ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (APP):Director General (SA & SAARC), Dr Mohammad Faisal Tuesday summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh to condemn the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control (LoC) on 19 February in Khuiratta Sector, Jijot Bahadar village resulting in the shahadat of Ayan Zahid, an 8 years old boy.

Despite calls for restraint, India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations. In 2018, the Indian forces have carried out more than 335 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in the shahadat of 15 innocent civilians and injuries to 65 others, said a statement issued here by foreign office.

“This unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when the Indian forces committed more than 1970 ceasefire violations,” it said.

It is said that the deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas especially children is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws.

Director General urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire arrangement; investigate this and other incidents of ceasefire violations; instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit and maintain peace on the LoC and the Working Boundary.

He urged that the Indian side should permit UNMOGIP to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions.

Earlier, on 15 February, the Indian occupation forces also deliberately targeted a school van leaving the children severely traumatized and martyring the driver. The ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation.

ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (APP):Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar Tuesday observed that the parliament was a supreme institution, but it could not make a law which could conflict with the Constitution.
The apex court held the right to review any legislation, he said while heading a three-member bench, which heard the Media Commission case.
The chief justice remarked that he had repeatedly stated that the parliament was a supreme institution but the Constitution was more supreme.
“In one of the cases, we didn’t give any remarks but only asked if a certain person was eligible to hold a public office,” he added.
The CJP asked as to how the court’s remarks could amount to an insult to parliamentarians. “I don’t want to give an impression that I am furnishing an explanation,” he said. “We need to be savvy of the administration’s measures and basic rights of people.”
He observed that the recommendations made in the Media Commission report and the promises made by the government remained unfulfilled. “We have to make PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) an ideal and autonomous body,” he stressed.
The chief justice remarked that inexperienced persons were being appointed in institutions, though appointment of professionals was necessary to run them in a better way.
He observed that headlines were made when they even asked about something whereas they gave remarks to understand the stance of both parties.
He said, “We will fully utilise the powers of Constitution and law.”
The chief justice also asked the media persons not to report the remarks of apex court judges out of context.
Later, the case was adjourned for 10 days.

ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (APP):Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has finalized 20 candidates from Punjab to contest senate elections, which are scheduled to be held on March 3.
According to ECP, two candidates will contest for Non-Muslim seats, 10 candidates on General seats, three for women seats and five candidates were in the run for Technocrat seats.
Candidates for Non-Muslim seat included Kamran Michael and Victor Azariah while Saadia Abbasi, Andleeb Abbas and Nuzhat Sadiq will contest election for women seats.
It said five candidates on Technocrat seats included Ch Naseer Ahmad Bhutta, Hafiz Abdul Karim, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Muhammad Nawazish Ali Pirzada and Malik Muhammad Asif Javaid.
Similarly,10 candidates who were contesting elections on General seats included Ch. Muhammad Sarwar, Dr Asif Kirmani, Rana Mahmood ul Hassan, Zubair Gul, Shaheen Khalid Butt, Shahzad Ali Khan, Kamil Ali Agha, Musadik Masood Malik, Maqbool Ahmad and Haroon Khan.

ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (APP):Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday finalized the names of 27 candidates from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to contest senate elections against 11 vacant seats, which is scheduled to be held on March 3.
According to ECP, 14 candidates will contest for General seats, eight for women seats and five candidates were in the run for Technocrat seats.
It said five candidates on Technocrat seats included Dilawar Khan, Muhammad Azam Khan Swati, Muhammad Yaqoob Shaikh, Moulana Sami Ul Haq and Nisar Khan.
Eight candidates for Women seats included Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli, Sobia Shahid, Rubina Khalid, Raeesa Daud, Shagufta Malik, Mehr Taj Roghani, Naeema Kishwar Khan and Naureen Farooq Khan.
Similarly,14 candidates who were contesting elections on General seats included Bahramand, Khial Zaman,Syed Muhammad Sabir Shah, Abdul Latif Yousafzai, Ali Afzal Khan Jadoon, Fida Muhammad and Faisal Javed.

ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (APP):Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has declared 23 nomination papers as valid for elections to Senate General Seats from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
According to ECP, the commission also rejected the nominations papers of four candidates for FATA Senate elections.
It said that the validly nominated candidates for elections to senate from FATA’s General seats included Sajid Hussain Turi, Hidayat Ullah, Shammim Afridi, Mirza Muhammad Afridi, Hillal ur Rehman, Malik Najam-ul-Hassan, Shoaib Hassan, Tahir Iqbal, Abdul Raziq, Syed Akhonzada Chittan,Saleh, Faiz ur Rehman, Said Jamal, Shahid Hussain, Pir Muhammad Aqal Shah, Shahban Ali, Haji Khan, Zia ur Rehman, Malik Afzal Din Khan, Syed Ghazi Ghazan Jamal, Farhad Shahbab, Jangriz Khan and Nizam Uddin Khan.
It said that the nomination papers of four candidates have been rejected by the commission for FATA Senate elections included Irfan Ullah, Haider Shah, Adnan Sattar and Shah Khalid.

