The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday hinted at conducting the trial of former prime minister Imran Khan in a contempt case at Adiala Jail, where he is incarcerated, citing a report submitted by the interior ministry.
The development follows Imran’s hearings in the Toshakhana, cipher, and Al-Qadir Trust cases already being conducted at jail premises due to security concerns.
The ECP had initiated contempt proceedings against the PTI chief, former party leader Asad Umar and former information minister Fawad Chaudhry last year for allegedly using “intemperate” language against the chief election commissioner and the electoral watchdog.
However, instead of appearing before the ECP, the three had challenged the ECP notices and contempt proceedings in various high courts on the grounds that Section 10 of the Elections Act 2017, which is the statutory provision regarding the commission’s power to punish for contempt, was against the Constitution. The PTI leaders had also sought from the high courts a declaratory relief from the charges.
But in January, the Supreme Court allowed the ECP to continue proceedings against Imran, Chaudhry and Umar, and on June 21, the ECP decided to frame charges against the trio, which is yet to be done.
During today’s hearing, ECP member from Sindh Nasir Durrani told Imran’s counsel Shoaib Shaheen that the interior ministry had submitted a report that said that Imran could not be presented and proposed that the commission send a team to jail to indict him.
The ECP is yet to make a final call on the report of the ministry, which was forwarded to the commission and other relevant ministries under the standard operating procedure.
At the outset, Shaheen conveyed that the order from the last hearing had not been provided to him.
Durrani responded by saying, “The interior ministry submitted a report, highlighting that Imran could not be presented due to the current circumstances. It is said that a jail trial can be conducted.”
Shaheen urged the commission to share the report “if it is a routine report.”
Durrani assured him of providing a copy of the report and mentioned that it suggested the commission visit the jail to indict Imran. The case has been ongoing for around one-and-a-half years, he added.
At this, Imran’s lawyer expressed concern, stating that the jail trial of a leader of a top political party sent the wrong message.
Meanwhile, ECP member from Balochistan, Shah Muhammad Jatoi, stressed that the commission would focus on the law and not the accused.
He cautioned against making statements against the commission, saying, “Please do not make such statements before the commission; you were previously making statements against the same commission.”
Separately, Asad Umar also made an appearance before the ECP in the same case. The electoral watchdog questioned Umar about his repeated failure to appear before the commission.
“I have appeared before the ECP the most,” Umar responded, adding that he had also quit politics. In response, one of the ECP members stated, “You can continue politics.”
“I am grateful to you, but I’ve quit politics,” the former PTI leader reiterated. Umar then submitted his written response to the ECP.
Following the arguments, the commission adjourned the hearing until December 6.
Talking to Dawn.com after the hearing, Shaheen stated that he had urged the ECP to provide one or more reports the commission had received regarding a jail trial of the contempt case.
He highlighted that the ECP had specific mandated roles and could not operate in the same manner as a court.
Shaheen said he had sought copies of the interior ministry’s report to build his argument against the proposal for a jail trial for the former premier.
A group of academics on Thursday filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the government’s campaign to “en masse deport Afghans” and seeking orders to restrain law enforcement agencies from implementing the decision.
The plea, filed by six faculty members of the Lahore University of Management Sciences under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, has been fixed for hearing on Dec 1.
Article 184 (3) empowers the Supreme Court to hear cases from individuals who believe their fundamental rights have been violated and the issue is of public importance or take suo motu action (act on its own initiative).
In November, the government initiated a nationwide campaign to deport illegal foreign nationals, the majority of whom are Afghans. While the decision had prompted criticism from Afghanistan and several other quarters, the caretakers refused to budge, insisting the move was not aimed at any particular ethnic group.
Of the more than four million Afghans living in Pakistan, the government estimates 1.7m are undocumented. So far, thousands of Afghans have returned home from the Torkham and Chaman border crossings.
Earlier this month, a similar application was filed by former PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar in the apex court seeking restraining orders against the expulsion of Afghans. A three-member SC bench will decide on the maintainability of the petition tomorrow.
The latest plea filed in the SC today, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, named the federation, all four provinces, the Islamabad chief commissioner, the chief commissioner for Afghan refugees, the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), the director general of Immigration and Passports and the United National High Commissioner for Afghan refugees as respondents.
It stated that the petitioners, as concerned citizens, were compelled to file the plea in the interest of underprivileged and destitute Afghans living in Pakistan, “whether refugees, asylum seekers, so-called illegal foreigners or Pakistani citizens of Afghan origin”.
“This petition is necessitated due to the serious human rights abuses and blatant violation of the Constitution and international law being committed by the federal government, the provincial government and other government authorities in the name of Pakistan.”
The application raised a number of questions of law including the principle of refoulment under international law, violation of international law and violation of fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.
It recalled that Pakistan has been a “generous host” to approximately five million Afghan refugees for the past 40 years and the current situation in Afghanistan is a “real threat and danger” for refugees to return.
It pointed out that as per the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions, there were 1.3m registered Afghans, 0.8m newly registered Afghans and 0.7m undocumented Afghans in Pakistan.
“Among the undocumented is an influx of an estimated 600,000 new Afghan arrivals since Aug 2021 after the takeover of the Taliban government in Afghanistan. An estimated 300,000 of those have tried to approach the UNHCR to register as refugees but UNHCR has not permitted to do so,” the petition stated.
It highlighted that Afghans did not obtain documentation because there was no such legal requirement previously and a “proof of registration card” was introduced in 2006. However, the card had to be extended from time to time due to its temporary validity period.
The plea went on to state that the current situation of Afghan refugees persisted due to the “lack of asylum/refugee law in Pakistan”.
It added that the caretaker government’s decision to expel Afghans “is not contained in any formal written letter” and does not “appear to have been passed under any legal authority such as the Foreigners Act, 1946 or any other statute.”
The petition highlighted that during the process of expulsion, Rs50,000 were taken from Afghan nationals at the borders while many of them were forced to abandon their homes, properties and businesses in Pakistan.
It further stated that reports showed law enforcement agencies were targeting all Afghan nations and deporting them, adding that even undocumented Afghans with confirmed refugee status would be expelled from Dec 2023.
“Since the impugned decision was made and the expiry of the deadline was given, Afghans are being subjected to forced expulsion, harassment, extortion, physical abuse, racial discrimination, separation from family members, and inhumane treatment in violation of their fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution and international law,” the plea said, adding that various organisations had highlighted the same.
It also pointed out various international laws that prohibit the expulsion of aliens in circumstances where their lives would be under threat.
