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CM Bugti opens research centre in Balochistan to curb extremism

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has inaugurated the province’s first research centre aimed at countering rising extremism in the province. The inauguration ceremony of Balochistan Centre of Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism was attended by Home Minister Mir Zia Langove, members of the provincial assembly, government officials and representatives of relevant institutions. During the event, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat briefed participants on the centre’s objectives, research scope and planned future initiatives. Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said the centre would highlight challenges faced by the youth through research and provide a strong foundation for practical solutions. Bugti inaugurates digital dashboard to promote evidence-based policymaking He said steering young people towards positive activities is the top priority of the government, adding that concrete measures were essential to discourage violent m...

CJP Afridi openly opposes Judicial Commission of Pakistan meeting for judges’ transfer

• In letter to commission, Justice Afridi warns move will set ‘undesirable and potentially far-reaching precedent’ • Fears it will ‘erode public confidence’ in judiciary’s independence and stability • Last year, he described transfer of three judges to IHC from different provinces under Article 200 as something to be ‘rejoiced’ ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi has opposed the scheduled meeting of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) being called to consider the transfer of five judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to different high courts of the country. Although the CJP had earlier declined to call the meeting of the JCP, he eventually scheduled the session after it was requisitioned by a two-thirds majority of the commission’s members, an informed source privy to the development confided. The commission is scheduled to meet at 1pm on April 28, during which it may consider the contents of the CJP’s letter to the JCP in which he expressed his reserv...

Pakistan, 7 other Muslim nations reject attempts to alter historic, legal status quo in Jerusalem, at its holy sites

The foreign ministers of Pakistan and seven other Muslim-majority countries issued a joint statement on Thursday, rejecting any attempts to alter the historic and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites. The foreign ministers condemned the “repeated violations of the historic and legal status quo at Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian holy sites by Israeli occupation authorities”. They particularly deplored the continued incursions by Israeli settlers and “extremist ministers into Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif under Israeli police protection, as well as the raising of the Israeli flag within its courtyards”, the joint statement citing the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Turkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said. “The ministers reiterated that these provocative actions at Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif, constitute a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law, and re...

UK PM ‘won’t resign’ over Mandelson scandal

LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted on Wednesday that he would not resign, claiming allegations of misleading MPs over his appointment of a party loyalist as UK envoy to Washington had been “put to bed”. Starmer, facing pressure to resign, addressed MPs after firing the Foreign Ministry’s most senior official, Olly Robbins, blaming him for failing to disclose Mandelson’s clearance problems. The premier spoke to lawmakers a day after the foreign ministry’s most senior official, Olly Rob­bins, gave evidence to a parliamentary committee, having been fired by Starmer over the affair last week. Starmer has accused Robbins of failing to tell him about problems that emerged during Mand­elson’s security clearance. He has repeatedly insisted that, despite previously stating that “all due process” had been followed, he would not have allowed the appointment to proceed if he had known that independent vetting officials had recommended security clearance be denied. Starmer tol...

Man City go top and relegate Burnley with narrow Turf Moor win

Manchester City ended Arsenal’s six-month stay on the Premier League summit and condemned Burnley ​to relegation with a laboured 1-0 victory at Turf Moor on Wednesday. Erling Haaland’s clinical finish after five minutes could have ‌paved the way for a boost to City’s goal difference but they lacked a cutting edge as Burnley dug deep. Haaland hit the post and had other chances as City tried to give themselves a safety margin but Pep Guardiola’s side had to make do with a surprisingly narrow victory. After reeling Arsenal in they now lead the ​table on goals scored with both sides on 70 points from 33 games and with an identical goal difference of plus ​37. For Scott Parker’s Burnley the inevitable has now become a reality as they are stuck on 20 points, 13 ⁠points behind the safety zone with only four games remaining. “We played a really good game, unfortunately we missed a lot of chances. We defended ​better in the second half. Second half we had less problems,” Guardiola, whose s...

Interpol issues red notice for Lyari gangster Wasiullah Lakho

KARACHI: Interpol has issued a red notice for a fugitive Lyari gangster, Wasiullah Lakho, who is reportedly hiding abroad and wanted by Karachi police, South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Asad Raza told Dawn on Wednesday. A red notice is a request to law enforcement agencies by Interpol to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. DIG Raza said the Interpol secretariat in Lyon, France had issued the notice against Lakho on the request of Pakistani authorities. According to the notice, seen by Dawn , Lakho had been involved in murders, extortion and assault on police in Karachi. It said Lakho was wanted for prosecution in more than 60 cases of “heinous nature”. Among them, Interpol issued a red notice for his arrest in a 2014 case registered at Karachi’s Kalri police station under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of their duty), 324 (attempt to murder) and 34 (acts done by ...

No woman in race as 666 file papers for GB polls

GILGIT: Over 650 candidates have filed their nomination papers for the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections scheduled for June 7 in 24 constituencies. A total of 666 candidates have submitted their nomination papers; however, no woman candidate has filed nomination papers for the assembly elections. According to a press release issued by the GB Election Commission Secretariat, polling for the general election will be held on June 7, while the election process is underway in all 24 constituencies. The secretariat has convened a multi-party conference on Thursday (tomorrow) at the Election Commission Secretariat in Gilgit. The aim of the conference is to consult political parties to advance the election process in a fair, transparent and coordinated manner. Nawaz says if elected, PML-N will focus on region’s development The conference will discuss in detail the election process, code of conduct, mutual consultation, coordination in election matters and other related issues so that ...