic vs. Earth’, this year’s Earth Day campaign seeks to tackle the pressing issue of plastic pollution. The EPA Rawalpindi team has distributed cloth bags to children and shops across the city to encourage the use of eco-friendly alternatives. Banners advocating against plastic usage adorned prominent locations in the city to raise awareness among the people.
In alignment with the Punjab government regulations, a comprehensive ban has been imposed not only on the sale of plastic bags less than 75 microns but also on various plastic items, including disposables and multi-layer packaging plastic products listed in Schedules 1 and 2 of the Punjab Single-Use Plastic Products Regulation 2023. Stringent penalties and imprisonment await violators.
Moreover, all plastic manufacturers, collectors and recyclers throughout the province are mandated to register with the Punjab Environment Protection and Climate Change Department to ensure accountability and regulation.
Plastic pollution poses a significant threat to land, water and air quality, exacerbating environmental degradation. Its adverse effects on human health, including cancer and the ingestion of microplastics present in food, underscore the urgency of addressing this issue.
The deputy director emphasised the individual responsibility to opt for cloth bags over plastic ones and choose steel or other environmentally friendly alternatives for food consumption.
ISLAMABAD: The Shuhada Forum Balochistan (SFB) approached the Supreme Court on Tuesday to seek the strict implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) against terrorism and extremism — formulated in 2014 — as well as expeditious disposal of pending appeals and trials of terrorists involved in anti-state activities.
Moved through senior counsel Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmad Khokhar on behalf of SFB patron-in-chief Nawabzada Jamal Raisani, the petition was filed a day before a six-judge Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, resumes the hearing of a set of intra-court appeals (ICAs) against the Oct 23 unanimous verdict declaring illegal the military trial of civilians.
The petition sought a directive for the federal and provincial governments to establish a robust prosecution system by adopting best international practices for witness protection and early conclusion of appeals and trials of anti-state elements before all forums, including the Supreme Court and high courts.
The petition said the federal and provincial governments should also be directed to pay special monetary packages and make sure free education for the children of martyr’s families in both private and government institutions and to provide them foolproof security when needed.
“These governments should also be directed to take steps and introduce new legislation for controlling illegal menace of promoting terrorist activities on different social media platforms and for controlling fake news by adopting best international practices and establishing an independent authority to deal with such matters after consultation with stakeholders.”
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday took notice of the “willful” delay in tax cases and ordered suspension of the commissioner inland revenue Islamabad and other relevant officials.
He also asked for initiating an inquiry against the officials, said the media wing of Prime Minister Office in a press release.
Soon after assuming the office, the prime minister had directed for immediate reforms in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and decided to oversee the process himself.
According to the press release, cases involving billions of rupees related to government revenues had been pending for adjudication in tax tribunals.
The prime minister had already requested the chief justice of Pakistan for early disposal of such cases.
Recently, the prime minister took notice of one of these pending cases in which an FBR counsel had sought adjournment and directed the relevant authorities to inquire into the matter. The prime minister observed that the national exchequer had been suffering due to the pendency of such cases involving worth billions of rupees.
Mr Sharif made it clear that he would not tolerate any kind of lethargy in pursuance of such legal matters and would continue monitoring the tax reforms.
He was quoted in the press release as saying: “For enhancing the revenues and saving every penny of the country and nation, they would have to strive day and night.”
Recently, the prime minister had said he will himself monitor the performance of the FBR and vowed to adopt the world’s best model for digitisation of FBR to ensure transparency in its system, increase tax collection, halt tax evasion, corruption and smuggling, and also to bring convenience to the general public.
In an attempt to stabilise the nation’s faltering economy, the newly-elected government has embarked on crafting a detailed five-year strategy aimed at rejuvenating key economic sectors.
The prime minister, while presiding over a meeting on the five-year strategy, had said tax revenue would be increased with digitisation and technology while per-acre yields in the agriculture sector would also be increased with the use of technology. The loss-making government institutions would be privatised on a priority basis, he added.
(LEFT) Iranian President Dr Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi arrives at Mazar-i-Quaid with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Governor Kamran Tessori during his visit to Karachi; after he met Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz in Lahore, on Tuesday.—PPI / AFP
• Iranian president visits Lahore, Karachi; says ‘no power on Earth’ can hurt Pak-Iran ties • Says Israel will be ‘annihilated’ if it attacks Iran, lauds Islamabad’s stance against Tel Aviv • US warns Pakistan to keep ‘sanctions’ in mind amid trade talks with Iran
KARACHI / LAHORE: Tehran is ready to exchange its prowess in industry, science, and technology with Pakistan, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said after visiting Lahore and Karachi on Tuesday amid strict security during his three-day trip to the country.
