Epaper_23-08-6 LHR

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IMRAN KHAN ARRESTED IN TOSHAKHANA CASE

ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday announced a countrywide peaceful protest against what it called flawed and biased judgment against PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his unlawful arrest in Thoshakhana case The announcement was made in a PTI Core Committee emergency meeting, which was held with PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the chair

ISLAMABAD

S A L E E M J A D O O N

Amove being described as to change in country s political landscape , former premier and PTI Chairman Imran Khan was arrested by the Punjab Police from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore shortly after an Islamabad trial court declared him guilty of corrupt practices in Toshakhana case and sentenced him to three years in prison

Lahore Capital City Police Chief Bilal Siddique Kamiana confirmed the arrest and told Reuters the former prime minister was being transferred to the capital

A Punjab Police team headed by SSP CIA Malik Liaquat took the PTI chief into custody and a picture of him sitting in a car with Imran Khan also went viral on social media Khan was transferred from Lahore to Islamabad via motorway He will be lodged in Attock Jail and kept in a lock-up in high security zone

Later Punjab Inspector General Dr Usman Anwar confirmed the arrest and said that Imran was being shifted to Attock jail

The PTI chief was taken to PIMS Hospital on reaching the federal capital in a convoy, where he underwent a medical examination

The PTI chief who was absent from the court was sentenced to three years in prison and fined Rs100 000 in the Election Commission of Pakistan s (ECP) criminal complaint filed on charges of concealing details of Toshakhana gifts The legal team of the PTI chief was also not present in the court at the time when the court pronounced the verdict

The court also declared that the PTI chairman was involved in corrupt practices and had submitted a bogus affidavit with the Election Commission ordering the Islamabad Police chief to arrest the convict immediately

After today s verdict Imran technically stands disqualified from holding any public office for five years under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution

The law states: “A person shall be disqualified from being elected or chosen as and from being a member of the Parliament if he has been on conviction for any offence involving moral turpitude, sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years, unless a period of five years has elapsed since his release ”

He however has the right to appeal the verdict Earlier Saturday the court hearing the Toshakhana case had reserved its judgment in the Toshakhana case which would be announced at 12:30pm as the defense counsel again failed to appear in person

The court had observed that the judgment would announced if the defence counsel did not appear before it by 12pm Humayun Dilawar the additional sessions judge passed the order as the accused the PTI chairman – again failed to appear in person as he told the lawyer appearing on behalf of the main defense counsel that Khawaja Haris had been directed to attend the hearing by 8:30am which he failed to do so

During the hearing senior lawyer Amjad Pervaiz and Saad Hassan appeared before the judge to represent the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) As the hearing began, the judge asked Amjad Per-

Legal wizards have termed the verdict against PTI chief Imran Khan as unjust judgement made in an indecent haste and in blatant violation of code of criminal procedure as well as the law

Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan said that the verdict would be suspend in first hearing of the case in Supreme Court and Imran Khan would get a bail most likely on Monday as the judge had no jurisdiction over the matter He said under 193 CrPC the judge does not have jurisdiction until the matter is throughly probed

Salman Akram Raja Advocate said that Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice was responsible for the judgement against Imran Khan “On 3 8 2023 the IHC CJ issued notice for next week in the revision application filed by Mr Imran Khan against refusal by the trial judge to allow him to present witnesses in his defence At the same time the CJ IHC directed the trial court to hear final arguments on 4 8 2023,” he said

“While the IHC is yet to decide the question of defence evidence the trial court has given its verdict convicting IK This is an absurd situation It needs to be noted that there is no finding in the judgment that any gift was bought at an undervalued price he added

There is no finding that any gift, in particular the watch, was sold for a price greater than that disclosed For 2018/19 the only finding is that the gifts bought for Rs 21 mi(llion) were sold for Rs 58 mi but the full amount of Rs 58 million is not reflected in the bank statement he wrote adding Only Rs 30 mi is reflected How is this mis-declaration? Full sale proceeds

vaiz whether he wanted to say something

However, Khalid Chaudhry an associate lawyer representing Haris requested the court to give some time as the senior counsel was busy in a NAB court s proceedings

During the hearing Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Humayun Dilawar ruled that charges against the former prime minister in the case were proven “Imran Khan deliberately submitted fake details to the Election Commission of Pakistan and is found guilty of corrupt practices he stated and sent the PTI chief to jail for three years under Section 174 of the Election Act ADSJ Dilawar also directed that a copy of the order should be sent to the Islamabad police chief for the execution of the court orders However the ECP counsel interrupted to argue that giving time wasn t an issue; however, the accused had also been directed to ensure his presence during the hearing

At this point, the judge asked Chaudhry whether he had the power of attorney to represent the accused in this case to which he informed the judge that he didn t and he was a junior lawyer of Barrister Gohar When asked about the nature of the NAB case, Chaudhry replied that it pertained to the bail of PTI the chairman and his wife When asked about the nature of the NAB case Chaudhry replied that it pertained to the bail of PTI the chairman and his wife

On this the ECP counsel again intervened and said Chaudhry didn t inform when the senior counsel would appear before the session court and that the bail plea was scheduled to heard be at 2:30pm

have been disclosed in Form B Rs 28 million out of the sale price of Rs 58 million was cash in hand and expenditure made between the date of the sale and the cut off date for Form B, 30 6 2019,” Raja wrote Intazar Hussain Panjutha Advocate said that while the IHC is yet to decide the question of defence evidence the trial court has given its verdict convicting IK

This is an absurd situation It needs to be noted that there is no finding in the judgment that any gift was bought at an undervalued price or that the purchase was not in accordance with the rules Also no finding that any gift in particular the watch was sold for a price greater than that disclosed” He said for 2018/19 the finding is that the gifts bought for Rs 21 mi in accordance with the rules are stated to have been sold for Rs 58 million However, the full amount of Rs 58 million is not reflected in the account statement for the account in Bank Alfalah

“Only Rs 30 mi is reflected How is this misdeclaration? Full sale proceeds has been disclosed in Form B Rs 28 million out of the sale price of Rs 58 million could be cash in hand or expenditure made between the date of the sale and the cut off date for Form B Defence witnesses who were proposed to be the financial consultants/accountants who had filled the forms would have explained this ” he added Sajjad Hafeez Advocate termed the judgment was a violation of the Constitution as well as the code of criminal procedure Pakistan 1860

It seems that the judge did not provide the accused enough time to defend himself according to the Constitution which gives the right to the accused for fair trial Furthermore, according to the law, accused is the

favourite child of law

Earlier PTI Chairman Imran Khan in a pre-recorded video message urged the nation to continue their strongest and peaceful protests until they got the right to elect their government and not of a qabza mafia occupied the country at present

In a pre-recorded video message PTI

Chairman said: My arrest is expected and by the time this message reaches you I will be in jail but the people of the country should not sit at home and do not accept the slavery ” “In the wake of my arrest, I want you to continue peaceful protests and not to sit quietly inside your houses ” he appealed to the nation My movement is not for myself but for you for the future of your children he stressed PTI Chairman recalled that Pakistan too was found on the concept of La illaha Ilallah, which means we bow before no one but Allah who is Al-Haq”

“If you will not stand up for your rights you will live a life that is of slaves and slaves have no life Slaves are similar to how ants

Meanwhile the judge observed that nonbailable warrants were issued if an accused failed to appear in person and that Haris too didn t follow the directions to reach the court at 8:30 Before the decision was announced Imran’s lawyer Khawaja Haris appeared before Judge Dilawar and informed the court that his legal team was barred from entering IHC premises

We want to file for the transfer of this case from your court, he said

However, the judge instructed him to either present final arguments before noon or the verdict will be issued

Since the judge made the decision in an indecent haste, this judgment is a blatant violation of the criminal procedure court as well as constitution of Pakistan,” he added He said that there was negligence and ignorance on behalf of legal team and Imran Khan as they also did not follow the court orders

Lawyer Rida Hosain termed the trial unjust Article 10A of the Constitution guarantees an absolute and unqualified right to a fair trial and due process The right to a fair trial includes an opportunity to defend the case against you, an adequate opportunity to prepare the defence a right to a hearing an independent and impartial judge etc The fairness of the process is fundamental it prevents arbitrary excesses and provides certain minimum safeguards Justice must not only be done, but it must also be seen to be done, she added She added, however, that Section 366(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure states that a judgment shall not be deemed to be invalid by reason only of the absence of any party or his pleader on the day

The fact that the verdict was announced in the absence of Imran Khan in and of itself is not enough to declare the conviction invalid, she said

Having said that, the manner in which the Toshakhana case was conducted raises serious questions on the fairness of the trial ” said Hosain

Commenting on the legal implications of the verdict Hosain explained: Under Article 63(1)(h) of the Constitution an individual with a criminal conviction for an offence involving moral turpitude (carrying a sentence of at least two years) is subject to disqualification for five years after release

that s crawled and did not fly high he added Therefore, he urged the people to stand up for dignity and real freedom and break the shackles of slavery because this was a battle for their rights and freedom which could not be offered in the plate

Later, during the party s core committee meeting, the participants discussed the decision of the Additional District and Sessions Judge in the Toshakhana case and the arrest of Chairman PTI in threadbare They also held consultation on the future course of action including legal proceedings to ensure release of Imran Khan

During the meeting, PTI Core Committee also appealed to the Supreme Court (SC) to hear the PTI review petition against the biased decision sans any delay to ensure early release of PTI Chairman It was said that in the light of the instructions of PTI Chairman, the party stared execution of the organizational and political strategy They said that the entire nation rejected the wrong and one-sided decision of a certified biased judge who delivered a verdict according to a pre-arranged plan after a fake trial and got the PTI Chairman arrested The participants stated that there was great resentment and anger among the people of the country on the unlawful detention of Imran Khan under a well-thought-out plan

Unlike previous instances where Zaman Park was usually guarded by party supporters, Imran was taken into custody on Saturday without any major resistance The PTI also confirmed this in a tweet saying that the party chief didn t resist the arrest It claimed that the Lahore police arrived at Imran s residence to kidnap him even before the written verdict of the trial court was released

5.8 magnitude ear thquake jolts par ts of Punjab, KP

ISLAMABAD S TA F F R E P O R T

A 5 8 magnitude earthquake struck parts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday night according to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre

The quake s epicentre was Afghanistan s Hindu Kush region with a depth of 196 kilometres and it occurred around 9:02pm, the earthquake monitoring agency said No loss of life or property has been reported so far

The quake was felt in Islamabad, Peshawar, Dir, Malakand Bajaur Swat Kohat Mansehra Bannu Lakki Marwat DI Khan Mirpur Daudkhel Chiniot Parachinar Nankana Sahib Sahiwal Chichawatni and Battagram Media reported that tremors were also felt in the Indian capital and its surrounding areas, northern parts of the country and occupied Kashmir

The disaster management authority in Pakistan’s Punjab said in a statement administrations across the province were checking buildings while machinery and staff had been put on alert to deal with the aftershocks

In Peshawar, people came out of their homes and shops in fear

The earthquake was the third one that was felt in the northern areas of Pakistan, he said, citing data from the US Geological Survey (USGS) Tremors were felt in KP earlier today when according to the USGS a 4 1 magnitude earthquake occurred at 6:58am at a depth of 241 8km with its epicentre in Tajikistan The second earthquake occurred at 1:06pm and had a magnitude of 5 0 Its epicentre was in KP’s Shangla and depth was measured at 43 5km

Polls likely to be delayed as CCI gives 2023 census results thumbs up

The Council of Common Interests (CCI) on Saturday “unanimously” approved the results of the 2023 digital census signifying a likely delay of three to four months in the upcoming general elections scheduled to take place later this year

The government has announced that assemblies will be dissolved on August 9, following which elections should be held within 90 days after end of the assemblies’ tenure

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister s Office (PMO) Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presided over the meeting in which coalition partners also participated The single-point agenda of the meeting was to deliberate over the population census The meeting attended by chief ministers

of all four provinces federal ministers and various department heads was told that Pakistan s population has surged to 241 49 million

During an interview earlier this week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that elections would be held on the basis of the latest census while the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has already expressed its inability to hold general polls on the basis of the new population count within the stipulated time as it will have to conduct a fresh delimitation of constituencies in this case

