QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch said on Friday that a multi-dimensional strategy was being applied to counter terrorism in the province.

Speaking at the flag hoisting ceremony held in connection with the Independence Day on the premises of Balochistan Assembly, he said that development of Pakistan was linked to the development of Balochistan.

He said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor would usher in an era of economic development in the region.

Know more: Security situation improving in Balochistan, says CM

Acting Speaker of Balochistan Assembly Abdul Qadoos Bizenjo, provincial ministers, members of the provincial assembly, Commander of Southern Commend Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua, Inspector General of FC Balochistan Maj Gen Sher Afgun, IGP Mohammad Amlish and other senior civil and military officials and tribal notables attended the ceremony.

The chief minister said that Independence Day celebrations had been continuing in the province for the past one week during which people showed enthusiasm and their love for the country. On this occasion, he added, every Pakistani should make a commitment with himself to work for the elimination of illiteracy, backwardness and poverty and to get rid of corruption.

He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had adopted a policy of peaceful Balochistan. The political and military leadership of the country had entrusted the task of reconciliation to the provincial government. The coalition government of the province, he added, would make all possible measures to resolve the issues of Balochistan through negotiations.

“There should be no more bloodshed in Balochistan,” he said, adding that the government’s policy of reconciliation would soon yield positive results.

He said the achievement of provincial autonomy through the 18th Amendment in Constitution was the outcome of a long struggle. After the 18th Amendment provincial governments should utilise all powers for the welfare and prosperity of the masses.

“The government is serious in decentralisation of powers at union council level so that issues of people could be addressed at their doorstep,” he said.

The chief minister said that federal and provincial governments would make no compromise on Reko Diq and Saindak projects. “We will utilise all resources for the welfare and development of the people of Balochistan,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2015

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RAHIM YAR KHAN: A 14-year-old boy, an alleged gang-rape victim, reportedly committed suicide on Friday in Jetha Bhutta, Khanpur tehsil, 60 kilometers from Rahim Yar Khan.

The family says the suspects took away the boy on Monday from the village and gang-raped him for two days after giving him liquids spiked with intoxicants. Later, they threw him near his home on Wednesday. When the family found him, the boy was a dead faint.

Victim’s father Malik Iqbal reported the matter to Head Tallaywala check post and sought a case against the suspects. He said police picked just one suspect and despite keeping him in custody for two days, did not register a case.

He said his son, who was already in trauma, could not bear the stress and humiliation from police behaviour and jumped before a goods train at the nearby track and died at the scene on Friday.

Heirs with other residents of the area placed the body on Rahim Yar Khan-Bahawalpur Road and blocked it for two hours. They alleged that police had demanded Rs50,000 to register a case.

A police officer said they had suspended Sub-Inspector Imtiaz Ali from service and arrested him under section 155-C of the Police Order of 2002. He said another case had also been registered by the heirs against the suspects under sections 266, 377 and 322 of the PPC in Saddar police station.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2015

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LAHORE: Wajihuddin Ahmed, a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s disgruntled figure, has stuck to his demand that the “four corrupt politicians” should be ousted from the party otherwise everything will be meaningless, even if the party gains power at some stage.

Calling these politicians “base coins”, retired justice Wajihuddin told a news conference at the Lahore Press Club on Independence Day that Imran Khan was playing in their hands and ignoring the party’s committed and ideological workers.

He also ranked Imran as a low category political leader who is “neither an angel nor a devil.” “Personally, Imran Khan is a clean man,” he added.

Insists on removal of four party leaders

Justice Wajihuddin, whose party membership has recently been suspended, predicted that Imran would himself throw the corrupt politicians out of the party, believing “he is waiting for the right time”. He said time for the corrupt politicians’ ouster had come.

He stressed that the party should progress with genuine currency instead of “base coins” in the form of Jahangir Tareen (party’s central organiser), Pervaiz Khattak (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister), former Lahore district president Abdul Aleem Khan and former Sindh president Nadir Leghari who, he alleged, bought votes in the intra-party elections.

Justice Wajihuddin said he had recently met Imran at his residence in Bani Gala and found that the leader agreed that the intra-party election tribunal was right in its assertion that the election should be held at the earliest on direct electoral basis in a free and fair manner. However, the deadlock persisted on the removal of the four politicians, he regretted.

This situation prevailed in a meeting with PTI Punjab organiser Chaudhry Sarwar too.

Justice Wajihuddin, accompanied by some party leaders, denied forming any group within the party and claimed that he was trying to put party on the right path and those joining him were ready for all kinds of sacrifices. He thanked the PTI’s ideological members at home and abroad for forming a “PTI National Ideological Forum” to support the demand of reforming the party.

Answering a question whether Advocate Hamid Khan had deserted him in his pursuit of “taking the road less travelled to make a difference,” Justice Wajihuddin said he had himself stopped him (Advocate Khan) from joining him at the press conference as “his sacrifice is not needed now”.

“Since Advocate Hamid has a liaison with the party chairman and is privy to my activities, I asked him to continue acting like bridge between me and Imran Khan,” Justice Wajihuddin revealed and added that he was committed to bringing about positive change in the party, even if removed.

Alleging that the party is being run like a mafia without any institutional checks and balances, Justice Wajihuddin said the PTI had lost the 2013 general elections much before the elections were held. “Being a senior member of the parliamentary board, I witnessed that the candidates were awarded party tickets completely out of merit,” he observed.

