Nawaz Sharif (R), former Prime Minister and leader of Pakistan Muslim League, gestures to supporters as his daughter Maryam Nawaz looks on during party's workers convention in Islamabad, Pakistan June 4, 2018.
A Pakistani high court on Wednesday suspended the jail terms handed to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter, and son-in law in a corruption case.
A two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court comprising Justice Athar Minallah, and Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurungzeb ordered the release of Sharif, his daughter and political heir Maryam Nawaz, and son-in-law Mohammad Safdar on bail against a surety bond of Rs 500,000 ($4500) each.
However, the hearing of Sharif's appeal against his conviction will continue. Sharif is also facing another two cases stemmed from whistle-blower Panama Papers in 2016, which, he claims, had been “cooked up” and were aimed at ousting him and his party from politics.
Pakistani President on Monday termed country’s relations with Turkey as vital for regional peace and development.In his maiden address to the joint parliamentary session, the newly-elected Arif Alvi said the historical relations between the two Islamic countries are based on culture, religion and heritage."Our relations with Turkey are very important because these relations would help to bring development and peace in the whole region," Alvi said.He vowed that the new government would boost the bilateral relations.Pakistan PM announces nationality for Bengalis, AfghansAlvi also underlined the role of official visits in strengthening ties with countries, referring to the recent visits by Turkey, China, U.S. and Iranian foreign ministers.The president reiterated Pakistan’s desire to establish good relations with all countries, particularly with China, Russia, Afghanistan and Iran.China-Pakistan Economic CorridorOn the reports of Pakistan’s concern for China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Alvi rejected the speculations, assuring Chinese government for cooperation.“CPEC is very important for the socio-economic development of Pakistan and it would continue to be the government's top priorities," Alvi said.On Sept. 9, the Financial Times reported the new Pakistani government is concerned that the $64-billion CPEC project unfairly benefits Beijing.CPEC, a mega project, signed in 2015, during the jailed former premier Nawaz Sharif government, aims to connect China's strategically important northwestern Xinxiang province to Pakistan’s strategic Gwadar port through a network of roads, railways, and pipelines to transport cargo, oil, and gas.The economic corridor will not only provide China cheaper access to Africa and the Middle East but will also earn Pakistan billions of dollars for providing transit facilities to the world’s second-largest economy.On the relations with long-time arch rival India, Alvi said Pakistan desires peaceful relations with India.The new government would continue its effort for the peaceful solution of Kashmir issue, he added.In Pakistan, the president is a symbol of federation, the head of state, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces; however, exercises powers upon the recommendations by the prime minister.According to the country's constitution, the president addresses the joint session of the parliament, the Senate, and National Assembly at the beginning of every parliamentary year to give a direction for national policies to the government.
Pakistan: Ties with Turkey vital for regional peace
The three-time premier was sentenced to 10 years in jail in a corruption case by an accountability court Islamabad in May this year, which saw an outcry of “injustice” by his party supporters.
The three had all been found guilty of buying four apartments at Avenfield House in London’s posh Park Lane area in 1993 allegedly through illegal means.
Sharif had challenged the verdict in the Islamabad High Court.
