LAHORE: A Pakistani court on Friday rejected a plea by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that his bail on medical grounds be extended and also refused to allow him to go to the United Kingdom for treatment.
The three-time premier will now go back to prison on May 7, when his bail expires.
On March 26, the Supreme Court agreed to release the jailed leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) party on bail for six weeks to receive medical treatment but said he would not be allowed to leave the country.
On Friday, Sharif’s counsel Khawaja Haris Ahmed pleaded that his bail be extended by eight weeks on medical grounds but the court said in a short order that Sharif had been granted six weeks bail for treatment but it seemed he had spent the entire time getting medical tests done.
An angiography needs an hour whereas the court had granted six weeks, Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa remarked during the proceedings.
Sharif is serving a seven-year sentence imposed last year for failing to reveal the source of income that allowed him to set up Al-Azizia Steel Mills in Saudi Arabia. He has appealed the sentence.
PMLN Chairman Raja Zafrul Haq said the court’s rejection of the bail extension would not change much for the party as legislators elected on PMLN tickets and supporters remained committed to the party and Sharif.
“The decision will not down the morale of party workers as they have full confidence in the leadership of Nawaz Sharif,” Haq said. “Neither a legislator nor a worker has changed his or her loyalty. The High Court will hear the case on May 9 and we are hopeful in getting relief from there.”
“The jail term of a prisoner only restricts his freedom of movement and does not end other fundamental rights,” Ashtar Ausaf Ali, former Attorney General for Pakistan, told Arab News, frowning upon the court’s decision not to extend the ex-PM’s bail.
Veteran journalist and longtime political observer Nusrat Javed said the rejection of Sharif’s plea by the Supreme Court would demoralize PMLN workers.
“The party will suffer for the time being as it will bring a sense of depression among the party leadership and workers,” he said.
In July 2017, the Supreme Court removed Sharif from office for not disclosing part of a salary drawn from his son’s company. He was later convicted in two separate cases of failing to disclose sources of income. In one of these cases revolving the ownership of upscale London properties, the high court suspended a 10-year sentence and granted bail last September until a final decision was made on his appeal application against the conviction. The appeal process in both cases is continuing.
Sharif says all charges against him are politically motivated and has accused the Pakistani military and courts of working together to end his political career and cut his political party down to size. Both the military and the courts deny the accusations.
In July last year, Sharif’s PML-N party lost to the Tehreek-i-Insaf party of cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, who is now the prime minister. Sharif’s party has said the elections were rigged in favor of Khan, which Khan and his party deny.
Pakistan’s ex-PM Sharif to head back to jail as court rejects bail extension
Pakistan’s ex-PM Sharif to head back to jail as court rejects bail extension
- Refuses to allow the three-time premier to go to the United Kingdom for treatment
- Sharif aides say court’s decision changes nothing as party workers, legislators remain committed to their leader
IMF approves $1.1 billion funding for Pakistan
- The funding is the final tranche of a $3 billion standby arrangement Islamabad secured last year
- Islamabad is now seeking a new, larger long-term Extended Fund Facility agreement with the IMF
ISLAMABAD: The executive board of the International Monetary Fund approved $1.1 billion in funding for Pakistan on Monday, the agency said in a statement, amid discussions for a new loan.
The funding is the second and last tranche of a $3 billion standby arrangement with the IMF, which Islamabad secured last summer to help avert a sovereign default.
The approval came a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed a new loan program with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh.
Islamabad is seeking a new, larger long-term Extended Fund Facility (EFF) agreement with the fund after the current standby arrangement expires this month. Pakistan’s Finance Minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, has said Islamabad could secure a staff-level agreement on the new program by early July.
Islamabad says it is seeking a loan over at least three years to help achieve macroeconomic stability and execute long-overdue and painful structural reforms.
Aurangzeb has declined to give details on the amount the country is seeking.
Islamabad is yet to make a formal request, but the Fund and the government are already in discussions.
If secured, it would be Pakistan’s 24th IMF bailout.
The $350 billion economy faces a chronic balance of payments crisis, with nearly $24 billion to repay in debt and interest over the next fiscal year — three-time more than its central bank’s foreign currency reserves.
Four militants killed in northwest Pakistan operation — military
- The development comes amid a surge in violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, mostly blamed on Pakistani Taliban
- Last week, Taliban militants also abducted a district and sessions judge in the same province, who was freed two days later
ISLAMABAD: Four militants were killed during an intelligence-based operation in northwest Pakistan on Monday, the Pakistani military said, amid a spate of militant violence in the region.
The operation was conducted in the Khyber tribal district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.
An intense exchange of fire during the operation killed four militants.
“Terrorists’ hideout was also busted during the operation and a large cache of weapons, ammunition and explosives was recovered,” the ISPR said in a statement.
A sanitization operation was being carried out to eliminate any other threats in the vicinity, the ISPR added.
The development came amid a surge in violence in Pakistan’s northwest, mostly blamed on the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), since the group ended a ceasefire with the central government in November 2022.
