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Senate committee demands judicial probe into Sahiwal incident

Senate committee demands judicial probe into Sahiwal incident

Posted on 21 January 2019 by Usama Hashmi - Total hits: 4,122

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Monday demanded a judicial probe into the incident after three family members were shot by police in Sahiwal.

In the incident, described by law enforcers as an encounter with terrorists, an elite department of Punjab police on Saturday killed four people, including parents Khalil and Nabeela, their teenage daughter, and their family friend, Zeeshan, who was driving the car.

The incident sent shock waves across the country as one of the three surviving children, who was a witness to the episode, denied the official version in a video that went viral on social media.

The standing committee called for a judicial commission led by a senior judge to seek answers from the inspector general and the provincial interior secretary.

“Chief Minister Usman Buzdar will be summoned if needed,” said Senator Rehman Malik, the head of the committee.

The committee also agreed that if the militant Islamic State Group is operating in Pakistan, the information should be made public and the agency that identified Zeeshan as a terrorist should also be shared.

In an earlier press conference, the Punjab law minister said counter-terrorism officials were targeting Zeeshan, a friend and neighbour of the deceased Khalil, who the minister said had alleged links with IS.

During the committee’s meeting, Senator Kehda Babar said the police’s hooliganism should not be excused.

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Sahiwal tragedy: Punjab govt terms deaths ‘collateral damage’

Sahiwal tragedy: Punjab govt terms deaths ‘collateral damage’

Posted on 21 January 2019 by Usama Hashmi - Total hits: 5,302

Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat on Sunday termed the killings of three members of the same family in a Sahiwal police ‘encounter’ “collateral damage”, saying it came about during law enforcement’s attempt to eliminate a suspected terrorist planning large-scale destruction.

The minister, who was addressing a press conference in Lahore alongside members of the provincial cabinet, said officials of Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of the Punjab police were targeting Zeeshan, a friend and neighbor of the deceased Khalil, who the minister said had alleged links with Da’esh, a proscribed terrorist organisation. “The CTD officials did not want to hurt Khalil’s family, but unfortunately collateral damage had happened in this incident,” he said.

In the incident, described by law enforcers as an encounter with terrorists, an elite department of Punjab police had on Saturday killed four people, including parents Khalil and Nabeela, their teenage daughter, and their family friend, Zeeshan, who was driving the car. The incident sent shock waves across the country as one of the three surviving children, who were witness to the episode, denied the official version in a video that went viral on social media.

Basharat said that a First Information Report (FIR) had been filed on the complaint of Khalil’s brother, nominating all those law-enforcers involved in the operation. He added that the team involved in the operation had been taken into custody, and its supervisor had been suspended.

He insisted that justice would be ensured at any cost in the tragic incident as a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) led by Additional Inspector General of Police (AGP) Ejaz Shah had been constituted to probe the matter and submits a report in three days.

Furthermore, he said, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had announced Rs20 million in compensation for the family whose three members – husband, wife and their teenaged daughter – were killed during an alleged shootout between Counter-Terrorism Department personnel and suspected terrorists in Sahiwal’s Qadirabad area on Saturday.

He announced that the Punjab government will bear the expenses for the education of the surviving children “till whatever stage they want to study”. The announcement came as the funeral prayers of the four deceased were offered on Sunday evening.

‘INTELLIGENCE-BASED OPERATION’

While the law minister said that the government will act on the findings of the JIT, and that it does not acknowledge any stance of the CTD, he added that the department had information of Zeeshan’s alleged links to Da’esh, a proscribed terrorist organization.

He claimed that this network was responsible for the murder of intelligence officials in Multan, the kidnapping of former premier Yousuf Raza Gillani’s son, Ali Haider, and the murder of two police officials in Faisalabad.

He said the CTD had information that Zeeshan was carrying explosive materials in his car. “Two suicide jackets, eight hand grenades, two pistols and bullets from his car.” However, he added, the exact situation would be unveiled after the JIT report as it had to be established that why fire was opened and what relation Zeeshan had with Khalil.

Basharat revealed that in the murder of the intelligence officials in Multan, a silver Honda City car was used which police and agencies were searching for. On January 13, the Honda City was spotted allegedly carrying terrorists to Sahiwal.

According to the minister, law enforcing agencies (LEAs) had surveillance footage of Punjab Safe Cities Authority’s (PSCA) cameras that showed Zeehsan’s car ‘with cars of terrorist’. In the footage, a silver Honda City could be seen trailing behind a white Alto. The law minister said that after tracing the car, surveillance footage between January 13 and 18 was reviewed and on January 18 it was “verified that Zeeshan was working with terrorists”.

