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VOWING TO BRING CULPRITS TO JUSTICE, PM ORDERS PROBE INTO BESHAM INCIDENT Thursday, 28 March, 2024 I 17 Ramazan, 1445
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Says whole nation saddened over loss of Chinese lives as Pakistan, China bound by enduring bond
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Rs 20.00 | Vol XIV No 270 I 8 Pages I Islamabad Edition
Army chief says military will take all-out measures for safety of Chinese citizens in Pakistan
across the borders. They emphasized the need for a regional approach to countering terrorism. COAS REITERATES RESOLVE TO ELIMINATE SCOURGE OF TERRORISM Strongly reacting to Shangla terrorist attack which claimed six lives including five Chinese nationals, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir said that the military “shall not leave any stone unturned to ensure that every foreign citizen, especially the Chinese nationals — contributing to the prosperity of Pakistan — is safe and secure in the country”. The army chief reiterated the resolve of armed forces to eliminate the scourge of terrorism afflicting the country during an emergency meeting chaired on Wednesday by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the aftermath of Shangla’s Besham city terrorist attack on Chinese nationals working on Dasu Hydel Power Project, read a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office today.
Staff RepoRt
OWING a thorough joint investigation, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to utilize all state resources to bring the perpetrators of the Besham suicide attack to justice. The attack claimed six lives, including five Chinese engineers who were working on the Dasu Hydel Power Project. The prime minister offered deepest condolences to the families of the victims, assuring that the attackers of the barbaric act would be brought to justice swiftly. Chairing a high-level emergency meeting in the aftermath of the attack, the prime minister appreciated the law enforcement agencies and locals for swift response to save several precious lives. The meeting was attended by Chief of the Army Staff Gen Asim Munir as well as federal ministers, chief ministers, chief secretaries, and inspector generals of police of respective provinces, a PM Office press release stated. The meeting discussed in detail the heinous attack on civilians working on a development project that would ensure energy and water security in Pakistan. The prime minister underscored the enduring bond between the people of Pakistan and China and conveyed that the whole nation was saddened by the loss of Chinese lives. He stated, “Terrorism is a trans-national threat that has been instrumentalized by the enemies of Pakistan to stymie Pakistan’s progress and development. The acts targeting PakistanChina friendship are particularly aimed at creating mistrust between the two iron brothers.” The participants of the meeting expressed resolute commitment to completely rooting out terrorism from the country and expressed serious concerns over sanctuaries available to terrorists
Defence Minister terms Afghanistan as ‘source of terrorism’ in Pakistan ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday took to social media to point fingers at Afghanistan for the recent surge in terrorist activities across Pakistan, labeling the neighbouring country as the “primary source of terrorism” within the country. The minister made these remarks in a post on the microblogging platform ‘X’, underscoring the urgent need for fundamental changes in the functionality of the PakistanAfghan borders amidst escalating terrorism activities. Asif’s statement follows the devastating Besham suicide bombing, which claimed the lives of six individuals, including five Chinese nationals, just a day prior in Pakistan. The victims, Chinese engineers traveling from Islamabad to their camp in Dasu, fell victim to an explosives-laden vehicle attack near Lahore Nala on the Karakoram Highway, coming from the opposite direction. Expressing frustration at the lack of progress from Kabul, despite being aware of the presence and activities of terrorists within its borders, Asif highlighted the alarming situation where terrorists are operating freely against Pakistan. He said while other traditional borders adhere to international rules, the Pak-Afghan border stands as a unique case, necessitating Pakistan’s adherence to international regulations in the face of Kabul’s non-cooperation. Furthermore, Asif stressed the importance of halting the cross-border movement of terrorists, citing it as imperative for fostering positive relations between the neighbouring nations. He reiterated that citizens from both sides should be allowed to travel with valid visas and passports, emphasising the need for cooperation and mutual understanding between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
JIT to investigate suicide attack on Chinese nationals, says Information minister ISLAMABAD
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Information Minister Ataullah Tarar on Wednesday said that a joint investigation team (JIT) would be formed to investigate the Besham suicide bombing that left six people dead, including five Chinese nationals. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad today, Tarar said that PM Shehbaz had chaired a high-level meeting which was attended by Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir. He further said that all provincial chief ministers, police chiefs were also part of the meeting. He said that during the meeting, the
participants recognized the need for a “unified policy” against terrorism. “And today the nation was given a message of unity […] that we unite when there is an attack on our interests […] we know how to protect ourselves and our friends,” he said. On Tuesday, six people, including Chinese engineers, including a woman, working on the Dasu dam project, were killed when a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden car into the bus transporting Chinese staff in Shangla District’s Besham area. Tarar said that the meeting lauded the sacrifices of security forces, who saved precious lives from being lost while dealing with the re-
cent attacks in Turbat, Gwadar and Besham. He said that a JIT would be formed to probe the incident. He further that the “spirits were high” in the meeting and all the participants were on “one page”. “This is our clear message — that we will not rest until terrorism is eradicated. The premier expressed this resolve and we want to give the message that be it our Chinese friends, our sensitive installations our any Pakistani citizen — all possible steps will be taken for their protection and no effort will be spared to root out terrorism.”