Last week, TTP militants abducted a district and sessions judge, Shakirullah Marwat, in the same province. The judge was recovered after a joint operation by police and security forces, police said on Monday.
Earlier this month, six people, including five customs department officials, were killed in an attack in Dera Ismail Khan. Two customs officers were also killed in the area in a separate attack earlier.
Militants have also targeted security officials in the province in recent weeks, killing a number of police and counterterrorism department officials.
Both Pakistan and Afghanistan have traded blame in recent months over who is responsible for the recent spate of militant attacks in Pakistan.
Islamabad says the attacks are launched mostly by TTP members who operate from safe havens in Afghanistan. Kabul denies this and blames Islamabad for not being able to handle its own security challenges.
Pakistan confers military award on Turkish land forces commander
- President Asif Ali Zardari conferred the award at a special investiture ceremony held in Islamabad
- General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, who is currently visiting Pakistan, also met Army Chief Gen Asim Munir
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday conferred a military award, Nishan-i-Imtiaz, on Commander of the Turkish Land Forces, General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, during his visit to Islamabad, Pakistani state media reported.
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari bestowed the Turkish general with the award at a special investiture ceremony held at the Presidency in Islamabad, the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“The award was conferred upon him in recognition of his illustrious services and contribution toward strengthening Pakistan-Turkiye defense relations,” the report read.
The investiture ceremony was attended by foreign diplomats and high-ranking military officials.
Separately, General Bayraktaroglu called on Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, and General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, the Pakistani military said.
During his meeting with Gen Munir, matters of mutual interest and measures to further enhance bilateral defense cooperation were discussed, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing.
“Both sides expressed satisfaction over deep-rooted relations between the two countries, based on historic, cultural and religious affinity,” the ISPR said.
“COAS emphasized the need to further strengthen existing military to military cooperation between the two Armed Forces.”
During the meeting, the ISPR added, the visiting dignitary appreciated the role of Pakistan Army in ensuring peace and stability in the region.
Pakistan court hands life sentences to four in 2018 murder of lawmaker
- The accused were convicted of aiding, abetting, reconnaissance, and facilitating murder of Syed Ali Raza Abidi
- Court suspends proceedings against prime accused, citing Supreme Court ruling that prohibits judgments in absentia
KARACHI: A Pakistani court on Monday handed life sentences to four accused who were convicted of aiding, abetting, reconnaissance and facilitating the murder of a Pakistani lawmaker in the southern city of Karachi in 2018.
Ali Raza Abidi, a businessman and politician, who belonged to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) party, was shot dead outside his residence in the Defense Housing Authority (DHA) area of Karachi.
Police had registered a case against the suspects in the Gizri police station under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
“The evidence shows that all the accused persons in furtherance of their common intention are involved in the commission of murder of Syed Ali Raza Abidi and they are equally responsible for the act,” Zeeshan Akhter Khan, the Anti-Terrorism Court judge, stated in his detailed judgment.
The convicts, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Ghazali, Abu Bakar and Abdul Haseeb, were also fined under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code. They can appeal the verdict within 15 days.
The court, citing a Supreme Court judgment, said since a case against absconding accused, Bilal, Hasnain, Ghulam Mustafa and Faizan, could not be proceeded in absentia, it was placed on dormant status until their arrest or appearance before the court.
Abidi was elected as a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) on the ticket of the MQM-P in the 2013 general election. He, however, quit the MQM-P following the party’s formation of an alliance with the rival Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP).
Despite briefly rejoining the MQM-P in December 2017, Abidi ultimately parted ways with the party in September 2018. He was killed months later on December 25, 2018.
Pakistani PM meets Malaysia’s Ibrahim on WEF sidelines, invites on official Islamabad visit
- Shehbaz Sharif was in Riyadh to attend a WEF special meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development on April 28-29
- The Pakistan PM invited Malaysian traders and businessmen to visit Pakistan to discuss expansion of bilateral trade, investment relations
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday met his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim in Riyadh and invited him to visit the South Asian country, Sharif’s office said.
The two leaders met on the sidelines of a two-day World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Saudi Arabia’s capital of Riyadh, according to PM Sharif’s office.
During the meeting, both sides agreed to further develop relations.
“The two leaders also agreed to hold the next meeting of the Joint Ministerial Commission in Islamabad soon,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.
“The prime minister reiterated his invitation to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to pay an official visit to Pakistan.”
The two leaders discussed bilateral ties in the fields of education, science and technology, livestock and trade, and vowed to further enhance cooperation in the future, according to the statement.
PM Sharif also invited Malaysian traders and businessmen to visit Pakistan to discuss the expansion of bilateral trade and investment relations.
The Pakistan prime minister was in Riyadh to attend the WEF special meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development on April 28-29.
Sharif spoke about Gaza at the closing plenary of the two-day summit and held several bilateral meetings, particularly with Saudi officials, during the visit.