The same day, agency personnel reached Zeeshan’s house and found terrorists present there along with explosive material, Basharat claimed. He said since Zeeshan’s house was located in a congested area, conducting an operation there was not feasible. “It would have endangered many lives, therefore, it was decided to wait for the suspected terrorists to leave in the car,” he continued.

The Sahiwal operation was carried out on the basis of intelligence report; however deaths of Khalil and his family had made it controversial, he added. He pointed out that the Prime Minister Imran Khan and Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar had already taken notice of the incident.

He underlined that the JIT would probe the Sahiwal incident from all angles and the government would implement it recommendations in true letter and spirit. People responsible for this tragedy would be brought to justice. The government would also make the JIT report public, he added.

Basharat disclosed that two of Zeeshan’s accomplices had also been killed in Gujranwala. Following the news of Zeesjhan’s killing, he said, two of his accomplices flew from Lahore and blew themselves up in Gujranwala.

Later, funeral prayers of all the victims of the Sahiwal incident were offered on Ferozpur Road, Chungi Amer Sadhu on Sunday. A large number of people and relatives of the deceased attended the funeral prayer.

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Anti-encroachment drive will not stop at any cost: CJP

Anti-encroachment drive will not stop at any cost: CJP

Posted on 12 December 2018 by Usama Hashmi - Total hits: 4,020

KARACHI: The Supreme Court has summoned today (Wednesday) officials of the federal and provincial governments, as well as Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar, to present recommendations on how they plan to resolve issues faced in clearing encroachments in the port city.

The SC bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Ijazul Hasan, was hearing a review petition, filed by the Sindh government, against the anti-encroachment drive in Karachi.

The approach of the Sindh government is that they want to give legal cover to the encroached-upon spaces, remarked CJP Nisar. Justice Ijazul Hasan, in his remarks, said that the operation must continue and if the momentum was broken, it would be difficult to resume the anti-encroachment drive.

Sindh govt’s stance

Sindh Advocate-General Salman Talibuddin maintained that the anti-encroachment operation was causing unemployment on a large scale. The court had given orders to clear Empress Market and its vicinity of encroachments, he said, adding that the Sindh government was trying to compensate the affectees by providing them alternative spaces.

At this, the CJP remarked that the court had ordered to turn Empress Market as a model for Karachi. The orders did not state that the operation had to be stopped. “The encroachments have been cleared and now the issue of providing alternative spaces persists,” he remarked. “If the first order has been implemented, then the provincial government should explain what will be done for the affectees,” the CJP said.

Mayor’s position

As the hearing commenced, the court lashed out over the absence of Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar and inquired about his whereabouts. Attorney General of Pakistan Anwar Mansoor Khan excused that the mayor may be late as routes leading to the SC had been blocked.

“Other people have already come. Did he (mayor) not know that he had to come to the Supreme Court?” the CJP questioned.

The mayor turned up at the court at this point and informed the bench that the local government had cleared the encroachments in and around Empress Market. The CJP said that the mayor has himself said that the authorities have been voluntarily clearing encroachments at the Empress Market. “We did not give orders at the time the mayor started this operation,” he said, adding that the order for clearing up the footpaths and roads was clear. “We were concerned about the law and order situation at that time too. We had directed the authorities to make Empress Market as a model. We want to ensure the right of pedestrians who walk on the road,” the CJP remarked.

The CJP questioned how the Supreme Court had worsened the law and order situation in Karachi. “How are we connected to this thing? The responsibility to provide alternate space lies with the government,” said the CJP.

Justice Arab said that the responsibility to clear roads and footpaths lay with the mayor. The CJP added that the government should make arrangements for rehabilitating the affectees by allotting them alterative spaces. “There are lots of problems over here,” the CJP said. “People have squatted on government homes and when we gave orders for their retrieval, a situation of panic erupted,” he added. The Governor had called the CJP, he recalled, pleading for the operation to be halted. “Should we spare the illegal occupants like this? Should we end the state’s writ if people start protesting? Should we bow down before the land grabbers? Should we leave Karachi like this?” he questioned. “We want to improve Karachi but your interests are coming in the way.”

AG Khan said that “we are Karachiites and we also want to see improvement”. To this, the CJP remarked that the Sindh government’s political interests acted as a stumbling block, in the presence of which improvement was not possible.

Spare the houses

Mayor Akhtar told the court that the authorities were implementing its orders but houses should be spared, to which the CJP said that the court had not given any orders for demolition of houses and the municipal authorities were doing it on their own accord, in which case it was not the court’s responsibility.

The mayor said that that had simply implemented the court’s orders and that only one building at Bagh Ibne Qasim was left. The building, he said, had armed gunmen guarding it and the matter was perhaps lying in the high court.