Meanwhile, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM) and PPP two of the government’s allies in the Centre had expressed reservations about the new census Yesterday PPP senators in the upper house of Parliament also termed the decision to hold the elections on the basis of the new census a tactic to delay the polls

However the PMO statement said the chief ministers of all four provinces and representatives of all political parties were in agreement on the new census results at the CCI s 50th meeting today, which was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif

AY O F

AW

2-2 5 M O N T H S AT M O S T I N P O L L S: Earlier Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar also told Geo News that the new census results were unanimously approved at the CCI meeting When asked about a delay in the elections he defended the PML-N-led government’s decision by citing Article 51 of the Constitution which seats that National Assembly (NA) seats should be allocated to administrative units on the basis of population in accordance with the last preceding census officially published”

Tarar also referred to a 2021 CCI decision to hold the next elections on the basis of the 2023 census as provinces had reservations about the old (2017) census

The law minister said it was now up to the ECP to set begin and complete the delimitation of constituencies on the basis of the new population count There is an outer limit of 120 days and it now depends on the ECP how soon it begins this process and completes the delimitation He was of the view that if the delimitation was carried out in an effective and efficient manner it could be completed in less than 120 days “I believe that polls will then be delayed but two to two and a half months at the most he added Asked whether the caretaker setup would need any legal or constitutional cover in case of an extended term due to delay in

the elections he replied in the negative

The law minister also maintained that the new population count would not have any effect on the distribution of seats among administrative units in the NA The distribution would remain unchanged, he insisted, adding that the initial census results had been reviewed and revised following a scientific audit

PUNJAB LEADS WITH OVER 120 MILLION POPULATION: Punjab leads with over 120 million inhabitants, followed by Sindh with more than 50 million, KhyberPakhtunkhwa with over 30 million, and Balochistan with over 20 million population as reported by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics

The Ministry of Planning and Development provided insights into the digital census and the meeting marked the final approval for Pakistan s first-ever digital census

PTI calls for countr ywide peaceful protest against ‘unlawful ar rest’

MOONIS EL AHI CLEARED OF PROCL AIMED OFFENDER STATUS

LAHORE S ta f f

co-accused as proclaimed offenders was an illegal action

t

Aspecial court in Lahore on Saturday ruled the process of declaring former federal minister Moonis Elahi, son of exPunjab chief minister and PTI president Parvez Elahi as a proclaimed offender in the money laundering case against him as null and void

A judicial magistrate had declared Moonis a proclaimed offender last month over his failure to appear in the court in connection with the money laundering case filed against him by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)

On Saturday the special court heard the money laundering case against the former Punjab chief minister and other suspects

The FIA acknowledged before the court that declaring Parvez’s

The court annulled the process of declaring Moonis as a proclaimed offender and directed the FIA to present a report at the next hearing on the implementation of the summons issued to the suspects in the case

The prosecutor said that two suspects were declared proclaimed offenders and their addresses had been submitted to the court

He added that a subordinate court had issued arrest warrants for the two suspects

The prosecutor continued that the foreign addresses of the suspects who had fled abroad had been presented He requested the court to issue notices for them The judge inquired that what was the role of the subordinate court in the case

He added that the challans were being submitted to him after

having the suspects declared proclaimed offenders by the subordinate court

The judge observed that neither the notices were served to the suspects nor their arrest warrants issued

He continued that the challans against the suspects had been brought to his court after having them declared proclaimed offenders

T h e j u d g e p o i n t e d o u t t h a t

M o o n i s w a s d e c l a r e d a p r o c l a i m e d o ff e n d e r t h r o u g h a n i l l e g a l p r o c e s s

He told the prosecutor that the only issue they were concerned about was sending the ex-Punjab chief minister to Rawalpindi so he could hold a news conference there

The judge inquired that was the process through which the suspects were declared as proclaimed offenders explainable

The prosecutor conceded that the manner in which the FIA had Moonis declared a proclaimed offender was not legal

The judge asked the prosecutor what he would suggest should be done with the FIA officials

The prosecutor replied that he would suggest the court to show them mercy

The judge inquired from the DSP legal that Parvez was approved to be presented before the court but that did not happen

He asked the police official what was the reason for not presenting the former Punjab chief minister before the court

The DSP legal replied that Parvez was to be presented before the court by the jail authorities not by the police

The judge noted that whoever came to his court was lying and he would issue an appropriate order on this whole process

Bill for media regulation deferred as lawmakers share concerns raised by journalists

ISLAMABAD S ta f f R e p o R t

A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting was convened at the Parliament House on Saturday chaired by Senator Fawzia Arshad

Extensive discussions took place concerning the “Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill 2023 ” Eminent senior journalists representing key electronic media organizations in Pakistan were also in attendance Senior anchorpersons Hamid Mir, Mohammad Malick, Amir Mateen, Kashif Abbasi and representative from RIUJ voiced their concerns against the bill, contending that the proposed amendments could compromise freedom of expression and media

Senior journalists raised pertinent questions about the bill, including the appointment of the Chairman of PEMRA, asserting that it should be the prerogative of Parliament following recommendations from the Media Commission They emphasized that Article 19 of the Constitution should not be invoked to penalize the media fraternity

Additionally, they stressed the need for a broader consensus and involvement of all relevant stakeholders in the formulation of the bill They urged alignment of the bill with the recommend a t i o n s o f t h e M e d i a C o m m i s s i o n s e t u p b y t h e S u preme

Court of Pakistan

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting defended the bill’s contents, highlighting that it was the result of extensive consultations with all relevant stakeholders She asserted that the bill s objective is to eliminate restrictive clauses from the 2002 PEMRA Ordinance and to enhance the situation for media workers and organizations

The Minister informed the committee that a joint action committee engaged in comprehensive discussions with stakeholders to craft a bill aimed at positively transforming Pakistan s media landscape She noted that the bill also

introduces measures to hold media organizations accountable for timely payment of workers’ salaries She welcomed the suggestion of Parliamentary oversight in the appointment of Chairman PEMRA Senator Fawzia Arshad chairing the committee emphasized the importance of this legislation underscoring its longterm implications She stressed the need for further deliberations to produce a comprehensive and non-controversial document

The Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting welcomed the proposal that stakeholders dissatisfied with any clause of the proposed bill, due to concerns

over media freedom should provide suggestions and proposed amendments Committee members unanimously agreed to extend the timeline and invited senior media professionals and organizations to submit amendments which will be considered in the committee s next meeting scheduled for Monday

The committee meeting was attended by Senators Irfan Siddiqui, Muhammad Tahir Bizinjo, Kamran Michael, Waqar Mehdi, and Mushtaq Ahmed (Mover)

Also present were senior officials from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting senior journalists and the Chairman of PEMRA Journalists say the bill was deferred by Senate Committee after concerns raised

As The bill was later tabled in a meeting of the Senate Committee on Information and Broadcasting lawmakers and senior journalists said they had raised concerns over some clauses of the bill by journalists and TV anchors which were also supported by Senators TV anchor Hamid Mir said that there were concerns shared over the bill by journalists and Senators also raised concerns after which the bill was postponed to evolve consensus

In a subsequent tweet Mir claimed many senators also agreed to the concerns shared by media anchors Amir Mateen also said that after silencing the opposition, the government now wanted to gag media houses too

Pak istan, China to set up joint lab for crop pest management

ISLAMABAD

S ta f f R e p o R t University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) and Institute of Plant Protection Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science (IPPCAAS) have signed a Letter of Intent for establishing Pakistan-China joint laboratory for crop pest management

The two sides will kick start the operation of the joint laboratory and carry out tests, demonstrations and joint research on integrated disease control technologies for crop pests and diseases of common concern as well as technical personnel training and personnel exchange and

training Pakistan suffers a lot from the pest problem For example the white fly is affecting cotton citrus guava etc When our fruits and vegetables are being exported to different Middle East countries, sometimes they are rejected due to the presence of these fruit flies and residues of pesticide Out of the 1 300 molecules of the pesticides registered in Pakistan Not a single molecule is able to control the white fly Prof Muhammad Jalal Arif Chairman Department of Entomology of UAF told media in Beijing

He said that Pakistan is also facing the issue of economic threshold level and economic injury level

“When we decide to manage or control any pests we must go by pest scouting pest monitoring and assessment of pest population When they exceed a certain number we decide the pesticide application which we help our different equipment tools In the last 75 years we have an old threshold and injury level, which should be revised in days to come,” he added

Third

According to Prof Muhammad Jafar Jaskani Director Office of Research Innovation and Commercialization of UAF, this collaboration is part of Pakistan’s efforts towards climate-smart agriculture

“It would be good to secure the food for the future generations So genetic change use of biotechnology these are the tools which can make the food secure in both countries he said

The collaboration with University of Faisalabad holds national significance for Pakistan

Faisalabad is the city of textile The presence of a special economic zone calls for augmented research to underpin its industrial development We also have confucius institute that has cultivated 6 000 students who have passed different levels of Chinese language and can act as a bridge between the two sides of the cooperation

Located in the center of Pakistan it is easy for us to reach farmers in different places in the country , said Dr Abid Ali from UAF Department of Entomology

JI chief calls for transparent , across board accountabilit y

LAHORE

S ta f f R e p o R t

Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan, Sirajul Haq has said that the former prime minister has right to appeal in Toshakhana case calling for transparent and across the board accountability of all those individuals who had taken home the precious presents from foreign dignitaries causing billions of rupees loss to the national kitty Talking to journalists after addressing a book launch at Mansoorah on Saturday, he said the country could not move forward in environment of “selected accountability ” When the JI would come into power Siraj continued it would make answerable every powerful including politicians judges and generals before the law The launching ceremony of JI ViceAmeer Dr Farid Ahmed Paracha s book meray rahnuma meray hamnawa” was also addressed by veteran politician Javed Hashmir JI ViceAmaar Liaqat Baloch Secretary General Ameerul Azim and others To a question Sirajul Haq replied that first the PTI and later the PDM and the PPP governments were imposed through political engineering, fearing the same would happen in the future The nation, he said, must stand for their rights and vote for the honest and dedicated leadership instead of providing further opportunities to the already tested parties He highlighted the region s current vulnerability including Pakistan with an enemy eager to spark conflict This high-stakes game, he said, alters geographies and shatters nations, as seen in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan, and Libya The JI chief emphasized Pakistan’s unique status as both an ideological nation and the sole Islamic nuclear power consistently challenging adversaries Thus he added global plots aim to destabilize it Tensions persist on the PakistanAfghanistan border, and suicide attacks plague the north and west, posing a nationwide threat ” Conversely, he said, the national economy falters causing inflation and joblessness Dominant families exploit resources exploiting the masses for decades he regretted In this critical juncture he said the nation s patience wears thin Haq underscored that through the power of voting, Pakistan can reshape its destiny, fostering an Islamic and prosperous future

D -8 Ministerial meeting c all for promoting tourism

The Third D-8 Ministerial and Fourth Senior Officials meetings on tourism held in Bhurban on August 4-5

The Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) was the leading institution in hosting both the meetings in cooperation with the D-8 Secretariat

Ministers responsible for tourism D8 Ambassadors in Islamabad senior officials from D-8 Member States as well as key representatives from private sector of Pakistan participated in the meetings

They engaged in fruitful discussions on advancing tourism cooperation among D-8 Member States Awn Chaudhry Advisor to Prime Minister on Tourism and Sports and Chairman of the PTDC chaired the Ministerial session In his welcome remarks Awn Chaudhry briefed the meeting on Pakistan s efforts to promote its tourism

He emphasized the crucial role of the their existing cooperation in the tourism sector Bangladesh recalled the proposition of devising thematic tourism guidelines such as ecotourism riverine tourism, wildlife tourism Mentionable Bangladesh is working on devising the thematic guidelines in coordination with different agencies Bangladeshi envoy

also stressed the need for D-8 Member States to organize collaborative efforts in this regard

The Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities underscored that the Middle East region witnessed strong performance during the past months and succeeded in restoring pre-pandemic numbers in the first quarter of this year according to reports issued by the UNWTO

He also highlighted his country’s efforts to promote tourism industry which led to a record in the Egyptian tourism history with more than 7 million tourists in the first half of 2023 and a perspective of an annual growth between 25-30% in the coming 5 years

