ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government on Thursday started contacting the opposition factions to build consensus on an amendment in the Army Act that would make it legally possible to extend General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s service tenure and plug any loopholes preventing the appointment/reappointment of services chiefs.
The federal cabinet on Wednesday approved amendment in the Army Act in a hurriedly convened meeting in an attempt to pave way for extending the army chief’s tenure for another three years.
A government delegation led by Defense Minister Pervez Khattak on Thursday called on the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers, seeking their support for the legislation.
“We will also meet other opposition parties after the PML-N,” the defense minister told the media after meeting the PML-N legislators.
“The government will table the bill in parliament for vote after consulting all opposition parties,” he added. “Hopefully, we will be able to complete the consultation process by evening today.”
The cabinet has approved amendments in section 172 of the Army Act and Article 155 of the Services Rules. According to the proposed amendment, the maximum age limit for an army chief will be 64 years, which will be applicable in case of an extension in his term, but the regular age limit for an army chief will be 60 years.
Also, the government insists it will continue be the prime minister’s prerogative to grant extension to army chiefs in the future.
Prime Minister Imran Khan extended General Bajwa’s tenure through a notification in August 2019, but the Supreme Court suspended it on November 26, citing irregularities and loopholes in the relevant laws.
The court later announced that General Bajwa would remain the army chief for another six months during which parliament would legislate on the extension/reappointment of an army chief.
“The government has given an undertaking in the Supreme Court to legislate on the issue within six months, therefore it is bound to do it,” Barrister Omer Malik, told Arab News. “If the government fails to legislate, General Bajwa’s tenure will expire in May 2020 and the government will have to appoint a new army chief.”
Malik said the top court had noted in its verdict that no law currently existed to appoint/reappoint an army chief, adding that the gap needed to be filled through legislation. “Once parliament approves this legislation, the issue hopefully will be settled for good,” he added.
Besides moving on the legislation, the government has also filed a review petition in the Supreme Court against its verdict on the army chief’s tenure, seeking it to be set aside. The government said in its petition that the apex court could not interfere in the legislative domain or assume a parallel legislative function.
Keeping in mind the limited chances of the apex court’s verdict to be reversed in the review, the government has started building political consensus to legislate on the issue. “In a review petition the scope of getting a verdict reversed, or get a favorable judgment, is very limited,” Malik said. “There is only one instance so far in our judicial history [the houbara bustard hunting case] where the Supreme Court has reversed its verdict in a review petition.”
On the other hand, the opposition parties have also started consultations on the issue, trying to figure out if they should support or reject the government bill on extension in the army chief’s tenure.
“The Pakistan Peoples Party is waiting for the government to present the bill in parliament,” Sehar Kamran, senior PPP member, told Arab News. “We will decide in the interest of democracy, constitution and rule of law.”
However, she said the law should not be “person- or situation-specific,” adding that it should help improve the system. “It is an important issue. Its overall impact and implications are to be considered,” she said.
Muhammad Zubair, PML-N senior member and former governor Sindh, said his party would consult on the issue and then make a formal decision. “It is an important national issue, and we will decide what is better for the institution and the country,” he told Arab News.
Government seeks opposition support to legislate on army chief’s extension
https://arab.news/65uym
Government seeks opposition support to legislate on army chief’s extension
- The PTI administration is bound to legislate on the matter after assuring the apex court about it in November
- Failure to legislate may force the government to appoint the new army chief
India’s network of extrajudicial killings and kidnappings has spread globally, says Pakistan
- The Washington Post published report on India’s “methodical assassination program” to kill Pakistani nationals in Pakistan
- There are other countries too that have supported our position and have seen India’s foreign activities, says foreign office
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson reacted to a report this week by The Washington Post about India carrying out assassinations in neighboring Pakistan, saying that New Delhi’s network of extrajudicial killings has spread globally.
The Washington Post published a report on Dec. 31 on a “methodical assassination program” employed by India’s Research and Intelligence Wing (RAW) intelligence agency since 2021 to kill at least a half dozen people deep within Pakistan.
The report examined six cases in Pakistan through interviews with Pakistani and Indian officials, the militants’ allies and family members, and a review of police documents and other evidence collected by Pakistani investigators.
“We have seen that India’s network of extrajudicial killings and kidnappings has spread globally now,” Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the foreign office spokesperson, said in response to a question during a news briefing. “There are other countries too that have supported our position and have seen India’s foreign activities. They are concerned about these activities, especially the killings of foreign nationals on foreign soil.”
