World
Politics
PM Hasina declares opposition party ‘terrorist organization’ as Bangladesh heads to polls
“I am trying my best to ensure that democracy should continue in this country,” Sheikh Hasina says
Bangladesh began voting Sunday in an election guaranteed to give Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina her fifth term in office, after a boycott by opposition parties whose ranks have been decimated by mass arrests.
Hasina’s government has experienced significant economic growth in a country once plagued by poverty but has been accused of human rights abuses and a ruthless opposition crackdown.
Despite having few effective rivals, Hasina’s party has avoided fielding candidates in a few seats to avoid a one-party institution.
Polls are open until 5:00pm, with results expected after midnight.
Hasina’s opponents have called a general strike and urged the public not to vote. Some voters say that they have been threatened with confiscation of government benefit cards if they refuse to vote for the ruling Awami League.
“They said they would seize it from me if I don’t vote,” Lal Mia, 64, told AFP in the central district of Faridpur. “They said since the government feeds us, we have to vote for them.”
The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and other parties staged months of protests last year demanding Hasina step down ahead of the vote.
Hasina said the main party boycotting Sunday’s national elections was a “terrorist organisation”, adding that she was trying to ensure her country remained democratic and urging the public to cast their votes.
“The BNP is a terrorist organisation,” she told waiting reporters after casting her vote moments after polls opened at the Dhaka City College, alongside her sister and daughter.
“I am trying my best to ensure that democracy should continue in this country,” Hasina said. “The election will be free and fair,” she added.
BNP reported that around 25,000 opposition cadres, including the entire party’s local leadership, were arrested in a crackdown, while the government estimates the number to be around 11,000.
Protests continued before the election, including a few hundred opposition supporters marching in central Dhaka.
The election commission said around 175,000 police officers and more than 515,000 members of the Ansar reserve force had been deployed to keep order during the vote.
Biden condemns Donald Trump in scathing 2024 campaign kickoff speech
President Joe Biden launched a blistering attack on his potential 2024 election rival, Donald Trump, in a fiery speech marking the eve of the third anniversary of the Capitol attack.
At a rally near Valley Forge in Pennsylvania, Biden accused Trump of echoing the language of Nazi Germany, branding him a “loser” and a “sick” individual posing a severe threat to democracy.
Amidst whispers and furious shouts, Biden condemned Trump for instigating the Capitol assault and warned of the ongoing embrace of “political violence” by Trump and his followers ahead of the upcoming elections. He highlighted Trump’s divisive language, likening it to the rhetoric used during the Nazi era, and positioned himself as a defender of America’s institutions, emphasizing the risk posed to democracy should Trump secure a second term.
Criticism of Biden’s campaign’s slow start and his lagging position against Trump in some polls underscored challenges faced by the 81-year-old president. With concerns over the economy, migration issues, and divisive international policies, Biden’s vulnerability, notably his age, has become a focal point.
However, Biden pivoted the spotlight back to Trump, characterising him as a threat to freedom and democracy. He pledged to prioritise the protection and preservation of American democracy throughout his presidency, highlighting Trump’s behaviour, including his alleged mockery of an attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband and his admiration for authoritarian leaders like Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin.
Trump’s campaign swiftly retaliated, labeling Biden as the real danger to democracy, accusing him of weaponising government power against political opponents and meddling in the upcoming election.
Despite Biden’s identification of Trump as a likely opponent, the official battle for the Republican nomination is yet to begin. Trump’s legal battles following the Capitol events, his impeachment, and his exclusion from presidential primaries in some states have added complexity to the anticipated electoral showdown.
As the campaign intensifies, analysts view the 2024 presidential election as tightly contested, with viewpoints suggesting that if the election were imminent, Biden might face an uphill battle.
The President’s forthcoming campaign events, including a visit to a South Carolina church scarred by a racial shooting in 2015, are expected to shape the narrative as the electoral contest gains momentum.
India to screen, profile Kashmiris in IIOJK
After subjecting Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) draconian state policies and measures, the Narendra Modi-led government is now planning to equip its forces with a comprehensive database of Kashmiris’ fingerprints enabling them to conduct screening and profiling of the residents of the occupied valley.
