LEGAL PROCESS OF MAY 9 RIOTERS’ TRIAL UNDER ARMY LAWS HAS COMMENCED: COAS

g VOWS TO DEFEAT ALL ENEMY DESIGNS WITH SUPPORT OF THE NATION

wreath at the Martyrs’ Monument.

CHIEFof Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir has said the “legal process of trial against planners, instigators, abettors and perpetrators involved in May 9 tragedy has commenced under the Pakistan Army Act and Official Secret Act as per existing and established legal procedures derived from the Constitution of Pakistan”.

The army shared this information while addressing garrison officers and soldiers at the Corps Headquarters in Lahore, a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

The statement said the COAS emphasised that the “army draws its strength from people and any effort to drive a wedge between the army and the people of Pakistan is an act against the state which is neither tolerable nor condonable under any circumstances”.

“Hostile and inimical forces and their abettors have been trying hard to create confusion through fake news and propaganda but all such designs of the enemy will be defeated with the support of the nation,” he added.

Later in the day, COAS Gen Asim Munir visited Lahore and a laid floral g

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Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday asserted that the government was making all possible efforts to steer the economy of the difficult situation in order to put it on the path of sustainable economic growth.

Addressing the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), the finance minister said that friendly countries were expected to materialize their commitments with Pakistan that would pave the way to close the deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and revive the economy.

He said that in 2016, Pakistan was a rising economy as it was expected to become the world’s 18th-strongest economy, but was now facing serious economic challenges.

He said that Pakistan would not default and the government was making all possible efforts to steer it out of a difficult situation in order to put it on the path of sustainable economic growth. He lauded the initiative of ICCI for hosting an Iftar dinner for diplomats.

Speaking at the occasion, Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, President ICCI urged the government to ensure consistency in economic policies that would enable the business community and investors to invest in Pakistan with confidence. He assured that the business community would fully support the government in its efforts to revive the economy.

He highlighted the business and investment opportunities in Pakistan for diplomats and said that Pakistan was a huge market of over 220 million consumers and offered great investment opportunities in various sectors of its economy.

He said that foreign investors should transfer technology to Pakistan and explore joint ventures and investments in areas of interest.

Faad Waheed, Senior Vice President ICCI said that Pakistan needed exports to overcome its foreign exchange crisis and hoped that the foreign diplomats would fully cooperate with Pakistan in realizing this goal.

Engineer Azhar ul Islam Zafar, Vice President ICCI thanked the chief guest, diplomats and all the participants for attending the Iftar dinner.

He said that if the government created a more conducive business environment, the private sector would be able to improve the health of the economy.

According to the statement, the army chief paid rich tributes to the shuhada (martyrs) who sacrificed their lives for the motherland.

He was given a briefing on the events of May 9, the statement said, adding that the COAS also paid a visit to Jinnah House and an army installation that were “blatantly attacked and vandalised by politically motivated rioters”.

The COAS also visited the Qurban Lines in Lahore today where he paid homage to martyrs of police and “appreciated the professionalism and restraint exercised by them during the riots/ vandalism”.

The ISPR said the COAS assured that law enforcement agencies had the army’s full support for their capacity enhancement, intelligence sharing and training.

“Later, the COAS also visited Services Hospital Lahore and inquired about the well-being of DIG Ali Nasir Rizvi who was injured by political miscreants during the May 9 incident,” the statement concluded.

Judicial Commission formed to probe veracity of audio leaks

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

The government on Saturday constituted a judicial commission comprising three senior judges tasked with probing the veracity of recent audio leaks and “their impact on the independence of judiciary”.

According to a notification issued by the government — a copy of which is available with Dawn.com — the commission will be headed Justice Qazi Faez Isa, senior puisne judge of the Supreme Court, and also comprise Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq as well as Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan.

Following the notification of its establishment, the government instructed the commission to promptly commence an inquiry and to conclude the investigation within 30 days.

“However, if the commission requires further time, the federal government shall grant it,” the notification added.

The series of audio leaks first began last year when private conversations featuring key government and opposition figures — including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PTI Chairman Imran Khan, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, and others — surfaced on social media.

However, the commission formed has been tasked with probing only the recent round of audio leaks that began this year and either pertain to the judiciary or involve sitting and former judges.

In February, audios allegedly involving a sitting judge of the Supreme Court were leaked, leading to demands from the legal community for an investigation and appropriate measures if the leaks were verified. The leaked audios were claimed to contain conversations between the judge and prominent politicians as well as specific lawyers. They quickly spread across social media and mainstream media platforms.

