Category: 1. Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif launched 10 million digital wallets for beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), terming it a historic milestone in Pakistan’s journey towards transparency, financial inclusion, and a cashless economy.

The prime minister symbolically inaugurated the system with a palm touch, in the presence of federal ministers, BISP leadership, and international development partners including GIZ. He congratulated BISP Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid, the BISP team, and all partner institutions for this “landmark decision that will safeguard genuine recipients and protect them from undue difficulties.” “This digital wallet system is, in its true sense, blessed by the soul of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, as it empowers BISP beneficiaries with safe, transparent, and direct access to financial assistance,” the PM stated.

He reaffirmed that BISP remains a significant initiative for poverty alleviation and employment generation, while urging continued efforts to expand its impact. Calling the launch “a great leap towards a cashless economy,” the prime minister recalled that during Ramazan, 78 percent of the relief package was successfully disbursed through digital channels—despite resistance from vested interests. “Cashless transactions are the pressing need of our times. They save time, reduce corruption, and increase efficiency, helping Pakistan progress rapidly,” he remarked.

He noted that he chaired multiple meetings on digitisation, despite early resistance and “indifferent attitudes” from some stakeholders, highlighting his commitment to shifting all government, business, and personal transactions to digital platforms. The prime minister also urged BISP leadership to integrate conditionalities into the programme, linking financial assistance to education and health. “If a family receives support, it should be conditional on all children attending school. Similarly, basic health compliance must be ensured. Only then will BISP become a true legacy benefiting millions,” he stressed. He called for shortening the current 8–10 month implementation cycle to just four months.

In conclusion, PM Shehbaz paid tribute to all stakeholders—including the State Bank of Pakistan, the Ministry of IT, Pakistani banks, and international development partners—for their contributions to this transformative initiative. “We are not just disbursing aid; we are raising an army of architects and workers to build the nation,” he said.

Earlier, BISP Federal Secretary Amir Ali Ahmed briefed the prime minister on the system’s rollout. He said ten million digital wallets will be created using beneficiaries’ CNICs, supported by biometric verification. He added that 10 million free SIM cards would also be distributed, with the first phase already underway in Hyderabad, Sukkur, and Rahim Yar Khan in partnership with Jazz/Mobilink.

BISP Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid described the launch as an “important and historic milestone” in Pakistan’s social protection journey. “This programme is a pathway to social and economic empowerment,” she said. She noted that linking benefits to women’s CNICs has provided them with recognition and inclusion in the national database. The digital wallets, she added, will “open further opportunities” and be complemented by digital literacy programmes for women unfamiliar with technology.

Chairing a meeting on the National Industrial Policy, the PM said the government was working on a priority basis to enhance industrial production and find sustainable solutions to the challenges faced by industries.

The prime minister emphasised that industry played a central role in boosting national exports. “Our top priority is to develop an export-oriented economy through the growth of industries and by equipping domestic manufacturing units with world-class manpower and modern technology,” he stated. He directed the relevant officials to consult all stakeholders while formulating the National Industrial Policy. The meeting was briefed on proposals related to the upcoming industrial policy.

The meeting was attended by senior cabinet members, advisors, and representatives from the business community. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday honoured three local heroes from Gilgit-Baltistan for their life-saving efforts during the recent floods in Ghizer district.

The three men — shepherds Sher Wali, Shakir Hussain, and Farmanullah — helped save around 300 lives by issuing timely warnings to villagers ahead of the disaster. In recognition of their bravery, the Prime Minister awarded each of them Rs2.5 million in cash.

The three men, who alerted villagers ahead of the devastating flood, met the Prime Minister in Islamabad along with PML-N Gilgit-Baltistan President and former chief minister Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman. “These shepherds did what no technology or government machinery could do at that critical moment — they saved lives by putting their own at risk,” Rehman told The News after the meeting. “Their example will always be remembered in Gilgit-Baltistan’s history.” The premier praised their bravery, describing their actions as “a model of selfless service.”

in a statement, Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq, said the provincial government is grateful to the prime minister for acknowledging the shepherds’ sacrifice and timely action. “On behalf of the provincial government, we extend heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for recognising the heroic efforts of these brave men,” Faraq said. “Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan had already directed us to announce awards for the shepherds, and it is a matter of pride that their sacrifice has now been recognised at the national level.” The spokesperson further mentioned that Hunza’s Karimullah Baig and Nasir from Chitorkhand Dain also played a vital role in saving dozens of lives during the floods. He said the provincial government will host a special ceremony at the CM Secretariat to honour them as well.