The move comes weeks after a five-judge Indian Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud — legalised the Narendra Modi-led government’s decision to abrogate Article 370 revoking IIOJK’s special status.
The verdict was announced after more than a dozen petitions were filed in the Indian SC against New Delhi’s 2019 move to split the region into two federally administered territories.
In its latest measure to further subjugate the people of Kashmir, New Delhi has approved the establishment of the Finger Print Bureau in IIOJK for screening and profiling the Kashmiri population as part of its designs to suppress the freedom sentiments in the territory.
The development comes as the occupied valley — since the 2019 August 5 move by the Modi-led government to revoke the semi-autonomous status of the valley — has been subjected to mass arrests, internet and communications blackouts as part of the Indian government’s attempts to suppress the Kashmiris’ dissent and freedom of expression.
As per the Kashmir Media Service, 73 posts have been sanctioned for the aforesaid bureau in the occupied territory.
The Finger Print Bureau will be headed by a Senior Superintendent of Police rank official and will be assisted by one Superintendent of Police and two Deputy Superintendents of Police.
Meanwhile, a total of 22 Sub-Inspectors and 28 selection-grade constables will also be part of the new wing.
Provisioning a comprehensive database of fingerprint records of the Kashmiri people including organising and indexing coupled with regular updates, the Bureau will help the Indian army, police, paramilitary forces and investigation agencies to conduct record checks by analysing fingerprints from existing records.
Pakistan has repeatedly called on the international community to hold India accountable for its grave violations of human rights conventions in IIOJK.
Last month, caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani wrote to the leadership of the United Nations (UN), Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the European Union (EU) stressing that under international law, domestic legislation, and judicial verdicts cannot be invoked to determine the final status of an internationally-recognised disputed territory.
Condemning the unlawful measures of the Indian authorities to consolidate their occupation of IIOJK and persistent suppression of the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the foreign minister called on the UN Security Council to ensure full implementation of its resolutions on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and to urge India to end the grave and systematic human rights violations in IIOJK and to reverse all its illegal and unilateral actions in IIOJK undertaken since August 5, 2019.
UK’s revised visa rule allows tourist visa holders to work in country
Good news about tourist visa regulations in the United Kingdom has surfaced, hinting its implementation to be ensured at the end of this month.
The new regulation will open a gateway of new opportunities for individuals holding visitor visas to start their business ventures and work in the country.
Starting from January 31, major changes are set to take place in the UK tourist visa including permission for tourist visa holders to engage in work-related activities with clients and even undertake remote work while visiting the UK, Times of India reported.
The UK government has also announced an update to its immigration rules, allowing expanded activities on Visitor visas. Additionally, it has also announced other changes to its visas.
Employees of businesses with branches in the UK and other countries are permitted to work for clients abroad as long as it makes up a small percentage of their duties there, is essential to a project or service that the UK branch is working on, and is not being provided directly to a UK client by the overseas employer.
Although visitors can work remotely from the UK, this shouldn’t be their main reason for visiting, as per the revised regulations.
Furthermore, with a few exceptions for academics requesting permission extensions within the nation or filing for a 12-month stay visa, scientists, researchers and academics are allowed to do research in the UK.
In addition to practising law, solicitors will be permitted to give consultations, testify as experts, take part in court cases and instruct.
Meanwhile, for those participating in paid engagements, there will be no need for a separate visa as the Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visitor route will be incorporated into the Standard Visitor route.
However, the activity must still be planned within 30 days of arrival.
Previously, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt pledged the UK government’s commitment to expanding business visitor regulations, starting in January 2024 which will allow business professionals to engage in more approved activities and paid engagements, particularly remote work.
This move is expected to positively impact business and tourism in the UK.
Gaza death toll rises to 22,722 as Israel drops more bombs
GAZA TEL AVIV – At least 122 people were killed overnight and 256 injured during the past 24 hours by Israeli forces, the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza said in a statement Saturday.
Earlier, the ministry confirmed that at least 22 people were killed in Khan Younis in the south overnight, and more than 30 were killed in other parts of Gaza as Israeli military operations continue.
