December 2022 - Page 18 of 21

Five terrorists killed, soldier martyred in North Waziristan shootout

Security forces Monday gunned down five terrorists in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in North Waziristan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

In a statement, the military’s media wing said that during the intense exchange of fire, Sepoy Nasir Khan, 25, a resident of South Waziristan fought gallantly and embraced martyrdom.

The statement mentioned that as the forces conducted the operation, they had effectively engaged the terrorists’ location and after killing them, they recovered weapons and ammunition.

“The killed terrorists remained actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces and killing of innocent citizens,” the military’s media wing said.

The ISPR added that the sanitisation of the area is being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area.

The shootout comes after a notorious terrorist commander Muhammad Noor alias Sarakai was gunned down by troops of security forces in North Waziristan’s general area Shewa on December 2 (Friday).

The military’s media wing stated that the terrorist was killed during an intense exchange of fire.

“The terrorist remained actively involved in high profile terrorist activities against security forces as well as kidnapping for ransom and was highly-wanted by [Counter Terrorism Department] CTD in multiple cases,” the statement read.

ECP moves to remove Imran Khan as PTI chairman

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday initiated the process to remove Imran Khan as chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) following his disqualification in the Toshakhana reference

According to ECP sources, a notice has been issued to the PTI chief and the case has been fixed for a hearing on December 13.

The Election Commission will also resume hearing on a show cause notice to the PTI on the basis of the foreign funding case judgement on the same day, the publication reported.

However, a senior PTI leader has questioned the legality of the notice issued to the party chairman and said it had already been decided to write to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja for an explanation.

He insisted that there was no legal footing to remove a party leader and there was no bar on any convicted person from leading or becoming an office-bearer of a political party.

The Elections Act 2017 has not retained the provision, which was part of Section 5 (1) of the erstwhile Political Parties Order 2002, which read, “Every citizen, not being in the service of Pakistan, shall have the right to form or be a member of a political party or be otherwise associated with a political party or take part in political activities or be elected as an office-bearer of a political party: provided that a person shall not be appointed or serve as an office-bearer of a political party if he is not qualified to be, or is disqualified from being, elected or chosen as a member of the Majlis-e-Shoora under Article 63 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan or under any other law for the time being in force….”

It is pertinent to note that a three-member bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, headed by then chief justice Saqib Nisar in 2018 and consisting of Justice Umer Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, had heard petitions challenging the Elections Act 2017.

The bench ruled in its judgment that former premier Nawaz Sharif did not qualify to serve as PML-N president.

In October last, the commission had disqualified Imran Khan in the Toshakhana reference under Article 63 (1) (p) for making ‘false statements and an incorrect declaration’ and the written order read that the respondent had ‘intentionally and deliberately’ violated the provisions contained [in] Sections 137, 167 and 173 of the Elections Act 2017, as he ‘has made false statements and an incorrect declaration before the commission in the statement of assets and liabilities filed by him for the year 2020-21.

The ECP also said in its order, “Accordingly, he (Imran Khan) ceases to be a member of the National Assembly and legal proceedings will be initiated against him under Section 190 (2) of the Elections Act 2017.”

Saudi crown prince to invest in Credit Suisse, says report

Citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, the US financial newspaper listed several potential investors in the new unit.

In addition to the Saudi crown prince, the potential investors include Atlas Merchant Capital, a private-equity firm run by British banking giant Barclays’ former chief Bob Diamond, which was also considering pumping $500 million into the unit, according to the sources quoted by WSJ.

Credit Suisse itself has previously said it had $500 million committed from an unnamed investor, and its chairman said last week that it has other firm commitments, the daily reported on Sunday.

The bank has yet to receive a formal proposal from the Saudi entity, WSJ’s sources said.

Credit Suisse unveiled a dramatic restructuring plan at the end of October, focused on radically transforming its investment banking unit, at the heart of a string of scandals.

