pakistan
Supreme Court again reinstates Ghulam Mahmood Dogar as Lahore CCPO
The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday suspended a notification issued by the Punjab interim government to transfer Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mahmood Dogar.
A three-member bench, headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan and comprising Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Muneeb Akhtar, reinstated Dogar as Lahore CCPO while issuing ruling on a petition against his transfer.
During the hearing, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) secretary said the Punjab government made an oral request to transfer Dogar on Jan 23, adding that it received written application on Jan 24. The secretary said the electoral body accepted the request on Feb 6. Justice Muneeb remarked that the ECP received oral request, approved and then implemented it. “Does government institutions run on oral communication?” he questioned.
Previously, the top court had reinstated Dogar as Lahore police chief in December last after he was suspended by the federal government in November after PTI protesters stormed the Punjab Governor’s House following an attack on Imran Khan in Wazirabad.
– BACKGROUND –
The BS-21 officer was at the centre of the feud between the federal and the then Punjab government under Chaudhry Parvez Elahi. The issue of his transfer stemmed in September 2022 when the federal government recalled his services in a surprise move after he booked two PML-N ministers and other officials on terrorism charges. However, the move was blocked by Mr Elahi, then Punjab chief minister, saying the federal government could not transfer him. Later, the PDM-led federal government suspended him in November last for failing to ensure security of the Governor House.
The CCPO challenged his suspension in the Lahore High Court but it declared his petition inadmissible due to limitations of its jurisdiction. He later moved the Federal Services Tribunal (FST) where a single bench reinstated him on Nov 10.
Later, the Establishment Division challenged the FST’s Nov 10 verdict, requesting the bench to roll back the previous decision of the tribunal and form a large bench to hear the case. On Nov 25, a two-member FST bench suspended an earlier decision of reinstating Dogar as CCPO.
The matter was then taken to the apex court which restored him on Dec 2, 2022. Then on Jan 23, the caretaker Punjab government replaced Dogar with Bilal Siddique Kamyana as the new Lahore CCPO.
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.
To rival SpaceX’s Starship, ULA eyes Vulcan rocket upgrade
AI with reasoning power will be less predictable
On Syria tour, Blinken pledges to work with Iraq against IS jihadists
-
Entertainment2 months agoMovie Review: Helen Mirren tells a story of evil and hope during WWII in ‘White Bird’
-
Entertainment2 months agoDozens of health workers killed in Lebanon over past day, WHO says
-
Business2 months agoRay-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica slams ‘grab bag’ lawsuits claiming eyewear monopoly
-
Entertainment3 months agoHilfiger goes full nautical for Fashion Week, with runway show on former Staten Island Ferry boat
-
Entertainment3 months agoShagufta Ejaz’s husband passes away after protracted illness
-
pakistan2 months agoPunjab govt imposes Section 144 in five districts
-
Business3 months agoGold scales fresh record high in Pakistan
-
pakistan3 months agoWomen steal the SBP currency note design competition show