Latest news with #AsimHafeez
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- Climate
- NZ Herald
‘Every summer feels worse than the last' - trying to make a living in Karachi's punishing heat
Shahbaz Ali, a ride-hailing motorcycle driver who earns US$8 on a good day, transports a passenger through the busy streets of Karachi, Pakistan. An unbearable summer of power outages, water shortages and heat has Karachi's residents 'enduring, not living anymore'. Photo / Asim Hafeez, the New York Times KARACHI, Pakistan — It's just 8am, and the sun is already punishing. Shahbaz Ali, a 32-year-old ride-hailing motorcycle driver, is drenched in sweat before his day has even begun. Sleep deprived from regular power outages in the hot weather, he heads off into the choking traffic of Karachi, Pakistan's
Express Tribune
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
LHC sets aside three Punjab govt notifications
The Lahore High Court (LHC) has warned the provincial government that legislative command deserves deference and no indulgence can be shown by extending protection to notifications that offend the mandate of the law. LHC Justice Asim Hafeez declared illegal and set aside three notifications of the Punjab government regarding social security contribution. The petitioners had challenged the notifications, contending that core provisions of the Provincial Employees Social Security Ordinance, 1965 had been made ineffective. "I refrain from attributing any mala fide to the government for not performing its functions, though delay caused in performance of obligations has inflicted harm to the class of employees," the judge observed. Justice Hafeez observed that the situation could be cured either by exercising powers in terms of Section 71 of the ordinance or amending the law, if the benchmark had to be linked with minimum wages — incidentally cure through notifications was not a solution but an attempt seeped in illegality. He observed that the judicial review jurisdiction could not be stretched to address the situation. "Miseries of the employees can be addressed upon prompt action by the government. Courts cannot compensate for an apparent inaction on the part of the government in guise of interpreting a beneficial legislation," the court observed. The counsel for petitioners argued that the contribution was solely determinable on the basis of wage notified by the government in terms of Section 71 and not otherwise; notwithstanding fixing of minimum wages under any other dispensation, be it the Punjab Minimum Wage Act 2019 or otherwise. The counsel contended that invalidity of the notifications was an obvious consequence if sections 2(f), 20 and 71 of the ordinance were strictly enforced. A counsel submitted that the notification of September 20, 2024 and those preceding it had been issued in accordance with Rule 4(3) of the Provincial Employees Social Security (Contributions) Rules, 1966, emphasising that determination of minimum wages, notwithstanding the nomenclature of statutes, provides legitimate basis for determining payable contribution.
The Star
28-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
UK joins Asean talks on transnational crime for the first time
JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The United Kingdom has for the first time participated in the Asean Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) through an open consultation during the forum's 25th session held in Putrajaya, Malaysia from June 23 to 27. The UK's involvement, represented by its Home Office Director of International Strategy, Engagement and Devolution Asim Hafeez, marks a significant step in its expanding partnership with Southeast Asia on regional security and law enforcement, according to a statement from the UK Mission to Asean. During the session, the UK and Vietnam jointly presented a proposal for future regional efforts to combat trafficking in persons and scam centres, which were described as causing serious harm and undermining security across the region. The engagement builds on existing UK-ASEAN cooperation, including a partnership between the UK's National Crime Agency and the ASEAN Chiefs of Police (ASEANPOL), and support for establishing an ASEAN Money Laundering Working Group in partnership with Malaysia and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). UK Ambassador to Asean Sarah Tiffin said the country was committed to working with Asean to tackle serious organised crime. "These crimes not only harm individuals and communities, they erode trust, fuel corruption, weaken governance, and threaten the rule of law,' she said. She said that the UK is pleased to support regional efforts against fraud and illicit finance, which are seen as drivers of organised crime and instability. The UK has pledged to back the UNODC-INTERPOL Global Fraud Summit in Vienna in March 2026 and will host an Illicit Finance Summit in London, both aimed at strengthening international cooperation and advancing global standards. Malaysia, which holds the Asean chair in 2025, also welcomed the deeper ties with the UK, particularly in efforts to strengthen financial integrity, tackle online scams, and dismantle criminal networks exploiting regional vulnerabilities. - Bernama
