Couple allegedly killed for ‘honour’
26-year-old Chaman and 22-year-old Ulfat were found strangled dead in their makeshift mud hut in the Uch Bukhari neighbourhood of Uch, Punjab.
Uch Police found ropes around the deceased couple’s neck. Chaman and Ulfat had reportedly married some days ago at Kabirwala in Khanewal against their family’s wishes, and moved in with Chaman’s father Faqir Muhammad, alias Malang, in Uch three days ago. Malang had disappeared from the crime scene before the police’s arrival.
The bodies have been sent to a rural health center for autopsies. Police have arrested Malang, however the motive behind the murder has yet to be ascertained.
Witness protection law tabled in KP assembly
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly on Monday, August 30, tabled the Witness Protection Act 2021, which seeks to extend protection to witnesses in terrorism and criminal cases.
The bill proposes the establishment of a Witness Protection Unit which will identify witnesses as well as determine the degree of security provided to witnesses under its programme. The Unit will be responsible for protecting the life and property of witnesses, who may be relocated for their safety under certain circumstances.
Parliamentary panel approves seniority mandate for SC appointments
The Bipartisan Parliamentary Panel on Appointment of Superior Judiciary Judges on Tuesday, August 31, approved the seniority principle as the priority for the promotion of judges to the Supreme Court.
Under a proposed amendment to Article 175(3) of the Constitution, the panel recommended that the elevation of judges to the Supreme Court be made based on their seniority, which shall be determined with reference to their date of appointment as a judge of a high court. The panel also approved of a recommendation that the age of retirement of high court judges be raised from 62 to 65 years.
While Article 175-A, which pertains to the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court and the composition of the Supreme Judicial Council, was also discussed, the panel decided to take up the matter in the next meeting.