He praised the new initiatives proposed by the Secretariat to enhance cooperation among D8 countries and expressed Egypt s willingness to share its experiences in the field of management and training in the tourism sector Sandiaga Salahudin Uno, Minister for Tourism and Creative Industry of Indonesia encouraged the D-8 countries to collaborate and promote quality inclusive and sustainable tourism that benefits local communities and protect the environment Syed Ezzatollah Zarghami, Minister for Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and

Handicrafts of the Islamic Republic of Iran, stated that the Holy Qur an, in its different verses, advises us to travel to other lands in order to reach a better understanding of the world around, observe the way of living in the other states and learn lessons from other lives

In other words the soul of these verses is focusing on paying special attention to human intangible heritage In fact, this dimension of tourism is so valuable that it can foster an effective platform for promoting cultural exchanges strengthening solidarity and creating peace among all nations The rise of Islamophobia has subjected Muslims to racial discrimination, negative stereotyping and stigmatization

As a result, Muslims have touched the feeling of insecurity in their daily lives and face denial of their basic human rights Meantime tourism is the most effective way to remove this fake negative image by introducing the real nature of Islamic countries

He also mentioned that mechanism of selecting and declaring D-8 tourism city annually can provide a unique opportunity for the member states to introduce and brand their tourism destinations through a healthy competition Therefore, the Honourable Minister suggested D-8 Secretariat to

develop and implement this mechanism

Malaysia stated that it looks forward to advancing regional and international cooperation in tourism by continuing to work closely with organisations such as UNWTO APEC IORA and D-8 and strongly recommends continued engagement and sharing of knowledge among members particularly in the areas of digitalisation, technology adoption and sustainable tourism investments, as well as emerging niche areas of growth such as Muslim Friendly Tourism for the industry to emerge stronger and more resilient to future disruptions

Nigeria stated that it remains committed to objectives set out by the Crescent Moon Initiative and the Comprehensive Tourism Strategy, both serving as frameworks for international cooperation in the tourism industry

In line with the initiative of the D-8 designated Airport in each member state for the promotion of people-to-people and business to business contacts as well as tourism and travel facilitation among member states, the Nigerian Government has conceived the idea of building an aerotropolis in the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja which will showcase Nigeria s rich cultural heritage and tourism potential while boosting businesses and investment

S C O R E S A R R E S T E D A S P T I A C T I V I S T S P R O T E S T A G A I N S T I M R A N ’ S A R R E S T

ISLAMABAD ag e n c i e S Police on Saturday detained at least 67 Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) activists from various parts of the country who were protesting against the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan

The PTI workers took to the streets shortly after the trial court hearing the Toshakhana case declared the PTI chief guilty and sentenced him to three years in jail The court had ordered the immediate arrest of Imran Khan and also imposed a fine

of Rs100 000 Khan was transferred from Lahore to Islamabad via motorway where he is expected to be lodged in Attock Jail and kept in a lock-up in high-security zone T h e P T I w o r k e r s w e r e a r r e s t e d b y p o lic e o u ts id e I mr a n K h a n ’s Za ma n P a r k r e s i d e n c e i n L a h o r e , w h e r e t h e y w e r e g a t h e r i n g t o e x p r e s s s o l i d a r i t y w i t h t h e former premier Police transferred 33 protesting workers including two women in vans to various police stations The workers were not even allowed to hold a peaceful demonstration outside Khan’s Zaman Park residence Sources said that the police were

instructed to promptly apprehend any PTI workers seen protesting across the city

I n K h y b e r- P a k h t u n k h w a s p r o v i n c i a l c a p i t a l P e s h a w a r, t h e p o l i c e d e t a i n e d 1 5 protesting workers, who had gathered near P i r Z a k a r i F l y o v e r, u n d e r S e c t i o n 3 o f t h e M a i n t e n a n c e o f P u b l i c O r d e r ( 3 M P O )

The police launched a crackdown on the workers who subsequently dispersed after the onslaught from the law nforcers

In Sindh s capital Karachi various locations across the city witnessed protests against the arrest as demonstrators rallied against the move, leading to confrontations with the police So far the authorities have

taken custody of 19 protestors from different parts of the city

In a demonstration held at the Karachi Press Club, PTI workers expressed their dissent over the arrest Police detained six protesters and transferred them to Artillery Maidan police station for legal action

According to SSP South Asad Raza PTI workers staged protests at two locations in District Malir During the crackdown on protesters the police took custody of 11 activists Additionally, 11 PTI activists have been placed under custody, according to SSP Malir Hasan Sardar Five of them were taken to Sharafi Goth police station while

Imran K han arrested in Toshakhana c ase

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Talking about the case, it alleged that every process from the beginning of the case to the trial and [Imran s]

abduction is illegal”

In another tweet, the PTI alleged that the Punjab police “broke into” Zaman Park and “beat up” Imran’s security guards and house staff Even though Khan sahib expressed his willingness to go with the police they still dragged him and covered his face with a cloth the party added

A large contingent of police could also be seen taking the PTI chief to jail PTI chief ’s close aide Awais Niazi also arrested:

After arrest of Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Toshakhana reference his close aide Awais Niazi was also held on Saturday

The detainee was media coordinator of chairman PTI and he was arrested from Zaman Park

The Islamabad’s session court has awarded threeyear imprisonment to chairman PTI along with Rs100 000 fine after

The court also issued the arrest warrants of PTI chief besides directing IG Islamabad to implement the decision after which he was arrested from Lahore

PTI will move SC against biased decision:

Spokesperson: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) strongly rejected the biased, one-sided, ridiculous and unlawful judgment in Thoshakhana case against PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan from the kangaroo court in absentia which would be challenged in the Supreme Court (SC)

PTI spokesperson, in a strong-worded reaction to the biased decision by the most prejudiced Additional District and Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar in the Toshakhana case, said that the PTI and the nation did not accept the unlawful decision

The PTI spokesperson announced that the party would challenge the verdict in the apex court because Dilawar was a certified biased judge and the decision was another black spot in the face of justice system

He stated that the trial of the case was conducted in the most absurd and biased manner in the history of the country under a specific agenda in total disregard of the facts by the biased judge Humayun Dilawar

The spokesperson said that in this worst trial in the history an attempt was made to murder the justice at the hands of a biased and morally discredited judge

He termed the Sessions Court s decision as the worst example of political revenge and engineering, adding that it was a shameful invasion on the democracy

The PTI Spokesperson went on to say that Dilawar ’s decision was a desperate attempt to achieve shameful goals like level playing field under the London Plan

He vowed that the nation would never accept such a conspiracy and vindictive actions against the most popular and honest political leader of the country

The PTI spokesperson made it clear that the nation would not surrender in the face of fascism and the worst state oppression come what may

PTI chairman moves SC against IHC ruling in Toshakhana case

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman on Saturday moved the Supreme Court against the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) verdict in the Toshakhana criminal case

The ex- premier filed an application in apex court against IHC ruling through his legal team The petitioner pleaded with the court to declare the Toshakhana case against him non-maintainable

The Islamabad High Court on Friday set aside a session court’s verdict that declared the Toshakhana reference against the PTI chairman as maintainable

IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq had ordered the lower court to rehear the case The court also rejected the PTI chairman’s appeal to transfer the case to another court and issued a notice for next week on the appeal to restore the right of defence

Earlier, the trial court had declared the ECP reference against the PTI chief maintainable The decision was subsequently challenged in the IHC

The Toshakhana issue became a major sticking point in national politics after the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified the PTI chief for making false statements and incorrect declaration

The reference which alleges that Imran failed to share details of the gifts he retained from the Toshaskhana (during his time as the prime minister) was filed by lawmakers from the ruling coalition last year

The judgement added that the former premier was found to be indulged in corrupt practices under sections 167 and 173 of the constitution A criminal proceeding will be initiated against him over filing a false statement His disqualification under Article 63, 1(P) has been for his current parliament membership , the ECP said in its 36-page detailed judgment of the reference ARREST COMES THREE MONTHS AFTER HIS FIRST ARREST ON MAY 9

The PTI chairman s arrest today comes approximately three months after his first arrest on May 9 when he was detained in Islamabad from the high court s premises in the Al-Qadir Trust case

Imran’s arrest that day had resulted in widespread violence and saw important military installations come under attack on the basis of which the state had launched a severe crackdown against his party

While Imran was released the next day thousands of PTI workers and almost the entire top-tier leadership was rounded up

What followed was a large number of party leaders holding press conferences, condemning the May 9 riots some also called out Imran and his politics and disassociating themselves with the PTI The party s dismantlement has continued since then barring some senior PTI leaders most of whom are still behind bars

While the mass exodus as well as a near-complete blackout of Imran on local media has left the PTI s future uncertain in the upcoming polls, it also gave birth to a new home for most PTI deserters Istehkam-iPakistan Party (IPP) hosted by Jahangir Khan Tareen

TI chief asks supporters to continue peaceful protests In a pre-recorded message shared on his Twitter a few hours after arrest, Imran said: By the time this message reaches you, I will be in jail

“In the wake of my arrest,” the PTI chief said, “I want you to continue peaceful protests and not to sit quietly inside your houses ”

My movement is not for myself but for you for the future of your children he stressed recalling that Pakistan too was found on the concept of freedom

If you will not stand up for your rights, you will live a life that is of slaves and slaves have no life Slaves are similar to how ants are on the ground they do not fly high “This is a battle for your rights and freedom you have to continue peaceful protests until you get your right which is seeing a government elected by you and not a qabza mafia Imran added Crackdown launched against PTI workers to ensure law and order In the aftermath of the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana criminal case authorities in Punjab have initiated a comprehensive crackdown on PTI workers and leaders to ensure the maintenance of law and order in the province

As part of the operation, police conducted raids on the residences of PTI workers and leaders in various areas of Lahore

The crackdown spearheaded by Operation Police aims to establish control over law and order on the streets and prevent any untoward incidents that may arise due to the prevailing political situation

Sources within the police department reported that the Investigation and CIA police units are actively involved in carrying out the raids at the houses of PTI activists and influential members of the party

Amidst the unfolding situation police sources have asserted that any form of protest or public demonstration by PTI supporters will be dealt with promptly and those involved will be detained immediately

To facilitate their efforts, the Lahore Police have been provided with lists of PTI workers and leaders providing crucial information that can aid in swiftly identifying and addressing any instances of unrest

ANNOUNCES COUNTRY-WIDE PROTESTS

PTI

In a handout issued after its emergency core committee meeting, the party said it discussed the future plan of action and legal measures to secure Imran’s release

The party called for peaceful protests across the country within the ambit of the law and the Constitution and also appealed to the Supreme Court to hear its review petition filed earlier in the day against the maintainability of the Toshakhana case

The PTI said it had started acting on Imran s instructions for its organisation and political plan of action further adding that the entire nation had rejected the session court’s verdict

The party also shared a video saying its supporters had started gathering outside the Pakistan High Commission in London to protest Imran s arrest

Television footage showed PTI supporters, including lawyers, protesting Imran’s arrest outside his Zaman park residence in Lahore Protesters also came out in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu with party flags

According to the spokesperson of the Lahore deputy inspector general of police (operations) 20 PTI supporters were arrested when they tried to protest outside Zaman Park He said 48 more were arrested in Civil Lines

There were reports of multiple arrests in Karachi as well

The PTI claimed that the senior vice president of the party’s Sindh chapter Rizwan Khanzada had been arrested in Karachi

Meanwhile Puran sub-divisional police officer Sher Hassan Khan confirmed to Dawn com that PTI tehsil chairman Abdul Maula Khan was arrested by Shangla police during a protest in Aloch

In KP’s Shangla, the district administration has placed a ban on the gathering of more than four persons to prevent a law and order situation in the district It also barred provocative social media posts that may incite public to break the law and order and contain disparaging remarks against state institutions

The notification added the directives would remain in place from Aug 5 to September 5

A similar ban under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) was also imposed in Peshawar and notified by the city s deputy commissioner (DC) The notification issued by the DC s office, a copy of which is available with Dawn com, said any unlawful or unauthorised gathering/ assembly of any nature may become a target of militants which could not only result in loss of precious lives and property but also endanger the peace and tranquillity of the district and it has become imperative to take extraordinary measures in the greater public interest to prevent such breach of peace

