IHC initiates hearing on contempt case against Imran Khan for threatening judge

A larger bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has taken up contempt of court proceedings against PTI Chairman Imran Khan for threatening Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry during a public rally.

The bench comprises Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Babar Sattar and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb.

The PTI chair had staged a rally in the federal capital on August 20 to express solidarity with his chief of staff Shahbaz Gill after claims of torture in custody. He warned the Islamabad inspector-general and deputy inspector-general that he would “not spare” them, vowing to file cases against them for subjecting Gill to alleged inhuman torture.

Turning his guns towards the additional sessions judge, who sent Gill into physical remand on the police's request, Imran Khan had then said she [the judge] should brace herself for consequences.

This issue could be a threat for Khan, who has been campaigning for new elections since being forced to step down this year, since a conviction would disqualify him from standing for election, legal experts said.

The contempt issue is in addition to charges under an anti-terror law that police filed against Khan over what they said was a threat in his speech about Shahbaz Gill who faces sedition charges for inciting mutiny in the military.

The use of anti-terrorism laws as the grounds for cases against political leaders is not uncommon in Pakistan, where Khan’s government also used them against opponents and critics.

His political party, the PTI, has dismissed the accusations against Khan as being politically motivated, saying they were being used to block him from leading anti-government rallies.

Earlier today, Islamabad Advocate-General Jahangir Khan Jadoon filed a miscellaneous application in the IHC, seeking permission to submit the concerned record to court.

In his application, the advocate-general pleaded to the court that he wanted to submit the record of anti-judiciary remarks and speeches made by Imran Khan in the past.

“I want to put Imran Khan’s video clip on record,” said the applicant.

He pleaded with the court to allow the petitioner to play the video showing the anti-judiciary and anti-state institution remarks made by the PTI chairman in the past.

The applicant requested the IHC to allow the material to be played in the courtroom through USB or other digital means.

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PM Shehbaz leaves for Doha on two-day official visit

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has left for Doha on a two day official visit to Qatar on the invitation of Amir of state of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

This is the Prime Minister's first visit to Qatar after assuming the office.

The Prime Minister is accompanied by a high level delegation including key members of the cabinet.

During the visit, Shehbaz Sharif will hold in-depth consultations with the Qatari leadership. The two sides will review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations with a particular focus on advancing energy related cooperation, deepening trade and investment ties and exploring greater employment opportunities for Pakistanis in Qatar.

They will also exchange views on a range of regional and international issues of mutual interest.

The Prime Minister will also engage with leading Qatari and Pakistani business leaders, investors and entrepreneurs.

He will visit Stadium 974 in Doha, where he would be briefed on the extensive preparations undertaken by Qatari government to host FIFA World Cup.

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Haleem Adil Sheikh granted bail in land grabbing case

An anti-encroachment court on Monday granted bail to Haleem Adil Sheikh in a land grabbing case.

As per details, Haleem Adil was granted bail against a bond of Rs 100,000 while the court fixed the hearing for the indictment of the accused for September 8.

Earlier, the PTI leader was taken into custody after the court rejected his plea for an extension in bail in the land grabbing case.

As per media reports, the PTI leader appeared before the court for the extension in bail against the case of land grabbing but the court after hearing the arguments cancelled his bail.

As soon as the verdict was announced, a team of the anti-corruption establishment (ACE) reached the premises.

Earlier, on July 27, the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) had arrested the Opposition Leader in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil at Jamshoro Toll Plaza. Sindh ACE Director Zeeshan Memon was present at the time of the arrest.

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Ukraine bans Independence Day rallies amid fears of attacks

Ukraine's capital Kyiv banned public celebrations this week to commemorate independence from Soviet rule, citing a heightened threat of Russian attack in a war that the United Nations said on Monday has killed more than 5,500 civilians.

According to international media, Events to mark Ukraine's Independence Day on Wednesday have been banned in the country's capital, Kyiv, and second-largest city, Kharkiv, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other officials warn that Russia may carry out missile strikes.

Zelensky said on Saturday that Russia might be planning "particularly ugly" attacks to coincide with the occasion, which will mark 31 years since Ukraine broke its ties with the Soviet Union and as the war nears its six-month milestone.

"We must all be aware that this week Russia could try to do something particularly ugly, something particularly vicious," Zelensky said in a video message.

