Wednesday, 2 September, 2020 I 13 Muharram, 1442 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XI No 63 I 12 Pages I Karachi Edition
iHC orders naWaz to ‘surrender’ before Court
ISLAMABAD staff report
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HILE directing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to “surrender” before the court, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday ordered him to appear in person in the next hearing in the Avenfield House reference on September 5. “The court is not declaring him [Sharif] an absconder. We are instead providing him an opportunity to surrender before the court,” remarked Justice Aamer Farooq. A two-member bench of the high court, comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Farooq, took up appeals of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader, party’s Vice President Maryam Nawaz and her husband, Mohammad Safdar, against their respective sentences in the aforesaid reference. The bench also heard an appeal filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against Nawaz’s acquittal in the Flagship reference as well as appeals against his conviction in the Al-Azizia reference. During today’s hearing, Justice Farooq said that the court was not declaring Nawaz an absconder and was giving him “one more chance to surrender”. “We are
not taking a final decision as yet.” However, Nawaz’s counsel, Khawaja Haris Ahmed, argued that by asking Nawaz to appear in person, the court had decided that the former prime minister had to return to the country. Ahmed maintained Nawaz could not return to the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. “Do you fear that Nawaz will be arrested at the airport?” asked Justice Kayani. “If that is the case, please inform the court.” To this, the lawyer replied he would do so if they feared such an occurrence. Nawaz’s counsel argued that his client’s bail had been approved after his sentence in the Avenfield reference was suspended, adding that Nawaz had also been granted conditional bail in the Al-Azizia reference. But at the same time, the counsel acknowledged that the former was currently not abroad on bail. “His current status is that he is not out on bail. This is the legal position,” Ahmed said, adding that the PML-N supremo was seeking medical treatment abroad. He added that Nawaz’s medical reports were forwarded to the authorities concerned but the Punjab government had rejected an application seeking an extension in his bail. The court then ques-
Coronavirus in
Pakistan
CONFIRMED CASES:
296,149
LAST UPDATED AT 9:22 AM ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2020
DAY'S DEATH TOLL:
4
RECOVERED:
NEW CASES:
300
DEATHS:
280,970 6,298 SINDH:
129,469
PUNJAB:
96,832
KP:
BALOCHISTAN:
AJK/GB:
ISLAMABAD:
36,118
12,879
2,299/2,903 15,649
tioned whether Nawaz had challenged the order issued by the Punjab government to which his lawyer replied in the negative. “He has not [challenged the Punjab government order] because he [Nawaz] is not in the country.” The court inquired whether Nawaz was currently under treatment at a hospital. “No, he is not under treatment at a hospital. But he will return to the country once his treatment is complete,” his lawyer replied. The bench asked Nawaz’s lawyer to satisfy the court that the PML-N supremo had not absconded. “The appeal can only move forward when Nawaz appears before the court,” said Justice Kayani. His lawyer maintained that Nawaz’s fresh medical reports had been received which would be provided once they had been verified by the Foreign Office (FO), adding that he had submitted one medical certificate to the court and would submit another. During the hearing, the court observed that absconding from a court hearing or during a trial was also a crime. “We are not declaring Nawaz an absconder at the moment. But how can the appeal be heard in his absence?” Justice Farooq questioned. Justice Farooq asked what the status of the appeal would be if the court declared Nawaz an absconder. To this, Ahmed replied that if the former prime minister does not appear “on purpose”, the court could declare him an absconder. During the hearing, the NAB prosecutor said Nawaz was a fugitive as he was not appearing for court proceedings “on purpose”. “Can Nawaz pursue the appeal through a representative?” asked Justice Farooq. “If he absconds, the court can appoint a representative,” the prosecutor replied.
