Pakistan

Marriyum Aurangzeb berates Imran Khan over Toshakhana controversy

Published

1 year ago

Farwa

“Imran Khan ran a business while sitting on PM’s chair,” says Aurangzeb.
“Khan will have to show the money trail and the receipts as the Toshakhana gifts cannot be sold,” she adds.
“For the first time in Pakistan, a thief and an incompetent PM has been removed constitutionally through a no-confidence motion,” she says.

ISLAMABAD: Newly elected Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said that former prime minister Imran Khan did not earn as much as he earned from the Toshakhana in his entire life. She said that Imran Khan ran a business from the prime minister’s chair.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday, Aurangzeb criticised Imran Khan for saying “mera tohfa, meri marzi (my gift, my choice)“ adding that it was Pakistan’s gift and not his personal property.

She alleged that Imran Khan’s income grew double-fold after he sold items from the Toshakhana.

The information minister said that the PTI chairman will have to show the money trail and the receipts as the Toshakhana gifts cannot be sold.

“The PTI-led government introduced a law to procure gifts from the Toshakhana at 50% of its original cost, but despite the law being introduced during their tenure, Imran Khan purchased the gift at 20% of the cost,” she said.

Praising the PML-N government, Aurangzeb went on to say that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif started working within five days after assuming office as the premier because the country’s economy, foreign policy, and development projects were in the worst condition.

The information minister went on to say that a campaign is being launched against state institutions through “robotics tweets” and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has been instructed to take action against them.

“Immediate action will be taken against those who are behind these tweets and robotics machines will be identified soon,” added the minister.

Talking about the former first lady of Pakistan Bushra Bibi, Aurangzeb said that she made an entry in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) tax return back in 2018 using her old name.

“For the first time in Pakistan, a thief and an incompetent prime minister has been removed constitutionally through a no-confidence motion,” she said, adding that “excessive expenditure on sugar increased its prices; flour had to be imported after it was smuggled and PTI’s minister looted medicines.”

Talking about the PTI chairman’s former adviser on accountability and interior Shahzad Akbar, the PML-N leader said that he has fled the country and the government knows how to bring him back to Pakistan.

She further said that if there was no evidence against Bushra Bibi’s close friend Farah Khan, she wouldn’t have escaped.

Toshakhana controversy

On Thursday, April 14, PM Shehbaz Sharif revealed that ex-premier Imran Khan took gifts from the Toshakhana and sold them in Dubai.

“Imran Khan sold these gifts for Rs140 million in Dubai,” PM Shehbaz was reported as telling journalists during an iftar he hosted a day earlier in the federal capital.

The premier was said to have shared that the expensive gifts that former prime minister Imran Khan traded for money included diamond jewellery sets, bracelets and wristwatches.

PM Shehbaz said that he also received a watch once, but deposited it to the Toshakhana, adding that he “does not need to hide anything”.

What does the law say?

According to the law, whenever a head of state receives a gift from another state or country, they have to give it to the Toshakhana. If they wish to keep the gift, they have to pay an amount equal to its value which is decided through an auction.

These gifts either remain deposited in the Toshakhana or can be auctioned and the money acquired through it is to be deposited into the national treasury.

Pakistan

KU students end protest after ‘picked up’ student returns

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

KARACHI: Students of Karachi University called off their protest after a fellow student who was allegedly “picked up” from the varsity’s premises returned.

A KU student confirmed to Geo News that Saqib, the student who was allegedly “whisked away”, has returned.

The students of the varsity had launched a protest, earlier today, after Saqib was allegedly “taken away”.

The protesters told Geo News that the student, studying at the Department of Urdu, was allegedly whisked away by some people in plain clothes. They said the men claimed they were from a law enforcement agency.

However, KU Security Adviser Dr Moiz Khan said Rangers have disassociated themselves from the incident.

The university’s administration analysed the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage to identify the students and the people who picked him up.

After the incident, the students staged a protest outside KU’s Silver Jubilee Gate and blocked the University Road.

However, upon the police’s request, they shifted their protest to the front of the varsity’s administration block.

The Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba (IJT) claimed that the student was its worker.

Pakistan

Jibran Nasir’s ‘kidnapping’ case registered hours after he was ‘picked up’ in Karachi’s DHA

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

Cases registered under sections 365 and 34 of PPC.
Nasir’s wife seeks immediate release of her husband.
Protest today at 4:00pm at KPC to demand Nasir’s release.

