Politics

President wants PM, CJP to address Murad Saeed’s ‘grievances’

Published

9 months ago

Farwa

President says Saeed in multiple FIRs related to Masjid-e-Nabavi incident.
He says FIR registered despite Saeed being present in Pakistan.
“Whole state machinery is failing in its duty,” the president laments.

ISLAMABAD: In two separate letters sent to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Saturday, President Dr Arif Alvi asked them to resolve the issues raised by former federal minister Murad Saeed and address his grievances regarding the Masjid-e-Nabavi incident.

In his letters, the president referred to the serious allegations levelled by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader, which included a “fake, bogus, frivolous FIR was registered against him for the incident that occurred at Masjid-e-Nabvi, on May 1, despite the fact that he was in Pakistan”.

The statement issued in this regard by the President’s Office mentioned that multiple FIRs have been registered against Saeed on the same charges all over Pakistan.

“The aforementioned actions are against the fundamental rights enshrined under Articles 9, 13, and 14 of the Constitution of Pakistan,” the statement mentioned.

President Alvi was quoted as saying that Saeed raised the issue of the deteriorating law and order situation in Malakand (Swat). “Subsequently, he was threatened with dire consequences and was compelled by the law enforcement agencies to leave Swat, along with his family.”

The president pointed out that Article 15 of the Constitution of Pakistan provides that “every citizen shall have the right to remain in, and, subject to any reasonable restriction imposed by law in the public interest, enter and move freely throughout Pakistan and to reside and settle in any part thereof”.

The letters also noted that Saeed raised the issue that on August 18, unknown armed persons, violated the privacy of his home, however, despite his repeated requests and the court’s order, FIR has not yet been registered by Islamabad Police.

Moreover, unknown persons frequently follow and harass him with serious life threats. “It appears as if the whole state machinery is failing in its duty and performance of functions and the president pointed out that such alleged acts are in violation of Article 9 of the Constitution and the law,” the statement mentioned.

The Masjid-e-Nabawi incident

In April, during the premier’s visit to Saudi Arabia, a group of protesters, allegedly belonging to the PTI, loudly chanted slogans against the PM and his delegation as soon as they entered the mosque to pay their respects at the Roza-e-Rasool (PBUH).

Upon the arrival of PM Shehbaz and his delegation at the mosque, the protesters started chanting slogans of “chor, chor (thieves)” when they saw the premier and harassed and raised objectionable slogans against Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.

The protesters also misbehaved with the JWP chief and Federal Minister for Narcotics Control Shahzain Bugti and pulled his hair. The protesters continued to film the entire episode on their mobile phones.

Following the incident, several FIRs were registered against PTI leaders — including the party’s chief, Imran Khan.

Later, a court in Madinah sentenced three Pakistanis — Khawaja Luqman, Muhammad Afzal, and Ghulam Muhammad — to eight years in prison. Meanwhile, another three Pakistani citizens — Anas, Arshad, and Muhammad Saleem — were sentenced to six years in jail for creating chaos and violating the sanctity of the holy mosque.

In October, the Prime Minister and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Muhammad bin Salman (MBS) ordered releasing all Pakistani citizens, who had been imprisoned in the kingdom for rioting at Masjid-e-Nabawi (PBUH).

Politics

Political bigwigs to face accountability as NAB submits records to court

Published

3 days ago

Farwa

ISLAMABAD: In line with the Supreme Court’s order to restore graft cases against public office holders, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) submitted a record of corruption references to an accountability court in Islamabad.

Accountability Judge Muhammad Bashir directed the registrar of the court to review the cases’ records and present them before him.

The judge directed the NAB prosecutors to review the legal aspects of the cases as the nature of cases against private individuals, public office holders, and government employees is different.

The development came as NAB prosecutors Sohail Arif and Sardar Muzaffar appeared in the accountability court to brief the judge on the reopening of the cases.

“You [prosecutours] have to tell which case can be heard and which is not in a [court’s] jurisdiction, Judge Bashir stated.

NAB prosecutor Abbasi assured the judge that the anti-graft watchdog will ensure the implementation of the apex court order and submit all relevant records to the court.

On September 15, a three-member bench of the apex in a majority 2-1 verdict approved Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s petition challenging amendments made to the country’s accountability laws during the tenure of the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government.

The then-chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial-led bench ordered restoring all graft cases that were closed against the political leaders and public office holders and declared the amendments void.

In this regard, the anti-corruption watchdog wrote a letter to the registrar of an accountability court in the federal capital in line with the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Last week, NAB Chairman Lt-Gen (retd) Nazir Ahmed Butt summoned a consultative meeting to formulate the future course of action.

The cases will be reopened against former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif, Yousuf Raza Gillani, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Shehbaz Sharif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former president Asif Ali Zardari, former chief ministers of Sindh, Punjab as well as dozens of former federal and provincial ministers, according to The News.

Sources said the fake accounts cases against Zardari and the rental power plants case against Ashraf have also been reopened. They added that the Toshakhana vehicles cases against Zardari, Nawaz and Gillani would also be investigated again.