SHANGLA: Two more bodies were recovered on Monday, taking the toll from the recent flash floods in Shangla district to 31.

Rasool Khan Sharif, spokesperson for Rescue 1122, told Dawn that seven persons had been washed away in the flooding from Shati Dara area of Puran tehsil on August 15.

He said the bodies, including that of a woman, were recovered from the River Indus, and handed over to families after an identification procedure.

Rescue 1122 spokesperson said search operation for the remaining five persons was continuing despite heavy rain.

Meanwhile, deputy commissioner Mohammad Fawad Khan, in a statement, said flash floods and landslides triggered by a fresh rain spell had hit Yakhtangay, Drad and Kana areas.

He said eight houses collapsed in three different villages. However, no human losses were reported.

He said 37 cattle heads also perished in the landslides in the Olandar Takai area of the Kana tehsil.

Heavy rain coupled with thunderstorm continued to lash across the district for the second consecutive day on Monday, disrupting electric supply in several areas.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2025

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Privatisation was informed on Monday that the government will ensure the payment of Rs27 billion in dues to employees and vendors of the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) in two phases following its closure.

Chaired by Dr Muhammad Farooq Sattar, the committee was told that the closure of USC had been finalised, but safeguarding the rights of the app­roximately 11,000 workers was the government’s top priority. The committee sought a detailed breakdown of the outstanding dues to be paid to employees and vendors, which the Privatisation Commission was asked to submit at the next meeting.

The committee was also briefed that while USC had operated profitably when subsidies were being provided, the withdrawal of these subsidies had led to operational losses. Committee members expressed serious concerns over the privatisation of USC, emphasising that continuing with the closure process despite the committee’s recommendations was highly alarming.

In response, the Privatisation Commission’s secretary inf­ormed the committee that the due diligence process for the privatisation of Pakistan Inter­national Airlines Corporation Ltd (PIACL) had already begun, with several business houses expressing interest. The privatisation process for PIA is expected to be completed by the last quarter of 2025.

Govt commits Rs27bn in dues clearance to employees, vendors

The committee directed that the process be conducted transparently and asked the Privatisation Commission to present a list of members of the privatisation board at the next meeting.

On the ongoing issue of electricity loadshedding, the committee expressed concern over the situation across the country. The committee was informed that there is no electricity shortfall, but load management is being carried out. Feeders experiencing electricity theft or excessive line losses are subjected to load management.

The committee advised that instead of imposing load-shedding on entire feeders, electricity should be disconnected only for those areas or consumers found involved in theft or causing excessive losses.

Additionally, the committee recommended that the Minister for Power hold regional meetings with members of the National Assembly to address public issues in their constituencies and take concrete actions to resolve them.Following a briefing on Pakistan Engineering Company (PECO), the committee instructed the government to resolve the company’s issues.

The committee advised that efforts should first focus on restoring PECO, but if that proves unfeasible, privatisation should be considered. The committee also directed an inquiry into the irregularities during the tenure of former Managing Director Mairaj Anees Ariff and requested a detailed report on the matter.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2025

• Spokesperson says New Delhi relayed warning via ‘diplomatic channels’
• Pakistan notified of high flood in held Jammu’s Tawi River that flows into Chenab

ISLAMABAD: After India shared a flood warning with Pakistan via diplomatic channels instead of under the Indus Waters Treaty, Islamabad took exception to the move and asked New Delhi to comply with the treaty.

The development was shared by the Foreign Office in a statement on Monday. FO Spokesperson Shahfqat Ali Khan said: “On August 24, 2025, India communicated flood warnings through diplomatic channels, rather than through the IWC as required under the IWT.”

Under paragraph 8 of Article IV of the IWT, “each party agrees to communicate to the other party, as far in advance as practicable, any information it may have in regard to such extraordinary discharges of water from reservoirs and flood flows as may affect the other party”.

“We reaffirm that India is obligated to fully comply with all provisions of the treaty. India’s unilateral declaration to hold the treaty in abeyance constitutes a serious violation of international law and could have significant negative consequences for peace and stability in South Asia,” Dawn.com reported.

It reported that a communiqué on Sunday from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad notified the government of a high flood in Jammu’s Tawi River that flows into the Chenab River. At present, Chenab is at risk of high to very high flooding amid torrential rainfall across Punjab.

Under paragraph 8 of Article IV of the IWT, “each party agrees to communicate to the other party, as far in advance as practicable, any information it may have in regard to such extraordinary discharges of water from reservoirs and flood flows as may affect the other party”.