KARACHI: The port city’s police have registered a “kidnapping” case of prominent lawyer and human rights activist Jibran Nasir on the complaint of his wife, Mansha Pasha, hours after the advocate was “picked up” from Defence Housing Authority (DHA) area.

The case has been registered at the Clifton Police Station under two sections of the Pakistan Penal Code — 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine a person) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

Pasha, a renowned actress, told police in an application earlier that her husband was “picked up” by men on Thursday night.

Mansha Pashas application to the police. — provided by the reporter — Mansha Pasha’s application to the police. — provided by the reporter

Police were at first, according to Pasha, not registering the FIR. She said she would move the court if the law enforcers did not register the case.

She stated: “On 01.06.2023 at about 11:00 pm, I was returning from dinner with my husband in our personal car … when a white color Toyota Hilux / Vigo … intercepted and hit our car from the front-left side and forced us to stop near Ideal Bakery on 26th Street, Defence Phase 5, Karachi.”

She further added: “Another vehicle i.e. a Silver Corolla blocked our vehicle from behind and as such, we were surrounded. Some 15 people along with weapons came out from the said vehicles in civil clothes and forced my husband to get out of the car, man-handling him towards the subject vehicle. They then abducted him and took him away and his whereabouts are unknown till now.”

In her application, she also requested immediate action be taken to ensure his swift release.

“In light of the above-mentioned situation, I have no other recourse than to approach your office for registration of my complaint for my missing husband. I would be thankful if an immediate action is taken for his swift release. Furthermore, action in accordance with law must be taken against those who abducted my husband,” she wrote.

Furthermore, Pasha told Geo News that a protest was being held at 4:00pm at the Karachi Press Club to demand her husband’s release.

Condemnations

As the news of Nasir’s abduction went viral, several people and human rights organisations condemned the incident.

Concerned by the abduction, they demanded that Nasir be returned home safely and quickly.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) took to Twitter stating: “HRCP is deeply concerned by reports that lawyer and activist [Jibran Nasir] has been abducted by unknown armed persons in Karachi. We demand that he be safely recovered immediately and his abductors held accountable under the law.”

Prime Minister’s Strategic Reforms Salman Sufi also tweeted his support for the human rights activist.

“Very disturbing to hear about [Jibran Nasir] abduction. Hope Sindh police will assist his family and locate him immediately. Jibran has always spoken against violent extremism and rioting. Hoping for his safe and immediate return,” he wrote.

Moreover, Imaan Mazari, the daughter of the former human rights minister Shireen Mazari expressed his dismay at the news.

“No words… complete madness,” she tweeted.

Pakistan

8-year-old girl raped in Islamabad

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

Afghan girl was raped by a man in broad daylight.
Case lodged at Shahzad Town Police Station.
Medico-legal official confirms the girl’s rape.

ISLAMABAD: An 8-year-old Afghan girl was raped by a man in broad daylight who managed to run away in the presence of residents of Mohallah Diptian falling in the jurisdiction of Shahzad Town Police Station, The News reported Friday.

The minor victim was shifted to a hospital where the medico-legal official confirmed the rape.

The Shahzad Town police have registered the case against the unidentified rapist under sections 376 and 377/B of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of the father of the victim but couldn’t hunt down the rapist till the filing of this report.

Hazar Gul, an Afghan national, hailing from Jalalabad, lodged a complaint with the Shahzad Town, saying that he was living in Mohallah Diptian, located near Mariam Masjid with his family for a couple of months.

“I was present at my house along with my elder brother when we heard some noises from the street, we rushed out of the house and witnessed a young man running towards us, consequently, without knowing the reason for his escape, we both tried to intercept him but he succeeded to let loose from our clutches and ran off from our custody,” the complainant narrating his story, said.

However, he said, “We moved towards the place where people of the street were gathered and saw my minor daughter crying.”

Upon query, the minor victim told him the tale of the brutal attack on her, saying she was playing near her house when she was dragged by the rapist into an under-construction house and raped forcibly.

The DPO (Rural) has taken up the case and asked the Shahzad Town police to take the case as a challenge and use all their efforts to make headway to arrest the rapist, the police sources said.

The SP has constituted teams and sent them to different locations to get a clue about the rapist.

The sources added that the police have rounded up a few suspects for investigation, claiming that the police teams would make headway to the criminal and hunt him down within the next 24 hours.