The maritime police force of semi-autonomous Puntland said on Tuesday that it had recovered the MT Honour 25 in an operation. The Palau-flagged oil tanker had 19 crew members on board, including 10 Pakistanis.

In a statement on Wednesday, FO said: “Pakistan is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of five crew members during the operation to recover the hijacked vessel, MT Honour 25, off the coast of Somalia.

“Among those who lost their lives are three Pakistani nationals: Rafiullah Khan, Syed Kashif Umer and Mahmood Ahmed Ansari.”

The FO added that four crew members were also injured, including three Pakistani nationals. “The injured have been taken to a nearby hospital and are receiving medical care,” it added.

The surviving crew members of MT Honour 25 “have been brought safely ashore at Bandar Beyla”, a town in Puntland, according to FO.

“Pakistan’s team at the Embassy in Djibouti is proceeding to Bandar Beyla to assist the Pakistani nationals.”

The FO said it remains in close contact with the Somali authorities and other concerned stakeholders through its missions and relevant authorities.

“Every possible effort is being made to ensure proper medical care for the injured, facilitate the transportation of the mortal remains of the deceased, and ensure the safe return of the surviving Pakistani crew members,” the statement read.

On Tuesday, “The naval and ground units of the Puntland Maritime Police Force conducted a planned operation in the Dharin-Bar area of Bandar Beyla district,” Puntland maritime police said in its initial statement.

In another late-night statement, it announced that the operation had concluded and the recovered vessel was “now safe and under the Puntland government’s control”, adding that 21 suspected pirates were apprehended, while operations to locate the remaining members continue.

“Before the operation begun, the pirates on board the ship killed five of the crew. Among those killed were three from Pakistan, one from Myanmar and one from India,” it said.

After the MT Honour 25’s hijacking in April, months had passed with no progress either in negotiations or the payment of the ransom, said to be around $3 million, for the recovery of the hostages.

The hostages were said to be victims of an “ownership crisis”, as it was not clearly established who owned the ship — the man previously thought to be an owner was later revealed to be more likely a middleman who hired them.

Since its hijacking, the crew had made several emotional videos and audio appeals, reporting that they had run out of clean water, food and medicine. Meanwhile, their families launched an international appeal, calling on foreign governments, the United Nations (UN) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to take coordinated action to help secure the release of their loved ones.

For its part, the FO maintained that it remained “actively engaged” to secure the release of the sailors.

Last month, in a meeting with the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) head, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar pressed for “urgent and effective institutional intervention” for the return of the Pakistani sailors.

Somali piracy has seen a resurgence, with at least 15 attacks since April, the highest since 2013.

Six of these units would be dedicated for addressing issues faced by women, the statement quoted Punjab Home Secretary Ahmad Javed Qazi as saying during a briefing on the initiative.

“Under the operational framework, each mobile police station will be headed by a sub-inspector, supported by a field supervisor, a senior station assistant and male and female constables,” the statement said.

The relevant station house officer (SHO) and beat officer would remain present in the field to oversee operations in line with standard operating procedures (SOPs), it added.

The mobile units would deliver 14 key police services, ranging from the registration of first information reports (FIRs) and online e-tagging to tenant registration, employee verification and criminal record checks.

“Citizens lodging complaints for FIRs will be provided with an immediate online e-tag for subsequent tracking.”

They would also be able to report lost documents, such as national identity cards and chequebooks, directly through these units, it said.

“Additionally, the mobile stations will facilitate the public in obtaining character certificates alongside [providing] comprehensive driving licence services, including the issuance of learner permits, renewals, duplicate licences and international driving permits.”

The statement said the vans would visit universities and women’s colleges according to a fixed schedule and “further deployment will be dynamically mapped based on real-time crime data and calls received on the emergency police helpline 15”.

“To ensure public awareness, the itinerary of the vans will be disseminated via social media platforms, supplemented by local announcements from neighbourhood mosques prior to a unit’s arrival in a specific area,” it added.

The statement said that senior station assistants would manage all IT operations, digital database entries, and online tracking while constables would assist in guiding visitors.

As CM Maryam inaugurated the service, she inspected one of the newly launched units, reviewed its operational capabilities and interacted with the on-duty personnel, it added.

“This initiative will help bridge the divide between the public and the police while saving citizens valuable time and travel expenses, especially those residing in far-flung and underserved areas,” the statement quoted her as saying.

She added that specialised staff had been assigned to the ‘Pink Mobile Police Stations’ to handle sensitive cases involving harassment, domestic violence, and offences against women and children with empathy and privacy.

Tarar made the remarks while addressing a ceremony organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad to launch a report on the IWT issue.

Water and the IWT remain a contentious issue between India and Pakistan, following New Delhi’s unilateral abeyance of the accord in April last year — a move that was followed by a brief military conflict between the two sides in May 2025.

Following India’s move, Pakistan termed any attempt to suspend its water share an “act of war”, noting the IWT had no provision for unilateral suspension. It later argued that Delhi’s action was a violation of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.

“We are a peaceful nation, but we cannot allow India to weaponise water because it is the basic right of the 240 million people of Pakistan,” Tarar said, drawing attention to the “wider precedent involved”.

“If a state can unilaterally put a binding international water treaty in abeyance despite established dispute resolution mechanisms, the implications extend to transboundary water governance across the world,” Tarar warned, adding that it may have implications for countries sharing water under similar frameworks.

Tarar reiterated that Pakistan will continue to engage the international community and defend the country’s vital national interests.

At the outset of his address, Tarar said, “I take great pride in the fact that wherever we go, we say we are the people of the Indus Valley [..] we identify ourselves with the Indus waters.”

He noted that when the treaty was signed, the signatories “did not envisage that there would come a time a few decades down the line when conditions in India would deteriorate so much that they would be legally ignorant, morally bankrupt and devoid of ethics”.

Tarar held that the IWT was legally binding upon both parties. “It contains stipulations that this legal instrument cannot be unilaterally revoked, rescinded, or altered,” Tarar added.

He further stated that the treaty cannot be “unilaterally altered, revoked, rescinded or held in abeyance, for that matter, but even if there is a dispute, both the parties have to adhere to the terms and conditions of the treaty”.

At this, Tarar recalled an August ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), saying, “The court upheld Pakistan’s stance, giving legitimacy and strength to the argument that there cannot be a unilateral attempt to change the status of this treaty”.

In its August order, the PCA had backed Pakistan’s stance, declaring that the IWT between the two countries remained fully in force, as India had no justification for ending or suspending the agreement.

Tarar further stated that Pakistan had approached the issue diplomatically: “We have engaged the international community and presented our point of view — legal and diplomatic — and as a nation-state, which respected the rights of others, in a manner that has been most effective.”

At this, the information minister recalled Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s speech at the recent United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

“PM Shehbaz said that the IWT is the lifeblood of our people and our region, and any attempt to usurp this right be treated as an act of war,” Tarar said.

Tarar stated that Pakistan’s position on the IWT remained “absolutely clear,” adding that the treaty was an “instrument of peace and stability for the region”.

He noted that India had justified its actions with “alleged cross-border terrorism”; however, he went on to highlight sacrifices made by Pakistan in the fight against terrorism.

“We have economic losses of over $50bn over the past many decades,” Tarar said.

He continued: “When one Pakistani citizen lays down their life, yes, it is to make Pakistan safe, but it also makes the world a safer place.”

Tarar, drawing a contrast with neighbouring India, said, “India has illegally tried to alter the status of the IWT and has been accused at the international level of transnational aggression”.

Shifting his attention back to the IWT, Tarar said India’s actions were “highly condemnable” and unjustifiable at a “legal, diplomatic, and moral level”.

The IWT allocates the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas and Sutlej — to India, while the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — are largely allocated to Pakistan. The 1960 water-sharing agreement has also established mechanisms for data-sharing and dispute resolution.