The report and Pakistan’s reaction to it comes amid tense relations between India and Canada hitting new lows in 2023 after the Canadian government said it was investigating a link between Indian government agents and the killing of a Sikh separatist leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, on Canadian soil.
New Delhi denies involvement in Nijjar’s killing, and “strongly” rejected Canada’s allegations.
Pakistan has repeatedly blamed India for sponsoring “terrorism” on its soil, blaming the country for arming and aiding militants in southwestern Pakistan, where it alleges New Delhi is targeting its economic partnership with China.
“Pakistan has raised expressed serious reservations over extrajudicial killings carried out by India’s intelligence agencies within Pakistan,” the spokesperson said.
Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have fought two of three wars after independence from British rule in 1947 over the disputed former princely state of Kashmir. The first war was fought in 1947, the second in 1965, and a third, largely over what became Bangladesh, in 1971.
Pakistan says not in contact with new Syrian leadership, supports efforts to uphold country’s unity
- Pakistan believes Syria’s future should correspond to aspirations of the Syrian people, says foreign office
- Opposition forces in Syria ousted former president Bashar Assad in December after lightening offensives
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson confirmed on Thursday that Islamabad has not established direct contact with the new Syrian leadership yet, reiterating that it supports a solution that upholds the unity and territorial integrity of the Middle Eastern state.
Opposition forces in Syria, after lightening military campaigns, seized the capital Damascus in December 2024 as then-President Bashar Assad fled to Russia. The Syrian leader was ousted after 13 years of civil war and more than 50 years of his family’s rule over the country.
Days after Assad was ousted, Pakistan said it supported an “inclusive political process” in Syria and believed that the Middle Eastern nation’s future should be determined by its people without foreign interference.
“I would not like to comment on specific details, but at this stage we do not have direct contacts with the leadership of Syria,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in response to a question. “But our embassy remains active in Syria.”
She said the Pakistani government has consistently supported efforts aimed at finding a “comprehensive solution” to the situation in Syria.
“The solution that upholds the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria,” Baloch said, adding that Pakistan believes the future of Syria should correspond to the aspirations of the Syrian people for security, stability and development.
“And Pakistan will continue to promote peace and stability in Syria,” she said.
Following Assad family’s ouster after over five decades in power, opposition forces’ leader Ahmad Al-Sharaa’s Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) stamped its authority on the Syrian state with the same lightning speed it seized the country.
The HTS deployed police, installed an interim government and has been meeting foreign envoys, raising concerns over how inclusive Damascus’ new rulers intend to be.
The appointment of Mohammed Al-Bashir, the head of the regional government in HTS’ enclave of Idlib, as Syria’s new interim prime minister last month underlined the group’s status as the most powerful of the armed groups that battled for more than 13 years to end Assad’s iron-fisted rule.
Libya boat tragedy: Pakistan’s FIA issues Interpol red notices to 20 human traffickers
- Around 262 Pakistanis drowned when overcrowded vessel sank off Greec coastal town of Pylos
- State media says Pakistan arrested 144 people, among them 16 lawyers, in connection to boat tragedy
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has issued red notices through Interpol for 20 foreign-based human traffickers involved in the 2023 Libyan boat tragedy that claimed the lives of over 260 Pakistanis, state media said on Thursday.
Hundreds of migrants, including 262 Pakistanis, drowned when an overcrowded vessel traveling from Libya capsized and sank in international waters off the southwestern Greek coastal town of Pylos. It was one of the deadliest boat disasters ever recorded in the Mediterranean Sea.
Following the tragedy, the issue of illegal immigration to Europe gained significant attention in Pakistan, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordering “intensified efforts” against human traffickers.
The incident highlighted the perilous journeys many migrants undertake, often driven by economic hardship, as young individuals seek better financial prospects by attempting dangerous crossings to Europe.
“The red notices were issued through Interpol for 20 foreign-based traffickers,” the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said. “FIA said the arrests of these agents were initiated with the assistance of global law enforcement agencies.”
It added that FIA had also begun blocking identity cards and bank accounts linked to human trafficking facilitators involved in the Libyan boat accident.
The state media said that at least 144 people, among them 16 lawyers, were arrested by the FIA in connection with the boat tragedy. The FIA said it has registered 197 cases and blacklisted the passports of 55 others involved in the incident.
