Today’s top Pakistan current affairs October 30,2020 with download link available in pdf. These are the latest breaking news about Pakistan which will be helpful for aspirants in test preparation of current affairs, Pakistan affairs, General knowledge for NTS, PPSC, CSS, FPSC, KPPSC, SPSC, BPSC, AJKPSC, OTS, PTS, and other Govt Jobs, exams & MDCAT, ECAT Entry test preparation.
One Liner
- PM Imran Khan to visit Gilgit Baltistan on Sunday: sources. Prime Minister Imran Khan would visit Gilgit Baltistan on Sunday to attend the National Day celebrations of the region
- Pakistan to launch a campaign against Islamophobia: PM Khan. Pakistan will soon launch a campaign against Islamophobia, remarked Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday.
- Pakistan to Lay New Gas Pipeline With Russia’s Cooperation. Pakistan is considering laying down a new gas pipeline with the support of Russia. Federal Energy Minister, Omar Ayub
- Railways department restores Mianwali Express service after seven months. Apparently in order to provide economical intra-city commuting services to the citizenry, the railways ministry has restored on Friday its Mianwali Express after seven months since the service was suspended
- Buildings collapse as strong quake hits Turkey, Greece. A powerful earthquake hit Greece and Turkey on Friday, causing buildings to collapse and a sea surge that flooded streets in the Turkish resort city of Izmir.
- FO Summons Indian Diplomat, Protests Over Ceasefire Violations. Foreign Office today (Friday) summoned a senior Indian diplomat and registered Pakistan’s strong protest over ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control.
- National lockdown a possibility to contain COVID-19 spread: UK minister. A national lockdown in England is not inevitable to contain an increase in COVID-19 cases, British foreign minister Dominic Raab said on Friday, adding that a localized approach could work if everyone stuck to the rules for their area.
- Pakistan Beat Zimbabwe by 26 Runs in 1st ODI. Pakistan emerged victorious by 26 runs after Zimbabwe gave them a tough time in the first One-day International against Pakistan at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Spotlight by The NewsRun
1. COVID-19 IN PAKISTAN
- Pakistan reported 1,078 cases and 20 deaths in the past 24 hours. Pakistan also conducted 32,933 tests in the span of 24 hours (P.S. this data was last updated on October 30 at 8:06am).
2. PM Khan acquitted in Parliament House attack case
What’s going on? An Islamabad anti-terrorism court (ATC) acquitted PM Khan in the 2014 Parliament House attack case, and declared Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Chairman, Tahirul Qadri, a fugitive.
Okay, I don’t really remember this: It’s been a while. Back in 2014, PM Khan and other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including President Arif Alvi, were booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act. PTI and PAT organized a joint sit-in against alleged rigging in the 2013 general election. While marching towards Parliament House, protestors clashed with police on Constitution Avenue. Police registered a case against PM Khan (he wasn’t PM at the time) along with Qadri and other party leaders for allegedly inciting violence.
Ohh, that sit-in, time flies: Yup. After acquitting PM Khan, the court decided to summon Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood, and Planning Minister Asad Umar for the next hearing. The court also summoned other PTI provincial ministers. However, the court will stop proceedings against President Alvi due to presidential immunity under Article 248 of the Constitution.
The context: The march on Parliament House was part of a 126-day long sit-in, where protestors demanded the removal of then PM, Nawaz Sharif.
The bottom line: PM Khan said the prosecution wasn’t interested in pursuing the case anymore. The sitting govt usually appoints and instructs prosecution lawyers. The prosecution team under the previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) isn’t around anymore. According to PM Khan’s counsel, Abdullah Babar Awan, the prosecutor is on board with acquitting PM Khan since the charges against him are baseless. Awan also claimed there was zero evidence to prove PM Khan’s involvement in the case. Fun fact: Awan is the son of PM Khan’s Advisor on Parliamentary Affairs, Babar Awan.
3. Pakistan condemns knife attack in French church
An attacker in France used a knife to behead one elderly woman and kill two others (i.e. a man and a woman). The attack took place at a church in the city of Nice. According to Nice Mayor, Christian Estrosi, the attacker yelled “Allahu Akbar” (i.e. God is greatest). Police shot and detained a male suspect. The suspect is a 21-year-old Tunisian national who arrived in France earlier this month. French President Emmanuel Macron said this was an “Islamist terrorist attack.” Pakistan’s Foreign Office released a statement condemning the attack.
- Backstory: Mayor Estrosi pointed out similarities between this church attack, and the killing of history professor Samuel Paty. Paty, was beheaded after showing his students caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) during a discussion about the limits of free speech. The suspected assailant was an 18-year-old Russian national of Chechen origin. Police have not confirmed a motive behind the church attack. However, the attack follows days of protests in some Muslim-majority countries, which started after President Macron said France would not “give up” the caricatures.
4. Alleged abduction and forced conversion of Christian child
The parents of Arzoo Raja, a 13-year-old Pakistani-Christian girl, claimed their daughter was abducted and forced to marry Ali Azhar, a 43 or 44-year-old Muslim man. Raja’s father told police his daughter was abducted from their family home in Karachi on October 13. Two days later, police told the family Raja married Azhar. Police also claimed she “willingly” converted to Islam. According to police, Azhar shared a marriage certificate, which stated Raja was 18-years-old. Raja’s parents said “the abductor and his supporters are terrifying us and we are in danger from these people. Please listen to our appeal.”
- Now what? Raja’s parents produced a birth certificate showing she’s 13-years-old. However, the Sindh High Court (SHC) ruled the marriage was valid, even though the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act makes it illegal to marry someone who is underage. Approximately 400 people protested the SHC’s decision at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Karachi. Christians in other parts of Pakistan also protested.
- Backstory: Girls and women from minority backgrounds, mostly Hindu and Christian, are often abducted, forced to marry, and forced to convert to Islam every year.
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