Legal exper ts say judgement made in indecent haste, blatant violation of law

CONTINED FROM PAGE 01

The courts have held that ‘moral turpitude’ includes delinquent conduct involving misrepresentation dishonesty misappropriation forgery cheating etc If Imran Khan s conviction stands he cannot be a member of parliament for five years after release Referring to Imran s potential disqualification from holding public office following his conviction, lawyer Hassan A Niazi termed Pakistan’s disqualification laws “convenient tools to get rid of troublesome politicians at the behest of the unelected He argued that this case like those that came before it has little to do with corrupt practices In the 90s, we had the Constitution s dissolution provisions that were used to pull down political opponents Now we have disqualification laws backed by incomprehensible Supreme Court judgments and enabled by the establishment On whether the judgement would stand given how it was announced in the absence of the accused lawyer Abdul Moiz Jaferi said: While it is the duty of the accused to present themselves in court and not the court s duty to wait upon their arrival, the verdict is ridiculous for a whole host of other reasons “Technically the court should have ensured the presence of the accused by use of force if necessary and then announced the verdict This method used today speaks to the extraordinary haste with which these proceedings have been conducted A decision on the merits cannot be given without the accused being present, even though they can be declared fugitives or proclaimed offenders The court cannot then proceed to adjudicate the merits of a criminal case and must declare the accused a proclaimed offender and then a decision on this offence is rendered

the remaining six were moved to Qaidabad police station

In North Nazimabad s Block (K), the local police took three protestors into custody SSP Central Maroof Usman stated that legal proceedings are underway against the detained activists

Earlier in the day PTI stalwart Shah Mahmood Qureshi had urged supporters to not take the law into their own hands

Peaceful protest is our right but no state asset is to be damaged Don t take the law in your hands,” he cautioned, in a video statement released shortly after the decision against PTI chief

He rejected the verdict issued by a district and sessions court in Islamabad wherein Judge Humayun Dilawar declared the former premier as an established dishonest beyond doubt” Qureshi also asked party supporters to continue efforts for the PTI chief ’s release peacefully while assuring them that the action plan moving forward is being prepared

PTI calls for countr ywide peaceful protest against ‘unlaw ful arrest’

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Supreme Court should hear the appeal against the decision against Chairman Imran Khan without delay, PTI Core Committee Declaration said The meeting stressed the need that the constitution gave the right to peaceful protest and the PTI workers would hold a peaceful nationwide protest against this injustice It was said that the PTI would protest in the light of its chairman s advice and instructions as they would hold protests completely peaceful and within the framework of the constitution and law PTI Core Committee would fight a full legal battle to ensure release of their leader from the illegal imprisonment The participants of the meeting vowed that they would leave no stone unturned to ensure the early release of the country s most beloved, most popular and trustworthy leader, who would lead the really freedom movement with more determination until to take the movement to its logical ends They said that the entire nation stood with Imran Khan against these ongoing atrocities and fascism in the country and the enemies of the constitution and the country The meeting decided that they would carry forward the PTI political and organizational strategies in the light of the PTI Chairman s instructions without being arrested by the brutal imported government

Polls likely to be delayed as CCI gives 2023 census results thumbs up

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

This monumental step towards digitisation was undertaken within a span of just 18 months setting a historic precedent The census not only marked the first time Pakistan s population was digitally counted using tablets but also introduced the convenience of self-enumeration for the citizens The population count not only facilitates economic groups’ size determination but also provides an economic framework throughout the country To ensure transparency in the census results a post-enumeration survey was also conducted The detailed population figures aid in governments’ constituency delineation and assist in fair allocation of funds, resources, and aid across provinces districts and various regions 2023 CENSUS

The decision to hold a fresh census was taken by the CCI chaired by then-prime minister Imran Khan in April 2021 after serious objections were raised both by the government of Sindh, headed by the PPP, and the MQM-P, which was then a coalition partner of the federal government Both the PPP and MQM-P felt that Sindh’s population had been undercounted in the 2017 census though the MQM-P s concern was more focused on the urban areas of Sindh including Karachi The Seventh Population and Housing Census subsequently commenced on March 1 and concluded on May 15, after its deadline was extended five times The results were presented in the CCI meeting on Saturday where the planning ministry and Pakistan Bureau of Statistics gave a detailed briefing

TH E a r r e s t o f P T I c h i e f I m r a n K h a n w a s n o t a b o l t f r o m t h e b l u e , a n d t h e r e w a s a n a i r o f i ne v i t a b i l i t y a b o u t t h e t r i a l w h i c h l e d t o h i s c o n v i c t i o n H e h a s j o i n e d a d i s t i n g u i s h e d l i s t c o mp r i s i n g s o f a r B e n a z i r B h u t t o a n d M i a n N a w a z S h a r i f , w h o s e o u s t e r i n v o l v e d e i t h e r c o r r u p t i o n c h a rg e s o r a c o n v i c t i o n o n s u c h a c h a rg e I t i s t i m e f o r p o l i t i c i a n s t o l o o k c a r e f u l l y a t t h e d i s q u a l i f i c at i o n c l a u s e s o f t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n , a n d w o r k o u t w h y t h e y c a n b e u s e d a g a i n s t t h e m T h e f a c t t h a t t h e r es u l t i n I m r a n ’s t r i a l w a s a f o r e g o n e c o n c l u s i o n d o e s n o t s o m u c h r e f l e c t t h e s t r e n g t h o f t h e e v i d e n c e a g a i n s t h i m , a s t h e n e e d t o o b t a i n h i s o u s t e r, w i t h t h e p u r p o s e n o t b e i n g t o p u n i s h h i s c o r r u p t i o n , s o m u c h a s t o n e u t r a l i z e h i m I mr an can no t be w r itten o ff for there are a s er ies o f appellate fo rums aw aiting h im The d ay b efo re h is co nviction , the I nd ian S up reme Cou rt s tay ed the o p eratio n o f Rahu l G andh i’s con v ictio n allo w ing h im to r eturn to P arliamen t H ow ever ev en if h e is releas ed o n b ail, his party h as been in bad s hap e s in ce the r eactio n to his M ay 9 arr es t, w hich led to w hat can o nly b e d es crib ed as an implos io n If h e is k ep t in jail and th e election is held h is party w ill fin d its elf at a hu g e d isadv antage, es p ecially if he is u n ab le to co n tes t o r camp aig n effectively

This does provide Mr Khan with the opportunity to rethink his own policies of confrontation in which he seemed to consider political opponents mortal enemies, whom he had to hound at all costs and by any means

One of the takeaways he should have is that politics is both up and down He might not see the path ahead for a return, but he has the example of Mian Nawaz Sharif, whose ouster took place on his petition, though not on his charge Now Mr Sharif is heading for a return having spent multiple years in exile similar to when he had to leave Pakistan in the 90s for more than a decade after Gen Musharraf seized power However, the problem is not for Mr Khan to solve alone All politicians and political parties must come together agree to stop calling one another names, and work out a way in which Prime Ministers as are not turfed out of office, and then politically eliminated

Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami

Arif Nizami (Late)

Founding Editor

Yousaf Nizami Editor

M A Niazi Joint Editor Umar Aziz Executive Editor

5August 2019 marked a pivotal turning point in the protracted Kashmir dispute prompting a reevaluation of the lens through which the region has traditionally been analyzed While historical narratives have predominantly applied a colonial framework to comprehend the complexities of Kashmir, emerging developments have led scholars to consider an alternative perspective rooted in settler colonialism

Colonialism and settler colonialism represent distinct yet interconnected modes of oppression each characterized by migration and a hierarchical relationship However, their fundamental objectives differ significantly Classic colonialism operates as a "system of domination," enabled by territorial expansion In this context, colonizers aim to exploit the resources and labour of an indigenous majority to serve the interests of their distant metropolis Their intention is not to settle permanently in the newly acquired territory but rather to perpetuate the subordination of the colonized population

Conversely, settler colonialism pursues the permanent occupation of the colonized land Settler states actively recruit settler classes who assert their alleged sovereign prerogative to establish a new state on the indigenous population s land To maintain their dominion settler states often assisted by a local administration, construct narratives of a distinctive cultural identity, establish independent systems of law and order, and rely on military and economic power

The law, in particular, plays a pivotal role in cementing and expanding the settler colonial project It not only determines the allocation of land and resources but also regulates the distribution of violence within the settler regime In this way the law serves as a potent tool to solidify the settler state s authority and perpetuate its control over the colonized territory

In light of recent events, specifically the abrogation of Article 370 and the subsequent lifting of restrictions on land ownership and residency rights a significant influx of non-Kashmiri residents has been observed in the region Such demographic shifts evoke questions concerning India s identity as a settler state, as the arrival of new settlers potentially alters the social fabric and marginalizes the indigenous populace, thus accentuating the relevance of the settler colonial lens in comprehending the complexities of the Kashmir issue This article delves into the implications of adopting the settler colonial perspective illuminating how it enriches our understanding of India's policies in Jammu and Kashmir and the multifarious challenges it poses to the well-being of the region's indigenous communities

The abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 which granted Jammu and Kashmir special autonomy within India marked a significant turning point The subsequent removal of restrictions on land ownership and residency rights has raised fears of demographic change in the region Critics contend that the lifting of these restrictions has opened the floodgates for non-Kashmiri settlers to move in, thereby altering the demographics and potentially eroding the indigenous

culture that has thrived for centuries

The settler colonial agenda has materialized through large-scale land acquisitions for various development projects in Jammu and Kashmir Many of these projects, including infrastructure and tourism initiatives, have been conducted without meaningful consultation with local communities leading to the displacement of indigenous people from their ancestral lands Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti accused the J&K administration of bringing the people from outside under the garb of land for landless and home for the homeless to change the region’s demography” According to a news gathering agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO) addressing a press conference at PDP headquarters in Srinagar Mehbooba said that after the abrogation of Article 370 the administration considers the jobs, water resources, and land of the people of J&K as war booty According to Omar Abdullah, grandson of Sheikh Abdullah, “Unacceptable amendments to the land ownership laws of J&K are happening Even the tokenism of domicile has been done away with when purchasing non-agricultural land and transfer of agricultural land has been made easier J&K is now up for sale and the poorer small land-holding owners will suffer This loss of land and livelihood further marginalizes the already vulnerable indigenous population deepening their sense of disempowerment and alienation

The prolonged and often heavyhanded presence of armed forces in Jammu and Kashmir is justified by the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) However, this legislation has been widely criticized for providing security forces with impunity in areas labeled as disturbed As a result numerous reports of human rights abuses have emerged including allegations of extrajudicial killings enforced disappearances, and sexual violence against Kashmiri civilians According to Human Rights Watch 2020 report “The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act continued to provide effective immunity from prosecution to security forces even for serious human rights abuses In July 2020 security forces killed three people in Shopian district claiming they were militants However in August their families who identified them from photographs of the killings circulated on social media, said they were labourers In September, the army said that its inquiry had found prima facie evidence that its troops exceeded powers under the AFSPA and it would take disciplinary proceedings

cies that favour their integration can lead to the dilution of Kashmiri identity language and traditions

Moreover the promotion of non-indigenous cultural expressions may overshadow and marginalize the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the Kashmiri people

The lopsided emphasis on Kashmir s Hindu heritage has supplied non-Kashmiri Hindus with both the reason to desire the region and the justifications to do so

In particular, the promotion of the Amarnath Yatra a Hindu pilgrimage to an ice formation believed to represent Lord Shiva has grown increasingly over the years through increased institutional support Such support has been particularly effective where it has equated the pilgrimage with national pride where the yearning for Moksha (salvation) was also a befitting gesture of solidarity with soldiers fighting the enemy to defend borders By bringing Hindu temples and relics to the fore the Indian state and its proponents have only fueled the idea that it is Muslim Kashmiris who are the exogenous Others

To achieve lasting peace and justice in the region, it is crucial for the international community and policymakers to closely monitor the situation, ensure respect for human rights, and engage in meaningful dialogue with all stakeholders involved Only through an inclusive and equitable approach can a path toward sustainable resolution and reconciliation be forged for Jammu and Kashmir

