Aid agencies warn of chaotic and desperate scenes among Afghans returning from Pakistan
Major international aid agencies are warning of chaotic and desperate scenes among Afghans who have returned from Pakistan, where security forces are detaining and deporting undocumented or unregistered foreigners.
Pakistan orders man acquitted in Pearl murder off death row
Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the Pakistani-British man acquitted of the 2002 gruesome beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl off 'death row' and moved to a so-called government 'safe-house'. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)ISLAMABAD โ Pakistanโs Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the Pakistani-British man acquitted of the 2002 gruesome beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl off death row and moved to a so-called government โsafe house." In the government-run safe house, Sheikh will be under a 24-hour guard โ often by military personnel โ and will not be allowed to leave the house. AdLast weekโs ruling that exonerated Sheikh also exonerated another three men accused in Pearlโs murder who had been serving life sentences. They too were ordered on Tuesday to be held in a safe house.
Pakistan court orders release of man accused in Pearl death
(AP Photo/Zia Mazhar, File)Pakistanโs Supreme Court ordered on Thursday the release of a Pakistani-British man convicted and later acquitted in the beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002. The court also dismissed an appeal of Ahmad Saeed Omar Sheikh's acquittal filed by Pearlโs family and the Pakistani government. The โSupreme Court is the court of last resort,โ Murtaza Wahab, Sindh's law minister, told The Associated Press. A three-judge Supreme Court ruled 2 to 1 to uphold Sheikhโs acquittal and ordered him released, according to the Pearl family lawyer. Siddiqi, the Pearl family lawyer, had expected it would advance his case.
Court orders release of man charged in Daniel Pearl killing
(AP Photo/Zia Mazhar, File)KARACHI โ A provincial court in Pakistan ordered the release of a British-born Pakistani man charged in the 2002 murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl. Sheikh was acquitted earlier this year of murdering Pearl, but has been held while Pearl's family appeals the acquittal. However, Siddiqi said the Sindh provincial government is appealing the order to release Sheikh. The U.S. State Department in a series of tweets said it was โdeeply concernedโ by the court order. Siddiqi, the Pearl family lawyer, said he expects the appeal to be decided by the Supreme Court by the end of January.
As anger rises, Muslims protest French cartoons
Supporters of religious group burn a representation of a French flag during a rally against French President Emmanuel Macron and republishing of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad they deem blasphemous, in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, Oct. 30, 2020. Muslims have been calling for both protests and a boycott of French goods in response to France's stance on caricatures of Islam's most revered prophet. Crowds of Islamist activists hanged an effigy of French President Emmanuel Macron from a highway overpass after pounding it furiously with their shoes. Turkey has led regional condemnation of the French president, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoganโs verbal attacks on Macron prompting France to recall its ambassador to Turkey last weekend. Demonstrators trampled on portraits of Macron and called on Afghan leaders to shut down the French embassy, halt French imports and ban French citizens from visiting the country.
Monsoon rains wreak havoc across Pakistan, killing 63 people
A boy uses half of a fiber tank to navigate a flooded street after heavy monsoon rains, in Karachi, Pakistan, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020. Heavy monsoon rains have lashed many parts of Pakistan as well the southern port city of Karachi, leaving flooding streets, damaging homes and displacing scores of people. About 30 inches (76 centimeters) of rain have fallen in Karachi since Sunday, when monsoon rains began lashing the coastal city, forcing authorities to use boats to evacuate people trapped in flooded streets. Monsoon rains are hitting Pakistan at a time when authorities are trying to contain the spread of the coronavirus, which has caused more than 6,283 deaths since February. Every year, many cities in Pakistan struggle to cope with the annual monsoon deluge, drawing criticism about poor planning.
Pakistan to ground 150 pilots for cheating to get licenses
FILE - In this May 22, 2020 file photo, volunteers look for survivors of a Pakistan International Airlines plane that crashed in a residential area of Karachi, Pakistan. Pakistans state-run airline announced Thursday, June 25, 2020, it will ground 150 pilots on charges they obtained their pilot licenses by having others take exams for them. Abdullah Hafeez, a spokesman for PIA, said the decision comes after a probe into last months Pakistan International Airlines crash that killed 97 people in the city of Karachi. Abdullah Hafeez, a spokesman for Pakistan International Airlines, didnt give additional details about the cheating but said a process to fire the pilots had been initiated. The move by PIA to ground the pilots comes a day after the countrys aviation minister, Ghulam Sarqar Khan, said 262 out of 860 Pakistani pilots had fake licenses.
The Latest: Pakistan reports 153 deaths, highest daily toll
(AP Photo/Fareed Khan)ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has reported 153 COVID-19 fatalities, a new daily record, as infections continue to spiral, pushing the overall number of confirmed cases to 171,665. Hospitals are filling up and in many cities across the country, COVID-19 patients are being turned away. The 67 cases is the largest daily increase since South Korea reported 79 cases on May 28. ___BEIJING Chinas capital has recorded a further drop in new confirmed coronavirus cases as tightened measures to contain the spread remain in place. ___SAO PAULO Brazils government says the country has surpassed more than 1 million cases confirmed coronavirus cases.
Turbulence, warnings before Pakistan plane crash killed 97
Family members of an air hostess Anam Maqsood, who was killed in Friday's plane crash, mourn for her death at their home in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, May 23, 2020. The plane crashed at 2:39 p.m. near Jinnah International Airport, in the poor and congested residential area known as Model Colony. Between the coronavirus pandemic and the plane crash, this year has been a catastrophe," he said. Shabaz Hussein, whose mother died in the crash, told The Associated Press he identified her body at a local hospital and was waiting to take it away for burial. The men were praying at the nearby mosque, Masjid-e-Bilal, which is 100 meters from where the plane crashed, said resident Amir Chaudhry, whose sister was injured when the airliner crashed into the neighborhood.
Pakistan jet with 98 aboard crashes in crowded neighborhood
KARACHI A jetliner carrying 98 people crashed Friday in a crowded neighborhood near the airport in Pakistans port city of Karachi after an apparent engine failure during landing. Video on social media appeared to show the jet flying low with flames shooting from one of its engines. Sir, mayday, mayday, mayday, mayday Pakistan 8303, the pilot said before the transmission ended. Science Minister Fawad Ahmed Chaudhry said this year has been a catastrophe just survival is so difficult, with the pandemic and now the tragedy of the plane crash. Airbus said it would provide technical assistance to investigators in France and Pakistan, as well as the airline and engine manufacturers.