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Posts published in “Pakistan”

NAB files graft reference against Imran, Bushra in Toshakhana case

report in The Express Tribune, December 20th, 2023.ISLAMABAD: In a significant development on Tuesday, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed a reference with the accountability court against former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in connection to the Toshakhana case. The registrar office of the accountability court is set to take further action after scrutinising the case. The NAB Rawalpindi, acting on allegations of graft, has named only two…

. Gift appraiser turns approver in Toshakhana case filed against Imran, Bushra

By Asim Yasin/khalid Iqbal in The News, Dec 20, 2023ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau on Tuesday filed the Toshakhana reference against the former prime minister and his wife Bushra Imran Khan, as co-accused in the Accountability Court in Islamabad, for retaining the Graff Jewelery set gifted by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. The NAB prosecutor, Sohail Arif, and Investigation Officer Mohsin Haroon submitted the reference at the Registrar’s Office. The Director General NAB, Rawalpindi,…

Imran challenges cipher indictment before IHC

by Syed Irfan Raza | Malik Asad in Dawn, December 20th, 2023ISLAMABAD: Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb will take up former prime minister Imran Khan’s plea challenging in-camera proceedings of the cipher trial at Adiala jail today (Wednesday). Mr Khan in his petition also challenged his de-novo trial in jail and subsequent developments, including the framing of charges and a gag order on the media. On the other hand, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued a…

Terrorists behind Dera, Tank attacks traced: police chief

report in Dawn, December 20th, 2023CHARSADDA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief Akhtar Hayat Khan on Tuesday claimed that the terrorists behind the recent Dera Ismail Khan and Tank attacks against security personnel had been traced and their identity would be disclosed “very soon.” After inaugurating the “command and control room” at the City Police Station here, Mr Khan said the events in Afghanistan affected peace in Pakistan. He said the police were “fully” prepared to counter…

Police bar Baloch protesters from entering capital

By Munawer Azeem | Atika Rehman in Dawn, December 21st, 2023ISLAMABAD/LONDON: As a long march led by Baloch women against enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings, reached the outskirts of the federal capital on Wednesday, Islamabad police blocked entry points of the city along with major arteries to prevent the protesters from reaching the National Press Club. Initially, police blocked Jinnah Avenue and other routes leading to the press club. Later on, they also blocked Srinagar…

Over 438,000 illegal Afghans returned to their homeland

report in The Nation online, Dec 20, 2023 at 9:26 AMRepatriation of illegal foreign nationals including Afghans to their homeland is continuing in a dignified and safe manner. As per details, 1586 illegal Afghan nationals returned to their country on Monday taking the total number of returned immigrants to 438,376. The apex committee of the National Action Plan (NAP) in a meeting on October 3, chaired by Caretaker PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar gave a deadline…

PM rules out reversal of ‘one-document’ visa regime

by Saleem Shahid in Dawn, December 20th, 2023QUETTA: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Tuesday ruled out withdrawing the newly implemented “one-document regime”, which requires all Afghan citizens to enter Pakistan with a valid passport and visa, similar to travellers from other countries. “There’s no question of retracting the one-document system for border crossing,” the premier said at a press conference during his visit to Quetta, stressing that the policy aimed to formalise border…

Lawyers assail CEC over poll ‘discrepancies’

by Nasir Iqbal in Dawn, Dec 20th, 2023• PBC, SCBA and SHCBA point out inconsistencies’ in delimitation, seat allocations• Commission denies claims regarding creation of extra seat in ECP chief’s home district• Apex court bench refuses to take up delimitation issue to keep polls timeline intact ISLAMABAD: As the Supreme Court refused to intervene in election-rel­a­ted matters to keep the polls schedule on track, representatives of three legal bodies on Tues­day expressed serious concerns over…

Will bars pursue delimitations matter?

by Hasnaat Malik in The Express Tribune, December 20th, 2023.ISLAMABAD: The recent assertive statements from the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja have triggered debates about the underlying motives that prompted such strong remarks. The Independent Group, also recognised as the Asma Jahangir Group, wields significant influence over the SCBA and the PBC. Reports suggest that certain bar representatives, particularly Ahsan Bhoon,…

ECP orders removal of PM advisor to ensure fair polls

Report in The Nation, December 20, 2023ISLAMABAD – The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) yesterday ordered the removal of Adviser to the Prime Minister on Establishment Ahad Cheema from his post, apparently to ensure free and fair elections. The ECP issued the directives, hearing a petition seeking the re­moval of Cheema, Privatisation and Inter-provincial Coordination Minis­ter Fawad Hassan Fawad and Princi­pal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr Tauqeer Hussain Shah from their posts. The petition…

Won’t allow polls to be delayed, reiterates SC

by Shahid Rao in The Nation, Dec 20, 2023ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court of Pakistan Tuesday suspended Balochistan High Court (BHC) decision in a petition filed against the delimi­tation carried out by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in Balochistan. A three-member bench of the SC headed by the acting Chief Justice Sardar Tariq Masood conducted hearing of the peti­tion and suspended the BHC’s decision observing that the an­nouncement of election date was not something…