On a collision course

current political crisis. Non-compliance with the court’s orders will cause matters to spin out of everyone’s control.

The ruling coalition is on a defiant path. It has made it clear that it won’t comply with the court’s order that it describes as ‘minority’ and ‘partisan’. Some ministers have not even ruled out the possibility of declaring a state of emergency.

But such a move would be seen as a virtual declaration of war against the top court, and pit the two institutions of state against each other, with disastrous consequences. Going against the order would intensify the clash of institutions and deepen the constitutional crisis, bringing the country closer to a systemic collapse. There is a fear that the crisis could also suck the security establishment more deeply into the political fray. Notwithstanding its claims of neutrality, the military is not totally out of the game.

There are strong indications that the military leadership is not in favour of early or scattered elections, with the defence ministry asserting that the armed forces would not be available for poll security duties because of the security situation.

Unlike in the recent past, when the judiciary was seen to go along with the security establishment, its latest position on polls in Punjab and KP indicates a divergence of views within. Among other factors, the fear of the PTI sweeping the polls has brought the establishment closer to the government’s position.

But non-compliance and its consequences will cause matters to completely spin out of everyone’s control. And a move to get the army directly involved in emergency rule could spell disaster for both the country and its institutions.

With the political process hitting a dead end, the battleground has long been shifted to the highest court. Caught in the middle of a reckless power game that has divided the country, it was hardly possible for the Supreme Court to stay clear of controversy when it took up the petition against the postponement of elections in Punjab and KP.

The court was already seen as divided on the issue of suo motu action taken earlier by the chief justice on setting an election date for the two dissolved assemblies. But the composition of the bench that was hearing the petition apparently intensified the war within. Split down the middle, the apex court is now fighting a desperate battle to maintain its sanctity. The authority of the chief justice is seen as being challenged by the ruling coalition and some of his fellow judges.

In fact, many among the 15 members of the apex court appear to have reservations regarding the chief justice’s powers, demanding that the absolute authority of his position to constitute benches be curtailed. The conflict has taken a more ominous turn as the disagreements have come out into the open. Observers have said that the situation is reminiscent of the judges’ revolt against then chief justice Sajjad Ali Shah in 1997, that ul- timately led to the ouster of the latter. While one cannot predict a similar fate for the current chief justice, many opine that the split has weakened his position in the run-up to his retirement in a few months. Unfortunately, the division has rendered the court’s ruling controversial. It is a huge blow to the rule of law.

The view that the concentration of powers in the office of the chief justice raises questions about the impartiality of the judicial system — and underscores the need for reform — is not without substance. But the move to change the rules through an act of parliament has reinforced suspicions about the government trying to exploit the judicial divide for its own political ends. Many legal experts maintain that the change in rules should have been left to the Supreme Court itself. Meanwhile, the clash of institutions and ongoing frictions have eroded the writ of the state. With the country in the midst of an economic meltdown and with the democratic political process on very shaky ground, any deviation from the Constitution will further weaken an already fragile polity. There is still time for the rival political forces to step back from their hard-line positions and come to the negotiating table — in an atmosphere of confrontation, it will not be possible to hold free and fair elections. By undermining the authority of the Supreme Court, the politicians will only strengthen the forces of Bonapartism.

The writer is an author and journalist.

Courtesy By: Zahid Hussain

The writer is a journalist.