Despite being suspended from the party, Justice Wajihuddin presented his seven demands to the party leadership calling them as non-controversial and hinted that he would travel to different towns and cities in districts across the country to meet party workers and mobilise them to pressure the PTI leadership to implement reforms.

He said a national conference would also be organised in Islamabad soon to mobilise the party workers. He demanded that a task force should immediately be formed, in consultation with our representatives, to implement the orders of the PTI Election Tribunal and Standing Committee on Accountability and Discipline (SCAD) in letter and spirit.

He said a committee should be formed in consultation with our representatives to constitute an independent accountability commission through an inclusive process, develop its TORs and SOPs and notify them within 30 days.

Justice Wajihuddin further demanded that all the central and provincial office-bearers of the party should be de-notified immediately and all such persons would remain ineligible for the upcoming intra-party elections. He said interim central and provincial organisational structures should be announced, in consultation with our representatives, at the central and provincial levels.

He said the PTI Election Commission should be fully empowered and resources be made available immediately to announce a fresh intra-party election schedule. He said the membership of PTI office-bearers against whom serious allegations of corruption, misuse of authority, and manipulation of electoral and ticket allocation process exist should be suspended immediately.

He demanded that a National Reconciliation Commission should be formed to redress the grievances of ideological workers sidelined over the last few years.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2015

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ISLAMABAD: The federal government has rejected a demand of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for payment of Rs120 billion compensation for using its share of water by other provinces and also declined to take the matter to the Council of Common Interests (CCI).

“The issue may preferably be resolved between the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) and the provinces instead of taking it to the CCI”, Acting Secretary of Water and Power Younas Dagha is reported to have told an inter-ministerial committee of the CCI.

“There is no need to reopen the water apportionment accord so as to avoid any potential dispute in an already settled matter of water apportionment,” says the Planning Commission.

The federal government has, therefore, asked KP to develop infrastructure to tap its full share instead of asking for amendment to the Irsa Act, 1992.

KP has been seeking amendment to the act for the payment of about Rs120bn as compensation for under-utilisation of its water share for two decades (1992-93 to 2012-13) because of lack of infrastructure. It claimed that its share had been consumed by other provinces, particularly Punjab and Sindh.

The KP chief minister had repeatedly forwarded summaries for discussing the matter at the CCI but in vain. The province has the support of the Balochistan government because the latter also is seeking compensation.

The CCI had in March this year constituted a committee headed by water and power minister to look into the issue of amendment to the Irsa Act as sought by the KP government. Taking cue from the recommendations of the Water Sector Task Force led by the United States and supported by the Asian Development Bank, the KP government has been demanding the amendment to the act for treating water quotas as saleable commodity against a charge to be paid by the users, in this case Punjab and Sindh.

The two provinces have been lobbying against the proposal because, among other things, the inability of KP and Balochistan to utilise their guaranteed water shares due to lack of infrastructure directly went to their benefit.

According to KP, it has been given 8.78 million acre feet (MAF) share from 117.35 MAF water of the Indus river system under the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord but it could utilise a maximum 5.78 MAF due to infrastructure constraints which is 34 per cent less than its share.

It argues that in order to enable the provinces to use their respective shares, the centre has financed through the Public Sector Development Programme major projects in three provinces, but KP has been left out which is ‘discrimination’.

The projects include Greater Thal Canal in Punjab, Rainy Canal in Sindh and Kachi Canal in Balochistan. But the Chashma Right Bank Canal Lift-cum-Gravity project for KP was ignored which the province wants the centre to take up immediately.

Balochistan also complains that it has been using only 3.050 MAF out of its water share of 3.87 MAF since 1992 also due to infrastructure constraints and, therefore, it should be immediately paid a compensation of Rs2bn to complete rehabilitation and improvement of its existing canals and drainage system.

Punjab has questioned KP’s assertion that it and other provinces were liable to pay compensation under para 14(e) of the water accord and said that Punjab in fact had been facing water shortage during Kharif and Rabi seasons. Punjab contends that since KP’s unutilised water goes to fall into the sea, there is no need to consider amendment to the Irsa Act. Otherwise, it says, it will reopen an already settled matter of water apportionment.

Punjab also argues that the present storage capacity, including raised Mangla, had been reduced to 14.12 MAF from the original capacity of 15.72 MAF at the time of completion of Tarbela dam in 1976.

The accord guaranteed the existing usages (of 1977-82) for all the provinces – 54.52 MAF for Punjab, 43.53MAF for Sindh, 3.07 MAF for KP and 1.63 MAF for Balochistan – making the total to 102.75 MAF.

Punjab says it and Sindh are getting 9pc and 7pc less, respectively, because of diminishing storage while KP is getting 36pc greater share than its historical requirement. “When Punjab and Sindh are not even getting their average uses in full, which were also assured, how they can be ‘accused’ of using KP’s share or required to pay compensation to KP.”

Sindh has supported Punjab’s contention and opposed KP’s demand for compensation.

Punjab is also of the view that the provinces will not get their shares on the basis of an average system usage or enhanced share under paras 2 and 4 of the accord unless new storages are built because 30 MAF water is going downstream Kotri into the sea unutilised, according to averages from 1976 to 2014, a maximum of 92 MAF in 1994-95 and minimum of 0.29 MAF in 2004-05.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2015

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ISLAMABAD: The government continued its efforts on Friday to persuade the MQM leadership to review its decision of resigning from the two houses of parliament and Sindh Assembly.

But the two sides have yet to break the ice. Instead, the MQM described the arrest of party workers in Karachi’s Landhi area on the eve of Independence Day as “throwing a spanner in whatever efforts are being made to resolve the crisis”.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar told Dawn that he had a meeting with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who had been requested by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to hold talks with the MQM leadership.