Speaking at a ceremony at the Chief Minister House in Karachi, he said Iran made strides in these fields despite “unfavourable conditions” and was ready to exchange this knowledge with Islamabad.
“I am here with a message of peace and prosperity for the Pakistani nation from the people of Iran and its leadership,” he said, adding, “The governments on both sides are willing to remove all obstacles to expanding trade between the two countries and in this regard, several options were discussed [in his recent meetings Pakistani leadership].”
The visiting dignitary said a strong trade partnership would further strengthen Iran-Pakistan relations, adding that no power on Earth “can affect the historical ties between the two countries”.
He referred to the fresh commitment agreed by the two countries to increase their annual trade volume to $10 billion over the next five years, calling it the “best opportunity” to cement ties across different fields.
‘Routine life disrupted’
At the Karachi airport, President Raisi was received by Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, CM Murad Ali Shah, provincial ministers, and Iranian diplomats stationed in the city. With a large motorcade, the Iranian president was then driven to the Quaid-i-Azam mausoleum where he offered Fateha.
Ahead of his visit, the provincial government had closed all major road links, suspended cellular services in many city districts, and deployed heavy contingency of police and Rangers all across the metropolis. Since the authorities had already announced a public holiday, business activities were badly hit by the security arrangements convincing traders, transporters, and other segments of the community to stay away from routine operations The arrangements “almost paralysed” the entire traffic system of the city as all major arteries connecting to major thoroughfares were blocked with containers. With helicopters hovering over the city throughout the day as part of security arrangements, almost 4,000 policemen backed by the paramilitary Pakistan Rangers squad were mobilised on the ground to ensure “peace and tranquillity and security of the foreign dignitaries”.
Lahore visit
President Raisi arrived in the port city after visiting Lahore, where Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz received him. The Iranian president appreciated the “cultural contributions” and “beauty” of the provincial capital of Punjab.
Here, President Raisi expressed a desire for enhanced people-to-people contacts with the people of Pakistan, as CM Maryam said that the government wanted to take exchanges with Iran in industry and agriculture to “new heights”.
In a meeting with President Raisi and First Lady Jamila Alamul Huda at the Governor’s House, CM Maryam said, “We are willing to work with Iran on economic projects to eradicate poverty. We will also welcome Iran’s investment in Punjab’s value-added livestock market.”
During his short stay in Lahore, he visited the mausoleum of Allama Iqbal, Governor’s House, and Government College University. Mr Raisi said: “I do not feel like a stranger at all. There are special emotions and connections with Pakistani people that keep the two nations connected. I wanted that a public rally be held so I could address the public but due to some reasons, the conditionalities were such that it could not be made possible.”
Mr Raisi further said on behalf of the supreme leader of Iran, “I say my greetings to the people of Pakistan and Lahore.” He said he appreciated the revolutionary spirit present in the people here, adding that Allama Iqbal was “an extremely important personality for Iran as he was a very inspirational person”.
‘Zionist regime’
He also praised Pakistan for taking a strong stance against Zionist forces. “I praise the Pakistani people and government for the stance taken with us (Iran) in a strong manner against Zionist forces,” he said.
Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman also held a meeting with the Iranian president at the Governor’s House.
According to Reuters, which quoted Iran’s official IRNA news agency, the Iranian president said that an Israeli attack on Iranian territory would bring about a complete change of “circumstances”.
“Raisi, who is visiting Pakistan, was quoted as saying such an attack could possibly result in there be nothing left of the ‘Zionist regime’,” according to Reuters.
‘Beware of sanctions’
The US State Department, separately, warned that anyone considering business deals with Iran should be aware of the potential risks of US sanctions, as Washington ‘forbids’ commercial ties with Tehran.
“Let me say broadly we advise anyone considering business deals with Iran to be aware of the potential risk of sanctions,” said the department’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel, when asked about efforts to expand trade ties between Pakistan and Iran.
“But ultimately, the government of Pakistan can speak to their own foreign policy pursuits,” the US official added.
At Tuesday’s briefing, Mr Patel also spoke about a US decision last week to sanction three Chinese and one Belarusian firm for allegedly supplying missile components to Pakistan. “The sanctions were made because these were entities that were proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and because of the means of their delivery,” he said.