KARACHI, Feb 20 (APP):Sindh Governor Mohammed Zubair has said
that private sector is playing an active role in the provision
of education and health facilities as well as in the development of the social sector.
He said that the Rotary Club is at the top of the list in this regard.
The Governor said this while talking to a delegation led by chairman of
Rotary Foundation Paul Netzel here at Governor House, said a statement issued on Tuesday.
He said that the services of the club in eradication of the polio
virus are appreciable.
Governor Zubair said that the government will continue to cooperate with
with the Rotary Club and other non-governmental organizations working in social sector for the betterment of the people.
He said that the role of the Club in education and health sectors is
also commendable.
On the occasion, chairman of Rotary Foundation Paul Netzel said
that his institution is taking measures to further increase the provision of health and education facilities in the province.
He, also, lauded the cooperation of government in eradicating the
polio virus.
Aziz Memon, Awais Hari,Irfan Qurashi, Raes Ahmad Khan, Saleem
Rao, Ali Hafeez, Dr.Mansoor ul Haq and others were also present on the occasion.

ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (APP):The enrollment ratio of school going children has increased from 68 percent to 77 percent in last four years as a result of various measures taken by the incumbent government, Minister for Education and Professional Training Baligh ur Rehman told Senate Tuesday.
Answering the questions of Senator Sherry Rehman during question hour, he said an additional capacity of about 05 million children has been created to enroll children in public sector schools across the country.
He said that 4 million out of school children have been enrolled in schools, adding free primary education was being provided in all public sector schools across Pakistan and provincial governments were providing required funding for this purpose.
Baligh-ur-Rehman said that Punjab government has incentivized parents of children working on brick kilns in the province for sending their wards to schools.
Answering the question of Senator Mohsin Aziz, Minister for States and Frontier Regions Abdul Qadir Baloch informed that 10,715 Pakistanis are imprisoned abroad.
He said that 36,832 Pakistani prisoners have been released and repatriated to Pakistan during the last four years. A total of 3,087 Paistanis have been detained in Saudi Arabia and 2,710 in UAE, 40 in Bangladesh and 226 Pakistanis in Malaysia.
He said legal assistance was being provided to destitute Pakistani prisoners/detainees. Pakistan Community Welfare and Education Fund (PCW&EF), being administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is utilized to extend legal assistance to Pakistanis detained abroad, including payment of lawyers’ fees, fines and cost of repatriation of destitute Pakistani prisoners.
An Inter Ministerial Commission (IMC) with representation from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Develoment, has been established by the government to consider the cases of destitute Pakistani prisoners for legal and financial assistance.
In addition,he said Policy on Consular Assistance for Overseas Pakistanis which defines the parameters for provision of financial and legal assistance to detained/imprisoned Pakistanis is under submission for approval of the Federal Cabinet.

LAHORE, Feb 20 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has strongly condemned unprovoked firing by the Indian Army at the Line of Control (LoC).
In a message, the chief minister expressed grief and condolences over the martyrdom of an eight years old child.
He expressed his heartfelt sympathies and condolences with the bereaved family.
He said that brutalities of Indian forces were extremely condemnable.
He said that Indian army was blatantly violating human rights by targeting civilians.
He said that the cruel face of India has been fully exposed due to its targeting of unarmed citizens.

ISLAMABAD, Feb 20 (APP):Islamabad High Court has issued notice to Chief Executive of Geo News, Mir Ibrahim, its host Ayesha Bakhsh, Hassan Nisar and Imtiaz Alam in a contempt of court proceedings.
Justice Shuakat Aziz Siddiqui directed them to appear in person before the court to explain why contempt of court proceedings may not be initiated against them on airing a programme violating court orders in connection with Valentine’s Day.
On February 14, 2018, program “Report Card” hosted by Ms. Ayesha Bakhsh and participated by Hassan Nisar, lmtiaz Alam, Hafeez Ullah Niazi, Mazhar Abbas, Irshad Bhatti and Babar Sattar, Advocate was telecast on Geo News.
One part of the program relating to order passed by the court against the promotion of Valentine’s Day was rediculed, disrespected and discussed in a very derogatory manner, the court observed.
Justice Siddiqui remarked that prima facie, the host, Hassan Nisar and Imtiaz Alam without showing any respect or keeping in view the restrictions imposed by Article 19 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 freedom of speech, etc. crossed all limits of decency and morality.
He observed that the act of the host and participants mentioned above apparently was tainted with malafide, ulterior motives, aimed at undermining the authority of the court and to disrespect the order passed by this court, which clearly comes within the definition of contempt of court.
Subsequently the bench directed the Chief Executive of Geo News Mir Ibrahim, host Ayesha Bakhsh, participants, Hassan Nisar and Imtiaz Alam to appear before the court in person and explain that why contempt of court proceedings may not be initiated against them and why PEMRA may not be directed to initiate proceedings for the cancellation of license of the channel “Geo News”.
The court also directed its office to make arrangements for watching the TV programme in the court room on next hearing and adjourned the case till February 27.