Posts in category: Politics

LONDON: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has described the imposition of an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a necessary measure, saying the situation in the province had been deteriorating and the decision should have been taken much earlier.

Speaking to journalists in London, Nawaz Sharif criticised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), accusing the party of causing significant damage to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during its 13 years in power.

He questioned how a provincial chief minister could use government resources to launch an attack on the federal capital, describing such conduct as incomprehensible.

The former prime minister also questioned the use of provincial resources against Islamabad and other provinces, asking how such actions could be justified.

Nawaz Sharif further claimed that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been freed from PTI’s government.

The PML-N leader reaffirmed his party’s commitment to Pakistan’s development and prosperity, saying the federal and provincial governments were making efforts to improve the lives of ordinary citizens.

He maintained that the governments remained focused on providing relief to the public and improving living standards across the country.

Also Read: ‘Looks Like Another Conspiracy Has Started Against Nawaz Sharif and His Government’: Nasir Butt

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan has said that no country has criticised the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, maintaining that the decision was taken in accordance with Pakistan’s Constitution.

Speaking at the Foreign Office’s weekly press briefing on Friday, the spokesperson addressed several key diplomatic and regional developments, including the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, India’s provocative statements, Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and Pakistan’s bilateral relations with Oman.

Responding to questions regarding governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sajjad Haider Khan said that no foreign country had raised objections to the constitutional measure.

He maintained that the imposition of governor’s rule was carried out in accordance with the Constitution, adding that Pakistan had received no criticism from any country over the decision.

Addressing provocative statements from India, the Foreign Office spokesperson said New Delhi should learn lessons from the events of last year.

His remarks came in response to recent statements from India, with the spokesperson emphasising that the neighbouring country should reflect on past developments.

Meanwhile, Pakistan strongly condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and expressed complete solidarity with the Kingdom during this difficult period.

Also Read: Investigation Report Alleges Rs12 Billion Illegal Collection in Document Attestation Process in MOFA

The spokesperson said that targeting civilians and essential infrastructure was unacceptable and conveyed Pakistan’s condolences to the families of those killed in the attacks.

He expressed sympathy with the bereaved families, saying Pakistan shared their grief and stood alongside Saudi Arabia in the aftermath of the attacks.

Reaffirming Islamabad’s commitment to Riyadh, Sajjad Haider Khan said Pakistan firmly supported Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security.

He further stated that Pakistan stood with Saudi Arabia under the Makkah Agreement and remained committed to its obligations under the joint defence agreement between the two countries.

The spokesperson reiterated that Pakistan would continue to stand by Saudi Arabia in protecting its sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.

Separately, the Foreign Office spokesperson confirmed that Oman’s foreign minister had visited Pakistan, during which both countries emphasised the importance of expanding bilateral cooperation across various sectors.

He said the visit provided an opportunity for Pakistan and Oman to focus on strengthening cooperation in different areas of mutual interest.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has claimed that the head of a political party is deeply upset after being denied a provincial governorship and a share in the governor’s rule imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

Speaking informally to journalists in Lahore, Naqvi criticised a political leader without naming him, alleging that the politician was unhappy over being excluded from arrangements related to the provincial governorship and the imposition of governor’s rule in KP.

The interior minister claimed that the politician in question had relied on the establishment for political support for several decades. He further alleged that the leader’s dependence on the establishment had extended to arranging airline tickets for members of his political party.

Naqvi said politicians with such a political history were in no position to criticise others over their alleged connections with the establishment.

He stressed that political differences should be addressed through reasoned arguments and facts rather than offensive language and baseless accusations.

Addressing the issue of resources and rights of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Naqvi questioned why certain political leaders had suddenly become concerned about the allocation of resources to the merged tribal districts.

He asked why these politicians had remained silent when the former FATA districts were allegedly deprived of their rightful share in resources for several years.

The interior minister questioned why these leaders had failed to raise their voices for the rights of the people of the former tribal areas during that period.

Also Read: Raja Nasir Abbas Confirms Meeting with Mohsin Naqvi, September 27 Protest Discussed

He maintained that the rights and resources of the former FATA districts should be treated as matters of public interest rather than political bargaining.

