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### **Explosive Allegations Rock Islamabad: Former Army Chief Accused of Threats and Subverting Authority**
Federal Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has leveled grave accusations against former Army Chief General (R) Qamar Javed Bajwa, alleging that he exerted undue pressure and issued threats to prevent the government from exercising its constitutional prerogative in military appointments.
Appearing on Geo News’ program ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath,’ Minister Asif claimed that historically, the government’s power to appoint the Army Chief was never contested. However, General Bajwa reportedly pressured and threatened the administration to block the proposed elevation of General Asim Munir to the top military post, attempting instead to install General Faiz Hameed before proposing alternative names.
Asif asserted that the violent incidents of May 9th—when military installations were attacked—were a calculated conspiracy designed to reverse General Asim Munir’s appointment. He directly implicated General Faiz Hameed and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership, stating that the events were a joint operation that the PTI founder could not have orchestrated alone.
The Minister added that there is scope for further investigations and legal proceedings against General Faiz Hameed, claiming the retired officer maintained significant contacts and influence, even after leaving service, suggesting that “the pulse [of certain matters] remained in his hand.”
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### **Governance, Finance, and Transparency**
**Bureaucratic Asset Disclosure Mandated:** The Ministry of Finance has announced a major push for accountability, stating that details of assets owned by senior federal and provincial officers will be made publicly available on a website by the end of next year. The assets of these officials will also undergo rigorous scrutiny.
**PTI Faces Financial Exigency:** The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is reportedly grappling with a severe financial crisis. To sustain party operations, the central leadership has requested all its parliamentarians to contribute 10% of their monthly salaries.
**Project Cost Escalation:** The cost of the Karachi Yellow Line mass transit project has soared by 190%. Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal expressed strong reservations over the project’s sluggish progress over the past six years.
**Smuggling Crackdown:** Pakistan Customs reported significant success in anti-smuggling efforts, seizing gold and silver valued at over 306 million rupees in the last five months.
**Regional Politics and Social Issues:** Political discussions focusing on the situation in Punjab and other related matters were held in a high-level meeting. Meanwhile, Um-e-Rubab Chandio, a social activist from Dadu district, denounced the feudal (Sardari) system in Sindh, calling it a ‘canker’ that has devastated thousands of lives.
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### **Infrastructure, Safety, and Regional Updates**
**Motorway Disruptions:** Severe fog across several parts of the country drastically affected visibility, leading to the closure of major motorways: M-1 (Rashakai to Peshawar), M-2 (Hiran Minar to Thokar Niaz Baig), M-3 (Faizpur to Rajana), and M-5 (Multan to Zahir Peer, and Rohri to Rahim Yar Khan).
**Accidents Reported:**
* Near Khanewal, a collision between a bus and a trailer on Motorway M-4 resulted in the death of a bus hostess and injuries to four passengers.
* In Kohat (Pindi Road area), a passenger coach collided with a car near the Bilitung Oil Depot.
**Law Enforcement Activity:** Police in an unspecified area reported that an accused individual, Bilal Abbas, was killed during an exchange of fire, and his body was subsequently transferred to a hospital.
**Unique Traffic Violation Case:** In Lahore, a motorbike dealer who sold motorcycles on installment plans faced unexpected consequences when traffic authorities issued challans (fines) totaling 2.3 million rupees accumulated on the motorcycles he had sold on credit.
**Diplomacy and Administration:** Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held meetings with global leaders during his visit to Turkmenistan. Furthermore, a delegation from the French Development Agency (AFD) visited the National Grid Company (NGC) Headquarters in Lahore, and the Chief Minister of Sindh, Murad Ali Shah, chaired a meeting focusing on the province’s agricultural sector.
