PPP asks opposition parties to finalise APC agenda

By

-

September 18, 2020

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples’ Party has activated for finalizing the agenda of the upcoming all parties conference (APC) and contacted Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) to discuss its points, sources said on Friday.

PPP leadership has sought recommendations from the opposition parties to finalize agenda of the All Parties Conference (APC).

PPP secretary-general Nayyar Bukhari and senior leader Farhatullah Babar contacted PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal where they consulted over the APC’s agenda. Sources added that PML-N apprised PPP regarding the points to be included in the agenda.

It emerged that the host political party of APC, PPP, will give final shape to the agenda after receiving recommendations from all opposition parties.

Later, a delegation of PPP met PML-N leaders including Ahsan Iqbal, Marriyum Aurangzeb and others in Islamabad. Nayyar Bukhari and Sherry Rehman represented the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) delegation in the meeting. They held discussions over the resolution of the upcoming APC, said sources.

Earlier on Thursday, the top opposition parties had seemed to be in disarray over the agenda of the scheduled all parties conference on September 20 after disagreements have emerged over the course of action against the incumbent federal government.

According to sources, the top opposition parties including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) had expressed reservations over the agenda of the multi-parties conference.

“All three of them had separate agenda,” they said adding that PPP wants any struggle against the government within the constitutional ambit while PML-N also had reservations over any move against the incumbent regime.

“None of the two parties is ready to remove the incumbent government,” the sources had said adding that they, however, have failed to woo Maulana Fazlur Rehman on the matter.

The sources having knowledge of the matter had said that dissents among the parties ran so high that even they could not agree to hold the APC at Zardari House and the venue had to be changed later to a local hotel.

With input from INP

Advertisment

PPP, PML-N consider challenging FATF legislation process in court

By

Our Correspondent

-

September 18, 2020

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari hosted a dinner in honour of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders at the Zardari House in Islamabad on Thursday during which leaders of both baties considered challenging FATF legislation process in the court.

The dinner was attended by PPP leaders including Senator Sherry Rahman, Naveed Qamar, Raja Pervez Ashraf Qamar Zaman Kaira Mustafa Khokar and others.

Leaders of PML-N including Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Khawaja Saad Rafique and Ayaz Sadiq and others represented their party in the dinner.

After the dinner, leaders of both parties held discussion during which they reviewed overall police situation in the country and also considered challenging FATF legislation process in the court.

According to sources, consultations were also held between leaders of both opposition parties on bringing no-confidence motion against the Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar.

They also discussed to set an agenda of the proposed All Parties Conference (APC) of the opposition parties.

Advertisment

PM should know what’s happening to ordinary citizens in Islamabad: Justice Minallah

By

Our Correspondent

-

September 18, 2020

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah said Pakistan’s prime minister should know what’s happening to ordinary citizens in Islamabad.

In a hearing at the IHC over the disappearance and subsequent recovery of Sajid Gondal — the additional joint director of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) who returned home on Sept 8 almost a week after he went missing — Justice Minallah told an interior ministry representative to apprise the premier of what was going on in the federal capital.

During the hearing, Additional Attorney General Tariq Mehmood Khokhar presented a report on Gondal’s recovery to the IHC on the Centre’s behalf. “Sajid Gondal has been recovered and has returned” to his home, Khokhar told the court.

“What had happened to Sajid Gondal? What has been ascertained,” the IHC’s top judge asked.

“The federal cabinet took notice on the second day of the court order,” the assistant AGP responded.

Noting that the credit went to Prime Minister Imran Khan for taking notice of the matter, Minallah asked: “Where is the copy of the decision of the federal cabinet? What has been done for ordinary citizens?

“What happened to the prosecution branch in Islamabad? Has it been established? Now that the missing citizen has returned, is the case over?”

The judge further lambasted the interior ministry official, saying the home secretary should have come to the court to apprise it of what had transpired.

“Shouldn’t the interior secretary have come to the court to tell what he did to help in recovery of the missing person,” he asked.

The judge observed that no action was being taken for the protection of the ordinary citizens but that “everything is happening for the elite”.