“I have been informed by the JUI-F chief that he has talked to MQM’s parliamentary leader Farooq Sattar and conveyed to him the government’s desire that Mutta­hida lawmakers withdraw their resignations, but has yet to receive a response,” he said.

According to the JUI-F chief, Senator Dar said, Mr Sattar had informed Altaf Hussain about a consensus reached between the government and parliamentary parties during a mee­t­ing on Thursday that “MQM must come back and play its role in the parliament house”.

Asked what the government could offer to address the MQM’s grievances against Rangers and other law enforcement agencies, he said: “Anything which the government can offer within the law of the land.”

Asked for a more precise answer, the minister said the setting up of an oversight com­­mi­ttee on the ongoing Karachi operation was a fair demand.

But in the same breath, Senator Dar, who had played a key role in reaching a consensus with the PTI on the constitution of a poll inquiry commission and bringing Imran Khan’s party back to the National Assembly, said: “Whatever the MQM dema­nds and the government off­ers in response, due process of law must take its course.”

Despite repeated attempts neither Maulana Fazl nor his spokesperson was available for comment on the matter. But talking to Dawn, Dr Farooq Sattar sounded worried and complained about arrest of MQM workers.

“The arrest of 12 MQM workers, of them seven from Landhi area, by law-enforcers on the day of independence sends a very clear message to us that there is no change of heart on the government side towards my party,” he said. “I have informed Senator Dar about the arrest of my workers and the consequences it can have on the government’s efforts to woo my party back to the parliament house.”

The arrest of MQM workers clearly suggests who actually is calling the shots in Karachi.

In reply to a question about demands the party intended to attach to the decision of withdrawal of resignations, Mr Sattar said 19 reasons that he had explained on the floor of the house as cause of resignations also carried his party’s demands. “The main issues for the MQM at the moment are disappearances and extra-judicial killings of its workers,” he said.

A high-powered judicial commission, constitution of a monitoring committee to oversee the Karachi operation and assurances that “excesses against Muttahida workers” won’t be repeated were some of the steps Dr Sattar listed that could lead to “meaningful talks” with the government.

Senator Dar made it clear that there would be no compromise as far as the Karachi operation was concerned.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2015

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ISLAMABAD: Saddened by the Aug 5 Supreme Court majority verdict of upholding the setting up of military courts aimed at trying hardened militants, the Lahore Bar Association — one of the challengers to the 21st Amendment — is contemplating to move a petition seeking a review of the judgment.

“The Lahore Bar Association has given me a go-ahead to prepare a review petition against the verdict validating the 21st Amendment,” senior lawyer Hamid Khan said while talking to Dawn.

Mr Khan had pleaded the petitions moved by the Lahore Bar Association Court as well as the Lahore High Court Bar Association that were heard by the 17-judge full court of the Supreme Court.

“Given the 30-day period when the review against any judgment can be filed, we still have ample time to move the review petition,” he said, adding that the review petition would definitely be moved by the end of this month.

Mr Khan explained that his client as well as he himself was not satisfied, rather aggrieved with the judgment.

By a majority of 11 to 6, the Supreme Court had made it clear that it can review any decision on part of the federal government to select and refer the case of any accused or militant for the trial by the special court manned by military officers under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952.

When his attention was drawn towards the right of judicial review provided in the majority judgment against any sentence awarded by military courts if the condition of fair trial was not met, Mr Khan said: “This is not enough since it provided a very limited option to move a writ petition that too on three grounds namely the sentence or conviction awarded by the military courts must have been suffering with mala fide, coram non judice or being without jurisdiction.”

Authored by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, the majority judgment of the Supreme Court had held that the 21st Amendment and the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Act (PAA), 2015, accumulatively provide, a temporary measure for the trial of terrorists accused of offences, including waging war against Pakistan, by a forum already constituted under the law and consistent with a recognised procedure already available for and applicable to personnel of the Pakistan Army.

The enlargement of the jurisdiction of such forum is subject to due compliance with an ascertainable criteria constituting a valid classification having nexus with the defence of Pakistan and does not abrogate, repeal, or substantively alter the salient features of the constitution, the judgment signed by eight judges of the Supreme Court had held, adding the provisions of the 21st Amendment as such were intra vires (in accordance with) the Constitution.

The judgment had further stated that a temporary measure targeting a very small specified clearly ascertainable class of accused had been brought into the net to be tried under the PAA in accordance with procedure which has been held by this court to be consistent with recognised principles of criminal justice.

Similarly, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar in his judgment had emphasised that the impact of the 21st Amendment in relation to the jurisdiction of the superior courts was that the amendment had been expressly limited to remain in force for a period of two years only in the hope and expectation that by that time the existential threat, being faced by the country would have been resolved.

Thus, this is explicitly a temporary provision intended to meet a specific crisis. It is not intended to remain a part of the permanent structure of the Constitution.

Likewise, the provisions of 21st Amendment had no application to the trial of persons belonging to terrorist groups or organisations. Thus, the legislative intent has been made clear beyond any doubt.

“If we revert, for a moment, to the position in the United States it may be noted that although no constitutional amendment was introduced for to the fight against terrorism or the war against terrorism, a number of decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States has made clear its considered view that due deference must be given to the executive for and in relation to the war against terrorism,” the judgment had held.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2015

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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday, in an exchange of letters with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, extended felicitations on the occasion of India's Independence Day.

