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Attorney-General Ashtar Ausaf Ali resigns: sources

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  • Sources says AGP Ashtar Ausaf Ali has been asked by PM Shehbaz Sharif to continue working till a replacement is appointed.
  • AGP’s resignation came a few minutes before JCP was scheduled to meet on appointment of judges.
  • The AGP is part of the JPC as a government representative.

ISLAMABAD: Attorney-General for Pakistan (AGP) Ashtar Ausaf Ali has resigned from his post, sources told Geo News on Wednesday.

Officials who spoke to Geo News on the condition of anonymity shared that the AGP has submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, however, he has been asked to continue working till a replacement is appointed.

The sources said that AGP Ali has resigned due to health reasons.

JCP meeting to be held today

Interestingly, the news of the AGP’s resignation came a few minutes before the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, of which he is a member, was scheduled to meet on the appointment of judges.

The JCP, which is meeting after a gap of five months, is expected to take up the permanent appointment of 13 Lahore High Court judges.

Controversy surrounding last JCP meeting

AGP Ali was at the centre of the controversy surrounding the last JCP meeting

The last JCP meeting, held in July last year, it was reported based on sources that the commission had rejected CJP Bandial’s nominated judges of higher courts for their elevation to the SC.

CJP Bandial had presided over the judicial commission’s session, where a total of five judges, two from the Sindh High Court and three from the Lahore High Court (LHC), were considered.

However, the official statement issued by the Supreme Court stated that the JCP chairman, after detailed discussion, proposed to “defer the meeting in order to enable the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan to place additional information and data about those already proposed and if he considers appropriate, add more names to the list of proposees for consideration by the JCP”.

“The proposal to defer the meeting was supported by Mr Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan, Mr Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Mr Justice (Retd) Sarmad Jalal Osmany and the Attorney General for Pakistan. It was accordingly decided to defer the meeting. The date of the next meeting will be communicated to the Members of the Judicial Commission by the Chairman, JCP,” the statement had said.

However after the statement was made public, two members of the JCP— Justice Isa and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood — stated that the statement was not reflective of what had transpired in the JCP meeting.

Following criticism, the apex court uploaded the audio of the JCP meeting on its website.

“In these exceptional circumstances the Hon’ble chairman JCP has been pleased to relax the restriction under Rule 5(4) of the JCP Rules, 2010 and has directed for the audio recording of the JCP proceedings of 28.07.2022 to be made available on the official website of the SCP,” said a statement issued by the apex court.

The Supreme Court, in its statement, claimed that the “audio recording from time slot 1:29:45 to 1:38:08 contains the statement” made by Attorney-General for Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf Ali, led to the deferment of the meeting as claimed by the PRO.

The statement also claimed that the AGP “did not assess or reject the merits of any of the High Court judges proposed for appointment to the SCP”.

“As a result, 5 members of the JCP supported the deferment of the meeting as reported in the Press Note of 28.07.2022,” said the SCP.

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“Apni Chhat.Apna Ghar”: Punjab’s Chief Minister Examines a House Under Construction

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Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif visited a home in Kot Lakhpat, Lahore, constructed under the “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” Loan Scheme.

To give the home owner furniture, CM Punjab gave the order.

The walls on the three-marla plot have been finished, and the roof-laying process has begun.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif gave Subia Munir a roof and gave a check for the second installment of the house’s development.

Maryam Nawaz was happy to be able to offer the home owner her warmest wishes on this particular occasion.

She stated that every citizen has the right to own a home and that the government is dedicated to helping those in need.

Information and Security Minister Uzma Bukhari, Housing Minister Bilal Yasin, Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, and other officials attended the event.

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148 X-ray machines have been allotted to the provinces as part of the comprehensive measures taken to eradicate tuberculosis. This is Dr. Mukhtar.

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TB is being eradicated across the country, according to Dr. Mukhtar Bharath, who is the Coordinator to the Prime Minister on National Health Services. He has stated that efforts are being implemented that are both coordinated and effective.

For the purpose of diagnosing and eliminating tuberculosis, he stated in a statement that 148 X-ray equipment had been allotted to the provinces.

133 X-Ray machines have been delivered up to this point, according to him, and the process of distributing the remaining devices is currently underway and will be finished in the near future.

Dr. Mukhtar Bharath stated that these equipment are going to be deployed in hospitals that provide services for the detection and treatment of tuberculosis that are available.

In order to strengthen the primary health care system, he says that all of the essential actions are being taken.

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Speech Made by Pakistan’s Prime Minister on the International Day Against Poverty

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In renewing our commitment to a world where no one is left behind and where possibilities for success are unrestricted by one’s origin or circumstances, Pakistan stands together with the global community on this International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. In addition to being morally right, ending poverty is essential to attaining sustainable development and guaranteeing everyone’s peace and prosperity.

The people have always been the center of every policy made by our government. We have significantly reduced poverty and made sure that our most vulnerable residents are taken care of thanks to our social safety net programs. We think that providing long-term routes to economic empowerment is equally as important as providing instant relief when it comes to assisting people in escaping poverty. Our focused initiatives seek to equip communities—women and children in particular—with the means to create better futures for themselves.

The Pakistani government is steadfast in its commitment to improving the affordability of living for its citizens despite the obstacles we face on a global scale, such as inflation and economic instability. Our policies are designed to build long-term economic resilience, from meeting housing needs to guaranteeing food security. With the help of programs like the PM Youth Business, Agriculture Loans, Digi-Skills, which offers free IT training, and the Pakistan Education Endowment Fund, millions of families are receiving financial support and technological help that is changing their lives.

Eradicating poverty is also a top priority for Pakistan, which is still fully committed to reaching the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With a focus on inclusive growth, education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability, we will keep working together with our international partners to achieve these goals. The advancements made in empowering women and guaranteeing that their contributions are essential to the country’s social and economic fabric are another reason for pride.

On this day, I would want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who is devotedly striving to end poverty, both in Pakistan and globally. We can create a future where everyone, regardless of circumstances, has the chance to flourish and succeed by uniting with a shared purpose and unwavering determination.

I speak on behalf of the Government of Pakistan to reiterate our steadfast commitment to this cause and to extend an invitation to all facets of society to work with us to create a world that is more wealthy, just, and inclusive.

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