The 20-year-old Azerbaijan national had travelled to Pakistan for business purposes and was allegedly gang-raped by three men in a rented flat of a private housing society located near Raiwind on the night between Sept 25 and Sept 26.

In her statement, the complainant had named two women with whom she had met before the men accused of raping her joined them. Two of those men had been arrested and were sent on a six-day physical remand on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the woman suspect was produced before Judicial Magistrate Azhar Mahmood at the Cantonment Courts under strict security.

A prosecutor informed the court that it would be her first physical remand and argued that, being a woman, she could be kept in jail during her physical remand.

A counsel for the suspect, however, contended that her relationship with the complainant was limited to friendship.

He argued that physical remand of a woman could not be sought except in offences of murder or robbery.

The counsel further submitted that nothing was required to be recovered from the suspect.

The magistrate asked the suspect whether she wanted to undergo a medical examination.

“No, I do not want to undergo a medical examination,” she replied.

The magistrate then allowed a three-day physical remand of the suspect to the police.

The magistrate directed that the woman suspect would remain in police custody from sunrise to sunset and, for rest, would remain in jail in judicial custody.

On Tuesday, a session’s court granted interim pre-arrest bail to the second female suspect in the case, restraining police from arresting her till Oct 5.

The woman’s lawyer said her client wanted to join the police investigation to prove her innocence.

Survivor’s statement

The Defence C police had registered a case against three unidentified suspects on September 26 on the survivor’s complaint.

In her statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the Azeri woman said she had arrived in Islamabad from Istanbul on Sept 13 and stayed in Faisalabad for five days before travelling to Lahore.

“I had a plan to visit Skardu, but I could not go there because I was alone,” she said.

According to her, on the day of the alleged incident, she messaged two women, asking them to meet her in Lahore.

At around 11pm, she went to a cafe where she met one of them — the woman sent on remand today — and later accompanied her to a house in Bahria Town to meet the other, who has secured pre-arrest bail.

The complainant told the magistrate that at around 2am, a white car arrived carrying two men, one of whom was sent on remand on Tuesday (first suspect).

Later, they moved to an apartment where two more men arrived, one of whom was the second person sent on remand (second suspect), while she did not know the name of the other man.

According to the complainant, in a separate room, the woman on bail took between Rs20,000 and Rs30,000 from the first suspect, saying the money was for a party, while the woman now on remand also joined them.

The Azeri woman said she made it clear that she “did not need money or alcohol”. She alleged that the first suspect tried to touch her and locked her in a separate room.

When she asked about her friends, she was told that they had left. When she tried to leave, the complainant said she was told that she could not go because her friends had taken money.

The victim said she offered to pay the men, but they told her that she would have to drink alcohol with them before they would let her go.

She alleged that the three men raped her.

She further stated that the suspects then put her in a car and threw her out at an unknown location, while threatening her with dire consequences if she approached the police.

According to her statement, the suspects also took her handbag containing Rs200,000, an iPhone 13 Pro Max and another mobile phone.

She then requested some people present there to help her call the police emergency number 15, following which the police arrived.

It is the second such case in which a foreign woman was reportedly gang-raped in the Defence C police station area during the last four months.

In June, two foreign women, nationals of the Netherlands and Venezuela, were allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted in the Defence C police station area.

According to the FIR, the women were abducted by five suspects, including a close relative of a senior political personality, who demanded ransom and subjected them to sexual assault during their captivity.

Lahore celebrated the Basant festival earlier this year from Feb 6 to 8 after an 18-year hiatus.

The festival was banned in 2007 because of an increasing number of deaths and serious injuries caused by sharp strings, particularly to motorcyclists and pillion riders, as well as by celebratory gunfire.

During a meeting, the chief minister directed the authorities to make arrangements for the 10-day celebration, according to a statement released by the government.

She described the festival as a gift for the people of Lahore to mark the arrival of 2027 and as a means of promoting Punjab’s cultural heritage and the historic traditions of the provincial capital.

Under the schedule approved by the chief minister, Basant festivities will begin on Jan 29 and continue until Feb 7. However, celebrations will remain suspended on Feb 5 to observe Kashmir Day.

“Ten-day Basant will promote Punjab’s cultural colours and Lahore’s centuries-old traditions across the world,” CM Maryam was quoted as saying.

According to the statement, the chief minister directed the administration to ensure better arrangements for public safety and convenience than those made during the previous festival.

She also appealed to citizens to celebrate responsibly, saying the authorities and the public should set a new example through a sense of duty, responsibility and commitment to protecting human lives.

CM Maryam directed the relevant departments to begin preparations well in advance and ensure that the extended festivities did not compromise public safety, the statement said.

She stressed that the success of the 10-day event would depend on strict adherence to safety regulations and responsible behaviour by citizens.

“The chief minister said Lahore’s cultural identity and traditions should be promoted while ensuring that celebrations remained safe and convenient for residents and visitors,” the statement concluded.

In August, CM Maryam announced that the festival would be held from Mar 12 to 14, 2027. However, in the latest announcement, the government has revised the schedule.

The Punjab government, in May, had also announced a new set of rules and regulations for kite-flying during next year’s Basant festival.

The announcement of a strategic action plan for development of the Local Currency Bond Market (LCBM) followed a customary kick-off meeting between Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and an IMF staff mission led by Iva Petrova.

The mission held discussions with the authorities on power-sector developments, privatisation, petr­o­leum-sector issues, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the automobile sector, particularly the medium-term automobile development plan.

The finance minister is reported to have briefed the mission on the latest macroeconomic indicators, improvements in credit ratings and the overall investment climate amid a challenging outlook stemming from the prolonged Iran conflict, including its impact on revenues.

On successful conclusion of the talks, Pakistan would be entitled to disbursement of about $1.2bn under the two programmes — $1bn under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and $200m under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) — by the end of October or early November. However, the country may require waivers from the IMF executive board for slippages on structural benchmarks.

The finance ministry said announcement of the strategic plan for the LCBM by Sept 30 was req­uired under the IMF programme.

The plan sets out reforms the government, regulators and market institutions will undertake to build a deeper, more liquid and resilient market for government and, over time, corporate securities denominated in Pakistani rupees. It is based on a joint IMF-World Bank diagnostic study of Pakistan’s LCBM.

Commercial banks currently hold 78 per cent of government securities, while sovereign paper accounts for about 62pc of banking-system assets. This concentration supports government securities auctions but favours holding securities over trading them, while limiting banks’ capacity and incentives to finance the private sector.

The joint study noted that Pakistan had built much of the institutional framework of an emerging LCBM, but market outcomes remained closer to those of a developing market.

Development was uneven across six pillars, with money market and financial infrastructure foundations comparatively advanced, while primary-market predictability, secondary-market liquidity and the legal and regulatory framework remained below the practices of larger emerging markets. The narrow investor base was identified as the biggest gap.

Therefore, the plan seeks to develop a liquid, transparent and diversified LCBM to reduce the cost and risk of government financing over the medium term, support effective monetary-policy transmission and provide a reliable benchmark yield curve for private-sector financing.

It pursues five strategic objectives, including strengthening institutional capacity and coordination, ensuring clear ownership and accountability, and making primary issuance more predictable and market-based through a published benchmark policy and a well-informed medium-term debt strategy. It also seeks to build executable secondary-market liquidity and a functioning private securities-finan­cing (or repo) market, broaden the investor base across institutional, retail and foreign investors, modernise market infrastructure and remove legal and tax impediments to trading and secured funding.

Under the plan, eligible bank customers would be allowed to trade exchange-listed government securities through their banks under the supervision of State Bank, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, Pakistan Stock Exchange and Central Depository Company.

