Spy row erupts in Australia over ‘traitor’ politician

By: Inter News on February 29, 2024 / comment : 0 NEWS, The Dawn News - Home

Australia’s government faced angry demands on Thursday to name a “traitor” former politician accused by Canberra’s top spy of having “sold out” the country to a foreign power.

In an extraordinary public revelation, Australia’s director general of security Mike Burgess said a spy team from an unidentified country had cultivated and recruited a former Australian politician.

“This politician sold out their country, party and former colleagues to advance the interests of the foreign regime,” the spy chief said in a speech in Canberra on Wednesday.

Australia is a member of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing group that includes the United States, Britain, Canada and New Zealand — making it a juicy target for operatives from countries such as China and Russia.

Burgess, who runs the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), said the unidentified former politician had been recruited “several years ago”.

The person had even proposed bringing a prime minister’s family member into the “spies’ orbit”, a plan that did not proceed, he said.

The former politician did, however, organise an overseas conference at which spies posing as bureaucrats targeted participants for recruitment, eventually obtaining security and defence information from an academic, Burgess said.

The remarks unleashed speculation in the media and demands for the former politician to be identified.

“The trouble is, if he does not indicate the name then there is a cloud hanging over everybody else,” conservative opposition leader Peter Dutton told Sydney radio station 2GB.

“If you are putting that detail out there as Mr Burgess has done, I think it is incumbent to either give a little bit more criteria or a little bit more of a hint as to who the person might be.”

‘Absolutely absurd’

Former Australian conservative treasurer Joe Hockey said all lawmakers had been tainted by the revelation.

“The former politician is a traitor,” he told national broadcaster ABC.

It is “inconceivable” that the politician could be allowed to “walk off into the sunset without having their name, or their reputation revealed”, he said.

Burgess’s revelation had “besmirched” all politicians, said Hockey, who was also Australia’s ambassador to the United States for four years until 2020.

“He should not do that if he is not going to name that person — it’s absurd, it’s absolutely absurd.”

Defence Minister Richard Marles said he did not know the name of the former politician.

“I respect what ASIO have done here in terms of putting this story into the public domain but also maintaining the confidentiality of the facts around this, and there could be a whole lot of reasons why that should happen,” he told reporters.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said he would not “second guess” the ASIO boss.

“I know Mike Burgess, I work with Mike Burgess, and I know that he wouldn’t have said this without good reason, and he wouldn’t have couched it this way if he didn’t think that was absolutely necessary,” he said.

In his Canberra address, Burgess said a foreign intelligence service unit, dubbed “the A-Team”, had made Australia its “priority target”.

The unit had targeted Australians with access to “privileged information” on social networking sites using “false, anglicised personas” and promising cash rewards, he said.

“The spies pose as consultants, head-hunters, local government officials, academics and think tank researchers, claiming to be from fictional companies such as Data 31,” he said.

“If a target takes the bait, the spies try to move the conversation onto an encrypted messaging app. A further step might involve the offer of an overseas trip to meet in person.”

Burgess said he wanted to let the other country know that its spies had been rumbled and that the unit’s team leader had been confronted by Australia’s own spies.

‘Selfless devotion to duty’: COAS lauds Lahore cop for saving woman in Arabic print shirt from mob

By: Inter News on February 28, 2024 / comment : 0 NEWS, The Dawn News - Home

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Syed Asim Munir on Wednesday lauded Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi for her “selfless devotion to duty and professionalism in diffusing a volatile situation”.

On Sunday afternoon, a mob had gathered outside a shop in Lahore’s crowded Ichra Bazaar after someone alleged that a woman’s shirt had Quranic verses printed on it, insisting on a “blasphemy” charge.

A video clip on social media showed the girl hiding in a shop and shivering with fear. Sensing the sensitivity of the issue, some police officials present at the site called in their higher-ups.

Subsequently, a police team led by Gulberg Circle ASP Shehrbano engaged the crowd, took the woman into protective custody and shifted her to the police station amid heightened security measures. Later in the day, a video had emerged showing the woman apologising alongside religious scholars.

On Monday, the Punjab police chief had recommended ASP Naqvi for the Quaid-i-Azam Police Medal (QPM).

In a statement released today, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that ASP Shehrbano had called on the COAS at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

“The COAS lauded ASP Shehrbano for her selfless devotion to duty and professionalism in diffusing a volatile situation. The fearless officer extricated a woman from the difficult milieu of Ichra Bazaar in Lahore on February 26,” the ISPR said.

