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“Musharraf used the NAB for political agenda, dismissing the constitutional system.”

Published

6 months ago

Farwa

A comprehensive 16-page written ruling on the government’s intra-court appeal concerning the nullification of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) statute has been made public by the Supreme Court.

The verdict, which was written by Pakistan’s Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, reinstates the NAB changes and overturns the prior decision made by a two-member court.

The ruling explores the background of the NAB law, noting that it was passed by former army chief General Pervez Musharraf only 34 days after he had taken over via force. The court emphasised that Musharraf exploited the law to further his personal political goals and disregarded the democratic constitution.

The ruling mentions that Musharraf dismissed judges of the Supreme Court who disagreed with his unlawful acts.

Additionally, Justice Athar Minallah sent a message expressing his agreement with Chief Justice Isa’s decision. He emphasised that the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Act did not accept the government’s appeal and that only appeals from parties who have been wronged are accepted.

He pronounced the previous ruling, which had annulled the NAB modifications, to be void and emphasised that judges and military personnel should not be free from NAB legislation.

The Supreme Court emphasised that there are clear functions for the legislative and judiciary under the Constitution, and they must take great care to avoid interfering with one another’s purview. It served as a reminder to both branches to carry out their constitutionally mandated tasks in service of the people. The judiciary—including the chief justice—is not the “gatekeeper” of parliament, the court emphasised once more.

As per the preamble draughted during the Musharraf administration, the court noted that the principal aim of the NAB law was to suppress corruption. Nonetheless, the court observed that it had been employed for political retaliation and manipulation, given that lawmakers who backed Musharraf were frequently found not guilty.

“The main purpose of the NAB law was political revenge from politicians or political engineering,” the decision noted.

It also mentioned the three noteworthy changes made to the NAB law:

June 22, 2022, saw the enactment of the first amendment.

On August 22, 2022, the second amendment was proposed.
“On May 29, 2023, the third amendment was ratified, following six hearings in which the court heard arguments opposing the NAB revisions.

Although the court did not go over the third amendment in any depth, it emphasised that laws should be preserved rather than being quickly overturned. It also made it clear that the interpretation that favours the legislation’s legality will prevail when two interpretations of the same statute exist.

The ruling stated that “the PTI founder’s petition and the old judgement of the Supreme Court were not according to the Constitution,” and it also stated that the court was not persuaded that the amendments were illegal in this particular case.

The PTI founder’s appeal was denied by the Supreme Court, which said it was not filed in a sincere effort. It further emphasised the fact that Imran Khan himself had proposed a large number of these changes.

needsIt was noted that the Practice and Procedure Act had been passed five months before the decision to change the NAB statute. Following that, the Supreme Court denied a request to establish a five-member bench to hear the petition challenging the modifications. A five-member bench needs to be assembled for the NAB amendments case, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah noted. The Supreme Court stated that the two-member bench would not have been able to hear or rule on the case against the NAB changes if Justice Shah had recused himself from the bench.

The Practice and Procedure Act hearings were postponed for 100 days and then resumed on September 18, 2023, according to the statement.

The court effectively reinstated the government’s earlier actions on the NAB statute when it stated in its closing remarks that the bill had been utilised for political objectives and that its amendments should remain.

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Imran Khan is the sole former Prime Minister to undergo a judicial trial. Omar Ayub

Published

21 hours ago

Farwa

Omar Ayub, the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and a PTI leader, has asserted that Imran Khan is the sole former prime minister currently facing trial in prison.

Omar Ayub disclosed to the reporters outside the Judicial Complex Islamabad that the Chief Justice had summoned him for a meeting in his capacity as Opposition Leader.

He additionally indicated that upon meeting Imran Khan, he requested permission three times prior to participating in negotiations with the Chief Justice. Imran Khan authorized the meeting, and PTI presented its plan to the Chief Justice, emphasizing human rights and judicial reforms.

He stated that the fundamental rights of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi are being intentionally infringed upon in prison, as neither he nor their sons are permitted to visit them.

