SC EXPUNGES ‘CONTROVERSIAL PARAGRAPHS’ FROM MUBARAK SANI CASE ORDER
g COURT SEEKS A SSISTANCE FROM CLERICS PRESENT IN COURTROOM, INCLUDING JUI-F CHIEF, MUFTI SHER, SAHIBZADA ABUL KHAIR, OTHERS
S TA F F R E P O R
TH E Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday accepted the federal government s appeal for corrections in the Mubarak Sani review decision and expunged all ‘controversial paragraphs’ from its previous order, ruling that the expunged paragraphs cannot be used as a judicial precedent The court removed paragraphs 7 42 and 49-C from the review decision following requests from religious scholars present in court The Supreme Court clarified that the federal government had sought a review of the decision and considered recommendations from the Council of Islamic Ideology
(CII) The removed paragraphs mentioned the banned book and proselytisation activities of the Ahmadi community During the hearing Maulana Fazlur Rehman advised the court to limit its role to granting bail The Supreme Court also accepted the Punjab government s urgent application seeking omissions of certain portions from the court’s July 24 revised verdict in the Mubarak Sani case after taking input from scholars
On February 6 a Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa-led two-judge SC bench, overturned the conviction of Mubarak Sani, who was accused of an offence in 2019 under the Punjab Holy Quran (Printing and Recording) (Amendment) Act In its judgment the court noted that the offence that the de-
Apex cour t orders demolition of Monal restaurant
fendant had been accused of was not criminalised till 2021 Consequently, the apex court set aside the conviction and ordered release of the petitioner The decision was subsequently challenged by the Punjab government on the
grounds that paragraph 9 of the order regarding Article 20 of the Constitution, needed to be modified as the rights of the citizens as envisaged under the provision were not absolute and instead subject to law public order and morality
here at the General Headquarters an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release said The interactive session provided a platform to share perspectives on Pakistan s pivotal role in promoting regional peace and stability, its unwavering efforts against terrorism and its commitment to upholding democratic values The Army Chief highlighted Pakistan s vast potential and encouraged the attendees to form their own opinions based on personal experiences He also cautioned against the perils of misinformation and fake news in the digital age, urging the students to navigate this landscape with discernment The COAS highlighted Pakistan’s vast potential and encouraged the attendees to form their own opinions based on personal experiences He also cautioned against the perils of misinformation and fake news in the digital age, urging the students to navigate this landscape with discernment The Harvard students expressed their gratitude to the COAS for facilitating a constructive and enlightening interaction This engagement follows the COAS’s earlier interaction with students from various universities at the General Headquarters on 20 August, underscoring his commitment to nurturing and inspiring the nation s youth
Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, announced on Thursday that Pakistan has achieved macroeconomic stability with all major economic indicators showing positive trends Senator Aurangzeb made these remarks while addressing the Inaugural Ceremony of the Buna-Raast Connectivity Project Implementation Phase He emphasized that the country is currently experiencing a phase of economic stability which lays the foundation for sustainable economic growth He highlighted that key economic indicators, including foreign reserves, workers remittances, policy rates, exchange rate revenue collection and twin deficits such as the Current Account are all showing positive momentum This he added reflects growing confidence among foreign investors in Pakistan s economy
“We have a two-month import cover and the exchange rate is stable Aurangzeb stated He
also noted that in the past two months foreign companies and potential investors have shown increased interest in investing in various sectors of the economy
The minister further explained that the government is focusing on the digital economy with an emphasis on documenting the local economy through digitization He credited the government s prudent economic policies, reforms, and administrative measures for the receipt of $3 billion in workers’ remittances in July 2024 alone
Aurangzeb highlighted the government s prioritization of tax and energy reforms, along with broader structural reforms aimed at achieving sustainable economic growth He described the “BunaRaast Connectivity Project” as an exemplary initiative between Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), which will facilitate legal transactions and advance the digital economy in the country He also noted that Pakistan endorses KSA’s Vision 2030 and has drawn lessons from this economic
vision to support sustainable growth in Pakistan Buna operated by the Arab Regional Payments Clearing and Settlement Organization (ARPCSO) under the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF), is a crossborder payment system that enables financial institutions and central banks in the Arab region and beyond to send and receive payments in local and key international currencies securely and costeffectively Buna offers modern payment solutions that adhere to international standards principles and compliance requirements