An Indian government source told Reuters on Monday that New Delhi had shared the warning on possible cross-border flooding on “humanitarian grounds” and not under the IWT. The Indian High Commission in Islamabad shared the warning following heavy rains in occupied Kashmir, the source said.

India in April held the IWT in abeyance following the attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 — an incident New Delhi blamed on Islamabad without evidence. Pakistan termed any attempt to suspend its water share an “act of war”, noting the IWT had no provision for unilateral suspension.

In June, Pakistan welcomed the decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague to issue a “Supplemental Award of Competence” in the Indus Waters case, stating that India cannot unilaterally hold the treaty in abeyance. According to the statement by the PCA, the court found that it was not open to India to unilaterally suspend the IWT or hold it in abeyance.

“The Court first considered the terms of the Treaty (IWT), which do not provide for the unilateral ‘abeyance’ or ‘suspension’ of the treaty; rather, according to its terms, the treaty continues in force until terminated with the mutual consent of India and Pakistan,” the press release read.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2025

• KCF convener stresses need for strong political will to fix most basic problems
• City can’t handle even 10mm of rains with choked drains, says urban planner

KARACHI: Expressing serious concerns over the way the metropolis has been governed for the past several decades, civil society representatives said on Monday that the death, devastation and public chaos Karachi experiences with every monsoon have more to do with bad governance — corruption, inefficiency and absence of political will — rather than climate change.

The civil society held a press conference under the platform of the Karachi Citizens’ Forum (KCF) at the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) House, where one of the speakers emphasised the need for what he called a supra provincial body to run Karachi.

Describing the situation as “depressing”, the speakers said that cost-efficient solutions to urban flooding were available and that there was no dearth of skilled and talented manpower in the city to implement them to help minimise rain damages.

“We need a strong political will to fix the city’s most basic problems. The continued official neglect towards the sewerage and drainage system has led to a situation where monsoons have become a source of fear and devastation,” said KCF convener Nargis Rehman.

She urged the civic authorities to learn from other countries and improve city’s fragile civic infrastructure.

The city, she pointed out, was run by 21 different agencies that took action only after damage, adding that the Met department’s warnings of heavier than usual rains were ignored this year, too, and timely steps, including cleaning of choked drains, were not taken.

Highlighting flaws, urban planner and researcher Muhammad Toheed stated that there was no question of flooding in Karachi, if its geology, natural slope and terrain had been considered in its growth and development.

“The city has 38 big drains and over 500 small drains. The operational maintenance of most of these drains is the responsibility of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC). The problem started in 1996 when the [then] Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) turned the big storm water drains, meant for discharge of rainwater, into sewer channels, instead of upgrading its network.

“Furthermore, storm water drains were heavily encroached upon and narrowed down, reducing their capacity. The path of these channels was completely ignored in the construction of development projects, including flyovers, underpasses and Bus Rapid Transit ventures, resulting in flooding in many areas.”

‘Drains being used for dumping solid waste’

Another problem, he said, was using storm water drains for dumping solid waste. “Hence, the KMC, KWSB and Sindh Solid Waste Management Board, all need to collaborate to tackle the issue.”

Citing a World Bank report that states Karachi has the capacity to handle 30mm to 40mm rain, Mr Toheed said the city would have this capacity with cleaned and not choked drains. “In the present situation, the city can’t handle even 10mm of rains,” he remarked.

Giving examples of other global cities, Mr Toheed said they adopted different strategies, including establishment of deep tunnels and underground flood water diversion systems and making use of latest drainage technology.

“First of all, we need to have a proactive approach. Second, we should think of harvesting rainwater and replenishing our underground water reservoirs, given the fact that the city faces serious water scarcity. We can take a cue on this from Lahore where three million gallons of rainwater is now collected in tanks,” he said.

He warned that there might not be water tankers after five years in the city, while citing example of Gulshan-i-Rafi in Malir where water table had gone down to 600 feet.

‘Supra provincial body’

Senior journalist Mazhar Abbas said he saw no hope for the city, given the fact that Karachi was not in the government priority list and corruption marred all state departments.

According to him, the rampant illegal construction of high-rises without first devising a system for sewerage and drainage and encroachments of drains, has destroyed the city.

Retired Justice Shaiq Usmani spoke of the need for setting up a “supra provincial body”, representing all sectors, overseeing Karachi’s administration.

In their remarks, Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro of the PMA and Dr Qaiser Sajjad of KCF said that the present situation was a man-made disaster.

