
Imaan quits IHCBA positionin protest
Human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari has resigned from her position as the chairperson of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association's (IHCBA) committee on enforced disappearances.
In a letter addressed to the IHCBA president on Monday, Mazari stated that she made the decision in protest against the "condemnable and cowardly" decision of the bar to withdraw its petitions against the 26th amendment and the transfer of judges to the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Expressing her disappointment and shock over the move, she said the decision compromised on the principled position taken by former IHCBA president Riasat Ali Azad.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business Recorder
IHC tax bench's order: All SOE references be routed thru ADRC
ISLAMABAD: The special tax division bench of the Islamabad High Court has ordered that all tax references filed by state-owned enterprises shall be referred to the Alternate Dispute Resolution Committee under Section 134A of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001. The state-owned enterprises contended that those tax reference applications which were instituted prior to the enactment of the Tax Laws Amendment Act, 2024 ought to be adjudicated by the Court in accordance with the procedure applicable at the time of filing of the tax reference application. However, the counsel for the Commissioner, Osama Shahid (Advocate) placed reliance upon a recent judgment of the Supreme Court of Pakistan wherein a case filed in the year 2023 (i.e., prior to the enactment of the Tax Laws Amendment Act, 2024) was referred to the mandatory alternate dispute resolution committee under Section 134A of the Ordinance. In light of the Supreme Court's judgment, the Islamabad High Court referred to matters to alternate dispute resolution committee. Tax dispute: IHC grants conditional relief to SOE Earlier, the Islamabad Bench of the ATIR had referred several appeals filed by and against state-owned enterprises to the alternate dispute resolution committee. The Commissioner Inland Revenue (Appeals), Islamabad has also refused to adjudicate any appeal filed by a state-owned enterprise in light of the Supreme Court's judgment. It appears that the only recourse available to a state-owned enterprise in case of a tax dispute is the alternate dispute resolution mechanism provided under Section 134A of the Ordinance regardless of whether the dispute initiated prior to or after the enactment of the Tax Laws Amendment Act, 2024. It is pertinent to note that several state-owned enterprises have also assailed the vires of the Tax Laws Amendment Act, 2024 before the Islamabad High Court by filing writ petitions which are currently sub judice. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025


Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Business Recorder
27-year prison sentence: PTI MNA Latif claims ruling as bogus terrorism conviction
ISLAMABAD: The firebrand Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA from Chitral Abdul Latif, who was handed down a 27-year prison sentence on Friday, claimed he was given a bogus terrorism conviction after refusing a jaw-dropping Rs2 billion bribe to back the controversial 26th Constitutional Amendment. A diehard loyalist of jailed ex-prime minister Imran Khan, Latif slammed the ruling as revenge by what he called the 'installed regime of Form 47 and its handlers, who are pulling the strings of the puppet Shehbaz Sharif regime.' An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad convicted Latif over his alleged role in the chaotic May 9 riots – when PTI supporters allegedly stormed police stations and government buildings. But Latif insisted the charges were bogus, calling it a false flag set up by the powers that be. Latifinsisted that he didnot even know the police station he is accused of attacking existed. 'I hadn't even heard of the Ramna Police Station until I was falsely accused,' Latif said in a defiant video message following the ATC verdict. 'Just because I support Imran Khan, they threw me into this mess.' The court's decision came down hard – 27 years for allegedly leading the charge on the Ramna PS during the nationwide unrest. But Latif, unbowed, said the real crime was his refusal to accept a massive payoff to support the controversial 26th Amendment – a move that he insisted would have betrayed his party and Khan's ideology. 'There is also a court of Allah, where no police, no pressure works,' he said, taking a fiery swipe at the lower judiciary. 'Justice will ultimately be served.' Latif remained hopeful that the higher judiciary of the country will toss out what he called a 'politically motivated and unjust' ruling. He insisted he would never sell out, no matter the price – or the prison sentence. 'No conviction, no bribe can shake my conscience,' he declared. 'I've stood by Imran Khan for 28 years – and I'm not backing down now nor will I ever in future.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025


Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Express Tribune
Iqbal faults state pillars for past crises
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Thursday that the political crises in the country were created either by one pillar of the state or the other, as he called for all sides to work for making the country economically strong. Addressing an event in connection with Youm-e-Takbeer — the anniversary of Pakistan's nuclear blasts — at the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA), the minister emphasised that judiciary should not be used in any political confrontation. "All crises in Pakistan were artificial and created by one of the pillars of the state. Political crises were sometimes created by the establishment and sometimes by the judiciary. The 26th Constitutional Amendment was enacted because the judiciary was used for political purposes," he said. "The decision to disqualify Nawaz Sharif in 2017 pushed the country towards a political crisis. But now even our establishment is saying that they are not interested in creating any new political party. Now they are saying that they will keep themselves away from politics." Speaking about Pakistan's nuclear blasts in 1998, he said that the six explosions on May 28 were a befitting reply to India five explosions. "The credit for laying the foundation of the nuclear programme goes to late prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan," he said. "All the succeeding governments carried this programme forward and Nawaz Sharif rejected the international pressure and carried out the explosions," he continued. "Youm-e-Takbeer is not only a celebration of past successes but also a day of our firm resolve for the future." This year's Youm-e-Takbeer celebrations came just weeks after Pakistan-India military confrontation. Iqbal said that when India challenged Pakistan, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) proved its superiority by shooting down six Indian warplanes that included three Rafales. "The latest technology, of which India was proud, was crushed by the PAF. India then cried to Washington and requested for a ceasefire, which we accepted because we want peace," the minister said. "Technology played a very important role in the success against India on May 10." The minister stressed the need for a strong economy for strong defence. He called for a national resolve to beat the enemy in the field of economy. "We have a lot of tax evasion. We are among the countries having low tax collection," he added.