SC FULL COURT DISCUSSES STEPS TO REDUCE CASE BACKLOG, BOOST EFFICIENCY
TNA Speaker defies cour t orders on reser ved seats, calls for ECP notification
while he respects court orders, he will not take action without the ECP’s official communication His comments highlight ongoing tensions regarding party loyalty and the implications of shifting allegiances within the National Assembly In a significant ruling in July, the Supreme Court allowed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to claim reserved seats for women and non-Muslims in the national and provincial assemblies, bolstering the party’s legislative position Sadiq remarked “The court indicated that PTI could change party affiliation after a period of 15 days which allowed members to join the Sunni Ittehad Council, effectively permitting floor crossing He emphasized that had PTI members not joined the SIC, the results could have been entirely different “Instead, the court’s decision effectively rewrote parts of
the Constitution by granting them an extension he said
Sadiq argued that the recent constitutional amendments limit the Supreme Court s power over such matters He noted, “If the court claims we cannot make decisions because of backdated changes, we could similarly argue that their decision was also backdated ”
When asked whether he favors the ECP over the Supreme Court Sadiq confirmed his inclination to await the ECP s directives on parliamentary matters
Once we have the ECP s notification, we will deliberate and make our decisions accordingly,” he added Furthermore, Sadiq stated that the Supreme Court lacks the authority to challenge the recently enacted 26th constitutional amendment as doing so would conflict with the Constitution itself Earlier this week a petition was submitted to the Supreme Court seeking to annul the 26th Amendment, calling for a judicial inquiry into whether the two-thirds majority was legitimately achieved
e s k The World Bank s Implementation Support Mission will assess the progress of the Central Asia-South Asia (CASA-1000) electricity Transmission and Trading Project from October 28 to November 1 2024 to Islamabad and Lahore According to the Economic Affairs Division the mission led by Senior Energy Specialist and Task Team Leader Dmytro Glazkov, will work with the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) and the CASA team to address pending issues Country Coordinator for CASA-1000 Ghulam Murtaza Uqaili Senior Social Development Specialist Babar Naseem Khan, and other team members will accompany the mission, which will also
meet with project contractors
The $1 2 billion CASA-1000 project aims to facilitate energy interconnectivity between the Kyrgyz Republic Tajikistan Afghanistan and Pakistan While work was delayed due to the suspension of funding by the World Bank following the Taliban s takeover in Afghanistan, $300 million in funding was later approved by the World Bank to proceed with the project without Taliban control Construction work in Pakistan Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan is reportedly nearing completion Electricity flow from Central Asia to Pakistan is scheduled from May to September each year with the transmission lines offering bi-directional capability allowing Pakistan to export surplus electricity to Central Asian Republics (CARs) in winter, pending
commercial agreements
The project is expected to support renewable energy capacity in Pakistan s energy mix and reduce electricity costs Sources revealed that energy payments will be based on units delivered, with a tariff structure inclusive of generation and transmission costs The project comprises 10 contracts five of which involve Indian firms awarded through international bidding Payments are made directly by
that its Executive Board had endorsed a new $300 million funding approach outside the control of Taliban-run Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS)
n e w s D e s k
In a recent statement Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb expressed concern over the limited trade with neighboring countries, highlighting its irrationality in the context of the current government’s efforts to stabilize the economy Speaking to The News he stated Not trading with your neighbors does not make sense while noting that political and geopolitical discussions surrounding this issue were outside his purview Reflecting on a recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conference Aurangzeb conveyed Pakistan s eagerness to join BRICS underscoring the nation s desire to engage with trade organizations and corridors “All intergovernmental organizations essentially function as re-
