Khayyam Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has been elected to the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) by securing 52 votes from the 54-member United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). This overwhelming support constitutes 96 percent of the total tally.

Pakistan’s reelection to the CPC is a resounding validation of Pakistan’s meaningful engagement within the United Nations as well as its contributions in the areas of international economic cooperation and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Committee functions as the main subsidiary organ of ECOSOC and the UN General Assembly for Planning, Programming and Coordination of the work of the United Nations.The CPC is also charged with reviewing UN programmes and making recommendations to the UN Secretary General on translating legislativemandates into programmatic activities.

Pakistan’s presence at the Committee will help us contribute to the effective formulation of the programmes and budget planning of the United Nations.

Pakistan has been a member of this 34-member Committee since 1973, and with its latest reelection, would serve on it from 2021 to 2023 for another three-year term.

Pakistan is also presently serving as the President of ECOSOC at the United Nations which is one of the principal organs of the UN and the central platform for economic and social development, forging consensus and coordinating efforts to achieve internationally agreed development goals.

We are hopeful that with our reelection to the CPC, Pakistan will continue to work hand-in-hand with the international community for promoting theshared goals of international cooperation and economic and social development, as enshrined in the UN Charter.

ISLAMABAD : A bench of the Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the police to arrest absconding accused in Mehar triple murder case within a week.

A bench comprised of Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi ordered the DIG Hyderabad to present the investigation record of the triple murder case before the court in next hearing.

The bench in suo moto hearing of the triple murder in Mehar taluka in Dadu district of Sindh blasted the police performance and remarked that “police deliberately avoiding arrest of the accused.”“What practical steps the police has taken for arrest of the absconders,” Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar asked the DIG Hyderabad who was summoned in the hearing. “Police conducting raids to arrest the accused,” the DIG replied.

“Show the police diary of the raids,” the bench demanded. “Presently I have no police record,” the police officer replied.

“The assets of accused have been ceased, deputy commissioner informed the bench.

Advocate Umme Rubab Chandio told the court that the SHO, who was present in the murder has been reinstated. Police didn’t include him in the investigation. The government still failed to announce head money for arrest of the absconders, she said.

The bench sought explanation from Sindh government for its failure to announce bounty for arrest of the absconders.

“Police has failed to arrest the accused for last two and half year, what time it requires more to arrest them?” Justice Faisal Arab questioned.

The court ordered the police to arrest the accused within a week and adjourned further hearing of the case till next week.

Umm-e-Rubab, representing the aggrieved family, said that her father, uncle and grandfather were gunned down by two former PPP MPAs in 2018.

It is pertinent to mention here that Umme Rubab’s father Mukhtiar Chandio, grandfather Karamullah Chandio and paternal uncle Kabil Chandio were gunned down on Jan 17, 2018, within the remit of Faridabad police station, Mehar taluka of Dadu district.

Umm-e-Rubab is pursuing the triple murder case of her slain family members by herself.

ISLAMABAD, Sep 17 : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Kanwal Shauzab Thursday urged academia, civil society, media and other organizations to make collective efforts to bring an end to violence and all ill practices against women.

She called upon the all sections of society to take joint steps to eradicate violence against women, adding that the law enforcement agencies should also adopt modern methods of investigation in such cases.

She stressed measures to upgrade the police department so that it could efficiently serve victims of violence, adding, rape and violence victims should not come under any sort of pressure and must speak out against their tormentors.

She said the protection of women is a first priority and responsibility of the PTI government, adding that such brutality cannot be allowed in any civilized society.

MNA said growing media coverage of various forms of violence against women had helped raise the much-needed social consciousness and it had created resistance to these crimes, adding, society should set aside there liberalism and just focused on the rights of humans.

Replying a Question amid growing demand for public hanging of rapists in the wake of a gang-rape of a woman on Lahore-Sialkot motorway, she said according to our constitution laws we can not implement it, adding, but we will improve legislation to tighten punishments and bring cases to their logical conclusion.

She said many cases of sexual abuse go unreported but we have to ensure the children and women who are subjected to rape are provided justice.

We have to make such laws that could provide protection to women and children against harassment in our society where cases are increasing on daily bases, she emphasized.

The government is in the process of preparing a bill aimed to award strict and exemplary punishment to these offenders, she assured.

She said there is need to provide necessary assistance to victims of violence, ensure women have access to education and training, employment and services, while carrying out activities and enforcing laws to eliminate any violence against women and children.

Kanwal said the violence against women has brought negative impacts on socio-economic development and it is an enormous obstacle for gender equality so we all should work together.

She said Punjab government was conducting the investigation of rape cases on a priority basis.

She also suggested recruiting more women officers in the police department to deal with all women-related cases.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has congratulated Yoshihide Suga for being elected as the new Prime Minister of Japan.

In his tweet, Imran Khan said he looks forward to working with his Japanese counterpart to further strengthen friendship and cooperation between both the countries.

Japan’s Yoshihide Suga was voted prime minister by parliament’s lower house on Wednesday, becoming the country’s first new leader in nearly eight years, as he readied a “continuity cabinet” expected to keep about half of predecessor Shinzo Abe’s lineup.

Suga, 71, Abe’s longtime right-hand man, has pledged to pursue many of Abe’s programmes, including his signature “Abenomics” economic strategy, and to forge ahead with structural reforms, including deregulation and streamlining bureaucracy.

Abe, Japan’s longest-serving premier, resigned because of ill health after nearly eight years in office. Suga served under him in the pivotal post of chief cabinet secretary.