RjNews

• Ex-PM, spouse each get 14-year jail in Toshakhana case; Banigala declared sub-jail for Bushra Bibi • PTI calls it ‘travesty of justice’ • IHC refuses to quash proceedings in iddat case • Bilawal, Maryam offer mixed reaction to ruling ISLAMABAD: A day after a hasty trial ended in a 10-year jail term for him and his close aide, an accountability court sentenced former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi to 14 years in jail and imposed Rs1,540 million fine in the Toshakhana reference. After the conviction, Mr Khan and his spouse are barred from holding public office for 10 years. The case said the couple retained expensive jewellery from Toshakhana after paying a nominal price. Separately, the Islam­abad High Court refused to quash proceedings in the Iddat case, saying the charge had already been framed by the trial court. It, however, gave the couple some relief by dropping the ‘illegitimate relations’ charge (496-B). Toshakhana reference Accountability judge

WASHINGTON: The US State Department emphasised on Wednesday that violence at election rallies undermines the electoral process in Pakistan. Strongly condemning Tuesday’s bomb explosion at a PTI rally in Sibi that killed 10 people, the State Department said that incidents like this “undermine the electoral process”. The department asserted: “The Pakistani people have the right to choose their leader without fear for the country’s stability and prosperity.” The statement also offered Washing­ton’s “deepest sympathies” to those affected. Condemns blast at PTI rally, says people have right to choose their leader without fear Another State Department spokesperson, while responding to Dawn ’s query, said that questions about judicial decisions should be addressed to Pakistani courts. But the US official assured the Pakistani people that Washington would continue to support the democratic process in Pakistan. “We want to see the process unfold in a way that allows broad participat

The caretaker government on Wednesday hiked the price of petrol by Rs13.55 per litre for the next fortnight. The new price of petrol is now Rs272.89 per litre from the previous price of Rs259.34, according to a notification from the Finance Division. The price of high-speed diesel (HSD) was increased by Rs2.75 to Rs278.96 per litre. The notification did not mention any changes in the prices of light-diesel oil (LDO) and kerosene oil. The petrol price increase is higher than what was expected earlier . The prices of petrol and HSD were estimated to go up by Rs5-9 per litre for the next fortnight owing to higher international prices and import premiums, nullifying an impact of minor exchange rate gains. Informed sources had said the prices of both major petroleum products had increased in the international market over the past fortnight and Pakistan State Oil (PSO) also had to pay higher import premiums even though the rupee had gained against the US dollar. As a result, the p

NEW DELHI: India’s navy said on Tuesday it had freed an Iranian fishing vessel hijacked by Somali pirates, the second in as many days, after the latest attack on Indian Ocean shipping. The warship INS Sumitra “compelled the safe release” of the 19 Pakistani crew members and the Iranian-flagged Al Naeemi fishing vessel, the spokesman said. A total of “11 Somali pirates” had taken the crew hostage, the navy said. Photographs released by the navy showed Somali pirates wielding AK-47 rifles standing on the boat, and another with a navy helicopter hovering overhead. Further photographs showed commandos boarding the fishing boat in the dark, then standing with rifles over a group of pirates, the men kneeling at their feet with their hands tied behind their backs on the ship’s deck. Frees Iranian fishing vessel hijacked by 11 pirates who took the crew hostage The rescue took place overnight Monday off the Somali coast, some 850 nautical miles (1,574 kilometres) west of the Indian

• Also revises next fiscal year’s projection downward to 3.5pc • Lifts global growth forecast to 3.1pc citing unexpected ‘resilience’ • Indian economy expected to grow at a faster 6.5pc ISLAMABAD: Des­pite an improved global outlook, the Interna­tional Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday lowered Pakis­tan’s economic growth forecast to two per cent for the current fiscal year, down 0.5 percentage points from its October estimate of 2.5pc . In its latest World Eco­nomic Outlook (WEO) rep­ort released on Tue­sday, the Washington-based global lender also slightly revised downward (by 0.1pc) the next fiscal year’s growth forecast to 3.5pc. The revised growth estimates are based on the Fund’s recent deta­iled quarterly review of Pakistan’s macroeconomic position as part of the ongoing $3bn Standby Arrangement (SBA), which is set to expire in March. The IMF’s growth forecast is significantly lower than the government’s 3.5pc GDP growth target for the current year but generally in line w