gional corridors, he remarked During a press briefing following his participation in the annual International Monetary Fund (IMF)-World Bank Fall meetings the minister reported that international counterparts acknowledged Pakistan s reform efforts but urged the country to stay the course ” He also discussed ongoing dialogues with the IMF and World Bank regarding climate resilience financing asserting that any funding below one billion dollars would lack significance Aurangzeb announced that the World Bank has agreed to provide special grants for capacity-building initiatives and emphasized the National Fiscal Pact recently signed by all provinces as a “structural benchmark” in line with IMF commitments He revealed plans for the privatization of state-owned enterprises, including the profitable Pakistan International
ISLAMABAD
COMMENT
A call to action
LA H O R E is facing a grave environmental crisis, with hazardous air quality levels reported as smog blankets the city reducing visibility to a mere 800 meters This phenomenon exacerbated by winds carrying pollution from Amritsar India underscores a persistent challenge that threatens the health and well-being of millions in the region
The Punjab government s assessment indicates that the Air Quality Index (AQI) has reached alarming levels signaling an urgent public health warning Residents are already experiencing severe respiratory issues, with symptoms including persistent cough, fever, eye irritation, and sore throats becoming alarmingly common The data corroborates concerns raised by pollution monitoring satellites and meteorological research which reveal that toxic air from cities like Delhi and Chandigarh is not only affecting India but has now drifted into Pakistan, moving towards Lahore at a speed of 7 kilometers per hour
The causes of this smog crisis are multifaceted
Chief among them is the relentless emission of fumes from vehicles a direct consequence of urbanization and inadequate public transport systems The second contributing factor is the reliance on coal-powered energy, which continues to belch harmful pollutants into the atmosphere Finally agricultural practices particularly the burning of crop residue in both Pakistani and Indian Punjab, are a significant contributor to the smog, releasing vast amounts of particulate matter that linger in the air
As Lahore grapples with this environmental emergency it is imperative for both governments and citizens to take decisive action Immediate steps must be taken to curb vehicular emissions through stricter regulations and the promotion of cleaner transportation alternatives Transitioning to renewable energy sources will also play a crucial role in reducing coal dependency Additionally collaborative efforts between Pakistan and India are essential to address the issue of crop burning, as this transboundary pollution necessitates cooperative solutions
The time for dialogue has passed; immediate and concrete actions are essential to protect public health and preserve the environment As Lahore suffocates under a haze of pollution, the responsibility lies with both governments and the populace to forge a path towards cleaner air The future of our cities depends on our ability to confront these challenges head-on, transforming a crisis into an opportunity for sustainable change
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
NE G AT I V I T Y has been increasingly affecting the people of Pakistan driven by several factors such as ongoing political instability, economic hardships, and the overwhelming influence of the media This rise in pessimism is not just a fleeting emotion; it has become a significant force that shapes people’s feelings social interactions and overall quality of life
Many citizens are frustrated by frequent changes in government, which create uncertainty and erode trust in institutions At the same time, economic challenges like high inflation and unemployment make it difficult for people to meet their basic needs, leading to feelings of hopelessness and resentment The media plays a critical role by focusing on negative stories which can distort public perception and amplify a sense of despair Together these issues contribute to a collective mood of negativity that impacts how individuals engage with their communities and envision their futures At the heart of this negativity is the political instability that has troubled Pakistan for many years Frequent changes in government accusations of corruption and political violence have created a sense of uncertainty This instability weakens people s trust in the country s institutions, leaving them feeling helpless and frustrated The constant cycles of hope when new governments come in, followed by disappointment when they fail to deliver on their promises have deepened the public s sense of disillusionment
Economic difficulties make this negativity even worse Pakistan has struggled with high inflation unemployment, and a growing debt crisis For many Pakistanis, daily life is a constant challenge, as prices for necessities continue to rise, making it hard to manage household expenses The growing gap between the rich and the poor adds to this frustration making people feel envious and hopeless Young people feel stuck with limited job opportunities and unfulfilled potential, which only dampens their optimism further The media also plays a significant role in shaping how people see the world around them In Pakistan, the media often focuses on sensational and negative stories whether in newspapers on television or on social media Crime political scandals and other distressing news dominate making problems seem more widespread and unsolvable than they might be Social media has amplified this effect, as it tends to reward sensational content with more attention, fueling a culture of pessimism