The Raast Instant Payment System, developed by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), is a transformational initiative built on the state-of-the-art ISO 20022 standard Raast is designed to be a simple free fast interoperable and secure payment option for customers Since the launch of its Personto-Person (P2P) payments use case in February 2022, around 34 million Raast IDs have been created, with over 270 million transactions amounting to approximately PKR 5 5 trillion (around USD 19 billion) processed to
ISLAMABAD
recounted the harrowing sacrifices made during the 1947 migration to Pakistan where approximately 1 200 000 lives were lost, and widespread atrocities were committed against Muslim migrants He emphasized the sacred significance of Pakistan’s foundation, marked on the 27th of Ramazan the night of Laila Tul Qadr expressing his belief in the nation s perpetual prosperity and development
The minister underscored the current generation s duty to strive towards making
Pakistan a robust, modern, and developed country He highlighted the success of Arshad Nadeem, who fashioned his first javelin from a tree branch and eventually united the nation with his gold medal victory as an inspiration for the youth Tarar also mentioned the Prime Minister s Laptop Scheme, which provided free laptops to students on merit, playing a vital role during the COVID-19 pandemic in stabilizing the economy He praised the PML-
Govt to auction 20 offshore blocks for
a visually impaired individual who was previously denied this benefit following his father s
The President stressed that the state cannot abandon a person with disabilities (PWD), especially when his family, who were pensioners are deceased He expressed disappointment over EOBI s lack of sensitivity in neglecting a PWD particularly at a time when all his immediate family had passed away, leaving him unsupported
Mr Shehzad who has been blind since birth lodged a complaint with the Wafaqi Mohtasib revealing that his father Mr Muhammad Afzal Zafar a former EOBI pensioner, passed away on December 20, 2016 Following the earlier death of his mother during his father ’s lifetime, he requested EOBI to provide him a lifelong “family pension as a disabled legal heir of his late father
However EOBI denied his application based on Section 22B (3) (i) of the EOB Act, 1976, which states that only male minors under the age of 18 are eligible for a family pension despite Mr Shehzad being 44 After the Mohtasib discontinued further investigation Mr Shehzad appealed to the
President of Pakistan President Zardari upheld the appeal emphasizing that according to the Constitution of Pakistan particularly Articles 9 and 25, a Person with Disability should not be deprived of a pension and merits more favorable treatment than other pension recipients in the country He concurred with the Mohtasib s recommendation to revise EOBI s regulations to align with the Federal Policy Consequently, the President directed EOBI to ensure the payment of a reasonable pension/stipend to Mr Shehzad which should not be
Zong introduces high-speed network connec tivity in 15+ GB cities
g L argest e ver net work expansion in gB through partnership with sCo
and Hunza This network expansion will not only be serving the people of Gilgit Baltistan, it will be of great convenience for local and international tourists visiting every year The availability of Zong’s 4G net-
work coverage in Gilgit Baltistan is possible through Zong’s strategic partnership with Special Communications Organization (SCO) Through this collaboration, Zong and SCO are sharing essential network resources to ensure that these services remain accessible and affordable for the people of Gilgit Baltistan Sharing his insight on the project
The CEO of Zong stated Ensuring 4G availability in GB marks a significant step in our mission to provide excellent products and services and enable digitalization in Pakistan 4G connectivity not only serves the connectivity needs of the local communities but also opens new opportunities for businesses tourism and education in these areas This development has been a challenging job in such remote areas and harsh conditions and I commend all the hardworking people involved”
AGGRESSIVE ANTI-CRIME MEASURES ORDERED BY PUNJAB CM
PPunjab launches early disease warning centre to boost public health sur veillance
LAHORE s ta f f r e p o r t
The Chief Executive Officer of Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA)
Imran Amin today visited different sites where development work is in progress
The detailed visit started with reviewing the progress at river training site, where river training is underway with the emergence of main creek along the series of promenades with varied elevation designed to control mitigate and subdue the hydrological stress and floods based on 1000 years of repeat water cycle in the river Out of first phase of river training 3 KM has already been completed with package 1, 1A, 2 and 2B under accelerated progress Imran Amin today also inaugurated the construction work for package 6 which link the already done earth work with Lahore-Sialkot Motorway (LSM)