Turning to the law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Naqvi expressed concern over the serious security challenges confronting the province.

He urged political leaders to contribute to restoring peace and eliminating terrorism instead of escalating political tensions and creating instability.

The interior minister emphasised that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa currently needs peace, stability and collective efforts rather than political confrontation.

He called for a united approach to addressing security challenges, stressing that efforts to restore lasting peace in the province must rise above political differences.

Meanwhile, the Peshawar High Court has scheduled October 20 for hearing separate petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar and advocate Salman Khan challenging the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The petitions challenge the decision to impose emergency and governor’s rule in the province and name the Federation of Pakistan, the president, the prime minister, the KP governor and other relevant authorities as respondents.

According to the information provided, President Asif Ali Zardari approved the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on October 11, acting on the prime minister’s advice under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution.

The measures have also received approval from both houses of parliament.

Senior lawyer and Judicial Commission member Ahsan Bhoon has announced that he will initiate legal proceedings against Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar over statements he described as defamatory.

Bhoon said he would bring Safdar before the court and file claims for defamation and damages. He also urged members of the legal fraternity not to react emotionally and to treat Safdar’s statements as those of an unrelated individual.

Speaking about criticism against him ahead of the Supreme Court Bar elections, Bhoon said he had spent his life as a political worker through different political and military periods, including the era of General Zia-ul-Haq, General Pervez Musharraf’s martial law and subsequent democratic governments.

He said positive criticism was everyone’s right, but no one should be allowed to engage in character assassination.

Bhoon said he respected the Sharif family but claimed that Captain Safdar was creating difficulties for the family into which he had married.

He said he would exercise his legal right and bring Safdar before the courts so that he could substantiate his allegations. Bhoon added that he would approach all relevant legal forums and would not respond through personal abuse or inappropriate language.

Discussing Safdar’s allegations, Bhoon said he would respond to them through legal forums rather than on the streets.

Regarding allegations concerning his educational credentials and the upcoming Supreme Court Bar elections, Bhoon said the motives behind the allegations were known only to God. He added that attempts to damage his reputation had also been made during previous elections.

Bhoon said he had never claimed to have done any favours for the Sharif family or any government.

Addressing young lawyers, he said he was working as a lawyer for the improvement of the system and the welfare of the legal community. He advised young lawyers not to become political “fuel” for any political party and instead to honour their parents’ sacrifices and move forward in a positive direction.

Responding to Captain Safdar’s statement that he would withdraw his candidate if Bhoon produced his degree, Bhoon said he had advised Amjad Shah not to engage in the debate because the electoral college would make the decision.

Also Read: Govt Announces Rs5 Million Compensation for Families of PIMS Fire Victims

Bhoon also spoke about his educational background and said that Justice Najafi, Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah had been his classmates or section fellows.

He further claimed that Captain Safdar’s identity was primarily associated with his marriage into a political family and said that, otherwise, he had no independent political or legal standing.

Bhoon said Captain Safdar had contacted him by telephone around two weeks earlier and objected to his support for Amjad Shah. According to Bhoon, Safdar had raised objections over Amjad Shah’s association with a resolution against him or with people who had signed it.

Bhoon said he explained to Safdar that lawyers commonly sit together at the bar and that Amjad Shah was the consensus candidate of his group. He said Safdar nevertheless continued making negative statements in the media.

Bhoon said publicly humiliating someone and subsequently apologising behind closed doors was not acceptable, adding that legal action was necessary to prevent disorder in society.

Asked about the Sharif family’s reaction, Bhoon said the family had not contacted him directly, but he had learned through friends that they were upset and distressed over Safdar’s actions. He said he had no complaint against Maryam Nawaz or Nawaz Sharif, adding that every person acts according to his own capacity and temperament.

On the reaction from lawyers and an application filed by Captain Safdar against lawyer Mian Dawood, Bhoon said members of the legal community had reacted out of affection. He said the NCCI was a government and legal institution and not anyone’s personal property, and that it would examine applications according to legal rules.

