Thousands in Bahawalnagar await ‘miracle’

Water of “very high levels" from Sutlej River, which is currently in a “moderate” flood, has started backing up to its banks, severely affecting 148 mauzas and 600 villages in Bahawalnagar district. The water has entered 90 villages of the district, inundating 40 villages for 20 days and hundreds of families have been evacuated. Overall, around 165,000 people have been evacuated from Bahawalnagar district’s mauzas and villages. Almost 153,231 acres of standing crops were washed away by the torrent of floodwater in Bahawalnagar. Rao Sharaf, the local district rescue officer, told The Express Tribune that 13 camps had been set up in the most vulnerable places. He added that 71 rescuers with 22 boats were present at these camps 24 hours a day. The officer said so far, 13,000 people and 3,000 animals had been rescued from the floodwater. He continued that the camps would remain in place until the residents were resettled. The camps set up by the district administration are limited to paperwork only and completely failed to provide any kind of relief to the flood-hit people. The people, hungry and thirsty, have taken their families and animals to sit under trees or on high places, waiting for some miracle to happen. A total of 43 schools are closed in Bahawalnagar district, adversely affecting the studies of over 8,000 students. Along with sorrows, happiness has also been seen at a relief camp. Read Bahawalnagar bears Sutlej flood’s brunt The grief of an affected family at Jhullan Arain flood relief camp turned into joy with the birth of a baby boy. The boy was named “Sailaab” (flood) Khan because of the circumstances he was born in. Other families at the flood relief camp are also happy over the birth of the child. On the birth of his first child, the father distributed sweets. The water will return to the river, but the biggest challenge from now is the resettlement stage, along with the outbreak of diseases among the people living at the camps. If not handled in time, these epidemics might become a national problem in the future. The damage caused by the dangerous flood waves of Sutlej River is because of nature, but the story of the indifference of the district administration taunts the human conscience. A report issued by the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority on August 26 read that it had provided 222 boats, 3,006 life jackets and 20 ambulances to the seven flood-affected districts, including Bahawalnagar.

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Remand of PTI workers extended

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday extended physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and workers for another five days in two cases related to May 9 vandalism, after the addition of new offences. Earlier, the police produced 77 accused, including former MNA Aalia Hamza, fashion designer Khadija Shah, Sanam Javed and Tayyaba Ambreen, before ATC Judge Abher Gul Khan on expiry of their fresh physical remand following the addition of new offences in a case of attacking the Jinnah House (the corps commander's house in Lahore). The investigation officer requested the court to extend the physical remand of the accused as investigation related to new offences could not be completed. The prosecution also supported the stance of the investigation officer, adding that the police had received 600 footage of the incident and new evidence emerged due to it. At this, the court allowed the request and extended the physical remand of the accused for another five days and directed for producing the accused on expiry of the remand term, September 5. The court also observed that the female accused would remain in police custody during the day and they would be transferred to jail at night, during the remand term. Meanwhile, the court also extended physical remand of PTI leaders, including Dr Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mehmoodur Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry and six others in a case of attacking and torching Shadman police station. Published in The Express Tribune, September 1st, 2023.

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SC judge: Can ‘unelected’ judges nullify laws?

Supreme Court Justice Mansoor Ali Shah raised a pertinent question on Thursday, questioning how the "17 unelected judges" of the apex court could declare parliamentary legislation, endorsed by the country's 250 million people, as malicious. Seated on a special three-member bench for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman's petition against amendments to accountability laws by the prior government, Justice Shah acknowledged the possibility of reviewing decisions made by the elected house to some extent. During the session, senior lawyer Makhdoom Ali Khan appeared before the bench, led by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, on behalf of the federal government. Khan maintained that the Supreme Court consistently supported the law, even in its amended form. “Past court decisions have not invalidated the retroactive application of the law,” Khan stated. Chief Justice Bandial noted that the changes to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law unnecessarily burdened prosecution. Emphasizing the core of the accountability process, he stressed that action against ‘benami’ holdings was paramount. It was crucial to ascertain whether assets were acquired through corruption, forming the backbone of accountability. Khan argued that amending the severity of the law didn't imply favoring criminals. Different approaches could address crimes over varying periods. “NAB was established for significant corruption cases, and the Rs500 million limit was set based on court observations,” Khan explained. Chief Justice Bandial pointed out the decline in the public sector from 1999 to the present, specifically mentioning entities like Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and electricity distribution companies. He highlighted that electricity line losses had surged to 40%. Khawaja Haris, representing PTI, contended that NAB spent Rs18 billion on investigations and references from 2018 to 2021. He argued that applying NAB law amendments retroactively would squander public funds. Justice Shah queried Haris if the Supreme Court could halt parliamentary legislation solely due to the Rs18 billion expenditure. He also noted that the process of plea-bargain was hindered by parliament due to pressure concerns in some cases. Haris responded that if parliamentary legislation favored specific individuals, the court could review it. Justice Shah indicated that non-elected individuals could review the elected house's decisions to a certain extent. Chief Justice Bandial noted the stringent criteria for proving that legislation favored certain individuals. The hearing was adjourned by Chief Justice Bandial, with further proceedings scheduled for Friday.

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Govt to fulfil obligations to IMF ‘at all costs’: PM

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Thursday stated that the matter of skyrocketing electricity bills is being discussed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), adding that the government would fulfil its obligations to the global lender “at all costs”. Speaking to senior journalists and anchorpersons in Islamabad, he said the consumers will have to pay the electricity bills. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar talking to Anchors and Journalists in a meeting held at the Prime Minister's House. pic.twitter.com/Tokga1Jp7E — Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) August 31, 2023 The statement came days after the IMF refused to immediately approve Pakistan’s request for recovering August’s electricity bills over a period of six months amid raging protests in many parts of the country that continued against back-breaking bills. So far, the caretaker government has failed to come up with any solution. It is trying to avoid breaching the conditions of the IMF programme that require keeping the overall circular debt at Rs2.310 trillion and timely passing on the increase in electricity prices on account of annual, quarterly and monthly adjustments. Read more: Protests against rising power costs, inflation continue across nation The caretaker prime minister in today's media interaction said the government has given proposals to the IMF, adding that inflation was not that a big issue to go on a strike. “We will not make false promises nor would we deviate from our responsibilities. We will let everyone know the measures we cannot take and why,” he added. PM Kakar said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will give the final date for holding the elections and the interim setup would conclude following the elections. https://ift.tt/DlEMZgs The interim prime minister acknowledged being informed recently about protests concerning inflated electricity bills. He said that the interim setup does not have any “hidden agenda, plans or ambitions”. “It is not like some oppressive rulers have come to power and were draining the resources of the impoverished,” he added. The premier also talked about the challenges the country faced in the 1990s when electricity shortages emerged, adding that the governments at that time engaged with independent power producers (IPPs) to augment power generation. "However, we failed to anticipate the consequences of these agreements, including pay surcharge," he remarked. He also highlighted issues within the transmission systems and the billing retrieval process. In her first public appearance after assuming the responsibility of the interim finance minister, Dr Shamshad candidly told the Senate Standing Committee on Finance on Wednesday that the government’s coffers were empty and, therefore, no one should pin any hope for subsidies. Read more: Our hands are tied by IMF on ‘subsidies’ She warned of further increase in power and fuel prices in relation to higher prices in the global markets and lack of availability of any fiscal space for subsidies, said there was no choice but to stick to the IMF programme. “Pakistan is an import dependent country and the commodity prices have to be passed on, as we do not have the fiscal space and any room for subsidies, which is going to hurt people – whether in the shape of electricity or fuel prices,” said Dr Shamshad in her policy statement. Meanwhile, protests and demonstrations against rising inflation were held across the country today, with Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) calling a shutterdown strike on September 2. The JI has announced that the party will be approaching the Supreme Court to seek judicial assistance over rising electricity costs while the incumbent government burdens the public with conditions imposed by the IMF. In various cities across the country, including Karachi, Lahore, Gujar Khan, Okara, Murree, Vihari, Chistian, Multan, Haveli Lakha, DG Khan, Swabi, Mardan and others, protests were held on the call of traders associations. ‘Govt to come up with solution in 48 hours’ PM Kakar said that the government has minutely looked into the problem of inflated electricity bills and would come up with a solution within next 48 hours, adding that the authorities were considering various options to provide relief to the people. To a question, he clarified that the Pakistan army, navy and air force were not using a single free unit of electricity and their bills were paid from the allocated financial budget. While employees of WAPDA were using free electricity units and their usage would be rationalised, especially of the higher grade officers as some of them were getting huge quantity of free electricity, he added. Over the years, he said, the generation and transmission system of electricity remained flawed and the government had to deal with serious issues of line losses, power theft, high circular debt, use of expensive imported fuel and capacity payments to electricity companies. “These issues cannot be ignored by just closing eyes. We need to diagnose treatment for the disease.” He made it clear that the government would fulfil its agreements with the international financial institutions. He lamented that the country was faced with economic stagnation and there was less investment in sectors like manufacturing, real estate and stock exchange, and the trend was to only take up profit from certain businesses. He said that the caretaker government was formed for the continuity of constitutional order, and was dealing with economic and security challenges. The prime minister said that Pakistan had security concerns on its Western borders. He stressed that no terrorist organisation had the capacity to overtake any territory in Pakistan but they could sabotage and create terror. “Pakistan was in capable hands and every sacrifice would be rendered to defend every inch of the country’s territory and steps would be taken for elimination of terrorism,” he remarked. The prime minister said that the government was determined to hold transparent, free and fair elections and transfer power to the next elected government. He said that recently formed Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) had huge potential to attract investment in sectors of information technology, defence production, mining and agriculture, and Pakistan had a bright future due to such initiatives.