"One of the key tasks of the enemy is to humiliate us, Ukrainians, to devalue our capabilities, our heroes, to spread despair, fear, to spread conflicts. Therefore, it is important never, for a single moment, to give in to this enemy pressure, not to wind oneself up, not to show weakness," he said.

 

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Shells rain down on city near Ukraine’s N- plant

Artillery shells rained down on a city close to Europe’s biggest nuclear plant on Saturday night and Russian missiles hit targets near Odesa, a Ukrainian Black Sea port and a grain export hub, as the war headed for its six-month milestone on Aug 24.

The day will also mark 31 years of Ukraine’s independence from Soviet rule and President Volodymyr Zele­nskiy in a nightly video address called for vigilance, saying Moscow could try “something particularly ugly”.

As Ukraine prepared to mark its independence day embroiled in a war that has flattened towns and cities, killed thousands and forced millions to flee, military and regional officials reported more Russian strikes on targets in the east and south of the country.

Of particular concern was the shelling of Nikopol, a city which lies across the Dnipro river from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine’s and Europe’s biggest nuclear plant. It has been held by Russian forces since March.

Nikopol was shelled on five different occasions overnight, regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko wrote on Telegram. He said 25 artillery shells hit the city, causing a fire at an industrial premises and cutting power to 3,000 residents.

The fighting in the proximity of Zaporizhzia and Saturday’s missile strike on the southern Ukrainian town of Voznesensk, which is not far from Ukraine’s second-largest atomic plant, has spurred fears of a nuclear accident.

Cruise missile strikes

Local authorities also reported overnight missile attacks in the Odesa region, home to Black Sea ports critical to a U.N.-brokered plan to help Ukrainian agricultural exports, key for global food supplies, reach world markets again.

Five Russian Kalibr cruise missiles were fired from the Black Sea at the region overnight, the regional administration spokesperson said, citing information from the southern military command. Two were shot down by Ukrainian air defences while three hit agricultural targets, but there were no casualties.

Russia said on Sunday the missiles had destroyed an ammunition depot containing missiles for U.S.-made HIMARS rockets, while Kyiv said a granary had been hit.

There were no fresh reports of incidents in Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, after a series of explosions made headlines in recent weeks.

In his speech, Zelenskiy referred obliquely to the blasts, for which Ukraine has not claimed responsibility, but analysts have said at least some have been made possible by new equipment used by its forces.

“You can literally feel Crimea in the air this year, that the occupation there is only temporary and that Ukraine is coming back,” Zelenskiy said.

In the latest incident, a drone attack on the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea fleet was thwarted on Saturday morning, according to a Telegram post by Mikhail Razvozhayev, Crimea’s Russian-appointed governor, who is not recognised by the West.

In a daily Facebook update, Ukraine’s general staff also reported several attempted Russian assaults over the past 24 hours in Donbas, the eastern region partially controlled by pro-Moscow separatists that has been a key target of Russia’s campaign in the past months.

In the south, Russian forces conducted a successful assault on the village of Blahodatne on the border between Kherson and Mykolaiv regions, it said.

The city of Mykolaiv was hit with multiple S-300 missiles early on Sunday, regional governor Vitaliy Kim said on Telegram.

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FM Bilawal postpones European countries trip due to calamities caused by rains

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari postponed his official visits to four European countries in view of calamities across Pakistan caused by the ongoing heavy monsoon rains and flooding, a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry said.

The foreign minister was set to depart on a four country-trip including Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway in a bid to strengthen Pakistan’s engagement with Europe and share its perspective on regional and global issues from August 22-26.

According to the statement, Bilawal delayed his visits due to the heavy damages to lives and property caused by the torrential rains in the country.

The foreign minister is looking forward to his interactions with his counterparts, other dignitaries and media, as part of Pakistan’s continued engagement with Europe.

FM Bilawal's visits to these capitals will be rescheduled at mutually agreed later dates in consultation with the host governments, said the ministry.

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CM Punjab orders to take action over exhibiting arms

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Sunday ordered to take indiscriminate action against the elements exhibiting arms across Punjab.

The Punjab Chief Minister directed the Inspector General of Police to ensure strict compliance with the law prohibiting the exhibition of arms. Elahi called for legal action against those involved in the arms exhibition, irrespective of their political affiliation.

