Islamabad court dismisses Gill’s bail plea in sedition case

A District and Sessions court of Islamabad dismissed the post arrest bail petition of PTI leader Shahbaz Gill on Tuesday.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal pronounced the reserved verdict.

Gill was arrested on August 9 in Islamabad after a sedition case was filed against him for inciting mutiny within the Pakistan Army. He was already facing sedition charges, but the Islamabad Police last week also registered a case against the PTI leader over possession of an illegal weapon.

His bail in the arms recovery case has already been approved.

Gill was booked in the case after police raided the incarcerated PTI leader's room in Parliament Lodges late Monday where they recovered weapons, a satellite phone, and foreign currency.

The PTI has repeatedly demanded that the party leader be released on bail, alleging that he is facing humiliation, torture and sexual abuse in police custody.

Gill, during the raid at his Parliament Lodge's residence, also told journalists that he had been sexually assaulted.

The party leader also asserted that he was denied treatment for asthma; however, the federal government and police have refuted the allegations.

 

13 people dead due to the turn of the boat in sindh still now

Deputy commissioner says death tolls rise to 13.Total of seven people, including children, drowned. Search for more people is underway.

The death toll from a boat that capsized while carrying flood affectees near Sindh’s Bilawalpur earlier today is presumed to have surpassed 10 after officials said on Monday a search for more people is underway.

The deputy commissioner said that the death tolls rose to 13; while eight people have been rescued. Rescue sources said that nearly 25 flood victims were being taken to the relief camps when the incident took place.

A total of seven people, including children, drowned as the boat capsized, their bodies have been rescued and recovered.

A huge relief operation is underway in Pakistan as the country struggles to deal with monsoon flooding that has affected more than 33 million people.

Officials said 1,136 people have died since June when the seasonal rains began, but the final toll could be higher as hundreds of villages in the mountainous north have been cut off by flood-swollen rivers washing away roads and bridges.

Officials said this year's flooding has affected more than 33 million people — one in seven Pakistanis — destroying or badly damaging nearly a million homes.

IHC suspends Pemra’s order to ban live telecast of Imran Khan’s speeches

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday suspended the Pakis­tan Electronic Media Regu­latory Authority’s (Pemra) orders to ban the live telecast of Imran Khan’s speeches.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, after taking up the matter on an application filed by the former prime minister today, observed that the watchdog had “exceeded its authority” and directed Pemra to appoint an officer who could justify the ban in court.

On August 20, while addressing a rally in Islamabad to express solidarity with party leader Dr Shahbaz Gill facing proceedings in a sedition case, Imran warned the judiciary against its “biased” attitude and warned the judge who sent Mr Gill on physical remand to brace for consequences.

Subsequently, a ban was imposed on the live broadcast of Imran’s speeches on television and a case was also registered against him.

Sindh Govt announces free medical facility for flood affectees

Sindh government has announced free of charge medical facility for the flood-affected people at Dow Medical University Hospital in Karachi.

This was stated in a news release issued from Commissioner Karachi office on Monday.

In Sindh, so far 349 people have been killed by floods with over 170,000 houses destroyed and crops spanning 2,800,000 acres were severally damaged.

Pakistan Army has joined the national and provincial authorities in responding to the floods and COAS on visited the areas which has been hit heavily by the rains.

Shaukat Tarin allegedly directs Punjab, KP to withdraw from IMF deal

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shaukat Tarin has allegedly asked Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Ministers to backtrack from IMF commitments in order to pressurize federal government.

According to details, an audio clip has surfaced in which former finance minister was allegedly giving directions to provincial finance minister to derail International Monetary Fund deal.

In alleged audio, Shaukat Tarin said that they need to backtrack from Rs750 billion commitments and tell the lender that the commitment Punjab made was pre-floods and now the province "cannot honor it".

The PTI leader told the finance minister to draft a letter and send it to him for vetting so it could be sent to the federal government and later on to the IMF representative in Pakistan.

At Tarin’s request, Leghari asked whether Pakistan would suffer if Punjab withdraws from the deal.

"Well, frankly isn’t the state already suffering because of the way they are treating your chairman [Khan] and everybody else? IMF will definitely ask them: where will you get the money from now?" Tarin responded.

He further said that Centre is sending PTI leadership to jail and filing terrorism case. Tarin said that this could not go on further and the party could not bear being "mistreated" and not respond. "We cannot be blackmailed.

PM Shehbaz visits flood affectees in Nowshera

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has visited Nowshera to review operation in flood-affected areas.

During the visit, the prime minister would also distribute cheques of cash relief assistance among the flood-stricken people.

The PM has also been briefed by the relevant authorities on the damages and relief operations in the area. PM have also been informed about the relief camps arranged for the flood affected.

Apart from reviewing the relief work, the Prime Minister also met the flood victims.

 

Sedition case: Shahbaz Gill willing to apologise, lawyer says

Shahbaz Gill is willing to apologise for his controversial remarks, his lawyer told a district and sessions court in Islamabad.

On August 9, Gill was arrested from Banigala Chowk in the capital a day after making controversial remarks on a private TV channel. He was subsequently booked on charges of sedition and inciting members of state institutions against the Pakistan Army.

At the outset of the hearing, the Islamabad Capital City Police presented the case record in court as directed by the judge at the last hearing of his bail plea.

Additional District and Sessions judge Zafar Iqbal resumed the hearing on the bail plea this morning.

During the hearing, Gill's lawyer Burhan Moazzam asked if he can see the case records submitted in court by inspector Arshad.

The court directed the inspector to show the record to the lawyer. However, prosecutor Raja Rizwan Abbasi objected that they cannot show the supplementary challan of the case.

Later, the court adjourned the hearing shortly.

After the hearing restarted, Gill's lawyer maintained that the police didn't show the statement recorded under Section 161.

"The police is showing all statements except for Gill's," the lawyer said.

At this, the court directed the police to show Gill's initial statement to the defence lawyer.