Commenting on the progress he said that as RUDA’s cardinal objective is to
make River Ravi enliven again therefore it is a matter of pride that we have traversed quite a space in the direction and in coming 2/3 years Ravi will be flowing as a perennial river with its creek having 59 billion liters of water with its first barrage CEO while visiting the Mehmood Booti dump site appreciated the site engineers for the meticulous undertaking of its conversion into a most modern urban jungle and park with a solar power array generating 5 megawatts of electricity This will beautify the city and will convert the eye soar into an Aden for both the denizens and the passersby of the ring road Moreover the CEO also visited the upcoming flagship residential project Chaharbagh where he was briefed by senior officials about the developmental work completed so far Imran Amin instructed the RUDA officials on site to speed up the communication infrastructure linking up with trunk and also feasibility finalization of a flyover, linking
Chaharbagh with Ring Road RUDA officials also gave an overview of all initiated work as per the RUDA S approved master plan and termed it as being based upon the best urban design concept for future with all sinews of modernity deep ecology river and aquifer rejuvenation The CEO showed his satisfaction on progress made so far and reiterated that RUDA is fully equipped and will revolutionize the concept of a modern city on one hand and revival of Lahore on the other It is pertinent to highlight that all the initiatives undertaken by RUDA will not only result in providing better living standards to cross section of society including high and low end income groups, rather all projects are designed with a primary objective of improving the environment, ensuring the rejuvenation of River Ravi and mitigating the effect of climate and its vestiges in the form of air pollution smog poisonous ground water and waste leachate destroying the understory of Lahore
the attack on a police convoy in Rahim Yar Khan The prime minister expressed profound grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of police officers in the incident, according to a statement issued by the PM Office He offered prayers for the elevation of the martyrs’ ranks and for patience and strength for their families
He also
I
TH E arrest of a retired lieutenant-general should not have political repercussions but the arrest of Lt Ge (retd) Faiz Hameed has been important enough to cause a revision of political calculations to the extent that it now seems the government, with the tacit consent of the establishment, is now proceeding to a course of action which will involve PTI chief Imran Khan facing legal proceedings for his role in the May 9 attacks on military installations It is perhaps unsettling enough that a former DC ISI and a former corps commander should be courtmartialed, but that that court martial should be a preliminary in the trial of a former Prime Minister is perhaps equally unsettling Perhaps most unsettling of all is the charge that either could be suspected of trying to overthrow the current order
General Faiz is being tried under a Supreme Court order, for misusing his official powers as DG ISI to interfere with the First City Housing Society, using subordinate officers That is the accusation for which he is being court-martialed, but it is the political charges that are causing more interest Court martials differ from ordinary trials in that the prosecution is usually in a much better position Charges are brought after a board of enquiry which duly considers evidence, and comes to a conclusion expressed in its finding If it recommends penalty within the competence of the commanding officer such as reduction in rank of a non-commissioned officer that will be imposed However major penalties require that conviction must be by a court martial competent to pass a sentence Court Martials usually follow the enquiries, with the result that they lead to fewer acquittals than civilian criminal courts, which view the process of enquiry (carried out by the police) with deep suspicion
General Faiz is being tried by a Field General Court Martial rather than a General Court Martial
While a GCM quires at least five officers an FGCM requires only three Also a GCM can only be convened by the Chief of Army Staff, but an FGCM can be convened by any officer of or above the rank of brigadier, who commands a portion of the Army This is relevant to the paperwork involved because the convening officer is also responsible for confirming both the findings and the sentence
The FGCM mechanism is meant for wartime when it may not be possible to assemble five officers, who all have held commissions for at least three years, and four are least captains It will be easier to assemble three lieutenants fresh out of the Academy or Officers Training School which is all that is needed to convene an FGCM Those are the Courts martial which try such offences as desertion sleeping on sentry duty and cowardice in the face of the enemy There are other types of court martials, with a limited power of sentencing, and thus meant for rel-
atively minor offences but FGCMs have no limit on their power of sentencing which means they are competent to try any offence