Elahi said that every moment is golden and his government will do everything for the welfare of the people of Punjab. Criticizing the performance of PML-N in Punjab, he said that he started working from where he left off.

The people of Gujrat will welcome Imran Khan with an overwhelming response in a public gathering on September 2, Pervaiz Elahi added.

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FM Bilawal postpones four-country trip due to calamities caused by rains

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto postponed his official visits to European countries in view of calamities across Pakistan caused by the ongoing heavy monsoon rains and flooding, a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry said Sunday.

The foreign minister was set to depart on a four country-trip including Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway in a bid to strengthen Pakistan’s engagement with Europe and share its perspective on regional and global issues from August 22-26.

According to the statement, Bilawal delayed his visits due to the heavy damages to lives and property caused by the torrential rains in the country.

The foreign minister is looking forward to his interactions with his counterparts, other dignitaries and media, as part of Pakistan’s continued engagement with Europe.

FM Bilawal's visits to these capitals will be rescheduled at mutually agreed later dates in consultation with the host governments, said the ministry.

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16 dead after truck collision in Russia

At least 16 people died and another three were injured after a truck collided with a stationary minibus in Russia’s Ulyanovsk region.

According to international media, the driver of a heavy goods vehicle did not slow down in good time and hit a stationary minibus,” Ulyanovsk’s interior ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

Roadworks at the scene of the accident meant the minibus was waiting in a queue to move. “The minibus was wedged between two lorries,” the ministry said.

Video footage broadcast by the police showed the crumpled husk of what appeared to be the minibus sandwiched between two trucks and emergency service workers inspecting the flattened vehicle.

Russia’s investigative committee opened a criminal investigation, the truck driver was among those killed.

Three other people, two men and a woman, were taken to hospital in a serious condition, Ulyanovsk Governor Alexei Russkikh wrote on Telegram.

As per media reports, Violations of road safety regulations are common in Russia, where several deadly bus accidents have occurred in recent years.

In January, five people were killed and 21 injured in a bus crash in the Ryazan region, 270km (170 miles) south of Moscow.

In December 2019, a bus with 40 passengers on board plunged into a frozen river in the Zabaikalsk region of Siberia, killing 19 people and injuring 21.

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Voting is underway for the NA-245 by-poll in Karachi

Voting is underway for the NA-245 by-poll in Karachi, with 15 candidates contesting for the National Assembly seat that fell vacant after the death of Aamir Liaquat Hussain, who was elected on a PTI ticket in 2018.

The polling process started at 8am and will continue till 5pm today (Sunday).

Aamir Liaquat beat Dr Farooq Sattar in 2018 after securing 56,673 votes.

Amon some of the major contesting candidates are MQM-P's Mueed Anwar, the PTI's Mehmood Maulvi, the Pak Sarzameen Party's (PSP) Syed Hafeezud Din, the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan'S (TLP) Muhammed Ahmed Raza and MQM Bahali Committee's Farooq Sattar.

The constituency is set to witness a tough contest among candidates of the PTI, MQM-P and Farooq Sattar. The MQM-P seems to have an edge as the PPP and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) have withdrawn their candidates in favour of MQM-P.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said it finalised arrangements to hold the NA-245 by-polls in Karachi amid strict security.

The electoral body said 263 polling stations have been set up, of which 60 have been declared sensitive and 203 most sensitive.

The by-poll in this constituency was scheduled for July 27, however, the ECP postponed the election owing to the lashing rains in the metropolis.

 

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PEMRA bars TV channels from live telecasting Imran Khan speeches

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has imposed a ban with immediate effect on the live telecast of speeches of former prime minister Imran Khan after he threatened state institutions and government officials with serious consequences.

Imran Khan's addresses are in open violation of the PEMRA rules, according to the PEMRA notification issued in Sunday's wee hours. The PEMRA further said that Imran Khan's speeches are a violation of Article 19 of the Constitution.

Only pre-recorded speeches can be broadcast now with effective monitoring and editorial control, per the new PEMRA notification.

PEMRA issued a six-page notification, stating it has been observed that Imran Khan is persistently levelling baseless accusations in his speeches and statements against national institutions and spreading hatred in his speeches.