The Ministry of Finance and SBP would also review the primary dealer framework for the fiscal year 2027-28 so that secondary-market performance, including quote performance drawn from E-Bond, is taken into account.

The plan envisages a securities-lending facility for primary dealers, covering its operating model, eligible securities, risk controls and fiscal implications.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) produced the 17-year-old suspect before Judicial Magistrate Naeem Wattoo on the completion of his three-day physical remand.

The magistrate asked the investigating officer (IO) whether the suspect’s father had any objection to the case.

The officer replied that the father of the suspect had no objection. He also informed the magistrate that the teenager was his parents’ only son.

He said the father told the investigators that his son, a second-year student in Bahawalpur, used to conduct various kinds of research.

The IO said the physical custody of the suspect was no longer required.

At this, the magistrate sent the suspect to jail on a 14-day judicial remand and directed the IO to submit a charge-sheet within the stipulated time.

‘Breaking Bad’

The NCCIA arrested the teenager on Sep 23. The agency said at the time that the suspect had reportedly developed strained relations with his father and allegedly planned to kill him following a disagreement.

During the investigation, authorities learned that the teenager had developed an interest in chemistry after watching the American crime drama ‘Breaking Bad’. He had reportedly set up a small laboratory at home to conduct chemical experiments, the NCCIA spokesperson said.

The suspect allegedly obtained chemical material from Australia and Islamabad and concocted a substance at home with the intention of poisoning his father. He reportedly administered the substance to his father on one occasion, but the attempt was not successful, the spokesperson said.

Subsequently, the teenager allegedly sought further guidance from AI, asking how to administer a poison capable of causing his father’s death without detection, he added.

The spokesperson said the Punjab NCCIA received the information about the suspect through an automated system. Following this, NCCIA Punjab Director Hissam Bin Iqbal directed the formation of a team to investigate the matter.

The team later conducted an operation in Bahawalpur and arrested the suspect. Further investigation had been initiated to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, the nature of the chemicals involved and the suspect’s online activities, the spokesperson said.

AI chatbots and agents have been linked to cases of harm and death, leading to concerns about their usage and the imposition of tighter regulations and controls.

The Euro­pean Union last month introduced sweeping laws that give it the power to enfo­rce landmark AI rules and to fine any companies that break the law. Pakistan has also previously called for the use of AI to be regulated by the United Nations charter.

Last year, American artificial intelligence firm OpenAI said it would add parental controls to its chatbot ChatGPT after an American couple said the system had encouraged their teenage son to kill himself.

The sources added that hideouts of the Fitna al Khawarij were targeted in Mir Ali and surrounding areas. Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

A large quantity of weapons and ammunition was recovered from the terrorists killed during the operation, security sources said.

According to PTV, security forces also thwarted an attempt by the terrorists to intercept a ration truck near the Mir Ali Bazaar.

It added that security forces were committed to the complete elimination of terrorism under the counter-terrorism campaign ‘Azm-e-Istehkam’.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have lauded security forces for their successful operation in Mir Ali, Radio Pakistan reported.

President Asif Ali Zardari said that the operation against terrorism would continue to ensure peace in the country, adding that the designs of the terrorists would be foiled at all costs.

PM Shehbaz, meanwhile, held that eliminating terrorism remained the government’s top priority, according to state media.

KP has been witnessing terrorist attacks and security challenges for a long time. The province, excluding the merged districts, recorded 54 terrorist attacks in August compared with 36 in July, representing an increase of 50 per cent, according to data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).

A day earlier, in an IBO in KP’s Bara area, security forces killed five terrorists. On Monday, four terrorists were killed during an IBO in Dera Ismail Khan.

Last week, a dozen people lost their lives while 35 others were injured in a suicide blast that targeted the Aman Mela police checkpost in DI Khan’s Darazinda tehsil.

On Sept 18, a major attack in the old Police Lines in KP’s Kohat claimed 23 lives and injured about 100 others. Eight terrorists were killed during an overnight clearance operation.

On Sept 17, security forces killed 10 terrorists in separate operations in KP between Sept 15 and 17. Earlier in the month, over 20 terrorists were killed during multiple engagements in KP between Sept 3 and 5.

Turkiye, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan also took part in the exercise, while Kazakhstan attended as an observer country, according to PTV.

The joint exercise aimed to “enhance cooperation, communication and professional capabilities among special forces”, PTV reported.

The participating forces also exchanged experiences on modern operations, combat strategies and ways to address security challenges.

“Eternal Brotherhood-5 reflects the growing defence and security cooperation, mutual trust and strengthening of military relations among the participating countries,” PTV said.

Pakistan routinely conducts joint training exercises with the friendly countries.

Earlier in April, Pakistan and Egypt concluded a two-week-long military exercise also focused on counter-terrorism.

In January, the 13th Pakistan-US bilateral joint military exercise — ‘Inspired Gambit 2026’ — was held with a focus on counter-terrorism.

In October 2025, Pakistan and Kazakhstan participated in a joint counter-terrorism training exercise lasting two weeks to improve military-to-military relations.

In February, Pakistan and Uzbekistan “agreed to continue mutual participation in joint military exercises and training, and to cooperate in the field of professional development, exchange of best practices and collaboration between military institutions of the two countries”.

Last month, Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia agreed to form a mechanism for joint military training under the trilateral defence pact.

The assurance followed the controversial remarks by US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, who described Jammu and Kashmir as an “important part of India” during a visit to Srinagar on Aug 19.

According to Pakistani diplomatic sources, Islamabad sought clarification from Washington on whether Gor’s remarks signalled a policy shift. US officials told their Pakistani interlocutors there had been “no change in our position” and that Washington continued to regard Kashmir as a dispute requiring resolution between Pakistan and India.

The sources also pointed to President Trump’s previous offer to help resolve the Kashmir dispute, saying the offer reflected Washington’s view that the issue remained unresolved.

Trump’s offer to help resolve Kashmir dispute highlighted

Gor’s remarks had caused concern in Islamabad. During a meeting with Omar Abdullah, who heads the government in India-held Kashmir, the US ambassador described the territory as “an important part of India”. He also indicated that Washington was reviewing its ‘Do not travel’ advisory for the region in light of what he described as improvements in the security situation.

Pakistan subsequently protested the remarks and summoned the US chargé d’affaires in Islamabad, saying the ambassador’s comments were inconsistent with its understanding of the longstanding US position and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

The issue was discussed during a media interaction in Washington involving Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Rana Muhammad Qasim Noon and Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Rizwan Saeed Sheikh.

Mr Noon reaffirmed Pakistan’s political, diplomatic and moral support for the Kashmiri people and said lasting peace in South Asia could not be achieved without resolving the dispute in accordance with UNSC resolutions. He said the dispute could not be treated as settled.

He urged the international community to pay greater attention to allegations of human rights violations in India-held Kashmir, citing concerns over disappearances, detentions, demographic changes and efforts to alter Kashmir’s political and cultural identity.

Mr Noon also linked the dispute to the broader security situation in South Asia, arguing that the presence of three nuclear-armed states underscored the importance of resolving outstanding disputes peacefully.

Similarly, Amb Sheikh said Kashmir remained part of the international and UN framework and that its peaceful resolution was essential to regional and wider international peace and stability. The embassy later issued a statement reflecting these positions.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

On the other hand, the Rawalpindi police have received forensic and the final postmortem reports which showed marks of torture and other crucial evidence.

According to sources, the Punjab Forensic Science Agency’s (PSFA) findings showed startling evidence of the domestic servant’s role in the gruesome murder of the woman.

After the PSFA’s findings, however, police authorities are waiting for the three-member team to arrive in Rawalpindi when the case file will be presented to them.

Police receive forensic and final postmortem reports which show torture, other crucial evidence

The committee constituted by the provincial government consists of Additional IG Crime Control Department (CCD) Sohail Chattha, DIG Lahore Shoaib Khurram Janbaz and SSP Investigation Rawalpindi Saifullah.