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Contents the Quran, and introspection. Fasting means abstaining from food, drink, smoking, bodily desires, swearing, gossip or other sinful acts, during daylight hours. Meals are served before dawn and after sunset. This means that they may not eat or drink anything, including water, until sunset. Families get up early for Suhoor, a meal eaten before the sun rises. After the sun sets, the fast is broken with a meal known as Iftar which usually begins with dates and sweet drinks. While we experience hunger and thirst, Muslims are reminded of the suffering of the poor. Fasting is also an opportunity to practice selfcontrol and to cleanse the body and mind. Fasting helps Muslims feel the peace that comes from spiritual devotion as well as kinship with fellow believers and concentrate on devotion and worship, express gratitude and seek forgiveness and help the needy and to make us better versions of ourselves. Although charity and good deeds are always important in Islam, they have special significance during Ramadan. People raise money and donate supplies to help others in need. Muslims also attend late night prayers called Taraweeh. Everyone who has gone through puberty is expected to take part in fasting. There are exceptions such as the elderly, women who are breastfeeding and those with medical conditions. Ramadan ends with the festival of Eid al-Fitr when the new moon is sighted. Literally the “Festival of Breaking the Fast,” Eid al-Fitr is one of the two most important Islamic celebrations (the other occurs after the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca). At Eid al-Fitr people dress in their finest clothes, adorn their homes with lights and decorations, give treats to children, and enjoy visits with friends and family. Muslims will gather together at the mosque for a prayer, before spending the day with family or friends and wishing one another ‘Eid Mubarak’, or ‘Blessed Eid’. How can non-Muslims be considerate of their Muslims friends and colleagues during Ramadan?

If you know someone who is fasting, just be considerate and don’t hesitate to ask questions as Muslims will happily explain why they are fasting. It can be very beneficial to Muslim employees if their employers provide flexible scheduling during Ramadan, if possible.

Working an entire day without eating or drinking can be difficult, and nighttime prayer and charity events mean workers’ schedules are jam- packed. For employees with a typical 9-to-5 schedule, this could look like allowing workers to create a custom schedule where they work from home or come into work after Suhoor (the meal consumed in the early morning before fasting begins) and leave the office earlier than usual. Employers can also consider letting those who celebrate, work through their lunch break and go home early.

Employers can also consider providing flexibility to employees who don’t work a typical 9-to-5 workday. Employers should allow their Muslim workers to schedule their shifts around these important mealtimes if possible.

Not only does this show respect for the employee’s religion, but workers may be more productive after eating a meal and prefer to work in the morning after Suhoor or at night after Iftar.

May Allah bless all of us to have a fruitful Ramadan. Ramadan Mubarak to all Muslims and fellow Canadians. Thank you, Mahmood Awan, Richmond, BC

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Prime minister calls discovery of Indigenous woman in Winnipeg landfill heartbreaking

day. Police say they do not believe the case is linked to the killing of Rebecca Contois, whose remains were found in the same landfill last year, or the killings of three other women. Police have said they believe the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran are in a different, privately run Prairie Green landfill north of Winnipeg, but they have not been found.

Govt vows not to let CJP have his way

• Legislature, executive refuse to abide by verdict; PM calls it ‘murder of justice’

• Legal team tasked with ‘repulsing’ judgement

• Minister to write to apex court to take up reference against Z.A. Bhutto’s ‘judicial murder’

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government needs to do more to end the epidemic of violence that Indigenous women and girls face after police found the body of another Indigenous woman in a landfill this week.

Trudeau says it’s heartbreaking that discoveries like these continue to happen.

The Winnipeg homicide unit says it started an investigation after staff at the Brady Road landfill south of the city found the body of 33-year-old Linda Mary Beardy on Mon-

The prime minister says his Liberal government has made significant strides in countering gender-based violence, but there’s more it can be doing. “My heart goes out to the community in Winnipeg and to the families of the woman who was ... left in this way,’’ Trudeau told reporters Wednesday.

“We will continue to be there with the community as it grieves, but we will also continue to be there to put an end to this unconscionable violence.’’ Source: ctvnews.ca

24 Sussex Drive closed as rodent carcasses fill the walls and attic: documents

which can’t be fully addressed until the building envelope issues are resolved,” the document, dated June 2022, read.

After years of warnings that the prime minister’s official residence was in “critical condition,” documents show that a severe rodent problem played a role in the closure of 24 Sussex Drive.

Documents prepared by the National Capital Commission (NCC) cite air quality concerns in the main building due to “an important rodent infestation” as an argument for the home’s closure. Attempts were made to control the problem with bait but the NCC says it “leaves us with excrements and carcasses between the walls and in the attic and basement spaces.”

