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LHC judge gives law officer a piece of his mind over police failure to produce Fawad

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LHC judge gives law officer a piece of his mind over police failure to produce Fawad

Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday expressed concern over police failure to produce senior PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry in court on a plea challenging his overnight arrest by the Islamabad police.  

A petition was filed in the high court, challenging Fawad Chaudhry s arrest for “threatening” the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) members and their families. The petition was subsequently taken up by LHC’s Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh. During the hearing, the court instructed police to present Fawad in court by 1:30pm.

The PTI stalwart was taken into custody in the wee hours of Wednesday after he was booked under sections 153A, 506 and 124 A of the Pakistan Penal Code on a complaint lodged by Election Commission of Pakistan Secretary Umer Hameed. 

The judge had earlier asked police to present Mr Chaudhry in court at half past one but police refused to comply without a written order. As the court took up the case, Justice Sheikh asked the law officer about the whereabouts of the PTI leader. As the additional advocate general told the court that police had already taken the petitioner to Islamabad, the judge expressed his annoyance and remarked that “the court knows how to have its orders implemented”. 

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The judge gave police time till 3pm to produce Fawad Chaudhry failing which, he said, he would take an action.  

In a short media talk earlier, the PTI leader said security had been placed in a way as a “terrorist” was being brought to court, adding that he was unaware of the charges levelled against him. He also urged people to take to the street against the government. He said former South Africa president Nelson Mandela had also been booked in a sedition case.

The sudden arrest of Mr Chaudhry has angered the PTI leaders including Hammad Azhar and Farrukh Habib who warned of launching countrywide protests and moving court against it.


The FIR


The PTI leader, according to the First Information Report (FIR), has been booked under sections 153A, 506 and 124 A of the PPC for allegedly threatening the ECP and its members in a televised interview on Tuesday. The FIR carries the excerpt of the former MNA’s statement wherein he alleged that the election commission had become a “Munshi” as the election commissioner signed things like a clerk after they were sent to him by the government.

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Mr Chaudhry said those who would be involved in injustice to the PTI would be pursued until they were punished. He said people should pursue the elements who were deceiving public, to their houses. Expressing reservations about the appointments of some officials in the ECP Punjab ahead of elections, he said if these appointments were not rolled back, “we warn that the election commission and its members will have to pay back”.

The complainant said Fawad Chaudhry had threatened the chief election commissioner, members of the ECP and their families in his speech which he described as an attempt to create hurdles in the electoral process.

“The speech has created a permanent threat for the ECP members and their families,” he said, adding that the PTI leader had attempted to create differences between the government and the ECP. “It is a serious crime to influence the electoral process by issuing threats to the constitutional institutions,” he said, adding that such statements could lead to chaos in the country.

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Govt wants more women in police department: Maryam Nawaz

Govt wants more women in police department: Maryam Nawaz

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Govt wants more women in police department: Maryam Nawaz

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said government wants to increase number of women in the police department.

Maryam, while addressing the passing-out parade ceremony at Chung Police Training College, said, “I salute you all. I am happy the first Sword of Honour has been awarded to a female police officer. I am proud of you. I was waiting for this event since taking oath as chief minister, she said.

“When I wore the police uniform for the first time, I realised it is a big responsibility,” said the chief minister and added she was happy to see 530 women passing out.

She said she happy to see women police officers performing duties.

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“When I wore the uniform for the first time today, I felt it was a big responsibility. I am proud of women serving in police department,” said CM Maryam.

She said there were 7,000 women police personnel serving in Punjab. “I want to increase women participation in Punjab police. Lady cops are superhuman. Women are soft hearted so they forgive.

However, there should be no tenderness in your heart for the oppressor,” said the chief minister and asked the lady police officers to take pity on the oppressed and hold the oppressor accountable for his misdeeds.

“THERE IS NO REVENGE IN MY HEART”

Maryam said there was no feelings of revenge in her heart. “If, being the chief minister, I decide something against someone, I do it with a heavy heart,” she said.

“To be a chief minister is not an easy task. I had to make hectic efforts reach this place,” she said.
She paid glowing tribute to her father Nawaz Sharif and uncle Shehbaz Sharif.

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PASSING OUT PARADE

Earlier, a passing out parade was held at Chung Police Training College. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz attended the ceremony as a special guest.

Maryam inspected the parade dressed in police uniform. She also distributed prizes to police officers who exhibited excellent performance.

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Supreme Court reinstates Balochistan Assembly speaker, annuls ECP’s decision

Supreme Court reinstates Balochistan Assembly speaker, annuls ECP’s decision

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Supreme Court reinstates Balochistan Assembly speaker, annuls ECP's decision

The Supreme Court on Thursday annulled the decision of Election Commission (ECP) and reinstated Balochistan Assembly Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai.

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, also annulled the ECP’s order of re-polling at 12 polling stations of PB 51 Chaman.

Justice Khan asked the ECP counsel under which regulation the commission ordered re-election at 12 polling stations?

Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar remarked that the ECP considered only 12 polling stations but ignored others.

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Justice Khan remarked that the ECP had neither conducted an inquiry nor followed any rules. The DG Law submitted that the ECP took into account those 12 polling stations regarding which it had received plea. There was high voter turnout in these 12 polling stations.

Justice Mazhar said that the ECP should have taken into account the entire constituency. Had the ECP performed according to rules, people would not have had to come to court.

The court referred the case back to the ECP after consulting the parties and ordered the commission to decide the issue within 10 days.

It may be remembered that the ECP had ordered re-polling on the application of Khaliq’s opposing candidate Asghar Khan Achakzai and withdrew the notification of his success. PML-N’s candidate Khaliq challenged the ECP decision. 

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Govt, Opp prepare power-sharing framework for NA committees

Govt, Opp prepare power-sharing framework for NA committees

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Govt, Opp prepare power-sharing framework for NA committees

The government and opposition on Thursday prepared a power-sharing formula for formation of National Assembly committees, after which the negotiations entered the final stage.

The government alliance will get chairmanship of 26 committees of the National Assembly while opposition will have chairmanship of 11 committees.

Similarly, the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee will be from the opposition and the chairman of the Kashmir Committee will be appointed from the government side.

The speaker will be the chairman of the National Assembly House Business Advisory Committee.

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According to the framework, standing committees will have 13 members and Public Accounts Committee will have 16 members from the government alliance.

Likewise, Kashmir Committee will have 15 members while House Business Advisory will have 18 members from the coalition government.

The number of opposition members in the standing committees of the National Assembly, Public Accounts Committee and Kashmir Committee will be 7-7.

Apart from this, the chairman of 14 committees of the National Assembly will be from the Muslim League-N, while PPP will get chairmanship of eight committees.

MQM will get chairmanships of two committees. Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) will get one chairmanship each.

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10 committees will be chaired by independent members supported by PTI while one committee will be chaired by JUI.

Out of the 20 members of the standing committees, 14 members will be appointed from the government side and six from the opposition parties.

Each standing committee will have seven members from PML-N, four from PPP and one member each from PML-Q and MQM.

In the standing committee, five independent members of PTI and one member of JUI will be given membership as committee members.

Of the 23 members of the Public Accounts Committee, 16 MPs will be included from the government and seven from the opposition.
About 22 members of the Privileges Committee, 15 members will be included from the government and seven from the opposition side. Of 16 members in the government assurances committee, 11 will be from the government and five from the opposition.

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In the 22-member Kashmir Committee, the government’s quota will be 15 while the opposition will contribute with seven members. Of the 26 members of the House Business Advisory Committee, 18 will be from the government and eight from the opposition.

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