Azerbaijan 'determined' to fight until Armenian troops leave Karabakh

Azerbaijan on Wednesday vowed to pursue military action against Armenian separatists in the breakaway Nagorny Karabakh region until a full Armenian withdrawal from the disputed territory.

Armenian and Azerbaijani forces are engaged in the heaviest fighting in years over Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian province that broke away from Azerbaijan in the 1990s during the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The long-simmering conflict erupted on Sunday with both sides blaming each other for the outbreak of violence.

“We only have one condition: Armenian armed forces must unconditionally, fully, and immediately leave our lands,” Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in televised remarks.

If “the Armenian government fulfils the demand, fighting and bloodshed will end, and peace will be established in the region,” he added.

Earlier today, Azerbaijan's foreign ministry said in a statement that Baku was “resolutely determined to continue the counter-offensive operation until its sovereignty and territorial integrity is fully restored [...] (and) we clearly see the Armenian troops leaving the territory of Azerbaijan”.

On Wednesday, Armenia and Azerbaijan rejected international calls for a halt to fighting and negotiations.

Nearly 100 people are confirmed to have died in the flare-up and both sides are claiming to have inflicted heavy losses on opposing forces.

Meanwhile, France’s president voiced solidarity with Armenia amid its conflict with Azerbaijan over Armenian-occupied Upper Karabakh.

Claiming that it was Azerbaijan last weekend that started the conflict, Emmanuel Macron called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to end the conflict unconditionally, adding that he had discussed this issue with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

“I wanted these attacks to end. I explicitly condemned these disproportionate attacks,” he said in a news conference during a visit to Latvia.

“Something has been happening since July,” he added, evidently referring to the killing of three Azerbaijani soldiers and the wounding of four others when Armenia launched a border attack on July 12.

“It was determined that the attacks on Sunday came from Azerbaijan,” claimed Macron, adding: “Both sides must comply with the cease-fire.”

Border clashes broke out early on Sunday when Armenian forces in Upper Karabakh, or Nagorno-Karabakh reportedly targeted Azerbaijani civilian settlements and military positions, leading to multiple casualties.

He said he would also discuss the issue with United States President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I have noticed the political statements made by Turkey [in favour of Azerbaijan], which I find to be inconsiderate and risky,” said Macron, a frequent critic of Turkey.

“France is concerned by the warlike messages from Turkey which is in favour of Azerbaijan’s reconquering Nagorno-Karabakh. And that we won’t accept it,” he added, not mentioning that the region is internationally recognised as belonging to Azerbaijan.

Macron said that Armenia's sovereignty and people should be respected, urging against any statements that would raise tensions.

International pressure for a ceasefire has mounted as fears grow that the conflict could escalate into all-out war.

Karabakh's declaration of independence from Azerbaijan sparked a war in the early 1990s that claimed 30,000 lives, but it is still not recognised as independent by any country, including Armenia.

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Joe Biden's use of 'Inshallah' to mock Trump raises eyebrows

Former US Vice President and Democratic White House hopeful Joe Biden on Tuesday night took on incumbent President Donald Trump in the first debate and used the word “Inshallah”.

Apart from its original meaning of 'If God wills it', the phrase 'Inshallah' is also often used sarcastically by Muslims when they are talking about something that is unlikely to happen.

A video going around on social media of the debates showed President Donald Trump saying that he will soon release his tax returns filed with US authorities, when Joe Biden interjected with "Inshallah".

Okay, for those of you wondering - did Joe Biden really drop an “inshallah” with the appropriate sarcastic usage?

Yes, he did. I confirmed with his campaign - that is indeed what the man said. https://t.co/MqseBsl2Ck

— Asma Khalid (@asmamk) September 30, 2020

“You will get to see it [tax return] and you will get to see it,” said the US president, when Joe Biden interjected saying: “When?…Inshallah”

Hours later, Asma Khalid, a correspondent for the US-based National Public Radio, said she contacted Joe Biden’s presidential campaign and they confirmed that he did say “Inshallah”.

Khalid also said that Biden’s team also confirmed to her that Biden did use “Inshallah” as an “appropriate sarcastic” remark.

“Yes, he did. I confirmed with his campaign - that is indeed what the man said,” tweeted Khalid.

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Sindh govt announces public holiday on Oct 2

The Sindh government on Wednesday announced a public holiday on Friday, October 2.

The holiday has been announced in connection with the urs (death anniversary) of Sindh's most popular Sufi saint, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai.

The urs begins every year on 14th Safar (2nd month of Hijra calendar) and lasts for three days.

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Nawaz Sharif's exit from Pakistan a 'mockery of entire system': IHC

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's exit from Pakistan is a "mockery of the system", said the Islamabad High Court (IHC) bench on Wednesday.

The court passed the remarks after Additional Attorney General Tariq Khokhar presented a compliance report on Nawaz Sharif's arrest warrants issued by the high court.

The report was submitted to the two-member bench, comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Aamer Farooq, hearing the petition filed by the former prime minister against his sentence in the Avenfield apartments.

Khokhar, while briefing the court on the attempts made to arrest Nawaz Sharif, said that Rao Abdul Hanan, an officer of the Pakistani High Commission, had visited the residence of the PML-N chief in London. He added that Eddie, the person at the apartment, "refused" to receive the arrest warrant.

“Every effort was made to enforce Nawaz Sharif's arrest warrant,” the government's lawyer told the court. He also read Hanan's statements regarding the arrest warrant.

After Khokhar’s explanation, Additional Prosecutor General of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Jahanzaib Bharwana informed the court that they were aware of the attempts made to arrest Nawaz Sharif.

Khokhar then told the court that the Pakistani mission in London also contacted the commonwealth office, via telephone, over the warrant. He added that the commonwealth office informed them that it was not in their jurisdiction to implement the IHC's order.