Among the changes, it decided to revive its First Boston brand, named after a US investment bank it absorbed in 1990, where its capital market and advisory activities will be brought together.

At least 5 killed in blast in north Afghanistan

“Today at around 7am a blast took place in […] Balkh on a bus which belonged to Hairatan oil employees,” said Mohammad Asif Wazeri, police spokesman for northern province of Balkh, adding that at least four people were wounded.

He later said the explosion was caused by a bomb. “The bomb was placed in a cart by the roadside. It was detonated as the bus arrived.”

Balkh province is home to one of Afghanistan’s main dry ports in the town of Hairatan, near the border with Uzbekistan, which has rail and road links to Central Asia.

China has bid its farewell to former leader Jiang Zemin in a state memorial service in Beijing.

Jiang, who took power after the 1989 crackdown of the Tiananmen Square protests, will be remembered for leading the country through a decade of burgeoning economic growth and prosperity.

He oversaw notable events like China’s entry into the World Trade Organization, and the handover of Hong Kong from the British to the Chinese.

The Chinese Communist Party said he died last Wednesday from leukaemia and multiple organ failures. He was 96.

President Xi Jinping delivered the eulogy in a near hour-long ceremony in the Great Hall of the People, where he “Comrade Jiang’s” decisive leadership.

“He had the extraordinary courage to make bold decisions and the great courage to carry out theoretical innovation at critical moments,” he told a packed hall of dignitaries in black suits.

Mourners observed three minutes of silence outside Jiang’s former home in Yangzhou, in Jiangsu province

Some people on Shanghai’s streets also observed the silence. However observers said that life largely went on as normal

Covid testing workers held a silence in Bazhou in China’s western Xinjiang region

In Hong Kong, students observed a silence at school assemblies

Chinese soldiers frogmarch as they carry Jiang Zemin's glass coffin off a place arriving from Shanghai — Jiang died in Shanghai. On Monday, a plane carrying his glass coffin arrived in Beijing for the formalities

Chinese leaders pay their final respects to Jiang Zemin at the Chinese PLA General Hospital in Beijing, China on Monday 5/12 — Chinese President Xi Jinping and other party leaders paid their final respects to Jiang in a smaller ceremony at a Beijing hospital on Monday. He was cremated later that day.

Labour’s proposed reforms to the British political system would “make the UK work for Scotland”, former prime minister Gordon Brown has said.

The party’s plans include a binding veto for Holyrood over devolved issues and the power to join international arrangements like the Erasmus scheme.

Labour is also looking at replacing the House of Lords with an elected “assembly of the nations and regions”.

Sir Keir Starmer said they would give the nations a “louder, prouder voice”.

But the SNP described the package of measures as “underwhelming”.

The proposals were launched at an event in Leeds, followed by another event in Edinburgh on Monday afternoon.

They include plans to spread power across the nations of the UK as well as to English regions and local mayors, in what Sir Keir called the “biggest ever transfer of power from Westminster to the British people”.

The paper – titled A New Britain – says Labour in government would offer “economic, social and constitutional innovations that can make the UK work better for the Scottish people”.

This would include a “legally binding” replacement for the Sewel convention, which states that Westminster would not normally legislate across devolved areas without the express consent of MSPs.

This happened a number of times as Brexit legislation was passing through the Commons, and Labour said this “disregarded the conventions which govern the exercise of power”.

The paper also proposes giving the Scottish Parliament some powers over foreign affairs, so that Scotland could sign up to international groups or agreements within devolved areas – such as the EU’s Erasmus student exchange scheme.

And it says there would be a consultation on increasing Holyrood’s borrowing powers.

Labour wants to abolish the House of Lords and replace it with an elected chamber

Mr Brown told BBC Scotland: “I want the United Kingdom to work for Scotland and Scottish people.

“I want to see a change in the United Kingdom that makes it more attractive for Scottish people to support it and I believe we have come forward with measures to do so.”

