Lawyers Welfare & Protection Bill, 2023 smoothly sails through Senate

Thu, 30 Mar 2023, 2:31 PM

ISLAMABAD, Mar 30 (APP):The Senate on Thursday passed the Lawyers Welfare and Protection Bill 2023 aimed at providing protection to lawyers and ensure their professional independence.

The bill moved by Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar would help enable lawyers to render their services without fear or external influence, with the ultimate goal of promoting the administration of justice and the rule of law in the country.

The minister presented the legislation that stated that the profession of lawyers played a pivotal role in the administration of justice, the defense of human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

The National Assembly on Wednesday passed the same bill with the censuses.

According to bill, “The Lawyers Welfare and Protection Bill 2023” has been prepared wherein, a mechanism has been devised to ensure that the advocates can render professional services without fear or external influence for the ultimate cause of the administration of justice and the rule of law.

This law is also in consonance with the various UN General Assembly Resolution and in line with the Eighth United Nations Congress held in September, 1900 at Havana, Cuba, Where it has adopted the “ Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers “ Which Provides that the Government Shall ensure that layers are able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference and where the security of lawyers is threatened as a result of discharging their functions, they shall be adequately safeguarded by the authorities.

The subject Bill has been designed to achieve the aforesaid objectives.

Govt sets target to enhance foreign reserves to $ 13 bln by June: Senate told

NNPS Desk

Thu, 30 Mar 2023, 2:28 PM

ISLAMABAD, Mar 30 (APP):Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Ishaq Dar on Thursday informed the Senate that the country’s reserves would jump to $ 10 billion by Friday adding that target has been set to enhance it to $ 13 billion by June.

Replying to various supplementary questions during the Question Hour, the minister said that Pakistan would not default and arrange all financial liabilities. Not a single international obligation was deferred in last 11 months and actual external debt had also decreased, he said.

He said Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) government inherited $ 4.6 billion foreign reserves when came into power in 2013.

The then PML-N government not only fetch the country out of financial crisis but also put it on road of progress and prosperity with 6 per cent gross domestic product (GDP) growth, he added.
He said Pakistan’s economy was included among top 24 growing economy in the world and 5th best economy in Asia during the said period.
He went on to say that he was punished merely for bringing fiscal discipline in the country. He had been already advocating since 2013 for charter of economy, he added.

He conceded that inflation was high in the country but it was due to flaws policies of the past government.

Regarding State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the minister said various amendments were made in the past in this regard. Now, the SBP was totally independent and fixed Monetary Policy accordingly, he added.

The minister said that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP’s) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has raised the policy interest rate by 1,000 basis points, from 7 per cent to 17 per cent, since September 2021.

This makes Pakistan among the emerging markets with the strongest monetary policy response to inflation and external account stress, he said.

The interest rate increases are complemented by other measures taken by the SBP to restrict demand-side pressures.

They include administrative restrictions on imports; revisions in prudential regulations for auto and consumer financing; linking of mark-up rate on the SBP’s refinance schemes (EFS and LTFF) with the policy rate; and increase in the cash reserve requirement (CRR) for banks to 6 per cent from 5 per cent.

He said all these were aimed at moderating the demand-side pressures on inflation and the external account.

APP/raz-szm

A large number of people standing in queue to collect free food being distributed during Holy fasting month of Ramzan.

Wajid

Thu, 30 Mar 2023, 2:21 PM

Laborers busy in construction work of road during development work in Provincial Capital.

Wajid

Thu, 30 Mar 2023, 2:19 PM

A worker busy in making traditional food item (Pakoriyaa) mostly used in Dahi Bhalle during the Holy fasting month of Ramzan.

Wajid

Thu, 30 Mar 2023, 2:17 PM

Yorkshire signs Saud Shakeel for County C’ship Season

NNPS Desk

Thu, 30 Mar 2023, 2:04 PM

Yorkshire signs Saud Shakeel for County C’ship Season — Saud Shakeel-File

ISLAMABAD, Mar 30 (APP): Yorkshire County Cricket Club has signed the talented Pakistan batsman, Saud Shakeel, as a replacement for the injured Neil Wagner for the early part of the County Championship season.

Wagner was ruled out of the competition due to a bulging disc in his back and a torn right hamstring that he sustained during New Zealand’s Test duty earlier this month.

The 27-year-old, who made his Test debut last winter against England and New Zealand, had a stunning start to his international career by scoring 50s in each of his first five appearances and averaging 72.5 in the process.