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Nine soldiers martyred in Bannu suicide attack

At least nine soldiers of Pakistan Army embraced martyrdom on Thursday when a motorcycle-borne suicide bomber exploded himself on a military convoy in general area Jani Khel in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district, the military said. Military’s media arm, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said five soldiers were also injured during the explosion, adding that Naib Subedar Sanobar Ali was also among the martyrs. It stated that the area has been cordoned off by security forces and sanitisation is being carried out to eliminate any terrorists found in the area. Read: Two terrorists killed as forces repel ambush in Gwadar “Security forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve,” it further said. Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, while expressing his condolences, said that he was heartbroken by the loss of valiant soldiers in Bannu. In a post on his X handle, he said, “Heartbroken by the loss of 9 valiant soldiers in Bannu Division, KPK, to a cowardly terrorist act that injured many. Such acts are utterly reprehensible. My thoughts are with the families of the martyred and injured. Pakistan stands resolute against such terror.” Heartbroken by the loss of 9 valiant soldiers in Bannu Division, KPK, to a cowardly terrorist act that injured many. Such acts are utterly reprehensible. My thoughts are with the families of the martyred and injured. 🇵🇰 stands resolute against such terror. — Anwaar ul Haq Kakar (@anwaar_kakar) August 31, 2023 On August 22, at least six soldiers were martyred in a skirmish with terrorists in the Asman Manza area of South Waziristan district, according to ISPR. The military's media wing added that at least four terrorists were also killed while two were injured in the fighting.

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‘Multigrain flour being commercialised’

The University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) has developed multigrain flour which is being commercialized with the support of the industry. Addressing a one-day seminar on multi-grain flour, UAF Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmed Khan said the multigrain flour was developed by the National Institute of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Food Nutrition and Home Sciences, UAF, under the Higher Education Commission Technology Transfer Support Project. He said that 40 percent of Pakistan's population was facing malnutrition which was a matter of grave concern. He said that instead of relying only on wheat flour, the nutritional crisis could be overcome by including other cereals as part of our daily diet. He said that the UAF pioneered the human nutrition and dietetics programme which was being replicated across the country. The Dean of the Faculty of Food Science, Prof. Dr. Masood Sadiq Butt, said that with the passage of time, the trend of increase in nutritional crisis was being seen, for which we had to adopt healthy lifestyle. He said the country was losing billions of rupees due to lack of nutrition. The Director-General of the National Institute of Food Science and Technology, Prof. Dr. Imran Pasha, said the country was currently facing a crisis of food security and malnutrition. Published in The Express Tribune, August 31st, 2023.

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Sutlej flood gradually receding

The flood situation in river Sutlej is gradually improving as the water level has decreased to a moderate flood at Ganda Singh Wala and Sulemanki headworks, according to a spokesperson of the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). In a statement, the PDMA spokesperson informed that the current flow of water at Ganda Singh Wala is 89,060 cusecs, while the inflow at Head Sulemanki is 95,196 cusecs with an outflow of 81,366 cusecs. He added that the water flow at Head Islam is 82,916 cusecs and other rivers of Punjab are experiencing normal water flow. Meanwhile, relief activities are ongoing in the flood-affected areas. The PDMA has also issued a rain alert ahead of an expected monsoon system that will bring heavy rains to the upper reaches of all major rivers in Pakistan from September 2 to 5. Instructions have been given to all concerned institutions, including the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa), to prepare for drainage. Flood victims sent electricity bills However, a moderate level of flood in the Sutlej River at Head Salam continues to cause problems for the flood victims, especially due to the scarcity of water. Women in the affected areas are facing serious challenges in accessing health facilities. In addition, the victims are burdened with high electricity bills despite not having electricity for a month. The land connection of more than 113 villages and settlements has yet to be restored due to the flood, making it even more difficult to deliver aid and supplies to those in need. It has been reported that the flow of water at Head Ganda Singh is 80,000 cusecs, which indicates that there will be a moderate flood for several more days at Head Islam, further exacerbating the problems faced by the victims. Moreover, the recovery of the Sutlej River is not expected to be possible even in September. Victims, including Muzaffar Baloch, Maher Manzoor, Malik Amjad Langriyal, Malik Arshad Langriyal, and others, expressed their concerns about the shortage of food items for those who were trapped and later rescued. They have also criticised the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) for sending high electricity bills to flood-affected households despite the lack of electricity for a month. The victims are demanding that their electricity bills be waived. The affected individuals further mentioned that government settlements are located too far away for victims to reach on foot or with animals, causing difficulties in accessing basic necessities such as clean drinking water and rations. To address the situation, Deputy Commissioner Vehari, Asif Shah, stated that 101 rescuers are providing round-the-clock services to rescue flood victims in the Sutlej River. He also mentioned that Rescue 1122 has deployed 46 boats to evacuate over 55,000 people and more than 5,000 animals from flood-affected areas to safe places.

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Whither healthcare: High prices, black market drive medicines out

The health sector might head towards a crisis situation as some vital medicines are slowly disappearing from the market in Karachi, which the doctors and other stakeholders attribute to the negligence of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP). A survey shows that insulin for diabetes patients has disappeared from the market in Karachi, while the medicines to control blood pressure and other life-saving drugs are being sold at steep prices in the ‘black market’. In the past 6 months, medicine prices have seen 50-70% increase. People say that DRAP is not serious in resolving this issue, which might lead to a serious threat to the public health. Besides, the exorbitant prices, the hoarding of medicines for rare conditions had also become a serious problem. “Blood pressure control drugs are becoming extinct,” said a source in the Wholesale and Chemists Association. “On the other hand, there is the shortage of drugs used to treat epilepsy and the anti-depressants. These are being sold at very high prices in the market.” The situation is adding to the mental stress on those who want these medicines. “Because of the shortage and black marketing, drugs have gone beyond the reach of poor patients. People are under severe mental stress due to the current situation,” the source added. According to several patients at a hospital in Karachi, all the medicines used in the treatment of heart diseases have gone out reach. “Treatment is not possible due to expensive medicines,” one of the patients said, while speaking on condition of anonymity. A doctor told The Express Tribune that in some diseases it is necessary to prescribe tranquilisers to the patients but due to the high prices of these medicines, serious complications are being diagnosed among the patients. The drug manufacturers say that the escalating dollar in the market is the reason for the high prices because the country heavily relied on imports to make the medicines. The dollar, they say, has reached its highest level and the raw materials, imported from abroad, have become very expensive. The situation has other spill-over effects. It is learnt that facilities at the government hospitals in Sindh – such as X-ray, CT scan, MRI and laboratory facilities, have been gradually limited. As a result, the poor patients suffer the most. The district government hospitals in the six district of Karachi – which boasts of 14 major hospitals – have been limited to OPD [outpatients department] only. These hospitals have the treatment facilities for various types of complex diseases.

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Floods drown hope in Punjab's impoverished villages

The coursing floods first swallowed Nasreen Bibi's corn crop, then the cattle that fed on it, and finally her family home. They retreated to the roof to escape the rising water, before fleeing for their lives by boat. "We didn't bring any of our belongings with us, everything we own is abandoned back there," said Bibi, who guesses her age in the 30s, from a relief camp inside a school in Mandi Ahmedabad, a village in eastern Punjab. "There is nothing left back home," she said, wiping away tears in a tent she shares with three young daughters. "Fear plays on my children's minds." Swaths of Pakistan's breadbasket were inundated this month, with at least 130,000 people evacuated, after the Sutlej river burst its banks and spilled over hundreds of villages and thousands of acres. The head of Punjab's government, Mohsin Naqvi, said the flooding was caused by India releasing excess reservoir water into the Sutlej river, causing flooding downstream on the Pakistani side of the border. With the water slowly receding, a ramshackle armada of 40 boats makes twice-daily food and aid deliveries to 80 water-bound villages where men perch on roofs guarding sodden possessions. Read also: High-flooding looms due to heavy rainfall in India The floodwaters are still some eight feet (2.4 metres) deep, and the boats skim past the tops of waterlogged corn stalks blanched by the sun. A family's financial security depends on agriculture in this largely impoverished corner of the country. Mud houses lie in ruins, with tumbled walls pooled in stagnant water, in Falak De Bheni, a village of 100 homes surrounded by drowned fields of sesame and rice. "I don't want to plant a crop here next year, my heart can't bear it," Muhammad Tufail, 38, said as he stood at his ruined door surveying the damage. "I don't even know how much money I spent, how many troubles I went through, to plant these crops. But the flood has left nothing in its wake." More than 175 people were killed in Pakistan in rain-related incidents since the monsoon season began in late June, mainly due to electrocution and buildings collapsing, emergency services have reported. Large tracts of rural Pakistan were ruined by record monsoon floods last summer that scientists linked to climate change and from which it is still recovering. A third of the country was submerged and 1,700 people were killed, while eight million were displaced. Read: Govt launches new flood management plan with ADB’s help The villages along the Sutlej River were spared in that deluge but are now battling the highest water levels in 35 years, authorities have said. The assistant commissioner of Dipalpur -- the hardest-hit area in this year's flood -- said 11 rescue centres and five relief camps had been set up, with 4,600 emergency boat trips made since the floods came in mid-August. The flooded villages of Dipalpur remain without electricity two weeks after the floods started. Most of the cattle have been evacuated but those left behind have nothing left to feed on. "Fodder has washed away," said 50-year-old Taj Bibi, struggling to keep a buffalo, a cow and a calf alive on leaves chopped from trees. "Our cattle are begging us for food but we have nothing to give them," she said. "We are dying of hunger and so are our animals." At Bashir De Bheni, a small hamlet of 15 houses built on the submerged river bank, rescue workers dropped off antibiotics and rehydration medicine for a toddler suffering diarrhoea and high fever. "Every problem imaginable has befallen us," said 60-year-old villager Muhammad Yasin.

