Latest news with #Saghir
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Confusion persists over under-trial credit in consecutive sentences
Considerable confusion continues to persist among various state institutions over whether the period of under-trial detention in cases involving multiple consecutive sentences should be credited separately for each sentence or treated as a single adjustment period. The issue surfaced before the Lahore High Court's Multan Bench in the case of convict Saghir Hussain, who claimed to have completed his 100-year prison sentence after securing over 59 years in ordinary and special remissions. However, bureaucratic delays and what he termed "flawed legal advice" remain major impediments preventing his release. Saghir was initially sentenced to death on three counts under Section 302/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), along with life imprisonment under Section 460 PPC. His appeals were dismissed by the Lahore High Court, after which he approached the Supreme Court, not to challenge his conviction, but to request a reduction in sentence. The apex court converted his death penalties into life sentences on three counts under Section 302/34 PPC. He later filed a miscellaneous application before the Supreme Court requesting that his life sentences be ordered to run concurrently. However, the court rejected the plea and clarified that the three life sentences would run consecutively. Consequently, his cumulative sentence was calculated as 75 years under Section 302/34 PPC and 25 years under Section 460 PPC, in line with Section 57 of the PPC, which equates life imprisonment to 25 years for the purpose of sentence calculation. Though the introduction of the remission system through the Pakistan Prisons Rules, 1978, benefited the petitioner by allowing him to earn more than 59 years in remissions, he still has approximately 4.5 years left to serve.
Express Tribune
22-06-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
NICVD boss dismisses corruption charges
Professor Tahir Saghir, Executive Director of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), has denied allegations of financial irregularities, claiming that the institute operates with full transparency and a commitment to public service. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Prof. Saghir said that the NICVD provides free treatment to over 2,000 patients daily, including 35-40 emergency angioplasties, alongside 1,000-1,200 emergency cases and 800-1,000 OPD visits. "This is a high-volume centre, and our teams work day and night to serve patients," he added. About corruption charges, Prof Saghir clarified that the NICVD undergoes both government and private audits annually. While audit objections are routine, he said that all queries are responded to with detailed explanations. He highlighted procurement reforms, saying that previously only 20-30% of medical supplies were acquired through tenders, whereas now over 90% of purchases are processed via the Sindh Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (SPPRA) digital system, minimising human intervention. "This data is also shared with international bodies, including the IMF," he added. Refuting a human rights report alleging Rs40 billion in corruption, Prof Saghir pointed out that the NICVD's total annual budget is only Rs9 billion. "Where did the extra Rs31 billion come from? Yet, surgeries and medicines continued uninterrupted," he questioned, terming the accusations baseless and malicious. He cited Sindh government recognition of the institute's performance, which led to an increased budget after NICVD saved Rs1 billion last year, followed by an additional Rs2 billion allocation. Prof Saghir provided an example of emergency decision-making, explaining that when the main A/C unit in the emergency ward failed, the administration hired temporary cooling systems for Rs200,000-250,000 to ensure patient comfort, bypassing lengthy tender procedures.