In April, another leaked conversation stirred up a storm in the country’s political landscape featuring a conversation between two women, one of whom is said to be the mother-in-law of a top-ranking serving judge of the Supreme Court, while the other is spouse of one of the PTI’s legal advisers — Khawaja Tariq Rahim.

While the identities of the women in question could not be independently verified, the clip — which had been widely circulated on social and mainstream media — evoked a stern reaction from across the political divide, along with calls for a thorough probe.

In the same month, two audios linked to former chief justice Saqib Nisar were leaked. One audio implicated his son, while the former top judge questioned the authenticity of the other audio, which allegedly featured a conversation between him and PTI’s legal adviser Khawaja Tariq Rahim.

According to the government notification, a wide circulation of controversial audios had been “witnessed on the national electronic, print and social media, allegedly regarding the Judiciary and former Chief Justices/Judges, conversation raising serious apprehensions about the independence, impartiality and uprightness of the Chief Justices/Judges of the Superior Courts in the administration of justice.”

It said such audio leaks had “eroded public trust and serious concerns have been raised by the general public regarding independence, impartiality and uprightness of the chief justices/judges of the superior courts”.

Furthermore, the notification highlighted the significance of the judiciary as one of the main pillars under the Constitution. It expressed concern that when the independence of the Judiciary is compromised, it undermines society’s confidence.

The notification stated, “The society’s confidence is deeply affected when the independence of the judiciary is tarnished, as it plays a pivotal role in upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice for all.”

Under the terms of reference in the notification, the government mentioned each of the aforementioned audio leaks.

The commission is entrusted with the responsibility of investigating whether any violations have occurred in relation to “the administration of justice, the independence of the judiciary, the right to a fair trial, and the equality of citizens”.

Maryam urges Ulema’s role for promoting tolerance, harmony in society

Chief Organiser and Senior Vice President Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Maryam Nawaz called upon Ulema and Mashaikh on Saturday to play their crucial role for promoting tolerance and harmony in society, saying that they have a strong voice in the country.

Addressing a meeting organised by the PML-N Ulema & Mushaikh Wing Punjab chapter, she said the religious scholars’ support and role was needed to educate people in the current challenges afflicting the nation.

She regretted that country’s religious, social and moral values were under attack by a political party through a planned conspiracy. She added that it was part of big conspiracy against Pakistan, under which the PTI received foreign funding. She claimed that religion was also used for political ambitions by that party.

The PTI used religion to accuse political opponents for its vested political interests, she said adding that the PML-N leadership remained the target of extremist elements in the country which were under influence of hateful religious propaganda. Even Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal fell victim to that propaganda, as he was shot at and injured by the extremist elements, she recalled. Even the sanctity of holy sites in Saudi Arabia was not protected as party’s activists abused the PML-N leaders at such sacred places under a hate element, spread by the PTI leadership.

She said that the entire PML-N leadership faced the worst victimisation during the PTI government, but they bravely faced the accountability process. However, nothing was proved against any party leader as all cases were politically motivated. But when PTI chief Imran Khan was asked about his misdeeds and corrupt practices, he attempted to create chaos in the country by attacking the state properties including military installations. Women and youth were also used as a shield and their minds were poisoned just to use them for political gains. Children of the party’s rank and file were forced into political activities and agitation while his (PTI chief’s) own children were living abroad. When the police force went to Zaman Park for arrest of Imran Khan, they were attacked by ‘miscreants’ from inside his Zaman Park residence, and they had to come back. The PTI chief was arrested in the AlQadir Trust scam, the land for which had been provided to the PTI chief as bribe.

She said that the PML-N party workers and followers had always been peaceful in political activities, gatherings as these were only PTI workers who created unrest in the name of political activity on instruction of their party head. She said that the PMLN believed in supremacy of the law as the party had spearheaded a movement for restoration of judiciary. She regretted that memorials of martyrs, who rendered their lives while protecting the homeland, were attacked by ‘miscreants’ on May 9. There were ample evidence available that the PTI ‘miscreant’ were involved in attacks on the army installations and Jinnah House.

She alleged that the PTI chief was mastermind behind the May-9 incidents, as he had been planning for long for the reaction in case of his arrest. Terrorists were also found at Zaman Park, while petrol bombs were prepared by their party men, she said and added that it was not a peaceful political party rather a group of conspirator. The people were now leaving the PTI due to party’s anti-state policies, and many more were ready to leave it in the coming days, she added.