Maulana Adil Khan laid to rest in Karachi

Daily Briefs

Photo : Dawn

12 October 2020, Monday I Vol 1, No.156

Maulana Adil Khan laid to rest in Karachi

Maulana Adil Khan laid to rest in Karachi, Regional Parties also gear up for the PDM and Covid-19 cases rise in Islamabad and Rawalpindi

PR Daily Brief | PR Team

In Focus

Maulana Adil Khan laid to rest in Karachi

Police investigators remain unsure about the perpetrators

On 11 October, a Sunni religious scholar and head of Karachi's Jamia Farooqia seminary Maulana Dr Adil Khan, who was shot dead along with his driver in a suspected targeted attack on 10 October, was laid to rest at Farooqia University. Adil's funeral prayers were offered at Jamia Farooqia Hub River Road Phase II where apart from scholars and other religious figures, politicians and students of the seminary attended the prayers. ("Maulana Adil Khan's funeral prayers offered in Karachi," The News International, 11 October 2020)

Investigators unsure about the killing

While police investigators have launched a probe to determine the identity and exact motive for the killing, they remain uncertain about the perpetrators of this high-profile targeted killing. On 11 October, the investigators obtained a forensic report suggesting that the murder weapon in the case had not been used in any previous target killing in Karachi. Further, besides obtaining the CCTV footages, police investigators have also recorded the statements of witnesses in the case and have appealing to eyewitnesses to come forward and record their statements regarding the incident.

Case to be registered under the Terrorism Act

Although the case is yet to be registered, the police have stated that it would be registered under the Terrorism Act on behalf of Maulana Adil’s son who survived in the attack while the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officials investigate the case. Further, the CTD’s in-charge said that they were investigating the case from different angles, adding that after analysing the CCTV footage three persons were seen fleeing the site, stating that there might have been more nearby as back up. Further stating, "This is a conspiracy to incite sectarian violence." (Faraz Khan, "No major headway in Maulana Adil Khan’s killing," The News International, 12 October 2020)

Regional Parties also gear up for the PDM

BNP-N and ANP extend support to the PDM

On 10 October, BNP’s secretary general Jehanzeb Jamaldini said the BNP-M, as a component of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), will fully support the opposition’s activities. On the same day, the ANP too announced its support to the PDM. Both the parties expressed concerns over the PTI government’s policies and said the PTI ignored Balochistan.

Jamaldini said the PTI government failed to implement the six-point accord signed two years ago, compelling them to part ways with the federal government and join the PDM. He said the government was not giving the province the funds due to it and asked why Balochistan had no rights on its islands and Gwadar port. He said giving government jobs in Balochistan to people from other provinces was a grave injustice and violation of the rights of the youth of Balochistan.

Amir Haider Khan Hoti of ANP said the PTI destroyed Pakistan’s economy and had failed in its foreign policy. He said the PTI government had pushed the country into isolation at the international level and no international forum or even any Muslim country was supporting Pakistan against India today. He also expressed concerns over missing persons in Balochistan and other parts of Pakistan and pushed for allocation of funds due to KP and Balochistan. (“BNP-M promises full support to PDM,” Dawn, 12 October 2020 and “Awami National Party to take part in PDM rallies: Hoti,” Dawn, 12 October 2020)

PDM to announce contingency plan against arrests

The PDM announced that it plans to extend its protest to all towns adjoining Gujranwala in case its leadership is arrested before the maiden rally on October 16. The contingency plan will be finalised on 15 October. Meanwhile, the PDM has asked participants from Gujrat, Sheikhupura, Sialkot and Lahore and other areas to stage sit-ins on main roads of these towns for spreading the impact of the protest to the entire region.

Gujranwala Deputy Commissioner delays permission for venue

The Gujranwala deputy commissioner has not yet given a nod to the opposition’s request for holding its public meeting at Jinnah Stadium. Meanwhile, Maryam Nawaz Sharif will lead the rally to Gujranwala from her Jati Umra residence and Bilawal Bhutto from Lalamusa. (“PDM charts contingency plan against arrests,” Dawn, 12 October 2020)

In Brief

INTERNAL

Covid-19 cases rise in Islamabad and Rawalpindi

After a respite, Covid-19 hit the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi again. From 1 August to 9 September, 965 patients were tested positive and 18 dead from the two cities. The federal government announced the reopening of educational institutions from 15 September but from 10 September, onwards 1900 patients have tested positive and 28 dead. As many as 11 died and 425 tested positive in the last four days. (“Coronavirus hitting twin cities hard,” The News International, 12 October 2020)

Maleeha Lodhi’s suggestions to the government

In an opinion column in Dawn, Maleeha Lodhi says Imran Khan began his term with several advantages - unqualified support from the military, public goodwill, control over the largest province, demoralised Opposition. Yet, a recent survey shows that four out of five Pakistanis feel the country is headed in the wrong direction. To address this, Lodhi suggests a course correction for the government by: reframe its purpose in office and aligning it with public concerns, reconfiguring its team especially in Punjab, adopting a structured approach to governance, evolving economic policies to spur growth by engaging the business community and political parties in parliament and, showing respect for dissent and desisting from seeing critics as enemies or traitors. She says the government must display leadership that unites, not polarises the country, and rise above its own instincts to provide inclusive governance. (“Is a course correction needed?” Dawn, 12 OCtober 2020)

GILGIT-BALTISTAN

PML-N issues announces 18 candidates for GB elections

On 11 October, the PML-N announced the names of 18 candidates who would contest the GB elections on November 16. The PML-N secretary general said former chief minister Hafiz Hafeez-ur-Rehman would be the candidate from GB Constituency No 2. Rest of the names will be announced later.

On 10 October, the GB Chief Election Commissioner said there was no justification for the hue and cry being raised by some political leaders about “expected rigging” in the GB polls. On 9 October, Bilawal had warned PTI of a strong reaction if the polls were rigged. (“PML-N issues tickets to its candidates for Gilgit-Baltistan polls,” Dawn, 12 October 2020)

Opinion articles says granting GB provincial status is the right thing

An opinion piece in The News International says bringing GB under Pakistan’s constitutional ambit as its fifth province is not a simple political choice to make without decoupling this region from the J&K dispute. The author traces the history of the region from the British rule to 1947 to the 1948 UN resolution which guaranteed protection of all legal, political and economic rights of the people of disputed territory. Through the Karachi Agreement, GB came under the direct administrative control of Pakistan. The author says the enthusiasm with which people of GB acceded to Pakistan with the hope of a quid pro quo has not happened in 73 years. He says the government’s decision to mainstream GB by granting the overdue political and constitutional rights to its people is the right move. (“Mainstreaming Gilgit-Baltistan,” The News International, 12 October 2020)

ON INDIA

PPP Senator calls India a hub of Daesh operators

On 11 October, PPP Senator Rehman Malik said India has been turned into a hub of Daesh operators working with RSS endangering South Asia. He said, despite 44 Indian banks being flagged in a set of Suspicious Activity Reports in the FinCEN files, the FATF was reluctant to take any action against India while Pakistan was greylisted. He said he has written two letters to the FATF president with evidence to take action against India and Modi for being involved in terror financing. (“India has become hub of IS operators: Malik,” Dawn, 12 October 2020)

Daily Briefs

Maulana Adil Khan laid to rest in Karachi

Maulana Adil Khan laid to rest in Karachi, Regional Parties also gear up for the PDM and Covid-19 cases rise in Islamabad and Rawalpindi

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