According to the PEMRA, the ban has been put in place under Section 27 of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002. The PEMRA notification mentioned Khan's speech at the F9 Park, Islamabad.

The notification states that the PTI chief's statements are detrimental to the maintenance of law and order as he is constantly inciting citizens against institutions and officers in his speeches.

The notification said the former PM's hate speech is against the Supreme Court's verdict in the suo motu case. The contents of Imran Khan's speech are also against the Lahore High Court verdict, says the PEMRA.

The PEMRA also warned news channels of strict action if the directives were not followed.

The PEMRA notification also carries the excerpts from Imran Khan's speech on August 20 in Urdu.

In the meantime, sources said the government has lodged an FIR against Imran Khan under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for threatening a judge and two top police officials during an above-mentioned public gathering.

Imran Khan threatened Additional Sessions Judge Ms Zeba Chaudhry, saying, “Zeba! Be ready, we will take action against you.” He also hurled threats to the IGP and DIG Islamabad, by calling out them, “IGP and DIG! We will not spare you.”

On August 20, Imran Khan warned that he would “not leave” Islamabad's inspector-general, deputy inspector general, and female magistrate, saying he would file cases against them for torturing his aide Shahbaz Gill.

“We will not spare the IG and DIG,” he said while addressing a public gathering at the F-9 park in Islamabad. The former prime minister called out Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry, who last week had approved Gill’s two-day physical remand at the request of the capital police, and said she too should prepare herself as the case will also be registered against her.

The PTI chief led a rally in Islamabad from Zero Point to F-9 Park in support of incarcerated leader Shahbaz Gill, who the party said was subjected to alleged “gruesome torture” in police custody.

He further said that if a case can be registered against Gill, then, Fazlur Rehman, Nawaz Sharif, and Rana Sanaullah will also face judicial proceedings.

“They [coalition government] are trying to scare us by torturing Gill,” he said, adding that this is a “decisive moment” for the people of the country.

Reiterating his stance not to bow down before the idol of fear, he said: “If we bow down then we will have to face slavery although in the garb of Gill’s arrest they are trying to enslave the people.”

Khan maintained that what happened to Gill wasn’t because of what he said since the PDM leaders in the government had “said much more than that."

 

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Road accident kills at least 16 people in Turkey

A passenger bus has collided with emergency teams handling an earlier road accident in southern Turkey, killing at least 16 people and injuring 22 others.

According to international media, three firefighters, two paramedics and two journalists were among those killed on the highway between Gaziantep and Nizip, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu wrote in a tweet on Saturday. The other eight deaths were on the bus, he added.

 

As per media reports, two journalists were killed after pulling over to help the victims of the initial accident, in which a car came off the highway and slid down an embankment.

Television footage showed an ambulance with severe damage to its rear while the bus lay on its side alongside the highway.

As per international media, Turkey has a poor record of road safety. Some 5,362 people were killed in traffic accidents last year, according to the government.

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Action against PML-N lawmakers in Punjab ‘revenge’ for proceedings against Shahbaz Gill: Tarar

PML-N leader Attaullah Tarar decried on Saturday the Punjab police’s move to raid the residences of his party’s lawmakers and register cases against them as an act of “revenge” for legal proceedings initiated against PTI’s Shahbaz Gill over his controversial remarks.

Tarar, who was speaking to the media alongside other PML-N leaders in Islamabad, said the raids were carried out on the instructions of the Punjab government — where an alliance of the PTI and PML-Q is at the helm — and warned Chief Minister Parvez Elahi’s government that they “will face the consequences of the trend of revenge they had set”.

“Parvez Elahi sahib, you and your son (Moonis Elahi) will face the consequences of this new trend that you have set,” Tarar reiterated, claiming that Moonis had been issuing instructions for action against PML-N leaders despite not having any official authority.

The PML-N leader’s criticism of the Punjab government comes hours after police raids at the residences of at least a dozen PML-N leaders in the province for their arrest over their alleged involvement in the violence witnessed in the Punjab Assembly during the chief minister’s election on April 16.

However, the lawmakers had managed to evade police and flee to Islamabad, where the PML-N is at the helm of affairs.

