Pakistan bans VIP protocol at airports
Islamabad, Aug 27: The Pakistan government has banned VIP protocol given by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to influential people at airports across the country, the media reported on Monday.
The decision came into force from Sunday as the Interior Ministry directed all officials concerned of the agency's immigration wing to implement it, reports Dawn news.
"We have decided to strictly implement the decision to provide equal opportunities to all travellers without any discrimination," Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry told Dawn on Sunday.
"We have seen that influential people used to seek assistance of FIA officials at airports who (officials) accompanied them to promptly clear their luggage," the Minister said.
The VIP protocol was usually given to politicians, legislators, senior bureaucrats, judges, military officials and journalists. In case any FIA official is caught giving protocol to a VIP, he would face strict action, the Ministry warned.
Immigration counters at airports would be monitored and if any VIP was seen being given special treatment, the immigration staff and official in charge of their shift would be immediately suspended.
It was observed in the VIP lounge at Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Islamabad that the influential people would sit in a luxurious atmosphere while their luggage was being cleared by FIA officials, Airport Security Staff or Civil Aviation Authority.
However, there is no such lounge available at the new Islamabad airport established near Fatehjang where all passengers have to follow the normal procedure.
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IYC chief Uday Bhanu Chib released on bail in AI Summit protest case
New Delhi (PTI): Indian Youth Congress national president Uday Bhanu Chib, who was arrested for the "shirtless protest" at AI Impact Summit last month, has been released from Tihar jail, sources said on Tuesday.
The development comes a day after the Delhi High Court stayed a sessions court order that had put Chib's bail on hold.
Soon after walking out of jail, Chib said his first message was that the party stands firmly against the India-US trade deal.
"We will continue our struggle to stop this agreement. Despite knowing its implications, the prime minister is still pushing ahead, which only reaffirms the belief that he is acting as an agent of the West," Chib said.
On Sunday, Justice Saurabh Banerjee heard a plea filed by the IYC chief challenging the sessions court's decision to stay the magistrate's bail order.
The magistrate had granted bail to Chib on February 28, but within hours, the relief was halted by the sessions court.
Chib was sent to four-day police custody by a trial court on February 24.
Visuals recorded outside Tihar jail showed jubilant Youth Congress members lifting Chib on their shoulders as he walked out, before escorting him to a car.
A large crowd had gathered outside the jail to welcome him.
Supporters raised slogans such as "Rahul Gandhi tere naam, yeh jawani hai kurban" (Rahul Gandhi, this youth is dedicated to you) and "PM is compromised".
Many of them were seen waving flags and holding placards that read "Roll back India-US trade deal".
Chib was arrested in connection with the "shirtless protest" by Youth Congress workers at the AI Impact Summit, which India hosted at Bharat Mandapam here on February 20.
At the summit venue, IYC workers protested by removing and holding white T-shirts with images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump printed on them, along with slogans such as "India-US Trade Deal", "Epstein Files" and "PM is compromised".
