Senior journalist Ayaz Amir arrested in daughter-in-law's murder case

The Capital Police on Saturday arrested senior journalist Ayaz Amir in the murder case of his daughter-in-law Sara Bibi, who was murdered in Islamabad's Chak Shehzad suburbs on Friday. The 37-year-old was living at a farmhouse in the area where she was found dead on Friday morning. She was reportedly murdered with a dumbbell. According to sources, Sara and Shahnawaz had an altercation over a domestic issue on Thursday night which led to her death as the accused allegedly had hit her in the head with an iron dumbbell. After killing his wife, sources revealed, the accused allegedly put her body in a bathtub. The police arrested the accused and took him to Shahzad Town Police Station for further investigation. Read Senior journalist’s son arrested for allegedly killing wife According to sources, Shahzad Town Police has now named Ayaz Amir in the case. They said that in the light of the interrogation of Shahnawaz, the police obtained the arrest warrant of Ayaz Amir from the area magistrate on Saturday. The senior journalist will be presented before the magistrate for physical remand on Sunday. Earlier in the day, Shahnawaz was handed over to the police on a two-day physical remand a day after being arrested for the murder. The defendant’s lawyer termed the case a "blind murder", adding that the murder was only to the extent of the charge, adding that this was the first remand in the case hence, there were no objections. The police had initially requested a 10-day physical remand from the court, stating that the accused had to be interrogated. They said the suspect had called his Canadian-Pakistani wife from abroad to allegedly murder her. However, the court only approved a two-day remand for the accused. The investigating officer also stated that the accused’s fingerprints were also to be taken, but the court rejected the appeal, saying the print could be acquired through the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra).

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Senate to take up changes in Transgender Persons Act on Sept 26

The Senate will take up the Intersex Persons (Protection of Rights) (Amendment) Bill 2022, which aims to make changes in the existing Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018, on Monday (September 26). The bill stipulated that intersex persons would have the right to receive education, healthcare, employment and other opportunities as enjoyed by the normal human beings in the society. It has been argued in the bill that the primary objective of this Act should have been to protect the rights of “intersex persons”. Intersex person generally means a person with ambiguous genitalia and is also known as hermaphrodite. The bill maintained that in the 2018 Act, there were some provisions that were totally contrary to the country’s traditions, religion and even the Constitution. Read more: Trans people decry objections to rights bill The amendment bill has been designed to cater to the needs of the intersex persons by deleting all those sections of the 2018 Act that were against the injunctions of Islam and the Constitution. It has also been elaborated in the bill that the term “transgender” was launched by an American psychiatrist in 1965. It was essentially meant for persons who experienced sexual orientation against their sex at birth. It argued that this was primarily a disordered mental state where a man might felt like a woman or a woman felt like a man or sometimes even might have “fluid gender perceptions” which was called “non-binary” gender. It was a psychological/psychiatric state of mind and could not be equated to “intersex”. Therefore, it seeks to change the title of the Act to The Intersex Persons (Protection of Rights) (Amendment) Bill, 2022. The 2018 Act defined the identity of the gender minority, prohibited discrimination against them, and conferred rights upon transgender persons recognised as such and a right to self-perceived gender identity, among other things. The law ensured issuing of certificate of identity to transgender persons, provided that no establishment shall discriminate against transgender persons in matters relating to employment, recruitment, promotion and other related issues, and provide for grievance redressal mechanism in each establishment. Section 3(2) of the Act read that a person recognised as transgender under sub-section (l) shall have a right to get himself or herself registered as per “self-perceived gender” identity with all government departments including, but not limited to, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). The bill to increase the salaries and allowances of the Senate chairman and National Assembly speaker is also included in the agenda of the Senate session. This bill would be presented by Shibli Faraz, Dilawar Khan and Naseebullah Bazai. The Immigration Amendment Bill and the Federal Urdu University Amendment Bill would also be presented in the session. During the sitting, the State Bank amendment and media access for deaf people would be approved. There would also be a discussion on the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) raids and harassment of journalists at Senator Saifullah Niazi’s residence.

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‘Masked men’ checked my residence citing president’s visit: Shireen

PTI leader and former minister for human rights Shireen Mazari has claimed that some suspicious vehicles and “masked men” visited her residence in Islamabad, saying they had come for ‘security check’ owing to president’s expected visit to her house. In a tweet from her official handle on Saturday, Shireen said at 9pm two cars parked at dead-end side of her street and as many cars at the other end while a white car came to her residence gate. “All without number plates. 2 masked men with ear pieces & in suits told guard they had come to check house as President was visiting & then walked into my driveway,” she wrote in the tweet. Shireen said she checked with President Dr Arif Alvi and he categorically denied. The former minister added that when the suspicious men sped away after they were confronted. At 9 pm 2 cars came & parked at dead end side of my street & 2 cars at the other end & a white car came to my gate. All without number plates. 2 masked men with ear pieces & in suits told guard they had come to chk house as President was visiting & then walked into my driveway. — Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) September 24, 2022 “DG ISPR care to explain who these men were & why they came to my house?” she asked the top military spokesperson of the country. Chkd with Preaident & he categorically denied. Anyhow when confronted as to who they were they ran out & sped away. @OfficialDGISPR care to explain who these men were & why they came to my house? — Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) September 24, 2022 Earlier in May, Mazari was allegedly manhandled, and arrested from outside her home in Islamabad over a case that involved the ownership and transfer of land. Her daughter, lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, tweeted that male police officers had “beaten” and taken her mother away. “All I have been told is that Anti-Corruption Wing Lahore has taken her,” she added. Islamabad police, however, refuted claims of mishandling the former minister during the arrest. “Dr Shireen Mazari was arrested by female police officers as per the law on the request of the anti-corruption department. News of any mishandling is baseless,” they said in a tweet.

