pakistan
Pakistan, US reaffirm commitment to advance bilateral ties
US Department of State Counselor Derek Chollet reaffirmed that Washington was committed to advancing the bilateral relationship with Islamabad.
He expressed during a meeting with Foreign Secretary Dr Asad Majeed Khan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday. He expressed US solidarity and support with Pakistan and its people in recovery from the 2022 floods.
The foreign secretary thanked the Counselor for US support and hoped to remain engaged in the long-term recovery and rehabilitation efforts. He stated that the frequent bilateral visits were a manifestation of the positive trajectory of the Pakistan-US relationship.
Asad Majeed Khan expressed satisfaction on the second Mid-level Defence Dialogue and the upcoming Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council meeting in Washington D.C. He emphasised the importance of sustained cooperation through the institutionalized dialogues in trade and investment, energy, security, climate change and health. He stressed the need to expand cooperation in Agriculture, Education, IT, and Science & Technology.
Counselor Chollet reaffirmed that the United States was committed to advancing the bilateral relationship.
Counselor Chollet was accompanied by Clinton White, Counselor of the United States Agency for International Development, Ambassador Donald Blome and Elizabeth Horst, Principal Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.
The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Islamabad has discharged 32 individuals arrested in connection with the PTI protests, clearing them of the charges.
The 32 accused were brought before the ATC Islamabad late at night after being sent for an identification parade.
The case was heard by ATC Judge Abulhasnat Zulqarnain, with the accused represented by their lawyer Ansar Kiani.
Although the police had claimed that the arrests were made at the I-9 and Margalla police stations, the accused were brought to the court from Jhelum Jail, which led to the judge expressing displeasure.
During the proceedings, the police argued that the accused were arrested on November 25 and the identification parade had not yet been conducted. The police requested a 30-day physical remand for each of the accused.
However, the defense lawyer opposed the request, stating that there had been no identification parade and the police were seeking remand for recovery purposes.
The lawyer further claimed that the police had picked up laborers from their homes just to meet arrest quotas, involving them in the protest case.
After hearing the arguments, Judge Abulhasnat Zulqarnain ordered the release of the 32 accused by discharging them from the case, removing their handcuffs in the courtroom.
He also warned that if the police re-arrested them, the officers would be handcuffed as well.
An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on Saturday extended bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser in a case pertaining to vandalism in Sangjani public gathering held by his party on Sept 28.
Justice Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain of the ATC conducted hearing of the case against the former NA speaker.
The petitioner’s lawyer requested exemptionof her client from appearance, citing terminal illness.
The lawyer also attached medical certificate of the former NA speaker.
Later, the court accepted the plea of Qaiser by extending his bail till Jan 7.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Adviser Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif claimed on Saturday that “secret meetings” were being held in the President House to oust Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and bring Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as the new PM.
In a statement, the adviser said both father and son (President Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal) were making all the necessary efforts for premiership of the latter, adding that the president was on a secret mission to see his son as the PM.
“Zardari should make his son the PM through fair means instead of stealing the mandate given by the people to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Both Sharifs and Zardaris are enjoying the power through a stolen mandate,” he added.
He reiterated that Zardari should keep it in mind that the PTI would continue its struggle to restore its mandate.
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