PM Nawaz extended his wishes to the Indian premier today. Whereas yesterday on Pakistan's Independence Day, Modi extended his felicitations to Pakistanis through Twitter.

Read:Modi wishes Pakistanis on Independence Day

The Indian premier in a tweet had also extended his good wishes to Pakistanis.

The exchange between the two leaders comes in the midst of tension between India and Pakistan due to recent skirmishes along the Line of Control.

Read: LoC firing: Injured woman dies in Rawalpindi

Earlier in this month, 3 people were killed and at least 22 injured as Indian and Pakistani security forces exchanged fire in across the Working Boundary in Sialkot.

A border ceasefire agreement signed by the neighbours in 2003 has largely held, but both frequently accuse each other of breaching it.

Also read: Sartaj Aziz to visit India for talks on August 23

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz will visit New Delhi for security talks on August 23, he said on Thursday, in India's first attempt in months to restart talks.

“I can confirm that I will be going to India on August 23,” Sartaj Aziz told a news conference.

Aziz had said his visit was “not a breakthrough in terms of composite dialogue and all the issues but at least it is an ice breaking on some issues.. and let's hope it will lead to further more comprehensive dialogue on the other issues between the two countries”.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, in their meeting at Ufa (Russia) in July, had agreed that a meeting of the National Security Advisers (NSAs) would be convened to “discuss all issues connected to terrorism”.

ISLAMABAD: A civilian was killed and three others injured when Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) personnel resorted to unprovoked firing at the Line of Control (LoC) in Nikial sector of Kotli, according to a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Saturday.

"Due to the firing, a civilian Muhammad Shafi who is a resident of Kanthi Gala village was shot dead and three other civilians were injured," said the ISPR statement.

Read: Woman dies in 'unprovoked Indian firing' across LoC, daughters injured

The statement added that Pakistani troops responded to Indian firing in a befitting manner and silenced the Indian guns.

Earlier in August, Pakistan had lodged a strong protest with India over the ceasefire violations across the LoC and also strongly condemned the death of a civilian on the Pakistani side due to firing across the LoC.

The Indian envoy was asked to ensure that the Ceasefire Understanding of 2003 should be adhered to in order to create peace and tranquility along the LoC.

Pakistan Army had also lodged a strong protest with the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) over unprovoked firing by Indian troops.

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan by the UN-monitored de facto border of LoC but is claimed in full by both the countries.

Also read: Pakistan moves UNMOGIP over unprovoked Indian firing along LoC

Ceasefire violations along the LoC and working boundary between Pakistan and India continue intermittently, with casualties reported on both sides.

Official sources say unprovoked firing by Indian troops on the working boundary has been continuing for the past many weeks.

QUETTA: Funeral Prayers of Sher Hassan, Station House Officer (SHO) of Hamidpur police station in Balochistan's Sohbat Pur district, were offered on Saturday.

Sher Hassan, the SHO of Hamidpur police station, was on his way home when armed men on a motorbike attacked him on Friday.

Read: Police mobile van attacked in Sohbat Pur, several cops wounded

Police sources told DawnNews that armed militants sprayed bullets at the police's patrolling vehicle. The sources added that five policemen were also missing in the area.

The SHO was taken to a local hospital from where he was shifted to Combined Military Hospital in Puno Aqil because of his serious condition. The policeman succumbed to his wounds during treatment.

The funeral prayer of Sher Hussain was offered in Police Lines area of Quetta. Balochistan Police Chief Muhammad Amlaish Khan, Additional Inspector General Police Muhammad Ayub Qureshi and other high level officials attended the funeral prayer.

Strict security measures were take up by the administration in and around the Police Lines area.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. However, police said suspicion falls on Baloch separatist militant groups operating in the area.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Umar on Saturday pressed on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to take a clear stance and appropriate action in wake of the allegations levelled by Senator Mushahidullah Khan against former Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam Abbasi.

In an interview to BBC Urdu, Mushahidullah, Minister for Climate Change, had alleged that the “former head of ISI had devised a conspiracy to remove the elected government.” The senator's allegations were denied by both the government and military hours after the interview went live.

Read: Mushahidullah’s bombshell upsets PML-N’s apple cart

PTI's Asad Umar took to twitter to term the denial by the government insufficient, saying if the allegations levelled by Mushahidullah proved to be true, the former DG ISI and his accomplices should be tried for "planning and encouraging an act of treason."

Umar said if the accusations against the former ISI chief turned out to be false, Mushahidullah should be sacked from his job as the minister and ousted from the party.

In another tweet, Umar said similar allegations had been earlier levelled against DG ISI by the Defence Minister Khwaja Asif and hence it was time this trend was put to rest.

The PTI leader then stressed that the prime minister could not continue the "good cop bad cop drama" and said he should clear his stance by taking action against his ministers for levelling false allegations if he disagrees with them.

PM summons Mushahidullah

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday summoned PML-N Senator Mushahidullah Khan from his trip to the Maldives on an immediate basis, in the wake of his recent statements he made in an interview with BBC, sources at the PM Secretariat told Dawn.

The sources added that Premier Nawaz Sharif would decide on the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz Senator's resignation after his arrival.

Mushahidullah in his interview to BBC highlighted that the plan to overthrow the government was made when the two marches — the ‘Azadi March’ by PTI and the Inqilab March by Pakistan Awami Tehreek — entered Islamabad in August 2014.

In his interview to the BBC, one year after the two marches set forth from Lahore towards Islamabad, the minister claimed that the plan made by the then head of ISI General Zaheerul Islam was aimed at creating unrest and chaos.

