Friday, 11 September, 2020 I 22 Muharram, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 72 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition
polIce Arrest 12 suspects In lAhore MotorwAy gAng-rApe cAse STAFF RePORT
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Al-Azizia case: Ihc wonders if it can take up a proclaimed offender’s petition
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LAHORE CCPO vICTIM-BLAMES FEMALE TRAvELLER FOR MOTORWAy RAPE
HILE the Punjab government arrested 12 men suspected of in- jarpura police registered a case, while mo- while speaking to Pakistan Today, explained volvement in gang-rape of a torway police spokesman said that they had that his statement was being mistaken. “I did woman on the Lahore-Sialkot not been able to take action as the incident not mean to imply that the woman was motorway a day earlier, Lahore did not occur in the limits of Motorway Police. wrong or that I did not blame her for the inciCapital City Police Officer (CCPO) umar On Thursday, the CCPO, who was speak- dent, but rather she should check all the Sheikh questioned the choices of the victim, ing to a private television channel, said that necessary things before going on a trip. The saying the woman should have taken a less he was surprised the woman, a mother of Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be upon deserted route and checked Him) is also that when you go her petrol level before embarkout for a journey, everything ing on the journey. should be checked. This conOn Tuesday night, two robversation of mine is being disbers had gang-raped a mother torted. If the woman was of two on the motorway within travelling, she should have Gujjarpura police’s checked the fuel,” he said. jurisdiction.The woman’s car Later in the day, Federal had stopped after running out Minister for Planning, Developof fuel, and the motorway ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday took strict notice ment, Reforms, and Special helpline was not responding. In of the Lahore motorway gang rape, and the rape and murder of a Initiatives Asad umar said that this time, two men broke her 5-year-old girl in Karachi, and directed the authorities to take action providing safety to the masses car window, pulled the woman quickly. According to a tweet from the PM Office, the premier has was the state’s responsibility. out, raped her, and stole her asked for reports of both incidents from the relevant inspector genTalking about the CCPO’s purse, which contained erals (IGs) and calls for the government to makes laws more effecstatement, he said that he did Rs100,000 in cash, a bracelet, tive for the protection of women and children. The premier called not agree with the statement the car registration papers, and the protection of women and children the government’s top priority. the police officer made, howthree ATM cards. In this time, 5-year-old Marwah, , had gone from her house to a nearby shop ever, he had “not said anytwo men broke her car window, when she was kidnapped on Friday morning. Her body was found in thing illegal”. pulled the woman out, raped a bag in a dumpster on Sunday by residents of the Essa Nagri area. “What action should we her, and stole her purse, which A protest was launched by the family shortly after the body was take against the CCPO? That contained Rs100,000 in cash, a found. Additional IG Karachi Ghulam Nabi Memon met with Marhe did not make a good bracelet, the car registration wah’s family on Tuesday assured them that the culprits soon would statement?” he asked, over papers, and three ATM cards. be arrested. Separately on Tuesday night, two robbers had gangcalls for the CCPO’s removal. According to a police offiraped a mother of two on the motorway within Gujjarpura police’s Meanwhile, Minister of cial, the woman’s vehicle after jurisdiction. The woman’s car had stopped after running out of fuel, State for Parliamentary Affairs crossing the toll plaza on the and the motorway helpline was not responding. In this time, two Ali Muhammad Khan said Lahore-Sialkot motorway had men broke her car window, pulled the woman out, raped her, and that the CCPO should be stalled either due to a shortage stole her purse, which contained Rs100,000 in cash, a bracelet, the ashamed, and if is unable to of petrol or some fault. Meancar registration papers, and three ATM cards. Speaking on the inciperform his duties then he while, she sent her location to a dent, the newly appointed Punjab IGP Inam Ghani said new evishould leave his post. “Norelative in Gujranwala, who dence has been found which would help track down the culprits. body has given him the right asked her to call the motorway The IGP added that 20 police teams have been assigned to the to make such comments […] police helpline, while he also case and so far, 12 suspects have been arrested. STAFF REPORT She must have left for some left from home towards her lourgent work,” he said, adding cation. When he reached the that providing safety to the peolocation, he found the woman three travelling alone at night, chose to travel ple was the state’s responsibility. Khan, advising terrified with her clothes stained with blood, through Ring Road instead of taking the GT the police officer to not be a “moral brigade”, the official added. said that each and every citizen of Pakistan is Road that was relatively “safer”. The police official said that two armed “If she had decided to travel via motor- free to walk on the streets of the country any men found the woman alone, took her and way, she should have checked her fuel tank time they want. “Who are you to comment on her children to a nearby field at gunpoint because there were no petrol pumps on that it?” he asked the CCPO Lahore. and gang-raped her, adding that police had route,” he said. formed teams to trace the culprits. The GujHowever, CCPO Lahore Omar Sheikh, CONTINUED ON PAGE 05