The charge General Faiz faces, that of conduct unbecoming, carries a jail sentence, but charges for the May 9 incident may carry the death sentence if they include any attempt to persuade officers or men to mutiny
More than the political charges the First City charges should make it something of a relief that General Faiz was not appointed COAS His interest in First City is alleged to be because of his brother Najaf, now retired as a naib tehsildar
The parallel with Gen Aziz Ahmed of the Bangladesh Army is unmistakable General Aziz who was COAS from 2028 to 2021 also had brothers the most prominent being Tufail Ahmad Joseph who was convicted of murder in 2017, and pardoned in 2018, after his brother became COAS There were two other brothers, who are abroad and not coming to Bangladesh because they are wanted by the Bangladesh Police According to a TV documentary they busily arranged for contracts for the Bangladesh Army While the resemblance is there it would be a mistake to think Najaf Hameed as anything but a lawabiding government official, or to resemble Tufail Ahmad in any way It should be made clear that General Faiz’s family is not one of habitual criminals, as General Aziz’s is However while the First City case is of interest to those directly involved the May 9 cases have more general interest attached to them General Faiz being charged in those cases would mean that there has been an enquiry, and the charges are brought with full consideration of their implications In this case, the conspiracy would not stop at General Hameed but would reach Imran It is worth noting that his trial by court martial has not been precluded on either the First City or May 9 charges The Supreme Court had acted to prevent trials of civilians by court martial for May 9 offences, which was a relief from which Imran also benefited, but not General Hameed Only two other officers of three-star rank have been executed after trial One dates back to the 18th century and comes from a different service Vice-Admiral John Byng who was shot after a court martial convicted him of failing to pursue the French fleet at the 1756 Battle of Minoraca Then there was Lt Gen Andrei Andreyevich Vlasov the World War II Soviet Commander
Whatever the final decision about the prosecutions, there cannot be any real doubt that General FaizÊs arrest and prosecution are momentous events. At the same time, it should not be thought that there was a political motive. The purpose is accountability, something the military has always been firm on, even if other institutions have been lax.
C l i m a t e r e s i l i e n c e m e a s u r e s i n a w a r m i n g W o r l d
Future projections suggest a substantial increase in heatwave frequency Multi-model ensemble forecasts indicate that the median annual probability of a heatwave occurring could rise from the current three percent to between four and 23 percent depending on the emissions pathway This forecast highlights the growing urgency for robust heat management strategies to address the escalating health risks associated with rising temperatures Pakistan’s water resources, particularly within the Indus Basin are increasingly uncertain due to climate change The region is facing heightened risks of both floods and droughts and the long-term outlook for water resources remains ambiguous Changes in annual rainfall patterns and seasonal distribution are anticipated, while the impact of climate change on the Karakoram glaciers continues to be a topic of debate According to a 2021 review by the UNDP there is a significant gap in our understanding of the upper Indus Basin glaciers as a comprehensive inventory is lacking While the immediate effects of climate change on water resources might be relatively modest, longer-term temperature increases are expected to lead to glacier loss, reduced runoff and shifts in seasonal water availability the extent to which these changes will balance out the initial impacts is still uncertain Potential consequences of climate change in the Indus Basin include declining reservoir capacity and increased pressure on groundwater resources These changes underscore the need for adaptive water management strategies to mitigate the anticipated impacts and ensure sustainable water availability in the region
Pakistan is also confronting severe challenges related to land degradation, desertification, and the expansion of drylands, primarily driven by human activities such as overgrazing, excessive exploitation of water resources, overcultivation and the intensive use of fertilizers
semi-arid regions The ongoing expansion of drylands and desertification could result in sedimentation of reservoirs, intensified dust storms, and significant losses in biodiversity