The army chief acknowledged the vital role Pakistani women were playing in all walks of life. “Since independence, Pakistani women have distinguished themselves at home and abroad, by their talent, tenacity and commitment,” the statement quoted him as saying.

COAS highlighted that women were an invaluable part of society and their respect was “enshrined in our religion as well as our social ethos”. The army chief also underscored the importance of social harmony and the need for nationwide consensus on curbing intolerance.

He emphasised the rule of law and advised against taking the law into one’s hands when legal avenues were available for addressing concerns and grievances.

Noting that “arbitrary actions based on heresy undermine the outlook of the society”, COAS Munir underlined Islam’s eternal message of kindness and benevolence.

He also appreciated the sacrifices rendered by law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety and security of the citizens of Pakistan.

Ruckus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly as MPAs-elect take oath

By: Inter News on February 28, 2024 / comment : 0 NEWS, The Dawn News - Home

In a session marred by ruckus, around 115 newly elected representatives of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly were sworn in on Wednesday.

The provincial legislature meeting was summoned by KP Governor Ghulam Ali last week following advice from the caretaker Chief Minister Syed Arshad Hussain Shah. The KP Assembly is the third provincial assembly have its members take oath after the February 8 general elections.

It should be mentioned that the previous assembly was dissolved in January 2023 and the province had been functioning in the absence of the provincial legislature for more than 13 months.

Today’s session was scheduled to begin at 11am. However, it was delayed by over an hour due to protests and riots by PTI workers present in the gallery and party-backed lawmakers — now members of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

The session finally began a little after 1pm with outgoing KP Assembly Speaker Mushtaq Ghani in the chair. At the outset, he prayed for the high ranks of martyrs who had sacrificed their lives to defend the country.

Subsequently, he administered the oath to the MPAs-elect in Urdu and congratulated them. The members who were sworn in included 87 PTI-backed SIC lawmakers, nine members from JUI-F, eight from PML-N, five from PPP, two from PTI-Parliamentarians and four independents.

PTI’s nominee for KP chief minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, was among the several MPAs who were sworn in during the session. He entered the assembly with a PTI flag draped across his shoulders and carried a framed photo of imprisoned PTI founder Imran Khan.

In an announcement following the oath, Ghani said voting for the election of the speaker and deputy speaker would be held at 10am tomorrow (February 29). He added that nomination papers could be submitted by 5pm today and the papers could be withdrawn by 11pm.

After the announcements, the newly elected MPAs signed the register roll in alphabetical order as the house reverberated with slogans chanted by PTI supporters.

Separately, PTI’s Omer Ayub Khan said that Imran had nominated Babar Salim Swati as the party’s candidate for KP Assembly speaker. Swati is the PTI’s divisional president in Hazara and is the MPA from PK-37.

Ruckus

Ahead of the session, a huge number of PTI supporters barged into the KP Assembly and gathered in the gallery. They chanted slogans of “Qaidi #804 [prisoner number 804]” and “Long Live Imran Khan”.

At one point, PML-N MPA Sobia Shahid raised a watch in the house — an apparent reference to the Toshakhana reference in which the Imran is convicted. As she waved the watch, a water bottle and a lota were thrown at her.

Some of the PTI-backed lawmakers also made their way in front of the speaker’s dais and waved placards with pro-Imran slogans inscribed on them. They also held framed photos of the former prime minister.

Separately, in a media talk outside the KP Assembly, PTI Senator Faisal Javed thanked the public for voting for Imran in huge numbers and for giving him a “hat-trick” in the province.

“The people of KP always remove the government that they are unhappy with […] but it is only Imran Khan who managed to make a hat-trick,” he said, adding that the PTI founder “attained a clean sweep in the province”.

Javed also promised that the PTI would immediately restore the health card in the province after assuming power.

Speeding car kills student, injures two others in Mian Channu

By: Inter News on February 28, 2024 / comment : 0 NEWS, The Dawn News - Home

One student was killed and two others were injured after being hit by a speeding car in Khanewal district’s Mian Channu on Wednesday, according to officiails.

A statement by Rescue 1122 said that the incident took place in front of the Government Girls Model High School, adding that the car hit the students as they were on their way to school. It said that the car was totaled in the incident.

It further said that the the deceased, Shiza, was in the eight grade, adding that the two injured were taken to the Tehsil Headquarter Hospital.

Meanwhile, Khanewal District Police Officer (DPO) Rana Umar Farooq said that police had arrested the driver of the vehicle who had initially fled the scene. In a statement, he also confirmed the number of casualties.

