NEW DELHI: Critics have been accusing the Indian government of using law enforcement agencies to selectively target its political foes following the arrest of an opposition politician minutes after his resignation as a state Chief Minister. Hemant Soren leads one of several opposition parties that have allied to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in elections this …

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has conceded that inordinate and unreasonable delay in the conclusion of trial is a challenge that affects the administration of criminal justice system and noted it is incumbent upon investigating officers and lawyers to avoid unnecessary and unjustified delays to ensure timely justice. “Such delay is antithetic to the foundational principles of liberty, fair trial and …

SUKKUR: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has pledged to fulfil the promise of building two million homes to provide relief to the flood-hit people. Addressing a public gathering at the Rustam Chowk in Shikarpur on Friday, Mr Bhutto-Zardari said that the ownership of the homes will be transferred to the people. PPP has always thought and worked for the betterment of …

ISLAMABAD: The city managers have proposed 20 new names for the reconstitution of the commission to carry out the much-delayed revision of Islamabad’s master plan. Sources in the interior ministry told Dawn that the CDA had forwarded the list of 20 experts to the federal cabinet out of which the cabinet will approve 13 names. In addition, there will be seven ex-officio …

RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has lodged first information reports (FIRs) against the owners of three illegal housing schemes. The RDA spokesman stated that these illegal housing schemes were Imperial City, the National Gold Enclave on Chakwal Road, and Kashmir Green City on G.T. Road Mandra. He noted that the RDA is taking legal action against the illegal advertisements …

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Friday announced it will hold its intra-party polls after the Feb 8 general elections, reversing its decision made just 24 hours earlier to hold party elections on Feb 5. The PTI’s federal election commissioner, Raoof Hasan, said the amended schedule would be announced by the Federal Election Commissioner’s office. In a statement issued on …

QUETTA: At least six people, including PPP workers, were injured in multiple hand grenade attacks in different towns of Balochistan on Friday. Separately, a law-intensity explosion took place near the Provincial Election Commission (PEC) office in Karachi’s Saddar area, according to officials. In the Mughalsarai area of Kalat town, three PPP workers were injured when an unknown motorcyclist attacked the …

ISLAMABAD: A student of a private university was allegedly gang-raped in the capital, police said on Friday. A case was registered with Shalimar police station under sections 375 (rape) and 292 (sale, etc., of obscene books) of the PPC against the two rapists in response to the complaint lodged by the complainant, police added. One of the suspects is a …

ISLAMABAD: The capital police have sought assistance of 5,000 personnel from AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan police and Frontier Constabulary to meet the shortage of manpower for security duty during the upcoming elections. Police officers told Dawn that the capital police had requested for 5,000 personnel from AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan police and Frontier Constabulary due to the shortage of manpower. However, the …

TOBA TEK SINGH: PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif has announced launching the Orange Line metro train project in Faisalabad if his party wins the election as the people of the city want to have the metro train service like that of Lahore. He said Shehbaz Sharif had already announced the plan to launch a metrobus service in the city but he …