ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Law and Justice Barrister Dr Farogh Naseem on Saturday wrote a letter to the Prime Minister to reform criminal law.

According to the spokesman of the ministry, the Law Minister also referred a comprehensive document containing all the proposed amendments to the Prime Minister.

He stated that 225 central and 644 sub-amendments had been proposed in the laws and the purpose for these amendments was to completely reforming the criminal justice system.

These laws include the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898, the Pakistan Penal Code 1860, the Qanun-e-Shahadat order 1984, the Control of Narcotics Act 1997, the Railways Act 1890, the Pakistan Prison Rules 1978, the Islamabad Capital Territory Criminal Prosecution Service(Constitution, Functions and Powers) Act 2021 and Islamabad Capital Territory Forensic Science Agency Act 2021.

He said that great efforts were made under the leadership of the Law Minister to prepare amendments to the Criminal Law and opinions were also sought from all concerned departments including all Provincial Police, Islamabad Police, Prosecutors General and Prosecution Departments regarding amendments to these laws.

Consultations were also held with lawyers, NGOs, human rights lawyers, Home Secretaries of the four provinces and representatives of the Attorney General’s Office, he added.

He said that all Provincial Secretaries for Law and offices of Advocate Generals of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were also consulted. Relevant reports of the Law and Justice Commission were also scrutinized while preparing these amendments, he added.

He said that while preparing amendments all measures were considered to ensure speedy justice.

The purpose of these amendments was to complete overhaul of the criminal justice system and if passed, the amendments would be a major achievement to the criminal justice system, he added.

He said that these amendments were introducing an efficient and expeditious procedure for filing of FIRs.

The amendments would significantly reduce the number of pending cases and the time to pursue cases would be greatly reduced, he added.

He said that the proposed amendments would reduce the pressure of Police on people and

cases would be disposed of transparently as evidence gathering would be further improved and expedited.

The use of modern tools would be utilized for provision of justice, he added.

He said that these reforms would bring a revolution in the country.

In Pakistan’s 74-year history, no such reform had taken place and if these reforms were implemented, it would be remembered for long time, he added.

ISLAMABAD, SEP 04 (DNA) – Prime Minister Imran Khan said the government is committed to attract investment in Pakistan’s burgeoning travel and tourism sector which offers immense opportunities.

In a tweet, Prime Minister welcoming the Air Arabia Group to the country wished them success in their partnership with local investors to establish a new Pakistani airline.

“I welcome Air Arabia to Pakistan and wish them success in their partnership with local investors to establish a new Pakistani airline, Fly Jinnah,” he said.

“My govt is committed to attracting investment in Pakistan’s burgeoning travel and tourism sector which offers immense opportunities,” said Imran Khan. His tweet followed on the heels of his meeting with Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Thani, Chairman of Air Arabia.

They also discussed matters related to investment in commercial aviation of Pakistan. The Prime Minister said the government of Pakistan is giving incentives to the investors and we want that Pakistan should be the destination of priority for the investors.

 He also welcomed the investment of commercial airlines of different countries for the promotion of tourism. The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Air Arabia has entered into a joint venture with one of Pakistan’s leading business conglomerates to launch a low-cost airline – Fly Jinnah.

A budget carrier to be set up under the joint venture will operate on domestic and international routes from Pakistan. Fly Jinnah will initially be based in Karachi operating on a range of domestic routes across Pakistan and then will expand its route network internationally, said the Air Arabia chairman.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill has said that Lakson Group of Pakistan and Air Arabia signed an agreement to launch low cost airline “Fly Jinnah”. In a tweet, he said the Airline would not only play a key role in the Pakistani economy and create new jobs but also boost country’s aviation and tourism sectors. = DNA

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MULTAN, SEP 04 (DNA) – Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday discussed the appointment of members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over the telephone.

As per details, PPP Chairman called Shehbaz Sharif to discuss matters of mutual interest including names for new members of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said that both leaders agreed that leadership of both opposition parties will consult each other on this matter. Both the leaders also discussed the overall political situation in the country.

Sources had divulged that as the opposition parties were pondering over the names of possible members of the ECP from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) there was a feeling in these parties that the prime minister had not held meaningful consultations with them on the subject under Article 213 of the Constitution.

Moreover, the opposition was of the view that the government was forcing it to go by its selection of members of the election commission, sources had told the channel.

It had also been learnt that the opposition leaders were looking at the credentials of the persons whose list the government had provided to them for their possible appointment as members of the ECP.

It is to be mentioned here that two members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa retired upon completion of their tenure in July. The service period of ECP members, Altaf Ibrahim from Punjab and Irshad Qaiser from KP, was completed on July 26.

