Friday, January 14, 2022
HRW slams Pakistan over dissent crackdown, alleged rights abuses
By Asad Hashim
The HRW report also focused on issues related to freedom of religion and belief in Pakistan, where strict blasphemy laws have increasingly been used against minorities and members of the majority Muslim faith alike.Last year, at least three people were murdered in connection with blasphemy allegations, according to an Al Jazeera tally, including a Sri Lankan factory manager in the eastern city of Sialkot who was beaten to death by a mob in December. Since 1990, at least 80 people have been murdered in connection with blasphemy allegations in Pakistan, according to the Al Jazeera tally. HRW also documented allegations of widespread rights abuses against women and children in the South Asian country, which ranks 167 out of 170 countries on Georgetown University’s global Women, Peace and Security index. “Violence against women and girls – including rape, murder, acid attacks, domestic violence, and forced marriage – is endemic throughout Pakistan. Human rights defenders estimate that roughly 1,000 women are killed in so-called honour killings every year,” the HRW report says. The human rights organisation also noted continuing attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, al-Qaeda, the Baloch Liberation Army and other armed groups on civilians and security forces, while accusing security forces of “numerous human rights violations, including detention without charge and extrajudicial killings”.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/14/hrw-report-pakistan-dissent-crackdown-alleged-rights-abuses
Pakistani passport ranks lower than North Korea’s. Twitter says Thank you, Imran Khan
PIA KRISHNANKUTTY
Some suggested that action taken against human rights activists is the reason for Pakistan's low ranking on the Henley Passport Index.An “International embarrassment” — this is just one of the many phrases used by Pakistani social media users in response to their country’s passport ranking fourth worst for international travel, as per the Henley Passport Index. The Pakistani passport was ranked 108th.
The Henley Passport Index is a ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. It uses exclusive data from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA) and includes 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations.
This is the third consecutive year when Pakistan’s passport has been ranked as the fourth worst in the world, with only Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan below it in the list.
“Inflation, poverty, unemployment, economy collapse, and now international embarrassment. Welcome to Naya Pakistan,” wrote Mir Sohrab Khan Mari, coordinator to Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
Meanwhile, Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan asked, “How much more will this government tarnish the image of Pakistan? (sic)”
According to the Index, the Maldives passport remains the strongest in South Asia at global 58th position. India, meanwhile, jumped from rank 90 to 84 compared to last year. Other countries in the region included Sri Lanka (102) and Bangladesh (103). Even the North Korean passport ranked higher than Pakistan’s, at 104th place.
‘Thanks Imran Khan’
Some Pakistani users sarcastically thanked their prime minister, noting that the country had also dropped four places in an annual corruption index released by Transparency International last January.
Amid the uproar, a 2018 clip of Pakistan actress Saba Qamar narrating her experience while travelling abroad for a film shoot is in circulation once again. She had claimed she was frisked at the airport because she held a Pakistani passport.
“The way we are checked, I feel so humiliated. I remember when I visited Tbilisi for a film shoot, the entire crew was allowed to go through except for me, because I carry a Pakistani passport,” Qamar had said.
Some suggested that action taken against human rights activists is the reason for Pakistan’s low ranking on the Henley Passport Index.
“It is very shameful that Idris Bacha, the coordinator of PTM, has been placed in Schedule IV of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Applying this act to HR activists instead of terrorists has made Pakistani Passport the fourth weakest passport in the international rankings,” said activist AlamZaib Khan Mahsud.
Last December, minority rights activist Idris Khattak, also referred to as Idrees Bacha, was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment following a trial by a military court in Pakistan. Under the Pakistan Army Act, he was charged with espionage and other acts “prejudicial to the safety or interests of the State”, including allegedly revealing information related to the military operations in 2009 in the region. UN human rights activists had condemned the conviction.
https://theprint.in/go-to-pakistan/pakistani-passport-ranks-lower-than-north-koreas-twitter-says-thank-you-imran-khan/803421/
#Pakistan - Increasing power tarrif by Rs. 4.30 per unit is a shameful decision of #PTI’s Government
Thursday, January 13, 2022
#Pakistan - #PPP’s long march of millions of people will weigh heavily on the anti-people government
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto has said that the PPP has declared war on the PTI government who is the enemy of the people. The long march of millions of people will weigh heavily on this government and we will achieve our goal when we reach Islamabad.
Chairman PPP expressed these views in his address while presiding over a video link of PPP Sindh Council meeting at Chief Minister’s House Karachi on Thursday.
