NEWS

• Anti-Terrorism Court’s Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain has sent Manzoor Pashteen to judicial remand rejecting the prosecution’s demand for police remand. Pashteen was presented before the judge after his police remand ended. Prosecution asked for police remand for some more time, saying that social media passwords and mobile phones were to be recovered. The court rejected the request   and ordered Manzoor Pashteen to be sent to jail on 14-day judicial remand. (Jasarat)

• Courts were boycotted throughout Balochistan on the call of lawyers’ organizations against the Supreme Court’s decision to try civilians in military courts. The Sindh High Court Bar Association has expressed concerns over the ruling saying that trial of civilians in military courts will reduce public confidence in the judiciary. It also said trial of civilians in military courts is a violation of Article 10A of the Constitution. The Sindh High Court bar demands that the Supreme Court should decide on the appeal as soon as possible in accordance with the Constitution and the law. (Jasarat)

• The businessmen of Balochistan demanded end to sugar permits. A delegation of the Sugar Association led by the President of Anjuman Tajiran Rahim Agha met Balochistan Interior Minister Mir Zubair Jamali yesterday. They complained that sugar permits are being given to unrelated persons. This is also the reason for the increase in prices; the Sugar permit should be abolished. The price of sugar will come down from 190 to 130.    Minister Jamali said that the caretaker government is well aware of the difficulties faced by the sugar industry. The government is committed to promoting commercial activities and providing facilities to the business community to achieve sustainable development and growth. (Jasarat)

• Will polls be held on February 8 is a question. For now, the election process has stopped. The election commission has also stopped training of ROs and DROs. Letters have been issued to election commissioners in all four provinces including Sindh. The election commission’s spokesman has said in a statement training of staff has been suspended as per Lahore Court’s decision. Earlier, election staff were getting training in Karachi, Lahore and Quetta. Earlier, Lahore High Court had set aside the election commission’s notification following PTI’s petition. As per constitutional requirement, election schedule has to be announced 54 days before polls. The election commission has now decided to move the Supreme Court challenging Lahore Court’s orders. The election commission said it is not responsible for the current situation. It also said the election commission had appointed ROs and DROs. The election commission also said it had also started training its staff. But, PTI has challenged the appointment of ROs and DROs.  (Pahenji Akbar, Dec.14)

• In the case of the dismissal of former judge Shaukat Aziz of Islamabad High Court, a request was filed to make former army officers including former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa, former DGISI Faiz Hameed as parties. According to a private TV, former judge Shaukat Aziz applied through his lawyer Hamid Khan Advocate, in which it was stated that apart from former Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and former DGISI Faiz Hameed, Brigadier (R) Irfan Rame. Brigadier (R) Faisal Marwat and Brigadier (R) Tahir Wafai should also be made parties in their dismissal case. He also requested former Chief Justice Islamabad High Court Anwar Kansi and former Registrar Supreme Court Arbab Arif be made parties. It is noteworthy that Supreme Court Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa instructed Hamid Khan Advocate to make the former army officers a party when during the argument, their names were mentioned in the Shaukat Aziz dismissal case. (Qudrat Daily) 

• The supply of fresh water has been suspended for the past one and a half months in the Azizabad, Bhangoria Goth, and Jama Masjid Al-Farooq areas of Karachi. According to the residents of the area, they    had complained to the Executive Engineer Gulberg Arshad Rashid along with the Chief Engineer Hanif Baloch. Requests were submitted to their offices but no progress is made. According to the concerned Executive Engineer, the supply of water is being reduced by the water supply agency, due to which water is not reaching the tail end areas. However, officers of the water supply agency have rejected the contention of the executive engineer and said that the water supply is continuing as per the fixed schedule. According to the sources, the Bhangoria Goth area is badly affected due to the unfair distribution of water. (Qudrat Daily) 

• Former Senator Nawabzada Haji Mir Lashkari Khan Raisani has said that the Baloch Solidarity Committee and the participants of the Long March have a very simple demand that action be taken against those who had violated Article 9/10 of the Constitution. Set up a commission to investigate the incident so that such incidents do not happen. He said this while talking to media representatives regarding the ongoing dharna on the Sariab Road under the auspices of the Baloch Solidarity Committee. He said that those parties who do politics in the name of missing persons to get emotional votes are missing from the public scene because there is a contradiction between their words and actions. He said that those who led the peaceful political struggle to bloodshed to gain temporary power are missing today. (Qudrat Daily) 