The government and the opposition were bound to finalise the appointment of ECP members on the vacant seats within 45 days under the constitution. In April, Prime Minister Imran Khan had tasked senior federal ministers to mull over names for the appointments in the ECP.

Furthermore, as per insiders’ account, the opposition also wanted to suggest its own names to PM Khan, and Shehbaz had already begun consultations with other opposition leaders in this regard.

PML-Q and MQM local leaders met Bilawal Bhutto in Multan on Saturday and announced to join the PPP. PML-Q’s ticket-holder Mian Mazhar Abbas and MQM’s ticket-holder Rana Amjat Ali expressed confidence in the leadership of Bilawal.

Meanwhile, spokesperson for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that while the party President and former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shehbaz Sharif had toiled hard to make the province prosperous, PM Imran and present CM Usman Buzdar had turned Punjab’s soil barren, its youth jobless and prices of essential use expensive.

“Both brothers namely Imran and Usman levelled baseless allegations against Shehbaz, twice got him arrested and ordered inquiries against him which are over now without proving anything against him, but still the venom and hatred of both these brothers against the PML-N president refuses to die down,” she regretted.

“Extreme dislike for Shehbaz has made the prime minister mad,” Marriyum said, adding earlier he had unleashed NAB against him. But when it failed to prove anything against the former Punjab CM, PM Imran got the idea of using FIA for the purpose.

She claimed that Shehbaz Sharif during his stint as Punjab CM had launched development projects of worth billions of rupees, and when held to account, he satisfied the authorities about the use of each and every penny. “And what PM Imran and CM Buzdar have done for people of the province except giving them price hike,” she alleged. = DNA

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ISLAMABAD, SEP 04 (DNA) – Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected plea of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for deployment of Pakistan Army during upcoming elections of Cantonment Board.

The Election Commission has said that security arrangement have been finalized and Army is not required in presence of Police, Rangers and FC.

A letter written by PTI chief organizer Senator Saifullah Khan Niazi to the Election Commission said that sub-organizations from across the country are updating with the details of the ongoing election campaign for the Cantonment Board elections. Past experience has shown that elections held without assigning security to the military are subject to suspicion.

He said that the absence of electronic voting machines paved the way for rigging, adding that local political players could resort to rigging in elections ranging from fake votes to tempering with results. Our well-thought-out view is that the military should be assisted in holding free and fair elections.

The chief organizer of PTI said that in order to maintain law and order, army personnel should be deployed inside and outside the polling stations. In the current situation, keeping elections free from rigging and violence is even more necessary and important. = DNA

RAWALPINDI, Sep 04 (DNA): Newly-elected Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)
Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi called on Chief of Army Staff
(COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Saturday and discussed with him the
prevailing situation in the Indian-occupied Kashmir.

According to a press release issued by the military’s media wing Inter
Services Public Relations (ISPR), both discussed unilateral steps being
taken by India in the held territory and the situation along the Line of
Control (LoC).

Paying rich tributes to the late Hurriyet leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani,
the army chief said that he struggled for the right of
self-determination of the Kashmiris all his life selflessly.

General Bajwa also felicitated Sardar Niazi on taking office as AJK
prime minister and expressed his best wishes for the stability of the
state of Kashmir.

Prime Minister Niazi, on the other hand, praised Pakistan Army for its
role in the provision of security and development of the Azad Jammu and
Kashmir.

General Bajwa assured the AJK prime minister that the Pakistan Army
stood by the Kashmiris as firm as a rock, and it would continue to
support them till they achieved their right of self-determination.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has called on Pakistan Army Chief
General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the military media wing said.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), both the
leaders discussed matters of mutual interest, including defence and
security cooperation along with the current situation in Afghanistan.

The statement further cited that the two dignitaries also took up
cooperation in multiple fields including security cooperation, joint
training and counter-terrorism domain.

General Bajwa reiterated to work for peace and stability in Afghanistan
and he also assured to support the establishment of an inclusive
government in the neighbouring country.

Dominic Raab, during the meeting, said that diplomatic cooperation with
Pakistan will be expanded at all levels. Pakistan played a key role in
the current situation in Afghanistan, he said while commending
Pakistan’s efforts in evacuations from Afghanistan.

Earlier, UK Foreign Secretary called on Prime Minister Imran Khan in the
country’s federal capital. Khan while discussing the current situation
with British dignitary urged to stand in solidarity with the Afghan
people. Khan also cautioned against the role of “spoilers”, both inside
and outside Afghanistan, which could destabilize the situation. He
underlined the importance of a peaceful, secure, and stable Afghanistan
for Pakistan and regional stability. DNA