Years of exposure to violence and conflict have also left deep psychological scars Pakistan has faced terrorism and sectarian violence
Economic difficulties make this negativity even worse . Pakistan has struggled with high inflation, unemployment, and a growing debt crisis. For many Pakistanis, daily life is a constant challeng e , as prices for necessities continue to rise , making it hard to manag e household expenses The growing gap between the rich and the poor adds to this frustration, making people feel envious and hopeless Young people feel stuck with limited job oppor tunities and unfulfilled potential, which only dampens their optimism fur ther
P a k i s t a n ’ s s e a r c h f o r s t a b i l i t y a n d s y s t e m i c p o l i t i c a l o b s t a c l e s
‘Karachi’s
hidden struggle’
and the ability to surge through these difficult odds Applying the principle of join-win and concentrating on the problems, which Pakistan faces at the moment, it is possible to reach stable and prosperous development of the country
The country has all the comparative advantages; it can be a good partner in numerous fields of cooperation owing to the favorable geographical position, the abundance of material and nonmaterial values, and high-qualified human capital With a blend of history and culture, it thus offers ground for fostering regional access understanding and thus contributing to fostering peace
Over the past few years Pakistan has evolved in many sectors with regard to infrastructure reformations in the energy sector, tourism, and information technology Such developments are good proofs of the possibilities of the country for development and steady growth
Besides firming up these political and economic achievements Pakistan needs good governance anti-corruption mechanisms human rights, and social security measures These goals are democracy, rule of law and human rights, peace, justice, and security, and economic development, governance, and social inclusion
The process of stabilizing Pakistan needs time and sincere and strong efforts from all sides The future of the country lies fundamen-
tally in how it manages its strengths weaknesses and opportunities
It is important to remember the successes of the country on its way to stability and development as Pakistan’s This paper aims to prove that through analyzing experiences and flexibility of the situation Pakistan can become a symbol of hope and inspiration for the countries of the region
The major stakeholders, therefore, hold a responsibility within the international community to assist Pakistan to address this problem In this manner, cooperation and capacity building are much more capable of providing the resources and general knowledge to Pakistan for overcoming the hardships
To sum it up Pakistan can be settled down if its political life does not remain far from the path of stability Therefore, improving its performing edges on the above-mentioned strengths and, at the same time not exploiting the shown weaknesses will together with political instabilities lead to prosperous international cooperation This means that despite the odds that Pakistan faces in its current and future social, economic, and political dynamics, its people will rise to the challenge and build a better tomorrow for everyone
The writer is a freelance columnist with a Master s in International Relations and can be reached at laiquehaider syed@gmail com
pacity development To conquer political instability in the country Pakistan should strengthen its sources eliminate all its flaws and work through the support of global partnerships That is why for anyone politicians civil society, the media, and ordinary citizens of Pakistan, it is essential to have a
Syed laique haider
Country on way to economic recovery
NE
similar views on the present state of Pakistan economy Its Resident Chief in Pakistan Esther Perez Ruiz speaking at a discussion organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute Islamabad recently said “The post-Standby Arrangement in July 2023, the confidence in policymaking has improved with inflation plummeting to its lowest level in three years international reserves more than doubling and the economy on the course of improvement Pakistan has managed to revive economic and financial stability over the past fiscal year despite the challenging external environment and destructive impacts of the 2022 floods” Recently Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang paid four-day visit to Pakistan during which he will also participate in the SCO summit He had meetings with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and the military leadership in which he reiterated Chinese commitment to continue working