• 2 policemen were martyred and 2 others were injured in an attack by terrorists on the police line in the Tank district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. District Police Officer Iftikhar Shah confirmed the attack and said the terrorist blew himself up.  A search operation is going on based on the information of more terrorists. He said that the help of other security agencies has been sought for the search operation. It should be noted that after the outlawed TTP announced the end of the ceasefire with the government in November last year, the incidents of terrorism have increased in Pakistan, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. (Dawn Daily) 

• Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested 2 suspects of banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi from Karachi. The in-charge of CTD has said that the suspected terrorists had training in Afghanistan. They said that the suspected terrorists wanted to target the train of pilgrims going from Karachi to Rohri. The accused had abducted the businessman from Sindh and wanted to take him to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The in-charge said that the arrested suspected terrorists purchased the weapons with the ransom money. (Roznama Intekhab)

• The Special Court set up under the Official Secrets Act has imposed a complete ban on coverage of the proceedings in the Cipher case against PTI supremo Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on print, electronic, and social media. Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority were ordered to follow this order, according to. Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain. The court said that the prosecution’s request to conduct an in-camera trial of the Cipher case is accepted, and the family of former Chairman PTI and Shah Mehmood Qureshi will be allowed to attend the trial subject to the condition that they would not describe the court proceedings anywhere. Earlier, Special Court Judge Abul Hasanat Zulqarnain heard the request of Federal Investigation Agency prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi to keep the trial secret under Section 14 of the Official Secrets Act in Adiala Jail.   (Dawn Daily) 

• The Federal Investigation Agency has launched a Hotline for registering complaints against human trafficking. FIA Director General Mohsin Hasan Butt said on the occasion of the inauguration of the hotline that  it is an important opportunity in our fight against crimes of human trafficking. The hotline established at the FIA headquarters has been described as a landmark initiative in Pakistan’s history, having been completed within a short period by the International Labor Organization with the support of the Australian High Commission. Mohsin Hasan said that the new system introduced is a manifestation of innovation which is a step towards more integrated, effective, and coordinated communication across the country. It is a means of increasing our ability to solve problems of human trafficking. (Dawn Daily) 

• Chairman Standing Committee for Petroleum and Resources and expert in political and economic affairs Senator Muhammad Abdul Qadir presided over a special meeting of the Senate Standing Committee for Petroleum at the Parliament House.  He stated that the gas comes from Balochistan but the residents of Balochistan were not supplied with gas. This is a great injustice to the people of Balochistan. He stated that during the cold season, Balochistan gets colder than the rest of the country, and in summer, the gas bill of the poor gas consumers of Balochistan was Rs. 3 to 5 thousand per month, but now due to extremely expensive per unit rates, their bill comes to 30 to 50 thousand. The Government should immediately bring down the unaffordable per unit gas rates so that the consumers can pay the bills.

• Chairman Balochistan Minority Commission Mukhi Sham Lal Lasi has stated that Balochistan Minority Affairs Secretary Dawood Bazai has dismissed 12 employees   posited at Hinglaj Temple without any reason. It is a reprehensible act. The Secretary Minority Affairs has completely failed to protect the rights of minorities, and he is working as someone’s tool for their pleasure, but they will stand against such actions. He expressed these views while addressing a press conference at SMC Farm Othal. (Urdu Point)

• The repatriation of Afghans living illegally in different cities of the country continues. According to official data, another 2,423 Afghans went to their country. They include 687 men, 326 women and 1,010 children. The number of returning Afghans exceeded 4.29 lakh. Like the rest of the country, Karachi also had a large number of illegal Afghans residents. Smuggling and extortion were common in Karachi due to illegal foreigners. (Roznama Intekhab)

• Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, said that Pakistan has handed over the evidence of the DI Khan attack to the Afghan authorities, and Afghanistan has assured an investigation. Afghanistan should take action against the outlawed TTP and hand over the involved criminals to us. She said that Pakistan has introduced one document policy for Afghanistan from 1st November.  Now Afghan citizens will not be allowed to enter Pakistan without valid visa. (Roznama Intekhab, Daily Khabrain, Daily Dhart)

