Fasi Zaka | fassi zaka

Fasi Zaka is a television host, satirist, political columnist, radio talk show host, music critic, academic and Rhodes Scholar in Pakistan. He is recognized for being one of the few media polymaths in Pakistan with a successful presence in print television and radio, he is a public intellectual who employs humour from a political and democratic perspective in his media forays. Because of this extensive presence he was declared one of Pakistan's newsmakers of the year in 2006. Fasi Zaka also occasionally comments on the Pakistani media and politics to National Public Radio (NPR).
Born on 9 October 1976 to a Pakhtun family from Charsadda, Zaka received his elementary schooling in Peshawar where he stayed until he acquired his Bachelor's degree from Edwardes College in Peshawar and Master's degree from the University of Peshawar. Zaka is also a University of Oxford postgraduate funded as a Rhodes Scholar in the session 2001 - 03 from Somerville College where he was elected President of the MCR for Graduates and subsequently elected life member. He is a member of the Mohammadzai tribe.

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ANP provincial leader Hanif Khan advocate shaheed

ANP provincial leader Hanif Khan advocate were gunned down when he stepped out of his house in Metroville Site area, to offer Fajr prayers. He was taken to Jinnah hospital in seriously condition where he succumbed to his injuries. The deceased Hanif Khan advocate was ANP’s general secretary of Metroville Site area in Karachi. Killing of the ANP activist sparked unrest in the city and Old Golimar area, where the angry mob of ANP supporters pelted stones at public properties and set tyres on fire. The protesters blocked the road with burning tyres in Site area and demanded of the government to arrest the culprits. Karachi Bar Association also condemned the killing of Hanif Khan and announced to hold protest in the compound of the court. After target killing of the ANP leader, situation in various areas of the city including Orangi Town, Site area and Banaris Town was tense, while the police and law enforcement agencies failed to control the worsening situation in these areas.

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Raymond Davis released

ISLAMABAD: An Additional Sessions judge Wednesday set free CIA contractor Raymond Davis, who killed two Pakistanis on a busy road in Lahore, after payment of blood money (Diyat) in accordance with Sharia law of Pakistan, sources said.

Talking to Geo News, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said the court released Raymond Davis after the family members of the murdered men appeared in the court and pardoned the US National after an agreement was reached between the two sides. “He has been released from jail and now it is up to him to leave the country whenever he wants,” the Minister added.

The families of the murdered men, Fahim and Faizan, accepted the blood money of 2.34 million dollars (equal to Rs200 million) while, according to sources, four visas were also part of the deal.

The killings by Raymond Davis in Lahore in January strained relations between Pakistan and US, who repeatedly insisted Davis was an embassy employee and enjoyed diplomatic immunity, particularly after it emerged he was working for the CIA.

A spokesman for the US embassy in Islamabad said he could not immediately confirm the report. Lawyers for the families of the two men shot dead in a busy Lahore street on January 27 said they had been held for four hours at the jail court where Davis was being tried on Wednesday, but had not been allowed to witness proceedings.

Blood money, or ‘Diyat’ is a provision under Islamic sharia law in which compensation can be paid to relatives of those killed to secure a pardon, and is commonly used to resolve such cases in Pakistan.

The Davis case had sparked protests in Pakistan, with religious groups angrily denouncing the American who claimed he acted in self-defence to fend off an armed robbery when he shot dead the two men.

US authorities insisted Davis was protected by full diplomatic immunity, but the Pakistan government refused to back that claim and a decision on his status was on Monday deferred by the Lahore high court for criminal judges to decide.

Revelations that Davis was a CIA contractor heaped pressure on Pakistan's embattled government and further ramped up burning public mistrust of Washington, damaging fragile relations between the two wary allies.

A third Pakistani was struck down and killed by a US diplomatic vehicle that came to Davis' assistance in the January incident. US officials denied Pakistan access to the vehicle, and the occupants are widely believed to have left the country.

Police have said they recovered a Glock pistol, four loaded magazines, a GPS navigation system and a small telescope from Davis' car after the January 27 shooting. The United States postponed a round of high-level talks with Afghanistan and Pakistan following failed attempts to free Davis, and US lawmakers threatened to cut payments to Pakistan unless he is release

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