“Telephone discussions of the former intelligence head have been recorded in which he was giving directions on how to create chaos and take over the PM’s house,” Senator Mushahidullah claimed in the interview.

He then added that these telephone conversations were recorded by the civil intelligence agency, the Intelligence Bureau (IB), which reports to the interior ministry.

“The conspiracy was not only to target the civil government led by Nawaz Sharif but it was even against the army chief,” he said, “The action plan was to create a deep rift between the PM and the army chief so that the prime minister may take action against Gen Raheel Sharif and then some people would come into action.”

Within hours of Mushahidullah's remarks having hit the airwaves of the news channels, the Prime Minister's Secretariat (PMS) and then the ISPR, the military’s media wing, issued statement denying the existence of the conspiracy in statements that snubbed the minister as well as others.

The statement from the Prime Minister's Secretariat also added that Senator Mushahidullah had been asked to clarify his position over his statement.

After that the minister as well as the information minister spoke to television channels to deny the interview. Senator Mushahidullah went so far to say that he simply repeated rumours he had heard from here and there.

The PTI had staged a 126-day sit-in in Islamabad last year to press for its demand for a judicial inquiry into the rigging allegations.

A judicial commission — constituted under a presidential ordinance in April earlier this year to probe PTI's allegations of rigging in the 2013 general election — concluded in its report that polls were in large part "organised and conducted fairly and in accordance with the law".

Also read: JC finds 2013 elections 'fair and in accordance with law'

PTI chairman Imran Khan had last year alleged that the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif paid the IB Rs270 crore to sabotage his protest movement.

LAHORE: Giving a verdict in the first-ever case submitted by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Lahore, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday awarded life imprisonment, with orders for confiscation of entire property, to an Al Qaeda member.

Convict Khurrum Shah­zad of Rawalpindi was arres­ted by CTD police from Lorry Adda on May 13 this year and a hand-grenade and 10kg of explosive material were found in his possession.

Khurram Shahzad confessed that he had planted a bomb in the washroom of a bus stand. The bomb was also recovered by CTD officials.

The CTD registered a case against the suspect under anti-terrorism charges and during investigation it was revealed that the suspect belonged to Al Qaeda and was involved in transporting arms, ammunition and explosive material to carry out attacks.

CTD police presented the suspect before the ATC after completion of challan and investigation. After a cross- examination of witnesses and trial, presiding judge Muzaffar Husain Shah announced the verdict.

The court convicted Khurrum Shahzad and awarded life imprisonment besides confiscation of his moveable and unmoveable property.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2015

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To the south of Chakwal lies its oldest village Bhoun. Stretching on both sides of Chakwal-Sargodha Road, the village still holds its cultural touch where Jalsa (bulls’ contest), Chhat (a traditional game of weight lifting) are still in vogue alongside modern day life.

The village is dotted with numerous historic sites including grand houses, havelis, ponds, temples and old trees.

Before partition, Bhoun’s population was predominantly Hindu whose major source of income used to be trade and they were well off.

The village remained the largest trade market of the district for decades.

Chakwal’s renowned historian late Professor Anwar Beg Awan who also hailed from Bhoun traces the history of Bhoun in Maha Bharta.

He says there is a reference to Bhoun in the epic book written in 3122BC, calling it the capital of Daroopad Nagar which was a state of present day Punjab.

But Mr Beg was also of the view that Bhoun was the name of one of the sons of Raja Dahir who laid the foundation of this town.

Over a 100 years old Banyan tree on the main road in Bhoun village.

“The Glossary of Tribes and Castes testifies that Bhoun was the son of Raja Dahir,” says Prof Awan in his book Dhan Malooki.

According to him, Bhoun came into existence some 700 years ago. As the town was established by Hindus, it still retains the ruins of Hindu temples.

Although the havelis and other grand houses are still in good shape as they were occupied by the Muslim migrants, temples have been ruined and ponds have vanished.

The vast land associated with ponds and temples have been occupied by the influential residents of the village. Muslims razed some temples to avenge the demolition of Babari Mosque.

The Janj Ghar (Janj House) built by Bikram Jeet about 200 years ago still stands with its grandeur being intact. Mohammad Imran, the current owner of this grand house, has been offered the price of his choice but he refused to sell it.

Haji Nazar Mohammad, in his late 90s, a resident of Vahali village who spent his childhood with Hindus and Sikhs of the village

Janj Ghar has 12 rooms and two verandas built opposite to each other. The house was built masterly. Splendour and attraction emanate from its every brick. After seeing this grand house one can say that its owner Bikram Jeet was not only a rich person but was also endowed with aesthetic sense.

The Marri, another grand house having 14 rooms and balconies, with wooden ceilings and pillars having beautiful paintings.

According to Prof Baig, the Marri was built by Rai Bahadur Sardar Jai Singh who was the father of Gen Arora (Indian army chief at the time of 1971 war) in the third decade of twentieth century. Marri is currently owned by Wali Mohammad Khan, a man who came from Saharanpur of UP (Indian state) at the time of partition.

Prof Beg says that famous Datt family of Indian film industry also belonged to Bhoun but their ancestral houses have vanished. Some other historic havelis are also being owned by immigrants who are trying their best to retain their real shape.

According to Prof Beg, the famous Oberoi family of India also hailed from this village. He says that Flashman Hotel of Rawalpindi and Cecil Hotel in Murree were owned by the Oberoi family of Bhoun.

The father of legendary music composer Madan Mohan also settled in Chakwal city from Bhoun.

