Pakistan’s opposition leader, Maulana Rajab Naser Abbas, has stated that the Peca Act has effectively throttled the freedom of expression in the country. In a media interaction, the opposition leader emphasized that whenever official channels fail to provide information, rumors start circulating, and the Peca Act has silenced the freedom of expression in Pakistan. Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Faisal Karim Kundi, stated that the issue of the Waziristan victims is not a matter of mere political rhetoric but requires a speedy solution. He added that media is being unduly pressured to omit the names of certain individuals or parties, and access to facts is essential. The Governor claimed that the Pemra notice issued was inappropriate, as people are already harassed, and Section 144 is imposed.
The opposition leader, Maulana Rajab Naser Abbas, expressed the view that Imran Mazari and Haider Ali Chattha should have been granted a free trial. The Islamabad High Court ordered the arrest and production of the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Saeed-ur-Rehman Afridi. Maulana Rajab Naser Abbas stated that if no questions are asked or criticism is not made, it would be a dictatorship. He emphasized that politicians should be held accountable; therefore, the judiciary, establishment, and all individuals should be accountable, and questions should be answered, and if there are mistakes, they should be corrected.
The Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court, Sardar Fazal-e-Rafique, presided over a meeting of the Justice Committee, which issued a statement. The court order stated that the grandson of the complainant had taken the car without his consent, leading to the unfortunate incident. The committee suggested reforms and phased-out abolition of the Super Tax on the basis of improved financial resources. MQM’s spokesperson stated that an inquiry commission should be established under the Commission of Inquiry Act 2017. The police said that a case was registered on the basis of the statement given by the deceased’s father, Sajid Hussain.
The case was registered under Section 322 of the Accidental Death Act. A meeting was held in Islamabad, presided over by the Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, in which she was briefed about the incident at the Mianwali Fort in Lahore. The briefing stated that the site of the incident was under construction, the mother and daughter were living with their relatives in Lahore, and the rescue teams had started their operation promptly. The spokesperson of the Education Department of Sindh stated that for the first time in the province, government schools are being strengthened administratively. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had a telephone conversation with the President of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi. Despite court decisions, a meeting was not held with the founder of PTI, and Sardar Shaukat Mehmood would write to the Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court to request a judicial inquiry into the incident.
At a ceremony, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that today’s event was of historical importance, and he congratulated the nation on this occasion. The leader of the Awami National Party, Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, stated that he was a spent cartridge, not an assembly member, and not holding any position in the party. Dr. Reza Amir, a senior minister of Sindh, stated at a press conference in Karachi that the Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court was being written to for judicial investigations.