The ‘wanted’ PML-N MPAs, apart from Tarar, include his brother Bilal Tarar, the party’s Punjab Secretary General Sardar Awais Leghari, Rana Mashhood, Maryam Nawaz’s close aide Saiful Malook Khokhar, Mirza Javed, Abdur Rauf, Pir Ashraf Rasool, Pir Khizar Hayat Khagga, Raja Sagheer Ahmad, Bilal Farooq, and Rana Manan.

During his media talk today, Tarar, whose house was raided in connection with the April 16 episode for the second time on Friday night, maintained that while PML-N lawmakers were being booked for the provincial assembly attack case, “Parvez Elahi and his companions” were the “actual suspects”.

The PML-N leader also alleged that during last night’s raids, police had “stolen” valuables from the MPAs’ residences.

He also linked the action against his party’s members to the “promotion of an anti-state narrative”, alluding to Gill’s controversial remarks.

Tarar alleged that CM Elahi had “fully facilitated Imran Khan in promoting this anti-state narrative”, adding that Elahi was “at the forefront of exacting revenge from us”.

He went on to claim that Elahi and Moonis had directed jail officials not to hand over Gill to Islamabad police even when the court had approved his remand in police custody.

They had been defying court orders, the PML-N leader added.

Coming back to the action taken against PML-N lawmakers, he said a case should have actually been registered for the beating and torture inflicted on then-PA deputy speaker Dost Mazari during the April 16 session.

“It all started when people pulled the deputy speaker’s hair and subjected him to violence. Are you ready to get arrested?” he questioned, addressing Elahi.

“If any PML-N member is arrested, all of you would also be arrested because you started the violence,” he warned.

He demanded that the CM present proof to corroborate his claim that he was also subjected to violence in the episode, adding that the entire nation had witnessed that the deputy speaker was beaten.

Tarar said the cases registered against PML-N lawmakers in connection with the April 16 session were “fake”.

“What are you avenging?” he questioned, adding that the action taken against the PTI’s members and supporters during the May 25 Azadi March was the government’s “job” and “responsibility”.

“What you were doing was illegal. You tried to create anarchy … It was our responsibility to stop anarchy,” he said.

The PML-N leader vowed to fight the Punjab government’s “fascism and revenge” with determination. “We will take the legal course,” he said, adding that the cases against PML-N MPAs were “fake” and “baseless”.

Tarar also commented that Elahi’s government was being run through a “remote control from Banigala”, a reference to PTI chief Imran Khan’s residence.

PML-N’s Rana Mashhood, who was also present on the occasion, said “a mockery shouldn’t be made out of assemblies” and called for an end to the “politics of laadlas (blue-eyed boys)” — a term PML-N uses for Imran.

He also said the PML-N lawmakers would fight the “daaku raj” (regime of goons) in Punjab and bring it to an end.

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2 terrorists killed in gun battle with security forces in North Waziristan: ISPR

Two terrorists were killed by security forces during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan tribal district, the military’s media affairs wing said on Saturday.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), during the IBO, an intense fire exchange took place between the army troops and terrorists.

“Resultantly, two terrorists got killed, including Commander Khabaib Alias Bilal of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group.”

The ISPR said that weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the site, elaborating that terrorists remained actively involved in terror activities against security forces, preparation of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and killing of innocent citizens.

“Terrorist Commander Khabaib was also involved in a suicide attack on security forces convoy in Mir Ali in August 2022,” the statement added.

 

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Shahbaz Gill 'faking it', 'no abuse of any kind occurred': Interior Minister

Federal Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah Khan on Friday said that PTI Chairman Imran Khan's aide Shahbaz Gill was "not subjected to abuse of any kind" during his detention and that he is "just faking it".

Gill has been in police custody since August 9 when the Islamabad police arrested him in a sedition case after he passed controversial remarks on a private news channel.

According to the Islamabad police spokesperson, he was booked on charges of sedition and inciting members of state institutions against the Pakistan Army.

"No abuse of any kind occurred. Shahbaz Gill is just faking it. He was not tortured," the minister said.

"Imran Khan is lying, as always, that Gill was sexually abused," he said.

The interior minister asked Imran Khan to file an application against "the one involved", if he believes a crime was committed.

He warned PTI leaders of legal action if they try to barge into the Red Zone or PIMS Hospital.

The PML-N leader said the PTI chief knows that the verdict of the Toshakhana and foreign funding case is about to come "therefore, he is peddling false propaganda".