Other politicians who would face cases include former chief minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah, former finance minister Miftah Ismail and former finance minister Senator Ishaq Dar for amassing assets beyond known sources of income.

Politics

‘Culprits Bajwa, Faiz’ should be held accountable for causing instability: Sanaullah

Published

3 days ago

Farwa

“They are culprits of Pakistan,” says former interior minister.
Sanaullah says Bajwa, Faiz should be brought to justice for causing instability.
PML-N to address problems of common man on priority, he adds.

KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former interior minister Rana Sanaullah has held former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa and former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Faiz Hamid responsible for prevailing political and economic crises in the country.

In an interview with a local TV channel on Wednesday, Sanaullah called the former top military officials “culprits of the nation”, demanding that they should be brought to justice for causing political and economic instability in the country, The News reported.

In response to a question, Sanaullah said: “These people are culprits of the nation. They are the culprits of Pakistan. They are culprits of not just the PML-N but also of the entire nation.”

“They will not be forgiven. These people must be held accountable. They are responsible for the current instability in the country and they must be asked why they created instability in 2017,” he added.

Answering another question what action PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif would propose if his party came to power against Gen Bajwa, Gen Hamid, former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar and a sitting senior Supreme Court judge whom he named while addressing his party’s Punjab Tanzeemi Committee meeting via video link on Tuesday or it was only a statement, Sanaullah said these people were responsible for citizens starving in the country because they brought about political instability, which in turn led to economic instability.

When asked what the PML-N’s plan was for “these national culprits”, he said his party would not rush towards revenge. In his address, he said, Sharif made it clear that first the injured person in need of urgent medical attention must be attended and then action should be taken against the culprits.

“If the PML-N gets an opportunity to come to power, first of all, our priority would be to address the problems of the common man, and later those responsible for their plight, in my opinion as the decision would be made by the party, should be booked in a case.”

Sanaullah further said that these culprits should be brought to justice just the way Pervez Musharraf was brought to the dock and the credit for that must be given to the PML-N.

To another query, if action would also be taken against the sitting SC judge named by Nawaz Sharif, he said, “Yes, [he] should be accountable…. Yesterday, Nawaz Sharif’s statement was a policy statement and he said these people should be held accountable.”

Politics

NAB moves to reopen graft cases against political bigwigs after SC order

Published

3 days ago

Farwa

NAB writes letter to registrar of accountability court
NAB likely to submit record of cases to court in next two days.
Regional offices of anti-corruption watchdog compile data on cases.

ISLAMABAD: After the Supreme Court’s verdict to strike down the amendments made to the anti-graft law, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) decided in principle to reopen corruption cases against political bigwigs, The News reported Thursday.

The then-chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial-led bench ordered restoring all graft cases worth less than Rs500 million that were closed against the political leaders and public office holders and declared the amendments void.

In this regard, the anti-corruption watchdog wrote a letter to the registrar of an accountability court in the federal capital in line with the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Last week, NAB Chairman Lt-Gen (retd) Nazir Ahmed Butt summoned a consultative meeting to formulate the future course of action.

NAB is likely to submit the record of all cases to the court in the next two days for resuming hearing. The cases will be reopened against former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif, Yousuf Raza Gillani, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Shehbaz Sharif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former president Asif Ali Zardari, former chief ministers of Sindh, Punjab as well as dozens of former federal and provincial ministers.

Sources said NAB was still continuing legal examination of cases that were closed earlier, and compiling records of cases that were at the stages of complaint verification, inquiries and investigations.

Regional offices of NAB in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan, Sukkur, Karachi, Peshawar, and Quetta are compiling complete data of cases that would be submitted to the accountability courts, said sources. “NAB will fulfil its obligation once the legal consultation is finalised in the light of the Supreme Court decision in the NAB amendments case.”

NAB amendments

The NAB amendments not only reduced the four-year term of the NAB chairman and the bureau’s prosecutor general to three years but also placed all regulatory bodies functioning in the country out of NAB’s domain.

Furthermore, the changes included that a three-year term be set for the judges of the accountability courts and that courts be bound to decide a case within one year.

Challenging the amendments, Imran Khan approached the apex court and petitioned that the amendments be struck down on the grounds that they were unconstitutional.

The petition argued that amendments to sections 2, 4, 5, 6, 25 and 26 of the NAB law are against the Constitution, along with amendments made to sections 14, 15, 21 and 23.

Furthermore, the PTI chief argued that amendments in the NAB law are contrary to the fundamental rights of Articles 9, 14, 19, 24, and 25.

All these amendments made in the NAB law should be declared null and void, the PTI Chairman had requested.

To hear Khan’s plea, a special three-member bench was formed on July 15, 2022. The first hearing of the case against the NAB amendments was held on July 19 last year after Khan’s lawyer Khawaja Haris filed an application 184/3 against the NAB amendments.

Both the federation and NAB were made parties in the petition.