ISLAMABAD: The local administration in Pakistan's northwestern Swat Valley on Thursday issued an order for the release of journalist Fayyaz Zafar, who was detained a day earlier on allegations of defaming security agencies.
The journalist, who is associated with both Voice of America and the local Daily Mashriq newspaper, was arrested after a district magistrate in Swat granted approval for his detainment under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance of 1960 on Wednesday. Zafar is accused of spreading “fake and offensive” information to stoke “anti-state sentiments” and posing a “threat” to the peaceful atmosphere of Swat by “defaming/ demoralizing the law enforcement agencies fighting against militancy.”
As per a letter released by the office of the deputy commissioner in Swat, the notification regarding Zafar's arrest was retracted following requests from the district bar association and a tribal jirga.
“As per request of the District Bar Association and notables of Tehsil Babozai Swat, the detention order U/S 3 of the West Pakistan Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance 1960 issued vide this court […] is hereby withdrawn, and the accused namely, Fayaz Zafar s/o Zafar Ali r/o Saidu sharif District Swat, be released from Jail if not involved in any other case,” the notification said from the deputy commissioner’s office said.
Pakistan's interim information minister, Murtaza Solangi, on Thursday asked authorities in Swat district to furnish a report regarding the journalist's arrest and called for a transparent investigation into the incident, saying no official should misuse their authority to suppress journalists.
Global rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders, have expressed concern over shrinking media freedom in Pakistan in recent years. The issue has been in the spotlight recently after a top Pakistani anchor, Arshad Sharif, was shot dead in Kenya last year after going on the run from Pakistan. Another broadcaster, Imran Riaz Khan, also disappeared earlier this year.
District administration in northwest Pakistan orders release of journalist detained for ‘defaming’ security agencies
https://arab.news/chq76
District administration in northwest Pakistan orders release of journalist detained for ‘defaming’ security agencies
- Journalist Fayyaz Zafar was arrested on Wednesday on charges of stoking "anti-state sentiments"
- Orders to arrest the journalist were withdrawn upon request of district bar association and tribal jirga
Pakistan reviews austerity measures amid Middle East crisis, urges strict nationwide implementation
- Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar chairs review meeting of austerity steps
- Officials briefed on salary cuts, school closures, four‑day week, petrol conservation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government on Wednesday assessed progress on a sweeping set of austerity measures introduced to mitigate the country’s economic strain from sharply rising global oil prices and supply disruptions linked to the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week announced a series of austerity steps, including a four‑day work week for government offices, requiring 50 percent of staff to work from home, cutting fuel allowances for official vehicles by half, grounding up to 60 percent of the government fleet and closing all schools for two weeks to conserve fuel amid the global oil crisis.
The measures were unveiled in response to global oil market volatility triggered by the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which has disrupted supply routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and pushed crude prices sharply higher, straining Pakistan’s heavily import‑dependent energy sector.
“The meeting stressed the importance of strict and transparent adherence to the austerity measures, promoting fiscal responsibility and prudent use of public resources,” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar said in a statement.
He was chairing a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures, constituted under the directions of the PM, bringing together federal and provincial officials to review execution of the broad cost‑cutting plan.
Dar emphasized the government’s commitment to enforcing the PM’s austerity steps nationwide. The committee’s review also covered reductions in departmental expenditure, deductions from salaries of senior officials earning over Rs. 300,000 ($1,120), and coordination with provincial administrations to ensure uniform implementation of the plan.
Participants at the meeting reiterated that all ministries and divisions must continue strict monitoring and reporting, with transparent oversight mechanisms, as Pakistan navigates the economic pressures from the prolonged Middle East crisis and its fallout on global energy and trade markets.
