Here’s what is happening across the border: Pakistan, China to monitor CPEC from space, and former minister blames India for terror rap.
Mob ambushes former PM at son’s Avenfield House home
Nawaz Sharif was attacked by a mob Sunday while entering his son’s residence at Avenfield House in London, reported Dawn.
This is ex Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif at Avenfield House. Disqualified, disgraced now a declared Criminal, absconding in London. This is how he's treated by the people. Whattay pathetic life. pic.twitter.com/f1qd0EQ8XG
— JB (@badnocs) July 8, 2018
In a video shared on Twitter, several youngsters were seen trying to break into the house and hurling abuses at Sharif, with one of the attackers even getting into an altercation with one of the security guards.
After Sharif and his guards entered the house, the mob even tried breaking the door by kicking and throwing objects at it.
Another video of Public showing disrespect to the disgraceful ex-PM now a convict. pic.twitter.com/1glsXvIhdc
— JB (@badnocs) July 8, 2018
Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz called the attack an “ongoing escalation” propagated by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and its chairman Imran Khan.
The attack came days after Sharif and his daughter were convicted of corruption in a case pertaining to the Avenfield property.
Metropolitan Police reached the area soon after but made no arrests as the Sharif family reportedly lodged no complaint.
Pakistan launches satellites on China rocket, but official denies spying claim
Pakistan launched two satellites aboard a Chinese launch vehicle from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in Gobi desert Monday, reported Geo TV.
today on 9 July 2018, at 1156 hours, the Long March II C carrier rocket at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre China successfully placed the Pakistan's 1st Remote Sensing Satellite-1 in its predetermined orbit#suparco #Satellite pic.twitter.com/5JyOde3UGx
— Aftab Hussain (@anzfa81) July 9, 2018
According to Pakistan’s space agency Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), the two satellites – Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite-1 (PRSS-1) and Pakistan Technology Evaluation Satellite-1A (PakTES-1A) – were launched aboard the Chinese Long March 2C rocket.
The payload of PRSS-1, which weighs 1,200 kg and was bought from China, is expected to help Pakistan take high-resolution images meant for agriculture assessment, urban and rural planning, environmental monitoring, management of water resources, as well as relief efforts in the wake of natural disasters.
The indigenously developed 285-kg PakTES-1A, meanwhile, is an experimental satellite equipped with a global positioning system (GPS) and geographical information system (GIS), and reportedly meant to lower the country’s dependence on commercial satellites.
A PTI report said the satellites would also help the countries monitor the progress of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Amid reports that the satellites are meant to keep an eye on India, a Suparco official, speaking to The Express Tribune, said they had no “military or strategic purpose”.
Indian propaganda got Pakistan on terror watch list, says ex-interior minister
Former interior minister Rehman Malik condemned Monday Pakistan’s inclusion in the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force, calling it the result of Indian propaganda, reported Ary News.
The country was placed on the list to catalyse efforts to choke funding for terrorists operating from its soil, including 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed. The move will make it tougher for Pakistan to access funds from international markets.
In a meeting of the senate standing committee on interior, he said the Indian government had “been funding terrorist organisations like RSS that have been instigating violence against Muslims in the country, yet India has not been mentioned in this list”. The “world is appeasing the Indian lobby,” he added. The senate committee also called it “a mischievous act of the Indian lobby”.
Military forces donate two days’ pay to build dams
Pakistan’s military spokesperson Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor tweeted Monday that the country’s air force, navy and army officers will contribute two days’ pay, and soldiers a day’s pay, to help build the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams, which are aimed at easing the nation’s water crisis, reported Dawn.
Pakistan Armed Forces contributing to Diamer-Basha & Mohmand Dam Fund. Officers of Pak Army, Navy and Air Force will contribute their 2 days’ pay while soldiers one day’s pay to the announced fund for this national cause. #DamsForPakistan🇵🇰
— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) July 9, 2018
The announcement comes after the Chief Justice of Pakistan pleaded with the general public, including Pakistanis residing abroad, to donate for the construction of the dams, announcing a personal donation of Rs 1 million.