The meeting was co-chaired by Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Faryal Talpur Nisar Khuhro. The meeting reviewed the arrangements and preparations for the long march from Mazar-e-Quaid on February 27 and it was decided to ensure full participation of millions of people in the long march.
Addressing the meeting, Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the long march against this incompetent government would start from Mazar-e-Quaid Karachi on February 27 and would reach Islamabad to achieve its objectives.
He said that PPP will play the role of real opposition for the solution of the problems of the people and will expose the incompetent government of PTI and send it home. Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the country is facing serious crisis and only PPP will take the country out of the crisis.
He said that only the people and PPP will be successful this time. He said that party workers and leaders should unite and become one voice by overcoming their differences. Then no one can defeat us.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that PPP should win the general elections including local body elections all over the country.
He said that injustice has been done to the agriculture sector in the country due to which the farmers are in trouble. Therefore, the PPP will hold a nationwide farmers’ march on January 21 and January 24 in solidarity with the farmers.
Speaking on the occasion, PPP Sindh President Nisar Khuhro said that the long march starting from Mazar-e-Quaid Karachi on February 27 would be at Punjab Border Kamoon Shaheed after which the march would reach Lahore and Islamabad. He appealed to people belonging to every sect to participate in the long march of PPP.
Nisar Khuhro said that the country was not built so the people burn themselves.
The job of the state is to provide relief to the people which the government has failed to provide relief to the people. He said that there was a conspiracy to prevent the PPP from gaining majority in the federation through engineered elections.
The PTI won by the failure of the RTS system. Now we will not allow election rigging through EVM machines or any other conspiracy. Nisar Khuhro said that this PTI government was imposed on the people like a torment and now the people will send home the government by force. He said that the federal government wants to suck the blood of the people by imposing tax of Rs 340 billion on the people.
The federal government has failed on all fronts. The official amount of urea is Rs. 1700 but farmers are not getting urea fertilizer from the market even at Rs. 3200. Nisar Khuhro said that it was necessary to remove Prime Minister Imran Khan and PTI from power to get the people and the country out of the crisis. Millions of people will reach Islamabad and hold the federal government accountable for its atrocities.
Addressing the meeting, Faryal Talpur, Central President, PPP Women’s Wing, said that the people are suffering with the high cost of living, unemployment and high taxes of this government. PTI has dropped a bomb on the nation.
Faryal Talpur said that the crisis of urea fertilizer would reduce the wheat crop which would lead to another crisis. She said that this government has created such conditions and forced the people to go on a long march. Women will also participate in the march.
Faryal Talpur said that applications are invited from the party candidates contesting in the local body elections till January 30.
Former Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that PTI was working on the agenda of eradicating the poor from the country by eliminating them.
Provincial Minister for Information and President PPP Karachi Division Saeed Ghani briefed the meeting on the Local Government Act and said that the parties protesting against the Local Government Act are afraid that PPP will bring its mayor in the local body elections. Saeed Ghani said that if these people continue to protest, the local government system of dictator Pervez Musharraf will not return.
The meeting was attended by Sarfraz Rajar, Waqar Mehdi, Aajez Dhamra, Syed Nasir Shah, Saeed Ghani, Sasui Palijo, Noman Sheikh, Lal Chand Ukrani and other leaders, MPAs, divisional and district presidents and party wings.
https://www.ppp.org.pk/pr/26063/
وزیر اعظم اور وزیر خزانہ دونوں زبان کے پکے نہیں، بلاول بھٹو
چیئرمین پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے وزیر اعظم عمران خان اور وزیر خزانہ شوکت ترین پر شدید تنقید کی ہے۔
قومی اسمبلی کے اجلاس سے خطاب کرتے ہوئے بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے کہا ہے کہ وزیر اعظم اور وزیر خزانہ دونوں اپنی زبان کے پکے نہیں ہیں، انہوں نے اعلان کیا تھا کوئی منی بجٹ نہیں آئے گا۔
چیئرمین پیپلز پارٹی نے مزید کہا کہ وہ منی بجٹ بھی لے آئے اور 350 ارب روپے سے زائد کے ٹیکس بھی لگا دیے۔
بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے ایوان میں منی بجٹ پر ترامیم بھی پیش کیں جن میں میں کہا گیا کہ نان، تندور، چپاتی، بن، رس اور ریسٹورنٹس پر ٹیکس واپس لیا جائے۔
ترامیم میں یہ بھی کہا گیا کہ ملٹی میڈیا اور لیپ ٹاپ کی درامد پر ڈیوٹی ختم کی جائے۔
Wednesday, January 12, 2022
#Pakistan - Imran Khan is the biggest crisis of this century. Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
https://www.ppp.org.pk/pr/26057/
Tuesday, January 11, 2022
Former president Zardari urges citizens to wear face masks
The PPP leader was attending a hearing at the accountability court in Islamabad where he was seen instructing people walking beside him to wear masks.