“The attitude of the police towards the common people is different,” he lamented, noting that parallel courts were set up in shops in district kutcheris, warning that citizens would eventually lose faith in the system of police stations.

“A kidnapping case was brought to the notice of the prime minister, on which he took action. The rest of the issues should have been brought to the notice of the prime minister as well,” he said.

Speaking of a spat between Additional Sessions Judge Jahangir Awan and the husband of Punjab lawmaker Abida Raja in Islamabad’s Red Zone, Minallah asked: “If the firing incident in the Red Zone had been committed by a common person, would the SHO [station house officer] have let him go?

“Had there been civilians [involved] in the Red Zone altercation, would the police have let them go,” he asked further.

“You know full well that there have been robberies in people’s homes in Sectors F-8 and F-10. The prime minister should know what is happening to ordinary citizens!

“If you have any advisers in your ministry, let the prime minister know what is happening in Islamabad,” the IHC’s top judge remarked. “Give a complete record to the adviser who will assist this court.”

Advertisment

Joint declaration by opposition parties, law bodies calls for new accountability system

By

Our Correspondent

-

September 18, 2020

ISLAMABAD: A joint declaration by the opposition parties and law bodies has called for new accountability laws that do not allow for the arrest of a person before charges are framed against them.

A statement issued by the parties following an All Parties Conference organised by the Pakistan Bar Council in Islamabad noted that new accountability laws must be drafted after consultation with all political parties and stakeholders. These laws must be in accordance with the fundamental criteria of justice and transparency, the declaration reads.

Under the new accountability system, all institutions and people must be held accountable under a single law and by a single entity, the APC communique urged, adding, to hold someone in custody before a trial begins must be declared illegal.

It rejected any exemption to any institution and termed it gross violation of the Constitution and rules of justice. Therefore all government positions must also be held accountable under the same, unified system of accountability.

The meeting was attended by members of the Bar Council as well as Supreme Court Bar Association, besides various political parties.

The discussion revolved around the current mechanism of judicial appointments, the current accountability system, and the dismal state of civilian and personal liberties.

In the matter of the appointment of judges, it was declared that the current method is “highly unsatisfactory”.

“The current system of appointments is a great obstacle in the way of a free and professional judiciary, and in fact, the judicial commission is now unfortunately a consortium of judges,” the declaration said.

The declaration demands that judicial appointments (Article 175-A) and the system of accountability be reviewed and the 19th Amendment to the Constitution be abolished.

It has been proposed that a new forum be created where the parliament has an effective role and with an equal representation of all stakeholders including the administration, bar councils, and the judiciary, the stakeholders must come together under one platform and make merit-based and transparent decisions.

“A free, transparent and fair system strengthens the foundations of good governance in the country,” the meeting noted.

The declaration stated: “The current accountability system has not only been rendered dysfunctional, ineffective and controversial but is being used as a tool for political engineering.” “We strongly condemn this,” it added.

The statement declared worrisome the “fast diminishing freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and personal liberties”.

It strongly condemned the “cases of treason against journalists, and restrictions on media houses”, calling for guaranteed protection of media workers through legislation.

The participants decided that a joint action plan will soon be formulated to achieve the aforementioned goals and the plan will be a part of the next political and democratic charter.

Advertisment

Cabinet directs to formulate master plans for major cities

By

Our Correspondent

-

September 16, 2020

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Cabinet to effectively discourage illegal construction and haphazard expansion, on Tuesday directed the city managements to step up their efforts for formulating master plans in major urban areas across the country.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz apprised the media about decisions of the Federal Cabinet, which met with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair.

Reviewing initiatives of the cities management for urban planning, the cabinet underlined the need for early formulation of master plans to ensure planned construction in major cities.

Shibli Faraz said Federal Cabinet discussed 16-point agenda and expressed satisfaction over the resumption of educational activities of over 2.5 million children in the country, following the decline in COVID-19 cases.

It called upon the students, school managements to strictly follow COVID-19 guidelines for containing the spread of deadly virus at premises, he added.