Footage from the Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where casualties have been arriving, shows staff urgently trying to treat severely wounded victims and also victims’ bodies wrapped in sheets with their loved ones gathered around.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said in a statement Saturday that for the third consecutive day, “artillery shelling continues in the vicinity of Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis, and heavy shooting from drones.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also confirmed it had struck Khan Younis in southern Gaza over the past day, adding that “IDF troops killed numerous terrorists from the ground and the air, and destroyed a number of tunnel shafts.”
A local journalist in Deir al-Balah in southern Gaza also told CNN of the strikes overnight Saturday and added that Israeli military tanks were at Al Zawaydeh cemetery, 2km away from Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, with an ongoing exchange of gunfire.
The number of Palestinians killed in Gaza has risen to 22,722, plus 58,166 injuries since October 7, the Hamascontrolled health ministry statement added. The ministry does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants but has said about 70% of the dead are women and children.
The Israel Defense Forces dropped new flyers on neighborhoods in central Gaza on Saturday, urging Palestinians to evacuate to the central city of Deir al-Balah.
The IDF said people in the neighborhoods Al-Amal, Al-Sdera, Al-Basateen, Al- Farouq and Ain Jalout are in a dangerous war zone. “The IDF will inform you when you can return to your homes. This is a warning, so as not to be blamed,” the flyer said.
The IDF has frequently dropped warning leaflets to warn residents of Gaza to leave their neighborhoods. Given poor communication systems across Gaza, it is not clear how effective the leaflets are. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the country’s foreign minister as he began a whirlwind tour through the region to try to deter a wider conflict and press Israel on its military campaign in Gaza. According to a statement from the US State Department, Blinken and Erdogan discussed the conflict in Gaza and European security priorities.
About 4% of Gaza’s population dead, missing, injured: Rights monitor
More than 90,000 people, about 4% of the population in Gaza, are dead, wounded or missing, a human rights monitor said Friday.
The Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor made the assessment and said Israel’s continuous air, land and sea attacks have destroyed about 70% of the Gaza Strip’s civilian infrastructure since Oct. 7.
The group accused Israel of making the Strip uninhabitable.
“Israel is pushing hundreds of thousands of civilians towards mass forced displacement,” is said in a statement.
Hundreds of bodies that cannot be recovered remain on roads, according to Euro-Med, particularly in areas where the Israeli army has conducted ground incursions.
The group said Israel’s attacks are an “apparent attempt” to expand its territory to include the entire Gaza Strip, uprooting the vast majority of the population in violation of international law, which, it added, “likely amounts to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.”
Referring to reports that Israel is prohibiting humanitarian supplies from entering the Strip more frequently, Euro-Med noted that Israel is using “starvation as a weapon.”
It reiterated demands for special rapporteurs at the UN and the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to investigate “violations that have been widely documented since Israel started its genocidal war on Gaza.”
Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, on Oct. 7.
At least 22,600 Palestinians have since been killed and 57,910 injured, according to Gaza’s health authorities. Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.
The onslaught has left Gaza in ruins, with 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure damaged or destroyed and nearly 2 million residents displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine.
Europe freezes as Finland sets record temperature of -44.3C
After an extremely hot and dry summer and warm fall seasons, Europe is now gripped by extreme cold, bringing heavy snowfall and floods, with Finland setting a new record temperature of -44.3 degrees Celsius (-47.74 degrees Fahrenheit) on Friday.
Temperatures dropped to a record low of -44.3C in Finland’s northwest region of Lapland in the early hours of Friday, the public broadcaster YLE said, citing the country’s Meteorological Institute.
The institute noted that temperatures below -42C have only been recorded three times this century.
The extreme weather also caused transportation disruptions in the capital Helsinki and across the country, as the Finnish National Rail Service (VR) suspended train service on dozens of routes.
Meanwhile, electricity consumption in the country has been at a record high for the past few days owing to the extreme cold, and the electricity spot price is expected to hit a record high of €2.35 ($2.57) per kilowatt-hour on Friday.
In Sweden, the cold snap has caused temperatures to drop below -40C in northern parts, with thermometers reading -43.8C at the country’s northernmost weather station of Naimakka, the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SHMI) said.
