Posts in category: Top Stories

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Army has carried out a major reshuffle in its senior command structure, with several recently promoted Major Generals assigned key positions at General Headquarters (GHQ) and important field commands, according to military sources.

The appointments, reportedly made with immediate effect, include senior responsibilities in military intelligence, strategic directorates, divisional command, the Frontier Corps and the Pakistan Coast Guard.

According to the sources, Major General Adil Waraich has been appointed Director General Military Intelligence (DG MI), one of the Army’s key intelligence positions. The Military Intelligence directorate is responsible for military intelligence and counter-intelligence functions and forms an important part of the Army’s intelligence structure.

Major General Sajid has been posted as Director General Z, while Major General Shamrez has been appointed Director General S. Major General Jawad has also been appointed Director General P, assigning the newly promoted officers responsibilities in important directorates at GHQ.

In the field command structure, Major General Khurram Shabbir has been appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC) 17 Division. The appointment places him in command of a major Army formation responsible for the operational and administrative affairs of the division.

Major General Ateeq Rafiq has been appointed Director General Pakistan Coast Guard. The Coast Guard performs security and law-enforcement functions along Pakistan’s coastal belt, including responsibilities related to counter-smuggling and maritime security.

Meanwhile, Major General Zafar has been appointed Inspector General Frontier Corps (South) Balochistan, while Major General Farhan has been assigned as Inspector General Frontier Corps (West) Balochistan.

The Frontier Corps appointments carry responsibilities related to security in Balochistan, including border management, internal security duties and counter-terrorism operations. The western region also includes areas adjoining Afghanistan and Iran.

The appointments follow the recent promotion process in the Pakistan Army under which Brigadiers were promoted to the rank of Major General.

A Major General holds a two-star rank and may be assigned either staff responsibilities at GHQ or command responsibilities in the field.

Staff appointments at GHQ generally involve policy formulation, planning, intelligence, personnel matters and coordination of military operations, while command appointments involve the direct leadership and administration of formations or operational organisations.

The appointment of a new DG Military Intelligence is particularly significant within the Army’s senior intelligence leadership. Similarly, divisional command gives a Major General direct responsibility for a major military formation.

The new Frontier Corps appointments also come with security and border-management responsibilities in Balochistan, while the Pakistan Coast Guard appointment carries responsibilities linked to security along the country’s coastline and efforts against illegal activities.

According to the sources, the newly appointed officers are expected to assume charge of their respective assignments in the coming days, completing another round of changes in the Pakistan Army’s senior command and staff structure.

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MAKKAH: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have signed a joint defence agreement aimed at strengthening regional peace, security and collective defence cooperation during a joint defence summit held at Al Safa Palace in Makkah.

The summit was attended by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson, the three countries signed a joint defence agreement named the Makkah Defence Joint Agreement. The agreement was signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The spokesperson said that under the agreement, an attack on any one of the three countries will be considered an attack on all three. The agreement aims to strengthen collective defence capabilities against any aggression and promote defence cooperation among Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan.

It is noteworthy that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Saudi Arabia a day earlier with a Pakistani delegation, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived in Makkah on the same day the summit was held.

According to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement to further strengthen regional peace, security and collective defence.

Also Read: Amnesty International Urges Pakistan to Restore Imran Khan’s Rights Ahead of Detention Anniversary

The ministry stated that the agreement was signed during the Makkah Joint Defence Summit, which was held at the invitation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The summit, held at Al Safa Palace in Makkah, brought together Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. During the meeting, the three leaders discussed bilateral relations, defence cooperation and key challenges facing the region.

According to the joint communiqué, the agreement is based on the historic relations among the three countries, Islamic brotherhood, shared strategic interests and long-term defence cooperation.

Under the agreement, the three countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collective defence capabilities and working together to promote peace, security and stability.

A key provision of the agreement states that if any one of the three countries comes under armed attack, it will be regarded as an attack on all three countries. The leaders also agreed to further expand defence cooperation, joint strategic coordination and security ties.

The joint communiqué added that the agreement is intended to enhance collective defence capabilities against any aggression and contribute to the promotion of peace and stability across the region as well as globally.

ISLAMABAD: Amnesty International has called on the Pakistani authorities to restore former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s access to his family, legal counsel and adequate medical care, ahead of the third anniversary of his detention.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Isabelle Lassee, Amnesty International’s Acting Regional Director for South Asia, alleged that Pakistani authorities have denied Khan the right to a fair trial, subjected him to prolonged solitary confinement and restricted his access to medical treatment and family visits.

According to Amnesty International, Khan has not been allowed to meet his family for more than eight months, while his eyesight has reportedly deteriorated significantly. The organization also said that both Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi Khan, have been denied regular access to legal counsel since December 2025.

“Amnesty International urges the Pakistani authorities to unconditionally restore Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi Khan’s right to see their family and lawyers. Both must be given access to adequate medical care and their solitary confinement, which is unlawful, should end immediately,” Lassee said.

The rights organization also urged the authorities to ensure that planned gatherings by Khan’s family, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and supporters to mark the anniversary of his detention can take place peacefully. It called on the government to facilitate the right to peaceful assembly and avoid what it described as unlawful and arbitrary crackdowns on protesters.