The settler colonial agenda can exacerbate economic disparities between settlers and the indigenous population Non-Kashmiri settlers may have access to better economic opportunities and resources, facilitated by the state's policies while the local population faces systemic barriers and discrimination This unequal distribution of resources can further deepen the economic marginalization of the indigenous people, reinforcing their sense of injustice and exclusion from mainstream society Jammu and Kashmir, once a region with a special status within India has faced political marginalization since the abrogation of Article 370 The region's special status was revoked without the consent of its people leading to a sense of betrayal and disenfranchisement Subsequent political decisions have often been perceived as not reflecting the aspirations of the indigenous population further widening the gap between the state and the people The lack of genuine representation and meaningful engagement in the political process adds to the complexities of the region s socio-political landscape

The settler colonial agenda of India in Jammu and Kashmir has significant implications for the region s future stability human rights and socio-cultural fabric Demographic changes land acquisitions human rights abuses erosion of cultural identity economic disparities, and political marginalization have created an environment of tension and unrest

The deeply ingrained culture of impunity has perpetuated a cycle of violence and mistrust between the security forces and the local population Erosion of Indigenous Identity and Cultural Heritage: The influx of non-indigenous settlers and poli-

India’s continued disinformation onslaught

‘Disinformation’ (Russian deziinformatzia) is a concept which finds mention in Sun Tzu s Ping Fa (Principles of War) Tzu believed all warfare is based on deception, feign incapacity when capable of being able to attack” Even before Sun Tzu, Kautliya in Arthashastra supported disinformation as a warfare tool within his concept of koota yuddha (unprincipled warfare) as distinguished from dharma yuddha (righteous warfare)

India s disinformation often amounts to stark lies They forget the caveat by Richard Deacon “ Truth twisting unless it is conducted with caution and great attention to detail it will inevitably fail if practiced too often It is not the deliberate lie which we have to fear (something propaganda), but the half-truth, the embellished truth and the truth dressed up to appear a something quite different’ (The Truth Twisters, London, Macdonald & Company (Publishers) Limited 1986/1987 p 8)

India is never tired of its disinformation campaign against Pakistan (Pakistan tries to justify 1971 Bangladesh genocide: Report ANI 18 April 2022) The report inter alia stated the Pakistan conflict led to the massacre estimated three million East Pakistanis the ethnic cleansing of 10 million ethnic Bengalis who fled to India and the rape of at least 200000 women while some estimates put the number of rape victims at closer to 400 000 The ANI report banks on pro-India T h i n k t a n k s l i k e T h e H i n d u A m e r i c a n Foundation, Gateston Institute and Stitchting B A S U J ( B a n g l a d e s h S u p p o r t G r o u p ) A nother report dated 1 July 2023 tried to revives myths about genocide and rapes by Pakistani forces in the 1971 armed conflict India s T h e P r i n t a l s o e c h o e d t h e s t a t e s p o n s o r e d myths For instance it stated, Also, countries like China and The United States suppressed the genocide reports as well, provoking both a c t i v i s t s a n d a c a d e m i c s T h u s i n t u r n t h e B a n g l a d e s h i u p r i s i n g o f 1 9 7 1 h a s b e e n r ed u c e d t o a c i v i c - p o l i t i c a l d e m a n d R e c o g n ition of the brutal massacre and the qualitative w i d e n i n g o f t h e c u r r e n t l e g a l u n d e r s t a n d i n g of genocide during the Liberation Struggle of Bangladesh is ethically demanded” The Print

however concluded its report with disclaimer: This report is auto-generated from ANI news service The Print holds no responsibility for its content” Sirmila Bose in her 2011 book Dead Reckoning: Memories of the 1971 Bangladesh War has exploded these myths Her book is the first of its kind based entirely on primary sources and eyeball-to-eyeball interviews She points out Many 'facts had been exaggerated, fabricated, distorted or concealed Many people in responsible positions had repeated unsupported assertions without a thought; some people seemed to know that the nationalist mythologies were false and yet had done nothing to inform the public For one thing, the Pakistan-India conflict in 1971 was not an ‘armed conflict Pakistan Army units in East Pakistan were not armed to fight a war The troops in East Pakistan were on “internal security duty Pakistan s 16 Division had eight tanks Pakistan s 9 Division had two 105mm guns and four 120mm mortars The Pakistan Navy in East Pakistan had no naval ships only a few gunboats and a dieselelectric submarine And, Pakistan Air Force in East Pakistan had a dozen F-86 Sabres transonic jet fighters Through the Ganga hijacking drama, India blocked Pakistan’s flight to East Pakistan

submarine Hangor Daphne-class shaft horsepower submarine-the first warship sunk by a submarine since WWII)

On June 6 in 1972, The Guardian ran a story titled ‘The Missing Millions’ which “asserted that field investigations by the Home Ministry of Bangladesh had turned up about 2 000 complaints of deaths at the hands of the Pakistan Army Of the 2 000 complaints filed at the ministry, a thousand had actually accused the Mukti Bahini (Martin Woollacott, Dead Reckoning by Sarmila Bose – review A longoverdue study of Bangladesh's war of independence The Guardian dated July 1, 2011)

The Indian media ebulliently publishes canards about “atrocities of Pak forces Benglais know India’s hidden face Bangladeshi Hindus desecrated the Holy Quran by putting it at the feet of an idol This triggered riots in BD Many times Indian soldiers crossing the India-BD border were shot dead by BD rifles Bangladeshis resent that India refused to supply them onions and vaccines in violation of signed accords

As of March 1971 the total strength of Pak forces was 12,000 As of December 16, the total strength of Pakistani troops in East Pakistan was 34,000 of which only 23,000 were infantry

On the other hand the total strength of Ind i a n t r o o p s r a n g e d b e t w e e n 1 5 0 0 0 0 a n d

4 0 0 0 0 0 p l u s 1 0 0 0 0 0 I n d i a n - t r a i n e d M u k t i

B a h n i E a s t p a k i s t a n w a s i n v a d e d u n d e r I n -

dira Gandhis s orders and Indian Parliament s r e s o l u t i o n T h e i n v a d e r s i n c l u d e d I n d i a s 4 I n f a n t r y D i v i s i o n , 9 I n f a n t r y D i v i s i o n , 2 0 M o u n t a i n D i v i s i o n 6 M o u n t a i n D i v i s i o n 8

M o u n t a i n D i v i s i o n 5 7 M o u n t a i n D i v i s i o n a n d 2 3 D i v i s i o n T h e I n d i a n A i r F o r c e d e -

p l o y e d 1 S u k h o i S q u a d r o n 3 G n a t S q u a d r o n s , 3 M i G - 2 1 S q u a d r o n s a n d 4

Navy

i r c r a f t C a r r i e r Vi k r a n t c o m p r i s i n g 4 7 a i rc r a f t , e i g h t d e s t r o y e r s , t w o s u b m a r i n e s a n d

To woo Bangladesh, the Indian press almost overlooks persecution of opposition by the ruling party The Bangladesh g o v e r n m e n t bought the latest gadgets from Israel to spot key protesters For instance Ashraful Alom aka Hero Alom, an i n d e p e n d e n t candidate in the Dhaka-17 parliamentary byelection was lynched by by Awami League supporters during the vote on July 17 Over thirteen foreign missions in Bangladesh including the USA, United Kingdom and European Union condemned the incident The Indian media ebulliently publishes canards about “atrocities of Pak forces Benglais know India’s hidden face Bangladeshi Hindus desecrated the Holy Quran by putting it at the feet of an idol This triggered riots in BD Many times Indian soldiers crossing the India-BD border were shot dead by BD rifles Bangladeshis resent that India refused to supply them onions and vaccines in violation of signed accords

To achieve lasting peace and justice in the region, it is crucial for the international community and policymakers to closely monitor the situation ensure respect for human rights and engage in meaningful dialogue with all stakeholders involved Only through an inclusive and equitable approach can a path toward sustainable resolution and reconciliation be forged for Jammu and Kashmir

S A J K

E d i t o r ’ s m a i l S e n d y o u r l e t t e r s t o : L e t t e r s t o E d i t o r Pakistan Today 4 - S h a a re y F a t i m a J i n n a h L a h o re P a k i s t a n E - m a i l : l e t t e r s @ p a k i s t a n t o d a y c o m p k L e t t e r s s h o u l d b e a d d re s s e d t o Pakistan Today e x c l u s i v e l y

Pakistani expor ters in a global context

IT is a matter of great relief for Pakistan that we have successfully reached a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a stand-by arrangement worth $3 billion This will help us avert the looming threat of default and a possibly disastrous economic scenario portrayed in the film Mad Max

While much has been written about the chaos that follows a sovereign default, it is important to remember the words of renowned writer Ernest Hemingway, who aptly wrote in The Sun Also Rises: “How did you go bankrupt? Two ways; gradually then suddenly ”

Although we now have some breathing space our policymakers must take all necessary measures to ensure an increase in exports This is crucial because our trading partners central banks are currently tightening their monetary policies and raising interest rates to cool down their economies and combat inflation Recent statements from the United States Federal Reserve the Bank of England and the European Central Bank have emphasised the need to continue raising the interest rates even if it means entering recession The rise in yields in the US treasury market and UK gilts market indicates the challenging times that lie ahead

But what does this mean for Pakistani exporters when our main trading partners economies are heading towards a recession? The signals are already evident in the data, such as the recent rise in unemployment in Germany, which is Europe’s largest economy

Based on the recent statement from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) we can anticipate inflationary pressures in the coming months particularly in terms of wage inflation

This can have a detrimental effect on exporters, adding to their costs Moreover, historical data from 2013 to 2017 shows that the fixed exchange rate has not been favourable to our exporters’ competitiveness as there is a clear correlation between a strong currency and a reduced export quantum for Pakistan F o r s m a l l a n d m e d i u m - s i z e d e x p o r t e r s w h o a r e a l r e a d y g r a pp l i n g w i t h h i g h e l e c t r i c i t y c o s t s , t h e f o r t h c o m i n g t s u n a m i o f i n f l at i o n w i l l m a k e i t e v e n h a r d e r f o r t h e m t o m e e t e x p o r t t a r g e t s a n d c o m p e t e i n t h e g l o b a l m a r k e t w i t h t h e t r a d i n g p a r t n e r s e n t e r i n g a r e c e s s i o n a r y p h a s e

Pakistani decision-makers must recognise that we operate in a global marketplace, and if the Western economies experience a recession, other countries, like Bangladesh and China, will adjust their strategies to support their exporters Therefore it is imperative to provide support to exporters in Pakistan during this challenging period They can bring in valuable foreign exchange, and that will surely help lift Pakistan out of its debt crisis D r a w i n g f r o m t h e w i s d o m o f H e r m a n K a h n , t h e r e n o w n e d m i l i t a r y s t r a t e g i s t w h o f o r m u l a t e d t h e K a h n ’s E s c a l a t i o n L a d d e r a n d w a s f o u n d i n g m e m b e r o f t h e H u d s o n I n s t i t u t e i t a p p e a r s t h a t t h e w o r l d i s t u r n i n g a b l i n d e y e t o p o t e n t i a l r i s k s Wi t h g e o p o l i t i c a l t e n s i o n s e s c al a t i n g i n t h e R u s s i a - U k r a i n e c o n f l i c t a n d t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f a m i s c a l c ul a t i o n b e t w e e n C h i n a a n d Ta i w a n l e a d i n g t o a w a r, t h e d a n g e r s o f a g l o b a l t r a d i n g d i s r u p t i o n c o u l d s u r p a s s e v e n t h e R u s s i a - U k r a i n e c o nf l i c t I n s u c h a s c e n a r i o i t i s c r u c i a l f o r P a k i s t a n i d e c i s i o n - m a k e r s t o h a v e a c o n t i n g e n c y p l a n i n p l a c e t o a d d r e s s t h e p o t e n t i a l p l u m m e t i n g o f o u r e x p o r t s

An oppor tunit y to reflec t on why such convic tions are inevitable and what politicians should do

Lessons in Political Engineering

THE established orders the world over strive on engineering of some sort The reason for that legitimate intervention on the part of the orders is to ensure that the rationale of the nation state under their firm control is not compromised Like an intelligence outfit working on scientific lines; trying to find gaps in the enemy line; the enemy can be external or internal the establishments try to make the most of the variables available

