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ISHAQ DAR, MARCO RUBIO AGREE TO ADDRESS US WEAPONS LEFT IN AFGHANISTAN Tuesday, 8 April, 2025 I 9 Shawwal, 1446
IN HIS FIRST CALL, DAR DISCUSSES BILATERAL TIES, g DAR REITERATES PAKISTAN’S REGIONAL SECURITY AND ECONOMIC COMMITMENT TO STRENGTHENING COOPERATION WITH HIS AMERICAN COUNTERPART ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH US
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ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
OREIGN Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the pair’s first phone call, where America’s top diplomat expressed interest in deepening cooperation in a variety of sectors, the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement. According to the statement, Dar held the call — the first between the pair — and discussed bilateral relations, regional security and economic cooperation with his American counterpart. “During the call, DPM (Deputy Prime Minister)/FM Dar reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with the United States,” the statement read. “He emphasised the importance of strengthening cooperation in areas such as trade, investment and counter-terrorism.” The FO added that Rubio reciprocated Dar’s wish for greater trade and investment in various sectors, particularly in “critical minerals”.
“He said that cooperation in economy and trade would be the hallmark of future relations between the two countries,” the statement read, referring to the secretary of state. According to the statement, Dar highlighted Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts between 2013 and 2018, with Rubio appreciating Pakistan’s fight against terrorism and expressing the US’s
Farhan Mallick released from jail after bail in anti-state content, fraud cases KARACHI
STAFF REPORT
Journalist Farhan Mallick has been released from Malir jail, where he was in judicial custody, after a local court approved his bail in multiple cases concerning his alleged involvement in spreading anti-state content and defrauding people via an illegal call centre, the District Malir jail Superintendent said on Monday. The court, granting bail to Mallick in the case registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), directed him to submit a surety bond worth Rs100,000 The journalist, a former news director of a private TV channel, was initially taken into custody by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on March 20 for allegedly violating Peca and involvement in defamation. Apart from the Peca case, the court also approved Mallick’s bail in a case related to his alleged involvement in operating an illegal call centre responsible for stealing data from foreigners and defrauding them. The court ordered him to furnish a surety of Rs100,000 for his bail in this case as well. The contentious Peca law was recently amended, and journalist bodies across the country have been protesting against the law, dubbing it an attempt to gag freedom of speech and intimidate news persons and their media outlets.
“desire to further enhance counterterrorism cooperation”. The two leaders also discussed the situation in Afghanistan, with Secretary Rubio agreeing “on the need to resolve the issue of US military equipment left behind” in the country following their withdrawal in 2021. “DPM/FM Dar and Secretary of State Rubio agreed to remain in close
contact and to work together to advance the shared interests of both countries,” the statement concluded. This call comes after US President Donald Trump imposed a 10 per cent tariff on all goods imported by the US, including from Pakistan. Trump imposed a 29pc tariff on goods the United States imports from Pakistan, which charges the US 58pc. Ali Hasnain, associate professor of economics at Lums, said that “America is one of Pakistan’s most important trade partners, and the one with which we run the largest trade surpluses”, adding that nearly a fifth of the country’s exports were destined for the US. Facing a declining foothold in the US market, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Saturday unveiled plans to dispatch a high-level delegation to Washington, hoping that the evolving US tariffs regime could be turned into a win-win situation for both countries. “You should never let a good crisis go to waste. We are looking at it both as a challenge as well as an opportunity,” he said at a press conference in Islamabad.
SHC issues stay on IRSA’s water availability certificate for Cholistan Canal project KARACHI
STAFF REPORT
The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday issued a stay order against the water availability certificate provided by the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) for the construction of canals in Cholistan and Thal. IRSA had earlier approved the water supply for the Cholistan Canal System project, issuing the certificate to the Punjab government despite opposition from Sindh. The approval granted Punjab access to 450,000 acre-feet of water from the Sutlej River at Sulemanki Headworks, which Sindh claims is an “unfair move” and detrimental to its water rights. The water availability certificate, dated January 25, was contested by the petitioner’s lawyer, who argued that the formation of IRSA itself was illegal. The lawyer also pointed out that no represen-
tative from Sindh had been appointed to IRSA, rendering its decisions unlawful. During the hearing, the federal government requested additional time to submit its reply. The court directed the government to provide a detailed response by April 18. The Cholistan Canal project has sparked significant controversy between the federal and provincial governments since the
Centre announced plans to construct six canals on the Indus River to irrigate the Cholistan desert. The project has faced strong resistance from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and other Sindh nationalist parties. According to government sources, the Cholistan Canal project, estimated to cost Rs211.4 billion, aims to bring 400,000 acres of land under cultivation.