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday announced to grant nationality to hundreds of thousands of Afghans and Bengalis born in Pakistan -- a move likely to invite ire from nationalists.Khan made the announcement at a ceremony in southern port city of Karachi, which has the largest population of Afghan refugees and illegal Bengali immigrants."Many Afghans and Bengalis have been living here for last 40-50 years. Their children were born here. We will Insha Allah (God willing) issue national identification cards and passports," Khan said addressing a fund raising dinner for construction of dams at governor house Sindh, for which Karachi is the capital.The first-time premier attached the grant of nationality to law and order in the province, mainly Karachi, the country's commercial capital."An entire generation (of Afghans and Bengalis) was born and raised here. But they do not have national ID cards and passports, therefore they cannot get jobs. This ultimately push them to criminal activities and street crimes" Khan observed.Home to over 15 million people, Karachi is the country's most populated city, and has earned notoriety for political and criminal violence, particularly street crimes in recent decades.The metropolis is also home to over 2 million Afghan refugees and illegal Bengali immigrants.Pakistan hosts 1.6 million registered and over a million illegal Afghan refugees.Khan's announcement is to benefit a large number of Afghans and Bengalis, particularly Beharis -- the people who had first migrated to Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) in 1947 following the creation of Pakistan, and then to Pakistan (then West Pakistan) in 1971 following the creation of Bangladesh.However, the move is very much likely to draw opposition from Sindhi nationalists who already see the presence of refugees and immigrants as a "burden on local resources."They fear that the growing number of immigrants in Sindh, the country's second largest province, will disbalance the population equilibrium in the province.Sindh, especially Karachi, has long been witnessing ethnic tensions between the local Sindhis and Mohajirs -- the Urdu speaking people who migrated from India in 1947 following the creation of Pakistan.
Pakistan PM announces nationality for Bengalis, Afghans
Sharif's supporters, who were present outside the court in high numbers, raised slogans in his favor and danced to celebrate the verdict, which the analysts see as a " big relief " and a " tonic" for the Sharif family.
"We are thankful to Almighty Allah. This is victory of justice. we congratulate the lovers of Sharif in all over the country", Khawaja Asif, former foreign minister and a senior leader of Sharif's right-wing Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), told reporters outside the court.
Last week, the country's National Accountability Bureau had approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay against hearing of Sharif's appeal by the Islamabad High Court. However, the top court rejected the accountability bureau's petition.
Afghanistan and Pakistan on Saturday agreed to hold tripartite conference with China as part of a peace process, an official said on Saturday.Sibghatullah Ahmadi, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told journalists in Kabul the agreement was reached in meetings among the top Afghan officials and the visiting Foreign minister of Pakistan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi.Without specifying a date, the spokesman said the meeting would take place “soon,” and the two sides have also agreed upon joint efforts to bring the Taliban to the negotiation table, and hold a conference of the religious scholars.“The new government in Pakistan seems inclined towards peace and stability in Afghanistan and mutual cooperation”, he added.Pakistan's Khan vows to strengthen ties with TurkeyQureshi landed in Kabul in the morning on his first trip abroad in a move signifying the importance Islamabad attaches to Afghanistan.He met Afghan president Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, in the afternoon at Arg (presidential palace).During the meeting, the two sides discussed security, peace and stability in the region, counter-terrorism and Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity, according to a statement issued by Ghani’s office.Ghani emphasized the importance of the action plan, saying the plan was comprehensive and its effectiveness will be observed when it is implemented.The meeting also discussed Pakistan’s support for Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, the statement added.In 2015, Pakistan hosted the maiden direct talks between the Taliban and a senior member of the Afghan government, but the announcement of the Taliban’s supreme leader Mullah Omar’s death resulted in these talks meeting a dead end.Qureshi told Pakistan’s Geo News on Saturday both the countries decided to strengthen contacts and further the reconciliation process."We have come here for the betterment of the people of both countries and we will have to deal with mutual challenges together," he added.The Taliban in Afghanistan rejected a second ceasefire offer by the Ghani administration last month insisting upon exit of foreign troops and direct talks with the U.S.
Afghanistan, Pakistan agree to work together for peace
In July 2017, 68-year-old Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court over the Panama Papers scandal, which also led to the filing of three corruption cases. Not long after, the top court also barred him from holding the leadership of his party.
Nawaz Sharif, who served as the premier from 1990 to 1992, 1997 to 1999, and 2013 to 2017, could not complete even a single five-year term. His two previous governments were dismissed over corruption charges and through a bloodless military coup in 1992 and 1999, respectively.
