Opposition,state institutions backs govt's strategy, Fawad

All state institutions and opposition parties are supporting the government’s stance on the issue of countrywide protests after Asia Bibi’s acquittal, federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Thursday.

The federal minister said that opposition had ensured the government of its support over the matter.

Protesters have taken to the streets and blocked roads in major cities of Pakistan since the apex court on Wednesday ordered the release of Bibi, a Christian woman convicted on blasphemy charges in 2010 and on death row for eight years.

In a televised address to the nation on Wednesday evening, Prime Minister Imran Khan supported the top court's "constitutional" decision in the case, and issued a stern warning to protestors against inciting citizens or challenging the writ of the state.

Addressing a press conference along with other ministers here today, federal minister said that the government would form a strategy to deal with the situation after consultation with the opposition leaders.

The information minister said that the government committee met with Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif and briefed them on the situation regarding the ongoing protests in the country.

The opposition has put its weight behind the government, Chaudhry said, adding that whatever strategy is formulated they will support the government in it.

“We do not want any damage being done… No one should be under the impression that the state is weak,” said the federal information minister.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had presented the state’s stance not that of the government.

Fawad Chaudhry said that the government will attempt to take along every political force for the sake Pakistan.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Imran Khan formed a committee to hold talks to end the ongoing protests being staged across the country.

The premier chaired an emergency meeting of the federal cabinet today during which he reviewed the current security situation and accorded approval for holding talks with the protesters.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Pakistan acquitted Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death over blasphemy allegations. The apex court cleared Asia Bibi of all blasphemy allegations and ordered her immediate release.

Following the verdict, protests broke out across the country, led primarily by the Tehreek Labaik Pakistan (TLP). Roads were blocked and educational institutes were closed due to the protests.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, on Wednesday, had addressed the nation and fully backed the Supreme Court's decision in the Asia Bibi case, warning protesters against clashing with the State.

"The decision of the judges is according to the constitution and Pakistan's constitution is according to the Holy Quran and Sunnah," he said, referring to Asia Bibi's acquittal by the apex court.

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Will return to Pakistan soon: Ayan Ali

Model Ayyan Ali announced on Thursday that she will return to Pakistan soon, saying she was wrongly implicated in the money laundering case without evidence.

Ayyan Ali was arrested from Islamabad airport while leaving for Dubai on March 14, 2015, and $506,000 were recovered from her possession.

Speaking to News channel , the model said that she faced severe allegations without proof and she didn’t cause any damage to Pakistan and its people.

“There were two others present with me at the airport in the video, why weren’t they caught? They didn’t face any investigation and were not taken into custody,” she said.

Ayyan said that she has changed her team of lawyers in the case. She further said that she has been facing mental ailments and once even had a minor heart attack.

The model said that upon her return she will duly respond to all the statements made against her.

In November 2015, Ayyan pleaded guilty when she was indicted for attempting to smuggle more than half a million dollars in cash out of the country.

Ayyan’s name was also put on the Exit Control List (ECL) which was finally lifted in February this year by the interior ministry, after which she was able to fly out of the country.

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PM forms committee to negotiate with protesters

Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday constituted a committee to negotiate with agigators demonstrating against the Supreme Court verdict that overturned the death sentence of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who was convicted for blasphemy in 2010.

The committee - which includes Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and State Minsiter for Interior Shehryar Afridi - has been tasked to devise strategies in the wake of any untoward incident in the country.

Imran Khan while finalising the committee said the government will ensure protection of citizens and no one will be allowed to take law into hands or to block the roads against the Supreme Court’s verdict.

The prime minister in his address to the nation on Wedensday had delivered a forceful call for Pakistanis to respect the verdict which sparked protests across the country.

"They are inciting you for their own political gain, you should not get trapped by them for the sake of the country, they are doing no service to Islam," he said.

"We will protect people s properties and lives, we will not allow any sabotage, we will not allow any traffic to be stopped," he added.

A three-member Supreme Court bench in its judgement acquitted Bibi of the charge, saying the prosecution had failed to prove its case “beyond resonable doubt”.

“The appeal is allowed. She has been acquitted. The judgment of high court as well as trial court is reversed. Her conviction is set aside,” Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar said.

