Uttarakhand: 2 dead, 250 injured in violence after demolition of masjid, madrasa; shoot-at-sight orders issued

The Gaza Civil Defense says it has lost dozens of its employees ever since the Israeli military launched its relentless aerial and ground offensives across the besieged coastal terror in early October last year.

In a fresh statement, the organization put the number of fallen aid workers at 79, noting that the figure comes after one of its members succumbed to severe injuries sustained during the Israeli strike on a designated humanitarian safe zone at the al-Mawasi camp in southern Gaza, killing at least 90 Palestinians and wounding 300 others.

The fatality brings to three the number of aid workers killed in the attack, which was the deadliest in Gaza for weeks, according to the Gaza Civil Defense.

Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7 after Palestinian resistance groups carried out a surprise retaliatory operation into the occupied territories.

Concomitantly with the war, the regime has been enforcing a near-total siege on the coastal territory, which has reduced the flow of foodstuffs, medicine, electricity, and water into the Palestinian territory into a trickle.

So far during the military onslaught, the regime has killed at least 38,664 Gazans, most of them women, children, and adolescents. Another 89,097 Palestinians have sustained injuries as well.

New Delhi: In a relief to a Kannada news channel which extensively telecast the sex abuse case involving former JDS MP Prajwal Revanna and his family, the Supreme Court on Friday stayed a Karnataka High Court, stopping broadcast of Power TV on the ground of lack of proper licence.

A bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said this was nothing but sheer political vendetta.

"We are inclined to protect the freedom of speech and expression. It looks like a plain case of political vendetta and this court would be failing in its duty if it does not protect the petitioner," the bench said.

The court issued notice to the Union government and others on a petition filed by Power TV and others.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Union government, contended it was not borne out from record.

He said the show cause notice of February 9 was related to the channel subletting its uplink and downlinking licence.

The apex court, however, stayed the High Court order till Monday.

It also fixed the matter for hearing on Monday.

The Karnataka High Court had restrained Power TV from carrying out any broadcasting activity till July 9.

Justice S R Krishna Kumar had passed the interim order on June 25, after hearing two petitions filed by senior serving IPS officer Dr B R Ravikanthegowda, and JDS leader and MLC HM Ramesh Gowda and his wife Dr A Ramya Ramesh.

The petitioners claimed despite proceedings already initiated by the central government against the television channel and other private respondents, they continued to broadcast without arranging for the necessary licence renewal.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated a show cause notice was issued on a complaint, that the permission for Power TV was valid till October 12, 2021, and its renewal application dated December 30, 2022, was under examination.

The channel and its director Rakesh Shetty have reportedly been at the forefront of campaigns against Janata Dal (Secular) leaders like Prajwal Revanna and Suraj Revanna, who have been accused of sexual assault.

The Pakistan government has announced plans to ban the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, led by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, citing alleged anti-state activities.  

The announcement by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Monday came days after the Supreme Court handed a major legal victory to the PTI by declaring it eligible for a share of seats reserved in national and provincial assemblies.

The PTI has responded sharply, urging the government to “not shake the foundations of Pakistan and stop playing with the constitution.” Seventy-one-year-old Khan has been behind bars in the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, following his arrest on May 9, 2023.

Here’s what has happened so far:

1. What did the Pakistan minister announce?

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar made the announcement at a press conference in Islamabad. He stated that the federal government intends to ban the PTI for its alleged involvement in anti-state activities and to charge Khan and two senior party colleagues with treason. “In view of the foreign funding case, May 9 riots, and the cipher episode as well as the resolution passed in the US, we believe that there is very credible evidence present to have Khan’s party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), banned,” Tarar said.

He emphasized that Pakistan cannot progress with the PTI’s existence, saying, “Our patience and tolerance are considered as our weaknesses. The PTI and Pakistan cannot co-exist as the government is trying to stabilize the country politically and economically, while efforts are being made to thwart its efforts.” Tarar added that the federal government would petition the Supreme Court to ban the party.

2. How has the PTI responded?

In response to the government’s move, the PTI warned that banning the party could “uproot the foundations of the country.” The party stated on the X platform, “No patriot can think of banning the largest and most popular party of Pakistan, doing so is tantamount to uprooting the foundations of Pakistan and sending the country towards civil war.”

3. Why has the Pakistan government taken this decision?

The government’s decision follows recent relief given to the PTI by the Supreme Court in the case of reserved seats and to Khan in the illegal marriage case. Last week, the Supreme Court declared that Khan’s PTI was eligible for seats reserved for women and minorities in the national and provincial assemblies. If allotted, the PTI would become the largest party in the National Assembly with 109 seats.

Additionally, on Saturday, a district and session court overturned the conviction of Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in a case related to the violation of the mandatory waiting period for a Muslim woman between two marriages.

4. What steps will the PML-Nawaz-led government take against the SC order?

Tarar announced that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led government and its coalition partners plan to file a review appeal against the Supreme Court’s decision granting reserved seats to the PTI. “The apex court gave relief to the PTI which had not even asked for it,” Tarar said.

The government is also taking action against individuals involved in the May 9 events and PTI leaders’ attempts to sabotage Pakistan’s deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Referring to the dissolution of assemblies during the no-confidence motion against Khan in 2022, Tarar indicated plans to move a case against the then-prime minister, then-president Alvi, and then National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Suri.