In response initiatives like Clean Green Pakistan and Billion Tree Tsunami were launched with the goal of restoring Pakistan s natural environment and focus on extensive tree planting efforts Climate change is expected to significantly disrupt global food production through direct and indirect mechanisms affecting crop growth Direct effects include changes in carbon dioxide levels precipitation patterns and temperatures which can influence crop yields Indirect effects include shifts in water resource availability soil organic matter transformations, increased soil erosion, pest and disease profiles, the spread of invasive species, and the reduction of arable land due to coastal erosion and desertification Climate change is drastically affecting Pakistan s agriculture a sector crucial for both employment and economic stability Rising temperatures have led to a 10% decline in labour productivity during peak agricultural seasons, with potential drops of up to 20 percent by 2050 if emissions continue to rise Key crops, including wheat rice cotton sugarcane and maize are at risk with temperature increases of 0 5 C to 2 C potentially causing yield losses of eight to 10 percent The livestock sector although less studied, saw a severe 48 percent reduction in output during the 2014-2020 drought Pakistan needs to prioritize research and development to develop climate-resilient crops and farming methods improve water management to adapt to changing precipitation patterns support farmers with training and resources boost labour productivity, and foster international collaboration to address climate change impacts Comprehensive policy integration will ensure these efforts are effective and sustainable, contributing to global environmental and food security goals while managing immediate threats to agriculture
Misconduct in the Police Force
have seen a minor increase in rainfall with a noticeable rise in the frequency and intensity of heavy rainfall events during recent decades Current data indicates that glaciers in the headwaters of the Indus Basin may be experiencing expansion due to increased winter precipitation in the Himalayan region over the past 30 years This trend contrasts with the general pattern of glacier retreat observed in many other parts of the world
Annually many regions in Pakistan encounter temperatures of 38°C or higher When weather patterns converge to create extended heatwaves, the human health impacts can be severe From 2000 to 2023, Pakistan experienced 152 heatwaves about seven per year with a noticeable upward trend Cities such as Karachi and Lahore are among the most vulnerable to the effects of extreme heat where temperatures that once would have been classified as heatwaves and associated with significant mortality risks are becoming increasingly routine
The National Action Programme to Combat Desertification struggles with implementation obstacles hampering its effectiveness Climate change exacerbates these issues, with higher emissions scenarios potentially increasing the extent of hyper-arid land, leading to more frequent and severe droughts in arid and
The writer has a PhD in Political Science and is a visiting faculty member at QAU Islamabad He can be reached at zafarkhansafdar@yahoo com and tweets @zafarkhansafdar
Failing to protect
Dr ZAfAr KhAN SAfDAr
IN a dramatic development within Pakistani politics the government of Pakistan with the apparent backing of the military is considering an outright ban on the political party led by ousted former Prime Minister Imran Khan This move comes in the wake of the explosive riots that erupted on 9 May 2023, which have been attributed at least in part to Khan s alleged incitement The government s proposed actions also include charging Khan and other prominent figures in his party with treason, reflecting the gravity of the political and legal crisis at hand Imran Khan, who served as Pakistan’s Prime Minister from 2018 until his ousting in a no-confidence vote in April 2022 has remained a polarizing figure in Pakistani politics His party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has continued to be a significant force, advocating for Khan s return to power and analyzing the current administration The riots on May 9 were particularly violent and destructive with widespread reports of property damage and clashes with security forces
These disturbances have been framed by the government as part of a broader destabilization effort spearheaded by Khan and his party The decision to pursue a ban on the PTI is not merely a political manoeuvre but also carries significant legal and constitutional implications In Pakistan political parties are integral to the democratic process and the banning of a major party such as PTI would have far-reaching consequences for the country s political landscape Such a move would not only eliminate a key player from the political arena but could also lead to increased polarization and unrest among Khan s supporters The treason charges being considered against Khan and his party
leaders are particularly serious Treason in Pakistan’s legal framework is a grave accusation, typically associated with actions deemed to threaten the sovereignty or integrity of the state If Khan and his associates were formally charged the legal proceedings would likely be highly contentious and closely scrutinized both domestically and internationally The charges would need to be substantiated with concrete evidence linking Khan’s actions directly to the riots and other alleged destabilizing activities The role of the military in this political drama cannot be overstated In Pakistan the military has historically played a powerful role in politics, and its involvement in this case suggests a significant level of support for the government’s stance The military’s concurrence with the proposed ban and legal actions against Khan indicates a coordinated approach between the civilian and military branches of government aimed at addressing what they perceive as a serious threat to national stability The potential banning of PTI and the treason charges against Khan raise important questions about the state of democracy and governance in Pakistan Critics argue that such actions could undermine democratic institutions and civil liberties, particularly if they are seen as politically motivated rather than based on genuine legal concerns On the other hand, supporters of the government and the military might view these measures as necessary steps to restore order and prevent further chaos As Pakistan navigates this complex and volatile situation the international commu-