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Chairman JCSC holds talks with Tajik president during official visit

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, currently on an official visit to Tajikistan, engaged in diplomatic discussions with President Emomali Rahmon and other key officials, the military said. The visit seeks to foster cooperation and strengthen the bilateral relationship between Pakistan and Tajikistan, with a particular emphasis on matters of mutual interest, the Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Wednesday. Also read: Tajikistan assured of defence cooperation General Mirza's official visit was marked by a significant meeting with President Emomali Rahmon, revered as the 'Founder of Peace and National Unity, Leader of the Nation'. The meeting reflects the commitment of both countries to bolster their diplomatic and defence ties for regional stability and security. The media arm of Pakistan's military reported that General Mirza's visit also encompassed separate dialogues with various government and military officials. These meetings served as platforms for comprehensive discussions on issues that hold shared significance for Pakistan and Tajikistan.

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Top EU officials commit to addressing rights violations in Kashmir

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Vice-President Joseph Borrell have expressed their commitment to addressing the dire human rights violations in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). They recognised the concerns raised by European Parliament members and assured that the matter would be taken up with the Indian government in the near future. In a letter to lawmakers, President von der Leyen and Vice-President Borrell stressed the importance of negotiations surrounding human rights issues in the occupied Kashmir and specifically highlighted the need for talks on human rights violations. “The EU is the only external partner with whom India has a dedicated dialogue on human rights. Its latest edition took place in July 2022 in New Delhi and addressed human rights issues comprehensively, including the topic of security and human rights, notably in Jammu and Kashmir,” the letter read. It highlighted that the human rights dialogue was also used to raise a number of individual cases, such as that of Khurram Parvez, a Kashmiri human rights defender. “The EU attaches high importance to the annual frequency of this dialogue and looks forward to scheduling its next session in the autumn of 2023, where we expect a similarly in-depth and frank discussion as last year.” The EU’s principled position on Kashmir remains unchanged, they reaffirmed and stated that they continue to encourage India and Pakistan to find a lasting solution to the situation in Kashmir, by engaging in a positive dialogue, and by involving as far as possible the Kashmiri people on both sides of the Line of Control. Controversial G20 meetings Addressing the concerns raised by the lawmakers regarding India’s controversial decision to host G20 meetings in the disputed territory, President von der Leyen and Vice-President Borrell said that the EU’s position was that preparations for these events, including the selection of their venues, are the prerogative and responsibility of the presidency. “For the third G20 Tourism Working Group meeting in Srinagar in May 2023, after careful reflection on the political sensitivities including security aspects, the EU decided to send a representative from the EU Delegation in New Delhi to the event,” they pointed out. Read also: Europeans sound alarm as India pursues settler designs in IIOJK In a letter addressed to the European Commission president and vice-president, prominent European Parliament members, including Castaldo Fiore Massimo, Spinelli Sabrina, Rozemarie Demata, Satoorh Monir, Solé Jordi, Abiusi Clara, Kologlu Stelios, and Van Orden Geoffrey, have raised their voices against human rights abuses in Indian-occupied Kashmir. They called on the European Parliament to empower the president and vice-president of the European Commission to engage with the Indian and Pakistani governments, with a focus on curbing violations in Indian-occupied Kashmir. They bemoaned that since the revocation of the special autonomous status of the region, the people of the valley have continued to endure systemic and intolerable suppression of their basic freedoms and fundamental rights, with loss of innocent lives and severe restrictions imposed by Indian security forces. They highlighted that this year, the already dire situation has been exacerbated by a brutal media crackdown in Jammu and Kashmir following the controversial decision of India to hold a G20 meeting in the region. They cited a statement released by the UN special rapporteur on minority problems, Fernand de Varennes, that the G20 has been "unwittingly providing a veneer of support to a facade of normalcy" in Kashmir, where human rights violations, political persecution, and illegal arrests are on the rise. Moreover, he warned that the conference could help normalize what is being called an occupation by military forces. "As we express our concerns, we urge the European Union, as a champion of universal human rights and the rule-based international order, to firmly address these issues with our Indian partners. We must advocate for accountability, respect for the rule of law, and the repeal of legislation that enables human rights violations and denies fundamental freedoms." It is noteworthy that Chaudhry Parvez Iqbal Losar, Deputy Chair of the European Pakistan Friendship Federation (EPFF), has played an active role in raising awareness about human rights abuses in occupied Kashmir. His outreach to European Parliament lawmakers has prompted them to call for stronger action from the European Commission in addressing human rights violations and urging the Indian government to grant the people of occupied Kashmir the rights guaranteed by United Nations agreements.

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PPP reiterates call for timely elections

As eyes remain fixated on the ongoing consultations of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over the electoral roadmap, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Tuesday intensified its demand for conducting elections within the constitutionally mandated 90-day period following the dissolution of the National Assembly on August 9. The party renewed its call for timely elections during a meeting with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) at its secretariat in Islamabad. The demand from the PPP came as the ECP has ruled out elections this year, despite the 90-day limit for holding polls ending on November 9. The electoral watchdog justifies its decision to delay elections by citing the notification of results of the new digital 2023 census and Section 17(2) of the Elections Act, which states that delimitation of constituencies should be done after every officially published census. However, PPP after Tuesday's meeting contended that Article 224 of the Constitution mandates a timeframe for elections following the dissolution of an assembly and that this should be adhered to. Read PPP, PML-N split on election timing During media interactions outside ECP, PPP leader Nayyar Bukhari expressed the party's stance, stating, "The PPP wants the ECP to announce a new election date and the schedule for it. There is restlessness in the nation, and it is very important that a new election date and schedule is announced. "The PPP will now discuss the ECP's response in a meeting of its central executive committee in Lahore, where the party will formulate its future strategy."We had a meeting with the ECP in a pleasant environment during which we put all our reservations," said PPP Vice President Sherry Rehman. She said that it is the electoral body's responsibility to conduct the elections. The constitution stipulates that the polls be held within 90 days after the dissolution of the National Assembly, she underscored. Former commerce minister Naveed Qamar also confirmed that the PPP conveyed to the ECP that the delimitation process would not be extensive, as there were no changes in the composition of provincial seats in the NA. He said that the ECP assured the PPP that they will deliberate on the matter and may announce a new delimitation schedule. “They also said that they will give the election date shortly after that. "The PPP delegation at the meeting included Nayyar Bukhari, Naveed Qamar, Sherry Rehman, Faisal Karim Kundi, Syed Murad Ali Shah, and Naveed Qamar. The ECP has invited Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) to hold discussions on Wednesday (today) at 2pm while an Awami National Party (ANP) delegation — comprising Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Zahid Khan, Wakil Khushdil and Wakil Rahim — will hold a meeting at 11am. Read more MQM wants polls after new delimitation "There will be consultations with BAP on general elections," said ECP. ECP to wrap up delimitation ‘as soon as possible’ Confirming the demands put forth by the PPP during the meeting, the ECP that party called for the commission to reduce the time for delimitation and announce an election schedule and date so that the polls were held “as soon as possible” for the economy to improve, political crisis to be mitigated and uncertainty to end. The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja assured the delegation the ECP would complete the delimitation process as soon as possible and conduct the general election immediately after that. Posting, transfers of key officers for impartial elections Meanwhile, in preparation for the upcoming general elections, CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja chaired two significant meetings with the chief secretaries and inspector generals of Sindh and Balochistan at the ECP secretariat in Islamabad. The meetings were attended by members of the election commission, the secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan, provincial election commissioners of Sindh and Balochistan, and other senior officers of the electoral watchdog. During the meetings, the chief secretary and IG of Sindh provided a briefing on the progress of election preparations and assured the ECP of their full cooperation. Emphasising the importance of conducting transparent and impartial elections, the electoral watchdog stressed that it is the fundamental responsibility of the ECP. Accordingly, the first step towards achieving this goal would be the transfer and posting of officers and officials vital for impartial elections. To this end, the ECP issued directives for the necessary transfers and postings, highlighting that this is the first step towards transparency. Following this, the appointments of District Returning Officers, Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers, and monitoring teams will be made. The ECP stressed the urgent need for the prompt submission of proposals for transfers and postings, as time for the elections is limited. It assured the chief secretary and IG of Sindh of its full support and cooperation. In the second meeting, the chief secretary, IG of Balochistan, and provincial election commissioner of Balochistan briefed the commission on their preparations for the upcoming elections. The chief secretary informed the commission that recommendations for postings and transfers of various officers, deputy commissioners, and additional deputy commissioners have been sent. These recommendations prioritise officers' performance and merit, and other postings and transfers will be conducted in accordance with the ECP's directives. Furthermore, the chief secretary of Balochistan highlighted that the maintenance of flood-affected polling station buildings has been ensured. Meanwhile, the IG of Balochistan provided a briefing on the security situation in the province. The ECP directed the chief secretary and IG of Balochistan to fulfil their duties impartially and assured them of the commission's full assistance.CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja reaffirmed the commitment of the ECP to conduct peaceful and impartial elections in accordance with the constitution and the law, highlighting that the commission is an impartial and constitutional body.