Anwar Iqbal in Washington contributed to this report
ISLAMABAD: Some police officials deployed outside the Diplomatic Enclave – a high-security zone in the federal capital where many embassies are located – were found involved in taking bribes from visitors to facilitate their entry inside the area.
Sources said the staff of the security division, including some policemen attached with the senior officials of the same division, were exposed by their colleague who was deployed at one of the entry gates of the enclave.
Constable Zahirul Hassan complained to the IGP about the corrupt practice which had put the safety of the high-security zone at great risk, said sources citing the complaint lodged by the constable.
After the complaint, the culprits, including an official attached to the SSP Security, started threatening the constable and got him posted out of the division.
Whistleblower faces ordeal; PRO says policemen mentioned in complaint transferred
According to the complainant, he was performing his duty at Gate No. 2 of the Diplomatic Enclave when he discovered that police officials were allowing people to enter the area after taking money.
As per the complaint, the constable was on duty when passengers of a car exiting the gate approached him and offered Rs3,000 as bribe.
They informed the constable that they had paid Rs3,500 to a man inside the enclave for each visit to the enclave, the sources said citing the complaint. They had offered Rs3,000 to the constable to let them enter the zone the next day because their visit to the Thailand embassy had been unfruitful.
When the constable approached the entry section to inquire about the issue, he was told to let them go since they had permission to enter the enclave, sources said, adding that the same men appeared at Gate No.2 the next day and their names were found on the entry list.
Subsequently, the constable discovered that their names were allegedly added to the list by the personal assistant of the SSP Security Division.
The complaint said the constable went on a five-day leave and upon his return, he discovered that he had been removed from duty through a “wireless message”.
He subsequently informed the SSP about the matter who appointed an inspector to probe the issue. The next day he was summoned by the inquiry officer to his office and was threatened with dire consequences, the sources said, adding that the constable was further told that there would be no inquiry over the matter.
‘Two-month ordeal’
Later, the inquiry officer got him deployed at the National Police Club through the OSI (orderly sub-inspector) Security Division, they said, adding that later the OSI called him to the OSI branch and informed him that he was transferred to the Police Lines Headquarters from the Security Division and gave him the order report.
When the constable reached the OSI branch of the headquarters he was informed by the in-charge that he was yet to be transferred and asked him to report to the Security Division. He reported to the OSI branch of the Security Division from where he was sent to the Special Branch. After a few days, he was again asked to report to the Headquarters, only to be told that he was yet to be transferred.
After a two-month ordeal, the constable approached the IGP office last month and an inquiry was ordered, which still needs to be completed.
According to sources, an official can only be transferred to another division under the orders of the division’s head, i.e. the DIG.
Similarly, the offices of the SP Diplomatic Enclave and SSP Security Division monitor the entry of vehicles to the enclave, they claimed.
The police PRO confirmed the incident. He said the constable was reinstated to the Security Division, adding that those mentioned in the complaint were transferred “and closed to the Police Lines Headquarters for further legal action”.
He said that the assistant inspector general of police (operations) was conducting an inquiry to fix the responsibility, which is still in progress.
He also confirmed that without the order of the respective DIG, an official cannot be transferred to another division.
The constable was allegedly transferred to the headquarters through the in-charge of the OSI branch of the Security Division under the orders of the SSP Security Division.
He also confirmed that the entry list of private vehicles to the Diplomatic Enclave was monitored by the SSP Security and SP Security and compiled by their offices.
• Full court meeting proposes reactivation of ‘inspection teams’ to curtail interference in judicial affairs
• Insiders deny ‘polarisation’ among judges; comprehensive proposal to be submitted to Supreme Court tomorrow
ISLAMABAD: A full court meeting of the Islamabad High Court decided to introduce several measures, including the reactivation of ‘empowered’ inspection teams to put an end to the alleged meddling of intelligence officials in judicial affairs.
The meeting, held at the IHC building on Tuesday, was chaired by Chief Justice Aamir Farooq against the backdrop of allegations levelled by six judges of the high court detailing alleged interference in judicial affairs by the operatives of the intelligence agencies. It was not attended by the IHC registrar due to the sensitivity of the matter.
The meeting started at about 2:30pm and continued for over two hours. A statement subsequently issued by the registrar said the judges expressed their views on the matter in a “pleasant manner” and the “unanimous view” of the judges would be submitted to the Supreme Court in the suo motu case.
Senior puisne judge Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Minagul Hassan Aurangzeb, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejza Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Mohammad Tahir and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz attended the meeting.