• The participants of the long march from Turbat to Quetta against the killing of Balach Baloch and his two companions by CTD in Turbat and said that they will end the sit-in protests in Quetta from Friday and take a long march from Quetta to Islamabad. Quetta Sariab Road was completely shut down, the participants of the sit-in protest have been sitting on the road for three days in severe cold and snowfall. “Our protest will continue until the martyrdom of the missing persons from Balochistan doesn’t ends”. (Roznama Intekhab)  

• Iranian security has arrested 46 Pakistani nationals who were planning to go to Greece in search of better employment through various illegal agents. The arrested include 26 people from Punjab, 3 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 12 from Sindh and 5 from Balochistan. The arrested Pakistanis were handed over to the in-charge Corridor Gate Ameer Hamza Miranzai at Taftan. After initial investigation by Levies Force, all Pakistani prisoners were handed over to FIA Taftan. (Roznama Intekhab)

• Universities in Balochistan have increased fees by up to fifty percent to overcome their fiscal deficit. As a consequence, more than three thousand students were unable to take admission. The annual budget of the Balochistan University is Rs.4 billion and it is facing a deficit of Rs.1.70 billion. Similarly, the Women University and Lasbela University are also facing financial crises. 

• The Foreign Office was consulted before the Pakistan Army Chief’s visit to the United States. There are no talks between Pakistan and the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Nor there are any talks with the outlawed TTP in any third country, Pakistan strongly denies such reports. Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said this in the weekly press briefing on Thursday. (Jang) 

• In Geo TV program “Report Card” it was asked, “Is it true that the appeals from PTI was a conspiracy to postpone elections as alleged by the former prime minister Shahbaz Sharif? The analysts said that only the establishment can postpone the election and it is not in the hands of any party. (Jang)     

EDITORIALS

• A 5-member bench of the Supreme Court on October 23, in a 4-1 majority quashed the cases against civilians in military courts.  Ministry of Defense and three provincial governments filed an intra-court appeal against the decision, hearing which a 6-member bench overturned the earlier ruling by a majority vote of 5-1. However, the decisions of the military courts have been made subject to the permission of the Supreme Court before issuing the detailed decision. It is on the record that violent protests broke out after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan from the premises of the High Court. This decision of the Supreme Court has come at a time when many sensitive cases are being heard. The national political crisis is at its peak. It is mostly agreed that political crisis, failed governance and the deterioration of the conditions of the people is the hegemony of the military establishment over the political institutions and interference in political affairs. It is also widely agreed that the establishment interferes in Pakistan’s leadership and political affairs. (Edit Jasarat)

• While suspending the decision of its own five-member bench, the six-member bench of the Supreme Court, while allowing the trial of civilians to continue in military courts, has also made it clear that the final decision will be subject to the orders of the Supreme Court and intra-court appeals. But the trial of 102 arrested persons will not be decided until the verdict. Justice Musarat Hilali was the lone dissenter in the 5-1 verdict. The Supreme Court was hearing the case under the Practice and Procedure Act, which was passed by Parliament in March 2023, but was suspended by a five-judge bench’s short order dated October 23, 2023. After assuming office of the current Chief Justice, the matter was presented in the Full Court, which reinstated the said law. The legal principle in this chapter is that a decision of a lower court is substitutable by a decision of a higher court and a decision of a lower bench by a decision of a higher bench. Therefore, the Practice and Procedure Act, 2023 is now in force. A court order dated December 13 determined that military courts would continue to function for the time being. As a result of this decision, it has become possible to stop wasting time by suspending the hearing until the final order of the Supreme Court. Because the hearing of intra-court appeals will certainly take some time to reach a final conclusion. The decision pronounced on Wednesday may have political and legal implications. Politically, the people of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will be affected; problems may arise for PTI as a party. PTI will have to revise its policy towards the establishment to return to political mainstream.  One of the immediate difficulties faced by the PTI was its participation in coming general elections, which was overcome to an extent through a change of party chairman. However, the party will also have to change its stance regarding the events of May 9. The path of violence is neither right for political parties nor should they expect any benefit from it. Concerns were expressed by some circles on the court decision.  Some questions regarding human rights were also raised. While hailing the verdict a victory of principle,  Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar in an interview said that the case of those who attacked military installations on May 9 should be tried in military courts. If the trial of civilian accused in speedy courts is prohibited, all terrorists and foreign spies like Kulbhushan Yadav will continue to find ways to avoid speedy trials on the basis of being civilians. The opinion of a legal circle came out that the Supreme Court has provided a shield for the legal gap that has arisen in the country to deal with terrorism and terrorists. This section says that if a court is conducting a speedy trial, we should welcome it. Legal debates are fine but it should not be ignored in any way that the eradication of terrorism is as important for the security of the country as it is for political activities to continue in a healthy manner. Our political parties should train their workers on lines that develop sense of responsibility towards national interests. (Jang Edit) 