It is pertinent to mention that since the last few days, there has been a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases, especially in Karachi.
The National Command and Operations Centre's (NCOC) Tuesday morning data showed that 1,467 cases were reported from across the country after 43,540 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours. This took the positivity ratio to 3.33%.
Earlier today, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said Pakistan would not undergo another lockdown and dismissed reports of schools' closure amid rising coronavirus cases.
The information minister, addressing a post-cabinet press conference, said the federal cabinet was informed that the COVID-19 positivity ratio had doubled in the country.
"But despite this, it is our resolve that we not impose a lockdown in Pakistan. Our economy cannot bear the burden [of another lockdown]," he said.
https://www.geo.tv/latest/392853-former-president-zardari-urges-citizens-to-wear-face-masks
گندم کی فصل کو پانی دینے کے لئے یوریا 1768روپے کی سرکاری قیمت کی بجائے 3500روپے تک فی بوری بلیک مارکیٹ میں فروخت ہو رہی ہے۔ چیئرمین پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی بلاول بھٹو زرداری
چیئرمین پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے کہا ہے کہ پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی 21جنوری سے کسانوںکے
ساتھ ہونے والے ظلم کے خلاف ریلیاں نکالے گی۔ کسان یکجہتی احتجاج میں ملک بھر سے کسان نکلیں گے اور حکومت سے اپنے مطالبات منوائیں گے۔ عمران خان نے ایک ذرعی ملک کے ذراعت کے شعبے کو تباہ کرکے معاشی دہشتگردی کی ہے جسے کسی قیمت پر معاف نہیں کیا جائے گا۔
پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی میڈیا آفس اسلام آباد سے جاری ہونے والے ایک بیان میں چیئرمین پیپلزپارٹی نے کہا کہ عمران خان ہوش کے ناخن لیں۔ ملک بھر میں یوری کھاد کا بحران سنگین صورتحال اختیار کر چکا ہے۔ گندم کی فصل کو پانی دینے کے لئے یوریا 1768روپے کی سرکاری قیمت کی بجائے 3500روپے تک فی بوری بلیک مارکیٹ میں فروخت ہو رہی ہے۔ پنجاب میں کسانوں کو ڈپٹی کمشنر کی سفارش کے بعد بھی ایک شناختی کارڈ پر فی ایکڑ یوریا کی ایک بوری سرکاری قیمت کی بجائے 2700روپے تک مل رہی ہے
۔بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے کہا کہ پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی کے دور میں پاکستان پوری دنیا میں یوریا فروخت کرتا تھا۔ آج ملک میں یوریا ڈھونڈنا پڑ رہی ہے۔ اگر ملک بھر میں برسات سے قبل کاشتکاروں کو یوریا میسر آجاتی تو فصلوں کی پیداوار میں ریکارڈ اضافہ ہوگا۔ بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے کہا کہ گندم کو بوائی کے سیزن سے ڈی اے پی 4600روپے کی بجائے 10000روپے تک فی بوری تک فروخت ہو رہی ہے اور کوئی پرسان حال نہیں ہے جبکہ پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی کے دور میں ڈی اے پی کھاد کی بوری کی قیمت 3500روپے تک تھی۔
انہوں نے کہا کہ پنجاب میں کسانوں کو نہری پانی نہیں مل رہا۔ ٹیوب ویل چلائیں تو 600روپے فی گھنٹہ خرچہ کے بعد سرکاری قیمت پر گندم کی فروخت ممکن نہیں ہوگی۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ سندھ حکومت نے گندم کی امدادی قیمت 2200روپے رکھی ہے جبکہ پنجاب نے 1950 روپے مقرر کی ہے۔ انہوں نے کہا ڈیزل ، بجلی اور کیڑے مار ادویات کی قیمتوں کے اضافے کے بعد فی ایکٹر لاگت بڑھ گئی ہے اس لئے پنجاب میں گندم کی امدادی قیمت میں اضافہ کیا جائے۔
بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے کہا کہ عمران خان نے جرمنی اور جاپان کا بارڈر ملایا اور ان کے ایک کھلاڑی نے سندھ افغانستان بارڈر ملا کر یوریا کی اسمگلنگ کا مضحکہ خیز بیان دیا۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ ابھی بیس روز بعد مکئی کی کاشت شروع ہو جائے گی اگر اسی طرح یوریا، نائٹروفاس اور ڈی اے پی کھاد دستیاب نہ ہوئی تو ملک میں غذائی بحران پیدا ہو جائے گا۔
Pakistan used to sell urea all over the world in the PPP era, and today the entire country is looking for urea – Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
In a statement, he said that urea is being sold at Rs. 3500 per bag in the black market instead of the official price of Rs. 1768. One bag of urea in Punjab, on one identity card is being sold at Rs. 2700 after recommendation by the deputy commissioner.Pakistan used to sell urea all over the world in PPP era and today the entire country is looking for urea. If urea had been made available to farmers before the rains across the country, there would have been an increase in crop production. Chairman Bilawal said that the PPP will hold rallies from January 21 against oppression of farmers across the country. The farmers belonging to the PPP will come out in solidarity with the farmer community. Imran Khan has committed economic terrorism by destroying the agricultural sector of an agricultural country which will not be forgiven at any cost. DAP fertilizer is being sold at Rs. 10000 per bag instead of Rs. 4600. The DAP fertiliser was Rs. 3500 per bag during the PPP government, he said. