Pakistan SC suspends former Finance Minister's Senate membership
_vb_32.jpeg)
Islamabad, May 8: Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended the Senate membership of former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar after he failed to appear before it on a petition contesting his election to the Upper House.
The apex court had summoned Dar, who has been in London since October 2017 and was declared an absconder by an accountability court in a corruption reference, on May 8 in a petition challenging his election to the Senate, Dawn online reported.
The court order came while hearing the petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Nawazish Ali Pirzada -- who had received 12 votes as a Senate candidate on a seat reserved for technocrats from Punjab against Dar's 155.
Dar's lawyer informed the court that he was unwell and unable to appear before the court. However, Justice Ijazul Ahsan rejected the former minister's medical report, saying: "Whenever we talk about his court appearance he becomes ill but looks good on TV."
The hearing was adjourned till Eid-ul-Fitr after Chief Justice Saqib Nisar announced that he was going abroad for two weeks.
According to the medical report submitted in the court on Monday, Dar has been suffering from left arm and chest pains resulting from a spinal issue in his neck and may require surgery if his condition does not improve within a month.
The report issued by the London Neurosurgery Partnership and dated April 26, also stated that Dar has also had cardiac issues and had to undergo an emergency stent implant in the past.
Former Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani and Leader of the House in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq expressed their reservations at the court's decision to suspend Dar's Senate membership.
Haq said he was "astonished that the apex court had taken the decision despite being provided with medical reports".
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
VHP warns of statewide stir in Karnataka against move to ease cattle transport law
Udupi (Karnataka) (PTI): The VHP on Saturday demanded the immediate withdrawal of a proposed amendment to the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020, accusing the state government of weakening a law that has deterred illegal cattle transport.
The organisation's Go Raksha Wing, Karnataka South, has also announced district-level protests on December 8.
According to officials, the existing law mandates a bank guarantee for securing the release of vehicles seized for alleged illegal cattle transportation.
On December 4, the state Cabinet proposed an amendment enabling the release of such vehicles on an indemnity bond instead.
Addressing reporters in Udupi, VHP leader and Prantha Goraksha Pramukh Sunil K R, said the government's move amounted to "sympathy for cattle lifters" and claimed that it was part of broader actions "targeting Hindus".
He argued that the law in its current form is stringent and has played a crucial role in reducing incidents of illegal cattle transport and theft.
Under the Act, vehicles involved in offences can be surrendered and, upon conviction, permanently seized by authorities. "Diluting these provisions will embolden offenders," Sunil said.
The VHP leader warned that easing the process of vehicle release would not only encourage violators but also result in rising cruelty against cattle.
Sunil further claimed that the strict enforcement of the 2020 law had brought down cases of cattle-related offences significantly. Rolling back these provisions, he said, could reverse those gains and would lead to an increase in illegal transport.
He reiterated that the government must reconsider its decision and preserve the integrity of the existing law.