“There is an important rodent infestation,

The documents, first obtained by the National Post via an access-to-information request, paint a picture of a famous residential address that is now considered “uninhabitable.” Concerns in the main building -- which has housed Canadian prime ministers since the 1950s -- include mould, asbestos, an electrical system that is now considered a fire hazard and pipes that are so old they need to be decommissioned or a “potentially catastrophic collapse is inevitable. “The critical condition of the property is making it increasingly difficult to contain designated substances such as asbestos and eliminate any risk to users of the buildings on the property. There are also considerable pest control issues. Together, these circumstances risk endangering the health and safety of current users,” the NCC wrote in a letter to then-Procurement Minister Filomena Tassi before the decision to close the main home had been made.

Source:ctvnews.ca

ISLAMABAD: In an act of open defiance, the National Assembly and the federal cabinet — dominated by members of the ruling coalition — refused to abide by the Supreme Court ruling that fixed May 14 as the election date in Punjab, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif calling the verdict a “murder of justice”. Lawmakers in the lower house of parliament, where the judiciary came under intense criticism for its latest judgement, categorically declared that the decision would not be implemented at any cost and demanded a full court to hear the issue — a demand long held by the government.They asked Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial to “rethink and constitute a full court bench” to resolve the crisis while also drawing comparisons between the decision which led to the hanging of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the ruling on polls date. Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, PM Shehbaz Sharif equated the decision with that of the ‘judicial murder’ of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and said that “his murder took place on April 4, 1979, and on the same date (today), the unfortunate episode was repeated” through the polls ruling. “Two decisions were made today, murder of Bhutto and murder of justice, which is highly regrettable,” the premier said while speaking at the National Assembly session. During a meeting of the federal cabinet that categorically rejected the verdict, the apex executive body directed the legal team to find ways to repulse the decision. “The prime minister has directed me and the attorney general to give a legal opinion on the Supreme Court’s decision that has been made in such a way that it negated the judicial system of the country,” Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said on the floor of the National Assembly following the cabinet huddle.

The verdict regarding elections in Punjab would further deepen the constitutional and political crises in the country, he said, adding: “We have reservations about the decision and our legal team will decide about the future course of action after consultations”...

Source: dawnnews.com

LARKANA: Hinting at the possibility of intervention if the prevailing crisis continues, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari warned on Tuesday that neither Shehbaz Sharif nor Imran Khan will come to power next time around, and it would be the people of Pakistan who will have to bear the consequences.

A man who allegedly threatened one person with a knife and slashed another person’s throat on a bus in B.C. is facing four terrorism charges, according to federal authorities. Court documents provided by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada show that Abdu Aziz Kawam has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, assault causing bodily harm, and assault with a weapon. The charging documents say that all four offences are alleged to have been “for the benefit of at the direction of or in association with a terrorist group; to wit, the Islamic State.”

Kawan made his first court appearance by video Monday, sitting in front of a white wall dressed in a prison-issue jumpsuit and showing little emotion. A publication ban is in place preventing the details of the hearing from being reported. “I can tell you that the information was relayed that this morning alleging that Mr. Kawan committed four acts for the benefit of a terrorist group,” said Crown prosecutor Sharon Steele following the hearing. The alleged offences took place in Surrey on the morning of April 1.

Metro Vancouver Transit Police said a suspect first approached a man at a bus stop and held a knife to his throat around 9:30 a.m. That man managed to flee without be- ing injured, spokesperson Const. Amanda Steed told CTV News.

Shortly after, the suspect boarded the 503 bus and attacked a second victim, slashing his throat. The victim was critically injured but survived emergency surgery and is expected to recover, according to Steed.

In an email Monday, Steed confirmed that the RCMP’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team was called in. “During the course of our investigation, it was determined that the suspect made several concerning comments,’ Steed wrote, explaining the move. A statement from the BC RCMP confirmed the charges and the allegations the alleged assaults were “carried out for the Islamic State,” while saying no further information will be released...