The extreme cold and snowfall also caused chaos on many of the country’s motorways, the public broadcaster SVT reported.
Similarly, Norway experienced the coldest weather since 2020 on Friday, with temperatures expected to drop to -20C in the capital Oslo, and -30C in the country’s east, the public broadcaster NHK said.
Denmark, another Scandinavian country, is also experiencing sub-zero temperatures as of Friday, following heavy snowfall on Thursday and Wednesday, according to the public broadcaster DR.
Furthermore, the EU’s Copernicus Emergency Management Service reported that floods are still occurring in several German states, including Lower Saxony, Saarland, and Thuringia, as well as in France’s Nord-Pas-de-Calais region, affecting tens of thousands of acres of land.
In response, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism was activated, and pumps, flood containment barriers, and vehicles were deployed to flood-affected areas in both countries.
Concerning the adverse weather conditions in the UK, the BBC reported that hundreds of more homes are forced to be evacuated as a result of storms and heavy rainfall, particularly in the Midlands, East Anglia, and southern England.
Heavy rainfall and flooding also impacted railway services and highway traffic in several parts of the country, it added.
ECONOMY WORLD
Pakistan (Politics)
PPP-P opts out of the competition in 19 national and provincial constituencies in its stronghold Sindh
Sindh is a PPP-Parliamentarian stronghold. No doubt about it. But things are perhaps changing as the hasn’t been able to field candidates on several national and provincial constituencies in the province, including Karachi and interior Sindh.
There are 61 National Assembly seats allotted to Sindh, however, the PPP has is aspiring for 53 of these, meaning there are no party candidates in the remaining eight.
Similarly, the PPP-Parliamentarian [PPP-P] has issued party tickets to 119 candidates for the 130 Sindh Assembly seats, leaving the 11 open to the adversaries.
WOMEN RIGHTS CHAMPION
The PPP-P always presents itself as the sole representative of women in Pakistan. But the ground realities show otherwise in a province where honour killings and forced marriages are rampant.
Hence, there are only two women PPP-P nominees vying for the National Assembly from entire Sindh – Nafisa Shah, who is the daughter former chief minister Qaim Ali Shah, is one of the contestants in NA-202 Khairpur I and Shazia Atta Mari who filed her nomination papers for NA-209 Sanghar I
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
NA-192 Kashmore-Shikarpur:
Previously in 2018, this constituency was named as NA-198 Shikarpur I, with Abid Hussain Bhayo of PPP-P being victorious after begging 64,283 votes. Ibrahim Jatoi, an influential independent, was second, securing 45,016 votes. For the February 8 elections, Jatoi and JUI-F Sindh chief Maulana Rashid Mehmood are in the run in this constituency.
NA-200 Sukkur I:
Nauman Islam Sheikh of PPP-P was the winner in 2018. He had secured 70,870 votes followed by 60,531 votes for PTI’s Mobeen Ahmed. Both are again among the aspirants for this constituency which was known as NA-207 Sukkur II in 2024, but without a PPP-P candidate.
NA-220 Hyderabad III:
The PPP-P didn’t have a candidate for this constituency in 2018 too when it was called NA-227 Hyderabad III and Salahuddin of MQM-P elected as MNA with 52,056 votes.
NA-232 Korangi I [Karachi]:
Begging 69,161 votes, Akram Khan of PTI was the winner in 2018. Syed Imran Haider Abidi of PPP-P was a distant sixth with 11,887 votes from this constituency previous called NA-239 Korangi I.
NA-233 Korangi II [Karachi]:
Known as NA-240 Korangi II, people in this area had elected Iqbal Muhammad Ali Khan of MQM-P as their representative in 2018 by giving him public mandate with 61,165 votes. His rival from PPP-P Muhammad Feroze was placed sixth. He secured 7,586 votes.
NA-234 Korangi III [Karachi]:
It was labelled as NA-241 Korangi III for the previous general elections. The winner from this constituency was PTI nominee – Faheem Khan – who had polled 26,714 votes. Back then, the PPP-P candidate, Moazzam Ali Qureshi, could only beg 9,370 votes, leaving him fifth in the race – again showing the Korangi district of Karachi has very little appetite for the province’s largest party.