According to sources, the committee has been formed on the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, which will be headed by Mr Chattha.

Sources said the committee will arrive in the city this week and will visit the crime scene and also review the investigation conducted by the local police so far.

Initial postmortem examination and police report had suggested that Ms Javed’s body was found lying in a washroom of her apartment on August 21, with signs of torture as there was “strangulation mark around her neck; injury below her right lip with her nose bleeding”.

The police found her body partially hanging from a washroom shower, with her hands tied behind her back and a wire noose around her neck.

Ms Javed, 45, had married Faisal Imam nine months ago and was his second wife.

According to sources, the committee has also contacted the family of the deceased, while the murder case was registered with Civil Lines police station.

The deceased’s husband, Mr Faisal, and domestic worker Zeeshan Arshad were nominated in the murder case and were sent to Adiala Jail on judicial remand.

The police had registered a murder case against the woman’s husband, who holds a doctorate degree (PhD).

Her father-in-law, 78, and the domestic servant were also nominated in the case on the complaint of the victim’s brother Fahad Javed, a resident of Westridge Bazaar, Peshawar Road.

It may be recalled that CPO Rawalpindi Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera had formed a special investigation team to investigate the high-profile case, but Ms Javed’s family had written letters to the Parliamentary Caucus Committee and the National Commission for Human Rights, expressing reservations about the Rawalpindi police investigation.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

Similarly, interim PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Mr Khan’s lawyers also reached Adiala jail, but they were also not allowed to meet their client.

Mr Zaman alleged that the sisters of Imran Khan started their hunger strike due to misbehaviour with them during their detention.

Reports of their being on hunger strike had been circulating, but this was the first time that a family member had confirmed the claims.

PTI lawyer Awais Younas Chaudhry told Dawn that lawyers and a family member reached Adiala jail at 2pm and waited there till 4:30pm, but they were not allowed to meet the PTI founder.

“It is tragic that the jail administration has been violating orders of the Islamabad High Court and Supreme Court of Pakistan but courts appear to be helpless,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

Supreme Court’s lawyers – Sheraz Zaka and Moin Akhtar – who filed the appeal in person, have urged the FCC to set aside the registrar’s order and order fixing hearing of their petition.

The appellants contend that the registrar’s office cannot determine questions of maintainability, locus standi or availability of an alternative remedy through an administrative order.

They said such issues are judicial questions to be decided by the court after hearing the petitioners. They relied on a 2022 Supreme Court judgement in support of their contention.

The main petition, which was dismissed by the registrar, sought directions to the relevant authorities to take legislative and regulatory measures to restrict social media access for children under 16 and to perform their statutory obligations.

The lawyers argue that the matter involves public importance and fundamental rights, including the rights to life, dignity and education and the state’s obligation to protect children.

The appellants maintain that children are being exposed to harmful and age-inappropriate content, cyber bullying, exploitation and compulsive design features without effective safeguards.

They argue that the petition is maintainable in the public interest because it concerns a large and vulnerable class unable to approach the court independently.

They also contend that the availability of an alternative remedy does not bar the FCC’s jurisdiction where fundamental rights and questions of public importance are involved.

They have requested the FCC to set aside the registrar’s order and direct that the constitutional petition be heard on merits.

The appeal has been filed at the Lahore registry through an advocate on record.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

The notice, issued by Kilam Law-Barristers & Legal Consultants, states that Safdar, speaking publicly outside the Supreme Court on or about Sept 23, alleged that Bhoon’s LLB qualification was fake.

It says the remarks were subsequently circulated on social media and repeated by Safdar in further media appearances and video messages, without what the notice describes as any supporting proof.

The notice sets out Bhoon’s professional record, including enrolment as an advocate of the lower courts in 1989, as an advocate of the high court in 1992, and as an advocate of the Supreme Court in 2003, alongside terms as president of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, a judge of the Lahore High Court from 2008 to 2009, and multiple terms on the Pakistan Bar Council, including his recent fifth consecutive election to the Council for 2026–2030.

Move follows PML-N leader’s allegation that the lawyer has a fake LLB degree

Interestingly, the senior partner of the Kilam firm that served the notice, represents former prime minister Imran Khan and his sisters in the Anti-Terrorism Court of Rawalpindi.

“Your statements are not being treated by Our Client as political rhetoric, casual commentary or some inconsequential exchange before the media,” reads the notice, a copy available with Dawn. “You chose to make assertions which strike directly at the legal foundation upon which a lawyer is admitted to practice.”

Bhoon, who heads Independent Group (famously known as Asma Jahangir group), is also a former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association and a sitting member of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan as a nominee of the bar.

The notice calls on Safdar to withdraw and retract the allegations within seven days, issue a public apology with equivalent prominence to the original statements, and cease further circulation of the claims. It also demands Safdar to pay a sum of Rs5bn as damages to Bhoon, a close fellow of Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar.

In case of failure, it states, defamation proceedings — including under the Punjab Defamation Act, 2024 for the recovery of the damages — as well as possible criminal proceedings will be initiated.The controversy erupted on Sept 23 when Safdar, while speaking to the media outside Parliament House, questioned the authenticity of Bhoon’s LLB degree.

In a series of statements, Safdar has defended his campaign to demand verification of lawyers’ degrees, saying: “It is my right to demand that those who shape people’s destinies show their degrees.”

Safdar has also alleged that Supreme Court lawyer Amjad Shah, contesting the election for president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, holds a fake degree.

“The case against Amjad Shah has moved from the High Court to the Constitutional Court,” he claimed, adding that he will file a petition in the Supreme Court and then proceed to the Constitutional Court.

“If the lawyer produces his degree, the issue will be resolved. If the lawyers show their degrees, I will apologise to them,” Safdar said.

Regarding Bhoon, Safdar claimed that a petition against him had been filed with the Judicial Commission. He also stated that he had filed a complaint regarding cybercrime and approached certain courts and that he would submit a request for an early hearing to the Constitutional Court. The legal notice challenges Safdar to produce proof of his claim against Bhoon, asking him to identify the university record, the determination of the Higher Education Commission, or any judgment from a competent court that declared Bhoon’s degree fake.

“What, precisely, was your proof?” the notice asks. “You announced first and sought verification afterwards.”

According to the notice, Bhoon obtained his LLB from the University of the Punjab under Roll Number 828 in March 1989. His credentials were formally verified by the university’s Controller of Examinations as recently as Jan 21, 2026, in connection with the Pakistan Bar Council electoral process, with the status expressly recorded as “Verified”.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

A bench consisting of Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Kamran Hayat Khan Miankhel fixed Nov 11 for next hearing into the petition filed by former provincial minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Taimur Saleem Khan Jhagra against the federal government’s what he called “failure to issue the new National Finance Commission Award, as required by the Constitution and meet the financial obligations” of the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

He requested the court to declare that the non-issuance of a fresh NFC Award is illegal, given significant changes in the “legal and factual realities” in the country, including the devolution of various subjects to provinces in line with the Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Act, the merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the 2017 population census.

The petitioner requested orders for the announcement of a revised NFC Award to determine Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s share to eliminate the existing disparity.

Petitioner Jhagra seeks revised award to determine KP’s share

The bench also adjourned until Nov 11 the hearing into two other connected petitions on almost the same matter.

One of the other petitions was filed by six former MPAs, especially Syed Ghazi Ghazan Jamal, challenging the non-issuance of the new NFC Award after the merger of the erstwhile Fata with the province.

The petitioners requested the court to declare that the people of tribal districts are entitled to three per cent share in the NFC Divisible Pool.

