Pakistan

IHC directs police to ensure Shahbaz Gill isn’t tortured during remand

Published

7 months ago

Farwa

IHC asks govt to appoint a SSP to supervise Gill during remand.
Court also directs govt to appoint retired judge for inquiring about Gill’s episode.
Gill was arrested on Aug 9 from Banigala Chowk over charges of inciting mutiny.

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday directed the police to ensure that Shahbaz Gill — the chief of staff of PTI Chairman Imran Khan — is not tortured during custody.

The PTI had approached the IHC against Gill’s remand extension, however, Acting IHC Chief Justice Amir Farooq asked police to ensure the PTI leader’s safety — and did not issue orders for his release.

Gill was taken into custody on August 9 from Banigala Chowk over charges of inciting mutiny among the public against the ranks and files of the Pakistan Army by making some remarks during a TV programme.

The PTI contends that its leader was “tortured” during incarceration and was not medically fit to be sent into physical remand while the police insist on him being given into its custody for further investigation.

In the verdict, which was reserved earlier today, the court asked the federal government and interior secretary to appoint an officer for inquiring about Gill’s entire episode.

The IHC also ordered that a retired judge should be appointed as an inquiry officer.

The court said that an SSP-rank officer should oversee how Gill is being treated during his remand and ensure he is not tortured.

Hours before, a district and sessions court in Islamabad granted a two-day physical remand of senior PTI leader Gill in a sedition case filed against him, after reviewing his medical report.

Gill was presented before the court earlier shortly after being discharged from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

Police reject claims of torturing Gill

In a detailed report submitted to the IHC, inspector-general Islamabad Police rejected all the allegations levelled against the police and accused Gill of hampering the investigation.

The report mentioned that as per jail authorities and experts statements at the PIMS hospital, no signs of torture were found on the body of the PTI leader.

“He was examined by three medical boards and was also given the opportunity for medical examination twice by the ICT administration when he was in jail but he refused this opportunity for unknown reasons,” the report read.

The report mentioned that the allegations of physical, mental, and sexual torture in police or jail custody could not be “corroborated by any plausible evidence”.

The conduct of Gill to date is not above board and he has put up a show to avoid the physical remand, the police report said.

It added that the allegations, therefore, are frivolous and an attempt to hamper the police investigation.

Pakistan

Ramadan 2023: Sindh revises school, college timings

Published

15 hours ago

Farwa

The Sindh School Education and Literacy Department on Monday announced the revised timings for all the educational institutions in the province during the holy month of Ramadan.

All the government and private schools in Sindh will now start at 7:30am and continue till 12pm (noon) from Monday to Thursday and on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the school timings on Friday will be from 7:30am to 11am.

Office timings

On Monday, the federal government also notified timings for public offices during the holy month.

In a notification, the Establishment Division said the public offices coming under the ambit of the federal government would operate from 7:30am to 1:30pm from Monday to Thursday.

Moreover, the public offices coming under the ambit of the federal government would operate from 7:30am to 12:00pm on Fridays.

First Ramadan expected on March 23

Meanwhile, The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast that there is a strong possibility that the crescent for Ramadan 2023 will be sighted on the evening of March 22 (Wednesday).

The update was shared by the Met department’s Climate Data Processing Centre. This means the first of Ramadan is likely to fall on Thursday, March 23 in Pakistan.

Pakistan

Cleric shot dead in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Jauhar

Published

15 hours ago

Farwa

A cleric was shot dead in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Jauhar on Tuesday after morning prayers.

According to police, Maulana Abdul Qayyum Sufi, was going back home after Fajr prayers in Gulistan-e-Jauhar Block-9 when assailants riding a motorcycle opened fire at him.

The police said that Maulana Abdul Qayyum Sufi was a member of the Pakistan Ulema Association and a prayer leader at Mohammadia Noorani Islamic Centre.

There were no further details available about the incident.

Pakistan

Ramadan 2023: Minimum Nisab set at Rs103,159 for Zakat deduction

Published

15 hours ago

Farwa

The Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety has fixed the Nisab for Zakat deduction for the ongoing year.

According to a notification issued by the ministry, Zakat will be deducted from saving accounts, profit and loss sharing accounts and other similar accounts having a minimum balance of Rs103,159 or above, on the first of Ramadan.

The Nisab was fixed at Rs88,927 in the previous year.

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Under the Zakat and Ushr Ordinance 1980, no Zakat would be deducted in case a bank account has a lesser amount than the value announced by the ministry, added the statement.

“All the Zakat Collection Controlling Agencies (ZCCAs) are requested to deduct the Zakat accordingly,” it said.

The first of Ramadan will likely fall on March 23, this year, subject to the appearance of the moon.

To be liable for Zakat — which is one of the five pillars of Islam — one’s wealth must amount to more than a threshold figure, termed the “Nisab”.

Those who do not want Zakat deduction from their accounts can submit a “Zakat exemption” form to their respective banks.