with Pakistan to uphold the principle of planning building and benefiting together During the visit 13 MOUs were also signed to fortify cooperation in security education agriculture, human resource development and science and technology besides expression of commitment to the high-quality development of second phase of CPEC The Chinese Premier also virtually inaugurated Gawadar Airport and noted that it was a critical step in building Gawadar into a regional hub of connectivity A 135-member Saudi delegation headed by Saudi minister for investment Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Al-falih also visited Pakistan a few days ago During the visit several agreements and memorandums of understanding were signed for $2 billion Saudi investment in Pakistan It is pertinent to mention that the Saudi Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz had also announced $5 billion investment in Pakistan during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ’s visit to Saudi Arabia shortly after he took office The Saudi minister speaking at the Pakistan-Saudi Business Forum said” Ties between my country and Pakistan have no limits and same applies to our economic cooperation We must strengthen Pakistan s economy Pakistan has quickly stabilized its economy We are family not friends Pakistan and Saudi Arabia do not need formal agreement to prove it Our economy and social values are linked together As many as 2 5 million Pakistanis are working in Saudi Arabia He also appreciated the role of Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) for Saudi Arabia in regards to Saudi Investment in Pakistan and observed that the COAS made it a point to turn the
The country needs political stability more than ever before to winch itself out of the economic quagmire. Therefore PTI must do serious rethinking concerning its creed of false political narratives and unnecessary protests to create turmoil in the country. The best forum is the parliament where they can agitate their cause. As far as securing release of Imran Khan through protests by putting pressure on the government, it is a very naïve approach. Imran Khan is in prison facing charges of corruption and the courts are dealing with it. The party must have faith in the courts to do justice instead of bringing people on the streets and disrupting the civic lives in Islamabad and other cities.
If some media outlets call
Muslim
citizens ‘Outsiders,’ others should defeat that project
village, of whom 20 happen to be Muslim
Saudis go beyond oil
The beach par t y will take place at the Sindalah island resor t, just one of the several regional projec ts that could cost the Kingdom up to $1 5 trillion to build
Lfact finding report ‘Creating the Muslim “Outsider”: Hate speech migrant vulnerability & faltering law and order in Himachal Pradesh Although I flatter myself with keeping up with the news nothing really prepared me for the broad picture that emerged from this report from five districts of the state put together by young idealistic journalist-fact finders Himachal Pradesh once seen as the most progressive in terms of social indices ranging from education and health to communal harmony in northern India, is slowly but surely descending into a communal cauldron A ferocious and ugly campaign spearheaded by Hindutva outfits with the open support of the opposition BJP has been unleashed on the state for the last two months To take one instance there have been calls for the demolition of not just the unauthorised floors of the Sanjauli mosque in Shimla, but the mosque itself (“masjid ko girana hoga”) Hindutva media like OpIndia have no compunctions about labelling the mosque illegal despite records that show that the land for it was acquired in 1940 and is today Wafq property The communal frenzy created over the Sanjauli mosque was just one among several incidents that took place in a coordinated manner in various regions of Himachal over September and October this year Masjids and mazhars are always in the eye of the attackers In Kullu the 150-year-old Jama Masjid has been threatened with demolition and the street on which it is situated has been renamed Shree Ram Gali In Solan the Hanuman Chalisa was read outside the mosque on Mall Road
It’s a mixed bag of toxic issues that are fuelling these protests ranging from hounding Muslims seeking to earn a living in the area through tailoring or vending to marking Muslim shops with red crosses, asking for their boycott and even vandalising them The question that puzzled me is why is it that the rest of the country clueless about this dire situation Why do the occasional important news reports emerging from