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Toshakhana sword: Conviction matters amidst suspension

Despite the suspension of his sentence, the former Prime Minister Imran Khan's conviction in the Toshakhana case remains intact. This will prevent him from contesting the upcoming elections unless the trial court's judgment is overturned. Faisal Siddiqi Advocate stated that Imran Khan's legal team made a significant mistake by not requesting the suspension of the trial court's August 5 judgment. They only requested the suspension of his sentence and his release on bail. "If a request had been made to suspend the trial court's judgment, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) would have extensively discussed the case's merits. Moreover, if the trial court's ruling had been suspended, Imran could have contested the upcoming elections," Siddiqi explained. Read Anticipation builds as IHC ruling looms Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmad Khokhar Advocate highlighted that suspending sentences is routine in Pakistan's criminal justice system, particularly for cases with relatively brief jail terms. He cautioned against regarding the IHC's suspension of sentence as an extraordinary relief. "The crucial aspect of this case is that the suspension of the sentence does not nullify Imran's conviction by the trial court, nor does it overturn his previous disqualification by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) under Article 63(1)(p) and Article 63(H)," Khokhar elaborated. Consequently, Imran Khan cannot contest elections or lead his party until both judgments are overturned by the high court. "Until the ECP's order dated 21-10-2022 and the trial court's judgment dated 5-08-2023 are set aside, Imran Khan will remain disqualified for electoral politics in Pakistan under the provisions of Article 63(1)(p) and Article 63(H) of the Constitution," Khokhar added. Interestingly, unlike the Supreme Court, the IHC's order did not question the conduct of the trial court judge, Hamayun Dilwar, or his judgment. In an August 23 order, a three-member special bench of the Supreme Court noted that the trial court's final judgment appeared to defy the remand direction issued by the IHC. The bench indicated that they would await the outcome of the IHC proceedings in the Toshakhana case before potentially taking up the case themselves. PTI supporters are hopeful that Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial will provide relief to Imran Khan before his retirement. Read more IHC suspends Imran's sentence in Toshakhana case, orders release Abdul Moiz Jaferii Advocate pointed out clear flaws in the Toshakhana verdict, indicating that the suspension of the sentence was expected. He mentioned that the trial court had neglected the IHC's order requiring a hearing on the maintainability of the ECP's complaint. "This decision adds to the politically sensitive judgments in Pakistan where despite evidence for conviction, trials are rushed and handled haphazardly, diminishing their legitimacy," Jaferii said. Jaferii said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif could not explain his wealth while Imran Khan faced allegations of misappropriation. "Their electorates don't care. Neither could be properly prosecuted." Usama Khawar Ghumman Advocate, who is a professor at LUMS Law School, noted the judgment's interesting aspect: it refuses to consider the case's merits, even superficially. It only acknowledges that Imran was given a short sentence. "However, considering the legal aspects is the wrong perspective for these cases. They are not seen as purely legal; they are perceived as political. The law is shaped by what the establishment wants. "It's not about the law; it's about politics. If the establishment wants a politician in jail, they will find a legal pretext to disqualify them from the electoral race," Ghumman concluded. Following his conviction in the Avenfield case, the Supreme Court had barred Nawaz Sharif from leading his party. Some lawyers now assert that Imran Khan has also been disqualified as the PTI chairman due to his unchanged conviction. The debate continues about whether CJP Bandial will offer any relief to the PTI and its leadership before his retirement. This largely depends on the support he receives from other judges, especially regarding cases that may unsettle "powerful circles." Although Justice Bandial couldn't rescue PTI leadership during their toughest times, he has managed to sustain hope for their supporters in several critical matters over the past year.

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Govt faces IMF delay over bill crisis

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday did not immediately approve Pakistan’s request for recovering August’s electricity bills over a period of six months amid raging protests in many parts of the country that continued for the fifth day running against back-breaking bills. Adding more vigour to the protests, the traders’ community also joined the protests on Tuesday, putting further pressure on the government. Read Nationwide protests erupt against inflated electricity bills In a high-level meeting, the global lender sought time to review Pakistan’s request for making six installments of August’s electricity bills, which have forced the consumers to stage protests across various cities. Hours before the meeting with the IMF, the federal cabinet linked its approval to recover the bills for the month of August from October 2023 to March 2024 with the prior approval of the IMF. However, monthly tranches would not lessen the people's burden as they would be forced to pay their regular bills along with the installments of the bills for the month of August. The Power Division had proposed recovering the bills in three monthly installments and to compensate power distribution companies by taking loans from commercial banks. The cabinet did not approve the request due to incomplete work and lack of endorsement by the IMF, according to the sources. They said that the Power Division did not have the requisite numbers about the financial impact of the proposal to recover the bills for the month of August in six months. The division proposed that the electricity bills of the consumers having monthly consumption of up to 400 units should be recovered in installments. There were 31.4 million or 81% of the total consumers that fall within the consumption level of 400 units. It was revealed in the meeting that the Power Division had passed two months’ increases in the monthly bills of August, which resulted in effectively up to Rs16 per unit increase for some categories of the consumers. The cabinet of former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif had approved increasing the electricity prices over Rs8 per unit on July 31 but with effect from July 1. As a result, the power distribution companies not only increased the prices for August but also recovered arrears for the month of July, they added. The average per unit increase was Rs5.45. There was a consensus in the cabinet meeting that the bills should be received in six monthly installments but the final decision was postponed due to its financial impact, a cabinet minister told The Express Tribune. The finance ministry informed the cabinet that it would need the IMF’s prior endorsement before the cabinet makes any decision about recovering these bills in installments. After that Pakistani authorities held a meeting with the IMF with a request to allow the government to make six monthly installments of these bills. Pakistan proposed that the bills would be recovered from October 2023 to March 2024. The IMF sought time to review the financial impact of the proposal on the circular debt, budgeted power subsidies and the overall primary budget surplus target of 0.4% of GDP. Pakistani authorities assured the IMF that they would abide by the agreement approved by the IMF board in July and this would be temporary relief having no major financial impact. The IMF was assured that the power subsidies would not cross from the annual level of Rs976 billion. The interim government created a storm in the tea cup by calling an emergency meeting on Sunday but could not reach a conclusion. Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar chaired the second meeting on Monday but again he could not make a decision. It was for the third time when the matter was discussed on Tuesday but left until the final approval by the IMF. Under the IMF programme, Pakistan has committed to increase electricity prices on account of annual revision. As a result, the maximum per unit price for domestic consumers is now Rs51 per unit, while for industrial and commercial consumers, it is Rs47 per unit. The government has also planned to increase prices by Rs4.37 per unit on account of last fiscal year’s quarterly tariff adjustment. Read more Power tariffs raised under IMF deal: PM The sources said that Pakistan had informed the IMF that there would not be any blockage in payments to power producers despite recovering the bills in six tranches. The shortfalls in the power distribution companies’ revenues would be offset by taking commercial loans. The interest on the commercial loans would either be picked by improving recoveries or paying from the budgeted subsidies. A cabinet member claimed that the financial impact of dividing the bills over six months would be less than Rs10 billion. An official who attended the IMF meeting said that the fund team had concerns that the Power Division might not be able to achieve what it was claiming at this stage. The Power Division has a history of missing its targets agreed with the IMF. Read also Govt falls short of giving power relief The power sector-related goals are already overambitious and the government has made the first revision in the quarterly circular debt reduction targets agreed with the IMF. Against an earlier plan of reduction of Rs155 billion in circular debt by September this year, the Power Division has now estimated an increase of Rs292 billion in the first quarter, they said. The sources said that against a month-old projection of Rs386 billion rise in the circular debt by March 2024, it was estimated that the flow could now increase by Rs545 billion even before making the installments of the bills, a deviation of around 41% in a month.

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Amid economic meltdown, Kakar plans trip to Saudi Arabia

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar will travel to Saudi Arabia next month. His inaugural visit to the oil-rich kingdom aims to focus on a plan to revive Pakistan's ailing economy through foreign investment. Sources at the Foreign Office informed The Express Tribune on Tuesday that the prime minister will undertake foreign visits to three countries, including Kenya, Saudi Arabia, and the United States. His initial destination will be Kenya, from where he is expected to proceed to Saudi Arabia. During the visit, the PM will meet with Saudi leadership, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Insiders familiar with the matter stated that the objective of his visit will be to advance a military-led initiative—the Special Investment Facilitations Council (SIFC)—designed to reinvigorate the country's economy through investment from Gulf countries. The SIFC was established during the waning days of the PML-N-led coalition government as part of a plan conceived by the army to attract investment from abroad. The council's purpose is to address Pakistan's long-term economic challenges, reducing the need for international financial institutions' bailouts and moving away from dependency. Read also: Social order cannot be compromised for rule of law: Kakar Saudi Arabia has been identified as a pivotal player for the success of the plan. Riyadh has expressed interest in acquiring stakes in the Reko Diq mines. Additionally, the project to establish a $12 billion oil refinery in Gwadar is also part of the strategy. The announcement for setting up the oil refinery was initially made in February 2019 during Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to Pakistan. However, due to disagreements between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on certain issues, no progress was achieved. Renewed interest in the project emerged after the change of government and the recent efforts to attract foreign investment. Following his visit to Saudi Arabia, the interim prime minister will travel to the US. There, he will address the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York in September. Despite the caretaker prime minister's limited mandate, the Foreign Office has recommended his attendance at the UNGA's annual session in New York. The caretaker PM aims to present Pakistan's perspective on key regional and international issues. Insiders indicated that the rationale behind Kakar's UNGA address stems from the fact that it is an important international event, and Pakistan should not diminish its participation solely due to the absence of an elected government in Islamabad.