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Govt to repatriate foreign prisoners languishing in jails

  The interior ministry is designing a comprehensive plan to repatriate foreign prisoners languishing in the country’s jails despite completing their sentences. A team headed by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has compiled extensive recommendations for the records, facilities and the return of such foreign prisoners under the direction of the Federal Review Board (FRB). “Effective contacts will be made with the foreign countries for the repatriation of the foreign prisoners who have completed their sentences,” sources said. Meanwhile, mentally-challenged prisoners will be shifted to shelter homes in the first phase. Such prisoners will be treated at the Punjab Institute of Mental Health (PIMH). “This decision will also benefit a prisoner in India who can speak and hear,” sources shared.Likewise, the NADRA has issued Alien Registration Cards (ARC) for 20 foreign prisoners, including 4 Indians, which were generated after obtaining biometric data. Similarly, the minister will seek assistance from provincial institutions and NGOs for the safe accommodation and rehabilitation of foreign prisoners. Among the many prisoners who will be able to benefit from the steps will be 11 Bangladeshi and some others from UAE, Tanzania and Myanmar. As per data available with the Express Tribune, a total of 103 foreigners are currently being held in 21 different jails across Punjab, out of which 52 face extradition, 17 are serving their sentences whereas 34 await repatriation having served their time. Their crimes range from petty issues such as visa overstay to serious offences like espionage and heinous crimes like spreading terrorism. The 103 are nationals of several countries namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, China, Czech Republic, Dominica, India, Iran, Nigeria, Tanzania, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

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After police, bureaucracy shook up

Rounds of transfers and postings continued in Punjab for the seventh day as another at least eight officers were shuffled, which included DG PFA, DG PLRA and Commissioner Gujarat. With the central government seemingly in no hurry to replace the Punjab Chief Secretary, despite his own request, the acting CS Abdullah Khan Sumbal continued building his own team in the province, which was indicative of some assurance from the centre of being officially posted as Chief Secretary in Punjab. On Friday, Muhammad Shoaib Khan Jadoon (BS-19) Director General Punjab Food Authority was made OSD, while former DC Lahore Mudassir Riaz Malik (BS-19) from OSD was posted as DG PFA, Ikramul Haq (BS-19) Additional Director General Punjab Land Record Authority was elevated from his position and made DG PLRA and Ammir Kamal Manan (BS-19) who was at the disposal of CM office was posted as Commissioner Gujrat Division, the home town of the incumbent CM. Aamir Hussain Ghazi posted as Project Director Primary and Secondary Healthcare department was transferred and posted as Managing Director Punjab Health Foundation, while Khizar Hayat (BS-18) Director (Adm) Punjab Overseas Pakistanis Commission transferred and posted as Project Director Project Management Unit, Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department. Two officers Mossawer Ahmaed Khan, and Khalid Yamin both BS-18 grade officers at disposal of Anti-Corruption Establishment, were made OSDs. Published in The Express Tribune, September 24th, 2022.

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LHC for action against stubble burning

Lahore High Court Justice Shahid Karim has said district coordination officers (DCOs) of their respective districts will be held responsible if filed residues were set ablaze. Justice Karim was hearing different petitions about how smog could be controlled, society could be made polluted free and groundwater could be protected from wastage. Justice Karim directed the chief secretary to take strict actions against those who found setting ablaze stubble. Meanwhile, Justice Karim also expressed his displeasure over the dissatisfactory measures of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) in elimination of the encroachments. The LDA authority was directed to take appropriate measures to put an end of the encroachments. The petitioners in their petitions contended the court that no appropriate measures had been taken to deal with the smog causing hazardous diseases every year despite smog is gradually increasing each passing year. In previous proceedings, the court had observed that no doubt some incidents of stubble burning had been reported around the motorway which needs to control at any cost. Published in The Express Tribune, September 24th, 2022.

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Mine workers get training on personal safety

A Safety Training Course for mine rescue workers was organised by Inspectorate of Mines Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to inform workers regarding safety measures, welfare scheme, and roles and responsibilities of both mine managers and owners. On this occasion, Chief Inspector Mines Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Fazal Raziq said that Khanpur Department of Minerals, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa officials, and mine owners must jointly prioritize the health and safety of labourers and employees working in mines. The safety measures taken by owners at the crusher plants play a significant role in protecting the life and health of the employees and labourers working at the crushing plants, he added. While addressing the participants of the Niazi Crusher Plant, he said that the purpose of this training course was to spread awareness among labourers regarding roles and responsibilities. A ceremony was held at the end of the course in which, Chief Inspector Mines Fazal Raziq, in charge Niazi’s Crusher Plant Malik Maqbool Elahi, and other officers distributed appreciation certificates among the Niazi Crusher Plant employees, who participated in the Mines Rescue Safety Training Course. Director Training Mujahid Ali Shah Mines Rescue Superintendent Muhammad Umair and Assistant Commissioner of Mines Salman Khan also addressed the training participants and informed them about the safety measures whereas Malik Maqbool Elahi, in charge of Niazi Crusher Plant, and other management welcomed the mines officers on their arrival at Niazi Crusher Plant Suraj Gulli. Regarding this training, the citizens said that the implementation of this training course will reduce the death toll in these plants to a great extent. Published in The Express Tribune, September 24th, 2022.

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