Being the centre of trade and a large town, Bhoun had its own railway station. The train that used to run from Mandra stopped at Bhoun Railway Station. The Mandra-Bhoun railway track was dismantled during the second regime of Nawaz Sharif. Now the railway station has been lying crumbled.

But on the other hand the temples and ponds which are being petered out yearns for immediate attention. Two temples have been leased out, one (Shawala Mandar) to the family of Mohammad Abbas. The other one situated in Mohalla Kochar has been turned into a cattle-pan. A donkey and three cows along with some goats are being kept there. Mohammad Basheer says he pays Rs150 as rent to the government every month.

Another temple near a pond called Madhu Wali Ban is being used as a toilet. Once a holy building of Hindus now is littered with dirt. A few yards away of this temple, another one lies demolished. It is said that temple was demolished by some Muslims in reaction to Babri Masjid incident. Another temple in Mohalla Pind is being used as a store of dung-cakes. All these temples are crumbling. One of them has already been demolished.

The sacred ponds have been rendered dry. The Gurdas Ban (Gurdas Pond) had been filled with soil few years ago on the order of a Union Council nazim of Bhoun.

A senior official of the Punjab Archaeological Department while talking to Dawn admitted the importance of the historic sites of Bhoun village. “It is our dilemma that we pay less attention towards our heritage,” he lamented. He added that his department had not had enough funds to preserve the historic sites of Bhoun village.

The crumbling landscape of Bhoun can still be preserved if the rulers look towards the plight of our rich cultural heritage.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2015

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http://www.dawn.com/news/1200723/life-under-the-big-towp

http://www.dawn.com/news/1200732/three-alleged-killers-of-judge-arrested

RAWALPINDI: An anti terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday sentenced six persons to death in a 2011 district courts firing case in which three under trial prisoners and a passer-by were killed.

The ATC judge, Asif Majeed Awan handed down death sentence to Liaqat Ali, Khizer Sher, Asif Sheikh, Motabir Khan, Safeer Sadiq and Adil on eight counts. Besides, the court also awarded them life-imprisonment under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

Besides, the ATC judge ordered confiscation of their moveable and immovable property.

The court, however, acquitted another six accused including a woman in the same murder case.

According to the prosecution, Chaudhry Shaukat, Chaudhry Arshad and Chaudhry Ghalib were being produced in the court in a murder case when their rivals came and opened fire on them killing them on the spot. In the said attack a passer-by, Mohammad Iqbal was also killed as the attacker presumed him a relative of the prisoners.

The attack spread panic among people and lawyers at the district courts.

Civil Lines police of Rawalpindi registered cases under different sections of ATA and Pakistan Penal Code against the attackers.

As per public prosecutor Noor Khan, the attackers claimed that they had killed the prisoners to avenge the murder of their people.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2015

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ISLAMABAD: Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja will don the robe to become the 23rd Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) on Monday.

But Justice Khawaja is unlikely to have much of a legacy because he will reach superannuation next month, on Sept 9 to be exact. Thus his tenure will last merely 23 days, after which he will pass on the mantle to Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali.

According to analysts, his elevation as the country’s top adjudicator, when he will replace the outgoing Chief Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk, will mean doing away with the practice of exercising judicial restraint because he favours judicial activism, as set out by former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

On another note, he may well be the first judge in the history of Pakistan whose appointment order is in Urdu, and not in English. This is appropriate because the next chief justice of the Supreme Court is considered to be a strong proponent of Urdu, though he has command over English as well.

“Justice Khawaja’s tenure is too short a period to have any appreciable impact,” commented former deputy attorney general Tariq Khokhar, who pursued the cases of missing persons in the Supreme Court as the government’s law officer.

According to Mr Khokhar, the perception among jurists is that Justice Khawaja has a “judicial ideology”. In essence, he feels that controversial issues can be decided by the Supreme Court and do not necessarily have to be referred to the parliament.

On those grounds, Justice Khawaja’s approach can be said to be similar to that of former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.

“On a personal note, Justice Khawaja’s finest moments came when he heard the cases of missing persons. He was the epitome of justice. The nation owes him a great debt,” Mr Khokhar said.

Mr Khokhar’s observation seems to be correct when seen in the light of the dissenting note Justice Khawaja wrote in the Aug 5 verdict of the Supreme Court in the case about the Constitution’s 21st Amendment.

In his note Justice Khawaja held that the 21st amendment was liable to be struck down because the parliament could not be deemed a sovereign or supreme body and that it was wrong to suggest that there were no limitations on the parliament’s powers to amend the Constitution.

The limitations were not only political but were borne out from the Constitution itself, Justice Khawaja wrote, adding that the apex court had the powers to review an amendment passed by the parliament and to strike it down where appropriate.

“You will soon see revival of the practice of taking suo motu notices against indifference or apathy on the part of the government regarding the problems faced by the people,” commented a senior officer of the Supreme Court.

The officer’s statement reminds one of an observation made by Justice Khawaja when he said during a hearing: “Nothing amazes us in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

“But I have not reconciled to what is happening around us. Indifference will not seep into me.”

Justice Khawaja shot to prominence when he resigned as judge of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on March 19, 2007, to pursue a career as an academic after joining the Lahore University of Management Sciences as professor and head of its Department of Law and Policy.

He had resigned as judge of the LHC against the backdrop of the sacking of then Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry by Gen Pervez Musharraf.

Justice Khawaja was later elevated as judge of the Supreme Court on June 5, 2009.