Highlighting the deportation of Afghan children born in Pakistan, the petition said the decision was a violation of the Citizenship Act. It added that Sections 3 (power to make orders), 4 (internees) and 9 (burden of proof) of the Foreigners Act were also “ultra vires” Article 10 of the Constitution — which related to the right of fair trial.
Moreover, the petition said the caretaker government could not take such a decision and hence violated Section 230 of the Elections Act, 2017.
“The impugned decision is vague and arbitrary, with no rational reasons to support it. Every individual Afghan refugee, asylum seeker and alien has the right to the grounds on which they are subject to expulsion/deportation. It is apparent that the impugned decision not only lacks cogent reasons but is arbitrary and vague and should be set aside,” it said.
The plea subsequently prayed that the government’s decision to expel Afghans was “null and void” and of no legal effect for being constitutional. It added that Sections 3, 4, 9 and 14(2) of the Foreigners Act should be declared ultra vires the Constitution.
It also sought that Afghan children born in Pakistan should be entitled to Pakistani citizenship and the government should take all measures to reverse the harm done by facilitating the return of Afghans to their homes in Pakistan.
The petition added that a commission should also be formed to oversee and ensure the process was carried out fairly and justly.
On a regular day at the office, sunk into my creaky chair at the Dawn sports desk, I received the most awaited phone call of my life. Coincidentally, this was during Pakistan’s match against Sri Lanka, which brought us the record for the highest chase in a cricket World Cup, as Abdullah Shafique had my eyes glued to the television.
I wouldn’t say I was expecting it, but I had surely prayed and hoped this day would come.
On the other side of the phone was the head of the visa office at the Indian High Commission. Apparently, I had been selected as one of the few journalists from Pakistan who were allowed to apply for a visa to cover the 50-over Cup. In true impostor-syndrome fashion, the first thing I did was confirm if was someone playing a prank on me. Thankfully, it wasn’t.
The dream comes to life
It has been decade-long dream to cover big sporting events; it’s what drove me to become a sports journalist. Visiting India too had always been on my bucket list, especially due to my ancestral roots. Both these things coming together made it all the more exhilarating.
For Pakistani journalists, this World Cup had been a ‘Will we? Won’t we?’ question from the start. The schedule of the tournament was announced just three months before it was set to begin and media accreditations confirmed just a month before. For anyone wondering — that is very little time to prepare for an event as big as the ICC World Cup.
Then I heard the news of fellow accredited journalists being turned away from the Visa Dropbox offices and being told that only a go-ahead from the Indian High Commission would allow them to continue processing the visa — which takes at least 40 days.
With no communication even after the World Cup had started, most of those journalists, myself included, had given up. But the call I had just received had changed everything. I asked around if my fellow journalists from other media houses had also received the call. It turned out some of them had. A few television channels also started running tickers about Pakistani journalists finally being invited to apply for visas.
The call came on a Tuesday, and I was looking at the possibility of being in India to watch the hosts take on Pakistan in Ahmedabad. Travel arrangements were made in haste and packing was basically me spilling my wardrobe into a suitcase. The next morning, I was standing outside the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, under the bright sun and crisp breeze, a perfect encapsulation of the uncertainty that we were facing.
After an hour of waiting outside, I and two other colleagues were allowed inside the embassy, where we were verbally told that we were most likely going to India. However, until I received my passport with the visa stamp, it was hard to really believe it.
The next day, there it was, my first-ever visa stamp with permission to visit five cities. India was happening!
The emotions came all at once — anxiety, stress, happiness, excitement and even fear — considering the political tensions between Pakistan and India. But I was not going to let all those feelings get in the way of what was to come; they were to be deferred to another day when I would have enough time to address them.
We travelled to Lahore that very night. A short nap was all I could manage before heading to the Wagah Border, from where we were to enter India via Attari.
At the Wagah Border, ready to start my journey.
The last time I visited Wagah was in my adolescent years to see the daily flag-hoisting ceremony. I remember being fascinated by how a single line separated two countries; how a step here or there would mean standing in different territories.
As I proceeded towards the Zero Line after a smooth immigration process on the Pakistan side, I felt goosebumps on my arms and my eyes getting watery. Gratitude, in its purest form, took over. I was seeing my dream come true.
Stepping into India
I couldn’t stop smiling as I stepped forward and looked back at Pakistan. Thankfully, the immigration process on the Indian side went smooth as well. A jovial Sardar Jee drove us to the Amritsar airport as we exchanged friendly banter over the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry. It seemed to be all that was important on both sides of the border those days.
From Amritsar, we flew to Ahmedabad via Delhi. From the looks of it, it felt like everyone was headed to attend the most anticipated clash of the World Cup. Throughout the flight, all I could hear were conversations about cricket — that didn’t change after the flight either. I also met two Indian expats who came all the way from Australia, specifically to watch the India-Pakistan match.
Driving by the Sabarmati River in a taxi, I reached Mirzapur, a Muslim-dominated neighbourhood in Old Ahmedabad, which was also home to the hotel I would go on to stay in for two nights later.
In Mirzapur, I was received by a distant relative, Turab and his friend, Ali Raza. They couldn’t wait to take me out to have bheja (brain) and kaleji (liver) in the older parts of the city, which resembled the old parts of Karachi quite a bit. The people speaking Gujarati around me made me feel as if I were on the streets of Kharadar or Soldier Bazaar in my hometown, Karachi.
The next morning, when it was all set to go down, I took a rickshaw to the media shuttle pick-up point. Varadbhai, the rickshaw driver manoeuvred past Indian fans clad in blue jerseys on the road. Many of them had travelled from all parts of the country. Varadbhai was delighted to hear that I was from Pakistan and excitedly shared that his grandfather too was from Karachi.
Vardbhai driving me to the media shuttle pick-up point.
I bid him goodbye at the pick-up point and found a seat beside Sabu Cherian, a Times of India reporter — and also my first Indian journalist friend — on the media shuttle.
Sabu Cherian, a fellow journalist and the first friend I made in India.
As we entered the Narendra Modi Stadium, the goosebumps were back and this time, I wasn’t just able to believe my dream was coming true, I could feel it.
The view from the media centre of the 120,000-capacity venue and of the athletes striking back and forth was a sight to behold. Unfortunately, however, Pakistan put up a disappointing performance and the sea of blue in the crowd didn’t help much either.
Ahmedabad to Bangalore
I had breakfast at the Lucky Hotel with Turab in the little time I had before my flight the next morning.