Kawam remains in custody and is next due in court Wednesday.

Source: bc.ctvnews.ca

Addressing a select gathering in Naudero House to mark the 44th death anniversary of his grandfather and PPP founder Zulfikar ali Bhutto, the foreign minister said that in the previous elections Imran Khan was brought to power through rigging, but this time around they would not allow the electoral process to be sabotaged. He said the coalition partners in the Centre were wise to the game being played with the nation’s future, and repeated the demand to form a larger bench of Supreme Court. Mr Bhutto-Zardari said he feared that the battle for Takht-i-Lahore (the throne of Lahore) would sink the country.Recalling the reference filed by his father Asif Ali Zardari over the judicial murder of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, he said it was still pending before Supreme Court, but the Constitution framed by his grandfather was broken time and again. Tracing the history of illegitimate steps that were provided cover by the judiciary, he said that both General Zia and General Musharraf’s coups were declared legitimate, while his mother Benazir Bhutto’s democratic government was hardly allowed to run and survived for a mere 11 months. Then again, in 1996, her government was dismissed and the judiciary did not act to restore it. He also referred to Murtaza Bhutto’s murder, saying that it was ironic that they were held to be suspects, even though the crime was committed against his family. Source: dawnnews.com gratitude when I meet him,” Momen said while addressing the media after a comic book unveiling in the capital.

He said he would visit the US this time as the US secretary oftate has invited him.

“Of course, we’re very lucky to get invited three times in a row,” he said.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen yesterday said the United States is Bangladesh’s biggest friend, one of the biggest investors and export destinations. Momen is set to leave for the US on April 7 where he is scheduled to meet US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in Washington on April 10. For all latest news, follow The Daily Star’s Google News channel. “America is the only country who provided 100 million vaccines for free during the Covid-19 pandemic. They even supported us the most after the Rohingya influx. Other countries have helped us as well. But I’ll express

When asked what will be discussed in the meeting with the US Secretary of State, Momen said that the Rohingya issue and bilateral trade will come up. Replying to a question about the US concern regarding democracy in Bangladesh, the foreign minister said: “We fought for democracy. Three million people gave their lives to uphold democracy and human rights. Therefore, we don’t need lessons on democracy,” he said. ”We want a fair election. America also wants a fair election. We don’t disagree with that. We have already made necessary institutional arrangements to ensure a free and fair election,” the minister said.

Momen said the US has agreed to scale up the resettlement process for vulnerable Rohingya refugees...Source: thedailystar.net

By:Asma Shums,

Islam is the second-largest religion in the world, and there are approximately 1.7 billion Muslims (followers of Islam). Ramadan, one of the most important seasons for Muslims, is an entire month devoted to reflection and self-control, along with many types of fasting, such as food, drink and smoking. Twenty percent of the world’s population practice Islam, and there is a lot to learn about how Ramadan encourages self-reflection.

First, A Little History

Ramadan takes place in the ninth month of the Muslim lunar year and begins with the new moon. For example, in 2019, Muslims often fast from sunrise to sunset during the entire month.

The idea is to practice selfcontrol and focus on self-improvement and good works.

Each day of fasting ends with a feast, or iftar, celebrated with family and friends. So there’s always a reward at the end of the day.

Lesson One: Patience and Humility

First, Ramadan teaches patience and humility. If you don’t eat or engage in other pleasures, you understand what it means to be poor and not have enough to eat. You also learn to be grateful for the food and blessings you have–and to patiently wait for your next meal. Even if you don’t practice Islam, there’s a lot to learn from fasting and delaying satisfaction. A fast can teach us to appreciate the things we have and have more compassion for people who don’t enjoy our comfortable lifestyle.

Lesson Two: Forgiveness and Letting Go

All of us hold a grudge from time to time–and find it hard to forgive a friend, loved one or co-worker