ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Wednesday said it had received another letter from absconding police officer Rao Anwar asking it to unfreeze his bank accounts.
Members of a Pashtun jirga on Tuesday threatened to resume their protest if Naqeebullah Mehsud’s killers are not brought to justice.
A resident of Waziristan and an aspiring model, 27-year-old Mehsud was killed in Karachi earlier this year.
Initially, Anwar labeled the Pashtun youth a terrorist who was killed in a confrontation with security forces.
But he went underground as soon as the authorities started establishing the facts of the case and evidence against his team began to emerge.
He subsequently wrote to Pakistan’s chief justice, saying he is innocent and the system is heavily stacked against him.
In response, the court granted Anwar protective bail and showed a willingness to reconstitute a joint investigation team probing the case against him. But the court also ordered him to appear before its bench in Mehsud’s murder case.
Anwar’s bank accounts were frozen on the court’s orders when he failed to show up for the next hearing.
During the hearing, the court said it almost appeared as if someone is trying to protect Anwar and his team members.
Earlier, the chief justice asked Sindh Inspector General AD Khawaja if some political forces in Pakistan were trying to shelter the fugitives.
The court said people are asking questions about the state’s authority due to the failure of law-enforcement agencies to capture those responsible for Mehsud’s killing.
But Khawaja said his department is getting full cooperation from Pakistan’s leading intelligence agencies, and is striving to bring the killers to justice.
Rao Anwar wants Supreme Court to unfreeze bank accounts
Rao Anwar wants Supreme Court to unfreeze bank accounts
Pakistan explores new food export routes, protections for farm supply amid Middle East conflict
- Senior ministers review alternative sea routes, new markets amid the war in Iran
- Pakistan relies heavily on Middle Eastern sea lanes for its imports and exports
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan reviewed the supply of perishable food items and fertilizer stocks on Monday, according to the state media, as the escalating conflict in the Middle East threatens to disrupt shipping routes and energy supplies critical to the country’s trade and agriculture.
The meetings, chaired separately by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, came as tensions following US-Israeli strikes on Iran have raised concerns about the security of key maritime routes and energy markets that underpin Pakistan’s economy.
Pakistan relies heavily on Middle Eastern sea lanes for both fuel imports and exports of agricultural and food products, making disruptions in the region particularly sensitive for the country.
Dar chaired a meeting of the PM’s Committee to review the supply and export of perishable food items, examining steps to maintain domestic availability while ensuring timely exports of surplus produce.
“In the light of evolving regional trade dynamics and disruptions to some traditional routes, the committee explored alternative export pathways, sea routes, and potential new markets,” Radio Pakistan reported after the meeting.
Officials also discussed proposals from exporters and emphasized improving storage facilities, logistics and market access while assessing global demand and pricing trends to support export competitiveness.
In a separate meeting in Islamabad, Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain said the government would ensure stable fertilizer availability despite regional uncertainties.
“Agricultural productivity and food security will remain protected despite external challenges,” he said while chairing a meeting of the Fertilizer Review Committee.
He stressed the need for close coordination among manufacturers, distributors and provincial authorities to maintain uninterrupted fertilizer supply across the country.
The committee also reviewed fertilizer pricing and distribution mechanisms to prevent artificial shortages and hoarding, officials said, adding that authorities would monitor prices closely to ensure farmers have access to affordable inputs.
