Thursday, 1 October, 2020 I 12 Safar, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 92 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition
Parliament being run from elsewhere, nawaz claims
LONDON/ISLAMABAD sTaFF RePORT
i
N yet another provoking, strongworded address, deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday claimed he has been informed that “someone else” was running the parliament houses, in lieu of its members. The address to the central executive committee of the Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) comes almost two weeks after Sharif, who has been residing in London since November last year on the pretext of medical treatment, marked his return to the political ring almost after two years through a fiery speech to a gathering of the opposition parties, taking the military establishment head-on. In his second virtual address in less than two weeks, Nawaz said, “People tell me that someone else is running the parliament. Other people come and give direc-
tions about the day’s agenda and voting on bills etc.” Commenting on the country’s current political situation, he said, “We have broken free of the [British] colonisers only to be enslaved by our own. Today, we are not free citizens.” In another video shared by PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz, the former premier said that a colonel could be seen hiding his face during the hearing of a case against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). “What was the reason behind hiding his face? You were being insincere that is why you hid your face,” he said. The speech comes days after Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed rocked the domestic political landscape by revealing the closet meetings between the military leadership and the opposition parties. Shortly after, chief military spokesperson Major General Babar Iftikhar further
coronavirus in
Pakistan
CONFIRMED CASES:
312,263
LAST UPDATED AT 6:48 AM ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2020
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
5
RECOVERED:
NEW CASES:
747
DEATHS:
296,881 6,479 SINDH:
136,795
PUNJAB:
99,378
KP:
BALOCHISTAN:
AJK/GB:
ISLAMABAD:
37,776
15,257
2,698/3,778 16,581
jolted the anti-establishment image of the PML-N as he disclosed former Sindh governor Muhammad Zubair, a close aide to Nawaz, twice reached out to Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to discuss the political and legal woes of the Sharif family. Nawaz, in a separate statement released by the party, also said he was saddened by the arrest of his brother and National Assembly Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif. “However, our spirits will not be dampened by what is happening,” he said, adding that the party would double its efforts. “We are proud that our party workers are facing the current situation with courage. There is no example in the history of the treatment meted out to our children,” he said. He added that Shehbaz has shown unparalleled strength and courage during these times and paid tribute to his brother for serving the nation with honesty. “He worked day and night to set up power plants in Punjab.” Nawaz also paid tribute to the efforts of government officers who played a role in addressing the energy shortage. Commending his brother on his resilience, he said Shehbaz never bowed down in the face of difficulty. “Shehbaz has played a role in strengthening our narrative. I am proud of my brother who has sent an example of being loyal and committed to one’s ideology,” he said. The meeting was called to discuss the situation arising out of Shehbaz’s arrest and to formulate a future strategy in light of the current political situation, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Twitter earlier on Wednesday.
India acquits all accused in Babri Masjid demolition case for ‘lack of evidence’ LUCKNOW agencies
Citing a lack of evidence, an Indian court on Wednesday acquitted all 32 accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case, almost 28 years after a Hindu mob razed the 16th-century structure in Ayodhya and triggered some of the deadliest communal riots that left about 2,000 dead. Handing down its verdict after a lengthy legal battle, the court said there was not enough evidence to directly tie any of the accused to the violence, defence counsel Manish Kumar Tripathi said. “The court did not accept the evidence, it was not strong enough,” Tripathi told reporters at the courthouse. I.B. Singh, another defense attorney, said investigators couldn’t prove the authenticity of audio and video evidence submitted in the case and the judge held that the case lacked legal evidence. A defendant who was acquitted, Jai Bhagwan Goyal, said: “We had done nothing wrong. The whole of India is happy. Lord Ram’s temple is coming up in Ayodhya city.” Former deputy prime minister L. K. Advani, who was then Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief, was among 32 people accused of
Sindh imposes micro smart lockdown after cases shoot up KARACHI TLTP
The Sindh health department has decided to impose ‘micro smart lockdown’ in Karachi after a surge in the coronavirus cases on Wednesday, with 747 new cases of the coronavirus surfaced in the country during the last 24 hours. Out of 747 positive cases, 365 cases were reported in Karachi, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) learned during a meeting to review the coronavirus situation. According to details, the provincial health department has asked deputy commissioners and senior police officials in Karachi to ensure micro smart lockdowns and implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) at designated sites. In a letter, the health department told authorities that it has noticed an increase in the number of coronavirus cases in Karachi. “It is, therefore, requested to deploy a police force at designated MSLD sites in consultation with concerned district health officers,” the letter read.
criminal conspiracy and inciting a mob to tear down the 16th-century Babri mosque in Ayodhya in 1992. Four BJP leaders — Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti, Kalyan Singh and Advani — were accused of making inflammatory speeches that incited tens of thousands of their followers who had camped out in the city ahead of the attack. The court, however, pinned the blame on miscreants mingled among the crowd instead, adding that leaders such as Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, another former cabinet minister, had tried to keep the mob from turning violent. Last year, India’s Supreme Court ruled in favor of the building of a Hindu temple on the disputed site. Hindus believe their god, Ram, was born there and claim Emperor Zaheerud Din Babur built a mosque on top of a temple at the site. The top court also ruled the demolition of the Babri Masjid violated the law and ordered the trial in the mosque demolition case be held separately. Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for a Hindu temple to be built at the site, after the Supreme Court paved the way last year, in a decision that also ordered land to be allotted further away for a mosque.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 05
more inside
IHC wonders if Nawaz is evading criminal trial STORY ON PAGE 03
Pakistan urges UN to declare ‘International Day to Combat Islamophobia’ STORY ON PAGE 02
file photo
Special Assistant on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan emphasised that smart lockdown, contact tracing and following health protocols are important for disease containment. The secretary health Sindh said that civil administration is monitoring the situation and appropriate administrative actions will be taken in consultation with all stakeholders after taking into account dis-
ease prevalence and spread pattern. The number of infections in the country to have risen to 312,263, said the NCOC. The pandemic claimed the lives of five more people during the last 24 hours, taking the death toll from the disease to 6,479. A total of 296,881 patients have so far recovered from the disease. There are now 8,903 active cases in the country.
IHC issues notices to Centre, FO over murder of 11 Pakistani Hindus in India STORY ON PAGE 03
‘This is so unpresidential’: Chaos reigns in first Trump-Biden debate STORY ON BACK PAGE