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Thal Express narrowly escapes accident

Thal Express, en route from Rawalpindi to Multan, narrowly escaped an accident after its coaches were derailed near Mianwali Railway Station. Fortunately, none of the bogies of the train overturned nor was any passenger injured. The video captured by passengers suggested that the coaches derailed due to dislodgement of fishplates. The commuters, in a state of fear, disembarked the train whereas the railway authorities reached the site of accident. Read also: Train crash victims laid to rest One of the major reasons of train accidents is the dilapidated condition of railway tracks across the country. In August, 35 people were killed after eight coaches of Hazara Express train en route from Karachi to Rawalpindi derailed near the Sarhari Railway Station in Nawabshah district. In June 2021 two trains collided near Daharki in Sindh, killing at least 65 people and injuring about 150 others. At least 75 passengers burnt to death in a fire aboard the Tezgam Express in October 2019, while a two-train collision at Ghotki killed more than 100 people in 2005.

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Anti-polio campaign set to commence on Sept 4

In the wake of the reports of an environmental sample testing positive for the poliovirus in the garrison city, a week-long anti-polio drive is set to commence in the high-risk areas of the district on September 4 to cover more than 741,579 children under five years of age. Health experts have expressed concern over the continuous increase in the number of people suffering from disabilities due to non-vaccination of polio vaccine and urged to focus more on the awareness campaign against polio as per World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines. Sources in the District Health Authority (DHA) told The Express Tribune that even though not a single case of poliovirus was reported in the district, the environmental sample tested positive for the crippling virus which is an alarming situation for the health administrators. “Therefore, an anti-polio campaign is being started immediately and environmental samples will continue to be taken in the future as well,” the sources said. DHA CEO Dr Ejaz Ahmed said 2,770 teams including 2,430 mobile teams, 568 area in-charges, 261 fixed points and 156 Union Council medical officers would visit four towns of the district including Rawalpindi city, Cantonment, Rawalpindi rural and Taxila which had been declared high-risk areas. He added that drops would also be administered at 109 transit points while teams would be deputed at toll plazas so that no child could miss immunisation. The CEO said the purpose for launching the special drive was the presence of continuous detection of the poliovirus in environmental samples collected from the area of Sarae Kala, Taxila and Safdarabad, Rawalpindi. The positive sample in Rawalpindi indicates that the virus was circulating in the region, adding that “If a single case is reported in a region, it remains a threat to children residing in 200 houses in the vicinity.”   Published in The Express Tribune, August 29th, 2023.

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Legal snags hit PTI chief’s release prospects

The prospect of PTI Chairman Imran Khan's immediate release from Attock Jail, should his sentence in the Toshakhana (gift repository) reference be suspended, appears to be increasingly unlikely. Imran Khan, the former premier, is now embroiled in a more intricate legal situation due to his involvement in the "cypher" case, an official classified document, and an audio leaks case, all falling under the purview of the Official Secrets Act. The predicament dictates that Imran Khan must seek bails in both these cases through legal proceedings within the court system. This development complicates his situation further. During a public gathering last year, Imran Khan drew attention to a diplomatic cable, which he alleged to be the "cypher." In his claim, he pointed towards a supposed "foreign conspiracy" aimed at removing him from power. This assertion followed his ousting from office in April, facilitated by a vote of no-confidence. However, the diplomatic cable reportedly went missing from Imran's possession, casting shadows of uncertainty. On August 5, following a trial court's verdict that found him guilty of falsifying asset declarations to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Imran Khan was arrested and confined to Attock Jail. This judicial decision also led to his disqualification for a five-year term, seemingly dimming his prospects for participation in the elections slated for November this year. Naeem Haider Panjutha, the senior counsel of Imran Khan's legal team, emphasized the significance of Article 10/1 of the Constitution, which mandates that individuals detained in any case must be promptly informed of their arrest and presented before the court within 24 hours. Panjutha underscored that neither Imran Khan nor his legal team had been notified about his arrest in the cypher case. In September 2022, an audio clip surfaced on social media, purportedly featuring a conversation between Imran Khan and his then-principal secretary, Azam Khan, regarding the diplomatic cypher. In the audio, Imran Khan was heard allegedly saying, "We have to play with this. Don't take America's name, just play with this." A voice attributed to Azam Khan advised convening a meeting on the subject first. Azam reportedly responded, "See, if you recall, in that [cypher] the ambassador has written in the end to [send a] demarche." The Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) Counter-Terrorism Wing (CTW) subsequently filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, another party leader. The FIR was registered under the Official Secrets Act and pertained to the missing cypher and audio leaks, prompted by a complaint from a former interior secretary following an inquiry. According to the FIR, the roles of Imran's former principal secretary, Azam Khan, and ex-planning minister Asad Umar will be determined during the investigation. The FIR alleged that Imran, Qureshi, and their associates participated in disseminating information from a classified document – a cypher telegram received from Washington – to unauthorized individuals, compromising state security interests. While Qureshi is presently under arrest and undergoing interrogation by the FIA, the CTW conducted two investigative sessions with Imran Khan within Attock Jail. During these sessions, Imran Khan provided his statement concerning the missing cypher and the audio leak. A senior FIA official, speaking to The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity, clarified that Imran Khan's investigation under the Official Secrets Act had already triggered his arrest order. The official asserted that Imran's release from Attock Jail would be contingent not only on the suspension of his Toshakhana case sentence but also on obtaining bail in the cypher case. This condition would hold true even if pleas challenging the cancellation of his bail in May 9 cases were accepted.

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Legal snags hit PTI chief’s release prospects

The prospect of PTI Chairman Imran Khan's immediate release from Attock Jail, should his sentence in the Toshakhana (gift repository) reference be suspended, appears to be increasingly unlikely. Imran Khan, the former premier, is now embroiled in a more intricate legal situation due to his involvement in the "cypher" case, an official classified document, and an audio leaks case, all falling under the purview of the Official Secrets Act. The predicament dictates that Imran Khan must seek bails in both these cases through legal proceedings within the court system. This development complicates his situation further. During a public gathering last year, Imran Khan drew attention to a diplomatic cable, which he alleged to be the "cypher." In his claim, he pointed towards a supposed "foreign conspiracy" aimed at removing him from power. This assertion followed his ousting from office in April, facilitated by a vote of no-confidence. However, the diplomatic cable reportedly went missing from Imran's possession, casting shadows of uncertainty. On August 5, following a trial court's verdict that found him guilty of falsifying asset declarations to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Imran Khan was arrested and confined to Attock Jail. This judicial decision also led to his disqualification for a five-year term, seemingly dimming his prospects for participation in the elections slated for November this year. Naeem Haider Panjutha, the senior counsel of Imran Khan's legal team, emphasized the significance of Article 10/1 of the Constitution, which mandates that individuals detained in any case must be promptly informed of their arrest and presented before the court within 24 hours. Panjutha underscored that neither Imran Khan nor his legal team had been notified about his arrest in the cypher case. In September 2022, an audio clip surfaced on social media, purportedly featuring a conversation between Imran Khan and his then-principal secretary, Azam Khan, regarding the diplomatic cypher. In the audio, Imran Khan was heard allegedly saying, "We have to play with this. Don't take America's name, just play with this." A voice attributed to Azam Khan advised convening a meeting on the subject first. Azam reportedly responded, "See, if you recall, in that [cypher] the ambassador has written in the end to [send a] demarche." The Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) Counter-Terrorism Wing (CTW) subsequently filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, another party leader. The FIR was registered under the Official Secrets Act and pertained to the missing cypher and audio leaks, prompted by a complaint from a former interior secretary following an inquiry. According to the FIR, the roles of Imran's former principal secretary, Azam Khan, and ex-planning minister Asad Umar will be determined during the investigation. The FIR alleged that Imran, Qureshi, and their associates participated in disseminating information from a classified document – a cypher telegram received from Washington – to unauthorized individuals, compromising state security interests. While Qureshi is presently under arrest and undergoing interrogation by the FIA, the CTW conducted two investigative sessions with Imran Khan within Attock Jail. During these sessions, Imran Khan provided his statement concerning the missing cypher and the audio leak. A senior FIA official, speaking to The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity, clarified that Imran Khan's investigation under the Official Secrets Act had already triggered his arrest order. The official asserted that Imran's release from Attock Jail would be contingent not only on the suspension of his Toshakhana case sentence but also on obtaining bail in the cypher case. This condition would hold true even if pleas challenging the cancellation of his bail in May 9 cases were accepted.

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Pakistan, China hold joint air drill

A joint air combat exercise involving long-time ally China began on Monday. Ground and air forces from the two sides are "focusing on organizing joint training in typical combat scenarios such as joint air defence, joint countermeasures, and joint seizure and control," said a Chinese Defense Ministry statement. The ministry said that two sides will use fighters, early warning aircraft and several other types of planes, as well as ground-to-air missiles and radar and signal troops during the exercise being held in China. Chinese naval aviation units will also be involved in the training, it added. Read also: China says bond with Pakistan strong The two countries first held such exercises in 2011. China represents Pakistan's largest defence partner, followed by the US. Earlier, the Chinese Defense Ministry said it will begin joint military drills with Singapore this week. The Cooperation-2023 joint military exercises will be held from late August until mid-September, it said. Troops will participate in sniping combat, close-quarters combat, rappelling and hostage rescue, it added.