The ex-Labour leader also wants to see greater co-operation between governments to deal with shared problems such as pandemics and pollution.

Mr Brown said he wanted to see “new job creating clusters” developing in Scotland in areas such as precision medicine in Glasgow and the video games industry in Dundee.

The former prime minister called for an overhaul of the Lords, which he said was “the biggest second chamber outside of China.”

Other reforms could see a new Council of the United Kingdom, to be chaired by the prime minister, which would replace the existing Joint Ministerial Committee system as a way of bringing together ministers from the UK’s devolved administrations.

Another recommendation is for Scotland to be represented on key UK national bodies, such as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department for Transport, Bank of England and the energy regulator Ofgem.

Scottish politics has become heavily polarised since the independence referendum in 2014, much to the Labour Party’s disadvantage.

This once dominant force has been squeezed into third place – with “yes” voters typically backing the SNP and “no” voters tending more towards the Conservatives than Labour, in defence of the union.

Gordon Brown is attempting to reset the debate with a package of UK-wide reforms that include some further devolution of power to Scotland and a bigger voice for Scotland in the UK and internationally.

These proposals will inevitably be considered too vague and weak by some independence supporters and as a misguided attempt to appease nationalists by some supporters of the union.

Labour’s hope is that instead of failing to please voters on either side of the debate, change within the UK could become a popular alternative to either independence or keeping the UK as it currently operates.

Meanwhile, “thousands” of civil service jobs could be transferred from London to Scotland, with responsibility for job centres to be devolved to a local level.

Taken together Mr Brown said the package “could be more attractive than independence for Scotland”.

The UK Supreme Court last month ruled that Holyrood cannot stage a second independence ballot without Westminster’s go ahead.

The SNP has said it could use the next general election as a single-issue campaign on independence, but Mr Brown said his party would be offering “change within Britain rather than change by leaving Britain”.

He said: “It may be that the SNP will have a one-line manifesto and want a one-issue general election. But we have done a huge amount of research on Scottish public opinion, and people want a better health service immediately, people want living standards improved immediately, people want jobs for young people immediately, people want better housing immediately, and people want change in the way we are suggesting immediately.

“That is going to be the issue on which we fight – we are offering a plan for economic, social, political and constitutional reform, not a one issue election.”

‘Underwhelming reform plan’

But SNP deputy leader Keith Brown dismissed Labour’s blueprint for change.

He said: “After bigging up this report for months and months, this is yet another underwhelming constitutional reform plan from the Labour Party full of vague platitudes, empty promises, and what feels like the 10,000th time they have committed to reform the House of Lords.

“Ironically, a report which claims to be about strengthening devolution in many cases actually looks set to undermine it.”

He described Labour as a “pro-Brexit party with a pro-Brexit leader”.

Mr Brown added: “Through independence, Scotland can build a genuine partnership of equals with other nations across these islands – not only protecting the existing powers of the Scottish Parliament, but allowing us to escape the failing, Brexit-based, UK economic model and build a fairer, more prosperous and sustainable Scotland.”

The government has agreed to water down housing targets for local councils, in order to put down a rebellion from Conservative MPs.

Nearly 60 rebels had pledged to back a plan to ban mandatory targets in England, delaying votes on the Levelling Up Bill.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove has now offered councils more flexibility over meeting the government-set targets.

Rebels had argued they are excessive, and undermine local councils.

Former minister and leading rebel Theresa Villiers said the government’s plans were a “compromise” that would “rebalance” planning rules.

Other Conservative MPs had expressed concern about the rebels’ plans, warning they would lead to fewer homes being built.

The public accounts committee has said the government is unlikely to meet its housebuilding targets and not enough socially-rented homes are being built.

The government said Mr Gove had now agreed to give councils more leeway to depart from government housing targets.

In a press release, the Department for Levelling Up said the targets would become a “starting point” for development, with new flexibilities to “reflect local circumstances”.

