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Supreme Judicial Council has formally dismissed a complaint filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja. The council has informed the complainant, PTI central leader Omar Ayub, about the decision in writing.

According to a media report, the Supreme Judicial Council reviewed the complaint in detail during an important meeting. The complaint had been filed by Omar Ayub in his capacity as secretary general of PTI.

In the petition, Omar Ayub maintained that “alleged organised rigging” had taken place in the 2024 general elections. On that basis, he sought constitutional and legal proceedings against Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja. However, after reviewing all aspects of the matter, the council declared the PTI complaint inadmissible and dismissed it.

Tensions between PTI and Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja have existed for a long time. Even before the February 2024 general elections, PTI had levelled serious allegations of bias against the Election Commission. These included the withdrawal of the party’s electoral symbol, the “bat,” and the rejection of nomination papers of party leaders.

After the elections, PTI also questioned the credibility of the Election Commission over alleged changes in results and the “Form 47” controversy. During this period, Omar Ayub approached the Supreme Judicial Council, the only competent forum for reviewing complaints against members of the superior judiciary and certain constitutional officeholders, seeking the initiation of proceedings to remove the chief election commissioner from office.

The decision of the Supreme Judicial Council carries significant importance in the current political situation. The council’s move indicates that an officeholder heading a constitutional institution cannot be removed solely on the basis of political allegations or electoral disputes unless solid legal evidence is available.

New development has emerged in the Supreme Court case concerning the suspension of sentences of Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chatha, as the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has filed an application seeking the recall of the court’s May 12 order.

In its application, the NCCIA argued that the Supreme Court issued directions to the high court in its May 12 order, although the Supreme Court cannot interfere in cases pending before a high court.

The application further stated that the order should be recalled under the policy of equal treatment for all. According to the NCCIA, the high court should decide the matter of sentence suspension after hearing the parties.

The application also maintained that the Supreme Court cannot be approached against the issuance of a notice to hear the other side.

Chillas: A tourist vehicle heading toward the scenic destination of Fairy Meadow met with an accident, leaving seven people dead, rescue officials said.

According to rescue officials, the driver of the vehicle was identified as Ziaullah, a resident of Darel in Diamer. Among the deceased, two tourists were identified as Ali and Sajjad.

Rescue officials said four other tourists belonged to Punjab, and the process of identifying them was still under way.

Separately, police arrested the main suspect in a deadly road accident that occurred in Bhara Kahu last night.

Spokesperson for Islamabad Police said the absconding suspect, identified as Wasiq, was arrested near Faizabad. The spokesperson said an FIR of the incident had been registered at Bhara Kahu Police Station, while CCTV footage and other evidence related to the accident had also been obtained.

In the Bhara Kahu incident, a speeding car collided with motorcycles, killing four people and injuring four others. Police officials said the car driver fled the scene after the accident.

The Federal Board of Revenue has carried out a major operation by sealing cigarette factories owned by political families and exposing tax evasion worth billions of rupees.

According to details, on the strict instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the FBR launched its biggest crackdown under a zero-tolerance policy against tax evasion worth billions of rupees in the cigarette industry.

Sources said that despite intense political pressure, the FBR took indiscriminate action against cigarette factories owned by various influential political families and exposed tax evasion worth billions of rupees.

Government sources said a record 710 operations were carried out against illegal and smuggled cigarettes by March of the current financial year.

During the crackdown, the Regional Tax Office Peshawar raided the warehouse of a major tobacco company in Mardan in November 2025. Despite armed resistance, officials seized 200 cartons of cigarettes linked to tax evasion and sealed the factory.

In addition, two owners of the company were taken into custody over the illegal shifting of machinery. In December 2025, machinery worth millions of rupees from the same factory, along with raw material worth billions of rupees seized in the past, had also been confiscated.

Sources made a major disclosure regarding the cigarette mafia, saying that some years ago, after a strict crackdown in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, several major tax-evading companies shifted their units to Azad Kashmir to avoid security scrutiny and taxes.

Cigarette factory owners have also started shifting heavy cigarette-manufacturing machinery to interior Sindh to escape the attention of tax authorities. At present, several cigarette units are secretly producing illegal and untaxed cigarettes at night and supplying them across the country, while the FBR is now tightening its grip against them.

The Lahore High Court has declared valid an agreement made at the time of marriage in addition to the nikahnama, ruling that a husband is bound to fulfil promises made beyond the dower mentioned in the marriage contract.

Justice Sajid Mahmood Sethi of the Lahore High Court issued an 11-page written judgment on a petition filed by Muhammad Khan.

According to the judgment, the woman had filed a claim for recovery of dower, a five-marla house and maintenance for the iddat period. The woman stated that her husband had promised, through a separate agreement on the day of marriage, to give her a five-marla house. The husband, however, maintained that the agreement was forged and prepared later.

The court observed that the record showed both witnesses to the agreement appeared before the court and proved the document.

The judgment said that a person alleging a document to be forged is required to provide proof. However, the husband opposed forensic examination of the signatures and thumb impressions.

The court held that refusal to undergo forensic examination weakened the husband’s stance, adding that a truthful person is not afraid of scientific testing.

The judgment further stated that dower is a legal right of the wife, not a matter of the husband’s will or favour. In the eyes of the law, dower is considered a debt owed by the husband to the wife.

The court also ruled that a woman’s failure to demand dower during marriage cannot be treated as waiver of her right, as women often do not seek dower during marriage due to social and domestic pressure.

The Lahore High Court upheld the decision of the lower court and dismissed the petition.