Similarly, the other petition was filed in 2022 by the then MPA Shafiq Afridi against the suspension of funding for free treatment of the residents of tribal districts under the Sehat Card Plus programme as well as the non-provision of the three per cent due share in the National Finance Commission Award for the region previously called Fata.

The petitioner has requested the court to declare that the people of tribal districts were entitled to their due NFC Award share, which was three per cent of the federal divisible pool.

Senior lawyer Ali Gohar Durrani appeared for the petitioners, whereas Advocate General Shah Faisal Uthmankhel and assistant attorney general Bilal Ahmad Durrani represented the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and federal government, respectively.

Mr Durrani argued that following the merger of Fata with KP, the province’s population had increased significantly; hence, there was a need to revise the NFC Award.

He argued that the 2017 and 2023 censuses had been completed, showing a substantial rise in the province’s population, therefore, in accordance with the Constitution, KP should be given its share in the new NFC Award proportional to its population.

He contended that releasing a new NFC Award was essential for the province’s development and to meet the requirements of the newly merged districts.

During the hearing, the bench inquired why KP was not given a new share when the petitioner’s political party was in power at the Center. The counsel said that whichever party was in power at the Center it failed to give Fata its due share.

Mr Durrani said that no new NFC Award had been issued since 2010, whereas the Constitution dictated that a new award must be constituted before every five years.

AG Shah Faisal Uthmankhel informed the court that the last NFC Award was announced prior to the Fata merger, and no new award had been issued since.

He added that the federal government submitted a report to the court indicating that Rs27 billion was released for Fata.

When the court inquired whether Fata had its own budget prior to its merger with KP, Mr Durrani replied in the affirmative.

The AG argued that the very purpose of merging Fata with KP was to ensure equitable distribution of funds and foster development in the region.

He claimed that at the time of the merger, the federal government had approved granting KP three per cent of funds from the Federal Divisible Pool for Fata’s development, which was separate from the NFC Award.

The AG noted that in 2023, Rs115 billion was payable under that head, while the amount had grown since.

He emphasised that those funds were distinct from the NFC Award money.

The petitioner’s counsel requested the court to direct the federal government to allocate KP’s share in the new NFC Award according to the 2023 census.

Assistant attorney general Bilal Durrani said the NFC Award was not solely the federal government’s responsibility, as finance ministers from all provinces were also part of it.

The bench observed that it appeared necessary to summon the attorney general of Pakistan on the matter.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

A spokesman for the City Traffic Police Murree said in a press release that, on the orders of District Police Officer Murree Raza Tanveer Sipra and Chief Traffic Officer Murree Munir Ahmed Hashmi, special squads of traffic wardens had been formed to ensure safety arrangements in public service vehicles, particularly those used to transport schoolchildren.

The squads have intensified vehicle checks at various highways and locations across the district. They are specifically checking the presence and usability of fire extinguishers in school vans, the spokesman said.

Mr Hashmi directed traffic wardens not to compromise on safety arrangements for vehicles carrying schoolchildren and general passengers. Drivers, vehicle owners and transporters have been asked to ensure that suitable and usable fire extinguishers are available in their vehicles.

The spokesman said the safety of children’s lives and property was the top priority, particularly in school transport. He said vehicles should be equipped with the necessary fire safety equipment.

According to the traffic police, in case of a vehicle fire caused by a sudden short circuit, fuel leakage, or other reasons, the first few moments are crucial.

A usable fire extinguisher can help control a fire at an early stage and reduce potential loss of life and property until Rescue 1122 and other emergency services arrive.

The special squads have been instructed to check not only the presence of fire extinguishers but also their serviceable condition and expiry dates during inspections of public service and school transport.

The City Traffic Police has also urged school administrations, parents, transporters and drivers to pay special attention to the safety arrangements of vehicles used to transport children. Parents and school administrations should ensure that necessary safety equipment is available and usable, the spokesman said.

The traffic police said checks on public service and school transport would continue, with special squads conducting inspections at various locations to ensure compliance with safety requirements.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

“This avoidable duplication is causing confusion and anxiety in G-13/14 residents,” says Ambassador Javed Hafeez who has lived in the sector since 2010. Mr Hafeez said the situation reflected total lack of coordination between the two organisations of the same government.

Another resident said there are several precedents in the country that police and other government departments over a little doubt on boundaries were seen contesting each other over jurisdiction of an area, union councils, towns by saying that a particular area does not fall in their limit.

But, here in Islamabad both FGEHA and MCI for the sake of collection of taxes claim jurisdiction, he said, adding that, “this is strange, we wish all government organisations work with the same spirit and principle for providing facilities to residents”.

Former envoy says situation reflects lack of coordination between both organisations

Several residents shared copies of property tax notices issued by the MCI and FGEHA.

G-13 and G-14 sectors of Islamabad were developed by the erstwhile Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation two decades ago. The foundation was elevated to the status of authority in 2020 and started collecting property tax from residents.

Residents said a turf war had started between the CDA ,which previously collected this tax, and FGEHA.

According to the residents, both Islamabad High Court and Wafaqi Mohtsib were of the opinion that the housing authority could collect property tax since it performed municipal functions in these sectors. For the last six years, the residents have paid the tax to the FGEHA. And now the MCI, which is an offshoot of CDA, is demanding the same tax.

“We are confused and bewildered,” said a government officer living in sector G-13.

Another resident objected to double taxation. He said services provided by the housing authority are totally inadequate. The law abiding residents were paying taxes to the municipal services provider. He particularly referred to water scarcity and housing authority’s non-serious attitude. “As a result, the tanker mafia was reaping huge profits,” he said.

A senior resident, who has been pursuing court cases, said the residents, most of them senior citizens, were tired of shuttling between government offices and courts to resolve problems not created by them.

When contacted, an officer of FGEHA, Faiz Umer Sial, told Dawn that both sectors belonged to FGEHA and “we provide all types of municipal services and thus we are supposed to collect taxes”. He said there is a litigation in this regard and FGEHA is pleading this case vigorously.

CDA/MCI director revenue Kashif Niaz said Local Government Act empowers MCI to levy property taxes.

He said provision of services had nothing to do with the property tax, as there are other charges levied for them.

To a query, he said as per his knowledge, Federal Ombudsman Office had given flexibility to

residents, stating that if they [residents] want to deposit tax with MCI they can and if they opt for FGEHA, it’s their choice.

It is relevant to note here that the CDA owned majority of sectors of Islamabad while FGEHA owns six sectors – G-13, G-14 (developed), under developed F-14 and F-15 while two other sectors undeveloped F-12 and G-12 also belong to this authority.

Since MCI, which was established in 2015-16, is an offshoot of CDA, many erstwhile directorates were placed under its administrative control. Both CDA and MCI share the revenue directorate which deals with taxes.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

A total of nine development schemes of the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation (RMC), worth Rs1.6 billion, and nine development schemes worth Rs4.8 billion for the district council are being executed by the Punjab Highway Department, while the RMC and district council will provide funds for the road projects.

A meeting was held at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, presided over by Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Nadeem Nasir, to review the progress of ongoing development schemes under the Punjab Development Programme. Additional Deputy Commissioner (Social Services) Fazail Mudassir, the Deputy Director (Development), Managing Director (MD) of Wasa and other relevant officials attended the meeting.

The meeting conducted a detailed review of schemes being implemented under the Punjab Development Programme, with a particular focus on water supply, sewerage and other development projects.

Wasa Managing Director Azizullah Khan briefed the meeting on ongoing water supply and sewerage schemes, while the Deputy Director (Development) apprised the participants of the details, progress and approval status of other development projects.

According to the briefing, a total of 21 schemes had been identified for Rawalpindi district, with a combined cost exceeding Rs6.5229 billion. Of these, 18 schemes had already been approved.

The approved schemes include projects for the rehabilitation, construction, improvement and widening of roads in various areas.

