Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The top Pakistani diplomat who sent a controversial cipher to the foreign ministry believes that the disclosure of a confidential diplomatic cable “undermined the integrity of our communication system” and eroded the credibility of Pakistani diplomats. This was a contention in the testimony of Dr Asad Majeed Khan, former ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, recorded before the investigation officer …

QUETTA: Balochistan Int­e­rim Minister for Information Jan Achakzai has made it clear that not only illegal Afghan residents but also Iranian and other foreign individuals who are staying unlawfully without proper documents in the country will be repatriated to their respective nations within the provided time frame, before November 1. During a press conference held on Wednesday, he stated, “This is …

LAHORE: A two-judge bench of the Lahore High Court on Wed­nesday allowed the appeal of PML-N leader Raja Hanif Abb­asi and set aside his life sentence in the ephedrine quota case. The bench, comprising Jus­tice Aalia Neelum and Justice Asjad Javed Ghural, announced its verdict on the appeal, which had been reserved the other day. Talking to media persons outside the court, Mr Abbasi …

CHITRAL: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq has castigated the government for its silence over the Palestine issue, saying the next targets of Israel are Arab countries and Pakistan. Addressing a workers convention here on Wednesday, he said that Israel crossed all limits of barbarism and brutality in Gaza with the full support of America. He said that no Muslim country came …

The Islamabad High Court on Thursday accepted PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s pleas, granting him protective bail in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases until October 24 (Tuesday). It comes before the former premier’s impending arrival on Oct 21. His planned return to Pakistan would be after almost four years of self-imposed exile. In July 2018, ousted Nawaz was handed 10 years in jail in the Avenfield properties corruption …

The Islamabad High Court on Thursday accepted PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s pleas, granting him protective bail in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases until October 24 (Tuesday). It comes before the former premier’s impending arrival on Oct 21. His planned return to Pakistan would be after almost four years of self-imposed exile. In July 2018, ousted Nawaz was handed 10 years in jail in the Avenfield properties corruption reference …

ISLAMABAD: The controversy surrounding the £140 million repatriated from the UK echoed during a hearing on Wednesday, as Bahria Town Karachi’s (BTK) counsel informed the court that it had deposited Rs65 billion with the apex court — in line with a settlement over land occupied by the property developer in Malir district. BTK lawyer Salman Aslam Butt made this claim …

QUETTA: Two rival groups of the Mengal tribe involved in armed clashes in the Wadh of Khuzdar district for past several weeks have finally vacated their trenches, which were later occupied law enforcement personnel deployed there by the administration, on Tuesday. Caretaker Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Ali Mardan Domki confirmed the development, as the trenches were vacated after the provincial apex committee …

HYDERABAD: A Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) fact-finding mission that probed the killing of four locals of the Mari Jalbani village last month by security forces personnel has laid bare the mismanagement, miscommunication and abuse of process that led to the loss of innocent lives. On Sept 28, at around 3pm, between 60-70 personnel of the Sindh Rangers and other law …

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has finally moved the much-anticipated intra-court appeal (ICA) against the Supreme Court’s majority judgement, declaring amendments to the anti-graft law illegal. Moved through senior counsel Makh­doom Ali Khan, the government also sought 15 days to file additional documents with a plea that the majority decision was against the facts of the case and contrary to the law …