From Ahmadabad, I had a four-hour layover in Chennai — the city my ancestors come from and where my maternal aunt still resides. Making the most of my layover, I met her after seven long years and in those few hours, we managed to have street food and masala dosa near the airport.
An hour later, I was in Bangalore. Compared to Ahmedabad’s hot and dry weather, Bangalore was cool and pleasant. After a day of much-needed rest, I went out for some tourist excursions — the Cubbon Park and the Vidhana Soudha, the largest legislative building in India, spread over 60 acres of land.
The breath-taking Vidhana Soudha.
The legislative building is surrounded by greenery.
Both sites were close to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where Pakistan was scheduled to play Australia two days later. The Chinnaswamy ground has hosted some of the most memorable Pakistan-India matches.
Entrance to the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
I covered the team practice held in the stadium that evening. I also met India’s 1983 World Cup-winning wicket-keeper Syed Kirmani, who was kind enough to let me interview him, while also offering me South Indian classics — spicy Idli and filter coffee from Karnataka.
Cricket fans wait outside the stadium.
That day I also met Sandeep Gopal, a cricket writer from the Indian Express newspaper. Gopal helped me shake off my nerves before I interviewed Kirmani and for me, that was enough to consider him as another friend in what I was finding to be a vibrant, lively country.
Pakistan vs. Australia
After the pre-match press conference coverage, I took a stroll down the famous Church Street, the hub of Bangalore’s nightlife in search of a bookstore. Somewhat contradictory? Perhaps it was.
I was looking for a book which a friend back home had asked me to get due to its unavailability in Pakistan. I came across the Blossom Book House, located just in the midst of the Church Street area. Coming from Pakistan, just seeing huge bookstores themselves was quite amusing.
While I was getting familiar with Bangalore, Pakistan seemed to be getting more and more unfamiliar with winning. In what I can only describe as a terrible fielding performance, we lost to Australia by 63 runs.
Back to Chennai
The next match was to be held in Chennai, where Pakistan had an exceptional track record so far. I took the four-hour-long Vande Bharat Express speed train. This time I was received by my aunt’s son, my first cousin.
Awaiting the Vande Bharat Express.
From the very first day, Chennai felt like home. I knew a week here would never be enough but it was all I could manage between work and family. Despite being told by many in Bangalore about Chennai’s irritable humidity, it did not bother me much, perhaps owing to Karachi’s own humid, coastal weather. In fact, to me, the weather seemed rather pleasant. Chennai’s air had a sense of calm — the main roads were wide and spacious, and the people were welcoming and warm.
Having idli coffee with my relative Syed Kirmani.
Pakistan was to play Afghanistan and South Africa in the coming week in the MA Chidambaram Stadium — commonly known as Chepauk. The stadium felt like a representation of Chennai through its simple yet visually appealing architecture. The white conical roofs of the stands made it my favourite venue in India.
Murals outside the Chepauk.
The first friend I made in Chennai was Bhargav Nadendle, a talented sports writer from the DT Next newspaper. He was my guide in the city and easily my best friend in India.
After exploring the stadium together, we went to the Press Trust of India regional office to meet their reporter Shyam Sundar where we discussed Pakistani cricket over a cup of filter coffee.
Visiting the Press Trust of India office.
Bhargav then took me to his own office and introduced me to his whole team, including the sports editor, Gopu Mohan. Mohan and I went on to talk at length about Pak-India relations and cricket. He recounted how Indian fans once feared, but were also inspired by Pakistani pace greats, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. Both Shyam and Gopu regretted how Pakistan, once a side Indians loved for their sheer quality and class, were now struggling to make it to the World Cup semi-finals.
One of the many dosas I had on my trip.
During my time there, I experienced Chennai’s culture through food — more dosas, coconut chutney and of course, filter coffee. My cousins took me out on late-night drives and I even watched a recent Tamil movie called ‘Leo’ at the Satyam Cinema.
Watching the Tamil film ‘Leo’ at Satyam Cinema, Chennai.
In the seven-day trip to my ancestral home, I also visited my great-grandparents’ graves to pay my respects. I left Chennai with a sombre feeling and with the hopes of coming back soon, but for now, it was time to move on. Kolkata awaited.
Kolkata airport.
It was amusing to see how each city brought with it its own distinct yet diverse people and traits. I visited Kolkata twice, for four and seven days, respectively. It started with checking into a hotel and going down to have biryani at Arsalan’s — one of the famous desi food chains in the city — right after.
The Indian Coffee House in College Street. Filter coffee is a staple in South India.
We drove to Eden Gardens the next day to watch Pakistan train ahead of their clash against Bangladesh. One arrives at the historic venue after passing the famous Maidan — a vast piece of land dedicated specifically for people to play sports on. The area is also known for having the home grounds of famous football clubs, Mohammedan Sporting and Mohun Bagan.
In the massive Eden Gardens, we watched Fakhar Zaman smash it away against Bangladesh to break Pakistan’s losing streak. The sporting crowd thoroughly enjoyed his innings. Fakhar would also later be the master entertainer in Bangalore against New Zealand to help Pakistan win on the DLS method, on a cold rainy day.
My second trip to Kolkata started with immense anxiety as I struggled to find a good hotel. After managing a night at a not-so-preferable property, I found an amazing host who was renting out his Airbnb.
My host, Kabir Sircar is a communication design professional and he helped me settle into Kolkata with ease. He introduced me to the tasty ‘desi-Chinese food’ in the city and took me on walks to the New Market and Chandni areas.
Book stalls on the streets of Kolkata.
Kolkata smelt of nostalgia. It was ripe with old buildings from colonial times — some turned into government offices, others left to rot. Speaking of history, I also visited the famous College Street — home to centuries-old educational institutions, hundreds of bookshops dating back to the 1800s and the Indian Coffee House. Once again, I was here looking for the book my friend had asked me to bring.
A 139-year-old book shop. The number of bookshops in Kolkata are a testament to the thriving reading culture in the city.
Kabir made me meet his grandfather, a 93-year-old man who has authored numerous books in Bangla on a range of topics. The conversation with ‘Dadaji’ never seemed to end just as his delight to meet someone from Pakistan.
Ready to cross the border back to Pakistan.
Seven days would pass in no time and just as I started to fall in love with Kolkata, it was time to go back home. With the end of Pakistan’s journey in the World Cup came the end of my journey to India.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday directed the government to ensure criminal proceedings were initiated against “delinquent officials” if concrete evidence was found regarding their role in the blaze that erupted at a commercial building on Karachi’s Rashid Minhas road last week.