Omar Ayub noted that, unlike other past prime ministers who had trials in open courts, Imran Khan is uniquely facing a trial in prison.

He alleged that the government are perpetrating police violence against PTI workers, asserting that PTI leaders across Punjab, Islamabad, Sindh, and Balochistan are experiencing harassment.

Simultaneously, a hearing concerning nine cases against Omar Ayub took place before the Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC). Judge Abul Hasanat Zulqarnain presided over the ATC proceedings.

At the hearing, a defense attorney sought a postponement owing to the absence of senior counsel Dr. Babar Awan. The court granted the request and rescheduled the hearing for April 10.

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More than 10 energy projects are nearing completion in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Published

21 hours ago

Farwa

PESHAWAR: Secretary of Energy and Power Muhammad Zubair Khan stated that multiple hydropower projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) are nearing completion.

During a high-level assessment meeting, the Secretary of Energy stated that the projects would contribute to the economic stability of the province and the future development of the industrial sector.

In the meeting, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (PEDO) reported the completion of seven hydroelectric projects, generating a total of 161 megawatts of electricity and yielding over Rs 4 billion yearly.

CEO PEDO Engr Riaz Ahmed Jan addressed the gathering that 12 energy projects, encompassing hydro, solar electricity, and transmission lines, are currently in progress.

The projects comprise 300 MW Balakot Mansehra, 157 MW Madyen Swat, 88 MW Gabral Kalam, 84 MW Matiltan Swat, 69 MW Lawi Chitral, 40.8 MW Koto Dir, 11.8 MW Krora Shangla, 10.5 MW Chapri Charkhel Kuram, and 6.9 MW Mujahideen Power Project Torghar.

He stated that these projects will produce a total of 778 MW of power, resulting in an annual revenue exceeding 45 billion rupees for the province.

Furthermore, Project Director Solar Engineer Asfandyar reported that the provincial government has finalized plans to convert 8,000 schools, 5,762 mosques, 6,650 houses, 187 primary health units, and government buildings, including the Chief Minister Secretariat, to solar energy across various districts of the province.

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Alibaba pledges to invest $53 billion in cloud computing and AI by 2027.

Published

21 hours ago

Farwa

Alibaba, the preeminent e-commerce and technology firm in China, declared on Monday a significant investment of 380 billion yuan ($53 billion) on artificial intelligence and cloud computing infrastructure by 2027, representing the company’s most substantial technological commitment to date.

The news follows closely on the heels of Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma’s attendance at a prominent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, indicating a possible thaw in relations between China’s technology sector and regulatory bodies.

This extraordinary investment will exceed Alibaba’s cumulative expenditure on AI and cloud initiatives over the previous ten years, according per company declarations. The program seeks to enhance Alibaba’s technology innovation capabilities and expedite its AI-driven growth plan.

Eddie Wu, CEO of Alibaba, recently emphasised the company’s robust performance, announcing an 8% sales increase to 280 billion yuan for the quarter ending in December, surpassing market forecasts. The announcement prompted a 14% increase in Alibaba’s shares listed in Hong Kong last Friday.

The investment announcement signifies a wider resurgence in Chinese technology stocks, which have surged since early 2024. The resurgence of this sector follows a difficult phase characterised by regulatory scrutiny that commenced in 2020, impacting significant technology firms such as Alibaba and its fintech subsidiary Ant Group.

Recent advancements in China’s AI industry, such as the introduction of DeepSeek’s chatbot, have bolstered investor confidence. This occurs when China’s economy confronts persistent difficulties in consumer expenditure and real estate sectors.

President Xi’s recent meeting with business leaders, during which he described present economic issues as “surmountable,” has been broadly regarded as an endorsement of the private sector, especially the technology industry.

Although particular project allocations are not revealed, Alibaba’s investment plan underscores the company’s commitment to long-term technological progress and the development of AI infrastructure.

The news establishes Alibaba as a leader in China’s artificial intelligence competition, as prominent technology firms globally amplify their investments in AI skills and cloud infrastructure.