The CJP asked which land grabbers’ group was behind the building and said that the SC may summon for the file from the high court. “It should be heard loud and clear that illegal structures and encroachments will not be tolerated in any case,” he reiterated.

CJP Nisar asked the mayor to continue his work without any pressure. Turning to the advocate general, he said that there was no question of suspending the operation. The advocate-general requested for four weeks’ time to find some solution for the issue. The court said that mayor was claiming that they had not demolished any house. “They are breaking the shades and illegal shops,” the CJP remarked.

Mayor Akhtar said that he was personally monitoring the operation. “Tell us about a single house that has been demolished,” he asked the Sindh AG.

What followed was a heated exchange of words between the advocate-general and the mayor. The former claimed that the mayor had well passed beyond the shops. The mayor asked what he meant. The AG responded that he had been given the task to clear footpaths and parks.

The CJP asked the mayor to brief him about the obstacles he was facing in the operation. “If any court order is becoming a stumbling block, we can get the whole record,” he said. AG Talibuddin again asked the court to direct the mayor to suspend the operation for four weeks. The CJP rejected the plea and ordered the authorities to sit together and find a solution.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12th, 2018.

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Paragon City housing scam: Rafique brothers presented before accountability court

Paragon City housing scam: Rafique brothers presented before accountability court

Posted on 12 December 2018 by Usama Hashmi - Total hits: 4,199

Firebrand PML-N leader and former minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother Khawaja Salman Rafique were presented before an accountability court on Wednesday after being arrested a day earlier by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Paragon City housing scam, Express News reported.

The Rafique brothers were arrested after the Lahore High Court (LHC) rejected a plea seeking extension in protective bail. The anti-graft watchdog had summoned them to appear before its combined investigation team (CIT) in connection with a probe into the Paragon Housing Society.

The brothers were brought to the accountability court under heavy security. Following a brawl between lawyers and the Punjab Police, the lawyers were barred from entering the courtroom. Charged PML-N activists were also present in the court premises and raised slogans against the arrest.

Speaking to media at the accountability court, Saad lamented “discrimination and violation of human rights” by NAB. “There are CCTV cameras in my jail cell. The bathroom door is missing a lock. However, I was provided with a bed to sleep,” he said.

The former minister also expressed dismay at the breakfast provided to him by the authorities. “My family had sent home-cooked food but NAB officials returned it,” he added.

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Malam Jabba land case: K-P CM says summoned as witness, not accused

Malam Jabba land case: K-P CM says summoned as witness, not accused

Posted on 12 December 2018 by Usama Hashmi - Total hits: 3,122

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan claimed on Wednesday that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had summoned him as a witness in the Malam Jabba land lease case.

“National Accountability Bureau has called me in the capacity of a witness, I have no connection with this case,” the chief minister told media on Wednesday, a day after he was summoned in the case.

He added that he had received NAB’s notice and would present himself in court as he respected the country’s institutions but clarified he was not being called as an accused.

The chief minister also said preparations for local body elections in tribal districts are complete. He added that Atif Khan, the committee’s chairman, is out of the country and work will resume when he returns.

According to NAB officials, Mehmood will be questioned about his alleged involvement in the scam as he was running the provincial ministry for sports during the last Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in K-P.

“Since he was running the sports ministry, Mehmood will be questioned for his alleged involvement in the lease scandal,” a senior NAB official told The Express Tribune while requesting to remain anonymous.

The anti-corruption watchdog has already summoned the Minister for Youth Affairs, Culture and Tourism Atif Khan and PTI Senator Mohsin Aziz for their alleged involvement in the same leasing scandal in Swat district.

Both Khan and Aziz have been summoned on December 14 where they will be questioned about their alleged corruption.

A 275 kanal plot of land was allegedly leased out in Malam Jabba to Atif’s relative, which according to NAB officials, incurred losses to the national exchequer.

Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak and Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Principal Secretary Azam Khan have already recorded their statements in this regard.

Senator Mohsin was also called to record his testimony as he was then chairman of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Investment Board. He, however, had resigned shortly after his appointment for unknown reasons.

An advertisement published on March 3, 2014, about the Malam Jabba ski, chairlift and hotel project read stated the provincial government would arrange land measuring approximately 275 acres – five acres for hotel and 270 acres for ski resort/chairlift for a period of 33 years.

Bids were received from three parties. On the recommendation of a sub-committee, all the three firms were asked to give a presentation to the main committee. The successful bidder TCKP was asked to draft an agreement with the Samson’s Group.

The cabinet, in its meeting held on April 25, 2018, was briefed about the lease of land for the Malam Jabba chairlift and hotel. It was highlighted that the land measuring around 12 acres was leased for the chairlift and hotel while 257 acres would merely be used for roaming facility.

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