JUBA: Fighting between rival communities in a disputed region claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan has killed 54 people, including two UN peacekeepers, the United Nations said on Monday, calling for calm. One of the two peacekeepers was Pakistani, according to the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). The clashes in Abyei, a contested oil-rich territory straddling the border of both countries, broke out at the weekend, according to local authorities. In a statement on Monday, the US, the UK and Norway — the international “troika” that sponsored South Sudan’s independence — said they were “deeply concerned by the escalation of violence in recent months between communities living in and around” Abyei. “All leaders who have influence with involved communities and who fail to use it to support peace are demonstrating their disregard for the interests of their people,” the troika said. The UNISFA said it “strongly condemns these attacks against civilians and peacekeepers. Curr

Security forces “successfully thwarted three coordinated attacks” carried out by terrorists in Balochistan’s Mach area on Monday night, according to provincial interim information minister Jan Achakzai. In a post on social media platform X, he said the militants were affiliated with the Aslam Acho group. “Fortunately, no damage was inflicted on any installations, and there were no casualties among our security forces,” he said. The minister added that the terrorists retreated and were being pursued by security forces. “We remain hopeful that all threats will be eliminated before dawn,” Achakzai added. He earlier said a report was received about a “few rockets” fired from the hilly areas of Mach. In a post on social media platform X, the minister said there were no reports of any losses and the law enforcement agencies were alert. Mach Central Jail Superintendent Saleem Tareen said the facility was not damaged due to the attacks and the building, its staff and prisoners we

A GROUP of fishermen congregate to discuss Gwadar’s politics at the dhoria near the main port, with the Eastbay Expressway visible in the background.—Dawn FROM being a quiet fishing village in Makran to becoming a geopolitical asset as the flagship venture of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Gwadar has had an interesting journey through time. A part of the Khan of Kalat’s dominion before Partition, suzerainty over the port was granted to the brother of Oman’s then-ruler, Sultan Bin Ahmed, after he had a falling out with the sultan and sought refuge in the neighbouring state. By some accounts, the gesture was made in keeping with Baloch tradition of hospitality and offering refuge, but the warmth not reciprocated, and after becoming the ruler of Oman, the former refugee ruler refused to return Gwadar to the state of Kalat. It was only in 1958, after a local movement and four years of intense negotiations, that Balochistan’s historic warm-water port became part of Paki

ISLAMABAD: As a six-judge Supreme Court bench resumes on Monday the hearing of a set of intra-court appeals (ICA) in the case of civilians’ military trial , a petition has been filed in the apex court to restrain federal and provincial governments from engaging a private counsel to plead the matter. Moved through senior counsel Faisal Siddiqui on behalf of some of the respondents, the fresh application requested the court to issue directions that only attorney general for Pakistan (AGP) should plead the case. Headed by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, the six-judge bench which will take up the ICAs, also comprises Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Irfan Saadat Khan. Earlier on Dec 13, 2023, the Supreme Court, by a majority of five to one, had suspended the short order of October 23 that declared as unconstitutional the trial of 103 civilians identified in relation to their alleged involvement in the M

Three US service members were killed and dozens wounded during an unmanned aerial drone attack on US forces stationed in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border, President Joe Biden and US officials said on Sunday. Biden blamed Iran-backed groups for the attack, the first deadly strike against US forces since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted in October , sending shock waves throughout the Middle East. It is the first time American military personnel have been killed by hostile fire in the Middle East since the start of the Gaza conflict, and the incident will further raise tensions in the region and fuel fears of a broader conflict directly involving Iran. Hamas said the death of the soldiers shows Washington’s backing for Israel could put it at odds with the whole Muslim world if the Gaza conflict continues and that it could lead to a “regional explosion.” “While we are still gathering the facts of this attack, we know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups

KARACHI: A day after the Election Commission of Pakistan issued a notice to Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab for violating its code of conduct, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday came up with a complaint against him and the Sindh governor, asking the poll supervisory body to “temporarily remove” them from their offices to ensure free, fair and impartial elections. PTI-Karachi president Khurrum Sher Zaman, who is also contesting the Feb 8 elections from NA-241, accused him and Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori of indulging in activities tantamount to violation of the ECP’s code of conduct. In a formal complaint sent to the provincial election commissioner, the PTI leader contended that both the governor and mayor were engaging in activities that violate the code of conduct of the ECP, undermining the principles of a fair and impartial electoral process. In light of these serious allegations, Mr Sher Zaman called upon the ECP to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation int