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Pakistan to host meeting on safety and security of UN peacekeepers

Pakistan this week is hosting a two-day meeting on the safety and security of UN peacekeepers, laying the groundwork for a larger meeting on UN peacekeeping missions later this year. The two-day meeting in Islamabad will be co-hosted by Japan starting Wednesday at the Centre for International Peace and Stability, Pakistan’s premier training institute offering courses, workshops, and seminars to UN peacekeepers from all over the world, said a Foreign Ministry statement on Monday. Caretaker foreign and defence ministers of Pakistan will speak at the meeting, apart from members representing the 156-nation UN Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations. Senior UN Secretariat officials will also be present, including the under-secretary-general for peacekeeping operations, the under-secretary-general for operational support, and the UN police advisor. "Panel discussions will be held during the two-day meeting on various sub-themes to deliberate on capacity-building needs; safety and security of UN peacekeepers from the perspective of international law; enhancing the medical capacity of UN peacekeeping missions; and leveraging technology and strategic communication," the statement said. Read also: UN honours eight fallen Pakistani peacekeepers There will also be an expert talk on the threats posed by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and a briefing on the system of pledging. Pakistan is one of the world's largest UN troop contributors, having provided over 230,000 peacekeepers to 46 UN peacekeeping missions on almost every continent since 1960. Some 172 Pakistani peacekeepers have been killed while serving in UN peacekeeping missions in various parts of the world. The ministerial meeting set to be held in Ghana in December, for which this week’s event is preparatory, is the seminal high-level event for UN peacekeeping, held every two years with the participation of the foreign and defence ministers of the member states. This week’s meeting hosted in Islamabad is one of four preparatory meetings with a focus on specific areas to facilitate concrete outcomes for improving UN peacekeeping operations.

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50 college lecturers ‘buy postings’

The Punjab Higher Education Department (HED) has unearthed a scandal involving its employees receiving millions of rupees in bribe for transferring college teachers. In initial findings, around 50 college teachers who had been given transfer orders for their favourite places after paying bribe to three employees have been identified. The department issued a list of the teachers involved in the scam and written a letter to the Punjab anti-corruption wing to initiate legal action against the employees responsible. According to sources, HED Section Officers Muddasir Hussain and Khurram Warraich along with former SO Faiza Anwar are suspected of issuing illegal transfer orders. The teachers were recruited in pay scale 17 and later illegally transferred to their favourite places allegedly after paying the three employees. The list issued by the HED showed that the majority of those who had sought transfer through illegal means were female teachers. A senior official of the Punjab HED said it had been disclosed that the three section officers were involved in ordering illegal postings of the teachers without approval of the relevant departmental authority and they had allegedly earned millions of rupees. The lecturers recruited through the Punjab Public Service Commission for various subjects, including Urdu, mathematics, library science, journalism, Islamiyat, geography, chemistry and physics, had allegedly contacted the officials and obtained their favourite postings. The official said the department had issued the list of around 50 college lecturers involved in the malpractice. The department has also written a letter to the anti-corruption department, calling for an investigation into the matter and sharing the findings. The official said the employees involved in corruption would face legal proceedings in view of the investigation, while departmental action under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (PEEDA) Act would be taken against the lecturers who had used illegal means for postings.He said he departmental investigation was also continuing and might point to more employees linked to the mafia and reveal more illegal posting and transfer orders. He said the department had decided to strict action over the issue. However, the official said the involvement of a senior officer could not be ruled out in the issuance of such a big number of illegal orders. On the other hand, the disclosure by the department caused anxiety among college teachers with many of them fearing the cancellation of their positing orders. “The HED authorities had created an environment in which lecturers were forced to contact the officials for positing. When the officials were free to issue the posting orders but now the names of lecturers have been publicised,” commented a college lecturer seeking anonymity. Punjab Professors and Lecturers Association (PPLA) president Tariq Kaleem said the organisation had earlier demanded that the system of transfers should be made transparent in consultation with the teachers. He said all the stakeholders, including lecturers, professors and the HED, should jointly develop a transparent transfer policy so that corruption should be curbed. Published in The Express Tribune, August 28th, 2023.

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13 new dengue cases surface in Rawalpindi

At least 13 more patients were diagnosed with dengue virus in the last 24 hours as the series of mosquito bites and the arrival of patients with complaints of high fever in hospitals across the garrison city continued on the weekend. District Coordinator Epidemics Prevention and Control Dr Sajjad Mehmood, said the Rawalpindi administration registered as many as 1,802 FIRs on violations of anti-dengue SOPs from January 1 to date in various areas of the district. Giving details of the punitive actions, he said that the district administration, in collaboration with allied departments, had sealed 438 premises, issued tickets to 646 and a fine of Rs31,33,000 was imposed on violations of dengue SOPs in 2023. Dr Sajjad informed that around 150 confirmed cases had been reported in the district this year, while the number was 310 in 2022, and four in 2021 during the period. Read Dengue spreads to 10 districts The health officer further stated that presently, 47 patients were admitted to the city’s allied hospitals out of which 27 were confirmed cases. He added that no patient had died so far while 111 patients had been discharged from public health facilities after treatment. During the last 24 hours, he said, 13 more cases were reported while 63 FIRs registered, 18 tickets issued, and 28 premises were sealed.   Published in The Express Tribune, August 28th, 2023.

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PIA seeks Rs23b bailout from govt

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has sought yet another bailout package worth Rs23 billion from the government to remain afloat – a demand that the interim set-up has not accepted yet and instead asked the national carrier’s management to prepare a viable restructuring plan. The PIA management met with caretaker Finance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar this week and sought financing of Rs23 billion, according to people familiar with the discussions. However, they added that the airline could not immediately win the bailout package. The PIA is the country’s highest public sector loss-making entity and successive governments have been doling out money from the budget to keep it afloat. Yet, there is no plan to install a professional management and the affairs of the PIA are handed over to air force officers, who do not have experience in running commercial airlines. The PIA management informed the caretaker finance minister in the meeting that there was a financing gap of Rs23 billion. However, the finance ministry asked it to arrange Rs13 billion funds from the banks against the available space of annual sovereign guarantees limit. In the last fiscal year, the government had increased the limit of the sovereign guarantees to over Rs263 billion for taking more loans to maintain a steady position. In case, the PIA fails to service its debt, the banks have the option of cashing these sovereign guarantees. Read also: The PIA riddle The ministry further told the national carrier that the rest of the Rs10 billion should also be arranged from the banks. The PIA sought the finance minister’s intervention to acquire loans from the banks, as its balance sheet did not support more borrowings. During the first three months of this year, there was a phenomenal increase of 170% in the PIA’s quarterly losses that jumped to Rs36.8 billion, according to its balance sheet. The airlines’ cumulative losses have increased to Rs686.7 billion. Its current liabilities are Rs369 billion higher than its assets. The finance minister instructed the airline to present a restructuring and privatisation plan to the federal cabinet. The previous government had amended the PIA Act towards its fag end aimed at allowing the sale of its majority shares and transfer of management control to private buyers. In 2016, parliament placed restrictions on the sale of more than 49% shares and management transfer -- a move that blocked the PIA’s privatisation process. Sources said the finance minister asked the airline to prepare a viable business plan, which should also reflect the management’s own efforts instead of just relying on the federal government’s handouts. Read: PIA may suffer Rs112b loss this year: CEO According to the PIA’s board of directors, the future operations of the airline are dependent on the support of the government because of its worsening financial conditions. In the last fiscal year, the PIA demanded Rs22 billion and received Rs15 billion for the payment of the interest cost on the legacy portfolio. Last month, the finance ministry also facilitated Rs4 billion to bridge financing for the settlement of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) dues. The ministry will pay this sum in the fourth quarter of this fiscal year. The aviation ministry also demanded the earlier continuation of the five-year government facility to pick the interest cost that ended on June 30. The 2013-18 PML-N government made the mistake of amending the PIA law to stop the sale of its majority shares that would transfer management control – a political decision that cost the taxpayers Rs100 billion alone between 2018-23. The PIA’s losses multiplied during this period and reached Rs633 billion in September 2022. In April 2021, the PTI government approved splitting the national carrier into two companies: The first was the “good” PIA with only Rs137 billion in liabilities along with its core assets. The other one was the “bad” PIA, which had liabilities worth Rs457 billion and retained the ownership of its non-core assets. However, this plan was never implemented. Since 2017, at least three PIA restructuring exercises have been carried out but in the absence of a viable business plan, the national carrier has been incurring heavy losses.

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Pakistani doctor jailed in US for trying to aid Da'ish

A 31-year-old Pakistani doctor, living in the US, was sentenced to 18 years in jail followed by five years of supervised release for attempting to provide material support to global terrorist organisation Da’ish. According to the US media, Dr Muhammad Masood, who worked at a research clinic in Rochester and arrested at an airport in March 2020, was convicted by a court in the state of Minnesota. Dr Masood pleaded guilty on August 16, 2022 to attempting to provide material support to Da’ish. A US Justice Department press release read that Dr Masood made multiple statements about his desire to join Da’ish. He also pledged his allegiance to the terrorist outfit and its leader. The doctor expressed his desire to conduct “lone wolf” terrorist attacks in the US. Giving details, the press release stated that on February 21, 2020, Dr Masood bought a plane ticket from Chicago, Illinois, to Amman, Jordan, and from there planned to travel to Syria. Read also: Over 12,000 Pakistanis in jails abroad, NA told On March 16, 2020, Dr Masood’s travel plans changed because Jordan closed its borders to incoming travel due to the coronavirus pandemic. Dr Masood then agreed to fly from Minneapolis to Los Angeles to meet up with an individual, who he believed would assist him with travel via cargo ship to deliver him to Da’ish territory. On March 19, 2020, Dr Masood travelled from Rochester to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to board a flight bound for Los Angeles, California. Upon arrival at the airport, Dr Masood checked in for his flight and was subsequently arrested. Dr Masood had left for the US from Pakistan on an H-1B visa -- given to experts in their fields from across the world.