The summary for the appointment of Justice Khawaja as the CJP was written in Urdu because of an ongoing case being heard by a bench headed by him. The case is about the promotion of Urdu, in which the federal government has assured the court that an order has been issued to make it mandatory for the president, prime minister, federal ministers and other official representatives to deliver their speeches in Urdu both inside the country and abroad.

Justice Khawaja has also introduced a wing in the Supreme Court which has been tasked with the job of translating orders into Urdu.

Justice Khawaja wrote his dissenting judgment in the case about the 21st Amendment both in Urdu and English.

Justice Khawaja was the only judge who spoke in Urdu at the reference held at the Supreme Court to bid farewell to Chief Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk.

Not only is he fond of Urdu, he often recites verses in Persian. He also loves music.

He can often be spotted while enjoying his evening walk at the well-known Margalla Trail No 5.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2015

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ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Pervez Rashid in a statement released on Saturday said that senior cabinet member and minister for climate change, Senator Mushahidullah Khan has sent his resignation to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

An official from the PM Office confirmed to DAWN that the government has received his resignation, but it will be processed on Monday due to public holidays.

The senator had earlier given an interview to the BBC in which he had alleged that the former director general of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) wanted to overthrow the country's civil and military leadership.

Mushahidullah Khan has been summoned back from his trip to the Maldives on an immediate basis, in the wake of his recent statements he made in an interview with BBC, sources at the PM Secretariat told Dawn. The minister is currently on a three day official visit to the Maldives.

Read: Nawaz seeks explanation from Mushahidullah over BBC interview

The sources added that the prime minister would decide on the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz senator's resignation after his arrival.

According to the statement, Mushahidullah will also present his resignation to the premier in person once he returns to Pakistan.

Earlier today, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Umar pressed on the premier to take a clear stance and appropriate action in wake of the allegations levelled by Mushahidullah Khan against former ISI chief Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam Abbasi.

Earlier on Friday, the prime minister had sought an explanation from the senator, over an interview the latter gave to BBC Urdu, in which he alleged that former ISI chief Lt. Gen Zaheerul Islam Abbasi wanted to overthrow Pakistan’s civil and military leadership during last year’s sit-ins by the PTI and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT).

Taking notice of the minister’s statements, the PM House had also issued a news release, asking Mushahidullah Khan to explain his remarks. The release also said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has never heard such an audio tape, nor is he aware of its existence.

Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asim Bajwa had also said late on Friday night in a tweet that “the story about any tape recording as being discussed in media is totally baseless, unfounded and farthest from the truth.”

Read more: Mushahidullah’s bombshell upsets PML-N’s apple cart

The chief of army's media wing went on to say that “such rumours are irresponsible and unprofessional.”

Meanwhile, Mushahidullah had downplayed his claims, saying that he had never heard the audio recording himself and was told about it by “other sources.” He said he had clarified in his interview that he had himself not heard any audio tape.

The senator said his interview with the BBC was almost a week old and questioned the motives behind releasing it on Independence Day. He said he had given the same explanation to the premier over a telephone call.

KARACHI: An antiterrorism court reserved on Saturday its order on an application of Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Amir Khan seeking permission for going for Haj.

The Pakistan Rangers had taken into custody the MQM leader with dozens of other suspects on three-month preventive detention after their arrest during a raid in and around party headquarters Nine Zero in March and later booked him for allegedly providing shelter to criminals and using them for terrorist activities. The court granted him bail in June.

Mr Khan through his counsel Shaukat Hayat moved an application and submitted that he was shortlisted in the government Haj scheme and willing to perform the religious obligation and would return after fulfilling it.

The counsel argued that his client was not on the exit-control list, thus the trial court had been approached for permission.

The lawyer asked the court to allow the applicant to leave for Saudi Arabia and submitted some documents to support his contention.

However, Rangers prosecutor Rana Khalid opposed the plea and argued that the court had conditionally granted bail to the applicant by barring him from travelling abroad. He contended that there was no provision in law for a trial court to review its earlier decision.

He also expressed dissatisfaction over the documents submitted by the defence lawyer and contended that anyone could get printed these documents from a computer as the same were neither verified nor contained any approval from the government.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge of the ATC-II reserved the order for pronouncement till Aug 17.

A case was registered against the MQM leader under Sections IIV (directing terrorist activities), 21J (harbouring any person who committed an offence under this act), and 7 (punishment for act of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 on the complaint of a Rangers official at the Azizabad police station.

Man jailed for 15 years

An antiterrorism court handed down on Saturday a man to a collective sentence of 15 years in prison in attempted murder, explosive material and illicit weapon cases.

The court found Syed Faizan Ahmed, alias Bhayia, guilty of attacking a police party and carrying explosive substances and unlicensed weapon last year in New Karachi.

The judge of ATC-VIII, Imdad Ali Khoso, who conducted the trial after amalgamating three cases, sentenced five-year imprisonment to him in each case and imposed a fine of Rs50,000 for each offence and in case of non-payment the convict would undergo an additional six-month imprisonment. However, all the sentences would run concurrently.

Suspected militant convicted

A sessions court sentenced on Saturday a man to five years in prison in an explosive substance case.

Asim, alias Tipu, said to be associated with banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, was held accountable for carrying explosives in May 2009 in Musharraf Colony.

The additional district and session judge, Sikandar Amir Pahore, who conducted trial in judicial complex in central prison, also imposed a fine of Rs10,000 and upon non-payment the convict would undergo an additional two-month imprisonment.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2015

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KARACHI: For Sana Sheikh, the scene is all too familiar; a furtive figure approaches the car at a traffic light, the advance timed perfectly between the switch from red to green. He leans in and taps a menacing weapon on the window, giving her husband no choice but to comply. With a gun fixed to his temple, the young couple quickly hands over mobile phones, cash and jewellery.