nity will be watching closely The outcome of these legal and political maneuvers will likely have significant implications for Pakistan s political stability and its relations with other countries The unfolding events underscore the intricate interplay between politics law, and military influence in one of South Asia s most strategically important nations In recent times, the political landscape of many nations has been marked by intense power struggles and dramatic shifts One of the most striking examples of this phenomenon can be seen in the ongoing efforts to remove a prominent political figure and his party from the national stage The government and establishment, determined to maintain control and stability, have resolved that Khan and his party must be permanently removed from the political scene This decision reflects a broader strategy to eliminate any threats to their authority and prevent the possibility of Khan ever wielding legislative power or forming a government again Khan, a figure who once commanded significant political influence and popular support now finds himself at the centre of a high-stakes battle for political survival The government s stance is unequivocal: Khan s removal is not just a matter of political rivalry but a strategic imperative The reasons behind this drastic measure are multifaceted, encompassing concerns about potential challenges to the established order perceived threats to national security and a desire to consolidate power The military s involvement in this
The governmentÊs and military establishmentsÊ decision to permanently remove Khan and his party from the political scene represents a significant moment in the nationÊs political trajectory It reflects a broader strategy of consolidating power, addressing perceived threats, and shaping the future political landscape. While this move may achieve short-term objectives, it also raises important questions about the health of democratic institutions, the role of military influence in politics, and the broader implications for political pluralism and public trust. The unfolding situation will undoubtedly continue to shape the nationÊs political discourse and governance in the years to come.
When presidents kill
Histor y is littered with examples of t yrants using the powers of the state to kill for no moral purpose
from the presidential race, President Joe Biden secretly reaffirmed his own selfwilled and self-created authority to kill persons in other countries so long as the C I A and its military counterparts have near certainty that the target of the homicide is a member of
peace between the two countries
The Biden administration quietly took back the Trump grants of authority so that today only the president can authorize targeted killing Yet, there is no moral, constitutional or legal authority for these killings But presidents of both political parties do it anyway
LAWS OF WAR : The laws of war a phrase itself that is oxymoronic which are generally codified in the Geneva Conventions and the United Nations Charter, all of which were spearheaded, written and ratified by the United States mandate essentially that lawful wars can only be defensive and must be proportional to the threat posed or the harm already caused Stated differently, treaties to which the U S is a signatory restrain the president from killing persons in other countries with which the U S is not lawfully at war Under the Constitution treaties sit alongside the Constitution itself as the supreme law of the land The last four occupants of the White House have ignored this when it comes to secret killings
Each has claimed publicly or secretly that the Authorization for Use of Military Force of 2001 or its cousin the AUMF of 2002 somehow provide congressional authorizations for presidents to kill whomever they please and somehow Congress can lawfully authorize these killings
Yet the AUMF of 2001 purported to authorize Bush to hunt down and kill the folks whom he failed to see coming on 9/11 (those would be his friends the Saudis) and whom he reasonably found caused 9/11
The AUMF of 2002 authorized Bush to invade Iraq in pursuit of the weapons of mass destruction that he was told by experts inside and outside the C I A Saddam Hussein did not possess Both AUMFs no longer have a valid purpose today yet they remain the law