The directives were issued on a petition seeking implementation of laws regarding fire safety in buildings and prevention of fire related incidents in high-rises of the city.
Eleven people died while five others were injured after a blaze erupted inside the R.J. Shopping Mall on Saturday because of a suspected short circuit. According to officials, the deaths occurred because the building had no ventilation.
On Sunday, police had registered a first information report (FIR) of the fire at the Sharea Faisal police station. The case was registered on behalf of the state but no one was nominated in the FIR. Instead, the FIR stated that the “connivance” of K-Electric (KE) and other institutions — which gave approval for the building’s map — would be probed.
In an order issued today, the court issued notices to the respondents, including the Advocate General for Sindh, for Dec 7 when reply or objections should be filed.
“In the meanwhile, it is expected that all the relevant authorities including the provincial government shall ensure to initiate appropriate proceedings for the purpose of conducting an inquiry in order to find out causes of such a tragic incident which caused the loss of lives of innocent citizens, and if there is concrete material found criminal proceedings against such delinquent officials of the authorities may be initiated in accordance with the law,” the order stated.
The SHC further stated that the families of the deceased persons should be compensated “as per the policy”.
The petition
The petition filed in the court sought directives for the authorities concerned to strictly monitor all the fire safety rules and regulations as set in the Building Code of Pakistan-Fire Safety Provisions-2016 and that completion certificate of any newly constructed building may not be issued until the fire safety rules and regulations were strictly followed.
Citing the chief secretary Sindh, secretary home department, commissioner Karachi, director general Sindh Building Control Authority, chief executive officer Cantonment Board Faisal, president Pakistan Engineering Council and others as respondents, petitioner Nadeem A. Shaikh advocate moved the SHC and submitted that formation of an emergency taskforce was necessary to ensure enforcement of these laws and regulations.
He submitted that the Building Code of Pakistan-Fire Safety Provisions-2016 was enacted, duly notified and circulated to all federal and provincial authorities and departments concerned, but no measure was taken so far to implement the same.
The petitioner submitted that the legislation in question provided rules for fire prevention, life safety in fire related incidents and fire protection of buildings and structures as prescribed.
While referring to a recent fire incident at a shopping mall located on Rashid Minhas Road as well as some other fire incidents that took place in the provincial metropolis the recent past in, he also said that such incidents in the city were common and that most residential, commercial and industrial structures in Karachi did not have fire prevention and firefighting systems at all as the builders, contractors and owners deliberately, in connivance with the corrupt officials concerned, did not follow fire safety rules and regulations for their personal benefits.
The petitioner further said that the authorities concerned had consistently failed to control the mushroom growth of multi-storey buildings as well as to take action against architects and builders for flouting fire and safety regulations.
He argued that Karachi was a mega city with a population of over 20 million and there were only 22 firefighting stations, roughly one station each to cater to the needs of one million people while overall increase in the fire incidents was not only because of growing population but also due to quick development of high-rise structures and industries without observing regulations of fire safety.
The petitioner also asked the SHC to direct the respondents to compensate the families of all the victims who lost their lives and to provide best medical facilities and treatment to those who sustained injuries during fire related incidents in the city.
Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan on Wednesday informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that 22 allegedly missing Baloch students had been recovered while the whereabouts of 28 others were still unknown.
The revelation was made as IHC’s Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani resumed hearing a petition regarding the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances.
The commission was established in 2011 to trace missing persons and fix responsibility on the individuals or organisations responsible for it.
At the previous hearing on Nov 22, the court had directed caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar to appear before the IHC today if he failed secure the recovery of more than 50 allegedly missing Baloch students.
Later, during an interview on Geo News’ show ‘Naya Pakistan’, Kakar had said: “State has no hand in these disappearances. Most times, the security forces pick up the people who’re involved in activities which are against the law.”
“The backlash we’re facing right now because according to Baloch leaders, we’re ‘undertaker’ government not taking enough steps towards release of these people,” he had said, questioning the lack of public outcry when lawyers, doctors, and other respected citizens faced similar threats and violence in the past.
The prime minister had added that the count of missing persons in Pakistan was the “lowest in the region”, emphasising it as both an aspect and a reality.
The hearing
Today’s hearing was attended by Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, Human Rights Minister Khalil George, lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari, and others.
As the proceedings commenced, AGP Awan informed the judge that the premier was out of country and hence could not appear before the court.
He stated that 22 Baloch students had been recovered and sent back home while 28 were still missing. “I assure the court that we will make every effort to ensure the recovery of all these persons,” the AGP promised.
At that, Justice Kayani remarked that it was a matter of fundamental rights, lamenting that things were being done in the country without any fear of consequences.
He asked the interior minister whether he had seen the commission’s report, to which the minister replied in the affirmative.
Justice Kayani observed that all the missing persons in question were students. “These are our people, and the entire blame is being laid on security agencies,” he remarked.
The judge asked the minister to confirm whether any other foreign agency was involved in the act.
“People disappear here, and the administration turns its eyes away from the issue after taking a single action under Section 365 [of the Pakistan Penal Code, which deals with kidnapping],” he said. “Will we realise the gravity of the matter only when we ourselves go missing?” the judge asked.
He said it was the responsibility of the government under Article 4 of the Constitution to recover missing persons. The law states that the right of individuals should be dealt with in accordance with the law.
Justice Kayani expressed concern that a first information report was filed, and then silence enveloped. “Whenever such questions are raised at the international level, we find ourselves lacking answers,” he added.
In his statement before the court, Interior Minister Bugti asserted that there was no justification for the disappearance of any individual who had gone missing. “We will fulfill our responsibility,” he assured the court.
The judge noted that individuals tended to disappear after being picked up by police personnel.
In his response, Bugti said that the missing persons include several people who were “judicial absconders”. He mentioned that some people had fled to Afghanistan.
“We will address the matter on a case-by-case basis, and the commission is already looking into such cases,” the minister added.
Justice Kayani stated that the purpose of summoning the prime minister was so that he could meet the families of missing persons. “You have limited time, and the prime minister has to return to Balochistan,” he added, referring to the remaining two and a half months of the caretaker government.
The court directed the interior minister to meet the families of the 28 missing persons and listen to their grievances.
Justice Kayani further noted that “the system is being run due to sacrifices made by personnel of the Pakistan Army and security agencies”.
The judge emphasised that anyone involved in anti-state activities must be dealt with according to the law but should also be presented before the court.
The minister reassured the court that every case would be thoroughly examined. He added that the interior ministry had appointed an additional secretary as the focal person for the missing persons’ case.