stigma always finds a ready audience As one interviewee told the fact finding team We have never seen anything like this in Shimla before We should stay in harmony together But when we hear that Muslims spit in our food and pelt stones we feel bad But has he seen Muslims spitting in food? “I have seen this on television ” Remember this spitting trope designed to exclusively target poor Muslim vendors and food delivery agents got its first public airing during the traumatic days of the pandemic? Well, it is still encircling around us like birds of prey The intention is clearly to make Himachal Pradesh another Uttarakhand, a state that has become communally vitiated ever since the Dharma Sansad held in Haridwar in December 2021 openly called for a safayi abhiyan (ethnic cleansing) of Muslims That malign call still echoes through the state, often amplified by television coverage As recently as last week a traders’ body in Uttarakhand’s Khansar town demanded that all 15 Muslim families who have been living there for decades move out by December 31 It is an eerie replay of a similar ultimatum issued by the VHP, Bajrang Dal and Dev Bhoomi Raksha Abhiyan last June in Purola town, Uttarkashi district, over a fake “love jihad” case The templates used in both states which wear the sobriquet of “dev bhoomi” are similar Uttarakhand s Uttarkashi district is still under prohibitory orders after a protest launched by Sanjukt Hindu Sanghathan against a mosque that was allegedly built on government land It turns out that it is on Wafq property Such crude attempts of those filled with majoritarian arrogance to intimidate a significant section of rights-bearing Indian citizens need a vigilant and responsive media as never before Because the ground slipping from under the feet of Muslims today will mean the ground slipping from under the country tomorrow Across India there is evidence of such slippage (‘How Local Hate Networks Are Building Modi s Most Faithful Votebank October 24) Every day brings a new flood of hate bilge A teacher of Urdu gets set upon by a resident in a Noida highrise and told to say, Jai Shri Ram One Sujata Thacker X celebrates the spirit of Diwali in a unique way She tweets: “#Halal certification is slowly and steadily destabilising the Indian economy and also funding terrorism So we need to create awareness among all Hindus regarding a Halal mukt Bharat Pledge to Celebrate a #Halal Free Diwali” Meanwhile, Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister of Assam now co-charge of the Jharkhand election hopes to win the state by driving out infiltrators Infiltrators segues nicely into Bangladeshi which in turn means outsider Language itself becomes a tool to harangue and terrorise Muslims Meanwhile in riot-hit
Bahraich the state PWD has issued demolition notices to 23 residents of Maharajganj
The court says it will hear the case on November 4 but there is no getting away from the demolition notice pasted on the front door calculated to radiate fear Innumerable mainstream media outfits are embedded in such hate campaigns with feral social media amplifying and furthering them What then should independent, conscientious media do in the face of such viral coverage that has immediate and disastrous repercussions on the lives of ordinary people? I will confine myself to four important approaches Much of this is intuitively understood by reporters on the ground, but it may still serve a purpose to reiterate them First, understanding the importance of the story and paring it down to its basics These include triggering factors the larger agendas of those who are creating the conflict the changing nature of their campaigns the geopolitical backdrop, as well as the wider picture For instance, in the present case, could the Haryana elections and the BJP’s determination to win it at all costs have motivated the riot-instigators in Himachal? Are the patterns of violence occurring in Uttarakhand being replicated in Himachal? Such aspects are generally overlooked or ignored
Second, careful sequencing of the coverage of different aspects of the story Often when all the focus is on disturbing real-time developments parallel events get overlooked A classic case of this was highlighted by Manoj Mitta in a book he co-authored with H S Phoolka When a Tree Shook Delhi: The 1984 Carnage and Its Aftermath
During the assassination of Indira Gandhi, media attention was focused on that event, while the parallel development of Sikhs being murdered in huge numbers hardly received the media attention it should have Had this happened on time the death toll would have been far lower Third, more media attention requires to be paid on how communal dog whistling and riotous assaults both at the individual and mass levels affect the everyday lives of those preyed upon This is crucial to build a broader sense of understanding and empathy which in the final analysis is the only way public outrage over, and resistance to, ethnically and religiously motivated violence can be created Finally, the media need to do more about informing readers viewers and users of positive aspects such as progressive court verdicts Professor Mohsin Alam Bhat in a recent review of the Supreme Court judgement on Section 6A of the Citizenship Act ( With refugees at the centre SC judgement on Section 6A speaks language of statecraft’, The Indian Express, October 24), points to its “far-reaching consequences considering the CAA 2019 which remains pending in the courts He underlined the fact that verdict laid down that fraternity is about fostering interconnectedness among citizens, not the right to choose
