Senate passes two pro-women bills unanimously

ISLAMABAD: The Upper House of the Parliament on Monday unanimously passed two landmark pro-women bills aimed at protecting women from the negative customs and traditions and seeking severe punishments for the violators.

The bills already passed by the National Assembly were moved one by one by Senator Nilofar Bakhtiar. Both the bills seek to amend the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 and the Code of Criminal Procedures, 1898.

An Anti-Women Practices bill consisting of five clauses seeks to penalise evils such as the so-called marriage with the holy Quran, forced wedlock and depriving women from inheritance.

The statement of objects and reasons of the bill said that were several practices and customs in vogue in the country which were not only against human dignity but also volatile human rights. Such customary norms, which are contrary to Islamic injunctions, should be done away forthwith and the persons continuing such practices be dealt with severely by providing penal and financial liabilities.

The bill recommends punishment for giving female in marriage or otherwise in ‘badla-e-sulh’, wani or swara. It says, “Whoever gives a female in marriage or otherwise compels her to enter into marriage, as ‘badla-e-sulh’, wanni, or swara or any other custom or practice under any name, in consideration of settling a civil dispute or criminal liability, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years but shall not be less than three years and shall also be liable to fine of five hundred thousand rupees.”

Besides the bill proposed prohibition of depriving woman from inheriting property, prohibition of forced marriage and prohibition of marriage with the Holy Quran. The violators will be handed over either imprisonment or a fine of five hundred thousand rupees for each crime.

The other bill which is aimed at preventing incidents of throwing acid at women recommended that whoever hurt by corrosive substance shall be punished with imprisonment for life or imprisonment of either description which shall not be less than 14 years and a minimum fine of Rs one million.

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Asghar Khan backs Imran’s PTI

ISLAMABAD: Tehrik-e-Istiqlal Pakistan chief Air marshal (retd) Asghar Khan on Monday announced to back Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf. He also announced his resignation as a party chief, FTNews reported.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Imran Khan, Asghar Khan adviced the PTI chief to start a movement for free and fair elections.

He claimed that all the elections conducted in the past were rigged.

Both leaders appealed the Supreme Court of Pakistan to hear an already filed petition regarding disbursement of funds among politicians by ISI during 1998 elections.

Imran khan, on the occasion, said his party would strive for the formation of a free election commission and would make sure that an apex court’s verdict regarding voting lists was put into practice.

The PTI chief warned to cease all cities of the country if the upcoming elections were rigged.

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Sherry Rehman pledges commitment in forthcoming duties

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ambassador-designate to USA, Sherry Rehman on Monday assured her full commitment and helps to draw new future strategies along with other political parties in her new position.

Talking to a private news channel, Sherry Rehman said, in any democratic system passion, dedication and commitment were required to fulfill public demands adding the focus of the government was on such things.

Replying to a question she said she did not left politics at all but resigned from the then position only as she believed politics was to serve the nation and all those ambitions which come under its sphere needed to be fulfilled.

Sherry Rehman said she is the owner of Jinnah Institute in London and has also introduced the same in Pakistan which is based on the ideology of Pakistan and Quaid-i-Azam’s August 11, 1947 speech in the Constituent Assembly.

She quoted Jinnah’s words that in Pakistan each and everybody will be equal in this new state irrespective to cast, creed or gender with full religious freedom.

“We will keep our voice in the policy making and will suggest the government about different future strategies”.

Sherry Rehman said there is no gender bias as men and women are working together in the new political arena therefore the new generation should join political parties to bring about the change in the system.

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Abbottabad commission: Shamsul Hasan denies being summoned

ISLAMABAD: The Abbottabad Commission has summoned Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Wajid Shamsul Hasan, FTNews reported on Monday.

The decision to call Hasan was made during a meeting headed by the commission’s chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal.

The commission also took legal advice from Waseem Sajjad, Nasira Iqbal and S. M. Zafar.

Hasan is to appear before the commission in the last week of December.

However, speaking to FTNews, Hasan said neither was he called nor could he be summoned directly by the commission. He said he could only be summoned by commission through the Foreign Office.

Hasan was also absent from Monday’s conference of Pakistan’s ambassadors and high commissioners due to ill health.

Moreover, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani would be appearing before the commission on December 14.

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Shaukat Aziz denies association with Akbar Bugti killing

QUETTA: Former premier Shaukat Aziz has denied any association with the killing of Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, FTNews reported.

Sources told APNANews that Aziz sent a letter to the Balochistan government from Dubai.

A copy of the letter was also received by an investigation team of the police crime branch.

In his letter, Aziz said that constitutionally, the army could only act under the orders of the provincial government.

The letter moreover said that it was likely that the provincial government of the time was in contact with the then president Pervez Musharraf over the issue.

Musharraf was president and Aziz prime minister when Bugti died in a cave hideout during an army raid in August 2006.

Earlier, on November 1, the Balochistan High Court ordered the execution of arrest warrants issued by a judicial magistrate for Musharraf and Aziz in the Bugti murder case.

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SC issues notice to Ahmed Raza Kasuri in Bhutto reference

ISLAMABAD: During a hearing of the Bhutto reference case on Monday, the Supreme Court issued a notice to Ahmed Raza Kasuri, FTNews reported.

Moreover, Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry said the court could not declare anyone innocent or guilty in the case but could give its opinion under Article 186.

An 11-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar was hearing the case.

Chief Justice Iftikhar told the president’s counsel Babar Awan to understand the implications of the relief he was seeking and said the court could only go so far as to say that the trial was not fair.

He said the court was also take suggestions from judicial assistants over the presidential reference. The decision would set an example in the country’s judicial and national history, Chief Justice Iftikhar said.

Awan alleged that the arrest of Mahmood Kasuri became the starting point of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s killing.

He further said that Bhutto’s prosecutor Farooq Behzad had also accepted that Bhutto’s death was a ‘judicial murder’.

At which point, Chief Justice Iftikhar directed the judicial assistants to guide the court in issuing a notice to Kasuri.

Subsequently, the case’s hearing was adjourned to January 2.

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Khar chairs envoys meeting in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: A meeting of Pakistan’s envoys to 15 countries was being held at the foreign ministry on Monday, FTNews reported.

Director-General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Ahmed Shuja Pasha and Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shah were also reportedly present at the meeting chaired by Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar.

The meeting was expected to review Pakistan’s foreign policy.

Earlier, APNANews quoted Khar as saying that the meeting would discuss Pakistan’s ties with the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato).

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Government denies talks with Taliban

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s interior minister and prime minister have both denied the government is holding peace talks with its homegrown Taliban, according to media, saying it would do so only if the militants first disarmed and surrendered.

The deputy commander of the Pakistan Taliban, who have been waging a four-year war against the government in Islamabad, said on Saturday that the two sides were holding talks, a move that could further fray the US-Pakistan relationship.

But both Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Interior Minister Rehman Malik denied the reports.

“Categorically, I’m telling on behalf of the government, no dialogue,” Malik told reporters in Islamabad.

Gilani left the door open to negotiations. “Whosoever surrenders and denounces violence, they are acceptable to us,” Gilani said in an interview with the BBC.

At the end of September, Pakistan’s government pledged to “give peace a chance” and talk with its home-grown militants.

Maulvi Faqir Mohammad, the deputy commander of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, told Reuters on Saturday that talks for an end to the insurgency were under way.

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