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that there is no water for growers in Punjab and it costs Rs, 600 per hour to operate a tube well. It will not be possible for a grower to produce wheat at government price. The Sindh government has set the wheat price at Rs. 2200 per mound whereas Punjab has set the price at Rs. 1950/mound. The cost of production per acre has increased after increase in prices of power, diesel, and pesticides so the support price in Punjab should be increased. Imran Khan had joined Germany and Japan geographically and one of his ministers has now joined Sindh’s border with Afghanistan and has accused the Sindh government of smuggling Afghanistan from that border. Maize cultivation will start in 20 days, if urea, nitrophosphate and DAP fertilizer are not available then a food crisis will emerge in the country, Chairman Bilawal warned.
https://www.ppp.org.pk/pr/26053/
Skipping US democracy summit a ‘mistake’ by Pakistan: Bilawal
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Monday said the local government laws of the Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad bore no comparison with the Sindh local government law that was superior to them.
He said this while addressing a news conference in Karachi. The amended local government bill was passed by the Sindh Assembly on Saturday amidst the opposition’s protest. Another crucial and related development was the handover of the Sindh Solid Waste Management to the metropolitan/municipal corporation mayors, say media reports.
The opposition parties – including Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) – strongly criticised the new law, which they claimed would deprive the people of urban centres of their rights.
Bilawal said the PPP always raised “Pakistan Zindabad” slogan unlike others who chanted anti-Pakistan slogans – a veiled reference to the MQM.
“I’ve always seen you involved in terrorism ever since I was born,” he said, adding, “Those who’re calling our local bodies bill a black law will have their faces blackened”.
Bilawal alleged that former Karachi mayors, including Mustafa Kamal and Wasim Akhtar, did nothing for the city but destroyed its peace.
“The opposition parties are losing their senses over the PPP’s local bodies’ law. Now, no bat or any other slogan will work… it is time for the slogan of the arrow to rule.”
According to him, the PPP was progressing in Lahore.
“The people of large cities of the country are looking towards the PPP and they intend to vote for us,” he claimed, adding that Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah’s statement is being deliberately taken out of context which is ‘condemnable’.
Bilawal said his party’s government had transferred maximum powers to local government divisions and “this is why people want to give us an opportunity to serve them”.
He added that those who criticised the local bodies law could do so, but it was not their right to lie about it.
“This law is better than the one introduced by Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf and the one introduced in year 2013,” he said.
Bilawal further said the PPP had made all departments subordinate to the local government. He claimed that the provincial government had devolved more powers to LGs compared to Mustafa Kamal era.
He said the PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari was the strongest civilian president in the country, yet he devolved more powers to the grass-root level.
“He devolved the municipal and political powers to the local bodies’ representatives.”
Bilawal also vowed to make the province’s health and education departments exemplary.
“We reject the health card of the federal government,” Bilawal said, adding, “It is tantamount to a burglary on the government hospitals.”
He added, “Show me one hospital in K-P and Punjab that’s on par with Sindh’s NICVD [National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases].”
Responding to a question from a reporter, Bilawal said Pakistan should not have skipped the US-hosted virtual summit on democracy.