Meanwhile, a police inquiry was instituted to investigate the torture allegations.

According to sources, the IG Islamabad is leading the inquiry and has been ordered by the Islamabad High Court to submit a report.

The sources said DIG Headquarters Islamabad chaired an important meeting with top police officials and the investigation team. The probe team briefed the high-ups about judicial proceedings.

The police have also started recording statements to probe the torture allegations. Statements were taken from doctors on Gill's health condition.

The sources further said that the diet of the PTI leader will be fully monitored.

According to sources in jail, it was learnt that Gill complained of difficulty in breathing and poor health due to the alleged torture after which he was shifted to the jail hospital for a checkup. However, when his condition reportedly appeared to have deteriorated, it was decided that he will be shifted to a hospital for a complete medical checkup.

On August 17, Gill was shifted to the PIMS hospital's Cardiac Centre late in the night. A three-member board of doctors took his multiple tests, including blood tests, ECG and coronavirus test.

On August 18, the PIMS hospital's board released Gill's medical report that declared him absolutely fit and healthy. All his tests were clear, according to the report.

On August 19, he was shifted to an Islamabad district and sessions court from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in a wheelchair. While he was being hustled from the ambulance to the court, Gill appeared to burst into tears.

Despite the Islamabad police's demand for an extension of Gill's physical remand in a sedition case, the district and sessions court judge ordered him sent back to the Cardiac Centre of the PIMS for a reassessment of his health.

"Shahbaz Gill's condition is not fine," the court remarked while announcing the verdict reserved by duty judge Judicial Magistrate Raja Farrukh Ali Khan.

A couple of videos of Gill crying and complaining of difficulty breathing went viral on social media. At the court premises, he was provided with an oxygen cylinder.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan decided to visit Gill at the medical facility in the federal capital. However, he was denied access to his chief of staff.

Later, the PTI chief announced rallies countrywide to express solidarity with his chief of staff, claiming that he faced "sexual abuse" in police custody.

In a series of tweets, Imran demanded justice for Gill. "All the pictures and videos show clearly Gill was tortured both mentally and physically, including sexual abuse — most too gruesome to relate," the PTI chairman said.

The PTI chairman claimed the police humiliated Gill and that he now has detailed information about the events regarding Gill's "torture".

"ICT police says it did not inflict any torture. So my question is: Who tortured Gill?" Khan asked.

The PTI chairman added that there is a general perception in the public at large and in "our minds too as to who could have carried out the gruesome torture".

"Remember the public will react. We will leave no stone unturned to find out those responsible and bring them to justice," he added.

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Imran denied permission to meet Gill at hospital

After being denied permission to meet Shahbaz Gill at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Imran Khan announced that he will hold rallies across Pakistan in support of his party official.

Imran Khan made the announcement while speaking with the media outside PIMS.

"We will conduct rallies across all divisional headquarters," Khan said, inviting PTI supporters to join him in raising his voice against the torture and ill-treatment meted out to his chief of staff.

"They don't care about court orders," he said, criticising the government's treatment of Gill and their disregard in relation to his health.

Amid strict security within PIMS' premises, Khan earlier reached the hospital to meet his chief of staff Shahbaz Gill, who has been admitted as per court orders. The former PM was, however, denied permission to visit his party member.

 

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Sudan: Torrential rain, floods kill 77 and destroy 14,500 homes

Flooding in Sudan has killed 77 people and destroyed an estimated 14,500 homes as seasonal rains pound the country, causing rivers to flood and destroying property.

According to international media, the death toll since the rainy season began in May now stands at 77, the spokesman for Sudan’s National Council for Civil Defence, Brigadier General Abdul-Jalil Abdul-Rahim, said on Thursday.

Provinces most affected by the seasonal rains include North Kordofan, Gezira, South Kordofan, South Darfur and River Nile, the spokesman said.

Heavy rains usually fall in Sudan between May and October, and the country faces severe flooding every year that wrecks property, infrastructure and crops.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported earlier this week that, according to the government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission, humanitarian organisations, and local authorities, more than 136,000 people have been affected by the floods.

The UN agency said it expected the number of those affected by flooding to increase as assessments were still under way and heavy rains had been forecast. The UN also said the number of people and localities affected by the seasonal rains as of August 14 had “doubled” compared with the same period last year.