Legendary singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan apologised on Saturday and owned a video circulating of him physically abusing his “student” after it generated online furore at his behaviour. Earlier in the day, a video doing the rounds on the media showed the singer beating ostensibly a domestic servant repeatedly over a missing “bottle”. The video generated intense criticism by netizens towards the singer. In an apology video issued later today, the singer said it was a “personal matter between a teacher and his student” and identified a person, Naveed Hasnain, saying he was the individual being beaten in the video. Hasnain said the “bottle” responsible for the controversy in the original video contained “water sanctified by a pir”, adding that he had misplaced the bottle and forgotten about it. “He is my father and my teacher. He loves us a lot too. Whoever has done this act [of leaking the video] is plainly blackmailing to defame my teacher.” The singer added that he had asked forgiven

KHYBER: Tribal customs and traditions are the main hurdle to three women candidates for general seats of provincial assembly in Khyber district as they run a restricted door-to-door campaign and focus mostly on female voters. Shakira Shinwari, Lal Zaida and Naseem Riaz have filed their nominations for PK-69, PK-70 and PK-71, respectively, alongside 76 other male contestants for the three provincial assembly seats in Landi Kotal, Jamrud and Bara. Shakira Shinwari and Naseem Riaz are contesting elections as independent candidates while Lal Zaida has the backing of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-Parliamentarians. None of these three female candidates have so far organised any public meeting nor are their personal posters or banners anywhere in sight in their respective constituencies. Motivated by her family support and backing to try her luck in the February 8 general elections for the first time, Shakira Shinwari believes that she can be a better choice to raise voice for the legitimate

PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif unveiled his party’s much-anticipated election manifesto on Saturday, with the upcoming February 8 polls less than two weeks away. Speaking at a party event in Lahore, he said that the PML-N’s manifesto has been prepared with “great efforts” and would be “fully implemented” if voted to power. Nawaz termed the country’s economy as the most important aspect of the manifesto. He termed it a “strange coincidence” that despite him being ousted as the prime minister in 2017 and “political vendettas” against the PML-N, his party members were once again “preparing to contest elections and presenting their manifesto”. The former premier added that he neither intended to “express his grievances” nor was “in a mood to complain today”. Nawaz said he hoped the people would read the manifesto, on which PML-N Shehbaz Sharif and party leaders Ahsan Iqbal and Irfan Siddiqui had already spoken before him. While the former premier recalled the PML-N’s previous tenure

MANSEHRA: A group of Kohistan clerics, mostly members of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, on Friday issued a fatwa (Islamic decree) against canvassing by and for women election candidates and declared the act un-Islamic. “The women’s act of going from door to door to solicit votes is against sharia [Islamic laws],” declared seminary head Mufti Gul Shahzada after a meeting of clerics in the Kandia area of Upper Kohistan district. He said the fatwa against women’s election campaign was issued by 30 authorised religious scholars and endorsed by participants, including around 400 clerics from Kohistan region. For the first time in Kohistan, three women have entered the electoral arena. They insist it is sinful to defy fatwa They include the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-backed Tehmina Faheem (PK-31 Kohistan-I) and Momina Basit (PK-33 Kolai-Palas) and independent Sannaya Sabeel (PK-33 Kolai-Palas). Cleric Shahzada claimed that it was sinful to defy the fatwa. He also said the sharia di

Stepping out from his father’s shadow, Bilawal has taken on the mantle of leadership, on both the national and global stages.—White Star archive NOVEMBER 2023; the aisles of the Gizri Football Stadium are jam-packed with throngs of full-throated jiyalas . A group of young PPP workers manically try to manage the crowd, extolling them to stay behind the fences. One of the volunteers, Sumair Ali, scrambles alongside his colleagues to enforce the discipline at the sports facility, where PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is scheduled to appear as the chief guest who would inaugurate the facility, being reopened after renovation. But Sumair and his fellow workers — and even those in attendance — could never have anticipated what would happen when the Bhutto scion arrived at the venue. In complete disregard of security protocols, young Bilawal mingled with the crowd. After attending the opening ceremony and a brief customary interaction with the media, he and Karachi mayor Murtaza W

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has hundreds of thousands of child labourers, reveals the province’s first Child Labour Survey 2022-23. The working children totalling 922, 314 make up 11.1 per cent of the province’s child population with 745,165 beingchild labourers, according to the survey findings that were unveiled in a special ceremony here. The event was attended by representatives of government departments, UN agencies, donor organisations, academia and civil society. Adviser to the chief minister on labour Riaz Anwar Khan was chief guest on the occasion. The survey said working children were economically active, while child labour was the work that was not only mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous for children but also interfered with their schooling. It was the second such exercise conducted in the country after Punjab. The survey conducted by the labour department across the province, including the newly-merged tribal districts, said the residents aged 5-1