Day: December 13, 2011

By Qaiser Zulfiqar / Rana Yasif

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday dismissed yet another petition against actress Veena Malik following her controversial photo shoot in an Indian magazine which has triggered a countrywide debate.

Justice Muhammad Anwar Khan Kasi, who previously had struck down an identical petition of advocate Saleemullah Khan, again dismissed the petition of advocate Waqas Malik – on the same ground that the forum for entertaining such petitions was ‘inappropriate’.

“She [Veena] has been controversial throughout her career but no one contested her acts, this time she crossed her limits by using the Inter-Services Intelligence’s (ISI) name,” argued Malik, adding: “Nudity was not my subject, my plea was to address the ongoing campaign against our valuable institution, the ISI, which has come under fire either through the memogate scandal or through Veena Malik’s theatrics”.

Malik had named as respondents the secretary interior, director general (DG) Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), DG ISI, DG Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) and DG Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) in the petition.

Through the writ petition, he was seeking court orders to register a criminal case against the actress and placing her name on the Exit Control List.

Notice issued to SHO

Meanwhile, Additional District and Sessions Judge Tahir Khan Niazi on Monday issued a notice for December 19 to a station house officer (SHO) in Lahore for his comments on a petition seeking registration of a case against Veena.

The petitioner, Advocate Ishtiaq Choudhary, contended that the actress had tarnished the image of Pakistan at an international level by posing controversially for the Indian magazine. He added that Veena’s actions hurt the sentiments of Pakistani people. He prayed the court to direct the SHO to register a case against her.

Meanwhile, Iqbal Town police on Monday submitted a report in Additional District and Sessions Judge Rana Zahid Iqbal’s court on another petition filed by advocate Syed Mazhar seeking the registration of a similar case.

Police in its report contended that the petitioner should file the case in India since neither the photo shoot was done under the Iqbal Town Police precincts nor was the FHM magazine printed under Iqbal Town Police’s jurisdiction.

December 16 was fixed as the next date of hearing since the judge was on leave.

Source: TRIBUNE

KARAK: District Police Officer Sajid Ahmad Mohmand Monday claimed that security of the alleged gang-rape victim Uzma Ayub had been increased and vowed that the killers of Alamzeb would be brought to justice.

Chairing a meeting of the district police officers, the DPO directed the Takht Nusrati police to intensify the search to arrest the killers. The DPO was informed that four suspects Mohsin Shah, Islamuddin, Sher Ali Shah and Abdul Nawaz, residents of Shobli Banda in Takht Nusrati, have been arrested. The meeting was told that the arrested persons were being grilled and special task force has been set up for the arrest of killers. The DPO directed that properties of the accused should be confiscated and that security of Uzma Ayub’s family should be beefed up.

Bureau office adds from Peshawar: The Home and Tribal Affairs Department has questioned the police performance in the assassination of Alamzeb, brother of a rape victim Uzma Ayub, close to the district courts last week.

Following a letter from the Home and Tribal Affairs Department to the inspector general of police, the SHO of the Takht Nusrati Police Station in Karak district was suspended and the SP (Investigation) was directed to start initial investigation and fix responsibility in the case.

The official was also asked to take action against other concerned persons for negligence in the case though the government had issued directives to ensure security to the family of teenaged victim Uzma Ayub.

Source: THE NEWS

Mohammad Asghar

RAWALPINDI: A woman was burnt alive in Ganjmandi area on Monday, allegedly by her in-laws in a dispute over Mehr.

The woman’s parents-in-law and husband’s younger brother were booked by the police on the complaint of the brother of the deceased woman. However, no arrest has been made.

Ms Irum, 19, a daughter of a schoolteacher and Hafiz-i-Quran, married Mohammad Sadique some six months ago in Dhoke Hassu, was found dead by her brother Mohammad Bilal when he came to her house at about 1:30pm.

Irum called her elder sister on Monday morning and informed her that her in-laws sought surrender of Mehr which included a house and gold ornaments. While she was talking to her sister her phone was disconnected.

Sensing that her sister was in trouble, she rushed her brother to Irum’s house who found her burnt to death.

Mohammad Bilal said since her marriage, she had been complaining about her in-laws’ attitude as they had been forcing her to give them in writing that she was giving up the Mehr.

“A few months ago, the issue was settled after a meeting between the elders of the two families but her in-laws did not stop harassing her and finally they burnt her to death today,” Bilal said.

He said though the police had registered a case, the progress on arresting the killers was slow.

Sheikh Ahmed, Irum’s father-in-law, said he was taking bath when he heard screams and thought that the children playing in the street were making noise.

Meanwhile, a mother of four was burnt critically after being trapped in the fire while setting firewood alight for preparing breakfast.

Yasmin Akhtar, 26, wife of Akhtar Khan, in her statement, said: “Hardly had I doused oil on firewood and showed a match stick, a ball of fire blew up and I was trapped in it.”

The incident happened when Yasmin’s husband, Akhtar Khan, had gone to a nearby market to buy milk for breakfast.

When he was returned home he saw smoke emitting out of the first floor of the house where he along with his four children and wife lived.

On seeing the smoke, he rushed to his home and saw his wife trapped in the fire.

Though the fire was brought under control by the neighbourers, she had been burnt critically and was shifted to the Holy Family Hospital in the morning.

According to lady doctor, the woman has 50 per cent burns.

Source: DAWN