The success of the world powers since the 19th century, from the days of the East India Company to the legendary Lawrence of Arabia has been precisely hitting the iron, when it is ready for being moulded The reason behind many changes in the maps of the world during the 20th century well into the 21st owes much to the ‘intelligent games’ played by the powers The results have been seamless accepted internally and externally; in the process deriving the needed legitimacy to stand-alone and grow A look back into the engineering experiences witnessed in Pakistan create a somewhat different impression and on-ground results In Pakistan, the political engineering has not been treated as a natural process, whose results can be durable Rather it has been the proverbial ‘surgical strikes’ by the state on itself in a way that aftermath has been more devastating; except for a few short-term dividends The long-term fall out has been dismal pain The result has been an ever-increasing army of disgruntled citizenry alienated from the system Recent developments have created an impression of the working democracy as practised in Pakistan as a proverbial wolf in sheep s clothing

Taking the case study systematically the political chaos after the demise of the founder of the nation and then the first premier of the country opened the gates for creeping ‘undesirable interventions’ The growth in the influence of the bureaucracy opened the way for nonpolitical treatment of political problems The outcome was gradual alienation; if the aggrieved party was separated by geography, language and way of life

It was the establishment itself, which created so many gaps in the polity and society of East Pakistan; where it became a formal walkover for the Indian political and military power to do the needful; in support of the dissatisfied East Pakistani masses

As discussed before, the political engineering done by the nonpolitical forces resulted in a situation, where the people from the then West and East Pakistan, despite being on the same page regarding economic

Balochistan from the federation which are now visible, were laid as the result of that type of dealing with a political government

The first-ever political government under the consensus 1973 constitution, despite clear references against the coup as enshrined in Article 6 of the book; was to fall victim to the coup on 5 July 1977 That era in fact laid the foundation of the most devastating form of political engineering, whose impact has not been isolated to the political sphere of national activity, rather it was instrumental in fracturing the fabric of national integration along ethnic and sectarian lines

During the early years of the coup a few international and national events set the guidelines for the non-democratic political engineering consultants The year 1979 witnessed two international events; the Iranian Islamic Revolution in February and the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan in December

For the Pakistani nation state and the engineering consultants, the choices are clear Political movements are made up of humans and cannot be treated as chemistry laboratory experiments where results are calculated An all-inclusive level playing field is needed and a break from the Pakistani tradition of suppression of undesirable political trends

and political grievances, were found to be standing opposite each other's stated position As the result the Western wing could not understand the aspirations of the Eastern wing The outcome was the separation of the Eastern wing and creation of the independent nation state of Bangladesh Pakistan, however failed to seek any lessons from the debacle The formation of the political governments in the then NWFP and Balochistan out of the 1970 elections was not tolerated by the PPP The political party at the helm; instead of dealing with them in a political manner, unleashed another military operation in Balochistan The foundations of much of the alienation in

The first event was a breaking news on merit a public protest led by clergy toppling the most armed-to-the-teeth and modern system of government; a system which has complete Western support led by the USA

That event inspired Muslims of all shades and Pakistani society was no exception The events in the run up, when the section of Pakistani society professing the same faith as of the leaders of the revolution challenged the Islamization bids by the then military dispensation led by late General Zia; prompted the same consultants to weave another division in the society Gone were the days when Scouts managed the Moharram mourning sessions holding a solitary rope to segregate the men and women Now any urban centre can compete with the Kufa of 61 Hijri/October 680, going by the deployment of the law enforcing agencies; with Air Force helicopters hovering over the crowd pulling the cultural replicas along the designated route

That period also witnessed opposition to military rule in Sindh in the shape of THE MRD movement That development prompted the consultants to go for the ethnic card What has become of the lifeline of

Will India’s future generations forgive its decay into anti-Muslim hatred?

2002 Gujarat carnage A mother s testimony in Gujarat narrated how they tied her disabled son to a tree and beat him up He cried for water but they fed him petrol A match was put on him and he blew up like a bomb It s a vision the mother is fated to carry But I wonder if his killers remember it Are they tormented by it? I n t h e H o l o c a u s t , t r a i n s c a r r y i n g J e w i s h p e o p l e s t o p p e d a t s e v e r a l s t a t i o n s w h e r e m e n , w o m e n a n d c h i l d r e n t r a p p e d i n c a t t l e c a g e s c r i e d f o r w a t e r F a m i l i e s w e r e t a k e n a w a y f r o m h o m e s o l d p e o p l e s h o t i n t h e s t r e e t s G e r m a n s s a w a l l t h i s W h a t d i d t h e y f e e l ?

AL JAZEERA

s A m e e n A dA lwA

Apart of the Indian state where I live is on fire Barely 77km (48 miles) from the university where I teach in Haryana state a mob set a mosque on fire on early Tuesday and shot dead a young imam in a neighbouring district

It s the latest bloodstain on India s social fabric, which is already in tatters If history’s any guide, these stains will haunt India and Indians for decades to come

Ninety years ago on May 10 1933 5000 students of the Nazi students union and their professors gathered in Bebelplatz Berlin with flaming torches

They set fire to a pile of nearly 20,000 books written mainly by Jewish authors and communist thinkers like Karl Marx and Rosa Luxemburg both of whom also had Jewish roots Forty thousand people watched this event

The students read out their mantra: Against decadence and moral decay! For discipline and decency in the family and the nation! I commit to the flames, the writings of Writer Eric Kastner, whose books were hurled i n t o t h e f i r e , w a s s t a n d i n g i n t h e c r o w d , u n r e c o gnised He later described this as Begräbniswetter or funeral weather The day was dark and cloudy and the rain extinguished the fire

So the students had to k e e p p o u r i n g p e t r o l f o r t h e f l a m e s t o l i v e a n d t h e books to die

I was reminded of this in April, when a mob burned down a madrasa library with 4,500 books including ancient manuscripts and handwritten Islamic texts in calligraphy in the town of Bihar Sharif in the state of Bihar The library was 113 years old and preserved a priceless collection of books over several generations The attackers came prepared with sticks, stones and petrol bombs

If Kastner and hundreds of writers and artists left Germany and lived in exile while their homeland was violently reshaped by the Nazis right-wing politicians are today openly naming historians and journalists and telling them to leave India

In Germany on May 10 2023 nine outstanding artists read texts from writers like Rezso Kastner and Kurt Tucholsky whose books were burned that day 90 years ago Directly under Bebelplatz is now a library memorial with empty white shelves with space for around 20 000 books There is also a bronze plate with the inscription:

That was but a prelude; where they burn books

They will ultimately burn people as well

(Heinrich Heine 1820)

In India that order has been reversed We burned people and have now reached books The Mumbai riots after the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992 The

Today that collective memory has made Germany a rare nation that confronts at least some of its horrid past in its lived present The country s painful modern history is commemorated everywhere a police station where the Stasi tortured suspects, a hospital where cruel experiments were conducted upon Roma children Jewish homes from where families were deported to the gas chambers India has never had any such reckoning not even over the subcontinent s partition, during which more than one million people were murdered, and 15 million migrated between India and the new state of Pakistan

We have no plaques painted walls and hardly any memorials only memory Visions carved into the minds of people and passed on from generation to generation In Germany, it started with attacks on Jewish trades and bans on their professional work, grew into the capture of Jewish property and homes, but very soon turned to deportation to ghettos followed by mass murders All this while non-Jewish Germans watched Could they have stopped it?

I n I n d i a w e a r e w a t c h i n g t h e r a p i d p o i s o n i n g of the collective mind with propaganda that the anc i e n t g l o r y o f H i n d u s w a s t a r n i s h e d b y M u s l i m rulers That contemporary India’s rise is being held back by Muslims who are blamed for everything from the country s large population and the spread o f t h e c o r o n a v i r u s t o a n t i - w o m e n p r a c t i c e s a n d even inflation

From the withdrawal of scholarships for Muslims to amendments to the citizenship law that disc r i m i n a t e a g a i n s t M u s l i m a s y l u m s e e k e r s , t h e ruling party is leaving no stone unturned to fan the fuels of division P e r i o d i c v i o l e n c e a n d l y n c h i n g s a s i n H a r y a n a t h i s w e e k h e l p p u s h M u s l i m s f u r t h e r a n d f u r t h e r i n t o g h e t t o s M u s l i m w o m e n s o rg a n i s a t i o n s w o r ki n g t o w a r d s d o m e s t i c e q u a l i t y, M u s l i m y o u t h t r yi n g t o a d o p t a l i b e r a l w a y o f l i f e a w a y f r o m t h e c o m m u n i t y g a z e , a n d c h i l d r e n t r y i n g t o g e t e d u c at i o n a n d e c o n o m i c m o b i l i t y a r e a l l p u s h e d b a c k i n t o t h e g h e t t o T h e y a r e t h e n c o m p e l l e d t o l i v e a M u s l i mn e s s t h a t i s d e f i n e d b y o t h e r s t h e H i n d u r i g h t a n d s e l f - p r o c l a i m e d M u s l i m l e a d e r s d e t e r m i n e h o w a M u s l i m s h o u l d l o o k , b e h a v e a n d d r e s s F a n a t i c s f r o m b o t h s i d e s d e b a t e o v e r i t , c l a s h s w o r d s o v e r i t

The voices of the common Muslim – youth children women men and professionals are lost As a result an unchanging target is preserved for the merchants of hate Many decades after the Holocaust Germany still carries the burden of its history We Indians are living that history right here, right now Is it too late to amend it? Or are our future generations condemned to carry the weight of what we did and didn’t do?

Pakistan, Karachi, is another sad self-inflicted wound The ‘Jihad’ in nearby Afghanistan, inspired many to practiSe an important obligation of Muslim faith forgetting that the teachings as explained by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) attached much importance to fighting and disciplining oneself than active combat

The division by the consultants, prompted the other adherents of the divide to flock to Afghanistan to be trained as snipers and even slip over to that country after any episode of sectarian massacre Things on that front might have gone unnoticed, but the 9/11 events proved that project to be baggage, not just for the consultants , but also the state What the state has been trying to contain is in fact the ‘continuing history’ with many young men in uniform trained for conventional combat lost in useless insurgency whose originating father was the state itself These self-bred Khawarij were the biggest blunder of the ‘consultants’ under discussion

If these major divisions were not enough the political parties falling from favour have been subjected to a clumsy campaign of suppression post-August 1990 post-October 1999 and now post-April 2022/May 2023 period That mechanical political engineering seems instrumental in evaporating the faith of the man on the street from the system altogether

The consultants failed to understand that the political movements can be suppressed but a loyal electorate cannot be evaporated The Turkish Kemalist state could not uproot

the devout Muslim from that society Similarly the reform-minded Iranians, denied victory in 2009, could not be stopped in 2013 and 2017 resulting in reform-minded administrations The leadership is clear on the assertion that many who support the system might not be observing Hijab as the system might like them to Even now, the society in Iran is divided over the status quo and revisiting the main Qanoon-e-Isasi

For the Pakistani nation state and the engineering consultants the choices are clear Political movements are made up of humans and cannot be treated as chemistry laboratory experiments where results are calculated An all-inclusive level playing field is needed and a break from the Pakistani tradition of suppression of undesirable political trends Conclusively the biggest lesson for the Pakistani nation state from the stalemate is return to the dictates of the true spirit of the constitution and not the mutilated one as is now to suit a group of sleuths and undemocratic forces Kids of yesteryears reading Dastan Amir Hamza series, abridged version titled book 6 of the series; Aiyaroon ki hakumat (government of Intel sleuths) might be amused by the machinations of Umru Aiyyar; the chief spy of Amir Hamza ( who imprisons Amir and other office holders after capturing power), but nation states can ill afford such games and engineering Elections may be better left to the voter and the manipulations of WhatsApp RTS be left subservient to the trends generated at polling booths

The writer is a freelance columnist

Will there be a coup in Israel?