Subsequently, the court instructed the petitioner to provide all information to the focal person. Meanwhile, Justice Kayani ordered the focal person to investigate each case and submit a report in the court.
“Is it not a failure of the state if disappearances continue despite all such efforts?” Justice Kayani asked.
“Why are people detained by institutions not presented before the court?” the judge asked, adding that the “problem is that the institutions facing allegations are also the ones responsible for investigating the matter”.
He emphasised that individuals in top positions could not consider themselves exempt. Justice Kayani also warned of registering a case against the prime minister and the interior minister if missing persons were not recovered.
“The prime minister and you will then have to go home,” the judge told the interior minister.
He then directed the minister to meet families of missing persons within two days and insisted that the court needed results in the next sitting. The hearing was later adjourned till Jan 10.
Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir on Tuesday met Kuwait Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al Jaber Al Sabah during an official visit to the Gulf state, Kuwaiti news agency KUNAreported.
The army chief was accompanied by a delegation comprising interim Law Minister Ahmad Irfan Aslam, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Kuwait Malik Mohammad Farooq and other officials.
Last night, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar — who is currently on a week-long trip to Middle East — also landed in Kuwait to cement ties with the Gulf state.
According to a press release issued by the PM Office, the premier will hold a meeting with the crown prince and his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Ahmed Al-Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah today.
During the meeting, the leaders are expected to sign several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) pertaining to mutual cooperation in various sectors including manpower, information technology, minerals and mining, food security, energy and defence.
The PMO said a “new era of economic cooperation” between the two countries will begin with the visit.
It added that 2023 marked the 60th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Kuwait.
The prime minister arrived in Kuwait on a two-day visit on Tuesday after wrapping up his trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Upon his arrival, Kuwait’s Minister for Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy Dr Jassim Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ostad received the caretaker premier.
Earlier, PM Kakar and COAS Munir visited the UAE where MoUs pertaining to investment cooperation were signed that would unlock “multi-billion dollars” in funding from the Mideast state.
As we move towards the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP28 in Dubai this year, most developing countries are eyeing the crucial decisions that are expected to operationalise the ‘loss and damage fund’.
The L&D fund was agreed upon by all parties at COP27 under Pakistan’s leadership within the G77. The global consensus on the fund’s establishment at COP27 was a watershed moment in climate justice, acknowledging that while developing countries bear the brunt of irreversible climate change induced damages, they have historically contributed least to its cause.
The implications of this fund’s operationalisation and dynamics can be profound for climate vulnerable countries like Pakistan. As such, it is important to take note of the decisions agreed upon since COP27 and ones that are expected out of Dubai in 2023.
At COP27, it was decided that important issues relating to the L&D fund operation will be deliberated upon by a transitional committee, comprising 24 members which would then submit its recommendations ahead of the COP28 in UAE.
The committee included 14 members from developing countries and 10 from developed ones. Pakistani diplomat and climate negotiator Ali Waqas Malik represented Pakistan in the committee negotiations. The committee met thrice in 2023 and navigated a series of difficult but important issues that frequently escaped consensus.
Some of the more important questions the committee touched upon included those pertaining to hosting of the L&D fund by an entity and its governance structure, besides questions of who will pay and who will be eligible to receive the funds.
On the first issue, the World Bank was proposed by the US as the hosting entity of the L&D fund, which was overwhelmingly opposed by developing nations. Their reservations included the World Bank’s high costs, weak track record when it comes to climate change, and most importantly, potential US ideological influence in the Bank’s decisions. Some other concerns by experts included the difficult accountability of the World Bank as opposed to an independent international body formed solely for the purpose of managing and disbursing a loss and damage fund.
Nevertheless, a temporary compromise was reached, with the World Bank poised to host the fund for the first four years with guarantees that it would eventually become independent.
Who pays?
However, disagreements remain, especially with regards to the distribution of financial responsibilities. Developing countries advocate for those designated as ‘developed’ in 1992 by the UNFCCC to bear the fund’s financial burden, while the latter group seeks to include wealthier nations still classified as developing, such as Singapore, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
The agreement ‘urges’ developed nations to lead in financial contributions but only ‘encourages’ others to support. This nuanced language reflects the persistent debate over who pays, how much, and under what conditions, with the fear of reparations looming large for higher-income countries with historically high emissions.
The US was unable to expand the donor pool in the preliminary negotiations, but this is expected to be a contentious point in the final negotiations at COP28. Developing countries also pushed for a minimum mobilisation of $100 billion in the fund for a safety net against climate calamities. It was also agreed that fundraising for the fund will occur every four years, with contributions accepted at any time from the private sector and innovative sources like taxes on fossil fuels.
Eligibility for receiving funds was debated, with the agreement ultimately stating that developing countries “particularly vulnerable” to climate change are eligible, though there’s no agreed definition of vulnerability.
Concerns for COP28
Pakistan, along with other developing nations, enters COP28 in Dubai with apprehensions regarding the World Bank’s role as the fund’s host. These concerns stem from the Bank’s past reluctance in addressing climate change and the potential for political influence over fund operations. The Bank’s expertise in loan negotiations, rather than rapid humanitarian financial assistance, adds to the reservations, fuelling fears that the urgency needed for L&D finance will not be met. To alleviate these concerns, proposals have been made to ensure speedy disbursement of funds, akin to the rapid response required in humanitarian crises.
Experts anticipate that COP28 will crystallise key decisions on the L&D fund’s operationalisation. The stakes for Pakistan and other similarly climate vulnerable nations are particularly high as any bureaucratic limbo or an unwillingness to commit substantial funds by majority parties would not only undermine Pakistan’s climate resilience efforts but also solidify a concerning trend in global climate finance.
One is reminded of 2009 when, at the COP15 in Copenhagen, a $100 billion commitment per year by 2020 never materialised and disillusioned many developing countries.
It is essential that COP28 cuts through the red tape, ensuring that the fund serves its purpose efficiently and equitably. For many countries like Pakistan, it represents a chance to shape a global mechanism that could provide vital support in the wake of climate calamities.
The decisions made in Dubai will have lasting impacts, and the world, especially Pakistan, watches with bated breath, hopeful for a future where resilience and climate justice is not just a pipe dream.
After wrapping up his trip to the United Arab Emirates, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar will embark on a two-day visit to Kuwait later today.
According to Radio Pakistan, the premier will meet Kuwait Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al Jaber Al Sabah and the Kuwait PM Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf Al Ahmed Al Sabah.
During his visit, Kakar will also sign various memorandums of understanding (MoU) in the fields of manpower, information technology, mineral exploration, food security, energy and defence, the report said.