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Staff RepoRt
A full court meeting of the Supreme Court judges was held in the federal capital to deliberate on a letter written by the six Islamabad High Court judges about the alleged interference of spy agencies in the judiciary, sources told Geo News on Wednesday. The Supreme Court judges, including Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa attended the huddle that lasted for over two hours in the federal capital. The development took place after the bar associations and legal experts called for a probe into the letter. The sources said that the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan met the CJP and discussed the matter. After the meeting, AGP, while talking to journalists, said that the matter is serious and it should be probed. Bar associations of Sindh, Lahore, Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as senior lawyers condemned the alleged interference, urging the top judge to look into the matter. LETTER BY IHC JUDGES The letter, written a day earlier on Tuesday, urged the council to convene a judicial convention over the alleged interference of members of the executive, including operatives of intelligence agencies, in judicial affairs. The IHC judges — who wrote the letter to the SJC — include Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Fafat Imtiaz.
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The top lawyers bodies of the country, including the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), the Islamabad and the Lahore High Court Bar associations, and the Lahore Bar Association on Wednesday called for a transparent inquiry into the letter penned by six judges, citing “serious interference in judicial matters,” by the officials of the intelligence agencies. The demand for a transparent inquiry by the prominent Bar Associations underscores the significance of upholding judicial independence and ensuring the integrity of the justice system. As the issue unfolds, stakeholders continue to emphasize the importance
Seeking guidance from the council on “interference” of the spy agencies in courts’ affairs, the judges wrote: “We are writing to seek guidance from the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) with regard to the duty of a judge to report and respond to actions on part of members of the executive, including operatives of intelligence agencies, that seek to interfere with discharge of his/her official functions and qualify as intimidation, as well as the duty to report any such actions that come to his/her attention in relation to colleagues and/or members of the courts that the High Court supervises.”
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pressed sympathy for the Chinese victims, Lin said China is grateful for that. He said that immediately after the incident, China’s foreign ministry and the Chinese embassy in Pakistan triggered an emergency response mechanism. They have maintained close contact with the Pakistani side in Beijing and Islam-
abad, requesting that Pakistan accelerate the hunt for and subsequent punishment of the terrorist, seek justice for the victims, and take concrete measures to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals in the country. The Pakistani side pledged that it would investigate the attack thoroughly,
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The development came days after the top court declared the removal of former IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui illegal, directing that he may now be considered as a retired judge. The IHC judges, in their letter, noted that the code of conduct for judges prescribed by SJC provides no guidance on how they “must react to and or report incidents that are tantamount to intimidation and interfere with judicial independence”.
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Bar associations demand transparent probe Staff RepoRt
KSE-100 Index hits record high, closing above 66,500 The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a notable performance as the benchmark KSE100 Index surged to a new record, closing at 66,547 points on Wednesday. This marked an increase of 641 points or 0.97% from the previous session, surpassing the former peak of 66,427 points recorded on December 12, 2023. The index had previously encountered resistance at the 66,000 level but managed to overcome this barrier amid buying in key sectors such as cement, commercial banks, oil and gas exploration companies, and refineries. Market sentiment was buoyed by positive developments, including progress on privatization initiatives and anticipated new agreements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), according to Mohammed Sohail, CEO of Topline Securities. Additionally, foreign investment, as indicated by NCCPL data, contributed to the bullish momentum, with shares trading at attractive price-to-earnings ratios. In parallel developments, the Board of Directors of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited (PIACL) approved a Scheme of Arrangement for the airline’s privatization, a move that is expected to facilitate its restructuring.
‘Six IHC judges letter’: SC full court deliberates alleged ‘interference’
Sino-Pakistan cooperation will not be allowed to be undermined: Chinese FM
Pakistan and China have the determination and ability to make terrorists pay the price for their actions, and any attempt to undermine China-Pakistan cooperation will not succeed, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday. Lin made the remarks at a regular press briefing in response to a terrorist attack that killed five Chinese nationals in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday. “We strongly condemn this terrorist attack, express deep sympathy for the victims, and extend sincere condolences to the bereaved families,” Lin said during a media briefing in Beijing. Noting that some other countries have also condemned the attack and ex-
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of upholding constitutional principles and safeguarding the autonomy of the judiciary. On Tuesday, six judges of the Islamabad High Court, including Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, wrote a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), pointing out “interference” in the judicial affairs. The letter highlights the “interference of executive and agencies” in the judicial matters, demanding initiation of a judicial convention against brazen interference in the judicial affairs.
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provide the Chinese side with timely updates on the progress of the investigation, and take further, comprehensive measures to improve the security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan, Lin said. He reiterated China’s stance on terrorism: Terrorism is the common enemy of all human beings, and it is the shared responsibility of the international community to combat terrorism and prevent the recurrence of such tragedies. China firmly supports Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts, Lin said. China will continue to support Pakistan’s economic development, social development and the improvement of its people’s livelihoods, he added, and it will undertake firm cooperation with Pakistan in various fields to bring benefits to the two peoples.
Enemy will be given befitting response over Besham attack, says Interior Minister ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi says the government will deal with iron hands with the elements involved in terrorist attack on Chinese nationals in Besham. In a statement issued today, the Interior Minister expressed heartfelt grief and sorrow over the incident and expressed condolence with the families of the deceased Chinese citizens. Mohsin Naqvi said the enemy has targeted the citizens of Pakistan’s most trusted friend China. He expressed hope that the great bilateral relations will not be affected due to such attacks. The Interior Minister reiterated resolve that the enemy will be given a strapping response to the attack. He assured a comprehensive investigation of the incident.