• We keep experiencing terror waves off and on after a little interval. Recently, one check- post in D I Khan came under attack by terrorists and now a banned terror group, Tehreek Jihad Pakistan, has claimed responsibility for this attack. In a social media post, the terror group’s spokesman claimed the attack was done by Maulvi Hassan Gundapore. The army spokesman said an Afghan citizen was involved in the attack, which has triggered several questions while answering several other questions. First of all, it stands proved that the decision to deport illegally staying foreigners including Afghans was right. They are found involved in activities aimed at disturbing peace in Pakistan. Afghan land too is often used for attacks on Pakistan. As and when action is taken against such activities, revenge is taken by triggering, bloodshed in Pakistan. Initially, these Afghans started pouring into Pakistan because of war there, but as their numbers began growing, lawlessness, terrorism and suicide attacks also began gathering momentum. These Afghans also started getting political support. Some politicians began using them for their political purposes and that is the reason some politicians are protesting deportation of illegally staying foreigners including Afghans. Even Imran Khan released a press release from jail wherein he has opposed deportation of Afghans. Though crackdown has started against these illegally staying foreigners, lakhs of them continue staying illegally and law keeping machinery should act against them. Pakistan people and Pakistan’s institutions will never be safe as long as these foreigners continue to stay in Pakistan. If we want peace and rule of law, then the illegally staying foreigners should be ousted in toto or else we are heading for some big trouble. (Awami, Edit, Dec.14)

• Armed militants kidnapped eight-month pregnant woman, Nazia Khoso, along with her daughter, Kausar, from Kandhkot (in Sindh) about eight months back. Both, mother-daughter duo, continue to be in custody of kidnappers till day. In the meanwhile, it is learnt they were kidnapped by Bhangwar kabila people over some matrimonial issue. Police have taken no action in getting the mother-daughter duo released. Out-of-court settlement attempts have also not succeeded because kidnappers are powerful and have criminal background. These days, Awami Workers’ Party activists are on a padyatra from Kashmore to Kandkot demanding release of mother and daughter. Others including social and political activists have also participated in padyatra. Kidnappings in the past of Fazila S., Priya Kumari, Nazia and Kausar prove that our law keeping machinery is weak and helpless when it comes to taking on these influential persons. We demand Sindh government must take measures for release of mother and daughter and action also be taken against culprits. (Awami, Edit, Dec.14)

• Come winter and it becomes season for killing rare breed of migrant birds coming from Siberia and other parts and also for killing rare species of animals; all this happens with government permission and connivance of wildlife department and local police. The migrant birds are being hunted down now too in several parts of Sindh especially at Thar and Kohistan. Though there are several institutions and NGOs for protection of rare breeds of animals and migrant birds, they do not raise strong voice in protest. Despite media reports about these matters, no notice is being taken. We demand that caretaker Sindh CM should put a total ban on hunting of rare breeds of birds. Also, those police officials and other bureaucrats be taken into custody who give shelter and also play facilitators’ role one or other way for these Arab hunters. ((edit in Pahenji and Kawish, Dec.14)