The S audis are also construc ting a luxur y winter resor t called Trojena, an industrial por t- cit y named Oxagon, and a 105-mile long hypermodern cit y named “ The Line,” a mirrored metropolis that will house up to 9 million people
malik muhammad aShraf
NETANYAHU SAYS STRIKES ON IRAN ‘HIT HARD’ AS WAR ON GA Z A , LEBANON RAGES
S R A E L s air strikes hit hard Iran s defences and missile production, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, but Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the damage from Saturday s attack should not be exaggerated With warfare raging in Gaza and Lebanon, direct confrontation between Israel and Iran risks spiralling into a regional conflagration But a day after the air strikes there was no sign they would spark another round of escalation
However heavy fighting in Lebanon between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah, which sharply intensified over recent weeks, continued on Sunday with an Israeli airstrike killing eight people in a residential block in Sidon medics said The air force attacked throughout
We hit hard Iran s defence capabilities and its ability to produce missiles that are aimed at us Netanyahu said in a speech calling the attack precise and powerful and saying it met all its objectives
The Islamic Republic has not signalled how it will respond to Saturday’s long-anticipated strikes which involved scores of fighter jets bombing targets near the capital Tehran and in the western provinces of Ilam and Khuzestan
The heavily armed arch-enemies have engaged in a cycle of retaliatory moves against each other for months with Saturday’s strike coming after an Iranian missile barrage on Oct 1 much of which Israel said was downed by its air defences Khamenei said Israel s calculations should be disrupted The attack on Iran, which killed four soldiers and caused some damage, “should neither be downplayed nor exaggerated” he said
US President Joe Biden called for a halt to escalation that has raised fears of a wider Middle East war arising from the year-old Israeli-Hamas conflict in Gaza and Israel’s thrust into south Lebanon to stop Hezbollah rocketing northern Israel Separately Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said Iran was no longer able to use its allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon against Israel The two groups “are no longer an effective
The Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Iran was entitled to self-defence and its response will be definite in compliance with the requirements
tool” of Tehran he said in a speech Gallant added that Hamas was no longer functioning as a military network in Gaza and that Hezbollah s senior command and most of its missile capabilities had been eliminated Hamas has repeatedly said it is still able to function militarily and Israel has recently conducted major new operations in devastated north Gaza against what it calls regrouping Hamas militants Hezbollah has said its command structure remains intact and that it retains significant missile capabilities
rises for his resignation in Bangladesh
DHAKA A G E N C I E S
Bangladesh’s President Mohammed Shahabuddin faced growing pressure on Monday to quit from leaders of the revolution that toppled autocratic ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August, who argue he was her appointee Shahabuddin 74 widely known as “Chuppu” was elected by parliament in 2023 by Hasina s now ousted Awami League but while the post is largely ceremonial, his potential removal from the role has sparked fears of a constitutional vacuum “Any decision regarding the removal of the president will be based on political consensus Shafiqul Alam press advisor to the interim government that replaced Hasina, said on Monday The interim government is led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus as its “chief adviser” Government spokeswoman Syeda Rizwana Hasan a minister in Yunus s cabinet, said there is an ongoing discussion regarding the removal” of Shahabuddin “It must be considered whether a government formed after a revolution should retain a president who was selected by a fascist government Hasan told reporters on Sunday The demand for his removal stems from claims that he does not align with the spirit of the movement ” Earlier this month Shahabuddin sparked furious protests after he said he had never seen a resignation
S TA F F R E P O R T
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari has said that universities are shutting down in KPK due to a lack of funds The people of the Fitna Party are dreaming of hospitals going bankrupt in Punjab In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, government employees can be seen protesting daily over unpaid salaries New hospitals are being built in Punjab and renovations of existing hospitals are underway Work has already begun on Punjab s first cancer hospital, while a cardiology hospital in Sargodha is in progress
