ISLAMABAD: Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) President Mehmood Khan Achakzai announced on Monday in the National Assembly that he is willing to engage in talks with the “establishment” to uphold the supremacy of the Constitution and help resolve the country’s ongoing crisis. His unexpected statement came in response to a speech by Defence Minister and PML-N leader Khawaja Asif, who had asked if Mr. Achakzai, nominated by the opposition PTI for dialogue, would agree to such talks. In his address, Mr. Achakzai emphasized that he would negotiate with all institutions, including the establishment, but not to seek their guidance. Instead,…
Author: Hasnain Abid Khanzada
ISLAMABAD: The government on Monday presented two separate bills in the Senate—one to regulate public gatherings in Islamabad, ahead of the PTI’s planned rally on September 8, and another to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court to address a case backlog. Both bills faced opposition from PTI lawmakers, who criticized the proposed legislation. The first bill, titled the ‘Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill 2024,’ aims to empower the district magistrate to regulate and potentially ban public gatherings in Islamabad. Under the bill, event organizers would be required to apply for permission at least seven days before…
ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan criticized federal ministers for frequently bringing up the May 9 events whenever his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), suggests dialogue, but reiterated his openness to talks, even with the current government. However, he emphasized his preference for engaging in dialogue with those who have enabled the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to come to power, hinting at the establishment, rather than with the government itself, which he considers unproductive. Speaking to the media after a court hearing on the Toshakhana reference on Monday, Mr. Khan mocked the PML-N, stating that while they initially campaigned to “respect…
GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan Awami Action Committee organized a protest rally on Monday, denouncing the alleged misuse of the Anti-Terrorism Act and cybercrime laws by the government to suppress dissent and restrict freedom of expression in the region. The rally, led by GB Awami Action Committee Chairman Advocate Ehsan Ali, Baltistan Division President Najaf Ali, and senior leaders Baba Jan and Mumtaz Nagri, saw participants marching along River View Road before gathering at the Central Press Club of Gilgit. Addressing the rally, the committee leaders accused the government of using the Anti-Terrorism Act and cybercrime laws to file fabricated cases against…
ISLAMABAD: The spouse of the former Lal Masjid cleric, Umme Hassan, along with 40 female students and other individuals, has been charged with multiple offenses, including terrorism, the police reported on Monday. The case was filed at Lohi Bher police station under Section 11-X of the Anti-Terrorism Act and various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), including 148, 149, 353, 186, 341, 440, 188, 506(ii), and 427. According to the police, students from Jamia Hafsa, led by Umme Hassan and accompanied by armed men, gathered in Bahria Town Phase 4, blocking the road and chanting slogans against the government…
Over the past day, five children have died in Balochistan, and four people lost their lives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as monsoon rains continue to wreak havoc across Pakistan, officials reported on Tuesday. The ongoing showers, along with the remnants of Cyclone Asna, have caused widespread damage and increased the death toll across the country. Since July 1, 39 people have died in rain-related incidents in Balochistan alone, according to Younus Mengal, head of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). Among the deceased are 19 children, with five fatalities occurring on Monday in separate incidents. The PDMA also reported that a…
On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome met in Islamabad to discuss the protection of Afghan refugees and asylum seekers in Pakistan, along with other bilateral issues, according to a statement from the U.S. Embassy. Pakistan currently hosts a large number of Afghan immigrants, with an estimated 1.7 million undocumented as of October 2023. Last year, the caretaker government announced the repatriation of all undocumented foreigners due to security concerns, a decision believed to target Afghan refugees, though officials later denied this. U.S. Mission spokesperson Jonathan Lalley stated that Ambassador Blome and Deputy Prime…
In August 2024, Pakistan witnessed a significant increase in terrorist activity, with 59 attacks recorded nationwide, up from 38 in the previous month. The incidents included 29 attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 28 in Balochistan, and two in Punjab, resulting in 84 deaths and 166 injuries, according to data from the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), an Islamabad-based think tank. Balochistan faced 28 terrorist incidents during the month, leading to 57 deaths and injuries to 84 others. The majority of these casualties were linked to a series of attacks orchestrated by the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) on August…
Sardar Akhtar Mengal, the chief of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), resigned from his position in the National Assembly on Tuesday. Mengal, who was elected as a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from Khuzdar (NA-256) in the general elections on February 8, cited the deteriorating situation in Balochistan as the reason for his resignation, which is yet to be formally accepted. In a letter addressed to National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, Mengal expressed his frustration over the continued marginalization and neglect of Balochistan by the Assembly. He lamented the lack…
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