Seven Pakistanis died in Libya boat wreck, says Foreign Office

At least seven Pakistani nationals died in a boat wreck off the coast of Libya earlier this week, the Foreign Office said on Thursday. Three Pakistani citizens were earlier reported to have died in the latest boat tragedy which occurred near Benghazi in Libyan waters on February 26—the same night a wooden sailboat sank off the coast of Italy’s southern Calabria region, claiming the lives of 67 migrants, including two Pakistanis. Speaking during the weekly press briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch confirmed that seven Pakistanis have so far been reported to have died in the boat accident near Benghazi. "Thus far 7 Pakistani nationals have perished in a boat wreck near Benghazi, Libya. The embassy of Pakistan in Libya is facilitating the process of identification of the bodies and transportation of the mortal remains to Pakistan with the support of local authorities and the International Committee of the Red Cross,” the spokesperson said. Also read: Hockey player Shahida Raza among victims of migrant boat tragedy “The Embassy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs are also in contact with the families of the deceased," she added. She said that the Foreign Office will not release the identities of the victims before ensuring “that we have the accurate information before we make any announcements". “We are also…trying to facilitate [the families] by providing them information about their loved ones. At some point we will be releasing the names as identified authentically with their documents and confirmed by their families," said Baloch. "These tragic incidents take place when unscrupulous individuals try to take advantage of people who may be interested in traveling abroad for livelihood. The Government of Pakistan is very cognizant of the situation and measures are being taken to address it," the spokesperson added. Thousands of refugees and migrants—many from developing regions including Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan—undertake long, dangerous journeys via Libya to Europe each year. These migrants often fall prey to human trafficking rackets, embarking on small, inflatable boats in search of a better life across the Mediterranean Sea. Also read: Italy migrant boat wreck: Two Pakistanis arrested for trafficking Lt-Col Alberto Lippolis, a police team commander in Italy's Calabria, said earlier this week a Turkish man and two Pakistani nationals had sailed the ill-fated boat from Turkey to Italy despite terrible weather. They were identified by survivors as “the main culprits of the tragedy”, Lippolis said. “According to initial investigations, they allegedly asked the migrants for about 8,000 euros ($8,485) each for the deadly journey,” he added. “All three [suspects] have been arrested,” Lippolis said. One of the Pakistanis was a minor, a judicial source said, and police were looking for a fourth suspect, who is Turkish.

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Farah Gogi challenges FIA's jurisdiction

Former first lady Bushra Bibi’s friend Farah Shahzadi, also known as Farah Gogi, on Thursday challenged the jurisdiction of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) over filing a money laundering case against her. The FIA had registered a money laundering case against Farah Gogi and her husband Ahsan Jameel Gujjar. Farah’s lawyer Azhar Siddique challenged the FIA's jurisdiction. In this regard, Siddique submitted an application to the FIA, in which it was said that the FIA did not have the authority to be involved in the matter. The Anti-Corruption Establishment already investigated the matter and cleared her name after the case was registered. Also read: Maryam holds Imran responsible for current economic fiasco The petition stated that when the inquiry was completed and the case dismissed, “under what authority is the FIA registering the case”?. Speaking to the media outside the FIA office, lawyer Siddique said that the FIA was establishing cases on political grounds. “The Anti-Corruption Establishment already closed this case. Now this case has no importance. Farah Gogi is being punished only for supporting (former prime minister) Imran Khan.” He said that Farah and her husband Jameel did not have any public position, urging the FIA to close the case registered against them.

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Rupee freefalls in interbank to 290.18 against USD

The Pakistani rupee plunged 8.29% (or Rs24.07) to a new all-time low of Rs290.18 against the US dollar in the interbank market at around noon on Thursday. The rupee continued its significant loss of value on the second consecutive day since the government reinstated the market-based exchange rate on the directive of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The currency hit a record low this morning as importers are panic buying dollars while exporters have reportedly withheld selling the greenback - waiting for a higher exchange rate. Reports in the market suggest that the IMF wants the value of the rupee in the interbank market to match its value in the black currency market. Traders, who failed to purchase dollars from the interbank market due to limited availability, reverted to the black market to meet their requirements. Accordingly, the local currency took a quick plunge in the illegal market compared to the appreciation it had witnessed in the interbank market over the past few days and weeks. Read Rupee dives 1.73% to Rs266.11 Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan (ECAP) Secretary General Zafar Paracha said that the domestic currency is available at Rs286 per dollar in the black market while it is trading at Rs295 per dollar in Afghanistan. The IMF's condition to truly allow market forces to determine the rupee-dollar exchange rate has resulted in the Pakistani currency nosediving. On Wednesday, the rupee had lost 1.73% (or Rs4.61) to a two-week low of Rs266.11 per dollar in the interbank market. Cumulatively in the past two days, the domestic currency has fallen by Rs28.68. The currency had previously hit its previous record low of Rs276.58 about a month ago on February 3, 2023, after the government had ended its control over the rupee-dollar exchange rate on January 25. The currency has received a massive jolt ahead of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) meeting today to jack up its key policy rate by an estimated 200 basis points to fulfill another IMF condition.

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‘Rules’ yet to be formulated for POF board

Senator Ali Zafar directed on Wednesday the Ministry of Defence and Defence production to provide all the necessary documents and ensure the presence of representatives of autonomous bodies in the next meeting. The committee convener remarks came during the meeting of the sub-committee of the Senate Committee on Delegated Legislation. Zafar also suggested that the Ministry of Law and Justice should provide framework to the committee for formulation of rules. The sub-committee was briefed by officials of Ministry of Defence Production about the rules under which autonomous bodies were performing their functions. Ministry of Defence Production Joint Secretary Rehan Saleem apprised the committee that six autonomous bodies were working under the division including the Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) board, Heavy Industries Taxila Board, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex Board, Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works and National Radio Telecommunication Corporation. He said rules for the POF board have not been formulated yet and added it was following the SOPs to carry out their usual duties. However, the Service Rules for Heavy Industries Taxila Board and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex Board had been formulated and the consultation was going on for the formulation of Financial Rules for the said Boards, he added. 