Twitter users condemn Sufi singer’s misogynistic tweet
Pakistani musician Salman Ahmad, a close aide of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, came under fire online for tweeting a meme that sought to mock former PM Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz in the wake of their corruption conviction, reported Dunya News.
He's a disgusting creature least to be called a human. Not the first time that he disrespects women. https://t.co/DhqWkfiMnZ
— Gharidah Farooqi (@GFarooqi) July 8, 2018
The meme showed Maryam whispering in Khan’s ears, offering to run away with him if he spared her father. The tweet was deleted, but not before other Twitter users lashed out at Ahmad for the “derogatory and misogynistic” meme.
Dear Mr @sufisal just saw the screenshot of a highly objectionable, sexist, mesogynist & third rate tweet by you against @MaryamNSharif using her photoshopped image with @ImranKhanPTI.
I understand you've deleted it, but if you apologise for it, your followers would learn better.
— Marvi Sirmed (@marvisirmed) July 8, 2018
Ahmad, however, defended his attack on Nawaz.
Have the deepest respect for women but no respect for convicts , liars, frauds & SM hate mongers( men & women) https://t.co/mMVl8uArxk
— salman ahmad (@sufisal) July 9, 2018
deleted my tweet after sending a mesg to PMLN SM team run by @MaryamNSharif. U attack my family or @ImranKhanPTI I will hunt you down.
— salman ahmad (@sufisal) July 8, 2018
Earlier, he had praised the angry youths who attempted to break into the apartment of Sharif’s son Hussain Nawaz in London Monday.
Kudos to the British citizens in London who broke down the door of convicts Nawaz Sharif & @MaryamNSharif. You have no place left to hide.
— salman ahmad (@sufisal) July 8, 2018
Anti-terrorism authority warns of threats to campaigning leaders
The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) Monday briefed the senate standing committee on interior about a security threat to almost all the top leaders campaigning for the upcoming elections, reported The Express Tribune.
The leaders include Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan, the Awami National Party’s Afsandyar Wali, the Qaumi Watan Party’s Aftab Sherpao, leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, former chief ministers Akram Durrani and Ameer Haider Hoti, and Talha Saeed, son of Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed.
Committee chairman Rehman Malik subsequently ordered the interior ministry to provide foolproof security to those named in the list, and share with the panel details of its security plans for heads of political parties, voters, candidates and around polling booths.
PPP accuses PTI using foul language in its advertisement
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has lodged a complaint with the election commission against the PTI’s alleged use of abusive language against its brass in an advertisement, reported The Express Tribune.
In a letter to the election watchdog, PPP secretary general Syed Nayyar Hussain said a PTI television advertisement had defamatory content against PPP co-chairman and former President Asif Ali Zardari, and thus was in violation of the election code of conduct.
The party has requested the election commission to direct the mass media to refrain from airing “false and malicious content”.
Islamabad’s Gun and Country club declared illegal
Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar Monday declared the Gun and Country Club in Islamabad illegal, saying “there is no legal approval for the construction of the club”, reported Geo TV.
The club was established in 2002 and provides state-of-the-art rifle shooting facilities.
“The land on which the club has been established belongs to Pakistan Sports Board and people who are members of the club took membership at their own risk,” the chief justice said.
The sports board was directed to take over the land and provide employment to its staffers. The Capital Development Authority (CDA), Islamabad’s municipal agency, leased 145 acres of land to the sports board in 1975, which then leased the plot to the gun club. The lease was extended to 33 years in 2008.
Justice Nisar announced that a polyclinic would be established on the land.
Contributors: Sharanya Munsi, Manisha Mondal, Hansa Kapoor, Rupanwita Bhattacharjee, Anagha Deshpande, Soniya Agrawal and Alind Chauhan