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PM Shehbaz directs to speed-up relief operations in flood-affected areas immediately

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed NDMA, PDMA and the provincial government to speed-up relief operations in the flood-affected areas immediately.

According to PM Office, Shehbaz Sharif said the first priority in a flood situation is the rescue of the affected people and their immediate assistance.

He also directed that 50000 rupees should be provided immediately to each victim family.

The Prime Minister directed for immediate provision of accommodation, medical facilities, food and clean drinking water to the victims.

He expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and properties due to floods in southern Sindh.

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Heavy rains bring more destruction to Balochistan villages

Heavy rains continued to wreak havoc in Balochistan after a new spell of rains caused flash flooding in Lasbela district and nearby areas, leaving several villages inundated.

Traffic on Quetta-Karachi National Highway remained suspended even after five days as flood water is still flowing over the highway.

Sibi Deputy Commis­si­o­ner Mansoor Qazi said flood water had entered villages including Raza Mohammad Goth and Kalmathi Goth in the Uthal area.

The deputy commissioner said the ground link between Uthal and the rest of Lasbela had been disconnected after a pylon caved in on a thoroughfare connecting the two points.

He said 12 people were rescued from one of the inundated villages.

“An alternative route that was prepared three days ago near Landa River in Uthal has been washed away once again due to floods,” he said.

He urged motorists to avoid using Quetta-Karachi National Highway, saying the repair work could take at least two more days.

Two cars were also washed away in floods on Wednesday night near Zero Point area of Uthal, however, locals with the help of welfare officials rescued five people aboard the two vehicles.

The situation in other districts has not improved yet as Musakhail, Zhob, Pishin, Qila Saifullah, Qila Abdullah, Nasirabad and Lasbela were still receiving torrential rains for the past two days.

According to officials, hundreds of mud houses were damaged in Qila Saifullah, Muslim Bagh, Musakhail, Kohlu, Dera Bugti and other areas due to incessant rains.

Rescue teams, including the army, Frontier Constabulary, Levies and local administration were trying to rescue people from far-flung areas of the district which were cut-off due to washing away of connecting roads and of bridges.

Meanwhile, the provincial government called upon the federal government to provide a special package of Rs60 billion for repair of infrastructure and rehabilitation of flood-hit families.

The Balochistan government sent a resolution adopted by the provincial assembly recently to Islamabad. “Balochistan, having meagre resources, is not able to rehabilitate the destroyed areas and compensate the people who suffered huge financial losses,” the resolution stated.

It asked the provincial government to approach the federal government for a special package of at least Rs50bn to Rs60bn for the rehabilitation of 32 destroyed districts and waive off all utility bills and agriculture loans in the districts that had been declared calamity-hit areas.

 

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Chinese troops will travel to Russia to take part in joint military drills

Chinese troops will travel to Russia to take part in joint military drills, Beijing’s defence ministry said.

Beijing and Moscow have close defence links and China has said it wants to push bilateral relations “to a higher level,” even as Moscow faces international sanctions and widespread condemnation over its war in Ukraine.

China’s defence ministry said Wednesday its participation in the annual “Vostok” exercises — which Moscow has said will take place from August 30 to September 5 — is part of a bilateral cooperation agreement with Russia.

“The aim is to deepen practical and friendly cooperation with the armies of participating countries, enhance the level of strategic collaboration among the participating parties, and strengthen the ability to respond to various security threats,” the Chinese defence ministry said in a statement.

India, Belarus, Mongolia, Tajikistan and other countries will also participate, it said.

China and India have been accused of providing diplomatic cover for Russia throughout its months-long war in Ukraine by opposing Western sanctions and arms sales to Kyiv.

But Beijing insisted its participation in the joint exercises was “unrelated to the current international and regional situation”.

It is the second joint military exercise conducted by Chinese and Russian troops this year.

Bombers from the two countries conducted a 13-hour drill close to Japan and South Korea in May, forcing those countries to scramble jet fighters, as US President Joe Biden was visiting Tokyo.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that while warming ties between China and Russia undermined global security, Washington didn’t “read anything” into the drills.

“Most of the participating countries also routinely participate in a wide array of military exercises and exchanges with the United States as well,” he told a press conference.

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