These targets, calculated using a government formula, have to be incorporated into councils’ 15-year housebuilding plans. Councils that fail to do so can have their power to block new developments curbed.

The government is yet to set out the changes in detail, with the Department for Levelling Up promising to do so on Tuesday.

Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely, another prominent rebel, said ministers had agreed that councils should be able to take an area’s density and “existing character” into account when applying the targets.

Holiday lets

In another concession to rebels, the government has also agreed to introduce registration schemes for holiday lets.

A consultation will also be launched on making homeowners get planning permission to convert their homes for tourist use.

Holiday rentals have been a big issue in a number of rural beauty spots, with MPs representing them complaining of a big expansion in lets during the Covid pandemic pushing up housing prices for locals.

The rebels also say Mr Gove has agreed that councils with an up-to-date local housebuilding plan won’t have to set aside a rolling five-year stock of land for future development.

This planning requirement, designed to make sure councils allocate enough land to fulfil their targets, had also been unpopular with rebels, who had backed a plan to scrap it completely.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Gove said the government’s proposed changes would help it meet its target of building 300,000 homes a year by the mid 2020s.

He added, however, that the pledge would be “difficult” to deliver in the next year because of the economic slump and rising inflation.

But Labour’s shadow levelling up secretary Lisa Nandy said the government’s plans for housing targets were “unconscionable in the middle of a housing crisis”.

She added that the government was “weak,” adding that the prime minister and Cabinet “are in office but not in power”.

Conservative rebels claimed to have the support of at least 100 MPs who were willing to vote against the government.

Whether genuine or not, Rishi Sunak couldn’t afford to risk a rebellion of that size.

I’m told the deal with the rebels was done towards the end of last week – and that there’s concern in government that the changes would now mean significantly fewer homes get built.

Both backbenchers and ministers are claiming this compromise is a success, but there’s no doubt prime minister’s authority has taken a hit.

Ministers accept the manifesto pledge to build 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s will now be difficult, blaming inflation, though there’s no doubt these changes won’t help.

Few at Westminster disagree with the need to build more homes, but this tussle over targets has shown it’s far harder to reach a consensus on how and where.

Next in the government’s bid to get its Levelling Up Bill through Parliament is a battle over onshore windfarms, another notoriously divisive subject on which Conservative MPs don’t see eye to eye.

The government is falling short of its housebuilding targets by 32,000 homes from its original 2016 and 2021 goals for affordable homes, a report by the public accounts committee published on Wednesday has revealed.

MPs on the committee have noted that amongst all the building targets there is not one for affordable or socially rented homes.

Committee chair Dame Meg Hillier said local authorities know where and what type of homes need to be built “to address the national housing crisis but don’t have the power to act”.

“The human cost of inaction is already affecting thousands of households and now the building programme is hitting the challenges of increased building costs,” she said.

Imran Khan’s politics seeks power even if it undermines country’s foundations: PM Shehbaz Sharif

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Sunday castigated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for aiming to seek power even if it means undermining the country’s foundations.

The PTI and coalition government are at loggerheads as the former presses on holding early elections. However, the ruling alliance has ruled out snap polls and vowed to not come under Khan’s pressure.

“Imran’s recent diatribe against parliamentary democracy is the latest in a series of attacks that fly in the face of how democracy functions in modern nation-states,” the premier said in a tweet.

As the PTI chief speaks against state institutions and hurls abuses against the ruling alliance leaders, PM Shehbaz believes that his politics’ sole aim was coming back into power through any means necessary.

“His (Khan’s) politics is aimed at making his way to power even if it means undermining foundations this country stands on,” the prime minister expressed.

The PM’s statement comes after the PTI chief shared his willingness to halt the dissolution of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies if the coalition government agrees to conduct elections by the end of March next year — another announcement to pressurise the coalition alliance.