“This means that they [commonwealth office] are not ready to assist us,” observed the court. It added that the court has to be satisfied with evidence that it did its best to comply with the warrants.

“The purpose of all this exercise is so that when the accused comes tomorrow he does not say that he did not know [about the warrants],” remarked Justice Kayani. He then added that the accused knew that he had defeated the system to leave the country.

“He [Nawaz Sharif] must be sitting there laughing at Pakistan's system. It's a shame,” observed Justice Kayani. He added that the court will issue a verdict on the matter.

The court also observed that the federal government should also take care “from now on” who it can allow to leave the country. It also remarked that the time spent on delivering an arrest warrant to an accused could have been spent on providing relief to other litigants.

“The court, the government, the Foreign Office and the high commission are jointly executing a single warrant,” observed the court.

The hearing of the case was adjourned till October 7 as the IHC ordered that the statement of the high commission’s counsellor, Rao Abdul Hanan, will be recorded in the next proceedings via a video link.

Earlier this month, the IHC had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Nawaz Sharif during a hearing over the former prime minister's petition requesting exemption from appearing before the court.

In the brief ruling, IHC's Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani remarked that the PML-N supremo neither underwent a surgery despite citing it as a reason behind obtaining bail to travel to the United Kingdom nor was he admitted to a hospital.

"Our bail order has expired, which has its own effects," the judge said during a hearing at the IHC over a petition to cancel Nawaz's bail in the Avenfield properties reference.

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Sindh govt announces public holiday on Oct 2

The Sindh government on Wednesday announced a public holiday on Friday, October 2.

The holiday has been announced in connection with the urs (death anniversary) of Sindh's most popular Sufi saint, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai.

The urs begins every year on 14th Safar (2nd month of Hijra calendar) and lasts for three days.

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Nawaz Sharif's exit from Pakistan a 'mockery of entire system': IHC

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's exit from Pakistan is a "mockery of the system", said the Islamabad High Court (IHC) bench on Wednesday.

The court passed the remarks after Additional Attorney General Tariq Khokhar presented a compliance report on Nawaz Sharif's arrest warrants issued by the high court.

The report was submitted to the two-member bench, comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Aamer Farooq, hearing the petition filed by the former prime minister against his sentence in the Avenfield apartments.

Khokhar, while briefing the court on the attempts made to arrest Nawaz Sharif, said that Rao Abdul Hanan, an officer of the Pakistani High Commission, had visited the residence of the PML-N chief in London. He added that Eddie, the person at the apartment, "refused" to receive the arrest warrant.

“Every effort was made to enforce Nawaz Sharif's arrest warrant,” the government's lawyer told the court. He also read Hanan's statements regarding the arrest warrant.

After Khokhar’s explanation, Additional Prosecutor General of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Jahanzaib Bharwana informed the court that they were aware of the attempts made to arrest Nawaz Sharif.

Khokhar then told the court that the Pakistani mission in London also contacted the commonwealth office, via telephone, over the warrant. He added that the commonwealth office informed them that it was not in their jurisdiction to implement the IHC's order.

“This means that they [commonwealth office] are not ready to assist us,” observed the court. It added that the court has to be satisfied with evidence that it did its best to comply with the warrants.

“The purpose of all this exercise is so that when the accused comes tomorrow he does not say that he did not know [about the warrants],” remarked Justice Kayani. He then added that the accused knew that he had defeated the system to leave the country.

“He [Nawaz Sharif] must be sitting there laughing at Pakistan's system. It's a shame,” observed Justice Kayani. He added that the court will issue a verdict on the matter.

The court also observed that the federal government should also take care “from now on” who it can allow to leave the country. It also remarked that the time spent on delivering an arrest warrant to an accused could have been spent on providing relief to other litigants.

“The court, the government, the Foreign Office and the high commission are jointly executing a single warrant,” observed the court.

The hearing of the case was adjourned till October 7 as the IHC ordered that the statement of the high commission’s counsellor, Rao Abdul Hanan, will be recorded in the next proceedings via a video link.

Earlier this month, the IHC had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Nawaz Sharif during a hearing over the former prime minister's petition requesting exemption from appearing before the court.

In the brief ruling, IHC's Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani remarked that the PML-N supremo neither underwent a surgery despite citing it as a reason behind obtaining bail to travel to the United Kingdom nor was he admitted to a hospital.

"Our bail order has expired, which has its own effects," the judge said during a hearing at the IHC over a petition to cancel Nawaz's bail in the Avenfield properties reference.

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Govt to establish national emergency helpline to curb untoward incidents

The federal government has decided to establish a national emergency helpline to immediately respond to people in all parts of the country who are facing an uncertain situation.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has given an important task to PM Performance Delivery Unit (PMDU) for establishing a national emergency helpline to end untoward incidents like motorway gang-rape case.

PMDU has been directed to establish a separate system on modern lines within two months for immediately responding to the complaints to the citizens across the country if they are facing an emergency situation.

Citizens will be given a toll-free number to register complaints about facing emergency situation while the helpline will be interconnected with the new system, stated Prime Minister Office (PMO).

The unit will also take assistance from cellular companies besides consulting all provinces for legislation purpose in order to make the system more effective and stable to curb any untoward incident in future.

On September 9, the woman along with her children was waiting for help on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway after her car ran out of fuel when she was forcefully brought out of the car at gunpoint and gang-raped in Gujjarpura area on the outskirts of the provincial.

After 20 days of the gang-rape, the victim had reportedly agreed yesterday to identify Shafqat Ali, in the identification parade and record her statement via phone under section 161.

On the other hand, Punjab police failed to nab main suspect Abid Malhi so far despite the passage of over 20 days. Police sources said that the accused is still hiding in the limits of Punjab province.

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