Background

Imran Khan, 72, was elected Prime Minister of Pakistan in 2018 and was removed from office in April 2022 through a parliamentary vote of no confidence. He was first arrested on May 9, 2023, triggering nationwide protests, and was taken into custody again on Aug. 5, 2023. He has remained detained since then.

Amnesty International said PTI has faced severe restrictions on its political activities since Khan’s removal from office and was barred from participating in the 2024 general election. The organization also said many PTI leaders and supporters arrested following the May 9, 2023, and Nov. 26, 2024, protests remain in detention on anti-terrorism charges, while 85 individuals have been convicted by military courts.

The organization reiterated its 2024 assessment that Khan’s imprisonment was unlawful and politically motivated. It noted that although Khan was acquitted in January 2025 in cases related to official secrets and his marriage to Bushra Bibi Khan, he is currently serving a 14-year prison sentence in a corruption case. Bushra Bibi Khan is serving a seven-year sentence in the same case. Both were also sentenced in December 2025 to an additional 17 years’ imprisonment in a case involving state gifts.

Amnesty International further noted that the UN Special Rapporteur on torture expressed concerns in December 2025 that the detention conditions of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi Khan fell below international standards. It also referred to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which concluded in 2024 that Khan’s detention was arbitrary and violated international human rights law.
The Pakistani authorities have previously maintained that legal proceedings against Imran Khan are conducted in accordance with the country’s laws and judicial process.

Islamabad: The Rawal Lake park site has lost nearly 50 percent of its tree cover over the last two decades, according to satellite images released by the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco).

The images compare the densely vegetated Lake View Point in 2004 with the same area in 2024, which is now marked by extensive human activity. The comparison highlights the environmental cost of unplanned urban expansion in Islamabad.

Water Colour Shows Visible Change

The satellite imagery also shows a noticeable change in the colour of the dam’s water, from a greenish hue in 2004 to a significantly darker, blackish shade in 2024.

Some environmentalists believe the darker colour could be linked to algae growth. However, they also say that large volumes of sewage flowing into Rawal Dam from upstream areas and surrounding settlements over the years are likely contributing to the change.

Hazardous Waste Discovered During Cleanup

During the first week of June, the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) discovered hazardous waste while conducting a cleanup drive along the shores of Rawal Lake.

Cleanup teams found discarded syringes, hospital waste, and large quantities of plastic items, highlighting the severe pollution threatening the lake’s ecosystem.

Speaking to Dawn, Pak-EPA Director Dr. Zaigham Abbas said there was no question that pollution was entering the lake.

He added that his office had planned to plant 500,000 seed balls at various locations across the capital, including areas surrounding Rawal Lake, describing it as one of the largest monsoon plantation drives.

‘Violation of Ecological Justice’

A senior official at the Ministry of Climate Change described Islamabad’s situation as more than a planning failure.

The official said, “Islamabad’s crisis is not merely a failure in urban planning but a violation of ecological justice and fundamental rights. The polluted water of Rawal Lake impacts the health of the surrounding fauna and flora.”

Two Decades of Commercialisation

Over the past 20 years, Lake View Park has witnessed the development of numerous recreational facilities, including barbecue points, Formula Karting and off-road tracks, a golf club, horse riding facilities, a dedicated food street, a paintball battlefield, Moj Mela Park, a carnival park, a children’s play area, and two large parking spaces.

Data Highlights Tree Cover Loss

According to Global Forest Watch (GFW), an initiative of the World Resources Institute (WRI), Islamabad lost 14 hectares of tree cover between 2001 and 2025.

The loss represents 0.46 percent of the tree cover recorded in 2000 and resulted in 6.0 kilotonnes of carbon emissions.

GFW data further shows that 77 percent of Islamabad’s tree cover loss during this period occurred in areas where the dominant drivers were linked to deforestation.

Settlements and infrastructure accounted for 4 hectares of tree cover loss, while another 4 hectares were lost due to permanent agriculture. Wildfires and logging were identified as temporary causes of forest cover loss.

When contacted for comment, the spokesperson for the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the civic body’s Director General Environment did not answer their phones. Source: DAWN

Transparency International Pakistan has urged the Punjab Information Commission to investigate allegations that the Islamia University Bahawalpur violated the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2013, Article 19-A of the Constitution and orders of the provincial information watchdog by failing to provide information sought by a citizen regarding university expenditures.

In a formal communication addressed to the Chief Information Commissioner of the Punjab Information Commission, Transparency International Pakistan said it had received a complaint alleging persistent denial of access to public records by the university, despite repeated requests made under the right to information law and subsequent legal remedies available to citizens.

The anti-corruption organisation stated that, after reviewing the complaint, it found that the allegations appeared, prima facie, to be correct and warranted examination by the commission.

According to the complaint forwarded by Transparency International Pakistan, the applicant had submitted information requests to the registrar and vice chancellor of Islamia University Bahawalpur on Nov 29 and Dec 18, 2024. The requests sought official records relating to a number of electrical repair, maintenance and procurement expenditures incurred by the university.

The complainant alleged that, despite repeated follow-ups, the university failed to provide any response within the statutory timeframe prescribed under the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2013.

Transparency International Pakistan emphasised that Section 10(7) of the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2013 clearly requires public information officers to respond to applications “as soon as possible” and, in any event, within 14 working days.