After MArwAh And MotorwAy rApe cAses, pM IMrAn cAlls for strIct ActIon
ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
A day after an accountability court in Islamabad declared former prime minister Nawaz Sharif a proclaimed offender for his prolonged absence in the Toshakhana reference, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday wondered if his petition in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference can be heard. A two-member bench, comprising Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, raised the question during the proceedings of a fresh application filed by Nawaz’s counsel on Wednesday, urging the court to “forgo” the requirement of his surrender in the case. Nawaz, who was handed a sevenyear term in the reference in December 2018, left for London in November last year on the pretext of medical treatment and has been staying there ever since. The IHC on Tuesday ordered him to surrender and appear before the court on the next hearing on September 10. The PML-N supreme leader, however, submitted a petition, stating he was “suffering from multiple comorbidities,” and asked the court to “forgo” the requirement for his surrender. Attached to the petition, filed by his counsel Khawaja Haris, were the former premier’s latest medical reports signed by Dr David Lawrence, a London-based consultant cardiothoracic surgeon. During the proceedings, a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor informed the court that Nawaz has been declared a proclaimed offender in the Toshakhana case. He said that any decision by the court in the present appeal would impact other cases in which Nawaz is nominated and that are being heard by accountability courts. He further said that there are prior court judgements which say that appeals by a proclaimed offender cannot be heard. The bench asked Haris if Nawaz was currently in a hospital, to which the lawyer replied in the negative. Justice Kiyani noted that the former premier had not been admitted to any hospital in the past seven months.
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coronAvIrus In
LAHORE
pAkIstAn
PM Imran launches Roshan Digital Account to facilitate overseas Pakistanis
CONFIRMED CASES:
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299,855
LAST UPDATED AT 8:03 AM ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2020
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
6
RECOVERED:
NEW CASES:
441
DEATHS:
287,950 6,365 SINDH:
131,115
PUNJAB:
97,461
KP:
BALOCHISTAN:
AJK/GB:
ISLAMABAD:
36,755
13,227
2,356/3,137 15,804
THE INITIATIvE ALLOWS NON-RESIDENT PAKISTANIS TO REMOTELy OPEN ACCOuNTS THROuGH AN ENTIRELy DIGITAL PROCESS WITHOuT ANy NEED TO vISIT A BANK BRANCH, EMBASSy, OR CONSuLATE NewS DeSk
Roshan Digital Account (RDA) is a big step for Pakistani expatriates to participate in nationbuilding, said Prime Minister Imran Khan during the launching ceremony of RDA in Islamabad on Thursday. “Our biggest asset is the overseas Pakistanis and we were unable to tap their potential previously,” said the premier. “Owing to the flawed policies of the past, we couldn’t make overseas Pakistanis part of nation-building process. Hence, the opening of this Roshan Digital Account is a big step for Pakistan.” Listing the new projects announced by the government, such as the Ravi City waterfront project and the ML-1 railway project, the PM said contributions from overseas Pakistanis are required for successful execution of all projects.
more inside
2 die as four-storey building collapses in Karachi STORY ON PAGE 03
FM calls for SCO efforts against fascist ideologies STORY ON BACK PAGE
Pakistan condemns Indian CDS’ provocative statement He noted that nearly half of the government’s revenue is spent on payment of loans and that there is a need for the country to move towards wealth creation. “We need to increase our economic activity to an extent where we are able to comfortably pay off these loans, and keeping this in mind, the government offer an incentive package to the construction
sector, which supports 30 other sectors.” He recalled that when the government came into power, there was a $40 billion trade deficit. “Our exports stood at $20bn, whereas our imports were roughly at around $60bn. And of course, we also inhereted a record-high current account deficit of $20bn — fter deducting remittances.”
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STORY ON PAGE 02
Pakistan, uzbekistan sign pact to enhance trade, improve connectivity STORY ON PAGE 03