T h e s e m u rd e re r s w h o a re c o n v i c t e d o f c r i m e s , e v e n a c c o rd i n g t o t h e O c c u p a t i o n ' s l a w, h a v e b e c o m e l i ke a c a t l i c k i n g a k n i f e , t h i n k i n g i t i s l i c k i n g t h e b l o o d o f a v a l u a b l e p re y w h e n , i n f a c t , i t i s l i c k i n g i t s o w n b l o o d

MIDDLE EAST MONITOR h e l m A l - A s m A R

THEORETICALLY and at first glance the idea of the enemy s army turning against the curr e n t N e t a n y a h u g o v e r n m e n t s e e m s t o b e a n u n l i k e l y i n s a n e a n d u n f e a s i b l e i d e a I n f a c t the unprecedented existential crisis that Israel i s e x p e r i e n c i n g t o d a y h a s n o s o l u t i o n e x c e p t w i t h i n several scenarios, perhaps the most important of which are the following:

First for the criminals from the Hilltop Boys and the murderous Kahanists (led by Smotrich and Ben-Gvir) to back down and stop practicing their madness by stopping their pressure on Netanyahu, and pushing him to go to the extreme and turn Israel into a religious state in the form of a Zionist-Jewish version of ISIS It does not seem that this option is even 1 per cent likely, as these murderers who are convicted of crimes even according to the Occupation s law have become like a cat licking a knife thinking it is licking the blood of a valuable prey when in fact it is licking its own blood It seems like they are proceeding with the implementation of their plan until their dying breath

Many are unaware of the details of this plan With regard to the criminal Ben-Gvir he believes according to his mad messianic belief that his mission is to pour oil on the fire whenever its light begins to extinguish, because this brings the great confrontation closer and the Battle of Armageddon, where the Jews will be victorious over their enemies (including the Palestinians and Arabs) and turn them into slaves and servants This battle also includes the destruction of AlAqsa and the emergence of their "messiah" who will support the Jews Those who do not believe this must look into the true ideology that drives this imbecile

As for his friend, Smotrich, he has a more detailed vision of bringing "peace" to "the land of Israel" as he drew up a plan that he claims will end the Palestinian-Zionist conflict This plan involves the Palestinians choosing between living within a Jewish state with incomplete rights emigrating or killing those who insist on armed resistance

He has already begun executing his plan on the ground after Netanyahu appointed him as an uncrowned "king" of the West Bank

This criminal's plan was published in Hashiloach magazine under the title Israel s Decisive Plan considering that the two-state solution has reached a dead end and it is time to break the model and find the appropriate way out of this endless cycle", as he says According to him, achieving this goal requires actions first, which he has already set in motion, by applying full Israeli sovereignty over the areas in the West Bank and ending the settlement conflict in the form of establishing new cities and settlements deep in the region and bringing hundreds of thousands of additional settlers to live in them He believes this "will make it clear to everyone that there is no turning back from the reality in the West Bank, that Israel is here to stay and that the Arab dream of a state in the West Bank is no longer viable

As for the Palestinians Smotrich believes that they have two main alternatives: Those who agree to give up their national aspirations can stay and live as individuals

in the Jewish state and enjoy all the benefits that the Jewish state has brought to the occupied territory (!) while those who choose not to give up their national aspirations will receive aid to immigrate to one of the many countries in which Arabs have realised their national aspirations or to any other destination in the world

"Not everyone will adopt one of these two options There will be those who will continue to choose another option Smotrich said referring to the resistance to the occupation, stressing that they will be dealt with by the security forces with a strong hand and under conditions that make it easier to do so

Smotrich claimed that this plan is "the most just and most moral by all standards – historical Zionist and Jewish and it is the only option that can lead to calm peace and true coexistence!

The second option is for the two parties to the conflict to agree The two parties are the government and its supporters, and the opposition and its masses scattered in the squares, protesting in the thousands It involves reaching a compromise to restore matters to the way they were and get the Israeli occupation out of its suffocating crisis This is an option that seems the most impossible at the moment as all of the signs suggest that Netanyahu preferred personal salvation over the salvation of the "state" that he leads In the last vote in the enemy s parliament (the Knesset) to abolish the reasonableness condition in the decisions of the Supreme Court one analyst described the scene by saying: Netanyahu saved himself and destroyed Israel, and there is no possibility on the horizon for either party backing down from their decision or giving up their position The rifts that split the Israeli community in Palestine have reached major heights I n s h o r t , s o f a r, t h i s option has no reasonable c h a n c e o f b e i n g a p p l i e d on the ground As for the last option it is for Israel to turn to the option of civil war, which, according to the latest opinion poll, is no longer impossible, as it had been before Maariv newspaper's poll, conducted by the Lazar Institute showed that 58 per cent of Israel's sett l e r s f e a r a c i v i l w a r I t i s a n o p t i o n I t h i n k t h a t t h e deep state will not allow to take place in the US or Isr a e l i t s e l f I b e l i e v e i t s a l t e r n a t i v e i s t o o r c h e s t r a t e a military coup in a modern and innovative manner that may occur in the form of orchestrating the death of Netanyahu alone or others from the religious Zionist camp, paving the way for parliamentary elections that will definitely be in favour of the opposition According to the latest opinion polls the results will be in favour of the right-wing opposition and I do not say left-wing because the left-wing in Israel died and was buried many years ago

These are the options on the table today, and perhaps there are other options, which have not come to mind and may occur at any time They are all options that could redraw the map of events in the region It is strange that the Arab side has taken the role of the spectator when it comes to the raging situation in the area There is no sign of life from this side of the conflict other than from the Palestinian Resistance, which may act as the counterweight to choose between one option and the other

This article first appeared in Arabic in Arabi21

S O L I D A R I T Y : C H I N A C A L L S F O R

R E S O L U T I O N O F I I O J K I S S U E

BEIJING S TA F F R E P O R T

CH I N A has reiterated its clear and consistent position on the Kashmir issue ahead of ‘Youm-e-Istehsal’ calling for a proper and peaceful resolution of the longstanding issue under the United Nations (UN) Charter, UN Security Council s resolutions and bilat-

eral agreements C h i n a s p o s i t i o n o n t h e K a s h m i r issue is consistent and clear This issue is a dispute left over from history bet w e e n I n d i a a n d P a k i s t a n , a n d s h o u l d be resolved in accordance with the UN C h a r t e r r e l e v a n t U N S e c u r i t y C o u nc i l ’s r e s o l u t i o n s a n d b i l a t e r a l a g r e em e n t s i n a p r o p e r l y a n d p e a c e f u l m a n n e r a C h i n e s e f o r e i g n m i n i s t r y s p o k e s p e r s o n s a i d o n t h e f o u r t h a n -

niversary of India s unilateral and illegal act in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK)

On Aug 5, 2019, in violation of the U N S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n s o n J a m m u a n d K a s h m i r a n d t h e i n t e r n at i o n a l l a w t h e I n d i a n g o v e r n m e n t l e d b y t h e B h a r a t i y a J a n a t a P a r t y ( B J P ) s t r u c k d o w n a r t i c l e s 3 7 0 a n d 3 5 - A o f the Indian Constitution thereby scrapp i n g t h e l a w t h a t g r a n t e d K a s h m i r i t s

Russian ex-president Medvedev threatens to unleash ecological disaster on Ukraine

KREMLIN:

special status

The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson issued the statement on Kashmir at a time when the entire Pakistani nation and Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control are observing Youm-e-Istehsal on Aug 5 to protest against Indian unilateral and illegal action aimed at changing the demography of IIOJK and obliterating the distinct identity of Kashmiri people

Factbox: India’s measures targeting Chinese products and investment

India said on Friday it would defer the imposition of a licensing requirement for imports of laptops, tablets and personal computers by three months – partially reversing the surprise decision it announced a day earlier

While India has not said the new requirement is aimed at China more than half of its roughly $10 billion in annual imports of personal computers and tablets are Chinese-made Relations between the countries have deteriorated since mid-2020, when Chinese and Indian troops clashed on their disputed Himalayan frontier and 24 people were killed

Several Indian government officials who asked not to be named said the licensing measure aimed to

address a trade imbalance with China

Here are some other Chinese trade and investment ventures affected by Indian measures since 2020:

INVESTMENT PLAN BY BYD

China’s BYD (002594 SZ) told its India joint-venture partner last month it would shelve plans for a new $1-billion investment to build electric cars after its investment proposal faced scrutiny from New Delhi

GREAT WALL MOTOR INVESTMENT PLAN

Great Wall Motor (601633 SS) shelved plans last year to invest $1 billion in India and laid off all employees at its operations there after failing to obtain regulatory approvals

XIAOMI ASSET FREEZE

India’s federal financial crime agency has frozen $670 million of Xiaomi s (1810 HK) bank assets since

last year posing a significant challenge to the smartphone maker The agency alleges that Xiaomi made illegal remittances to foreign entities in the name of royalties The company denies wrongdoing MOBILE APPS BAN Citing data and privacy issues, India has banned about 300 Chinese mobile apps including popular ones such as the battle-royale format game from Krafton Inc (259960 KS) a South Korean company backed by China s Tencent (0700 HK) NEW INVESTMENT VETTING RULES

In 2020, India stepped up scrutiny of investments from companies based in neighbouring countries by adding an extra layer of vetting and security clearances in what was widely seen as a move to stave off takeovers and investments by Chinese firms

C hina eyes early completion of talks on free trade deal with Gulf countries

ISLAMABAD

M I A N A B R A R

China is eyeing on an early completion of talks on a free trade agreement (FTA) with the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as ChinaGCC ties and economic cooperation h a v e b e e n e x p a n d i n g r a p i d l y a m i d frequent official exchanges

Wang Yi a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and minister of foreign affairs said during a phone call with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Friday that the two sides should strive for an early conclusion of the China-GCC FTA and promote greater development in China-Arab and China-GCC relations China supports the UAE in hosting the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and stands ready to strengthen strategic coordination with the UAE side on the international stage jointly uphold true multilateralism oppose unilateralism and bullying

safeguard the basic norms of international relations and safeguard international fairness and justice Wang said according to the Xinhua News Agency

Following the first-ever ChinaGCC Summit in December 2022, China’s relations and cooperation with members of the GCC including the UAE and Saudi Arabia have been expanding rapidly And the China-GCC FTA talks of which first started in 2004 is among the top priorities for both sides in expanding bilateral cooperation

C h i n a - U A E b i l a t e r a l c o o p e r at i o n h a v e a l s o b e e n e x p a n d i n g i n r e c e n t m o n t h s i n a v a r i e t y o f a r e a s I n M a y t h e U A E s E m i r a t e s N uc l e a r E n e r g y C o r p o r a t i o n s i g n e d t h r e e a g r e e m e n t s w i t h C h i n e s e n uc l e a r e n e r g y o r g a n i z a t i o n s o n n uc l e a r e n e r g y c o o p e r a t i o n I n M a r c h , C h i n a c o m p l e t e d f i r s t - e v e r y u a n - s e t t l e d l i q u e f i e d n a t u r a l g a s ( L N G ) t r a d e o n L N G i m p o r t e d f r o m t h e U A E In addition to economic cooperation the two sides are also expanding cooperation in other areas such as military

PM VOWS TO CONTINUE ‘UNWAVERING’ DIPLOMATIC, MORAL AND POLITICAL SUPPORT TO K ASHMIRIS

On the eve of Youm-e-Istehsal-e-Kashmir the premier took to social media blogging site, X, and posted a tweet, saying: Today marks the completion of four years since India deprived Kashmiris of their statehood by unilaterally annexing Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir The last four years have represented the culmination of the worst human rights abuses including but not limited to the demographic changes

issuance of fake domiciles internet shutdown complete information blackout and imprisonment of Kashmiri leadership of all hues and colours

He said India, through these “illegal and immoral measures”, attempted to “alter the internationally recognised status of IIOJK and undermine the Kashmiris’ fundamental right to self-determination

PM Shehbaz also continued to extend unwavering diplomatic, moral and political support to Kashmiris in their struggled and called upon India to reverse its Aug 5 actions

“History bears witness to the fact that brute force has never succeeded in extinguishing the fire of freedom and rights the prime minister added

Pakistan will continue to be voice of Kashmiri people: President Alvi

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has maintained that Pakistan will continue to be the voice of its Kashmiri brothers and sisters who had been making invaluable sacrifices and would extend all possible support for the fullest realization of their legitimate rights

The President in his message on Youm-e-Istehsal the 5th August said we have no doubt that durable peace and stability in South Asia can only be achieved through a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people