NA-240 South II [Karachi]:
This newly-formed constituency comprises of areas which were previously part of NA-240 Korangi, NA-246 South and NA-247 South. The PPP-P couldn’t clinch any of these in 2018. Abdul Shakoor Shad in a major surprise had snatched NA-246 – covering the Lyari area, a PPP-P bastion – after polling 52,750 votes with another 42,377 for Ahmed Bilal Saleem Qadri of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). It means Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was placed third place after obtaining 39,347 votes.
NA-250 Central IV [Karachi]:
Syed Sajid Hassan with 7,587 votes had been racked seventh in the race for this constituency in 2018 when it was listed as NA-256 Central IV. PTI’s Muhammad Najeeb Haroon was the winner after begging 89,857 votes.
SINDH ASSEMBLY
The 11 provincial assembly seats in Sindh where the PPP isn’t contesting are: PS-18 Ghotki I, PS-31 Khairpur VI, PS-64 Hyderabad V, PS-65 Hyderabad VI, PS-70 Badin III, PS-88 Malir V [Karachi], PS-90 Korangi I [Karachi], PS-92 Korangi III [Karachi], PS-108 South III [Karachi], PS-109 South IV [Karachi] and PS-117 West III [Karachi].
KARACHI MAYOR FACTOR CANCELLED
Another interesting fact, which can’t be ignored, is that the PPP-P currently holds the office of Karachi’s mayor, but could even field its nominees for six national and five provincial seats in the megacity.
Govt forms committee to probe May 9 violence as a whole
ISLAMABAD – Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi said Saturday that a committee had been constituted to probe into the May 9, 2023 incidents.
Speaking in a programme of a private new channel, he said the Caretaker Minister for Law and Justice will be the convener of the committee while the Interior Ministry would play its crucial role in this process.
The minister said the committee would take two weeks to prepare its recommendations. He said the committee has to look into May 9th as a whole to determine as to how these events happened and what steps should be taken to prevent reoccurrence of such incidents in future. To a question, the information minister said there is complete freedom of speech in the country and there is no ban on asking questions. Replying to another question about general elections, he said under article 218(3) of the Constitution, it is constitutional prerogative of the Election Commission of Pakistan to issue and change the election schedule. Murtaza Solangi said the ECP has already given the election date in the country. He said security of the political leaders is the responsibility of federal and provincial governments. The minister said in the past, elections were held in severe weather conditions and even the poor security situation in the country. He said we have full confidence in the ECP and it is our responsibility to assist the ECP in their administrative and financial needs. Talking about the article written by the Founding Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and published in the British weekly newspaper “ The Economist ‘’, he termed it a Ghost article and said it was not dispatched from the Jail. He termed this article as a piece of propaganda.
ECP likely to discuss recently passed controversial resolution seeking to delay polls
ISLAMABAD – The Election Commission of Pakistan [ECP] is likely to hold a meeting to discuss a recently passed controversial resolution seeking to delay the polls due to security concerns. The Upper House of parliament on Thursday passed a resolution with a thin presence of lawmakers in the house.
Independent Senator Dilawar Khan, mover of the resolution, argued that the Constitution upheld the right to vote for every citizen of Pakistan to vote in the polls. He said the Election Commission of Pakistan was bound to conduct free and fair polls contingent upon inclusivity and ensuring the participation of all regional people.
He expressing concerns on recent attempts on the lives of JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman, former lawmaker Mohsin Dawar asked for delay in the polls. The resolution also drew attention towards the unsuitability of conditions for election campaigns in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, proposing a postponement of the February 8 elections in these region. The Election Commission of Pakistan, according to the sources, has received a Senate-approved resolution to defer the general elections.
The Election Commission is planning to call a meeting to discuss the resolution. Talking to The Nation, former secretary ECP Kanwar Dilshad said that the resolution has not much importance and it will not push to delay in the polls. The mover of the resolution has also been charged-sheet so now it has no importance.
Appellate Tribunal rejects appeal of PTI’s Qureshi
MULTAN – Appellate tribunal Saturday rejected the appeal of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf TI central leader Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi for contesting elections from NA-150, NA 151, and PP-218.