“A case has been registered and legal proceedings have been initiated,” he added. He also offered his condolences to the bereaved family, adding that all the legal requirements of the case would be fulfilled.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz took notice of the incident/ She sought a report from the Multan commissioner and ordered immediate action after determining the responsible parties.

She directed the Khanewal deputy commissioner to provide the best medical facilities to the injured.

Journalist Asad Toor remanded in FIA custody for 5 days in case pertaining to online campaign against judiciary

By: Inter News on February 27, 2024 / comment : 0 NEWS, The Dawn News - Home

An Islamabad district and session court on Tuesday granted the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) five-day remand of journalist Asad Ali Toor in a case pertaining to an online campaign against the judiciary.

In January, the car­e­taker government had formed a five-member joint investigation team (JIT) to “ascertain facts behind a malicious social media campaign” against the judiciary in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision to deprive PTI of its iconic ‘bat’ symbol.

Last week, Toor was interrogated for nearly eight hours by FIA officials on the same matter. The interrogation had taken place despite the attorney general for Pakistan assuring the apex court last month that the FIA would not take action before the general election on the notices sent to journalists. The apex court had adjourned the hearing in the case till the first week of March.

Last night, Toor’s legal team confirmed that he had been arrested by the agency. Toor’s counsel Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir said the journalist had arrived at the FIA’s Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in Islamabad earlier in the day to “demonstrate his positive intent, answer a summons notice issued to him on Saturday and join the inquiry about the campaign against the judiciary”.

She said the team went to the FIA office after acquiring an order from the Islamabad High Court, which instructed the agency to not harass the journalist but he was still taken inside the FIA premises without his legal team.

She said an FIA official came out of the building, delivered the legal team a handwritten note from Toor and said that the journalist was “formally arrested”. The letter seen by Dawn.com contained various instructions from the journalist for his family.

Today, Toor was presented before Judicial Magistrate Mohammad Shabbir. During the hearing, the FIA sought the journalist’s physical remand.

Subsequently, the court accepted the requested and remanded Toor in FIA’s custody for for five days.

Arrest condemned

Reacting to Toor’s arrest, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said it was “seriously concerned by the news”.

“He should be released immediately and any curbs on freedom of expression removed promptly,” the HRCP said.

The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) also expressed its concern over Toor’s arrest, in a post on X.

“NCHR is deeply concerned by the arrest of journalist Asad Toor. The PECA law is a problematic law that needs thorough review. Freedom of speech and information is a fundamental right which must be upheld at all costs.”

Human rights lawyer and Toor’s counsel Imaan Zainab-Mazari-Hazir said in a post on X, “Asad standing tall despite his unlawful arrest.”

Former PPP leader Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar termed the arrest “another blow for freedom of expression”.

“Before judiciary goes out on a witch hunt perhaps they should take a moment out to reflect on their own shortcomings. Their record has never been anything to write home about!” he said.

In a statement, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on authorities to “immediately and unconditionally release Toor, and to cease harassing him for his journalistic work”.

WTO braces for battles on fisheries, agriculture in UAE talks

By: Inter News on February 27, 2024 / comment : 0 NEWS, The Dawn News - Home

The world’s trade ministers are set for tough negotiations on Tuesday at a World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting in Abu Dhabi, with fisheries and agriculture taking centre stage.

The closed talks will take place on the second day of the WTO’s 13th ministerial conference which is scheduled to run until Thursday but could go into over-time amid divisions.

There is little hope for major breakthroughs with WTO rules requiring full consensus among all 164 member states.

But progress could be made on a new global agreement on fisheries subsidies.

After a 2022 deal which banned subsidies contributing to illegal, undeclared and unregulated fishing, the WTO hopes to conclude a second package focusing on subsidies which fuel overcapacity and overfishing.

“We’re close. It’s doable for sure,” said a diplomatic source.

“The final push needs a little bit of compromise, a little bit of political will,” the source told AFP on condition of anonymity, calling a potential agreement a “very good outcome”.

The 2022 agreement has yet to take effect as not enough countries have ratified it.

But it was seen as a major achievement, marking just the second accord concluded by the WTO’s full membership since the global trade body was created in 1995, and the first focused on environmental protection.

‘Sensitive issues’

Negotiations in recent months at the WTO headquarters in Geneva have enabled a draft text to be brought forward for a second fisheries deal.

The draft provides for a ban on subsidies that promote overfishing and overcapacity, unless they fall within the framework of a fishery resource management mechanism based on sustainability criteria.