Sources privy to the meeting told Dawn all the high court judges were unanimous that they would not tolerate interference by any intelligence agency in the proceedings of the high court, district courts, and the special courts. They also chalked out a comprehensive proposal, which would be submitted to the Supreme Court by April 25.
The Supreme Court during the hearing on a suo motu case regarding the judges’ letter had sought proposals from the bar associations and the high courts to counter meddling in judicial affairs.
In order to make the court immune from undue influence, the full court decided to reactivate its inspection teams and empower inspection judges to enable them to address the complaints of judicial officers of the subordinate judiciary against any interference and pressure, sources told Dawn.
The judges also decided to give institutional response against any interference attempts in judicial affairs, with some of the participants proposing amendments to the rules related to the constitution of benches. The judges also proposed that the Practice and Procedure Act which regulates the bench of the Supreme Court may be followed by the high court so that power to form benches could be shared among the three senior-most judges. The IHC also agreed to give an “institutional response” in future.
One of the participants dispelled any impression of division among the judges and said that all the judges were unanimous regarding the independence of the judiciary and countering the involvement of the intelligence agencies in judicial affairs at all costs.
According to sources, the judges pointed out instances in which the intelligence agencies’ operatives attempted to manipulate the pending litigation in some high-profile cases.
Due to the full court meeting, the proceedings of the cipher case were adjourned till Wednesday (today).
Suo motu
The Supreme Court has already initiated suo motu action on the letter written by the six judges of the IHC. In the letter, addressed to members of the Supreme Judicial Council, IHC senior puisne judge Justice Kayani, Justice Jahangiri, Justice Sattar, Justice Khan, Justice Tahir and Justice Imtiaz had pointed at the involvement of intelligence agencies in judicial matters.
They had also supported the demand of former IHC judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui for a probe into the “allegations of interference by ISI operatives aimed at engineering the outcome of judicial proceedings.”
The letter pointed out that five judges of the IHC on Feb 12 wrote to the IHC CJ about interference and illegal surveillance of the intelligence operatives and sought a full court meeting.
ISLAMABAD: Low voter turnout, procedural irregularities and restrictions on independent observation in two provincial constituencies in Punjab overshadowed the improved results management and lower numbers of ballots excluded from the count during April 21 elections in 22 national and provincial assembly constituencies, the Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) said in its report, released on Tuesday.
Polling station establishment, voter identification, and counting at polling stations were observed to have been largely compliant with law and procedures. However, instances of omissions in ballot issuance requirements by Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs) were reported from around 14 per cent of the observed polling stations.
While polling agents and accredited observers generally had access to voting and counting process, security officials or presiding officers barred Fafen observers from observing the election process at 19 polling stations in PP-36 Wazirabad and PP-22 Chakwal-cum-Talagang. In PP-22, the accreditation process of Fafen observers was also delayed until the midday on the polling day causing last-minute changes in the observation scope.
Nearly 36pc registered voters cast their votes on polling day — 9pc less than the turnout in 18 of these constituencies during the Feb 8 general elections. Votes polled by women decreased by 12pc, while votes polled by men declined by 9pc, despite an increase of 75,640 registered voters, including 37,684 men and 37,956 women compared to the general elections.
Report says observers barred from their duties at 19 polling stations in two Punjab constituencies
Sharpest decline
Lahore’s five constituencies recorded the sharpest decline in the voter turnout with PP-147 reporting a mere 14pc as against 35pc on Feb 8. Similarly, NA-119 Lahore registered a 19pc turnout against 39pc on Feb 8. However, the voter turnout in Gujrat and Khuzdar constituencies recorded an increase compared to general elections.
The declining turnout was accompanied by a reduction in the number of ballots excluded from the count during the by-elections, almost halved (35,574) as compared to the number of invalid ballots (72,472) during the general elections.
The Election Commission of Pakistan issued provisional results for all the constituencies by the legal deadline of 10am on the next day of election, despite suspension of cellular data services in the constituencies in Balochistan, Punjab and Sindh, though KP constituencies did not report any such disruption.
The parties that won during the general elections retained their seats in the by-elections, except in PP-36 Wazirabad and PP-93 Bhakkar. In these constituencies, PTI-backed candidate and an independent candidate had won during the general elections, but PML-N candidates emerged successful in the by-elections. These two were among the four constituencies where the margin of victory has decreased as compared to the Feb 8 general elections unlike the rest where the margin of victory has increased.
The by-polls were necessitated due to the death of candidates in four constituencies and vacation of seats by wining candidates in 19 constituencies. PB-50 Killa Abdullah, however, went to re-poll only after a Supreme Court verdict. Of these 24, the ECP notified uncontested returned candidates in NA-207 Shaheed Benazirabad-I and PS-80 Dadu-I.