The Cabinet accorded approval to amendments in Electoral Act, making it obligatory for the elected members to take oath of office within 60 days after the elections.

The Information Minister quoted the examples of Senator elect Ishaq Dar and MPA-elect Chaudhry Nisar who had not yet taken oath of their office despite passage of two years, depriving the people of their right to representation.

He said the Federal Cabinet had decided not to regularize illegal construction of a prison on a green area in H-16 in Islamabad as PTI government’s philosophy was to preserve the green areas.

exemplary punishment should be awarded to culprits of Motorway incident

The jail structure will be demolished and prison will be constructed on alternative place in
the Federal Capital, he added.

Shibli Faraz said the government will conduct inquiry against the responsible officers who allowed the construction of prison at green area.

Responding to a question, he said that relevant officers of Capital Development Authoirty (CDA) would be held responsible for the illegal construction of kiosks at green belts and added CDA must ensure strict monitoring to avoid the construction of illegal structures.

The Information Minister said the focus of the government was to secure pension and facilitate of pensioners.

Negotiations were underway with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to resolve issues of the sector, he added.

To another question, he said exemplary punishment should be awarded to culprits of Motorway incident.

Responding to yet another question, Shibli Faraz said former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should return home and surrender himself before the law of the land and added Hamza Shahbaz also wanted to be admitted in hospital.

He criticized PML-N for not awarding punishment to the accused of motorway incident, who had committed heinous crime of rape in 2013 during Shahbaz Sharif tenure.

Shahbaz had failed to manage exemplary punishment for the culprit at that time which emboldened him to commit crime again, he added.

Advertisment

PPP Women Wing Islamabad stages protest against Lahore Motorway tragedy

By

Our Correspondent

-

September 14, 2020

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP’s) women wing Islamabad held a protest demonstration against the tragedy on Lahore Motorway in front of the National Press Club Islamabad on Monday.

Senator Farhatullah Babar, Dr. Nafisa Shah, Palwasha Khan and Sadaf Murtaza addressed the protestors.

Senator Farhatullah Babar and other speakers strongly condemning the tragedy said that it seems that the attention of the people is being diverted from other important issues the country is faced with.

That is why the government officials are behaving like jesters. The issue of assets beyond means of a special assistant is being covered by these statements.

The PPP leaders said that during this PTI government, the incidents of crimes against women and children have increased.

Transgender are being killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

They said that on Saturday, it was so ironic that the chief minister Punjab held a press briefing just to tell people that perpetrators of the Motorway tragedy have escaped arrest.

The speakers strongly condemned the statements of CCPO Lahore. After these statements of the CCPO Lahore, women in Lahore feel unsafe.

The intolerant narrative is getting place in society during Imran Khan’s government that is why heinous crimes against women are on the increase during this PTI government.

Nazir Dhoki, senator Rubina Khalid, Sibtul Hassan Bukhari, Sajjad Mangi, Shakil Abbasi, Mohammad Ali Shah, Gulzari Begum, Sohail Rumi, Danial Chaudhry and a large number of PPP workers participated in this protest.

Advertisment

Maryam Nawaz decides not to attend APC

By

Our Correspondent

-

September 14, 2020

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz on Monday decided against attending the opposition parties’ All Parties Conference (APC), sources said.

Sources privy to the development said that PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif along with party delegation will attend the APC. It was also learnt that the PML-N has informed Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the hosts of the APC about the development.

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has changed the venue of All Parties Conference (APC) of the Opposition from Zardari House to a local hotel in Islamabad, scheduled to be held on September 20.

The APC is scheduled to be held on September 20 as per the decision of the Rehbar Committee of the Combined Opposition and to be hosted by the PPP

PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is likely to send the invitation letter to all the opposition parties within next two days for the APC.

The APC in its meeting would decide on the future plan of action as the opposition leaders had already made up their minds on numerous issues the country facing currently.

Advertisment

Cyclist Samar Khan says faced harassment in Islamabad

By

Our Correspondent

-

September 11, 2020

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s award-winning cyclist Samar Khan said that she was harassed while cycling in the federal capital.

