Islamabad

14 September 2020

A senior Indian diplomat was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today to register Pakistan’s strong protest over ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) on the night of 13th September 2020, resulting in serious injuries to three innocent civilians.

Due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing by the Indian occupation forces in Hotspring Sector of the LoC, 27 year old Naema Akhtar d/o Muhammad Siddique; 24 year old Zaeen Akhtar d/o Muhammad Siddique; and 16 year old Arbaz Ali S/o Muhammad Habib, residents of Sehra Village, sustained serious injuries.

The Indian occupation forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB) have been continuously targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons. This year, India has committed 2245 ceasefire violations to date, resulting in 18 shahadats and serious injuries to 180 innocent civilians.

Condemning the deplorable targeting of innocent civilians by the Indian occupation forces, it was underscored that such senseless acts are in clear violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, and are also against all established humanitarian norms and professional military conduct. These egregious violations of international law reflect consistent Indian attempts to escalate the situation along the LoC and are a threat to regional peace and security. It was added that by raising tensions along the LoC and the WB, India cannot divert attention from the grave human rights situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK).

Indian side was called upon to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, investigate this and other such incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the LoC and the WB. The Indian side was also urged to allow the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions.

KARACHI : The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday barred the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from carrying out raids on the residences of Sindh Irrigation Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal and his relatives.

A two-judge bench of the high court gave this restraining order while hearing bail petitions of the PPP minister and others.  The court extended the interim bail granted to him as well as Zafar Siyal and Jameel Soomro until November 12 and sought a progress report from the bureau on its ongoing inquiry against them.

The bench observed that the national graft buster doesn’t have powers to raid houses without a search warrant, nor can it persecute women by conducting raids without any plausible reason.

Justice KK Agha said NAB officials ought to be accompanied by female police officers during a house raid.

A counsel for the PPP minister complained to the judges that officials of the bureau raided the residences of his client’s father, late uncle, and other relatives without any search warrant and harassed their female family members.

The NAB prosecutor informed that the corruption watchdog has completed the assets beyond means inquiry against Sohail Anwar Siyal but it is yet to calculate the value of his properties. He sought time to complete the inquiry.

LAHORE : Medical reports of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Hamza Shehbaz Sharif has been presented before an accountability court of Lahore hearing money laundering case against Shehbaz Sharif family on Monday.

According to PML-N leader Atta Tarar, Hamza tested positive for the coronavirus on Sunday.

The hearing was conducted by Accountability Court Judge Jawadul Hassan, in which PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif appeared before the court.Doctor Muhammad Afzal Khan of Kot Lakhpat Jail presented medical reports of Hamza Shehbaz and stated that the PML-N stalwart will undergo another coronavirus test.

Another accused in the case, Javeria Ali, daughter of Shehbaz Sharif, in her plea stated that she met with her brother, a day ago in the jail and requested the court to grant her exemption from court appearance as her brother has contracted coronavirus.

The court granted exemption from court appearance to Hamza Shehbaz and his sister Javeria Ali over medical grounds.

Meanwhile, the copies of the reference were also distributed among the accused in the case. Later, the court adjourned the hearing of the case till September 29.

On Aug 17, the national graft buster filed Rs7 billion money laundering and assets beyond means reference against the Shehbaz family, including his sons, Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Hamza Shehbaz and Suleman Shehbaz, wife Nusrat Shehbaz and others.

ISLAMABAD : While educational institutions that were closed in March after the outbreak of Covid-19 are set to reopen across the country in phases from Tuesday, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said they will welcome millions of children back to school tomorrow.

In a Twitter post this morning, the prime minister said: “Tomorrow we will welcome millions of children back to school. It is our priority & collective responsibility to ensure that every child can go to school safely to learn.”

“We have worked to ensure that school operations are aligned with public health safety rules on #COVID19.”

On Sept 7, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood had announced that educational institutions will reopen in phases from September 15 with universities and colleges setting the course for schools to reopen later.

Classes six, seven and eight, will follow suit a week into the reopening from September 23. He said if all things operate swiftly for 15 days, then all the educational institutions will be reopened.

ISLAMABAD, Sep 13 (DNA): Pakistan will announce a relaxed-visa policy
for Afghan nationals particularly students, businessmen, investors and
patients, Pakistan’s ambassador-designate to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad
Khan has said.

Khan said the new policy is aimed at facilitating Afghans as a large
number of people in Afghanistan want to do business, study and seek
treatment in Pakistan.

“The government of Pakistan is committed to ensure more facilities for
Afghan nationals. The main focus is on easing the visa system and
facilitating businessmen,” he said.

Khan, a senior Pakistani diplomat, has served as Director General of
Afghan Desk at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ambassador to
Austria.

The ambassador before his departure
to Kabul to assume his new position, said that he will give importance
to promote cooperation in education, science and technology and youth
affairs.

Khan called on President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign
Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and other officials before departure for
Kabul to discuss his responsibility in Afghanistan, where he had
previously served as deputy ambassador.

“I have assumed office after getting special directives from the leaders
who all underscored the need for strong relations with Afghanistan,”
Khan said.

He said as ambassador it would be his priority to provide more
facilities to Afghans particularly students, youth and businessmen.

A Pakistani official, who was involved in drafting the new visa policy
for Afghans, said that proposals have been finalized and sent to the
federal cabinet for approval.

He said that long-term multiple visas will be issued to students,
businessmen, investors and visitors. Besides, medical visas to patients
will be issued on arrival at Torkham, the major border point, between
the two countries.

“There is also a proposal to end the monthly mandatory exit and re-entry
for Afghans, who will have long-term visas,” he said.

Pakistani embassy and consulates in Afghanistan would issue over 2,000
visas daily before the COVID-19 pandemic which affected both countries,
according to embassy officials. Pakistan’s visa rejection percentage for
Afghans is zero.

The Pakistani embassy has resumed visa service for Afghan students and
also issued visas to those Afghans who travel by air as the main Torkham
border points are still closed.

Both countries do not charge for visas under a bilateral arrangement.

The ambassador-designate called on Afghan Chief of Protocol Khalid
Ghaffari on Saturday to present a copy of his credentials. Khan tweeted
that he had a useful exchange of views to strengthen brotherly ties
between our two countries. DNA

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