In an interview with a private news channel, Khan said: “If they are ready for elections by the end of March, then we won’t dissolve the assemblies. Otherwise, we want to conduct polls by dissolving the KP and Punjab assemblies.”

He added that his party won’t agree on a date after March and assemblies will be dissolved this month [December] if the government disagrees.

“How long will they take to decide? They either have to say yes or no. We have already decided,” the former premier said underlining his conditional stance on talks with the government on the election date.

Also, for the first time since spending three and a half years with former chief of army staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, PTI chief said: “Giving extension to him [Gen Bajwa] was my biggest mistake.”

“I would trust whatever ex-COAS General Bajwa said. I would tell him that both of us are [thinking about] the country; our purpose is one — to save the country,” Khan said.

The former prime minister added that he didn’t know how he was being lied to and betrayed.

Accusing the ex-army chief of betrayal, Khan said that whenever he asked Bajwa about the conspiracy, he replied that they want continuity.

The former prime minister said that he complained to Bajwa that his allies were hinting that the army is forcing them to change their loyalty and you are saying that forces are “neutral”.

He revealed that leaders from MQM-P and other parties had also told them about the ex-COAS Gen Bajwa’s role.

“We were astonished that they were telling me something else and we were getting other signals from there [allies],” Khan said.

Endorsing Moonis’ claim, Elahi says Gen (retd) Bajwa ‘showed path’ to support PTI

Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi on Sunday revealed that it was former chief of army staff (COAS) General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa who asked Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) to side with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) when the no-confidence motion was moved against then-prime minister Imran Khan.

Elahi’s statement comes after his son and PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi said that General (retd) Bajwa had advised them to back PTI.

He maintained that both PTI and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had made offers to them, however, Gen (retd) Bajwa asked them to support the Khan-led party.

In an interview with a private TV channel, Elahi, endorsing Moonis’ claim, said: “God changed our path at the last moment when they were heading towards PML-N and sent Gen (retd) Bajwa to show us the way.”

He maintained that Gen (retd) Bajwa advised them that the path towards the Khan-led party is better for them.

Responding to a question, Elahi said that he received offers from both camps — PTI and PDM — but in line with the advice of the former army chief, his party preferred to choose Khan.

The chief minister maintained that his son Moonis had also suggested to side with the PTI.

Commenting on his past experience with the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, CM Elahi said that there were always apprehensions about the Sharifs “lying”.

“I was with the Sharifs for 18 years, they always lied to us. I would [often] say the Sharifs won’t let me do anything for the province,” he said recalling his discussion with the “institution” on whom to support following the no-confidence motion.

“When we discussed with the institution, they suggested thinking about what was better for us. We consult the institution when a situation arises,” Elahi said, adding that the institution told them that choosing PTI was a “respectable and better option”.

He maintained that it was the institution’s kindness for guiding the PML-Q.

The chief minister asserted that his party has always supported all the chiefs of the institution and never gave a statement against them.

Responding to whether PML-Q’s supremo Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has had similar encounters with the institution, Elahi said that he has not had any conversation with General (retd) Bajwa.

Punjab’s chief minister further said that neither the PTI chief nor the ex-army chief has played a “double game”.

“Circumstances and events leave one in such a place that no way is left to take a decision. The decision could be right or wrong,” he said highlighting that both the PML-Q and Khan’s decision was right.

In response to his stern statement about Khan’s close relations with the establishment, he expressed: “The thing is, I made the ‘nappy’ remark in anger. It damaged me as well.”

Elahi makes case for status quo till March

Amid all the political controversy regarding the dissolution of the assemblies as announced by Imran Khan, the Punjab chief minister said that nothing would be happening in the next four months.

“Talks were the best option at the time, adding that dissolution of the assembly depends on how the Centre behaves (with the province.)”

He said that till March, talks should be held on reforms and Election Commission.

The people “who matter” will make them sit and talk, adding that what we have committed we will do.