A PTI-backed independent candidate for NA-207 moved court seeking nullification of the uncontested elections claiming that his nomination was wrongly rejected by the RO.
The ECP had set up 4,238 polling stations — 935 for male voters, 899 for female voters and 2,404 combined — comprising 13,811 polling booths to cater to more than 6.3 million registered voters.
Fafen deployed 259 election day observers to observe the voting and counting processes at 1,036 polling stations in five National Assembly and 17 provincial assembly constituencies (12 in Punjab, three in Balochistan and two in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa).
This report is based on the observations received on the election day from 532 polling stations through Fafen’s election day observation mobile app.
A six-member bench of the Supreme Court on Wednesday decided that a larger bench should hear a set of intra-court appeals (ICAs) against the court’s Oct 23 unanimous ruling that had nullified the military trials of civilians involved in the May 9 riots, and referred the matter to bench reconstitution committee.
The development came as the existing bench — led by Justice Aminuddin Khan and including Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Azhar Hasan Rizvi, Justice Shahid Waheed, Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Irfan Saadat Khan — resumed hearing the appeals.
The case pertains to the trial of more than 100 civilians for their alleged role in attacks on army installations during the riots that followed ex-premier Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9 last year.
In a widely praised ruling last year, a five-member SC bench — comprising Justices Ijazul Ahsan, Munib Akhtar, Yahya Afridi, Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Ayesha Malik — had unanimously declared that trying the accused civilians in military courts was ultra vires the Constitution.
The apex court had declared that the accused would not be tried in military courts but in criminal courts of competent jurisdiction established under the ordinary or special law of the land.
However, on December 13, in a 5-1 majority verdict, the SC conditionally suspended its own Oct 23 ruling — albeit by a different bench — pending a final judgement as it heard a set of ICAs.
The appeals against the verdict had been filed by the then-caretaker federal government as well as the provincial ones in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. Sindh had denied filing a purported plea on the same matter and was not included among the petitions taken up earlier. The defence ministry had also moved an ICA, requesting the apex court to suspend the verdict’s operation during the pendency of the appeal.
In January, a petition was filed by Faisal Siddiqui on behalf of some of those challenging the trials to restrain federal and provincial governments from engaging a private counsel to plead the matter.
On Jan 29, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, who has since retired, referred the ICAs back to a three-judge committee for the constitution of a larger bench.
In March, former CJP Jawwad S. Khawaja, who is one of the petitioners to challenge the military trials, had requested the apex court for an early hearing of the appeals, contending that the continued presence of civilians in military custody was “beyond compensation”.
In a subsequent hearing, the SC had asked the federal government for information about suspects who had been awarded short jail terms or were awaiting release or acquitted.
During the same hearing, KP Additional Advocate General Syed Kauser Ali Shah had submitted a letter expressing the provincial government’s intention to withdraw the appeal against the Oct 23 ruling.
On March 27, the SC had conditionally allowed military courts to pronounce reserved verdicts in the cases. It had also modified its Dec 13 injunction, ordering that military courts can commence trials but they will not convict or acquit any suspect until the pendency of government-instituted ICAs.
Subsequently, on April 8, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan had furnished a list of 20 suspects who had been released so that they could celebrate Eidul Fitr with their families, after they served a major part of their sentence while the remaining period of their punishment was remitted by Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir.
Among the 20 individuals, four belonged to KP while all other 16 hailed from Punjab. They were released in KP and Punjab on April 7 and 6, respectively.
In the hearing today, AGP Awan and ex-CJP Khawaja’s lawyer Khwaja Ahmed Husain appeared before the court. Senior counsel Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, one of the petitioners challenging the trials, was also present.
Today’s hearing
At the outset of the hearing, AGP Awan informed the apex court that 20 suspects were released before Eidul Fitr and had returned to their homes.
He recalled that the details about those released had been submitted to the court through an application.
Justice Mazhar then asked the AGP, “Is there no case against the released suspects now?”
Here, Ahsan said that the suspects had been “sent home after turning them into convicted persons”.
The senior counsel claimed that a youth was “convicted without trial and was now in hiding”.
“Whatever has happened, has taken place in a very haphazard manner,” Ahsan lamented.
Justice Aminuddin asked if the youth Ahsan was referring to was included in the list of the released suspects, to which the counsel replied in the affirmative.
The court then made the AGP’s statements part of the case record.
At this point, ex-CJP Khawaja’s lawyer objected to the constitution of the bench.
