Pakistan court grants bail to Sharif for his treatment
Islamabad: In a relief to Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan's Supreme Court Tuesday granted bail to the jailed former prime minister for six weeks in a corruption case on medical grounds.
Sharif, 69, is in jail since December last year, serving a 7-year imprisonment in the Al Azizia Steel Mills graft case.
He filed appeal earlier this month against a judgment by the Islamabad High Court which on February 25 rejected his bail on medical grounds in the same case.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa in a short order granted bail to Sharif for six weeks for his treatment.
But the court ruled he cannot go out of the country during this period.
Three corruption cases - Avenfield properties, Flagship investment and Al-Azizia steel mills - were registered against the Sharif family by the anti-graft body in 2017 following a judgment by the Supreme Court that disqualified Sharif in the Panama Papers case in 2017.
He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in the Avenfiled corruption case in July 2018 which was related to his properties in London. Later he was given bail in September.
In December, the accountability court convicted him in the Al-Azizia graft case but acquitted him in the Flagship corruption case.
The Al-Azizia Steel Mill case is related to setting up steel mills in Saudi Arabia allegedly with corruption money.
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Bengaluru: A recent study commissioned by the Karnataka government has revealed that 28% of the state's 328.55-km coastline is experiencing high levels of erosion. The report, submitted by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management to the Environment Department, shows that the length of eroding stretches has more than doubled, from 43.7 km in 1990 to 91.6 km in 2024.
Titled Shoreline Management Plan Along Karnataka Coast, the report highlights the impact of increased sediment barriers and upstream activities on coastal erosion. It also calls for the adoption of nature-based solutions to counter the effects of climate change and human activities.
District-wise findings
The coastline of Uttara Kannada, Udupi, and Dakshina Kannada spans 328.55 km, with varying levels of erosion across the districts:
Uttara Kannada: Although 28% of its 193-km coastline is eroded, the district accounts for 39% of the state’s total erosion due to increased coastal development.
Udupi: Despite 43% of the coastline being protected by seawalls, 38% remains affected by erosion, contributing to 32% of Karnataka's overall erosion.
Dakshina Kannada: The district’s 37-km coastline faces “critical” erosion, with 39% of its stretches severely impacted, including areas such as Uchil and Batapady.
The report warns that coastal erosion threatens habitations, estuarine environments, mangroves, mudflats, and fish landing areas.
Recommendations
Identifying 44 critical erosion zones, the report suggests:
1. Beach nourishment through sand replenishment.
2. Rehabilitation of sand dunes and bioshields.
3. Mangrove afforestation to stabilise coastlines and support fisheries.
The findings will inform the Karnataka-Strengthening Coastal Resilience and the Economy (K-SHORE) project, which prioritises nature-based solutions over hard approaches like seawalls. R Gokul, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, stated that the Rs 840-crore project will focus on mangrove planting, beach nourishment, and tackling plastic pollution. These measures aim to protect the coastline and boost the blue economy.
The report will also guide the Karnataka State Coastal Zone Management Authority in reviewing coastal development proposals.
