ISLAMABAD: Over 150 parliamentarians from Pakistan’s ruling coalition have urged the government to engage with the US to counter “unsubstantiated political propaganda” against the country following a letter earlier this month by over 60 US lawmakers urging President Joe Biden to secure the release from jail of former prime minister Imran Khan.
Khan, arguably Pakistan’s most popular politician, was ousted from office after a parliamentary no-trust vote in April 2022 and has since waged an unprecedented campaign of defiance against the country’s powerful military and the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government, which Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party says rigged the Feb. 8 general election and formed a government with the backing of the army. Both deny the charge.
The former cricketer has been in prison since August last year in a slew of cases ranging from corruption to treason that he says are politically motivated.
Earlier this month, in a letter addressed to Biden, over 60 Democratic lawmakers from the US House of Representatives expressed concerns about the human rights situation in Pakistan and said elections held earlier this year saw a “historic level of irregularities.” They included “widespread electoral fraud, state-led efforts to disenfranchise voters in support of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Movement for Justice or PTI) party, the arrest and detention of large numbers of political leaders, journalists, and activists, and the continued imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan,” the letter said.
“We urged the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to direct the diplomatic mission in Washington DC to engage the members of Pak Caucus in the US Congress as well as signatories of this letter to highlight the correct perspective on the issue and caution them from falling prey to unsubstantiated political propaganda against the Pakistani Government, its officials and elected representatives of people of Pakistan, as well as the democratic institutions of the country and independent judiciary,” said an undated letter signed by 160 parliamentarians and addressed to Sharif. The letter was shared with the media on Thursday.
The MNAs expressed concern over the “unwarranted and inaccurate” commentary on Pakistani politics by American lawmakers, saying it reflected a “skewed view of realities” and exaggerated the “baseless” political narrative of ex-PM Khan’s PTI party. They said the US lawmakers’ letter was “tantamount to external interference” in the South Asian country’s internal matters and alleged the disinformation was spread by the PTI party as part of a campaign to “discredit the credible political process” in Pakistan and undermine its democratic institutions.
US Representative Greg Casar, who led the letter initiative, has said it marked the first such collective call from multiple members of the US Congress for the release of Khan, who otherwise has had testy relations with Washington as a long standing critic of US foreign policy.
Washington has said the February vote could not be characterized as free and fair. Britain, the European Union and the United Nations have also raised concerns.
Khan did not run since he was in jail, but candidates he backed secured the highest number of seats though his rivals formed a weak coalition government.
A UN human rights working group said in July Khan’s detention violated international law.
160 Pakistani MPs urge PM to lobby Washington against ‘political propaganda’ by Imran Khan’s party
https://arab.news/jj5rr
160 Pakistani MPs urge PM to lobby Washington against ‘political propaganda’ by Imran Khan’s party
- Over 60 Democratic lawmakers from the US House of Representatives have written to Biden asking him to secure Khan’s release from jail
- In letter to PM Sharif, ruling coalition MPs call on government to engage with US to counter the “unwarranted and inaccurate” commentary
Customs seize narcotics, smuggled goods, vehicles worth $4.9 million in southwest Pakistan
- Customs seize 22.14 kg narcotics, consignments of smuggled betel nuts, Hino trucks, auto parts, says FBR
- Smuggled goods enter Pakistan’s Balochistan province from neighboring countries Iran and Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Customs seized narcotics, smuggled goods and vehicles worth a total of Rs1.38 billion [$4.92 million] in the southwestern Balochistan province on Tuesday, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said in a statement.
Customs Enforcement Quetta seized and recovered 22.14 kilograms of narcotics and consignments of smuggled goods comprising betel nuts, Indian medicines, Chinese salt, auto parts, a ROCO vehicle and three Hino trucks in two separate operations, the FBR said. All items cost an estimated Rs1.38 billion, it added.
Smuggled items make their way into Pakistan through southwestern Balochistan province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan.
“These operations are part of the collectorate’s intensified enforcement drive aimed at curbing smuggling and dismantling illegal trade networks,” the FBR said.
“All the seized narcotics, goods and vehicles have been taken into custody, and legal proceedings under the Customs Act 1969 have been formally initiated.”
In the first operation, customs officials intercepted three containers during routine checking at FEU Zariat Cross (ZC) area. The containers were being transported from Quetta to Pakistan’s Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, the FBR said.
The vehicles intercepted included three Hino trucks. Their detailed examination led to the recovery of the smuggled goods which were concealed in the containers.
In the second operation, the staff of the Collectorate of Enforcement Customs, Quetta, intercepted a ROCO vehicle at Zariat Cross area with the local police’s assistance.
The driver was interrogated while the vehicle was searched, the FBR said.
“During interrogation, it was disclosed that drugs were concealed inside the spare wheel at the bottom side of the vehicle,” it said.
“Upon thorough checking, suspected narcotics believed to be heroin was recovered which was packed in 41 packets, each weighing 0.54 kilograms.”
The narcotics weighed a total of 22.14 kilograms, with an estimated value of Rs1.23 billion in the international market, the FBR concluded.
“The Federal Board of Revenue has commended the Customs Enforcement Quetta team for their effective action and reiterated its firm resolve to combat smuggling, illicit trade and illegal economic activities across the country,” it said.