war-making power to Congress and the war-waging power to the president was to keep those powers separate History is littered with examples of tyrants using the powers of the state to kill for no moral purpose American presidents have given themselves the power to kill It is the functional equivalent to a loaded gun in a drawer of the president’s desk Abraham Lincoln was the first modern head of state in world history to target civilians militarily and the first to engage in the indiscriminate slaughter of civilians of his own country Franklin D Roosevelt slaughtered thousands of innocent helpless German civilians at the end of World War II by carpet-bombing German cities rather than targeting the German military Harry Truman slaughtered many thousands of Japanese civilians at Hiroshima and Nagasaki All these murders were met with popular approval as the targets had been demonized by the machinery of government just like the terrorists Bush Obama Trump and Biden have killed But demonization of human targets and popular approval of their murders cannot turn an immoral act into a moral one An act is moral when it is consistent with the Natural Law
According to the Declaration of Independence under the Natural Law all persons are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, and among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness ” The right to live is the foremost natural right and the great divine gift to all persons not just Americans No person may morally be targeted for death
From climate change to AI: Conference addresses global
N May experts from many fields gathered in Montenegro to discuss Existential Threats and Other Disasters: How Should We Address Them ” The term “existential risk” was popularized in a 2002 essay by the philosopher Nick Bostrom who defined it as referring to risks such that an adverse outcome would either annihilate Earth-originating intelligent life, or permanently and drastically curtail its potential
To appreciate the distinction between existential risks and other disasters, consider climate change In some scenarios runaway global warming could render most of the Earth too hot for humans to continue to live there but Antarctica and some of the northernmost regions of Europe, Asia and North America would become inhabitable That would reduce the potential of intelligent life on Earth perhaps for millennia but eventually the planet would cool and the survivors’ descendants would repopulate it If these are indeed the worst-case scenarios then climate change disastrous as it could be, is not an existential risk
I A -inspired violence in Iran in 1953 and in Ukraine in 2014 to the innocents tortured by the C I A at black sites around the world, the C I A is a terrorist organization
The presidential use of drones to kill persons overseas began in 2002 with Bush-ordered targeted killings It continued under President Barack Obama who even killed Americans overseas The rules for killing were made up by each president They were relaxed under President Donald Trump, who gave C I A senior personnel and military commanders the authority to kill without his express approval for each killing Trump s folks infamously murdered an Iranian general and his companions on their way to lunch with Iraqi generals to negotiate
The Constitution authorizes Congress to declare war against foreign countries, not random killings of persons Neither of the AUMFs was or is a valid declaration of war which the Constitution requires as a predicate for all extrajudicial presidential killings A declaration of war defines the target and sets the end It is not open-ended as the last four presidents have claimed with respect to these two Bush-era statutes NOT ANSWERABLE TO LAW & CONSTITUTION: If the presidents are right and the AUMFs authorize them to kill whomever they wish including Americans then they are not presidents answerable to the law and the Constitution, but kings who can kill on a whim without transparency or legal consequence
The whole purpose of confining the
with
To be sure, if the seriousness of a disaster is directly proportional to the number of people it kills, the difference between a disaster that kills nearly all of Earth’s human population and one that brings about its extinction would not be so great For many philosophers concerned about existential risk however this view fails to consider the vast number of people who would come into existence if our species survived for a long time, but would not if Homo sapiens became extinct
The Montenegro conference by referring in its title to “other disasters ” was not limited to existential risks but much of the discussion was about them As the final session of the conference was drawing to a close, some of those present felt that the issues we had been discussing were so serious, and yet so neglected, that we should seek to draw public attention, and the attention of governments to the topic The general tenor of such a statement was discussed and
dr MuhAMMAd AkrAM ZAheer
P UT I N ACCUS ES UKRAI NE O
ANT I N O V ERNI G H T AT TACK
Democratic VP pick Tim Walz accepts nomination at par ty convention
Ministr y of Health join hands to support Pakistani medical students abroad
russian flag day marked at Saint Joseph College
PAKISTAN DESIRES TO REVIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH GERMANY BACK TO ITS GLORIOUS PAST: PM
Rally postponement should not be considered as weakness: Imran
stating he cannot tolerate them
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)
Founder Imran Khan on Thursday stated that the postponement of the rally should not be seen as a weakness PTI leaders told the media quoting their party chief PTI leaders Babar Azam Swati and Barrister Gohar told the media that Imran Khan had called them for a meeting Imran Khan noted that reports indicate religious parties are gathering in Islamabad’s Red Zone to protect the sanctity of the finality of Prophethood and emphasised that his party holds this principle in high regard