The text would essentially divide member countries into three groups, with the largest subsidy providers subject to greater scrutiny.

It provides flexibilities and advantages for developing countries.

But some — notably India — are demanding concessions, including transition periods that others consider too long.

“We have some sensitive issues, some discussions to have, particularly with India and with certain countries, but we are relatively confident in our abilities to finally seal this agreement,” said a French diplomatic source.

Some non-government organisations (NGOs), meanwhile, are concerned that too much leniency could compromise the outcome.

A “clear prohibition with fewer exemptions probably would be the best” approach, said Ernesto Fernandez Monge of the Pew Charitable Trusts, a nongovernment organisation that seeks to improve public policy.

But “we believe that it’s important to have an agreement than no agreement,” he told AFP.

Agriculture

Unlike other WTO agreements which aim to lift trade barriers or counter trade distortions, the draft text — just like the 2022 agreement — forms part of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.

“It would be good if we can conclude that second” package, a WTO trade delegate told AFP on condition of anonymity.

But the long transition periods demanded by some states such as India is a major sticking point, the delegate said.

While a fisheries deal is largely seen as the only viable outcome of the full WTO conference (MC13), agriculture will also be a hot topic of debate.

Many member states want action on domestic measures that distort trade.

Discussions revolve around issues including market access and export competition and restrictions.

Food security will again be on the agenda, with deep disagreement over a demand from India and others for a permanent solution for public stockholding of food instead of temporary measures.

“Given the centrality of the issue this week I implore you to deliver an agriculture outcome at MC13, even if it is setting the platform to do later a more solid work going forward,” WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said on Monday.

Edwini Kessie, WTO’s director of agriculture and commodities, acknowledged that there is no “convergence” on an agriculture agreement.

“Clearly the most difficult issue is public stockholding,” he said. “It is not easy.”

WTO meeting seeks modest outcomes, with global trade at ‘critical juncture’

By: Inter News on February 26, 2024 / comment : 0 NEWS, The Dawn News - Home

Trade ministers from around the world gathered in Abu Dhabi on Monday for a World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting that aims to set new global commerce rules, but its ambitious chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and delegates sought to curb expectations.

The almost 30-year-old global watchdog, whose rules underpin 75 per cent of global commerce, tries to strike deals by consensus, but such efforts are becoming more difficult amid signs that the global economy is fragmenting into separate blocs.

“Let’s not pretend that any of this will be easy,” Okonjo-Iweala said in her opening speech, describing the atmosphere as “tougher” than the WTO’s last 2022 meeting, citing wars, tensions and elections and signs that trade growth will undershoot the organisation’s own estimate.

She called on ministers to “roll up their sleeves” and complete negotiations, but seemed to rule out any deal in Abu Dhabi on reforming the body’s mothballed appeals court.

“We are not there yet,” she said.

Thani Al Zeyoudi, conference chair and UAE’s foreign trade minister said in an opening address: “The multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core is at a critical juncture; it is confronting many challenges.

“The WTO remains a powerful force in countering the current unilateralism, protectionism, and discrimination.”

Some delegates privately voiced concerns that India’s trade minister, seen as the main holdout on some key issues including agriculture, was absent on Monday although New Delhi said he would be in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

New members

Negotiators say they remain hopeful for an agreement that could buoy global fish stocks and protect fishermen by banning government subsidies.

Other outcomes from the four-day meeting that are either definite or achievable are the accession of two new members — Comoros and East Timor — and a deal among around 120 countries to remove development-hampering investment barriers.

Tougher areas are extending a 25-year moratorium on applying tariffs on digital trade, which South Africa and India oppose, and an agreement on agriculture trade rules that has eluded negotiators for decades.

Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal repeated on Monday New Delhi’s drive for a controversial stand-alone permanent waiver to WTO rules that currently restrict domestic agriculture subsidies on food items like rice.

“I think this week is really about trying to consolidate progress from two years ago and build on where possible, but I don’t think there’s going to be major new breakthroughs in new areas,” said Simon Conveney, Ireland’s Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, referring to the WTO’s 2022 meeting in Geneva.

US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said the meeting was a chance to “chart a future path together” and that success should not be measured by the number of deals.

One factor that could help is the determination of Okonjo-Iweala, a former Nigerian finance minister, whose insistence on all-night meetings helped deliver a package of deals in Geneva in 2022. She has already asked ministers to plan for the four-day talks to run overtime.

The European Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said that uncertainty and multiple crises were impacting the rules-based global order.

“This tense geopolitical environment makes multilateral organizations like the WTO much more, not less, important,” he said.