ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) has emphasized the need for strict adherence to the Constitution and meaningful dialogue to enhance democratic governance in Pakistan. In a statement released on Thursday, PILDAT stressed that a strategic dialogue among all institutions and stakeholders is crucial for the health of Pakistan’s fragile democracy. The organization highlighted that such a dialogue, already delayed, is essential for the country’s democratic progress and stability. As the International Day of Democracy approaches on September 15, PILDAT noted that Pakistan’s democracy has faced persistent challenges due to interference from institutions lacking constitutional authority.…
Author: Hasnain Abid Khanzada
LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has called off its planned nationwide protest rallies scheduled for today (Friday), shifting its focus to a major rally in Lahore on September 22. Initially, the party had announced protests across the country in response to the detention of its lawmakers from Parliament House. However, following directives from PTI founder Imran Khan, the party decided to concentrate its efforts on the Lahore event, aiming to mobilize leaders, workers, and supporters from all regions, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Hammad Azhar, acting president of PTI Punjab, announced the postponement of the Friday protest via…
KARACHI: In a recent hearing at the Sindh High Court, two lawyers representing the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) presented conflicting statements regarding the status of the social media platform X, which has been banned since February. During the proceedings, which involved Chief Justice Mohammad Shafi Siddiqui and Justice Omar Sial, Ahsan Imam Rizvi, one of the PTA’s lawyers, claimed that the notification imposing the ban on X had been “withdrawn.” However, Abdul Moiz Jaferii, representing the petitioners, argued that access to X remained unavailable. When questioned by the bench, Saad Siddiqui, another PTA lawyer, admitted he was unaware of any…
ISLAMABAD: Experts at a roundtable discussion on Balochistan’s escalating security crisis warned that the government’s failure to engage meaningfully with Baloch dissidents is worsening the conflict. The roundtable, titled “Balochistan’s Escalating Security Crisis,” was hosted by the Islamabad Policy Institute (IPI) to review the situation and explore potential solutions for the province’s stability. The security situation in Balochistan has sharply deteriorated due to long-standing neglect, misrule, and repression. Analysts at the discussion emphasized that the ongoing deadlock is pushing insurgents towards more extreme forms of violence, highlighting the urgent need for a negotiated settlement. Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed criticized successive…
KARACHI: A sessions court in Karachi on Friday rejected the post-arrest bail application of Natasha Danish, the driver involved in the Karsaz road accident, in connection with a drug case. On August 19, Danish, while driving a speeding Toyota Land Cruiser, collided with three motorcycles and another car on Karsaz Road. The accident resulted in the deaths of 60-year-old Imran Arif and his 22-year-old daughter Amna, and injured three others. Danish was subsequently arrested and charged with manslaughter. Although Danish was granted bail in the murder case last week after the victims’ family pardoned her without any blood money, her…
ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Thursday dismissed the petitions filed by former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, seeking acquittal in the £190 million corruption case under the amended National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) of 1999. Imran Khan argued that the case against him was improperly initiated, claiming that the decisions made during a federal cabinet meeting were protected by law under the NAO. He contended that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had overstepped its jurisdiction by filing a reference based on allegations that he had chaired a cabinet meeting on December 3, 2019, during which a deed…
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday resolved the contempt proceedings against 34 television channels by accepting their unqualified apologies. The channels had committed to broadcasting their apologies during prime time and airing six paragraphs from the court’s June 28 order that issued show-cause notices. The court proceedings were attended by owners and senior executives of the media houses, with 26 executives represented by Faisal Siddiqui. The case, overseen by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and a four-judge bench, was initiated in response to the airing of inflammatory remarks by Senator Faisal Vawda and MNA Mustafa Kamal about…
The Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) reported on Friday that two terrorists were killed during an operation in Dera Ghazi Khan. The operation, which took place on Quetta Road, was conducted in response to intelligence about terrorist activities in the area. According to the CTD spokesman, the confrontation resulted in the deaths of two terrorists, who were reportedly killed by their own accomplices. Two other terrorists managed to escape under cover of darkness. The CTD recovered a significant cache of explosives, rifles, bullets, and a hand grenade from the militants’ hideouts. The militants were allegedly planning large-scale attacks on key installations…
ISLAMABAD: The recent raid by plainclothesmen inside the National Assembly to arrest PTI members prompted a rare show of unity among government and opposition lawmakers on Thursday. The joint condemnation led to a resolution that calls for changes to parliamentary rules and demands accountability for those responsible for the raid. In a bipartisan resolution approved by the upper house, lawmakers expressed outrage over what they described as an attack on the “prestige” of Parliament. The resolution, introduced by PTI leader Syed Shibli Faraz, condemned the “arbitrary abduction” of ten elected representatives from the Parliament premises and proposed amendments to safeguard…
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) overturned the anti-terrorism court’s (ATC) decision to grant an eight-day physical remand for PTI MNAs arrested earlier this week from the Parliament House. The arrests occurred late Monday night and into Tuesday morning, with at least ten PTI members detained over alleged involvement in violence at the September 8 Sangjani rally. The lawmakers taken into custody included Sher Afzal Marwat, Malik Amir Dogar, Ahmed Chattha, Zain Qureshi, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Zubair Khan Wazir, Awais Haider Jakhar, Syed Shah Ahad Ali Shah, Nasim Ali Shah, and Yousuf Khan Khattak. On Thursday, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq…
