***
Minister of State for Interior, Senator Talal Chaudhry, delivered an aggressive statement on national accountability, asserting that the recent severe action taken by the military against its own top personnel proves that the era of institutional immunity is over.
Speaking to the media, Chaudhry declared that the consequences of this internal punishment will extend widely, signaling that figures like former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar and the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will also face the law.
**Demand for Comprehensive Accountability**
Responding to a query from Geo News regarding whether former Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa should also be held accountable, the Minister maintained that the military institution has definitively answered this question by conducting a robust internal inquiry, emphasizing that the process will spare no individual.
Chaudhry pressed the judiciary to mirror the military’s decisiveness and accelerate the dispensation of justice, particularly referencing pending cases such as the May 9 riots. He highlighted the “meaningful” concluding paragraph of the institution’s press release concerning the recent verdict, urging the judiciary to undertake internal scrutiny before being subjected to external scrutiny.
The Minister issued a strong warning that the law will actively pursue those responsible for instigating chaos in areas including Adiala Jail, and stressed that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government will be prohibited from misusing state resources to further political instability.
**The ‘Collusion’ and Political Fallout**
Talal Chaudhry reserved his sharpest criticism for the relationship between the PTI founder and former ISI Director General Faiz Hameed, stating emphatically that without the assistance of Hameed while in office, the PTI founder’s government would never have materialized.
“When will the decisions regarding May 9 be finalized? Will they wait until the Day of Judgment?” he questioned, criticizing the slow pace of accountability for the political elements involved.
Chaudhry accused the PTI founder of replicating the disruptive tactics previously employed by the founder of the MQM, noting that this “collusion” between powerful officers and politicians resulted in significant damage to the country.
“The architect behind these non-constitutional acts has been apprehended. Now, the beneficiaries, who stood to gain from this nexus, must also be brought to the dock,” he asserted, concluding that any politician who “crosses the red lines” will see their political career terminated.
***
## National Briefs: Governance, Economy, and Infrastructure
**Law and Order**
Police have reported several encounters in Punjab, including operations in Kamoke, Qila Didar Singh, Aimenabad, and Gujjakh. During one such exchange of fire, suspect Bilal Abbas was killed, and his body was subsequently transferred to a hospital.
**Infrastructure and Safety**
Severe fog blankets have necessitated the closure of multiple motorways across the country due to drastically impaired visibility. Sections affected include 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). Separately, a collision between a bus and a trailer on the M-4 near Khanewal resulted in the death of a bus hostess and injuries to four passengers. A passenger coach and a car also collided near the Billy Tang Oil Depot on Pindi Road in Kohat.
**Economic and Financial Oversight**
The Ministry of Finance announced that details of assets owned by high-ranking federal and provincial officers will be made publicly available on a website by the end of the next year, as scrutiny of their holdings continues.
In Lahore, a business owner engaged in selling motorcycles on installment plans faced a financial setback after accumulating Rs 2.3 million in outstanding traffic fines linked to vehicles purchased by customers.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Customs reported seizing gold and silver valued at over Rs 306 million over the past five months.
**Political and Party Dynamics**
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is facing a significant financial crisis and has reportedly requested that every parliamentarian contribute 10% of their salary to sustain party operations.
Furthermore, Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal expressed serious concern over the 190% cost escalation and sluggish pace of the Karachi Yellow Line project over the last six years.
In Sindh, Umme Rubab Chandio spoke out against the “cancer” of the feudal system, asserting that it continues to negatively affect thousands of individuals across the province.
Finally, the political committee discussing key national issues now includes Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, with Khalid Khurshid and Sardar Qayyum Niazi representing Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, respectively.