It added that 2023 marked the 60th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Kuwait.
Pakistan, UAE ink MoUs in multiple fields
Pakistan and the UAE on Monday signed MoUs pertaining to investment cooperation that will unlock “multi-billion dollars” in funding from the Mideast state.
The signing of MoUs was followed by a meeting of PM Kakar and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Syed Asim Munir with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to strengthen bilateral strategic cooperation.
The two leaders and the COAS witnessed the signing of the MoUs pertaining to investment and cooperation in the sectors of energy, port operations, wastewater treatment, food security, logistics, minerals, and banking and financial services.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said the MoUs would unlock “multi-billion dollars of investment from the UAE into Pakistan and will help realise various initiatives envisioned under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC)”.
The prime minister termed the signing of the MoUs as “a historic event that will usher in a new era of Pak-UAE economic partnership.”
Indian rescuers were on the verge on Tuesday of bringing out 41 men trapped in a collapsed road tunnel after laying the final section of pipe in the culmination of a marathon 17-day operation.
Ambulances moved towards the mouth of the tunnel entrance, preparing to receive the men who have been trapped since a portion of the under-construction tunnel in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand collapsed.
“The work of laying pipes in the tunnel to take out the workers has been completed,” chief minister of Uttarakhand state Pushkar Singh Dhami said, adding they would be brought out of the tunnel “soon”.
Rescue teams were seen in photos on social media smiling and flashing victory signs as the drilling ended through the tonnes of earth, concrete and rubble that had been blocking the workers’ escape.
Stretchers have been specially fitted with wheels to pull the exhausted men out through 57 metres (187 feet) of steel pipe.
“We are thankful to God and the rescuers who worked hard to save them,” Naiyer Ahmad told AFP, whose younger brother Sabah Ahmad is among the trapped workers, and who has been camping at the site for over two weeks.
Sudhansu Shah, who has also been camping out since shortly after the November 12 tunnel collapse waiting for his younger brother Sonu Shah, said relatives had started to celebrate.
“We are really hopeful and happy,” he said.
‘Effort and sacrifice’
Dhami praised the “prayers of tens of millions of countrymen and the tireless work of all the rescue teams engaged in the rescue operation”.
The health of the workers was “fine”, but a team of medics in a field hospital were ready on site as soon as they were brought out, he added.
Previous hopes of reaching the men have been dashed by falling debris and the breakdown of multiple drilling machines, and the government has warned repeatedly of the “challenging Himalayan terrain”.
After repeated setbacks in the operation, military engineers and skilled miners dug the final section by hand using a so-called “rat-hole” technique, a three-person team working at the rock face inside a metal pipe, just wide enough for someone to squeeze through.
Indian billionaire Anand Mahindra paid tribute to the men at the rockface who squeezed into the narrow pipe to clear the rocks by hand.
“After all the sophisticated drilling equipment, it’s the humble ‘rathole miners’ who make the vital breakthrough,” Mahindra said on X, formerly Twitter.
“It’s a heartwarming reminder that at the end of the day, heroism is most often a case of individual effort and sacrifice.”
‘Playing cricket’
Last week, engineers working to drive a metal pipe horizontally through the 57 metres of rock and concrete ran into metal girders and construction vehicles buried in the rubble, snapping a giant earth-boring machine.
Rescuers brought in a superheated plasma cutter to slice through metal rods that repeatedly impeded progress.
A separate vertical shaft was also started from the forested hill above the tunnel, reaching more than halfway through the 89 metres needed to reach the stranded men, a risky route in an area that has already suffered a collapse.
Digging, blasting and drilling also took place from the far side of the road tunnel, a much longer third route estimated to be around 480 metres.
The workers were seen alive for the first time last week, peering into the lens of an endoscopic camera sent by rescuers down a thin pipe through which air, food, water and electricity are being delivered.
Though trapped, the workers have plenty of space in the tunnel, with the area inside 8.5 metres high and stretching about two kilometres in length.
Arnold Dix, president of the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association, who is advising the rescue on site, told reporters the men were in good spirits, and that he had heard they had been “playing cricket”.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday withdrew a fine it imposed on wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan for displaying a Palestinian flag on his bat during a recent domestic T20 match.
The imposition of the fine had sparked social media criticism, with the PCB facing particular backlash for what was perceived as an unjust action against the cricketer.
Khan — who represented Karachi Whites during the match — was fined 50 per cent of his match fee for being found guilty of committing a level-I offence during his side’s National T20 Cup 2023-24 match against Lahore Blues at National Bank Stadium, Karachi on Sunday.
Khan adorned his bat with a Palestinian flag during the match, contravening the rules that prohibit the endorsement of any such cause unless approved beforehand.
However, the PCB in a statement today said: “Azam Khan’s 50pc fine imposed by match officials has been reviewed and waived off by the PCB.”
The cricketer was found to have violated Article 2.4 of the PCB Code of Conduct For Players and Players Support Personnel for repeated failure to comply with the instruction or directive of an umpire during the match, the board said in the statement.
It also added that “players and team officials are not permitted to wear, display or otherwise convey personal messages on their equipment unless approved in advance by both player or team official’s cricket association and PCB Cricket Operations Department.”
Senior journalist Hamid Mir had on Sunday sought clarity from the PCB after the cricketer was fined 50pc of his match for expressing solidarity with Palestine in the match.
“Will the PCB tell us when it became a crime to put the flag of Palestine on the cricket bat in Pakistan? Those who fined Azam Khan for placing the Palestinian flag on the bat should be dismissed from the PCB and set an example,” Mir had said.
Sindh Inspector General of Police Raffat Raja on Tuesday took notice of cricketer Sohaib Maqsood’s social media post accusing Sindh police personnel of allegedly demanding a bribe from him to permit his vehicle to travel on a highway near Sakrand.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) late on Monday night, Maqsood said that while travelling from Karachi to Multan by road, he was stopped by the police who demanded money.
However, in his post, the cricketer did not specify the exact location. Later, while speaking to Geo News, he clarified that the incident took place on an isolated road near Sakrand.
“We informed them that we are international cricketers heading to Multan after our match in Karachi, yet they took Rs8,000 from us before allowing us to proceed,” he claimed in the post.
Furthermore, Maqsood stated that the police also threatened to take them to the police station. He remarked, “We are fortunate to live in Punjab and not in Sindh.”
In a subsequent post, Maqsood mentioned being halted again at some distance even after allegedly paying the earlier amount when he was initially stopped by the police. He asserted: “Corruption is rampant in Sindh police.”