Deputy Commissioner Nadeem Nasir directed officials to ensure the timely, transparent and high-quality completion of all development schemes. He said no compromise on quality would be tolerated in development projects and instructed officials to regularly monitor the pace of work.

He further directed that effective action be taken, in accordance with rules and regulations, against contractors who failed to execute work according to the prescribed standards and timelines.

“Unnecessary delays in development schemes are unacceptable under any circumstances,” he said, directing the relevant departments to ensure continuous monitoring of projects and tangible progress on the ground.

The deputy commissioner said he would personally visit the sites of ongoing development schemes in the coming days to assess the quality and pace of work.

He directed the concerned officers to immediately resolve any issues identified during these field visits so that the public could benefit from the development projects in a timely manner.

The development schemes include the rehabilitation and improvement of various roads, including Khayaban-i-Sir Syed, Bokra Road, Fifth Road, Rawal Road, the stretch from Chandni Chowk to Commercial Market, Railway Workshop Road and Gordon College Road, as well as roads in Taxila, Gujar Khan, Kallar Syedan and Kahuta.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

Most IDPs told Dawn in Bara that the provincial government or the Khyber district administration had yet to issue a formal notification about their return, while no practical arrangements for any return plan had yet to be seen on ground.

“The Oct 10 return plan is a mere verbal announcement according to which 50 families would be sent back to their homes in Tirah Valley on a daily basis but we have yet to see the establishment of any registration centre or arrangements for transportation,” a displaced person said.

He said that with almost 27,000 families registered as displaced from different parts of Tirah until now, it would take around one and a half years to complete the return process as per the official plan of sending only 50 families on a daily basis from Oct 10 onwards.

Giving a breakdown of the tribes affected by the sudden evacuation in December 2025, Suhbat Khan, a spokesman for the Tehreek-i-Mutasreen Tirah (TMT), said 27,000 displaced families belonged to six major tribes of Tirah, with every major tribe divided into 30 sub-tribes each.

He said that most IDPs were still in a state of disbelief about the “verbal” return plan but if authorities actually executed it, only eight families from every major tribe would be entitled to go back every day with the subtribes left to scramble and quarrel about selecting the number of persons to be sent back.

“The return plan is confusing just like the IDPs’ hasty and forced evacuation during harsh winter last year, with the majority of the displaced families still awaiting compensation promised before their eviction from their houses in Tirah,” he said.

Gul Zarin, a resident of Bagh Maidan, who is currently staying with his extended family members in Bara, alleged that neither the provincial government nor the federal government was willing to shoulder the responsibility of taking care of Tirah IDPs who were still awaiting promised official assistance, both in cash and kind.

“We were deceived by all government departments when we arrived in Bara after the 110 kilometres long journey in snow and rain. A sizable number of children, women and elderly persons fell critically ill due to harsh weather, while authorities failed to honour their promise of helping them,” he said.

Mr Zarin flayed the provincial government over its “criminal silence” about the safe and honourable return of displaced families and said the district administration had abdicated their responsibilities in favour of a so-called 24-member committee of Tirah elders that had already lost the confidence of most IDPs as the committee failed to secure their legitimate official assistance during the last 10 months.

Haji Zareef, another resident of Tirah, said that they also reserved the right to demand compensation for their damaged homes, illegal occupation of their farmlands during their absence in the name of so-called development schemes in the valley and ruthless and excessive felling of natural forest worth millions of rupees during the last 10 months.

Meanwhile, a delegation of Sipah elders from Sanda Pal, Dray Naghari, Drowta and Khapur areas in Upper Bara area of Tirah valley have met the 27 Brigade commander in Tirah Maidan and discussed with him the much-awaited registration and return of over 400 families to their houses.

Dawn has learnt that the Sipah elders told the regional security official that families from those areas were asked to vacate their houses in November 2023 on the pretext of a limited, targeted military operation with an assurance from the security forces that the displaced families would be allowed to return in a maximum 15 days’ time.

The brigade commander was further told that while the displaced families still awaited their return despite a lapse of almost three years, none of those families were registered, denying any official assistance.

Members of the Sipah delegation said that while the security official assured them that they had no objection to the return of over 400 families to their homes, they should instead consult the district administration for possible assistance.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

The All Political Alliance, Upper South Waziristan, organised the jirga.

Mehsud tribal elders, ulema, political and social figures attended the jirga.

The jirga passed a resolution, demanding an end to mortar firing and quadcopter strikes in populated areas, which put people’s lives and property at risk.

The resolution called upon the authorities to ensure that residents were not exposed to unnecessary risks. It demanded coordination between authorities and people to address public issues.

The participants called for relaxing the curfew imposed repeatedly in the area. They said that arrangements should be made to facilitate the movement of patients, elderly people and those facing medical or other emergencies during curfew hours.

The participants also highlighted difficulties residents faced at security checkpoints. They claimed some checkpoints closed before evening, inconveniencing people travelling between different areas. They demanded that checkpoints remain open for appropriate hours to facilitate residents’ smooth movement.

The jirga also discussed the installation of speed-breakers at checkpoints. Participants said three speed-breakers at a single location created difficulties for patients, elderly people and other travellers.

They demanded that speed-breakers be installed at appropriate distances to facilitate smooth traffic movement. They also called for suitable modifications to safety walls installed at checkpoints, particularly to facilitate the passage of large vehicles.

Another issue raised during the jirga was poor mobile phone and internet services in Shaktoi. The participants said the residents were still deprived of basic communication facilities in the region.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

The arrested activists belong to the group led by MNA Tariq Bashir Cheema, the father of Wali Dad, who contested the by-poll as an independent candidate against the PML-N nominee Malik Munir Iqbal Channar, who emerged as the winner. Cheema’s supporters have been lodged in the Central Jail, Bahawalpur.

According to official sources, the deputy commissioner issued the detention order under Section 3(1) of the Maintenance of Public Order(MPO) Ordinance, 1960.

A clash had occurred on Sept 11 during the election campaign between the supporters of Mr Cheema and Mr Channar, and both sides had lodged FIRs against each other. However, the police had arrested 10 supporters of Mr Cheema.

The deputy commissioner has cited the maintenance of law and order as the reason for their detention.

Those detained also include some PPP activists, who had joined Cheema’s camp against the party’s decision to support Channar.

SEARCH OPERATION: Rescue 1122 teams are looking for an elderly man, who had allegedly jumped into the Yazman Canal, along with his wife, for an unknown reason.

The woman managed to swim back to the canal bank, while her elderly husband disappeared in the water, the rescuers said, quoting locals.

As per Rescue 1122, Yousaf Ali (75), along with his wife Saeeda, had gone to the Yazman Canal on Tuesday in a rickshaw. The couple allegedly jumped into the canal, apparently to end their lives.

Yousaf’s son told the rescuers that his father was mentally challenged.

On being called by locals, Rescue 1122 teams reached the spot and launched a search operation to trace the elderly man, who is feared drowned.

The search operation was underway till the filing of this report.

Police say they are investigating why the couple jumped into the canal.

ARTS COUNCIL BUILDING: The construction of the state-of-the-art building of the Punjab Arts Council (PAC), Bahawalpur, will be completed soon at a costof over Rs470 million near Seraiki Chowk.

This was stated by Bahawalpur Arts Council Director Dr Nasir Hamid during a briefing to Commissioner Irfan Ali Kathia, who inspected the under-construction building here on Tuesday.

According to the director,work on the tiled flooring, false ceiling, and sanitary fittings has been completed in the basement of the three-storey building, while on the first and second floors, work isin full swing.

The commissioner directed the building department officials to complete the work at the earliest so that cultural and entertainment activities could be started in the building.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

The villagers were held hostage by militants on Friday when the former were relocating to safer areas in the Hathikhel area.