Usman Buzdar as CM

Revealing the nomination of Usman Buzdar as Punjab chief minister, the PML-Q leader that Lt-Gen Faiz Hameed and Jahangir Tareen Buzdar as CM.

He said that had Lt-Gen Faiz agreed to some of his proposals, the three-four years that have been wasted on administrative problems (in Punjab) wouldn’t have.

FIR on Imran Khan attack

About the row between the Punjab government and the PTI over the first information report (FIR) on the attack on Imran Khan in Wazirabad, the Punjab CM said that the former premier has no grievances against them on the non-registration of the FIR issue.

“We had asked them to read the Constitution. We cannot register FIR against judges or army officers of this level.”

‘Granting extension to Bajwa biggest mistake’

A day earlier, for the first time since spending three and a half years with former chief of army staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the PTI chief said: “Giving extension to him [Gen Bajwa] was my biggest mistake.”

“I would trust whatever ex-COAS General Bajwa said. I would tell him that both of us are [thinking about] the country; our purpose is one — to save the country,” Khan added.

The former prime minister added that he didn’t know how he was being lied to and betrayed.

“I knew during the last days and also received a report from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) about a game being played,” Khan said, adding that his informant from the IB would notify him verbally and not in writing following fears.

Accusing the ex-army chief of betrayal, Khan said that whenever he asked Bajwa about the conspiracy, he replied that they want continuity.

The former prime minister said that he complained to Bajwa that his allies were hinting that the army is forcing them to change their loyalty and you are saying that forces are “neutral”.

He revealed that leaders from MQM-P and other parties had also told them about the ex-COAS Gen Bajwa’s role.

“We were astonished that they were telling me something else and we were getting other signals from there [allies],” Khan said.

Why was extension offered again, asks govt

PM Shehbaz Sharif castigated PTI Chairman Khan for aiming to seek power even if it means undermining the country’s foundations.

PM Shehbaz believes that his politics’ sole aim was coming back into power through any means necessary.

“His (Khan’s) politics is aimed at making his way to power even if it means undermining foundations this country stands on,” the prime minister expressed.

Commenting on Khan deeming the extension to former chief of army staff a “big mistake”, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, earlier today asked: “If giving the extension was a mistake, then why was it offered again?”

Isaac Herzog becomes first Israeli president to visit Bahrain

Herzog, whose role is largely ceremonial, met with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

They discussed issues, including regional security and “ways to encourage communication between the representatives of the private sector in the two countries”, the official Bahrain News Agency (BNA) said.

In 2020, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco became the first Arab states in decades to normalise relations with Israel, following negotiations spearheaded by the administration of former US president Donald Trump.

The Jewish state had earlier reached peace treaties with neighbouring Egypt and Jordan.

“I call on more states in our region to join this partnership, strengthening the Middle East,” Herzog said on Sunday.

“The expanding circle of [Middle East] peace is highly important, especially amid threats to global and regional stability. In the face of hate, threats and terror, there is one answer: alliances with friends.”

Other countries in the region, notably Saudi Arabia, have repeatedly said they would stick to the decades-old Arab League position of not establishing official ties with Israel until the conflict with the Palestinians is resolved.

King Hamad said Bahrain supports “achieving a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace that guarantees the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and that will lead to stability, development and prosperity for both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples, as well as all peoples of the region”, BNA said.

Herzog said on Twitter he welcomed King Hamad’s “vision of peace, friendship and tolerance”.

“My visit underscores the importance Israel attaches to relations with Bahrain, including partnerships on defence, trade, tourism and environment,” he said.

Outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid, then Israel’s top diplomat, visited Bahrain in September last year to open the Israeli embassy there.

In February of this year, Israel signed a defence agreement with Bahrain, and Naftali Bennett became the first Israeli premier to visit the country.

Herzog said on Sunday he would follow his stop in Bahrain with a visit to the UAE capital Abu Dhabi.

Month: December 2022