Umar Cheema

Chittagong

Investigative Journalist and Correspondent at The News International

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Articles

Wazirabad firing incident: Why Imran didn't testify against those he accused

1 week ago | geo.tv | Umar Cheema

Ex-PM demonstrated reluctance, unwillingness, says court. Imran Khan cites unavailability of lawyer for his non-participation. Court declared Khan as "given-up witness" and closed the case. ISLAMABAD: The trial of the Wazirabad firing incident, an assassination attempt on former prime minister Imran Khan, concluded without the testimony of its most crucial witness — Khan himself.
Wazirabad firing incident: Why Imran didn’t testify against those he accused

1 week ago | thenews.com.pk | Umar Cheema

ISLAMABAD: The trial of the Wazirabad firing incident — an assassination attempt on former prime minister Imran Khan — concluded without the testimony of its most crucial witness: Khan himself. His absence from the witness stand has sparked widespread speculation, especially given his public accusations against top government and military officials for orchestrating the attack.
Modi’s water war bound to fail, warns Indian expert

2 weeks ago | thenews.com.pk | Umar Cheema

ISLAMABAD: A prominent Indian water expert has termed the Modi government’s plan to stop water flows to Pakistan an exercise in futility, warning that abrogating the Indus Waters Treaty would do little beyond deepening bitterness between the two nations. He emphasised that India would require another 30 to 50 years to develop the infrastructure needed to store water currently flowing to Pakistan.
Pahalgam incident: An academic who saw it coming

2 weeks ago | thenews.com.pk | Umar Cheema

ISLAMABAD: “The writing was on the wall for those willing to read it,” posted a user on X (formerly Twitter) late Thursday, alongside a resurfaced prediction made over five years ago about an impending Indian “false flag” operation. The post warned that India might leverage a domestic security crisis as a pretext to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) — a scenario that has now unfolded. The forecast wasn’t from an armchair analyst.
An abandoned study on water resources can ease Sindh-Punjab tension

3 weeks ago | thenews.com.pk | Umar Cheema

ISLAMABAD: When the Green Pakistan Initiative was launched, some experts raised concerns about the feasibility of irrigating millions of acres of barren land using water already allocated to the provinces, especially through the construction of new canals. To address these concerns, a study was commissioned, bringing together a joint team of Pakistani and American water resource experts.
Judge disputes World Justice Project report on Pak judiciary

2 months ago | thenews.com.pk | Umar Cheema

ISLAMABAD: A judge has challenged the perception created by an international ranking that placed Pakistan’s justice system near the bottom of the list. According to his argument, the Pakistani judiciary performs significantly better than courts in the South Asian region, including India, and in Muslim-majority countries such as Turkey. Two years ago, the World Justice Project ranked Pakistan 130th out of 142 countries in terms of the rule of law.
Crypto traders exposed to FIA scrutiny amid regulatory vacuum

Jan 15, 2025 | thenews.com.pk | Umar Cheema

ISLAMABAD: In December 2018, a sub-inspector of the FIA arrested Ghulam Ahmed Roomi on flimsy charges. His computer, laptop, and phone were confiscated, and he was tortured. A demand of Rs5 million was made to secure his release, but the deal was finalised at Rs1.5 million with his family. Nevertheless, it took him three weeks to be released from jail. Roomi thought this would mark the end of his ordeal, but it was only the beginning. Once home, he encountered yet another shock.
Bhutan embraces crypto boom as Pakistan lags behind

Jan 6, 2025 | geo.tv | Umar Cheema

ISLAMABAD: Bhutan has emerged as the fifth-largest holder of Bitcoin, after the US, China, the UK, and Ukraine, The News reported. The country’s Bitcoin reserves now constitute 35% of its gross domestic product (GDP). Although Pakistan and Bhutan are 2,000 kilometers apart, both ventured into crypto-mining at the same time, hoping to boost their economies. While Pakistan failed to move beyond making headlines, Bhutan quietly made significant progress.
Bhutan thrives while Pakistan misses crypto revolution

Jan 6, 2025 | thenews.com.pk | Umar Cheema

ISLAMABAD: Although Pakistan and Bhutan are 2,000 kilometers apart, both ventured into crypto-mining at the same time, hoping to boost their economies. While Pakistan failed to move beyond making headlines, Bhutan quietly made significant progress. Today, Bhutan has emerged as the fifth-largest holder of Bitcoin, after the US, China, the UK, and Ukraine. The country’s Bitcoin reserves now constitute 35 percent of its GDP.
How KP police traced bomber’s facilitator from own ranks

Nov 13, 2024 | thenews.com.pk | Umar Cheema

ISLAMABAD: Following the tragic suicide attack at the Peshawar Police Lines mosque in January last year, which claimed over 100 lives, investigators launched a multi-faceted probe, delving into past cases and tracking down leads related to known operatives. One of their early approaches involved reviewing previous suicide attacks and interviewing relatives of past bombers to potentially uncover any connections.