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday vowed to further strengthen bilateral ties with Turkey."Pakistan and Turkey have always stood beside each other and would continue to do so," Khan said in a meeting with visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu in capital Islamabad.The prime minister said Pakistan and Turkey have the required potential to forge an even stronger partnership in future.Çavuşoğlu arrived in Islamabad on Thursday on an official visit upon the invitation of the Pakistani foreign minister.Video: Turkey's Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu meets Pakistan's Imran KhanThe Turkish foreign minister reiterated Turkey’s full support to Pakistani government’s future plans to take the country on a rapid course of economic progress, developments and creating greater opportunities for the people of Pakistan, especially its vibrant youth, according to the press release.During the meeting, they also discussed the ideas covering promotion of bilateral trade and Turkish investment in various sectors including energy sector in Pakistan.Both sides reiterated their commitment to continue working closely in various multilateral and international forums including the UN and the OIC.President Arif Alvi also met the Turkish minister, who congratulated him on election victory.
Pakistan's Khan vows to strengthen ties with Turkey
Pakistan’s former First Lady Begum Kulsoom Nawaz was laid to rest in northeastern Lahore city on Friday.Thousands thronged the Jati Umra -- residence of Sharif family on the eastern outskirt of Lahore -- to attend the funeral prayer led by eminent religious scholar Maulana Tariq Jameel.Kulsoom’s widower and jailed ex-premier Nawaz Sharif, who was released on a parole together with his daughter and political heir Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday, also attended the funeral marking an end to the couple’s 47-year marital association.Live footage aired on local TV channels showed a van, weak and weather-beaten Nawaz Sharif who has served as premier for three terms, coming to attend the funeral surrounded by his family members, and plain-clothed security personnel.Video: Former Pakistani PM attends wife's funeral in LahorOthers who attended the funeral included, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Opposition leader and Nawaz Sharif’s younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, former President Mamnoon Hussain, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar, former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, and leaders of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), center-left Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Jamat-e-Islami, Jamiat Ulema Islam, and other political and religious parties.Sharif, his daughter Maryam, and son-in-law Mohammad Safdar are currently serving jail terms in a corruption case. However, Sharif’s supporters see a judiciary-army nexus behind their conviction.Kulsoom, a PhD in Urdu literature, lost her protracted battle against cancer in a London hospital on Wednesday.Pakistan air chief praises Pak-Turk defense partnershipHer health deteriorated rapidly after her initial diagnosis with lymphoma in June 2017.Despite not being able to campaign, she still won the by-election on a National Assembly seat in September 2017 from Lahore, following disqualification of Sharif in whistleblower Panama papers scandal by the country’s top court.She was known as a “brave woman” for her daring struggle for Sharif’s release following dismissal of his elected government by the then army chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf in 1999.However, she generally maintained a low public profile when Sharif remained in power.
Pakistan’s former First Lady laid to rest
Islamabad wants to "enhance and augment" its relations with Turkey, the Pakistan Air Force chief said on Thursday.In an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency at the Pakistan Embassy in Ankara, Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan spoke about bilateral relations between the two countries.“We are very appreciative of the Turkish people for standing by Pakistan in all difficult times,” the air force chief said.“We want to enhance and augment these relations in the times to come,” he added.Khan, who was awarded the Legion of Merit of Turkish Armed Forces on Wednesday, said the two countries “face similar challenges” in national security.Referring to terrorism as the “biggest challenge” faced by Pakistan, Khan said that the country had lost more than 76,000 lives and in the last 17 years suffered more than $100 billion in damages.He regretted the lack of global support for his country's effort to build a fence against cross-border terrorism, adding that “a stable Afghanistan is in the interests of Pakistan and the entire region".He said: “Both countries need to further augment collaboration in the defense and security domain" in order to play a positive role in the stability of the region.Turkey and Pakistan have recently contracted the sale/purchase of 30 Turkish attack helicopters, 4 Milgem corvettes and 52 Pakistani Super Mushshak trainer aircraft.Khan said Pakistan was a peaceful nation and believed in peaceful coexistence with all neighbours.Turkey’s foreign minister arrives in Pakistan
Pakistan air chief praises Pak-Turk defense partnership