Here’s what’s happening across the border: ‘Father of Taliban’ stabbed to death, and Pakistan may receive big financial aid from China.
Pak govt puts Asia Bibi on no-fly list to curb protests
The Pakistan government has given in to demands from Islamist hardliners that Asia Bibi, the Christian woman recently acquitted of blasphemy charges, not be allowed to move out, Dawn reported.
The decision to place Asia on the country’s no-fly list came just two days after Prime Minister Imran Khan gave a fiery national address warning state action against protesters decrying her acquittal. The Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has also promised that it will not object to a review petition filed Thursday against the top court’s verdict on Asia Bibi.
The actions stem from an agreement signed with the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan in a bid to end the nationwide protests it had launched against the acquittal.
Father of Taliban shot dead
A prominent cleric and former senator, Maulana Samiul Huq, was assassinated Friday by unknown assailants who stabbed him at his Rawalpindi residence, Dawn reported.
The news was confirmed by his son Maulana Hamidul Huq. “His driver… had gone out. On his return, he saw that Maulana Sami was lying in his bed in a pool of blood,” he added.
Touted as the “Father of Taliban”, Maulana Samiul Haq “was the head of the Haqqania madrassa in the north of Pakistan, where many Taliban members – including the group’s founder, Mullah Omar – had studied”, BBC reported.
He was the chief of an offshoot of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (an Islamic political party formed in 1945), was at home because blocked roads had prevented him from joining the protests against Asia Bibi’s acquittal, Hamidul said.
“He was stabbed multiple times,” his son added. Yousaf Shah, the slain leader’s spokesperson, said the identity of the killers and the motive were not known. Police are probing the incident.
Pakistan set to receive ‘good news’ from China
Minister of information and broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said Friday that Pakistan may receive huge financial aid from China, reported Geo TV.
Addressing the media about Prime Minister Imran Khan’s first visit to China, Chaudhry said the former’s meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping had been successful, adding, “The nation will receive good news soon.” Chaudhry said the economic package expected would help ease Pakistan’s economic crisis.
Khan and Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, finance minister Asad Umar, and others left for China on an official visit Thursday.
Pakistani-Canadian actor in Jordan to help Syrian refugees
Pakistani-Canadian actor and model Armeena Khan has collaborated with the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) to help Syrian refugee families in Jordan, reported Dawn.
The actor broke the news on Twitter in October, with a plea to raise £10,000 (Approx. Rs 9.5 lakh). She has so far raised £9,671.84, with regular social media updates on how the money is being used.
The thirty-two year old has also visited these families to get a first-hand account of their ordeals.
Famous building frequented by Jinnah to be demolished
The historical building that houses the district council of Larkana in the Sindh province is reportedly facing demolition, reported The Express Tribune.
Constructed in 1927, under the supervision of Shahnawaz Bhutto, father of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the building now lies in a dilapidated condition.
According to Zulfiqar Rajpar, a local journalist and civil activist, “Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and leaders of the Pakistan movement used to conduct meetings in a hall of this building.”
The report quoted Rajpar as saying, “The building’s structure is still strong and there is a dire need to rehabilitate it to its original condition”, adding, “Unfortunately, these greedy people have awarded a tender to local contractors to demolish it and build a new one”.
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