The PTI leaders mentioned that the rally in Tarnol has been postponed as per Imran Khan’s instructions but he clarified that those seeking freedom should not view this decision as a sign of weakness
He stressed that his party believes in peaceful political and legal struggles and made this decision to avoid unrest
PTI leaders added that they will approach the Supreme Court on Friday (tomorrow) about "the damage caused by the ruling passed by Jusitce Aamer Farooq and Qazi Faez Isa " They will also discuss the reference filed against the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner
Imran Khan reiterated that he does not desire unrest in the country and that the difficult decision to postpone the rally was made to avoid it
Meanwhile the PTI postponed its planned rally in Islamabad s Tarnol Chowk, now rescheduled for September 8 following roadblocks by local authorities and instructions from party founder Imran Khan
The decision was finalised after senior PTI leaders Omar Ayub Khan, Azam Swati, and Barrister Gohar met with Imran Khan at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail
document the decision was made based on the recommendations of the District Intelligence Committee
The committee held a meeting, chaired by the chief commissioner and it was also attended by the Islamabad inspector general of police and deputy commissioner
The NOC for the rally issued by the DC, was reviewed during the meeting The IG expressed security concerns due to various events taking place Additionally a suspicious bag was found at the site of the PTI rally
ongoing conflict with Hezbollah has intensified since Oct 7, 2023 The cross-border tensions have heightened in recent weeks following the Israeli assassination of a senior Hezbollah official in Beirut at the end of July
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T
Aleema Khan sister of PTI founder Imran Khan on Thursday expressed doubts about the current party leadership s intentions to secure Imran Khan s release from jail Her remarks followed the postponement of today’s PTI rally in Tarnol, Islamabad Aleema raised questions regarding the early morning visit of PTI leader Azam Swati to Imran Khan at Adiala Jail questioning who had sent him and the motive behind delivering the message of the rally s postponement at such an early hour She was skeptical about the practicality of arranging such a meeting at 7:30 AM and suggested that the decision to cancel the rally was influenced by external pressures from the establishment Criticizing the current PTI leadership she accused them of lacking the resolve to confront the party s supporters directly and of making unilateral decisions without the founder s input Aleema asserted that the leadership appears to have no genuine intention of facilitating Imran Khan’s release, instead independently using his name to make decisions Earlier today Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) officially postponed its planned rally at Islamabad s Tarnol Chowk to September 8 following directives from Imran Khan
He also called for CCTV footage to be released if there is any evidence of involvement in the May 9 incident, asserting that their struggle is for the rule of justice and law
Khan reaffirmed that rallies in Lahore on August 27 and Islamabad on September 8 must go ahead Imran Khan urged decision-makers rather than the PDM government, to respect the public mandate to prevent national disaster
He emphasised that only adherence to the constitution and law can lead the country forward Khan also denounced ongoing conspiracies against the KP government
Swati declared in the presence of Barrister Gohar that the rally will now be held on September 8 with security arrangements in place He added that PTI s Islamabad chapter, led by Aamir Mughal, would secure the necessary permissions for the event PTI’s statement also expressed concerns that the government might exploit the rally to incite unrest
Earlier the PTI had decided to go ahead with its march towards Tarnol Chowk despite Islamabad district administration’s decision not to grant permission to the PTI to hold its rally
A notification regarding the decision was issued by the chief commissioner According to the
Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ali Nasir Rizvi had also highlighted the heightened security risks during a meeting, noting that the Bangladesh cricket team is currently in the capital which complicates crowd management for the PTI gathering The administration also cited recent incidents, such as protesters approaching the Supreme Court building, as reasons for the heightened security concerns ultimately leading to the withdrawal of permission for the rally ISLAMABAD RED ZONE CLOSED
The Islamabad administration on the direction of the Ministry of Interior had sealed the Red Zone and closed the routes for other cities traffic with containers in the wake of public gathering Heavy contingent of police has been deployed Only Margalla Avenue is open for entrance in the Red Zone
Motorway at Kalar Kahar Interchange is closed for Islamabad and road to Islamabad from Ravi Toll Plaza in Lahore is also closed for traffic