Reacting to the allegations, the Sindh police chief took notice of the matter and directed his department to probe the incident.
In a statement to Dawn.com, the Sindh police spokesperson quoted the IG as directing Shaheed Benazirabad Police to hold an immediate inquiry into the matter.
“Strict action must be taken against personnel involved in the incident,” the IG said.
The ordeal
Narrating the incident speaking to Geo News, Maqsood explained that after his team’s last match in the National T20 Cup in Karachi on Monday, where they did not qualify for the next round, he left Karachi with Aamir Yamin.
“I was travelling in a vehicle, and Yamin was with me at around midnight. We passed the toll plaza in Sindh, and after two kilometres, a pair of policemen at a lonely spot near Sakrand stopped us, asking for vehicle documents.”
The cricketer recounted that the officers then inquired about his use of high beam lights, warning a potential fine of Rs100,000. “I informed him that checking papers was not within their jurisdiction, and if traffic police were to stop us, they would typically impose a fine of up to Rs2,500.”
“He then threatened to take us to the police station, as we were travelling for the first time in Sindh, and after negotiation, we gave him Rs8,000,” Maqsood added. “This incident frightened us since it was nighttime and an isolated place.”
He then said his vehicle was stopped by police again after 30-40km, but they did not comply. “Instead, we stopped at a hotel in Sukkur, where we stayed overnight.”
He mentioned that the police had intercepted him approximately 68km before Moro, where the incident unfolded. “The police were rude, and when I requested to speak to one of their officers, their behaviour worsened.”
He stated that the intention behind the tweet was to shed light on the challenges the public faced when law enforcement personnel treated even known individuals badly.
Indian military engineers were preparing to dig by hand on Monday to reach 41 workers trapped in a collapsed road tunnel for 16 days — a rescue operation hit by repeated setbacks.
Soldiers plan to use a so-called “rat-hole mining” technique, digging by hand to clear the rocks and rubble over the remaining nine metres, with temperatures plummeting in the remote mountain location in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand.
Last week, engineers working to drive a metal pipe horizontally through 57 metres of rock and concrete ran into metal girders and construction vehicles buried in the earth, snapping a giant earth-boring augur machine.
“The broken parts of the auger (drilling) machine stuck inside the tunnel have been removed”, senior local civil servant Abhishek Ruhela told AFP on Monday, after a specialised superheated plasma cutter was brought in to clear the metal.
“Preparations are being made to start manual drilling work,” he added.
“Indian Army engineering battalion personnel, along with other rescue officers, are preparing to do rat-hole mining”.
Engineers in the bitterly cold conditions will use manual drills to clear the route, a tough task in the narrow pipe, just wide enough for a man to crawl through.
‘Challenging’
In a separate effort, vertical drilling has reached more than a quarter of the 89m down to the men, a risky route in an area that has already suffered a collapse.
A drilling machine was brought up to the forested hill above the tunnel on a specially-constructed track.
“Vertical drilling is going on at a fast pace,” with teams having reached 19m by late Sunday, said Mahmood Ahmed, a top official in the national roads ministry.
Work is ongoing at “full speed but with caution”, he added.
Digging, blasting and drilling have also begun from the far side of the road tunnel, a much longer third route estimated to be around 480m.
The 41 construction workers have been trapped in the Silkyara road tunnel since November 12.
Efforts have been painfully slow, complicated by falling debris and repeated breakdowns of drilling machines.
Hopes that the team was on the verge of a breakthrough on Wednesday were dashed, with a government statement warning of the “challenging Himalayan terrain”.
For the distraught relatives of the trapped men, it has been an ordeal without an imminent end in sight.
But Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami vowed on Monday that all the men would be rescued.
“Do not worry, all the labourers will be taken out safely”, he said on X, formerly Twitter.
The workers were seen alive for the first time on Tuesday, peering into the lens of an endoscopic camera sent by rescuers down a thin pipe through which air, food, water and electricity are being delivered.
Though trapped, they have plenty of space in the tunnel, with the area inside 8.5m high and stretching about two kilometres in length.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has informed an accountability court in Lahore that no evidence of wrongdoing was found against Ahad Khan Cheema — the special assistant to the caretaker prime minister — during an investigation in connection with an assets beyond means case from 2018, it emerged today.
The development caps a remarkable turnaround as five years ago the Bureau itself had accused Cheema of holding property worth billions of rupees in the name of his family members.
He was the first high-profile arrest in Punjab during NAB’s crackdown against corruption in 2018 — seemingly targeted against leaders of the PML-N and those close to it — before the general elections.
The bureau had arrested him on February 21, 2018, when he appeared before its investigation team in an inquiry into the Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme.
Later, the NAB had also initiated separate inquiries against him, one involving the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) City and assets beyond means. Cheema was granted bail in all three cases in April 2021.
Cheema was cleared of the charges by the bureau along with former prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, in the Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme case on May 20 this.
In the latest development, the NAB submitted a report to the Lahore accountability court, asserting that the investigation showed the probe against Cheema was not warranted under the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999.
“… the updated cash flow position of the accused remained in positive balance in the cash flow chart, which shows that he has not acquired any assets beyond his known sources of income or which he could reasonably account for,” said the NAB’s response, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com.
It further added: “After taking into account evidence collected during re-investigation proceedings, the case against accused is not made out under the provisions of NAO, 1999.”
The watchdog clarified that the properties supposedly owned by alleged “benamidars” could not be linked to Cheema. It emphasised that the accounts held by Cheema’s relatives were not “benami” (undeclared) accounts belonging to him.
The accountability watchdog also highlighted that Cheema provided details of his income to the NAB, and it was examined during the course of the investigation.
The NAB urged the court to decide the matter in accordance with the law“.
It is pertinent to mention here that the accountability court will hear the acquittal plea filed by Cheema on Dec 2.
Twenty-four people have died by lightning strikes and about 23 have been left injured in rain-related incidents in the western Indian state of Gujarat over the past two days, government officials said, with rains continuing on Monday morning.
The state was hit by heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and hailstorms on Sunday and Monday, with some places receiving up to 144 millimetres (5.7 inches) of rain in the 24 hours ending on Monday morning, according to state government data.
The rains caused damage to houses and loss of cattle across the state. “We will begin a survey soon to assess the loss suffered,” Gujarat Agriculture Minister Raghavij Patel said on Monday, adding that compensation will be paid to victims on the basis of the survey’s results.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast rainfall to continue in parts of the state on Monday.