The construction of PIC-2 in Lahore will also commence soon She expressed these views in response to a statement by Barrister Saif
She remarked that a person sitting in Peshawar seems to think that government hospitals in Punjab are going bankrupt which is quite absurd People from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are still receiving treatment in Punjab s hospitals Those incompetent individuals who cannot provide basic facilities like health, education, and infrastructure in their own province point fingers at Punjab These people have become blind mute and deaf in their hatred for the Sharif family The Information Minister stated that action will be taken against anyone, including those from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf who breaks the law The miscreants of May 11 will not be treated with kid gloves No developmental projects or new initiatives are happening in
KPK, which is why there is no need for advertisements for tenders She added that in Punjab new public welfare projects are introduced every week and promoting it is a legal requirement Azma Bokhari asked, for 11 years, what changes or revolutions have been brought to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa? People there are forced to travel in dollies Instead of constantly raising finger on Maryam Nawaz hold your Chief Minister accountable for his performance in KPK Maryam Nawaz is addressing both
AYA Z SADIQ SEEKS NOMINATIONS FROM GOVT, OPPOSITION FOR JUDICIAL COMMISSION
JI to challenge 26th amendment in SC
Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami
(JI), has announced his party s intent to challenge the 26th constitutional amendment in Pakistan’s Supreme Court condemning what he described as an effort by the ruling administration to weaken the judiciary and restrict justice for ordinary citizens
Speaking to the media Rehman voiced concern over what he perceives
nation will not pay the bills he stated emphatically Rehman credited Jamaat-e-Islami s recent Haq Du movement with achieving the cancellation of five IPP agreements and vowed to continue the campaign to nullify what he called corrupt contracts tied to influential political families Rehman additionally voiced concerns about deteriorating educational standards, criticizing the government s recent policy of transferring control of public schools to NGOs He pledged JI’s commitment to resisting this policy, framing it as part of a broader struggle against a “corrupt ruling elite” that has exploited national resources while avoiding taxes Calling for nationwide unity Rehman warned that public complacency would allow the government to persist in its oppressive policies Concluding his remarks, he outlined the next phase of the Haq Du movement, which he said would focus on mobilizing citizens to reclaim their rights and hold leaders accountable
Miftah fears current gov t may not complete five-year term
ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T Former Finance Minister and Secretary-General of the Awaam Pakistan Party (APP) Miftah Ismail has raised concerns about the current government’s ability to fulfill its constitutional term pointing to a troubling trend among past prime ministers in Pakistan conference in Hyderabad on Sunday Ismail stated No prime minister has ever completed their term in Pakistan,” predicting that the federal government would also struggle due to its failure to address key issues He cited Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s remarks to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) noting that what was being done is not our politics highlighting a significant departure from the ruling party s practices Ismail questioned the PML-N s commitment to its manifesto, asking, Is this the politics of honoring the vote? The PML-N has abandoned its manifesto ” He suggested that the ongoing political crisis could have been avoided if Nawaz Sharif had accepted defeat in the February 8 general elections He also noted that many former PML-N members are now joining the APP indicating a potential shift in the political landscape Ismail criticized the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which has ruled Sindh since 2008, stating, They take votes but do nothing for the province ” Addressing local issues in Hyderabad Ismail highlighted severe deficiencies in electricity gas drainage and infrastructure claiming Apart from Karachi there is not a single wellmaintained family park in all of Sindh He reaffirmed
PESHAWAR
S TA F F R E P O R T In the wake of significant shifts in Pakistan s political and judicial landscape over the past two weeks, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced plans to launch a series of public gatherings, starting in Peshawar on November 1st
The rally, planned for PTI’s stronghold in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be addressed by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur According to party insiders, this gathering marks the first in a nationwide anti-government campaign aimed at increasing pressure on the current administration Approved by the PTI’s political