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Hydroponics: a path to prosperity for farmers

In a promising development, hydroponics, a sophisticated technique for cultivating vegetables and fruits without soil, is gaining traction in Pakistan as a potential avenue to bolster foreign exchange reserves. This innovative method, championed by a known teacher, Dr Nazar Farid of the Department of Horticulture at Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture (MNSUA), holds immense promise due to its nutritional value, aesthetic appeal and popularity in European markets. Farid, a leading proponent of hydroponics, explains that this technique involves vertically growing crops in a water-based, nutrient-rich solution. Unlike traditional farming, hydroponics doesn’t rely on soil, instead, plants’ root systems are supported using inert mediums such as coco coir, perlite or clay pellets. Read Hydroponics technology to ensure food security The results are striking: tomatoes grown in MNSUA’s two-kanal hydroponic area exhibit not only superior nutritional content but also captivating aesthetics. While the upfront costs of hydroponics are considerable, involving investments in both infrastructure and operations, Farid emphasised its long-term benefits. Each plant receives precisely calculated nutritional inputs, tailoured to its growth stage, fostering healthy and efficient development. The use of clean irrigation water, facilitated by a reverse osmosis (RO) plant at MNSUA, further underscores the technique’s advantages. In terms of profitability, Farid acknowledged the challenge of identifying specific markets for these premium crops. However, he highlighted the ready demand for hydroponically cultivated high-value crops in Europe and other international markets. “Consumers are willing to pay a premium for vegetables and fruits that offer both exceptional nutrition and visual appeal.” Published in The Express Tribune, August 27th, 2023. Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.

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Young lady doctor ‘shot at by father’

A man was booked on charges of armed attack on his own daughter. The victim, Dr Sidra Niazi, who worked at the Maternal and Child Centre in Muslim Bazaar, was allegedly shot at by her father. The FIR was filed on the complaint of Dr Niazi’s brother. She is in a critical condition. The first bullet hit her in the foot while the second bullet went through her head. She was referred from the DHQ Hospital Mianwali to the DHQ Hospital Rawalpindi where she is on a ventilator. Sources said that Dr Sidra Niazi’s only fault was that she had made a request to her father to allow her to marry an educated man, perhaps a doctor, with whom she could have some mental compatibility. Her father, however, believed it to be his right to choose the match for her daughter. Sidra, nevertheless, stood her ground and tried to convince her father but in vain. On the other hand, her father couldn’t tolerate his daughter’s disobedience. Dr Sidra Niazi often shared her dilemma with her friends, telling them she couldn’t marry her cousin. Her friends even advised her to leave her home and go somewhere beyond the reach of her father. Dr Sidra Niazi didn’t want to embarrass her father to live with the stigma of being one whose daughter had run away. Besides, she didn’t want to be remembered by people of being someone whose character was questionable. Meanwhile, the tussle between the father and the daughter lingered on, and on the fateful day Sidra got shot twice allegedly by her father after they had had a heated argument. The father of Dr Sidra allegedly first shot her in the leg and then in the head and told her brother to take her away. Published in The Express Tribune, August 27th, 2023.

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CAA team in Brussels for airline revival talks

A team from the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has reached Brussels, the capital of Belgium, to facilitate the restoration of flights for the country's airlines to European destinations. The team's main objective is to engage with authorities there regarding technical discussions and issues concerning the European Commission (EC). Sources indicate that the CAA delegation plans to meet officials from the European Commission to discuss the revival of air passenger carriers in Pakistan, including the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). They will apprise EC and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) representatives about Pakistan's efforts to enhance flight safety and pilot license examinations. The team includes the CAA's Deputy Director General and Airworthiness Director. The EASA has already given its clearance to PIA following a remote audit, which marks significant progress towards resuming the national carrier's flights to European destinations. This remote audit by EASA took place a few months ago. An on-site audit by EASA is scheduled for September, during which both PIA and CAA will undergo a physical inspection. Read European agency clears PIA in remote audit The successful conclusion of these audits is expected to lead to the restoration of PIA's flights to Europe, a development that would be highly advantageous for the airline. PIA faced a ban on its flights to European countries since June 2020. The ban was imposed in the aftermath of the PK-8303 flight crash in Karachi on May 22, 2020, and revelations by the then Aviation Minister, Ghulam Sarwar Khan, regarding the grounding of 262 airline pilots suspected of fraudulent exam practices. The previous government took prompt action to amend aviation laws under pressure from the EU. These amendments included the Pakistan Civil Aviation Act, 2023, and the Pakistan Airports Authority Act, 2023. These changes aimed to rectify past shortcomings that had led to the suspension of flight operations to Europe and other destinations in the wake of the 2020 fake pilot license scandal. Insiders disclosed that the swift passage of the aviation bills through the National Assembly was influenced by the EU's desire to reinstate flight operations between Pakistan and various international destinations, including Europe, the UK, and the US. The legislative adjustments were designed to align with international standards and regain the trust of international aviation authorities.

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Bahawalpur in ‘grave danger’ from Sutlej’s flow

The roaring floodwater of Sutlej River has entered Bahawalpur in Punjab as devastation on a massive scale is being feared in the district. At present, a deluge of 143,000 cusecs of floodwater is passing at Islam Headworks and expected to strike Bahawalpur in the next 24 hours. A raging torrent of 70,000 cusecs of floodwater is already gushing through under the Bahawalpur Empress Bridge at the time. It has caused significant damage to standing crops spread over thousands of acres and several residents living along the river’s banks have been rendered homeless after their houses were washed away. A major disaster is being feared when the floodwater at Islam Headworks reaches Bahawalpur as the district administration’s measures to avert the devastation are negligible. It has taken no steps to strengthen the small protective dams. Almost no arrangements have been made to house the people who will be displaced by the flood. Many areas of Bahawalpur city are also under severe threat. Public circles have demanded that the district administration should take immediate steps to secure the urban and rural areas of Bahawalpur. In a related development, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Punjab has issued a statement that there was a high-level flood at Sutlej River’s Islam Headworks. It quoted the PDMA spokesperson as saying that the water inflow at Islam Headworks was 136,861 cusecs and outflow stood at 135,761 cusecs. Read Sutlej flooding renders thousands homeless in Vehari The spokesperson added that there was a moderate flood at Sulemanki Headworks and Ganda Singh Wala points of the river. The statement quoted the PDMA spokesperson as saying that the water level in Indus River was increasing, causing a low-level flood at Tarbela, Kalabagh, and Chashma. He continued that the water flow in Chenab, Ravi, and Jhelum rivers was normal. According to the statement, PDMA Director General Imran Qureshi said the flow of water in all rivers, bridges, dams and canals in Punjab was being continuously monitored. He added that the situation was being monitored from the PDMA control room. He asked citizens to avoid bathing and recreational activities in urban rivers and canals. However, in another statement issued later, the PDMA spokesperson said the water level at Sutlej River’s Ganda Singh Wala point was rising again and there was high-level flood there. He added that the flow of water at Ganda Singh Wala had reached 122,000 cusecs and was continuing to increase. The spokesperson feared that India might release more water into Sutlej River because of more rains. He said the PDMA director general had instructed the administrations concerned to remain alert. The PDMA director general has issued directives to ensure the implementation of Section 144 along the river banks.

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HRCP says Muslim leaders complicit in Jaranwala attacks

A fact-finding mission to Jaranwala found local Muslim religious leaders complicit in attacks on churches and houses of the Christian community earlier this month, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said on Friday. The HRCP said in a statement that at least 24 churches and several dozen smaller chapels as well as scores of houses in Jaranwala were torched and looted in a series of mob attacks on Aug 16. The HRCP sent a fact-finding mission to Jaranwala following the attacks against the local Christian community after allegations of blasphemy against a Christian man and subsequent calls for action by the Muslims from mosque loudspeakers. Thousands of men gathered in the town and proceeded to attack Christian churches and homes. Several churches were vandalised and torched in the melee in the town of Jaranwala in Faisalabad district. The HRCP mission comprised its Chairperson, Hina Jilani; Centre for Social Justice Executive Director Peter Jacob, Women’s Action Forum Member Neelam Hussain and historian and rights activist Dr Yaqoob Bangash. According to the HRCP statement, the mission did not rule out the suspicion that it was not a spontaneous or random crowd that led the attacks, but part of a larger campaign of hatred against the local Christians. Read ‘CTD arrests both main accused in Jaranwala rampage’ The mission recognised the operational difficulties facing the police in a small town with meagre administrative and law-enforcement resources to deal with a situation of widespread violence. However, the statement added that there were concerns with respect to the timeline of the response, as well as weaknesses in the strategy employed to restrain the crowd. The HRCP statement stressed the need for devising policies and strategies to deal with organised extremist groups, especially with regard to enforcement of law and order, so that such groups could not undermine the writ of the state. The mission urged the Punjab government to take measures to implement the recommendations of the judicial inquiry held after the communal riots in Gojra in 2009, calling for stern action against any instances of hate speech. “The government needs to take urgent measures to compensate the victim community and rebuild the Christian neighbourhoods damaged in Jaranwala,” the mission recommended. “The directive of the 2014 Supreme Court judgment calling for a separate police force to be created to protect religious minorities’ places of worship must be implemented urgently,” it added.