APP said DG FIA Ahmad Ishaq Jahangir directed officers deputed at the airport to ensure strict surveillance and prevent suspects from fleeing abroad.
Several Pakistanis, in a bid to escape economic hardships at home, often undertake these illegal and dangerous journeys to enter Europe. The latest incident involving Pakistani passengers took place last month, on Dec. 19, when Pakistan’s mission in Greece confirmed that five Pakistanis had been killed in a migrant boat tragedy off the Greek island of Gavdos.
Subsequently, on Dec. 27, Pakistani authorities arrested a woman along with two other human smugglers.
Pakistani prosthetics startup launches AI-powered limb factory in Gaza to aid amputees
- Established in 2016, BIONIKS says its mobile factory is equipped with AI tools to design limbs
- Company says its initiative is part of its belief that technology has the power to transform lives
KARACHI: BIONIKS, a Karachi-based startup specializing in orthotics and prosthetics, has launched a mobile AI-powered limb factory in Gaza to provide customized prosthetic arms and legs to amputees in the conflict-stricken region, the company announced in its newsletter on Wednesday.
The company, established in 2016, announced the initiative as part of its commitment to creating an inclusive world by leveraging cutting-edge technology to transform lives.
The mobile factory is equipped with advanced artificial intelligence tools to design and produce prosthetic limbs, enabling on-site assistance in underserved areas.
“We believe technology has the power to transform lives,” BIONIKS said in a statement. “By taking advanced prosthetic solutions directly to those in need, we aim to restore independence, mobility, and dignity to individuals affected by conflict and hardship.”
The initiative comes as Gaza grapples with a dire humanitarian crisis since the beginning of Israel’s military campaign in October 2023. BIONIKS said it hoped the factory would act as a lifeline for amputees by providing accessible and innovative solutions in regions where resources are limited.
BIONIKS gained international attention in 2021 when it provided a multi-grip bionic arm to four-year-old Mohammed Sideeq, making him the youngest recipient of such a prosthetic limb.
The startup’s co-founder, Anas Niaz, said designing the arm for a child so young was unprecedented.
“No one in the world has ever made a bionic arm for such a young age,” Niaz told Arab News in 2021. “We knew this was nearly impossible, but Mohammed had high hopes to get a bionic arm.”
The lightweight and durable arm allowed Sideeq to resume daily activities, including playing and buttoning his shirt, showcasing BIONIKS’ commitment to blending innovation with functionality.
Deputy PM Ishaq Dar denies diplomatic isolation claims, highlights Pakistan’s global presence
- Dar says government’s approach was to increase Pakistan’s diplomatic footprint in the region
- A flurry of visits by foreign dignitaries to strengthen business ties marked the last year in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday dismissed claims that Pakistan was diplomatically isolated, emphasizing that the country remained fully engaged on all international platforms last year.
Dar had promised to prioritize economic diplomacy to bolster Pakistan’s international standing and attract much-needed foreign investment after taking office last year. He highlighted the government’s active external engagements, marked by a flurry of visits from foreign dignitaries as Pakistan sought sustainable growth and investment in key economic sectors.
Efforts have focused on strengthening business and investment ties with regional allies, including Russia, Central Asian states and Gulf nations, as the country navigates economic recovery after a prolonged crisis.
“Faced with the unprecedented challenges at the national, regional and global levels, our consistent and successful approach was to improve our diplomatic footprint, especially in the region,” the deputy prime minister said while addressing a news conference.
“You witnessed that in the past year, the perception or reality [of diplomatic isolation] has vanished by the grace of God,” he added. “Today, Pakistan is fully activated [diplomatically].”
He also mentioned Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan’s visit to Pakistan last year, noting that all global issues were discussed during his meetings with Pakistani officials.
Dar spoke about the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who visited the country last year to strengthen bilateral ties with Pakistan amid surging tensions in the Middle East.
He recalled that Pakistan had been represented by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the World Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia last year, praising him for speaking openly against Israel for its war in Gaza.
Dar said Sharif’s visits to the Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan were aimed at promoting investment, adding that Pakistan expected about $29 billion in business and commerce from these countries.
The deputy prime minister noted that Pakistan was also active on the humanitarian front, pointing out it had sent 14 relief consignments to Gaza, nine to Lebanon and four to Syria in 2024.