Saud might make his debut for Yorkshire in their first Division Two fixture against Leicestershire at Headingley on Thursday. However, the player’s availability was contingent on the processing of his visa, which may cause some delay.

Yorkshire’s top six would be bolstered by the inclusion of Saud, who brings additional strength to the team. However, there was a chance that the new club captain and Pakistan cricketer, Shan Masood, may not be available for the initial rounds of the Championship action.

Shan was a non-playing member of the Pakistan T20I squad that recently lost 2-1 to Afghanistan in Sharjah. He is also in contention for selection in Pakistan’s upcoming five-match home series against New Zealand in T20 and one-day internationals from April 14.

If Masood was not chosen for national duty, he would join the team in time for their first season outside of the top flight since 2012, quoted cricketpakistan.com.pk.

Interestingly, Yorkshire has opted to replace the departing Neil Wagner with a batter rather than a like-for-like replacement due to the early season availability of their other seamers.

Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill’ sails through Senate

NNPS Desk

Thu, 30 Mar 2023, 2:03 PM

Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill’ sails through Senate

Read in Urdu

ISLAMABAD, Mar 30 (APP):The Senate has passed the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023 aimed at restructuring the suo motu powers of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, despite fierce opposition from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) legislators.

The bill received 60 votes in favour and 19 against, amid a chaotic scene in the Senate as PTI senators protested the decision.

The Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar moved the bill which was passed with majority votes.

The bill proposed that an appeal shall lie within thirty days from an order of a bench of the Supreme Court who exercised jurisdiction under clause (3) of the Article 184 of the Constitution to a larger bench of the Supreme Court and such appeal shall, for hearing, be fixed within a period not exceeding fourteen days.

According to the bill, the right of appeal under sub-section (1) shall also be available to an aggrieved person against whom an order has been made under clause (3) of Article 184 of the Constitution, prior to the commencement of this Act provided that the appeal under this subsection shall be filed within thirty days of the commencement of this Act.

According to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill, the bill would also ensure the right of the free trail and due process of Law as enshrined under Article 10A of the Constitution.

Earlier, moving the bill in the House, Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar said that it was the demand of the bar associations and councils to introduce the bill and they have supported the bill. “This bill was an old demand of the Bar Council which said that indiscriminate use of 184(3) should be stopped,” he added.

He said it was prerogative of the Parliament to do legislation under Article 191 of the Constitution.

The Supreme Court’s rules were framed under Article 191 of the constitution and were promulgated in 1980.

He went on to say that Article 184 was excessively used in the past and some cases even executives were also pushed into the dock.

The country has to bear hefty billions of dollars in loss in cases like Reko Diq and Pakistan Steel Mills etc, he added.

He said the bill aims to have transparent proceedings in the apex court and it also includes the right to appeal.

He said that all institutions have to follow the laws passed by the Parliament. The minister quoted the Article 191 of the Constitution which says that subject to the constitution and law, the Supreme Court may make rules regulating the practice and procedure of the Court.

Tarar said that the bill includes the right to appeal, adding that it was time for the Parliament to legislate on it now.

PIDE, EDB sign MoU for developing engineering sector on modern lines

NNPS Desk

Thu, 30 Mar 2023, 1:45 PM

PIDE, EDB sign MoU for developing engineering sector on modern lines

ISLAMABAD, Mar 30 (APP): The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) and Engineering Development Board (EDB) on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at collaborating in the areas of research for the development of the country’s engineering goods and services sector on modern lines.

In the signing ceremony, the PIDE was represented by its Vice-Chancellor Dr Nadeem ul Haque and EDB by Chairman Almas Hyder, a news release said.

Speaking on the occasion, PIDE VC Dr Nadeem ul Haque stressed the need to map out and determine the contribution of the engineering industry to the economy in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) share, investment, employment generation and identification of top performers.
“There is also a need to understand why firms do not grow and why they are not exporting,” he added.

EDB Chairman Almas Hyder endorsed the views of PIDE VC, expressing confidence that the MoU would give the EDB an edge while proposing policy interventions for the development of the engineering industry based on updated information regarding the current state of the industry. “Research and policy go hand in hand, and the industry needs to be mapped out more,” he added.

According to the document, the MoU would help promote cooperation in research activities between two institutes.

The agreement is the result of an understanding that the cooperation would help achieve the mutually beneficial goal of promoting research and development of the engineering industry, serving critical decisions and policymakers of the country with credible research-based analysis.