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Prime Minister's attitude was aggressive: Kh Saad Rafique

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Saad Rafique on Thursday has termed Prime Minister Imran Khan’s attitude as aggressive.

While addressing the National Assembly session, Saad Rafique criticized Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and said that after coming into power, its leaders have always invited opposition to protest against them on containers instead of focusing on their performances.

Don’t want to take any political benefit from the current situation, he clarified.

Former minister for Railways further demanded the PM to come in the parliament and share policy statement. He said that crisis has hindered development in the country.

Moreover, Rafique also thanked Speaker Asad Qaiser for issuing production order of Opposition Leader in NA Shehbaz Sharif.

Earlier, Imran Khan said that Pakistan is the only country that was made in the name of Islam after Saudi Arabia.

Addressing the nation, he said that one small group was using derogatory language against state institutions, adding that the reaction on the Supreme Court decision by a small segment of society is not appropriate.

Khan said that Pakistan is the only country in the world that was created on the name of Islam, after Madina and it means there will be no law against the teachings of Islam in the country.

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Nearly 60,000 migrants have died or gone missing since 2014: AP

At least 56,800 refugees and migrants have died or gone missing since 2014, almost double the number recorded by the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM), an investigation by the Associated Press news agency has said.

The IOM's tally, which mainly focuses mostly on migrants heading to Europe, stood at 28,500 as of October 1.

The Associated Press reported on Thursday that an additional 28,300 people had either died or gone missing according to data it compiled from international groups, forensic records, missing persons reports, death records, and interviews with migrants and refugees.

As an example, the AP said that when 800 people died in an April 2015 shipwreck off the coast of Italy, Italian investigators had pledged to identify them and find their families. More than three years later, under a new populist government, funding for this work was being cut off.

Beyond Europe, the AP said information on the fate of migrants was even more scarce.

Little was known about the toll in South America, where migration among Venezuelans was among the world's biggest today. Or in Asia, the leading region for migration.

"No matter where you stand on the whole migration management debate ... these are still human beings on the move," said Bram Frouws, the head of the Mixed Migration Centre, which surveyed more than 20,000 migrants and refugees since 2014.

"Whether it's refugees or people moving for jobs, they are human beings."

More than 16 million migrate within Africa

Despite talk of the 'waves' of African migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean, as many 16 million people migrate within Africa, the AP said.

Since 2014, at least 18,400 African migrants had died travelling within the continent, according to the figures compiled from AP and IOM records. That figure included more than 4,300 unidentified bodies in the South African province of Gauteng.

Zimbabwean migrant Kholakele, who entered South Africa illegally three years ago, said she had heard stories of people going missing.

Afraid that one day they will end up as anonymous bodies in the streets of Johannesburg, where crime rates and traffic accidents are steep, she told the AP that she barely let her five children out of sight.

"If one of them stays away for longer than 10 minutes, we phone them," Kholakele said.

With a prosperous economy and stable government, South Africa draws more migrants than any other country in Africa.

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Azhar Ali decides to retire from ODI cricket

Senior Pakistan batsman Azhar Ali has decided to retire from limited-overs cricket, a source close to the cricketer said.

“Azhar is retiring from ODIs to focus on Test cricket," the source said.

"The 33-year-old believes that youngsters in the team are playing good cricket and can take the team forward," the source added.

Debuting in 2011 against Ireland, Ali represented Pakistan in 53 ODIs and took charge of the team in the fifty-over format in 2015.

He scored 1,845 runs at an average of 36.9, including three centuries and 12 half-centuries.

Ali last played an ODI match on January 13, 2018 against New Zealand.

The cricketer will address a press conference at 4pm in Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium today.

 

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Israeli forces steal Palestinian agricultural equipment from J. Valley

The Israeli occupation forces seized Wednesday night two agricultural tractors in al-Hadeida area in the northern Jordan valley.

Local activist Aref Daraghmeh said that Israeli forces raided al-Hadeida area and seized two tractors belonging to the Palestinian farmers Hamed Daraghmeh and Mufdi Sawafta.

The measure was carried out without prior notices, added the activist.

Israeli forces routinely steal farm equipment and tools from Palestinian lands in an attempt to force them to leave their land tracts. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers are allowed to freely work on seized Palestinian land in those areas.

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