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Abducted child safely recovered

The Haripur Police while successfully recovering a child, who had been abducted from Sikanderpur over a month ago, arrested four suspects including the main accused involved in the heinous crime of kidnapping for ransom. Sources said the suspects had kept the victim at different locations in Taxila, Pindi, Lahore, and Mianwali. The arrested suspects also include alleged facilitators of the primary suspect Raja Ata Muhammad, who used a modern international application rather than a mobile phone while communicating with the victim’s family, they added. Addressing a press conference at the city police station, DPO Haripur Muhammad Umar Khan, who was flanked by SP Investigation Muhammad Sulaiman Khan, said that the main suspect of the gang, involved in kidnapping for ransom, was arrested with the help of modern technology. Delving into the details of the incident, the DPO said four suspects broke into the house and abducted child Anas Shahzad. The main accused, through another suspect namely Sidratullah, hired the services of other gang members for the kidnappings. The DPO further informed that on 21.01.2023 an incident of harassing a family at gunpoint, snatching of mobile phones and kidnapping of a child occurred in the Aminabad area within the limits of Police Station City Chowki TIP. At this, on the report of the complainant, a case was registered against Raja Atta Muhammad and other suspects under sections 365, 452, 109 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code in the City Police Station. As soon as the incident was reported, blockades were put in place at various places across the district, he said and added that the primary accused was also wanted in another case of murder and attempted murder. The DPO said the SP Investigation formed a team to arrest the suspects and recover the hostage which launched the investigation on a modern scientific and technical basis to arrest the suspects and carried out operations in different districts of Punjab. Later, the abducted child was recovered and reunited with his family. Subsequently, a series of operations for the arrest of the suspects were going on that Bilal son of Abdul Salam, a co-accused, was arrested. On 26.02.2023, acting on a tipoff, the police nabbed the main accused and recovered a pistol [weapon of murder] and a stolen mobile phone from his possession. He added that Sidratullah alias Saeedullah, the alleged facilitator, was arrested from Chechian Interchange from whose possession a pistol was recovered. The DPO said that the police officers have been instructed to act on the report received by the complainant within 10 days and submit an interim report. “If this does not happen, action will be taken against the SHO and Head Moharrar of the police station concerned,” he warned.   Published in The Express Tribune, March 2nd, 2023.

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Punjab, K-P election delay petition 'rejected' by 4-3: law minister

Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said on Wednesday that the Supreme Court (SC) ruling in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) election delay petition was 'rejected' by a majority 4-3 split. While talking to the media, Tarar added that there is no need to review the decision of the suo motu case as it is a “clear decision” that does not require explanation. The law minister added that the government’s “position is that this petition has been rejected by 4-3”, adding that no further comment is needed in this regard. “It was essentially a seven-member bench and two judges had voluntarily recused themselves,” Tarar added. وفاقی وزیر قانون اعظم نذیر تارڑ اور اٹارنی جنرل آف پاکستان کورٹ کے باہر میڈیا ٹاک کر رہے ہیں https://t.co/CvpehuSkTk — PMLN (@pmln_org) March 1, 2023 Read Imran held judicial system hostage, says Sana The law minister also said that “we are saying on record that no one is running away from elections”. While criticizing President Arif Alvi for unilaterally setting April 9 as the date of the vote for the provincial assemblies of Punjab and K-P, the federal minister added that the “president had broken the law as he decided to impose the order and then withdraw it”. The comments by the law minister come as the apex court ordered that elections in Punjab and K-P should be held in the next 90 days. The top court also ruled that the president and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) should announce polls in Punjab after consultation. However, the verdict was split 3-2 with Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail dissenting with the majority. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar supported the ruling. The dissenting note maintained that the suo motu was not maintainable. It is pertinent to note that the chief justice had formed a nine-member bench to hear the suo motu case. Read More Crisis deepens in SC as two judges question shuffling of benches However, a new five-judge larger bench, led by the CJP and including Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, was later formed after Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi recused themselves as questions were raised on their presence on the bench. Moreover, two more judges, Justice Afridi and Justice Minallah disassociated themselves from the proceedings as they expressed their opinion on the maintainability of the petitions on the matter.  

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IHC suspends resignations of three PTI leaders

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday suspended the acceptance notification of resignations of three Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) lawmakers, barring the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from conducting by-polls on their seats. Chief Justice Amir Farooq presided over the hearing and issued orders on the case in which PTI leaders Asad Umar, Raja Khurram and Ali Nawaz Awan had challenged the acceptance of their resignations from the National Assembly. Read PTI moves court against postings, transfers In the petition, the PTI members had taken the stand that the ECP had accepted the resignations of some party leaders in the notification issued on January 17, when the resignations of all 123 members should have been accepted and all should have been de-seated. Last month, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had suspended the ECP’s order de-notifying 43 PTI MNAs and restrained the polls supervisory body from holding by-polls in those constituencies. Read More Pakistan fast heading into economic meltdown The court had also suspended the National Assembly speaker’s notification under which the resignations of the former ruling party’s lawmakers were accepted and had issued notices to the quarters concerned seeking their replies. The resignations of the PTI MNAs were approved in four phases since July 2022 – 11 in the first phase; 35 each in the second and third phases and 43 in the fourth one. The lawmakers had resigned from the lower house of parliament in protest against the ouster of Imran Khan as the prime minister through a vote of confidence in April last year.

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