10 electric buses arrive in Azad Kashmir

President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior officials have deposited numerous gifts received from foreign dignitaries in the Toshakhana. The government has released details of gifts received by senior officeholders during the recent period. The Cabinet Division has also made records of gifts received by public officials since 2002 available on its official website. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said details of deposited gifts are published periodically. He said the records cover gifts received by the president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, federal ministers and other government officials. However, the names of the foreign dignitaries who presented the gifts have not been made public. The Cabinet Division has stated that the valuation of some of the newly listed gifts is still being completed. It has also clarified that the published information is based on records and declarations submitted by individuals and departments. The records show that President Zardari received several valuable and ceremonial items. These included a tea set, sword, golden desert model, woollen overcoat and a Vacheron Constantin Geneve wristwatch. Other gifts listed for the president included a decorative piece, ceremonial sabre set, chessboard, serving bowl and an oil painting. First Lady Assefa Bhutto-Zardari and Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari also received jewellery. The records show that both received necklaces. Jewellery sets were also listed among their gifts. Assefa Bhutto-Zardari additionally received a Kumis set. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also received a wide range of gifts. The items included shields, souvenirs, portraits, ties, frames and swords. Some jewellery items were also listed among the gifts received by the prime minister. The records further show several watches, including Rolex and Patek Philippe models. Other items included a coin, traditional dress, clock, sugar bowl and car model. Cups, pens and cufflinks were also among the listed gifts. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar received several items as well. His gifts included a decorative piece and a traditional Chinese stamp. The records also mention a Burmese string puppet, a Myanmar cultural frame, a Rolex watch, vase, medal and Chinese leather belt. Dar also received an Egyptian statue, pen and cufflink set. Several other federal officials were also listed in the records. Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Khan Cheema received a book about Uzbekistan and a T-shirt. Economic Affairs Secretary M. Humair Karim received a ballpoint pen. Information Minister Tarar was listed as having received a Rolex watch. Several members of the president’s staff also received watches. These included the military secretary, chief security officer, Air ADC, principal staff officer and presidential spokesperson. National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq received a large ceramic jar. Senator Saleem Mandviwalla received a Bvlgari watch. Former NAB chairman retired Lt Gen Nazir Ahmed received a wristwatch and an INTERPOL commemorative book. Deputy Chief of State Protocol Hafeezullah received a Tag Heuer watch. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi received a Rolex watch and a hand-chased tea set. Prime Minister’s spokesperson for foreign media Mosharraf Ali Zaidi received a Tag Heuer watch. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Industries and Production Haroon Akhter received a hand-chased tea set with 24-karat gold plating. The government has said the details of Toshakhana gifts will continue to be uploaded periodically. The Cabinet Division has also placed a disclaimer on the records. It said the information is based on available records and declarations made by officials and departments under the rules applicable at the time.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ruled that a property owner has the exclusive right to decide how to use their property and is not bound by the wishes or preferences of a tenant. The judgment came while deciding a long-running landlord-tenant dispute involving a residential building in Karachi’s Saddar area. In an eight-page verdict authored by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, the apex court set aside an earlier decision of the Sindh High Court, which had ruled in favour of the tenant. The Supreme Court observed that it is a well-established legal principle that a property owner is the sole judge of their own requirements. The court held that if a landlord submits a sworn statement declaring the need to use their property personally, that statement is sufficient to establish bona fide necessity unless proven otherwise. The judgment further stated that an owner cannot be compelled to use another portion of the property simply because a tenant believes alternative accommodation is available. The court emphasised that the landlord’s choice regarding the use of their property cannot be dictated by the tenant. The case involved a dispute over a flat in a building located in Karachi’s Saddar neighbourhood. During the proceedings, the tenant argued that several other flats in the same building had become vacant and could instead be used by the landlord. The Sindh High Court accepted this argument and ruled in favour of the tenant. However, the Supreme Court disagreed with that reasoning, stating that the availability of other vacant units does not deprive the owner of the right to reclaim a specific property for personal use. Allowing the landlord’s appeal, the Supreme Court ordered the tenant to vacate the flat within six months, bringing the legal dispute to a close while reaffirming the property rights of landlords under the law.

The Islamabad High Court has declared admissible the petitions seeking suspension of sentences of Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chatha, who were convicted by a trial court in the controversial tweets case. Justice Muhammad Azam Khan of the Islamabad High Court issued a reserved verdict, rejecting a miscellaneous application filed by the prosecution challenging the admissibility of the petitions. The court had reserved its decision yesterday after hearing arguments from both sides. The prosecution had argued that the petitions for suspension of sentence filed by Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chatha were premature. It is pertinent to mention that Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka had sentenced both Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chatha to a total of 17 years in prison each under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). Both convicts have approached the Islamabad High Court seeking suspension of their sentences. Earlier, The Islamabad High Court on Friday reserved its decision on whether petitions seeking the suspension of prison sentences awarded to lawyers and human rights activists Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha can proceed. The petitions relate to the couple’s convictions in a case involving alleged controversial social media posts under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). The hearing was conducted by Justice Muhammad Azam Khan, who considered preliminary arguments from both the prosecution and the defence before reserving his ruling on the maintainability of the petitions. During the proceedings, lawyers representing the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) argued that the requests for suspension of sentence had been filed too early. They maintained that the court should first decide the prosecution’s objection challenging the admissibility of the petitions before considering any request for relief