• Contrary to the claims of the government that there is more urea than the demand in the country, the sale and supply of the fertilizer at the official rates has not been ensured yet. The government has indicated to keep local fertilizer units running at full capacity along with the import of urea to meet the required quantity of fertilizer for the wheat crop. However, the role of the hoarders is neglected. What is being done not only creates an artificial scarcity of fertilizer but also exploits the farmers by charging them high prices. At present, the official price of a 50 kg bag of urea fertilizer is fixed at Rs 3750, but the hoarders are charging up to Rs 5200 per bag. Wheat production is likely to be affected due to the scarcity of fertilizer and this profit-seeking attitude of dealers. Farmers are facing similar problems with pesticides. If this situation continues, the wheat production target will not be achieved this year, and the government will have to import wheat. The government must take immediate steps to ensure a timely supply of not only fertilizers but also other agricultural inputs to farmers at official rates. (Edit-Dunya Daily) 

• In the Multan municipality,488 retired teachers and employees of the education department have not been paid their pension for three months.  As many as 60 retired persons are deprived of gratuity and leave-encashment dues for three years.  According to media reports, the victims are tired of visiting the offices of the Education Department, Deputy Commissioner, and District Accounts. Pension of all general cadre teachers and employees across Punjab has been online  for a while. In 2022, the Multan Bench of the High Court had ordered the Punjab Secretary Finance and the Multan Deputy Commissioner to resolve the issue permanently by making the pension of retired municipal teachers and employees online within 40 days, but it was not implemented. There is a need for the Provincial Caretaker Government to take immediate steps to resolve the issue so that retired teachers and employees can run their own homes. (Daily Pakistan Edit)

• Under federal law and three provincial laws, the minimum legal age for marriage for girls is 16. Only Sindh has set a condition of 18 years for girls. In Pakistan, early marriage worsens the cost of women’s poor health care and education. Our patriarchal social circle makes nearly 80 million women victims of early marriage. For more than a decade, successive KP governments failed to move beyond the neo-demographic Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929. It is time for political parties to recognize that such laws legitimize child abuse. They empower elders to consent to young girls. Political parties should develop a sensitized narrative about the dangers of these practices before elections, and commit to robust enforcement of progressive mandates once in power. (Edit in Daily Khabrain)

COLUMNS

• Pakistan is the most terrorism affected country in the world. All big cities in Pakistan are affected by terrorism, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has been a constant target of terrorists.  More than 70000 people have been killed in terrorist attacks in Pakistan. Apart from this, the Pakistani economy has suffered a total financial loss of more than 150 billion dollars. The Pakistan Army defeated the terrorists through Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad. It is necessary to take strict action against banned organizations, separatists and political and anti-patriotic elements within the country and to break their nexus. It is clear that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has the highest number of martyrdoms in terrorist incidents, while Balochistan is at the second place. Till September alone, 333 civilians and 386 security personnel were martyred in terrorist attacks while 368 terrorists were killed. This is the data till September this year. Terrorists are based in Afghanistan. According to caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar, Afghanistan knows where TTP terrorists are. Jan Achakzai, the caretaker information minister of Balochistan, has revealed that the complete dossier of the preparation, execution of anti-Pakistan projects in Afghanistan, terrorists wanted by Pakistan and their shelters has been provided to the Afghan Interim Government. Now the Afghan government, fulfilling the duty of a responsible neighboring country, should hand over the terrorists wanted by Pakistan to Pakistan, but the Afghan government has not yet responded positively to Pakistan’s demand. Rather, the morale of these terrorists from Afghanistan is increasing, and the incidents of terrorism are increasing in Pakistan. Afghanistan’s religious leader has also issued a fatwa against terrorism in Pakistan some time ago, and the Afghan government has consistently denied that there is any terrorist organization in Afghanistan. So, the question is, how then terrorists, in which TTP cadres are at the top, come from Afghanistan and commit terrorism in Pakistan. Why does the Afghan government not take action on the dossier handed over by Pakistan to Afghanistan? There is definitely something fishy in this. (Jang, S A Zahid) 

• Water projects and water-related reforms can give desired results only when political priorities are aimed not at benefitting particular political class but larger/ collective good of people in backward areas. Sometimes or most often, we do a lot of   in the name of good governance or in the name of bringing in betterment, but actually they are undertaken to benefit select few or chosen ones. We are much behind in South Asia when we take a look at our statistics concerning growing poverty, industrial disparity, education, human resources and even in the health sector. When will we wake up if we still keep focusing on political priorities in our governance, and still keep neglecting sectors like water? (Kawish, Mahmad Ahsaan Lagari, Dec.14)