A video received by Dawn purportedly showed the released individuals standing together, while local commander of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Nasir alias Gidarh and some local elders were also seen with them.

In the video, the militant commander asked the local elders not to get involved in the ongoing fighting.

Police have not issued any statement about the release of hostages.

The development came amid the continuing tensions in Hathikhel and adjoining mountainous areas among militants, police and a local peace committee. Several families are reportedly facing difficulties and moving to safer locations.

Local sources earlier claimed that militants were trying to prevent residents from leaving the area and had imposed certain restrictions on families seeking to relocate.

They also insisted that some houses were demolished after families failed to comply with those restrictions.

Meanwhile, another group in Hathikhel has taken up arms against militants and is reportedly engaged in an armed resistance.

Local sources said that the group was unwilling to negotiate with militants.

DETAINED: Eight suspects were detained during an operation against suspected militants in the Talgi area here on Tuesday.

The joint operation was led by Bannu district police officer Furqan Bilal.

The personnel from the counter-terrorism department, police, Elite Force and security forces participated in the operation, which led to the demolition of the hideouts of militants with the assistance of drone quadcopters and armoured personnel carriers.

The security personnel detained eight suspects and seized one Kalashnikov and two pistols.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

The Senate Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) met here under the chairmanship of Senator Dilawar Khan to deliberate on critical issues affecting inter-provincial harmony, security, smooth transit and the management of essential commodities.

The Rawalpindi regional police officer (RPO) told the committee that 31 cross-border checkpoints were currently operational in the province, with personnel deployed at 15 critical security locations. Although only three incidents had been reported since January, he said continuous daily threat alerts necessitated strict checking at all posts.

Senator Hidayatullah Khan, who attended as special invitee, and other members noted that while the public understood the security compulsions, police personnel must improve their behaviour and conduct at checkpoints. They acknowledged that police performance was under severe strain because of heavy workloads, fatigue and a critical shortage of resources.

Police blame excessive scrutiny on Nadra categorisation of certain CNICs as ‘doubtful’

Senator Aimal Wali Khan highlighted regional disparities, pointing out that Punjab remained relatively secure in ter­­ms of law and order compared with other regions where conditions were worse.

He also raised serious concerns about searches in tribal areas, emphasising that local cultural norms surrounding women’s privacy, particularly in matters involving purdah and burqa, must be handled with the utmost respect to prevent public distress.

The committee concluded by urging the relevant security authorities to resolve these issues through mutual cooperation, striving for daily improvements in law and order while ensuring that citizens’ rights and local traditions were respected.

The DIG Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said the guidelines given by the committee were highly suitable and appropriate.

Border checks, discrimination allegations

Sindh Police officials clarified that no discriminatory policy existed against any community, explaining that uniform border-checking procedures and national security protocols were strictly maintained to curb smuggling and respond to threat alerts.

Officials reported that at Sukkur and other border checkpoints, operations at joint checkposts were conducted strictly to prevent illegal smuggling and the trafficking of drugs, while stopping general goods transport without justification had been prohibited.

Severe concern was expressed over citizens travelling from one province to another — particularly in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad — being unnecessarily harassed under the pretexts of checking CNICs, domiciles and Afghan nationals.

Police officials clarified that the primary issue stemmed from CNICs categorised as “doubtful” by Nadra, for which district-level committees headed by deputy commissioners were working towards a resolution.

Wheat transport, food security

On food security, the committee reviewed the inter-provincial movement of wheat, addressing distribution delays caused by road blockades and the placement of containers. Officials from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Department briefed the panel on current grain reserves and procurement policies.

The chair directed that comprehensive written inputs be submitted to establish transparent mechanisms for uninterrupted commodity supplies, noting that after the committee summoned the DIG Rawalpindi and DPO Attock during its previous meeting, matters concerning flour transportation had significantly improved.

Chairman Dilawar Khan also expressed strong concern over the absence of key pro­­vincial representatives, particularly not­­ing the non-attendance of the relevant minister/adviser to the prime minister. He also raised the possibility of privilege mo­­tions or judicial notices over the repea­ted non-appearance of officials.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Ka­shmir (AJK) Election Com­­­mission has decided to propose necessary am­­e­ndments to the existing Local Government Act, 1990, to pave the way for holding local government (LG) elections in the re­­gion.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Election Commis­s­i­o­­ner retired Justice Ghu­lam Mustafa Mughal on the proposed LG elections for 2026-27 on Tuesday.

The commission deci­ded to send the proposed amendments to the government after examining the relevant laws and electoral arrangements in Pun­­­­jab, Khyber Pakhtun­khwa and Sindh, according to a statement issued after the meeting.

A committee was constituted to prepare the prop­o­sed amendments. The com­mission also decided to prepare an estimate of the funds required to hold the elections and submit it to the government.

The me­­eting was told that conducting LG elections was a constitutional responsibility of the Election Commis­sion and that it was ready to discharge the responsibility.

The last local government elections were held in three phases in late 2022 — in Muzaffarabad division on Nov 27, Poonch division on Dec 3 and Mirpur division on Dec 8 — after a gap of 31 years. Before that, the local government elections had been held in 1991.

Subsequent polls, due in 1995, were not held, and su­­­­ccessive governments ran local government institut­i­­ons through administrat­o­­­­rs, usually government of­­­­ficials or political workers.

Until 2018, the LG elections were conducted by a separate election commission under the administrative control of the government.

However, following the 13th Amendment, pas­sed in June that year, the responsibility was assig­ned to the AJK EC.

The 2022 LG elections were subsequently conducted by the commission under the amended Local Government Act, 1990, after the necessary legal changes were made to facilitate the long-delayed polls.

The elections restored elected local bodies after decades of administration through nominated or appointed officials.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

GILGIT: Chitral Winds Eagle Team lifted the trophy at the 6th Ali Sher Khan Anchan Polo Tour­n­ament after defeating the Chitral-Booni HQ team in a freestyle polo match held at the Maqpoon ground in Skardu.

A total of 20 teams, including 18 from Gilgit-Baltistan, participated in the tournament, but both finalists were from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Chitral. For the final contest, the polo ground was packed with thousands of fans, including tourists from Pakistan and abroad.

Mohammad Sohail, a player of Chitral Winds Eagle, said the team enjoyed the final match a lot in Skardu. He said that locals supported the polo players without discrimination, while the organisers provided all facilities to the visiting teams.

Player Mohammad Illyas of the Chitral-Booni team, whose team lost the final, appreciated the organisers, fans and supporters.

Ali Abbas, a polo fan, told Dawn that it was disappointing that GB teams had failed to qualify for the final, but the performance of both Chitral teams won over the crowd. He said that polo was still a popular game that attracts large crowds.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was also present at the match. Mr Abbasi said international polo was different, with specific rules, but freestyle polo was a uni­­que game that was native to this region. A tourist from Poland described the high-energy contest as “crazy and amazing”.

Besides the final match, tug-of-war competitions were also held featuring local players.

The tournament, organised by the Skardu district administration along with the GB Polo Association and the tourism department, concluded with a trophy and prize distribution ceremony.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

The federal government started Khyber Institute of Child Health (KICH) and its affiliated children hospital 14 years ago which was supposed to open in three years but still the chances of its becoming operational are dim.

A senior member of Pakistan Paediatrics Association (PPA) told this scribe that they were expecting that the hospital would be launched on Sept 1. “In spite of receiving 100pc cost of work, there are many things to complete. The communication and works department seems reluctant in handing over the building to relevant authorities for reasons best known to it,” he said.

He said that paediatricians were pushing through many sides with the hope that sense would prevail and the first children hospital would start work. All the provinces, except Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have more than one children hospitals.

C&W dept yet to hand over building to relevant authority

“If communication and works department leaves it and operational funds are released, we can make the hospital operational within one month,” said the PPA member.