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Nawaz will return to Pakistan once his health improves: Maryam STORY ON PAGE 02
PM to visit Karachi on Friday to announce projects, says Faraz ISLAMABAD staff report
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz on Tuesday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan would visit Karachi on Friday to announce new projects for the city. Addressing a press conference to inform the media about the decisions taken during the federal cabinet meeting, he said that the prime minister was very clear that contribution of the federal government for Karachi should be through a coordinated and specific programme. He said that people of Karachi were passing through a difficult time and the government’s sympathies were with them, adding that Karachi was a unique city and an economic hub of the country. The minister said that the federal government was doing all it could for the people of Karachi. There was a time when Karachi was filled with garbage but the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) representatives got the city cleared, he recalled. He said that shortage of water supply, tanker mafia and sewerage and solid waste management were serious issues in the provincial capital. The federal government accepted the mandate of the Sindh government and would work in coordination with it and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to resolve problems of the city, he assured. The minister told the media that during the cabinet meeting, the premier issued instructions to the Adviser on Finance Abdul Hafeez Sheikh and PM’s Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Dr Sania Nishtar to begin second phase of Ehsaas Programme to help the poor. He said that Ehsaas programme
Supreme Court concerned over unprecedented load shedding in Karachi ISLAMABAD staff report
The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday expressed concern over unprecedented load shedding the Karachi. A two-member bench of the apex court, comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan heard the suo motu case regarding unannounced power cuts in the port city. During the course of the proceedings, Power Division, Ministry of Energy, filed its reply, and the court, after examining it thoroughly, termed it unacceptable. Secretary Power Umer Rasool also appeared before the court and stated that the reply had been filed by him. The bench remarked that the Power Division’s reply was in contraction to the actions of National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) and K-Electric. It added that it seemed like there was no coordination between the Power Division and NEPRA, and even the National Transmission & Despatch Company (NTDC). The court stated that the Power Division was required to ensure that there was proper coordination between all departments, and whatever needs to be done with regard
generated economic activity and supported poor people, adding that after the coronavirus pandemic, the economy was recovering and all economic indicators were getting better at a time when economies of the European countries and India were contracting. To a question about recent statement of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, he said that PML-N, during its years in power, mistreated the female leaders of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and other parties and its leaders should know about their party’s history. The minister said that during the cabinet meeting, the impact of disaster caused by heavy rains in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and other provinces also came under discussion. He said that the federal government, in coordination with the provincial governments. was helping the people affected by rains. To another question, Faraz said that India was Pakistan’s enemy and never missed an opportunity to harm Pakistan but it would not succeed in its nefarious designs. Opposition would have to decide whether it supported the narrative of Pakistan or India on legislation related to Financial Action Task Force (FATF), he added. The minister said that various names were under consideration for appointing an administrator for Karachi. To a query, he said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority Chairman Asim Saleem Bajwa attended the cabinet meeting and would explain his position on the news about him in the next few days. Faraz said that CPEC was an important project for people of Pakistan and it was not the personal project of PML-N, adding that on the project, China worked with Pakistan and not with a political party.
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more inside
Peace in Karachi vital for national security, stability: COAS STORY ON BACK PAGE
to K-Electric, a coordinated decision should be taken by all relevant departments, agencies and companies. It added that the same should be executed by one department, in that, there should be one window operation with the KE. It further stated that KE should not be allowed to go about various departments of the government, or companies or agencies for achieving its objectives. The attorney general for Pakistan (AGP) contended that since the last date of hearing, the situation in the port city had deteriorated and was getting worse by every passing day. Electric power is suspended to almost half of the metropolis, he added. Advocate Abid S Zuberi told the court that this situation was a
consequence of rains in Karachi, and KE’s own infrastructure had been either submerged or inundated in water. He said that KE, being a private company, should apply its own resources for clearing of its substations and distribution network of rain water, and in this regard it cannot wait for government assistance. He added that KE’s primary job is to supply electricity to the city, and this supply cannot be interrupted just because its own infrastructure had been affected by the rain. The advocate said that as a private institution, KE should immediately secure such installations and have them cleared immediately so that electric supply can be restored to consumers.
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Pakistan, Russia may sign commercial agreement on NSGP project within 30 days STORY ON BACK PAGE
Zardari, Talpur to be indicted in money laundering case on Sept 9 STORY ON PAGE 02
Pakistan urges UNSC to reform counterterrorism work STORY ON BACK PAGE