IIOJK journalist Rayees Butt remembered on his martyrdom anniversary

NNPS Desk

Thu, 30 Mar 2023, 1:40 PM

IIOJK journalist Rayees Butt remembered on his martyrdom anniversary

ISLAMABAD, Mar 30 (APP): Several journalists and members of civil society in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) paid rich tributes and condolences to martyred journalist Rayees Ahmad Butt on his first martyrdom anniversary.

Indian troops martyred young Kashmiri freelance journalist Rayees Ahmad along with a youth during a cordon and search operation on March 30 last year in the Rainawari area of the Srinagar city, Kashmir Media Service (KMS) reported.

“Occupied Kashmir is one of the most dangerous places in the world where people associated with the press and media are performing their professional duties in the most difficult circumstances and situations,” said a report released by KMS on Thursday.

It said 20 journalists had been confirmed as being killed while performing their duties during the Kashmiris’ ongoing liberation struggle since 1989. They include Shabbir Ahmed Dar, Mushtaq Ali, Muhammad Shaban Wakeel, a woman scribe Aasiya Jeelani, Ghulam Muhammad Lone, Ghulam Rasool Azad, Pervez Muhammad Sultan, Shujaat Bukhari, Ali Muhammad Mahajan, Syed Ghulam Nabi, Altaf Ahmed Fakhtoo, Saidan Shafi, Tariq Ahmed, Abdul Majid Butt and Javed Ahmed Mir.

The report said almost routinely, the journalists in the occupied territory face manhandling, abductions, murder attempts and death threats by the Indian troops and all this has made their everyday work extremely difficult.

It pointed out that the Kashmiri journalists and many other scribes while performing their professional duties in the territory were roughed up, threatened, assaulted, summoned and detained by the Indian police, agencies and troops on fake charges.

Several journalists, including Aasif Sultan, Fahad Shah, Irfan Meraj and Sajad Gul had been facing illegal detention under draconian laws and remain lodged in different jails in India and IIOJK.

The report said India was using different intimidating tactics to harass the journalists in IIOJK and victimization of media persons had increased manifold since August 05, 2019 when the Narendra Modi-led fascist Indian government repealed the special status of the territory. “Fascist Modi’s regime is using strong-arm tactics to stifle the media in the held valley. Kashmiri journalists are abducted, threatened and tortured just for doing their job,” it deplored.

The report maintained that India was targeting the Kashmiris journalists to hide the ground realities of IIOJK from the world but would never succeed in its nefarious designs.

PM orders withdrawal of curative reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa

Ishtiaq Rao

Thu, 30 Mar 2023, 1:38 PM

Read in Urdu

ISLAMABAD, Mar 30 (APP): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday, calling it baseless and politically motivated, ordered the withdrawal of a curative reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa, the senior most judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

The prime minister instructed Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar to withdraw the reference saying that the government would not pursue the same for it being baseless and politically motivated, a PM Office statement said.

The federal cabinet had already approved the withdrawal of the reference in a meeting chaired by the prime minister.

“This was not a reference rather a victimization by revengeful Imran Niazi against an impartial person pursuing the course of constitution and the law. This was a conspiracy to usurp the independence of judiciary and create a division within,” the prime minister remarked.

On my direction, the government has decided to withdraw the Curative Review Petition against senior most Judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Qazi Faez Isa. The Curative Review was based on ill-will & meant to harass & intimidate the honourable Judge at the behest of Imran Niazi.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) March 30, 2023

He said while being in opposition, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and other coalition parties had opposed this frivolous reference.

The prime minister said Imran Niazi had also made the President of Pakistan “misuse” his office for this “criminal act” who became an accomplice in an attack on the judiciary.

He said the lawyers’ bodies including the Pakistan Bar Council had had also opposed the reference and the government valued their opinion.

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Associated Press Of Pakistan

Lawyers Welfare & Protection Bill, 2023 smoothly sails through Senate

Govt sets target to enhance foreign reserves to $ 13 bln by June: Senate told

A large number of people standing in queue to collect free food being distributed during Holy fasting month of Ramzan.

Laborers busy in construction work of road during development work in Provincial Capital.

A worker busy in making traditional food item (Pakoriyaa) mostly used in Dahi Bhalle during the Holy fasting month of Ramzan.

Yorkshire signs Saud Shakeel for County C’ship Season

Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill’ sails through Senate

PIDE, EDB sign MoU for developing engineering sector on modern lines

IIOJK journalist Rayees Butt remembered on his martyrdom anniversary

PM orders withdrawal of curative reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa

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