committee, the campaign reflects the party’s renewed commitment to mobilizing its supporters in protest Additionally the committee will finalize a list of PTI leaders designated to meet with the
Imaan Mazari, spouse arrested for ‘assaulting’ traffic cop
Human rights activist Imaan Mazari, along with her husband Hadi Ali Chattha has been arrested on charges of interfering with official duties and assaulting traffic wardens in Islamabad on Monday It reported in media that couple was detained by Islamabad s Aabpara Police after a confrontation at Zero Point three days back on October 25 where a police checkpoint had been set up for the England cricket team s security route A video surfaced showing Imaan Mazari s husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, allegedly assaulting a traffic police officer at the checkpoint and removing obstacles on the road Reports suggest that the incident began when Imaan Mazari attempted to remove police barricades, leading to an argument and intervention by her husband Hadi Ali Chattha then allegedly resorted to physically attacking the police officer As per the details of the incident, a heated altercation broke out between Imaan Mazari and the Islamabad Traffic Police due to road blockages in the city on Friday morning The incident occurred at Zero Point on Islamabad Express Highway, where Imaan Mazari and her accompanying lawyer removed barriers while the police continued to replace them
ISLAMABAD
S TA F F R E P O R T
An Additional District and Sessions Judge has extended Bushra Bibi s interim bail in the Toshakhana fake receipts case until November 4
The court also granted her a one-day exemption from attendance Express News reported
During the hearing, Barrister Salman Safdar informed the court that Bushra Bibi has been unwell since her release from jail The judge approved her request for exemption and extended her interim bail Safdar stated that he would present arguments on the bail applications during the next hearing
As per the channel report the confrontation escalated when the lawyer accompanying Imaan Mazari allegedly slapped a traffic officer after heated words
Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir is a well-known human rights lawyer in Pakistan and the daughter of Shireen Mazari, a former federal minister backed by PTI She is of Baloch ethnicity and is recognised for her legal work related to the abductions and racial profiling of Baloch students in Islamabad Imaan graduated from the University of Edinburgh, where she began her legal journey while pursuing her studies In December 2023 she married Abdul Hadi a fellow human rights lawyer She faced arrest on August 20 2023 after a rally organised by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) in Islamabad Videos from the rally showed her criticising the military for alleged abductions While she was released on bail on August 28 she was re-arrested immediately outside Adiala Jail in a new case involving terrorism charges However, on September 2, an Islamabad anti-terrorism court granted her post-arrest bail in that case
Both the founder of PTI and Bushra Bibi have filed for bail in the Toshakhana fake receipts case Additionally, the former Prime Minister has also submitted bail requests in two cases related to vandalism and protests Toshakhana Fake Receipts Case
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi were booked in a fraud case at Islamabad’s Kohsar Police Station for allegedly producing fake receipts related to the sale of state gifts ARY News reported on Wednesday FIR charges Khan Bushra Bibi, Shahzad Akbar, Zulfi Bukhari, and Farah Gogi with offences related to the creation of fake receipts and cheating According to the FIR the ac-
The court has adjourned the hearing on the bail applications of the founder of PTI in three cases as well as Bushra Bibi s application until November 4
that Pakistan is keen on identifying new investment opportunities to further increase trade volume and support regional stability Matviyenko for her part highlighted Russia s appreciation for its relationship with Pakistan, stating that the expansion of parliamentary ties would not only drive trade and investment but also bring the two nations closer on a people-to-people level
cused are alleged to have submitted counterfeit receipts to facilitate the buying and selling of Toshakhana gifts, using a forged signature for the purported transaction
A local watch dealer, the complainant claims that investigations revealed the accused had created false receipts in his name using a forged letterhead from his shop to sell the gifts from Toshakhana
The accused attempted to damage the reputation of my business by generating fake invoices for Toshakhana gifts ” the complainant stated in the FIR
The reference relates to allegations that the former Prime Minister failed to disclose details of the gifts he retained from Toshakhana during his tenure This case was filed by lawmakers from the ruling coalition last year