Earlier, the Returning Officers for NA 150, NA 151 and PP 218 rejected the nomination papers of Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Judge Appellate Tribunal Justice Sarfraz Muhammad Dogar announced the decision, on Saturday. The Tribunal maintained the decision of Returning Officers.
Appellate Tribunals constituted to dispose of the appeals filed against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers for the general elections will continue to decide on appeals till Wednesday.
These tribunals are being headed by judges of the High Courts. According to election schedule, the preliminary list of candidates will be displayed on the 11th of this month and candidates can withdraw their nomination papers by 12th of January.
The electoral symbols will be allotted on the 13th of this month while polling for general elections will be held on 8th of next month.
PML-N to launch election campaign next week: Marriyum
LAHORE – PML-N leader Marriyum Aurangzeb says her party will start election campaign from next week to present the economic agenda before people. Talking to newsmen in Lahore, she said PML-N will not allow anyone to escape from elections. She said sensible people of the country will select people of 28th May instead of 9th May.
Election Tribunal issues notice to Nawaz Sharif
PESHAWAR – The Election Tribunal of Peshawar High Court, Abbottabad bench on Friday issued notice to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on a petition filed by PTI leader Azam Swati, who challenged the Returning Officer’s decision regarding acceptance of the nomination of the three time Prime Minister. Azam Swati’s lawyer told the Tribunal that Nawaz Sharif was disqualified for life by the apex court in Panama case and his nomination papers may be rejected. The Tribunal issued notice to Nawaz Sharif for Saturday, tomorrow.
Justice being served must be evident in judicial orders: CJP
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa said Saturday that not everyone needs to agree with the court’s decision but those orders must show that justice is being done.
The remarks came as the top judge addressed the ceremony for the launch of the Federal Judicial Academy’s e-campus in Islamabad.
“Every citizen has the right to disagree with the decisions of judiciary. It isn’t necessary that the citizens concur with [the decisions] but justice should be seen being done in judicial decisions,” the top judge said.
He commended the broadcast of the Supreme Court’s (SC) hearing of the SC Practice and Procedure Act case live, saying that live coverage gives the viewers, especially the students, an opportunity to learn, the top judge said while commending the
“Live coverage gives people the confidence that justice is being served,” CJP Isa said.
He said that the academy was working under a strong board and its success is the success for everyone.
CJP Isa said that as many as 3,200 judges are working in the country and the academy is providing training on different levels.
He said that the academy brings together judges from different provinces and regions on a single platform where they can share their experiences and ideas with each other.
He further stated that he feels satisfied by seeing the use of modern technology in the judicial academy.
Fawad Chaudhry remanded to NAB custody till Jan 8 in graft case
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday was granted a four-day extension in the physical remand of former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry in a graft case related to development projects in Jhelum by an accountability court in Islamabad.
Islamabad Accountability Court-1 Judge Muhammad Bashir extended Fawad’s physical remand on NAB’s request as the anti-graft watchdog’s prosecutor apprised the court that they had to recover banking records related to the suspect.
After examining seven bank accounts, the NAB found some of the transactions “suspicious”, the prosecutor said, adding that they have doubts about the former federal minister “receiving bribes”.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the accountability court served the verdict which was later announced on the same day.
In its verdict, the court granted NAB a four-day extension in Fawad’s physical remand and directed the officials to produce the suspect before the court on January 9.
In addition to this, the court also approved Fawad’s plea seeking permission to meet with his family during the detention.
It is pertinent to mention here that NAB had taken Fawad into custody on December 16 in the corruption case. NAB Chairman Lt-Gen (retd) Nazir Ahmed Butt had signed an arrest warrant for Chaudhry after which he was taken into custody from Adiala jail — where he was incarcerated in the fraud case.
On December 20, the anti-graft watchdog got a 10-day physical remand of the former federal minister. After completion of the remand, Fawad was presented before the court on December 30.
During the course of the proceedings, NAB Prosecutor Irfan Bhola told the court that the former PTI leader was under interrogation and was divulging details related to alleged irregularities. Later, the court extended his physical remand for another six days.
ECONOMY PAKISTAN