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‘Saudi Arabia working on increasing direct flights to Pakistan’

Fahd Hamidaddin, MD of Nusuk, a platform that streamlines the Hajj or Umrah itinerary planning process, has stated that Saudi Arabia is working on increasing direct flights to Pakistan in partnership with new airlines and the aviation authorities. “At the Nusuk roadshow, we are trying to showcase the ease and accessibility of visiting Saudi for Umrah with this portal,” Hamidaddin said in a statement. “We have brought ease into the Saudi visa process, and are working on increasing direct flight capacity in partnership with new airlines and the aviation authorities,” he added. Hamidaddin said that they were looking forward to welcome Pakistani brothers and sisters to Saudi Arabia very soon. He said that the experience in Nusuk has become like no other. “This experience is easier on accessibility ... from visas to air connectivity. We have announced new airlines and we have signed an agreement with civil aviation in Pakistan to increase the number of direct flights.” Read more: Pakistan, S Arabia to expand flight operations Earlier this week, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed an Air Services Agreement (ASA) with the aim of increasing the number of flights between the two nations. The development came during the four-day visit of Saudi Hajj Minister Dr Tawfiq Al-Rabiah to Pakistan. During a joint news conference in the capital city, Al-Rabiah highlighted the importance of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) that was signed. He noted that this agreement would result in a higher number of flights connecting Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, ultimately leading to reduced travel costs for passengers. The delegation's discussions with Pakistan's Minister of Religious Affairs focused on improving facilities and addressing challenges to provide optimal experiences for Pakistani visitors. Al-Rabiah mentioned that Saudi Arabia expects a greater number of Pakistani visitors this year, building upon the substantial inflow from the previous year. Al-Rabiah also shared Saudi Arabia's efforts to enhance the pilgrimage experience, citing the opening of eight historical sites in Madinah and plans to open approximately 100 more sites in Makkah and Madinah soon. He emphasised that the Saudi government seeks to enhance pilgrim services by encouraging competition among companies, thereby improving services and reducing costs. Caretaker Minister Aneeq expressed gratitude for the restoration of Pakistan's pre-pandemic Hajj quota and requested an increase in the quota to accommodate Pakistan's increased population as per the recent census. He also urged the expansion of the Makkah Route Initiative in Pakistan, which streamlines Hajj-related procedures for departure. Additionally, Pakistan has requested a fingerprinting exemption for pilgrims above the age of 65 due to difficulties in fingerprint recognition, especially for senior citizens. The visit marked further cooperation and collaboration between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in facilitating pilgrimage and strengthening bilateral ties. This partnership highlights the mutual commitment to enhancing the experience of pilgrims and fostering amicable relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The Air Services Agreement and discussions surrounding various initiatives underscore the ongoing efforts to streamline procedures and ensure the well-being of the pilgrims.

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Nine injured in Karachi sewer gas blast

Nine people were injured when gas accumulated in a sewerage line exploded in the Lasbela area on Friday afternoon. Three among the injured were in critical condition. The intensity of the explosion was so intense that cars and motorcycles parked on the sewerage line flew up in the air like toys. A pickup flew in the air and fell on an expensive car parked next to it. Both the vehicles were damaged. Stalls of shops encroached on the sewerage line fell in the gutter as the roof of the nullah collapsed. The sound of explosion was heard a kilometre away, rattling the windows and leaving people in panic over fear of a terrorist attack. Rangers and police rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area, while the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) team started investigations into the nature of the blast. BDS later confirmed that there was no explosive material used and it was not an act of terrorism or sabotage. Meanwhile, ambulances of the rescue services hauled the injured people to the Dr Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital, where condition of three persons was said to be critical with third degree burn injuries. Read more: Three injured in Karachi's sewerage line explosion Traffic police blocked one side of the road to facilitate the rescue operations. There was a huge traffic jam in the area as the Lasbela road connecting the South to Central district was closed due to explosion. A K-Electric team immediately reached the spot and disconnected the light so that there was no further loss of life while the pole-mounted transformer was also partially damaged. Traffic police closed a road for traffic for rescue so that there is no problem in the operation. The eyewitness said that one person is missing from the scene for which the operation was intensified, but none was found. The shopkeepers say that the sewer line is 500 metres long. Earlier, there were holes made in it to allow the gas to escape, but the shopkeepers expanded the shops over the sewerage due to which there was no way for the gas to release and today there was an explosion and they have suffered a loss. The shopkeepers were in despair, worried about who will help them recover the losses. The stalls and portions of shops destroyed in the explosion were encroachment, the local residents told The Express Tribune, adding, therefore, there was no chance of any official assistance. The injured included Naseeruddin, Arif, Usman, Khuram, Laldin, Muhammad Ejaz, Hafeez, Mansoor and one unknown person. Doctors say that three are in critical condition with burns. The closure of Lasbela road led to queues of vehicles.

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2,227 kids suffered sexual abuse in first half of 2023

A total of 2,227 children were subjected to sexual abuse in Pakistan in the first half of the ongoing year, according to a report issued on Thursday. The report, published by Sahil – a non-profit organisation working for the children’s protection – disclosed that on an average, 12 kids in the country suffered sexual violence every day from January to June of the year 2023. It revealed that 1,207 girls and 1,020 boys were subjected to sexual abuse during this period. Sahil collects its data from media reports but the number of cases of children being molested in the country might be much higher than those mentioned in its document. Last year, Sahil had reported a total of 4,253 cases of child abuse – 2,123 of them of sexual in nature. Ansar Sajjad Bhatti, the provincial coordinator of Sahil, while explaining the report said during the first six months of the current year, four incidents of child marriage were reported, while a case of abduction of a minor girl came to light. He pointed out that 22 boys and girls were subjected to sexual violence in madrassas. Similarly, he added that children were subjected to sexual abuse in hospitals, hotels, cars, clinics, colleges, factories, prisons, police stations, wedding halls, cemeteries and many other places. The Sahil official said during the six months, the highest number of cases of sexual violence against children stood at 1,648, which were reported in Punjab; followed by 314 in Sindh; 161 in Islamabad; 24 in Balochistan; and four each in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He continued that of the total incidents of child sexual abuse that took place between January and June 2023, 1,969 of them were reported at police stations. However, eight of them were not reported. Read also: Court orders arrest of teacher in child abuse case A total of 17 incidents were not reported by the police, while 233 of them were not mentioned in various newspapers with complete details. According to the report, 96 children were subjected to sexual abuse in Lahore during the first six months of the year 2023. During this period, 53 incidents of child pornography took place. The Sahil report pointed out that from January to June 2023, 963 incidents took place in which children's lives were placed in danger, 760 of them died, 265 drowned, 148 were murdered and 144 killed in accidents. Sahil has suggested that a child safety cell should be set up in every district of Punjab to prevent these incidents and provide them with free support. An awareness campaign to protect children from sexual violence should be conducted under an effective strategy. Laws should be made to protect children and further improvements should be carried out within the existing ones. It added that the implementation of the enacted laws should be ensured. Sahil suggested that effective support systems should be established for the rehabilitation of children affected by sexual violence. It added that child safety messages should be incorporated in schools’ curriculums.

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Khawaja Haris quits PTI’s legal team

Citing concerns over “disciplinary issues”, Khawaja Haris, the PTI’s ace lawyer, has parted ways with the party’s legal team, deciding not to represent its chief Imran Khan anymore in different cases against him in the courts. After the head of the PTI’s legal team quit from his position, Imran will be represented by senior lawyer Latif Khosa and others – particularly in the Toshakhana (gift repository) case to be heard by the Islamabad High Court on Friday (today). According to sources, Haris distanced himself from the PTI’s legal team after the party’s decision to adopt an aggressive policy towards IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq. Haris had advised the PTI’s legal team not to raise objections over the judge, who would hear the deposed premier’s plea against his conviction in the Toshakhana case by a lower court. Read more: PTI hires Khawaja Haris for Toshakhana case However, other members of the team, while ignoring their head, decided to raise objections over the IHC CJ hearing Imran’s petition challenging the trial court’s judgment. Haris was unhappy over the interference of other team members in his decisions made in the capacity as their head. The sources said Haris had returned the files of all the cases against the PTI chief to the party’s legal team and would not represent him in the Supreme Court or the IHC. On Tuesday, the PTI asked the IHC CJ to recuse himself from hearing the Toshakhana case against its chief and also announced that the party would file a reference against the judge while “vehemently denouncing” the court’s decision to adjourn the hearing of Imran’s plea against his conviction. In response to the IHC’s proceedings earlier in the day, the PTI Core Committee, while referring to Justice Farooq, said a person who appeared to be “influenced by bias” should neither hold the position of the chief justice, nor be entrusted with the responsibility of delivering justice. Also read: Nawaz’s former lawyer to plead Imran’s case Later in a petition moved in the SC on Wednesday, the PTI chief levelled serious allegations against Justice Farooq, accusing him of "deep and settled bias" as he requested the apex court to transfer all his cases being adjudicated in the IHC to other high courts. The PTI chief had hired the services of Haris to represent him in the Toshakhana, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law amendments and other cases in the SC, IHC, and other courts. Earlier, in his plea moved in the IHC, the PTI chief contended that he was dissatisfied with the order passed by Additional Sessions Judge Islamabad (West) Humayun Dilawar on Aug 5, wherein he was sentenced under Article 174 of the Elections Act, 2017 to three years in prison and imposed a fine of Rs100,000. The trial court also disqualified him for five years, apparently ending his prospects for taking part in the elections slated for November this year. In his petition, Imran maintained that the verdict was not sustainable and liable to be set aside. According to the trial court’s verdict, Imran committed the offense of “corrupt practices” by making and publishing false declarations in respect of assets he had acquired by way of gifts from the Toshakhana during the years 2018-2019, 2019-2020 and 2020-21.

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