Gohar Khan distances PTI from US Congress bill seeking sanctions on Pakistani officials ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Monday distanced his party from the controversial US Congress bill that seeks sanctions against Pakistani officials. The bill, introduced by two US lawmakers last month, targets Pakistani state officials over alleged human rights violations, including the persecution of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Speaking to reporters at the Parliament House, Gohar emphasized that PTI has no connection to the bill, titled ‘Pakistan Democracy Act,’ and that the party is not in communication with the US delegation currently visiting Pakistan. He further explained that while various legislations and resolutions are frequently passed in the US Congress, PTI had no involvement in this specific initiative. The bill, which aims to invoke the US Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, proposes sanctions, including denying visas to individuals accused of human rights violations. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed the bill, stating that it was introduced by a single legislator and did not align with the current positive dynamics of US-Pakistan relations. A Foreign Office spokesperson emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to constitutionalism, the rule of law, and the protection of human rights. Gohar also responded to questions regarding PTI’s next political move. He revealed that the party’s future strategy would be finalized after forming an alliance with opposition parties. He mentioned that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman would announce his party’s decision on April 15, which would determine the opposition’s stance on launching an anti-government movement after Eid ul Fitr. Gohar added that PTI is working towards building a grand opposition alliance, which includes various political parties, to challenge the government. This follows PTI’s earlier efforts to form the Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP), a coalition consisting of several opposition groups, and its more recent attempts to unite further political factions against the ruling coalition. When asked about internal rifts within PTI, Gohar assured that the party functions democratically, encouraging open discussions among leaders. He advised that such matters should be addressed internally within the party.
SC Constitutional bench fixes plea of IHC judges over seniority row for April 14 ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
The Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench on Monday fixed various pleas about the seniority issue in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), following the transfer of new judges from other provinces, for hearing on April 14. A five-member bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and comprising Justices Naeem Akhtar Afghan, Shahid Bilal, Salahuddin Panhwar and Shakeel Ahmed will hear the case. The development is the latest in a row affecting the IHC after the transfers of new judges to the high court that led to a shakeup of the seniority list. The matter arose after the Ministry of Law and Justice issued a notification on February 1, transferring three sitting judges — Justice Sardar Mohammad
Sarfraz Dogar, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro and Justice Muhammad Asif — from their respective high courts to the IHC. Justice Dogar was transferred from the Lahore High Court (LHC), Justice Soomro from the Sindh High Court (SHC) and Justice Asif from the Balochistan High Court (BHC). The controversy centred around the alteration of the seniority list following these transfers. Five IHC judges — Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz — had filed a representation, contending that under the Constitution, a high court judge must take a new oath upon transfer to a different high court, which should affect their seniority ranking. The five judges also did not attend Justice Dogar’s oath-taking ceremony as the
acting IHC chief justice. They subsequently became litigants, petitioning the Supreme Court to resolve the controversy surrounding their seniority in the high court following the transfer of new judges from other provinces. In the plea moved by senior counsel Muneer A. Malik, the petitioners asked the apex court to restrain judges transferred to the high court from performing judicial and administrative functions. The petition, filed under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, also requested the Supreme Court to declare that Acting Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro, and Justice Muhammad Asif cannot be considered judges of IHC until they have taken a fresh oath in accordance with Article 194, read in conjunction with the Third Schedule of the Constitution. The petition will be placed be-
fore the Constitutional Bench for adjudication once it is taken up for hearing. According to the petition, in line with the settled law established by the Supreme Court in the cases of Aslam Awan and Farrukh Irfan, the inter se seniority of the transferred judges should be determined from the date they took oath as justices of the IHC. Consequently, they will be placed lower in the seniority list than the petitioner judges. The petition also requested the apex court to declare illegal the Feb 8 decision on similar representation by then-IHC chief justice Aamer Farooq and contrary to the settled law established by the Supreme Court. Consequently, the Supreme Court should set aside the decision on representation and the seniority list of Feb 3. According to the plea, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) wrongfully con-
sidered a defective seniority list of the IHC judges during its Feb 10 meeting, wherein the transferred judges were erroneously considered for elevation to the Supreme Court. It also asked to declare the Feb 12 notification by President Asif Ali Zardari appointing Justice Dogar as the acting CJ unlawful. The petition also sought a direction that the IHC registrar should issue a revised seniority list under the declarations made by the Supreme Court. It said the reconstitution of the Administration Committee and the Departmental Promotion Committee was contrary to the law, established conventions, and judicial norms. Similar petitions were also later filed by PTI’s jailed founder Imran Khan, the Lahore Bar Association and the Karachi Bar Association asking the Supreme Court to restrain the judges transferred to the IHC from performing their judicial and administrative functions.