The counsel requested the apex court that a nine-member bench hear the ICAs and they be referred to the three-judge committee constituted under the Practice and Procedures Act 2023 for bench reconstitution.
The SC then sought copies of the verdicts issued so far by the military courts. Ahsan and other petitioners’ lawyers requested the court to include the verdicts’ copies of the 20 released individuals in the case record.
At this, Justice Waheed said, “Let us first find out what procedure was followed in the trials.”
Subsequently, the appeals were referred to the SC committee for a larger bench’s formation.
Tehran and Islamabad agreed to “expeditiously finalise” a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), a joint statement said on Wednesday as Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi concluded his three-day official visit to Pakistan.
According to a joint statement issued by Iran and Pakistan, “both sides agreed to expeditiously finalise the FTA and hold the next sessions of annual Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC) and Joint Business Trade Committee (JBTC) as well as the 22nd round of the negotiations of the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) in the near future”.
Last month, Iranian Ambassador Dr Reza Amiri Moghadam had said the FTA would increase mutual trade, highlighting the need to have strong air, maritime and sea links.
The joint statement recalled the exchanges and meetings during Raisi’s visit to Pakistan, saying that both sides “reviewed the entire spectrum of Pakistan-Iran bilateral relations”.
Both neighbours also agreed to “enhance mutual interaction through regular exchange of high-level visits”, it added.
Pakistan and Iran also agreed to facilitate a regular exchange of economic and technical experts, as well as delegations from Chambers of Commerce from both countries to intensify economic cooperation.
The declaration of the Reemdan border point as an international border crossing point under the TIR Convention and the opening of the remaining two border sustenance markets was also agreed upon, the statement said.
It added that both countries “affirmed their commitment to transform their common border from ‘border of peace’ to a ‘border of prosperity’ through joint development-oriented economic projects, including setting up of joint border markets, economic free zones, and new border openings”.
“They also reiterated the importance of cooperation in the energy domain, including trade in electricity, power transmission lines and Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project,” the statement said, recalling their aim to increase bilateral trade volume to $10 billion dollars over the next five years.
“There was consensus to fully operationalise barter trade mechanisms between the two sides to facilitate economic and commercial activity,” the countries said.
Iran and Pakistan “expressed satisfaction at the close and cooperative relations between the two countries in all mechanisms” of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), underscoring the importance of early resumption of the activities of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group.
The two sides also called for active cooperation among the regional countries within the framework of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO).
According to the statement, Raisi also extended cordial invitations to President Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to pay official visits to Iran.
Anti-terrorism cooperation, foreign relations
Iran and Pakistan also agreed on a number of steps aimed at combating terrorism, according to the joint statement.
Recognising that terrorism “posed a common threat to regional peace and stability and presented a major impediment to the development of the region”, the neighbours agreed to “adopt a collaborative approach to confront this menace […] while fully upholding the principles of the UN Charter”.
“Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the development of Afghanistan as a peaceful, united, sovereign and independent state, free from the threats of terrorism and drug trafficking,” the statement said, adding that the two countries reaffirmed their willingness to “enhance cooperation on counter-terrorism and security and to develop a united front against terrorism”.
Noting the relevance of coordinating regional and international efforts to ensure security and stability in the region, Pakistan and Iran “recognised that increasing participation of all strata of Afghans in basic decision-making will lead to the strengthening of peace and stability in this country”.
The statement further said that both sides “stressed the importance of peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue and diplomacy”.
The neighbours also expressed their agreement to “release each other’s prisoners and take measures for their extradition based on the Treaty for the Extradition of Criminals and the Accused signed in 1960 and the Agreement on the Transfer of Convicts approved in 2016.
Iran and Pakistan also condemned “rising incidents of Islamophobia, desecration of the Holy Quran and sacred symbols in some countries”. They welcomed the adoption of the United Nations General Assembly resolution titled “Measures to Combat Islamophobia” in March.
On the Gaza conflict, Pakistan and Iran “expressed their strong and unequivocal condemnation of the ongoing Israeli regime’s aggression and atrocities against the Palestinian people”. They called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, as well as “ensuring accountability of the crimes being committed by the Israeli regime”.
The two sides “strongly condemned the attack on the consular section” of the Iranian Embassy in Syria’s Damascus, calling it a “violation of international law and the UN Charter”.
“Recognising that the irresponsible act of the Israeli regime forces was a major escalation in an already volatile region, both sides called on the UN Security Council to prevent Israeli regime from its adventurism in the region and its illegal acts attacking its neighbours and targeting foreign diplomatic facilities,” the statement added.