Bhoon also criticised allegations that court decisions were based on “deals” or payments. He said allegations that judges accepted money without evidence were inappropriate and challenged anyone possessing evidence to present it.

He said the Supreme Judicial Council took action against judges involved in wrongdoing and that judges had been removed from office in the past.

Bhoon also expressed his appreciation for Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Aminuddin Khan, describing them as excellent judges.

In his final message to lawyers, Bhoon urged the legal community not to become emotional over Captain Safdar’s statements. He reiterated that the lawyers’ community believed in the supremacy of the Constitution and law and that the dispute would be addressed solely through legal channels.

ISLAMABAD: All motorways that were closed will be reopened for traffic tomorrow morning, the Motorway Police spokesperson said.

According to the spokesperson, all motorways, including M-1, M-14 and E-35, will be reopened for traffic from 6am tomorrow.

Traffic will resume on the M-1 Peshawar Motorway, M-14 Islamabad-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway and E-35 Hazara Motorway, among other routes. Citizens will be able to travel on these highways as usual after 6am tomorrow.

The major highways had been closed in view of security arrangements for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest.

The closure of the M-1, M-14, E-35 and other key highways was linked to security arrangements for the protest and long march announced by the PTI in Islamabad for September 27.

Also Read: Deadly M-2 Motorway Crash Near Chakri: One Killed, 35 Injured in Multi-Vehicle Collision

On September 23, Islamabad Traffic Police had announced the closure of several major routes, including the M-1, M-14, Hazara Motorway and sections of the GT Road, from 11pm until further notice. Authorities had cited the law and order situation as the reason for the closures.

According to the Motorway Police, the M-1 was closed to all traffic in both directions from the Islamabad Toll Plaza to the Chachh Interchange, while the M-14 remained closed from Hakla to Kundal. The GT Road was also closed at Attock Khurd.

Similarly, the E-35 Hazara Motorway was closed near the Burhan Interchange, while traffic movement on other connecting roads was also restricted.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to postpone its long march, originally scheduled for September 27, to October 5.

According to sources, the decision was taken during a PTI meeting in Peshawar, where the party discussed the schedule of the long march.

The sources said the formal announcement of the decision will be made after Mahmood Achakzai and Allama Nasir are taken into confidence.

Earlier, PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Secretary Shaukat Yousafzai had said that no decision had been taken to call off the long march.

He had also said that PTI was fully prepared for the long march, which would remain peaceful and would not involve the use of government resources.

Yousafzai said that a decision regarding the long march could be considered if the federal government held negotiations. However, he maintained that the long march would not be called off this time without achieving something.

The PTI leader also said there was no need to remove containers or reopen blocked routes, adding that sit-ins would be held wherever routes were blocked.

MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Dr Najeeb Naqi has been elected the 25th President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir after securing 32 votes.

Dr Najeeb Naqi emerged victorious in the presidential election, while Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Chaudhry Latif Akbar received 13 votes. One member of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly remained absent.

A total of 45 members of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly participated in the presidential election, with polling continuing until 1:00 pm.

Invitations have also been issued for the presidential election and the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected president. Dr Najeeb Naqi will take the oath of office today.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Dr Najeeb Naqi on his election as President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and expressed his best wishes for him.

The prime minister said Dr Najeeb Naqi’s election reflected the confidence of the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
He expressed hope that the newly elected president would perform his responsibilities effectively and play a constructive role in the development, prosperity and public welfare of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to extending full cooperation for the development and prosperity of the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif also congratulated Dr Najeeb Naqi on being elected the 25th President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and expressed her best wishes for him.

Also Read: Atta Tarar Says Violent Group Failed to Undermine AJK Elections, Vows to Protect Kashmir Cause

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet has approved a new police act, under which the chief minister will have the authority to appoint the inspector general of police (IG).

Under the proposed Police Act, if the provincial government is not satisfied with the IG’s performance, it can seek additional names from the federal government for his replacement. The provincial government will also have authority over postings and transfers.

