*** ## Pakistan National News Briefing: Infrastructure, Governance, and Security Update ### Infrastructure & Weather Alert: Motorway Closures Dense fog has severely impacted road traffic across Punjab, leading to significant closures of key national arteries. Motorway Police (MP) confirmed that extensive sections of the road network remain closed to ensure public safety. **Key Closures:** * Motorway M3: Closed from Darkhana to Rajana and from Jaranwala to Darkhana. * Motorway M4: Closed from Gojra to Multan. * Motorway M5: Closed from Multan to Zahir Pir. The MP spokesperson strongly advised commuters regarding safety protocols. Visibility on the National Highway (NH) remains…
Author: Web Desk
*** ## Pakistan Railway Development Initiatives & Key National Briefs Federal Minister for Railways, Hanif Abbasi, has announced a significant collaborative effort with the Sindh government to launch major railway development projects within the province. Leading a review meeting concerning the Sukkur Railway Division, Minister Abbasi stated that following the successful upgrade of the Karachi Cantonment Station, the focus has now shifted to the vital Rohri Railway Station. ### Infrastructure: Rohri Station Upgrade on 50/50 Cost Split Minister Abbasi confirmed that a comprehensive master plan for the Rohri Railway Station upgrade has been finalized. Tenders for the project are scheduled…
*** ## BODY **MAJOR JUDICIAL AND SECURITY ACTIONS** **TLP Leader Convicted for Threatening Former CJP** In a landmark ruling, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore sentenced Pir Zaheerul Hassan Shah, a leader of the proscribed Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), to a cumulative prison term of 35-and-a-half years. ATC Judge Arshad Javed delivered the verdict upon the completion of the trial. Shah was convicted under various sections for threatening former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa in a case registered earlier in 2024. The court also imposed a fine of six hundred thousand rupees on the convict. **Abducted Passengers Recovered**…
*** ## Institutional Integrity Questioned as Top Police Officials Implicated in Drug Trafficking A significant internal crackdown has been launched within the Karachi Police Department following the suspension of two high-ranking officers implicated in serious corruption. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Wasif Qureshi of the SIU and Sub-Inspector Ejaz Butt were relieved of their duties after notification of their immediate suspension was issued by Karachi Police authorities. The suspension stems from serious allegations that DSP Qureshi and SI Butt were involved in the illicit sale of seized narcotics. The drugs in question had been recovered during an operation on December…
*** ### Domestic Security and Crime Investigations Security forces registered significant success with the recovery of 14 passengers who had been abducted from a bus traveling from Sadiqabad to Quetta. This operation contrasts with heightened investigative activity in Karachi following a high-profile incident in Malir Alfalah. Police are currently probing a reported home invasion where the victim alleges two women and one man carried out a robbery. The victim claims gold jewelry was stolen and that she sustained knife wounds during the incident. While CCTV footage confirms the entry of a man and two women on a motorcycle into the…
*** ### Political Retort Ignites Local Governance Debate Sindh Government Spokesperson Sadia Javed has issued a sharp rebuttal to Federal Minister Mustafa Kamal, accusing him of turning his recent public address into a platform for self-aggrandizement. In an official statement, Javed criticized Kamal’s press conference, stating he had used the forum to portray himself as an “angel.” She challenged him to review historical records, asserting that his tenure coincided with a period when Karachi was a “dangerous and terrifying city.” Javed defended the current provincial government’s performance, emphasizing the stabilizing role of the 18th Constitutional Amendment. She stated that the…
### Federal Governance and Key Appointments Lieutenant General (Retired) Hassan Azhar Hayat has been appointed as the Managing Director (MD) of the Pakistan Land Port Authority (PLPA). The Cabinet Division issued the official notification of the three-year appointment following approval from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Lt Gen (R) Hayat will serve on the MP-I scale, receiving corresponding salary and benefits. In a separate development, Zafar Hijazi officially assumed the office of Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) in Islamabad after being administered the oath by President Asif Zardari. ### Internal Security and Law Enforcement Roundup Security operations yielded positive results as all…
*** ## Body ### Security, Law Enforcement, and Crime **Mianwali Toll Plaza Staff Booked for Assault** A significant incident of violence has prompted a police investigation in Mianwali. Staff at the Jinnah Barrage Dā’ūd Khel Toll Plaza reportedly assaulted a car driver after the individual requested a discount on the toll tax. Footage of the violence has surfaced, identifying the victim as a resident of Islamabad. Eyewitness accounts indicate the driver had inadvertently crossed the plaza four times, paying the requisite tax each instance, but was attacked when he requested a concession on the final pass. Police officials confirmed that…
*** ## Political Disillusionment Hits PTI Ranks, Minister Alleges Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, has leveled sharp criticism against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), asserting that the party’s core voter base is experiencing significant disillusionment, leading to widespread apathy. Speaking on the Geo News program *Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Ke Saath*, Minister Tarar alleged that the PTI’s calls for public mobilization are now largely ineffective, noting that even in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where the party holds power, political rallies in major cities like Peshawar and Kohat are failing to draw crowds. He stated plainly: “The PTI voter has become…
*** Senior political discourse in Pakistan was rocked by sensational claims made by veteran journalist Kamran Yousuf during his appearance on ‘Geo News’ program, ‘Capital Talk.’ Yousuf alleged that former Director-General of the ISI, General (R) Faiz Hameed, harbored ambitions far exceeding the role of Army Chief. Yousuf claimed General Hameed sought to emulate the political leadership models of China and Russia by assuming the presidency, and was allegedly planning to remove the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to usher in a presidential system of governance. Further compounding these revelations, Barrister Danial Chaudhry, Parliamentary Secretary for the Federal Government,…