Both neighbours also highlighted the need to resolve the issue of India-occupied Kashmir through “dialogue and peaceful means based on the will of the people of that region and in accordance with international law”, it further said.
Raisi wraps up visit
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi concludes his three-day official visit to Pakistan at the Karachi airport on Wednesday. — Foreign Office
Earlier on Wednesday morning, Raisi concluded his three-day official visit to Pakistan, during which he visited Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore.
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Housing Minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada saw off the Iranian president and his delegation at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, Radio Pakistanreported.
According to Iran’s news agency IRNA, Raisi left for Sri Lanka’s Colombo on the next leg of his South Asia tour at the invitation of his counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe. However, Radio Pakistan said that he had left for Iran.
In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) said Raisi “concluded his maiden visit to Pakistan”.
It said that during his visit, the “two sides held productive discussions and agreed to advance bilateral cooperation in multiple domains, including in trade, connectivity, energy and people-to-people contacts”.
Lahore, Karachi visits on 2nd day
On Tuesday — the second day of his visit — Raisi had visited Lahore and Karachi, with both cities observing local holidays, which were announced to “avoid the consequent inconvenience to the general public”. The Sindh government has also imposed a complete ban on drones in the Karachi division from April 22 to April 28.
The Iranian president had first landed in Lahore, where he met Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz and Governor Balighur Rehman.
Raisi and Maryam had reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cultural exchanges and fostering people-to-people contacts while Governor Rehman had hosted a luncheon in honour of the president and his delegation.
The Iranian president had also paid a visit to Allama Iqbal’s mausoleum, where he highlighted a “special connection” with Pakistani people and said he did not “feel like a stranger at all” in the country.
Later in the day, Raisi had arrived in Karachi, where he met with CM Murad to discuss Pak-Iran economic opportunities and also held a meeting with Governor Tessori.
During his Karachi visit, Raisi had said Tehran was ready to exchange its prowess in industry, science, and technology with Pakistan. He also expressed his resolve to remove trade barriers between Pakistan and Iran.
Ahead of his visit, the Sindh government had closed all major road links, suspended cellular services in many city districts, and deployed heavy police and Rangers contingents all across the metropolis.
The closure of many important roads in Karachi — including Sharea Faisal, Shahrah-i-Quaideen and M.A. Jinnah Road — even before the time of closure announced by the traffic police had caused inconvenience and hardship to motorists and commuters.
Separately, amid Raisi’s visit to Pakistan, the US State Department had warned that anyone considering business deals with Iran should be aware of the potential risks of US sanctions, as Washington “forbids’ commercial ties with Tehran.
“Let me say broadly we advise anyone considering business deals with Iran to be aware of the potential risk of sanctions,” said the department’s Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel, when asked about efforts to expand trade ties between Pakistan and Iran.
“But ultimately, the government of Pakistan can speak to their own foreign policy pursuits,” the US official added.
High-level meetings on 1st day
On Monday, Raisi had spent a busy day in Islamabad, where the two sides committed to increasing the trade volume to $10 billion over the next five years.
After his arrival in the capital, he had met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and later addressed a joint press conference, vowing to strengthen relations between both countries at “high levels”.
Later, Raisi also met with President Asif Ali Zardari where they agreed to reinforce existing ties. In his meeting with Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, the Iranian president discussed regional stability and border security.
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had called on Raisi as well while Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Iranian counterpart Dr Ahmad Vahidi agreed on both two countries banning terrorist organisations in their respective countries.
Separately, the neighbours signed eight agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for cooperation in various fields. PM Shehbaz and Raisi also inaugurated the newly constructed portion of Islamabad’s 11th Avenue after renaming it Iran Avenue.
Tehran has played down the apparent Israeli attack and indicated it had no plans for retaliation, a response that appeared gauged towards keeping the conflict in Gaza from expanding to a regionwide conflict.
Pakistan has called on all parties in the Middle East to “exercise utmost restraint and move towards de-escalation”.
Raisi’s visit is also significant as Pakistan and Iran seek to mend ties after tit-for-tat missile strikes in January. The cross-border strikes stoked regional tensions already inflamed by Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.
Tehran carried out the strikes against an anti-Iran group in Pakistan the same week it targeted Iraq and Syria. Pakistan responded with a raid on “militant targets” in Sistan-Balochistan province. Both countries have accused each other of sheltering militants in the past.
Pakistan is also counting on a joint gas project with Iran to solve a long-running power crisis that has sapped its economic growth.