The home secretary will be authorised to transfer deputy superintendents of police (DSPs) and assistant superintendents of police (ASPs), while the chief minister will have the authority to transfer superintendents of police (SPs), senior superintendents of police (SSPs) and additional inspectors general (AIGs).

The chairmanship of the Police Policy Board has also been transferred from the IG to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister.

The chief minister will also have the authority to formulate the police’s operational, administrative and financial policies.

According to Provincial Information Minister Shafi Jan, the purpose of the new police law is to make the police more accountable to the public. Regional investigation officers will be appointed to strengthen the police investigation system, while police policy and operational matters will be separated.

Also Read: KP IGP Directs Police Officers Not to Facilitate PTI March, Rally Towards Islamabad

Shafi Jan said the new law would create more opportunities for police officers in terms of promotions and career progression. An accountability system based on performance will also be introduced for the provincial police officer.

Senior KP police officers had previously expressed reservations about the Police Act.

According to sources, KP Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed has maintained that the Peshawar High Court had already declared amendments relating to the withdrawal of powers from the IG null and void.

The federal government has further tightened the rules governing the Toshakhana and issued a notification introducing new regulations.

The Cabinet Division has issued the notification for the Toshakhana Management and Regulation Rules 2026. Under the new rules, the acceptance of gifts by officials other than the president and prime minister will be discouraged.

All gifts currently held by and received by the Toshakhana will be auctioned, while proceeds from the auctions will be spent on girls’ education in underdeveloped areas.

According to the notification, all gifts received by the Toshakhana will undergo a third-party audit every financial year. All gifts will be sold through open public auctions, while culturally, historically and diplomatically sensitive gifts will not be auctioned.

Auctions will preferably be held twice a year and at least once annually. Government officials and their families will not be allowed to participate in the auctions. The auctions will also receive direct media coverage.

Under the new rules, a committee headed by the Cabinet secretary will be established to make decisions regarding gifts. Additional secretaries of the Finance, Foreign Affairs, Law and Culture divisions will be members of the committee.

The committee will determine which gifts are to be auctioned and which have historical significance.

Also Read: New Toshakhana Rules Require Public Officials to Declare Gifts Within 30 Days

According to the notification, if accepting a gift is unavoidable due to diplomatic protocol, it must be deposited with the Toshakhana within 30 days. In the case of an overseas visit, the gift must be deposited within 30 days of return, while gifts arriving on a separate aircraft will have a 60-day deadline.

Employees in grades 1 to 4 will be allowed to retain cash awards. A complaint will be filed in court if a gift is not deposited within the prescribed period.

The market value of gifts will be determined by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and private valuers. If there is a difference of more than 25 percent between the two valuations, the opinion of a third valuer will be considered final.

Artificial intelligence (AI) may also be used as a reference for determining the value of gifts, while the Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF), Wah, will determine the value of weapons.

The notification further states that the security of the gifts will be entrusted to a Grade-20 officer. CCTV cameras and locking arrangements have been made mandatory in the Toshakhana storeroom.

The record and photographs of all gifts will be published on a web portal. However, the name of the person and country presenting a gift will not be disclosed on the portal.

ISLAMABAD: A case has been registered against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Junaid Akbar over alleged hate speech.

National Cyber Crime Agency has registered the case against Junaid Akbar over alleged hate speech.

According to the case text, hate and provocative speech was circulated through various social media accounts. It alleged that Junaid Akbar threatened to damage government property.

Junaid Akbar had allegedly threatened to turn Islamabad into “Somnath” if the government opened fire during the September 27 long march.

Addressing party workers, Junaid Akbar had said they would not enter Islamabad through only one route, but would also travel via the motorway and descend from the Margalla Hills.

Also Read: Islamabad Police Seeks 16,000 Personnel from Punjab for Possible PTI Long March

The PTI leader had said that during the previous protest, they considered the state as a mother but did not know that it could open fire. He said they had not been in a position to protest at that time, and had returned after carrying the bodies.

He further said that this time they knew the state would open fire and that they would not remain silent after carrying the bodies. He said that if such an incident occurred, they would carry the bodies while new people would come forward, adding, “I make you witnesses that we will turn Islamabad into Somnath.”