Ms Sheikh has been robbed at gunpoint on three occasions –– twice at the same spot in Clifton Block 7 and the most recently time at the traffic light on the Khayaban-i-Shaheen and Khayaban-i-Bahria intersection. “We have given everything each time,” she says, grateful that they have remained unhurt.

Unfortunately, Mehreen Ali Shah was brutally gunned down. The 48-year-old mother of two was shot fatally on DHA’s 26th street on the night of Aug 4, as she headed home after a meal at a Phase VIII restaurant. Ms Shah is among scores of people shot dead by robbers in the metropolis in the past eight months.

According to data collected by Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, around 29 people have been killed by robbers in different areas from January to June 2015. The number of phones stolen from January to July is estimated at over 21,000.

As muggings show no signs of letting up, police mull new strategy to tackle street crime

“On average, 50 people are killed during street crimes in the provincial capital each year,” a senior police officer tells Dawn.

Police admit an alarming rise in street crime and mention several reasons for their apparent failure to curb it, with lack of manpower cited as a major reason.

“There is only one police mobile with two policemen for patrolling in Phase VIII, Defence, where the murder of the woman took place,” says Darakhshan police station SHO Ghulam Hussain Pirzado.

Mr Pirzado, who was removed after the killing of Ms Shah, said the police mobile on that day was deployed for the security of business tycoon Malik Riaz.

“There are a total of 100 policemen for Darakhshan police. Of them only 70 perform their jobs and the rest are deployed on guard duty etc,” the former SHO discloses. Among them, 40 policemen perform their duty in the morning shift while 30 are assigned to night duty.

“This number of policemen can hardly be declared sufficient for 400,000 to 500,000 residents living in Phase V to Phase VIII [jurisdiction of Darakhshan police].”

Should Rangers confront street crime?

While the Rangers report weekly gains made in the Karachi operation launched in September 2013, there has been no respite for citizens when it comes to street crime.

There is a growing realisation among law enforcement agencies to shift the focus of the operation towards street crime, as the operation has yet to prove effective against the bane of muggings.

“This is partly because law enforcement agencies’ main focus has been to control major crimes such as targeted killings, kidnapping for ransom and extortion,” says the DIG (administration) Karachi, Sultan Ali Khowaja.

Mr Khowaja, who recently also served as DIG CIA, says the focus on alleviating political crime has paid off. “For six months, there has been no case of kidnapping for ransom. Extortion has become nil,” he boasts.

But he acknowledges that the attention must shift to street crime. “Initiatives are being taken and impact will be visible soon,” the senior police officer says.

New chief of the Citizen Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) Zubair Habib agrees that other crimes have ‘drastically’ decreased but feels there has been no decline in street crime. Citing ‘reported crime data’, the CPLC head says 17,000 mobile phones were either snatched or stolen in 2014 from January to July. In the current year, 22,000 mobile phones have been snatched for the same period.

“Street crimes, especially muggings, have not dropped partly because it is easy,” says Mr Habib. He says there are at least 100 points where traffic is congested, allowing criminals to swoop on and loot their victims in a jam. He also feels there are deserted areas –– such as in Defence where Ms Shah was shot dead – where it is easy to commit crime due to absence of police.

Two-pronged strategy

“Karachi police are going to sign a MoU (memorandum of standing) with NGO Voice of Karachi very soon to establish kiosks at these 60 places. Each will be supported by CCTVs and strong deployment of police,” says Mr Khowaja.

As a first step, a kiosk will be set up at the old ‘Submarine Chowrangi’ on Ch Khaliq-uz-Zaman Road near Gizri. At least 16 CCTV cameras will be installed, with two motorcycle squads of police that will perform their duty round the clock, especially during ‘peak hours’.

Each such kiosk is expected to cost up to Rs5 million.

For the second initiative, police are negotiating with cellular companies and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to register the IMEI number of each subscriber which will enable them to block a snatched mobile phone immediately after an incident is reported. A few meetings have taken place to discuss this, he says.

“This initiative should be supported by a legal framework and be made part of cyber crime,” suggests Sultan Khowaja. He says past police action against Karachi’s electronic market to curb the sale of stolen and snatched mobile phones was not effective as it was not supported by a legal framework to punish such elements.

The CPLC chief, too, refers to a recent meeting with AIG police Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar, where the two discussed a strategy to tackle street crime and proposed a solution to improve traffic flow with a ‘surveillance system’ which makes snatching. A proposal to set up a dedicated cell to deal with street crime is also under consideration.

But as law enforcement agencies scratch their heads and vow reform, citizens are left at the mercy of armed thugs operating brazenly throughout the city.

“I have been mugged but luckily they only took away my phone and some cash, and couldn’t snatch my wallet with ID documents and credit cards,” says Jamila Ali, wondering how she should securely carry these documents. “I have started keeping a cheaper phone to give to the muggers but I worry they will catch on.”

Facebook group Haalat Updates –– an online forum where subscribers share security related concerns –– two muggings were reported in PECHS Block 2 in a span of two days. The CCTV footage of a similar mugging outside an apartment building on Islamia College road near Jail Chowrangi elicited sarcastic responses, betraying the frustration of hapless citizens from all walks of life.

Commenting on the ease with which an armed youth secures an unsuspecting biker’s phone by showing a pistol, one member writes: “It’s very casual, just like someone is holding up a cigarette to ask for a lighter…”

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2015

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