He said that India unleashed its illegal and unilateral actions on August 05, 2019 in the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) with the aim of disempowering, disenfranchising, and dispossessing the Kashmiri people in their own land These measures were designed to permanently occupy the disputed territory and erase its distinct Kashmiri character he remarked S TA F F R E P O R T

India through illegal occ upation in IIOJK c an’t suppress K ashmiri ’s rights: Bilawal

ISLAMABAD

PSX ISSUES NOTICE TO PICT FOR UNUSUAL SHARE PRICE MOVEMENT

SHARE’S PRICE GONE UP BY RS30 (70%) IN PA ST 16 DAYS

d t o a r o u n d R s 4 2 i n early July 2023 when the company’s f a t e w a s u n c e r t a i n H o w e v e r, t h e share prices have now surged to over Rs 71 following the successful transa c t i o n o f t h e c o m p a n y s m a j o r i t y share to a new entity This is a more t h a n 7 0 % i n c r e a s e a n d h e n c e w a rranted a PSX intervention PICT was handed over to a

Bill passed unanimously

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting

Marriyum Aurangzeb on Saturday said that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Amendment Bill 2023 was passed by the National Assembly with unanimous vote after detailed deliberations with all stakeholders

The Minister, however, said it was unjustified that the people who prepared the said bill were irrelevant although all the media organizations and stakeholders were consulted on the bill

PEMRA Bill 2023 remained in the public domain for 20 days and under discussion in Parliament If anybody has any objection on the bill, he may highlight that loophole and suggest the amendment,” the minister said while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting

PEMRA Bill 2023 was reviewed in the meeting

presided over by the convener of the committee

Fauzia Arshad It was decided in the meeting that the committee members would submit their amendments by August 7

During the briefing, she said, under the PEMRA law 2002 the chairman PEMRA had authority to suspend or cancel the license of any TV channel but the amended law empowered the Council of Complaints by curtailing the power of chairman PEMRA

We all have suffered a lot due to the draconian PEMRA law 2002 which was introduced by the then President Pervaiz Musharaf,” she added

Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the PEMRA Bill 2023 protects the rights of media workers and journalists as all the media house owners would be bound to clear their all dues including salaries within two months under the new bill

Responding to Senator Irfan Saddique, she said, media houses were bound to submit their monthly statements regarding the salaries of the employees to the Council of Complaints and added that media houses would be penalized up to Rs ten million for none compliance to the provisions in the bill

There was no such platform in the country where media workers and journalist could register their complaints against the media houses, therefore, this bill is providing a platform where they can register their complaints at the Council of Complaints, she added

She refuted the impression of any connection between salaries of media worker and the government and said that no advertisements would be given to any TV channel for none compliance in this regard

She said the channels could seek stay order from the court of the same city where the complainant would register his complaint against the channel in the council

Marriyum Aurangzeb claims countr y’s economy on road to recover y

ISLAMABAD

S TA F F R E P O R T

Holding PTI government responsible for inflation in the country, Federal Information Minister Marriyum

Aurangzeb claimed on Saturday that the country s economy was recovering with each passing day

Addressing a press conference here she said when the coalition government had taken over in April 2022 the economy was in bad shape Pakistan succeeded in striking a deal with the IMF courtesy efforts made by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar she said Disagreeing with the common perception, Marriyum said in fact it was during the PTI government that inflation was at its peak

was the first port infrastructure project in Pakistan to receive funding from the International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the World Bank, with a total investment of approximately $150 million, highlighting its significance in Pakistan’s maritime infrastructure

ECNEC approves proposal to par tially outsource Islamabad International Airpor t

“Last time when the PML-N was in power price hike was very much under control while the economy was progressing at the rate of 6 1 per cent the minister said adding However it was due to the steps taken by the PTI government that prices of different items soared

She further said it was under former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan that the country’s relations with the outside world soured Marriyum went on to say that it was former premier Nawaz Sharif who had introduced the policy on culture Today we are offering subsidy to the film industry she said, and added, Our culture and heritage are important components of our national character

Enumerating the steps taken by the present government for the promotion of film industry the minister said it had set up Certificate Board and Film Division We have worked for the betterment of radio and television she concluded

‘Killer highways’: Balochistan’s road accidents exceed terrorist fatalities

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) legal team has termed the verdict against Imran Khan a biased and one-sided judgement rendered against PTI Chairman Imran Khan in Thoshakhan case

“This is a politically motivated fixed match and murder of justice which they said would be challenged in the high court as well as in Supreme Court Article 10A of the Constitution guaranteed an absolute and unqualified right to a fair trial and due process including an opportunity to defend the case an adequate opportunity to prepare the defence a right to a hearing an independent and impartial judge said leader of the PTI legal team Shoaib Shaheen addressing a press conference here He said that the decision against Imran

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved six projects worth Rs 110 2 billion including the proposal to partially outsource Islamabad International Airport (IIA) under Private Public Partnership (PPP) mode Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired ECNEC on Saturday

The Ministry of Planning Development and Reform presented the outsourcing of IIA under the PPP modality in ECNEC

The officials informed the chair that the prime objective of the project is not just to raise capital but to undertake modernization of existing infrastructure of IIA and associated facilities by attracting private sector participation This would in turn help in mobilizating private finance bringing in international expertise to improve service quality and efficiency and implementing the latest international standards to stimulate aviation growth

The project scope involves maintenance, operations and rehabilitation of IIA landside facilities (passenger terminal cargo terminal/facilities parking) and apron along with its associated facilities Management and operations of facilities and areas other than the project scope including Air Traffic control, runway, taxiway, fuel for, aircraft rescue and firefighting facilities will still be Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA’s) responsibility Sources said that the present value generated by the project under the proposed option-1 (PPP mode) is $434 million whereas in option-2 (traditional mode) the present value of the project is $409 million Based upon the present value, option-1 generates additional net value of $25 65 million The present value of project cash flows under both options have been estimated using a discount rate of 12% Planning commission also informed the forum that the total concession period is 15 years and the estimated project cost is $135 million out of which $100 million to be paid to the Civil Aviation Authority upfront by the successful bidder

Sources said that the government under this proj-

Khan was nothing but a fixed match, as it was their right to defend and present witnesses However Shaheen said that when they sought time to bring the witnesses the request was not granted and the verdict was given before the right to defend, adding that such a judge did not deserve to be sat on the chair of justice who could not serve justice

PTI lawyer announced that they would file a petition in the High Court and the apex court against the biased and flawed decision

He lamented that all unconstitutional acts were being done with PTI workers asking as how the Islamabad police reached Lahore so quickly S h o a i b S h a h e e n s a i d N a w a z S h a r i f , A s i f Z a r d a r i Yu s u f R a z a G i l a n i a n d Maryam Nawaz were all convicted of the crime in Tosha Khana case adding that the o n l y a l l e g a t i o n a g a i n s t K h a n w a s t h a t money was written in assets statement but

ect wants to turn the IIA into a profitable business endeavour This will decrease and ultimately diminish public sector risk and existing liabilities through an improved and innovative operational solutions

The ECNEC also considered and approved a Punjab Government project titled Developing Resilient Environment and Advancing Municipal Services (DREAMS-I) at a cost of Rs 64 480 billion (USD 225 million) including ADB loan of Rs 51 5billion (USD 180 million) and local component of Rs 12 8 billion (USD 45 million) by the Punjab government The project will enhance climate resilience and urban living and health conditions for about 2 9 million people in Rawalpindi and Bahawalpur cities of Punjab province

The ECNEC also considered a project regarding the Prime Minister ’s National Programme for Solarization of Agriculture Tube wells in Sindh Punjab Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces and allowed Islamabad Capital Territory(ICT) rural areas into the programme s scope

The ECNEC also considered and approved a revised/updated project of the Sindh Government titled “ Karachi Neighborhood Improvement project (KNIP)” at the cost of Rs 18 8 billion (USD 85 610 million) including a World Bank loan of Rs 16 7 billion (USD 76 067 million) The revised/updated project envisages the improvement/upgradation of infrastructure of Karachi City in Karachi South Korangi and Malir districts

The ECNEC considered and approved a project of Gilgit –Baltistan Government titled “Rural Development and Climate resilience Project” at an updated cost of Rs 16 2 billion with foreign financing of Rs 11 0 billion The project envisages to improve sustainability of living conditions and resilience to climate change and natural disasters of GilgitBaltistan households and communities

The ECNEC also considered and approved a project titled “Feasibility/cost estimate for Dualization of Sialkot-Eminabad Road upto Kamoki including a link to Motorway: 65 kms at the cost of Rs 10 8 billion with 50% cost sharing between Federal and Punjab Govt and employed the National Highway Authority (NHA) to execute the project

n o d e t a i l s w e r e g i v e n i n t h i s f o r m H o wever he stated that there was no option for details in the form Shoaib Shaheen stated that all institutions including the establishment were with this biased judge, as their sole agenda was to target PTI Chairman for political purposes, as everyone knew that justice had been bulldozed and buried H e a s k e d a s t o w h y p o l i c e t e a m reached PTI Central Secretariat in G-8 in the wee hour which showed the decision was already written He said that PTI leade r s w e r e d e t a i n e d e i g h t t i m e s b u t j u s t i c e was not served PTI legal team leader recalled that Justice Aamir Farooq said that no one’s right to defense can be suspended but they were d e p r i v e d o f t h i s r i g h t H e s a i d t h a t P T I Chairman PTI was attacked and 180 cases were filed against him but he did not flee

Balochistan Pakistan s largest province known for its rugged landscapes and natural beauty has been grappling with a rising death toll on its national expressways

Over the past five years, the province has witnessed a staggering 881 lives lost and more than 44 thousand injured in various accidents on the N25, N50, N85, and N70 highways turning the once promising routes into deadly corridors

According to data compiled by the Medical Emergency Response Center (MERC) more than 32 thousand traffic accidents have occurred on these national highways during this period, leaving an indelible mark on the province’s transport safety record

The N25 Quetta-Karachi highway in particular emerged as the deadliest stretch accounting for most of the accidents and fatalities

The alarming statistics have drawn comparisons between traffic accidents and terrorist incidents in the region During the same five-year period, the number of lives lost in road mishaps surpassed those lost to terrorist activities

Among the primary causes cited for these tragic incidents are smuggling speeding and violation of laws by passenger coaches plying the expressways Despite efforts by authorities to curb these dangerous practices, the situation continues to worsen, prompting serious concerns among commuters and officials alike

Muhammad Asghar the Project Manager at MERC expressed grave concern over the growing trend of accidents

Speeding, overloading, and oil smuggling in passenger coaches are not without danger to passengers It’s distressing to witness the loss of so many precious lives due to reckless behaviour and disregard for traffic rules ” he said

Zafar Iqbal the Secretary of Transport in Balochistan acknowledged the severity of the situation and pledged to address the issue urgently

to London or Dubai and he was still facing the cases

Speaking on the occasion PTI’s lawyer Barrister Gohar Khan said that the Islamabad High Court ordered to take a decision within seven days, as it did not ask to give a verdict within a day

Gohar said that he personally requested the judge to provide a level playing field, but he gave the decision by trampling their constitutional legal rights He stated that the IHC did not order to announce decision by 12-30 as they sought time to gather the requirement documents

Gohar appealed to the apex court to give them a chance to hear their case at the earliest On the occasion PTI lawyer Naeem Haider Panjutha said that the first injustice was done by conducting an unlawful operation in Zaman Park for 26 hours and again today, PTI Chairman was detained without

arrest warrant

He said that the judge did not even complain to anyone about his Facebook ID adding that they were busy with the case no name of their lawyer was written in the order

He said that at 12 o clock it was said that the verdict would be pronounced at 12:30, and he asked can a verdict containing 30 pages be written so quickly He said that they had been raising objections against Judge Humayun Dilawar Khan for the last three months

PTI lawyer said that it was nowhere mentioned in the IHC order that the verdict should be pronounced in a single day, adding that their fight for supreme of law and constitution would be continued despite all odds He hoped that the decision would be challenged in the High court and Supreme Court and justice would be done as the sentence would be suspended and PTI Chairman would be released soon

PEMRA

‘after deliberations with all stakeholders’

Imran’s legal team terms convic tion ‘politic ally motivated, murder of justice’

g