He said Pakistan was not in a position to “deprive” itself of any forum.
“Even if an ally raises objections, we can raise their views and our views [at the forum] but we should never cede space.” Bilawal said in his opinion it was a “mistake” at a foreign policy level.
Bilawal also compared the healthcare provided by the Sindh government and the PTI government. “Compare the hospitals runs by the Sindh government with those run by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation,” he said.
“Look at the state of these hospitals,” he said, adding that the provincial government will now look after them.
“We believe in 100pc free healthcare. Our hospitals are working on providing the poor with healthcare facilities that are on a par with the international standards.”
Bilawal said PM Imran, who earlier today launched a health insurance programme to cover the entire province of Punjab, was trying to show off the health card, but it had a “limit”.
“The health card can’t cover a day’s expenses for the Covid-19 intensive care unit. [But] the Sindh government covers all of your expenses.”
The PPP chairman said that this was also the case with open-heart surgery.
“We cover the day [of the procedure] and the expenses for the medication you have to buy for the rest of your life.”
He said the PTI’s health card also didn’t cover post-operative care.
“We cover the procedure itself as well as post-operative care at Sindh hospitals which offer free-of-cost liver and kidney transplants.”
Bilawal said the health card was an attempt to take money from government hospitals and hand it over to private facilities which was an “injustice”.
Monday, January 10, 2022
اپوزیشن لیڈر شہباز شریف اور بلاول بھٹو کی ملاقات
دونوں رہ نماؤں نے فیصلہ کیا کہ حکومت مخالف تحاریک پر وفود کے ہمراہ تفصیلی ملاقات کی جائے گی۔
ملاقات میں ملک کی سیاسی صورت حال پر تبادلہ خیال کیا گیا اور اس بات پر اتفاق کیا گیا کہ حکومت ہٹاؤ، ملک بچاؤ تحریک پر یکساں موقف پر کاربند ہیں
۔
Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari demands judicial inquiry into the Murree tragedy
https://www.ppp.org.pk/pr/26045/
Sunday, January 9, 2022
#Pakistan - Swift action will be taken against Brick Kiln owners in reported human rights violations – Special Assistant to CM for Human Rights Surendar Valasai
Special Assistant to Chief Minister for Human Rights Surendar Valasai has taken notice of reports in social media about human rights violations, including child labour and forced labour in Brick Kilns of Tharparker, and Umerkot and formed a Fact-Finding Committee to visit and collect details before taking legal actions as per laws.
In a statement, Surendar Valasai said that violation any human right will not be tolerated and swift actions will be taken against Brick Kiln owners involved in reported violations. He said that initially, the Fact-Finding Committee will conduct inquiries in Tharparker and Umerkot districts. However, such inquiries shall also be held in other districts as well, he added.
The Fact-Finding Committee will comprise of the members from Provincial Human Rights Vigilance Committee, Human Rights Department Ayub Khoso, Tariq Khattak , Samtra Manjiani (Tharparker) and Noor Jehan Gehalro (Umerkot). Ayub Khoso will be the head of the Committee.
https://www.ppp.org.pk/pr/26041/
#Pakistan #PPP - Bilawal, Shehbaz to meet next week to plan protests against govt
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is expected next week, a source revealed on Sunday.
The meeting would take place in the Parliament House during the upcoming National Assembly session and would aim to organise effective anti-government protests by the Opposition.
According to details, the PPP and PML-N are currently in contact at the leadership level. Sources maintain that a meeting between the chiefs of both parties is expected in Islamabad next week.
Sources further claim that the meeting between Shehbaz and Bilawal would discuss the PPP and the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) long march on Islamabad, and the PML-N president on behalf of the PDM will invite Bilawal to participate in its march.
Sources further reveal that if Bilawal does not agree to participate in the march, then the PDM will adjust its schedule with the PPP’s march.
PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif said he was “heartbroken” over the death of tourists in Murree.
“Where was the government all the while? What arrangements did it make to deal with such an influx? Incompetence is fast turning into criminality. Prior arrangements & round-the-clock supervision were the normal SOPs in the past.”
Shehbaz also expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the departed souls.
PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also expressed his sorrow over the Murree tragedy, saying that the whole nation was saddened over the incident.
“It would have been better if the tourists were informed about the weather in Murree in advance,” he said in a statement issued by his party’s media cell on Twitter.
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2022/01/09/bilawal-shehbaz-to-meet-next-week-to-plan-protests-against-govt/