Sources in health department said that they had requested an annual operational fund of Rs2.9 billion for the current year and Rs500 million one time for buying power generators. “Uninterrupted power supply is not a requirement but mandatory for the hospital,” they said.

However, handing over the building is main demand as for the last eight months they had been hearing to get the building in one month but that month was not coming and as result, the starting of the facility was in limbo, they said.

“The communication and works department has received all funds as per PC-1 but their tasks remain far from completion. Also, authorities have requested Rs4 billion for operational cost of the hospital and a summary is in process of approval,” said sources.

The hospital has been declared as medical teaching institution (MTI) on the demand of PPA. The status of MTI, according to sources, was demanded with the hope that things would get fast-tracked as its Board of Governors (BoG) would take decisions independently without bureaucratic control.

“However, it is a new hospital and requires funds. It cannot be run like other well-established and old hospitals that have been given MTI status and are now run by their respective BoG,” they said.

According to sources, the start of the hospital will be tiresome as at this stage. The hospital requires funds from government but when it becomes functional, it will start receiving its share of funds released to all the MTIs.

They said that the hospital had its own BoG with its members having a lot of experience but it was looking towards the government for want of funds.

Officials said that KICH and Children Hospital were desperately needed to act as an umbrella for hospitals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The hospital would be producing trained paediatricians, nurses and paramedics and would impart training to healthcare workers in paediatrics, they added.

They said that the facility would open doors of postgraduate training to doctors in sub-specialties for which medics, who could afford, presently visited other provinces. They said that with the passing of time, the hospital would become a centre of excellence not only for KP but also for healthcare providers from other provinces.

They said that children, who were half of the province’s population, required the best healthcare services. “Once it becomes operational, donor organisations will help to improve its services as they are interested in enhancing child health services,” they added.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

Judge Malik Abid Hussain heard the bail petition and arguments from the lawyers. The petitioner’s counsel stated that his client had been implicated in the case on political ground. He said the petitioner was not even present at the alleged occurrence.

However, the investigating officer told the court that Dewan was present at the scene at the time of the incident and there was substantial evidence against him.

The judge dismissed the petition, relying on the arguments and evidence of the prosecution.

Dewan was arrested in a case involving speeches, attacks and vandalism at Sherpao Bridge during the May 9 riots.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

According to a spokesperson for the Punjab Home Department, organisers will be responsible for ensuring the safe use of drones during indoor events.

Intelligence and law enforcement agencies have been exempted from the ban, according to a notification issued by the department.

The spokesperson said district-level “Safe Drone Usage Committees” had been established to regulate drone use. Written permission for drone flights for agricultural, irrigation and research purposes would be granted by the respective committees.

Drone flights conducted with written permission from the relevant committee would be exempt from the general ban.

The notification, issued by the secretary home under Section 144(6) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, directs all district administrations and police across the province to ensure strict implementation of the orders.

The spokesperson said public safety, maintenance of law and order, and protection of public and private property remained the government’s foremost priorities.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

FPCCI patron in chief S.M. Tanvir (of the United Business Group) and President Atif Ikram were speaking at two receptions hosted on Monday and Tuesday by Iqbal Baig (a former patron and senior vice president of the Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and Saleem Memon (the outgoing president of the Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industry) in their honour.

Mr Tanvir urged the government to address issues of multiple taxes, institutional oversight and fuel crisis. He said that independent power producers (IPPs) had undermined Pakistan’s future. He said soon after winning FPCCI elections, his group analysed economic issues of the country and found out that electricity was costing the business community 17 cents when compared with seven cents in other countries of the region. “With this huge difference, we can’t be competitive in the market,” he said.

Similarly, he said, the policy rate stood at 22pc while taxation issues were known to everyone. He said that the FPCCI took up this issue forcefully to challenge the “mafia” with the result that electricity cost was reduced from 17 cents to 12 cents now. “But this five-cent reduction, can’t help industry; energy cost has to be brought down to seven cents,” he stressed.

Wants power tariffs brought down drastically to ensure economic growth

Mr Tanvir also expressed his concern over the ongoing wars. As long as these wars remained unending, inflation could not be controlled, he said.

“We have been telling government that it is our ‘partner’ because it takes away a major chunk of our economic returns. Has anyone seen that one partner subdues, intimidates and subjects the other partner to excesses? It never happens in the world, but we are surviving in this culture. Already, factories are not performing amidst expensive energy generation and multiple taxation, the FBR’s coercive measures are a source of major concern for us,” he noted.

He regretted that the FBR was intruding into factories and humiliating people; all this could not be overlooked. “We never question administrative actions against defaulting entities because we believe that a businessman is under obligation to pay taxes as it is essential for running the economy,” he said.

Mr Tanvir called for establishing more special economic zones on the pattern of those established in Dhabeji and Khairpur.

Atif Ikram Shaikh assured the business community of FPCCI’s full cooperation as far as the solution of their problems was concerned. He said he would consult the Federal Railways Minister to start cargo service in Hyderabad. It would benefit the business community of the city, he said. Masood Pervez, Patron of the Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industry, hailed FPCCI initiatives.

Its outgoing president Saleem Umer Memon said that businessmen were contributing heavily to the national economy. He said that FBR needed to simplify their taxation system for small traders and businessmen. He said that Hyderabad city deserved better infrastructure and industrial facilities.

President-elect of the small traders’ chamber Nadeem Siddiqui said that Hyderabad SITE was contributing Rs120 to Rs200 billion through industrial production. It could generate more revenues but the SITE area had been hit by poor infrastructure, he said, and stressed that it should be upgraded.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026

Deceased advocate Syed Farhat Ali Askari, 70, was abducted by some criminals in 2020. Later, his wife received a ransom call demanding Rs40 million, otherwise the kidnappers threatened to kill her husband and as she failed to fulfil their demands, the kidnappers killed him by strangling him.

On a lead provided by the accused, the body of the slain advocate was recovered from a suitcase that had been thrown into a nullah in Surjani Town near Taiser Town.

The police had arrested four accused — Awais Ali Hashmi, Muhammad Faizan, Muhammad Saeed and Iftikhar Ahmed Khatri — and they were tried by an ATC, where all four accused were convicted in 2023.

ATC exonerates three co-accused from charges of abducting septuagenarian advocate for Rs40m ransom in 2020

However, the verdict was challenged before the Sindh High Court, which remanded back the case to the trial court with directions to record the statements of the convicts afresh.

After recording the statements and examining the evidence, the ATC-1 Judge, found Awais guilty on two counts and sentenced him to hang till death and imposed a fine of total Rs500,000.

“I would like to observe that the act of the accused, whereby he kidnapped Syed Farhat Ali Askari, demanded ransom amount Rs 4 Crore from his wife for releasing her husband, and due to non-fulfillment of demand committed murder of Syed Farhat Ali Askari, who was practicing advocate, and threw his dead body in a dirty/polluted Nala (drain), in such a brutal manner, squarely falls within the definition of “terrorism” as defined under Section 6 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, as such act definitely created panic and fear in the minds of the general public as well as the locality and the legal fraternity. Therefore, the accused is convicted and sentenced under the provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997,” the judge observed.

However, the ATC acquitted remaining accused —Faizan, Iftikhar and Saeed — as prosecution failed to prove its case against them.

They were implicated in the case on the basis of confessional statement of Awais to the police; however, the court noted “the confessional statement of co-accused can only be used against other accused, if there is other evidence, direct or circumstantial connecting the accused with such crime. It is well-settled that if confession made by one accused can be taken into consideration against another accused, not as a substantive piece of evidence but as a corroboratory piece of evidence which requires independent corroboration”.

A case was registered at the Shahrah-i-Noor Jahan police station under Sections 302 (murder) 365-A (kidnapping) 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code, read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026