Sitting on her bicycle, Khan, 26, filmed herself in the middle of the road after the incident and said, “cycling is not safe for women in Pakistan”.

Giving the details of the incident, Samar Khan said while she was cycling in Islamabad, a man who was on a bike “groped her, touched her inappropriately and sped away”.

She said she attempted to give him a chase but couldn’t as she was on a bicycle. Giving description of the harasser, she said he was in a maroon shirt. He was possibly coming from work as he was carrying a bag, she said.

She pointed out she doesn’t blame anyone, neither men nor the government for whatever happened to her. However, she went on to question her followers as to how they can ignore such incidents while witnessing them happen to a woman in public.

“At the time I was being harassed there were other people around driving by but they chose to ignore and move past, and not react,” she said.

Samar Khan became the first woman to cycle 800 kilometres to reach the Biafo Glacier in northern Pakistan in August 2016. She cycled to an elevation of 4,500m on top of the glacier.

After the achievement, she was quoted by GlacierHub as saying, “In order to change the mindsets of our people, I chose to cycle on glaciers.” “I wanted people to realise the importance of what we have, how to preserve it, and what our duties are toward these majestic landmarks.”

A spokesperson of the Islamabad Police said on Friday that the SHO and SP of the police station, who jurisdiction the incident happened, have contacted the cyclist. He also added that the police was investigating the incident with the help of the CCTV footage.

Advertisment

Amid border tension, Indian, Pakistani, Chinese FMs likely to come face to face

By

Our Correspondent

-

September 10, 2020

ISLAMABAD: Despite high tension raised between India, China and Pakistan and New Delhi’s having estranged relations with Islamabad and Beijing, Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar is expected to encounter Pakistani and Chinese Foreign Ministers at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Moscow.

A meeting of Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the eight-member bloc is being held from Sept 9 to 10 to prepare the agenda for the next summit. It is being expected that Indian External Affairs Minister will face Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Pakistan Foreign Minister and Wang Yi, Foreign Minister of China during the CFM.

The SCO-CFM is the highest forum of SCO after the Council of Heads of State (CHS) and the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) that deliberates on important regional and global issues and considers documents for approval and adoption by CHG.

FM Qureshi will have bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the CFM, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office without naming officials that he will meet.

Before departing for Moscow, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said he would discuss with his Russian counterpart the construction of a gas pipeline due to be built by Russia and stretching 1,100km from Lahore to the port city of Karachi.

“Islamabad sees prospects of a long-term and multidimensional partnership with Moscow,” he said adding that peace in Afghanistan is also an important issue that would be discussed during his meetings with other foreign ministers.

“Pakistan has been actively working to achieve SCO’s multi-sectoral agenda through various mechanisms,” the FO said.

“The Moscow SCO-CFM will consider more than 20 documents for subsequent adoption in the SCO Council of Heads of State,” it added.

“It will also adopt a Joint Communiqué reflecting member states’ unified stance on important regional and international issues.”

Advertisment

Sajid Gondal’s family stages protest outside PM House in Islamabad

By

Our Correspondent

-

September 8, 2020

ISLAMABAD: The family of Sajid Gondal, a former journalist and an official of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, who had gone missing in Islamabad on September 3, staged a protest outside Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad on Tuesday.

His vehicle was found abandoned outside the Agriculture Research Centre in Shehzad Town, according to the police. The vehicle’s doors were open and the key was in the ignition.

Gondal’s wife, parents, and children along with others held placards and chanted slogans for his immediate release

Talking to the media, Gondal’s wife Sajeela Sajid said, “I request the prime minister, army chief, and the chief justice to at least inform us what he has done wrong.” If there’s a case against him, he should be presented before the court, said Sajeela Sajid. He is a Pakistani citizen, she said.

On the other hand, investigators from Islamabad Police visited the spot from where Gondal went missing. Police said that SECP employees have also been included in the investigation.

(With additional input from INP)

Advertisment

Tag: islamabad

Adblock Detected!