Gujarat is not unfamiliar with rain-related calamities. In August 2020, 14 people died in the state over just two days in various incidents related to heavy rains and flooding.
A year previously, in August 2019, 31 people died in the state in rain-related incidents.
Families have been reunited with their loved ones on both sides of the Hamas-Israel conflict following the four-day truce in Gaza.
Under the agreement reached between Israel and Hamas, a total of 50 Israeli hostages are to be exchanged for 150 Palestinian prisoners over four days.
On Friday, Hamas had released 13 Israeli hostages, including children and the elderly, in return for the release of 39 Palestinian women and teenagers from Israeli prisons.
On Saturday, the hostage handover was delayed when Hamas said Israel was interfering in the selection of prisoners for release and not allowing aid into northern Gaza.
However, it then proceeded with handover after the intervention of Egyptian and Qatari mediators and released another 13 Israelis and four Thai hostages while Israel freed 39 more Palestinian prisoners.
Images of the hostage-prisoner release have shown Israeli families rejoicing at the return of their loved ones as cheering crowds greeted Palestinian prisoners as they walked free from a jail in the West Bank.
Hila Rotem-Shoshani, who was abducted by Hamas fighter during the October 7 attack on Israel, meets a family member after being released as part of a deal between Hamas and Israel amid a temporary truce, at an unknown location in Israel, in this handout image released November 26. — Reuters
Irish-Israeli girl Emily Hand, who was abducted by Hamas fighters during the October 7 attack on Israel, meets her father Thomas Hand after being released as part of a deal between Hamas and Israel amid a temporary truce, at an unknown location in Israel, in this handout image released November 26. — Reuters
Palestinians prisoners (wearing grey jumpers) cheer among supporters after being released from Israeli jails in exchange for hostages released by Hamas from the Gaza Strip, in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank early on November 26. — AFP
A Palestinian prisoner (R) hugs a relative after detainees were released from Israeli jails in exchange for hostages released by Hamas from the Gaza Strip, upon they arrival in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank early on November 26. — AFP
Prominent Palestinian prisoner Israa Jaabis (C) arrives at her home in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem early on November 26, after detainees were released from Israeli jails in exchange for hostages released by Hamas from the Gaza Strip. — AFP
An image distributed by the Schneider Children Medical Centre shows Yoni Asher being reunited with his children Aviv, 2.5 years old, her sister Raz, 4.5 years old, and his wife Doron, on November 25, a day after they were released by Hamas in a hostage-prisoner exchange deal. — AFP
An image grab from a handout video released by the Hamas Media Office shows newly released Thai hostages waving aboard a Red Cross vehicle, in the Gaza Strip early on November 26. — AFP
A Palestinian prisoner (L) is welcomed by a relative after being released from Israeli jails in exchange for hostages released by Hamas from the Gaza Strip, as newly freed Palestinian detainees arrived in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank early on November 26. — AFP
An Israeli family is reunited with released Israeli hostages shortly after their arrival in Israel on November 24, after being held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. — Reuters
Asil al-Titi, a 23-year-old former prisoner from the occupied West Bank, sits between her two brothers on November 25 at the famiy home in the Balata refugee camp, one day after her release from Israeli jail in exchange for hostages held in Gaza by Hamas. — AFP
Asil al-Titi, a 23-year-old woman from the occupied West Bank Balata refugee camp, is greeted by friends and family members, shortly after she was released from an Israeli jail,late on November 24. — AFP
Raghad Fan (C) a Palestinian prisoner held in an Israeli prison is greeted by her family on her release under a truce deal between Israel and Hamas in exchange for hostages held in Gaza, in Baytunia in the occupied West Bank on November 24. — AFP
Released Palestinian prisoner Qusai Taqatqa hugs his mother near his house, after a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel near Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, November 25. — Reuters
Header image: Family members hug released Palestinian prisoner Fatima Amarneh as they welcome her, amid a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, near Jenin in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, November 25. — Reuters
India’s military brought in specialised equipment on Sunday as efforts to free 41 trapped workers entered a third week, with digging ongoing in three directions after repeated setbacks to the operation.
The Indian Air Force said on Sunday that they were “responding with alacrity”, as they flew in their third load since the partial collapse of the under-construction Silkyara road tunnel on November 12 in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand.
Rescue officials said they called for a superheated plasma cutter to be brought to the remote mountain location after engineers driving a metal pipe horizontally through 57 metres of rock and concrete ran into metal girders and construction vehicles buried in the earth.
A giant earth-boring machine snapped just nine metres from breaking through.
The plasma cutter will be used to remove the broken giant earth-boring drill and metal blocking the horizontal route, before digging will continue by hand.
Vertical shaft
Thick metal girders in the rubble are blocking the route, and using conventional oxyacetylene cutters to clear them is tricky from inside the confined pipe, only wide enough for a man to crawl through.
The Air Force said the “critical” kit came from the country’s Defence Research and Development Organisation, the government’s defence technology research arm, without giving further details.
Vertical drilling has also begun to dig 89 metres downwards, a risky route above the men in an area that has already suffered a collapse.
Work has also started from the far side of the road tunnel, a much longer third route estimated to be around 480 metres.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday visited the home of one of the trapped workers and apprised the family of the efforts being made for their rescue.
“We are working with full force to get all the workers out safely,” he said in a post on social media.
The workers were seen alive for the first time on Tuesday, peering into the lens of an endoscopic camera sent by rescuers down a thin pipe through which air, food, water and electricity are being delivered.
A basic telephone exchange has been set up at the site so that families of the trapped men — many of whom are migrant workers from poor families from far across India — could call in to speak to them.
‘Difficult operation’
Efforts have been painfully slow, complicated by falling debris and repeated breakdowns of drilling machines.
Hopes that the team was on the verge of a breakthrough on Wednesday were dashed, with a government statement warning of the “challenging Himalayan terrain”.
For the distraught relatives of the trapped men, it has been an ordeal without an imminent end in sight.
Indrajeet Kumar, whose brother Vishwajeet is among the men “imprisoned” inside, told Times of India on Saturday that he “feels like crying” when his brother asks him during their conversations on the communication system why they were still stuck.
Om Kumar, who is from the eastern state of Jharkhand, said three of his cousins were trapped inside.
“If, somehow, they escape, they will save their lives — they will return home and will never work inside the tunnel again,” Kumar, 20, said.
Syed Ata Hasnain, a senior rescue official and retired general, called on Saturday for “patience”.
“A very difficult operation is going on,” he told reporters. “When you do something with mountains, you cannot predict anything,” he added.