A $7.5 billion Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline intended to feed Pakistani power plants was inaugurated with great fanfare in March 2013. However, the project immediately stagnated following international sanctions on Iran.
Tehran has built its own section of the 1,800-kilometre pipeline, which should eventually link its South Pars gas fields to Nawabshah.
In February, the outgoing caretaker government in Pakistan approved the construction of an 80km section of the pipeline, primarily to avoid the payment of billions of dollars in penalties to Iran due to years of delays.
Washington has warned that Pakistan could face US sanctions, saying it does not support the pipeline going forward.
Repolling in the Kohlu district of Balochistan for the PB-9 constituency could not take place on Wednesday after a landmine exploded and rockets were fired at a polling station, according to the deputy commissioner.
The incident came just hours after one person was killed in a rocket attack at the election office of a PPP candidate late on Tuesday evening.
Officials said two rockets, fired from an unknown location, landed and exploded near the election office of Mir Nasibullah Marri. The victim was hit by splinters, resulting in his death.
Marri had contested the election for Balochistan Assembly from Kohlu’s PB-9 constituency and was elected MPA. However, the losing candidate challenged the result, and the Election Commission ordered re-polling in seven polling stations.
Speaking to Dawn.com, Deputy Commissioner (DC) and District Returning Officer Naqibullah Kakar confirmed that of the six rockets fired at the polling station this morning, three rocket shells landed inside the premises and exploded.
Separately, a landmine explosion took place on the road near the polling station. The explosion rocked a car but there was no loss of life since the vehicle was bulletproof, DC Kakar confirmed, adding that two people travelling in the car were only “slightly injured”.
The Frontier Corps bomb disposal team and levies forces arrived at the scene following the explosion, where they found a second landmine and defused it, he added.
He said work was under way to clear the roads, and polling agents were proceeding to the polling stations under the protection of security forces, .
Polling was scheduled to begin at 8am today. However, owing to landmines laid out at different places, staff were delayed in reaching polling stations, DC Kakar said. Till 12pm, polling had not begun, he added.
The DC noted that due to tension in the region, maintaining peaceful conditions was the top priority. He further said that the provincial government was already informed about the precarious security situation.
Past pre-poll violence
At least 28 people were killed while over 40 suffered injuries after back-to-back blasts hit Balochistan’s Pishin and Qila Saifullah a day before the February 8 elections were scheduled to be held in the country.
The first blast occurred in Pishin’s Khanozai union council, situated at an hour’s distance from Quetta, a little after noon.
The district’s deputy commissioner, Jumma Dad Mandokhail, had told Dawn.com that the incident occurred outside the election office of independent candidate Asfandyar Kakar, who was contesting polls from PB-47 (Pishin 1).
He said 14 bodies and 23 injured were moved to the tehsil headquarters hospital. Later, the facility’s medical superintendent Dr Habib Kakar told Dawn.com that the death toll had risen to 18 after four wounded people succumbed to their injuries.
DC Mandokhail said the explosive material was planted in a motorcycle parked in the area. The police, bomb disposal squad and other law enforcement agencies immediately cordoned off the area and began collecting evidence, he added.
The second blast was reported in Qila Saifullah shortly after. According to Deputy Commissioner Yasir Bazai, 12 people lost their lives and 20 were wounded in the incident, which took place outside the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) election office.
Bazai later revised the death toll down to 10, adding that critical persons were being moved to Quetta via a helicopter.
A day earlier, at least nine grenade attacks, targeting election offices of candidates and polling stations, were carried out in various areas of Balochistan’s Makran division and Quetta.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday arrived in Karachi on a day-long visit, where he is expected to hold meetings with the Sindh chief minister and governor, state-run Radio Pakistanreported.
Upon his arrival at the Karachi airport, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori and Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah welcomed PM Shehbaz.
The prime minister visited Mazar-i-Quaid, where he laid a floral wreath and offered fateha (prayer).
According to Radio Pakistan, the premier will hold meetings with Tessori and CM Shah on the “overall political situation and administrative affairs of the province”.
PM Shehbaz is also expected to meet prominent personalities of the business community and a delegation of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce, the report added.
During the meeting, the prime minister will take suggestions from the business community on improving the country’s economy, it stated.
According to a post on X by the PML-N, the visit is Shehbaz’s first to Karachi since assuming the prime minister’s office in early March.
In a post on X, governor Tessori said he accompanied PM Shehbaz on the visit to Mazar-i-Quaid and prayed for the country’s development and progress.