“It’s time for action. We need to invest in a robust, modern drainage system. We need to enforce strict anti-encroachment laws and set up a sustainable waste management system,” Dr Shoro said.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2025

TOBA TEK SINGH: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faisalabad on Monday sentenced key PTI leaders Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz and Zartaj Gul and 72 others to up to 10 years’ imprisonment and ordered the confiscation of their properties for their invol­vement in an attack on former interior minister and PML-N leader Rana Sana­ullah Khan’s house during the May 9, 2023 riots.

While pronouncing the verdict, Judge Javed Iqbal Sheikh of the ATC also acquitted 34 others, including former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry who quit the PTI in the wake of the May 9 riots and PTI MNA Makhdoom Shah Zain Qureshi, for want of evidence.

Among the convicts, 59 opposition party leaders and workers, including Om­ar Ayub, Zartaj Gul, Shibli Faraz, Ka­n­wal Shozeb, MPA Rai Murtaza Iqbal, MNAs Rai Hassan Nawaz, Sheikh Rashid Sha­fiq (nephew of former federal minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad), ex-minister Ashraf Khan Sohna, Farkhunda Kokab and Muhammad Ahmad Cha­tha, were awa­rded 10-year jail terms, while 16 others including, MPA Sheikh Shahid Javed, were sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.

Just like other lawmakers who were disqualified after their recent convictions in May 9 cases, the members of national and provincial assemblies convicted in Rana Sanaullah’s house attack case will automatically be disqualified under Article 63 of the Constitution.

Reacting to the court decision, PTI Inf­o­r­mation Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram called it “nothing more than brazen political victimisation”, aimed at muzzling the voices of PTI leaders, workers and supporters. He said they had committed no crime, yet they were being punished “solely for standing firmly against unconstitutional measures, the trampling of laws, gross human rights violations, the paralysis of state institutions, and the suppression of free speech”.

On July 31, the Faisalabad court convicted over 100 PTI leaders and workers in three similar cases registered by different police stations.

PTI legal team head Malik Khalid Shafiq told Dawn that 17 of the PTI leaders were sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment on July 31 in the three similar cases registered under same sections. He argued that the ATC violated Section 403 of the CrPC and Article 13 of Constitution, which did not allow double conviction for same offence, pointing out that he had moved an application in this regard.

Vowing to move Lahore High Court against the convictions, Advocate Shafiq said there was no evidence against any convict, claiming that it was either Rana Sanaullah’s ego or simply government’s directions to get the PTI parliamentarians disqualified that “illegal sentences” were being awarded.

Also, the PTI denounced the “political victimisation”, declaring that the party would relentlessly continue its struggle for rule of law, constitutional supremacy, and genuine democracy — come what may.

Zartaj Gul, Omar Ayub react

In separate posts on X, Zartaj Gul and Omar Ayub claimed they were innocent, following the court verdict.

Gul contended that the verdict was based on the argument that she was present in a Zaman Park meeting on May 7, 2023, where protest plans were reportedly made, but she was in her Dera Ghazi Khan constituency on that day, “attending a fateha, inauguration, wedding and other events”.

Ayub said he was never there outside Sanaullah’s house and the prosecution witnesses had not named him. “In addition, these prosecution witnesses’ testimony was rejected by ATC Sargodha last year. These prosecution witnesses were branded as liars by the ATC Sargodha judge. This brings the total jail sentences against me to 40 years.”

Ikram Junaidi in Islamabad also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2025

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Information and Culture, Azma Bokhari, has categorically rejected the fake list circulating on social media related to the official visit to Japan, calling it “a complete pack of lies.”

She stated that Pakistan and Japan are entering a new and promising era of diplomatic cooperation, but unfortunately, certain anti-national elements are trying to malign this relationship with disinformation and propaganda.

Azma Bokhari emphasized that after 25 years, for the first time, a woman Chief Minister has made a historic visit to Japan, and the malicious campaign against this milestone is nothing short of a shameful act of hostility against the country’s progress.

Clarifying the facts, she stated that the individuals mentioned in the social media list were not part of the official government delegation. Only officially nominated delegates had their expenses covered by the government, while all others covered their own costs privately.

She further said that those pained by Pakistan’s cooperation with Japan in urban development, technology, and youth skills enhancement must accept that the nation is moving forward.

She said, by the grace of Almighty Allah, Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif remains dedicated to the progress of the people and the province. The opposition has nothing to offer except falsehood and propaganda; they can have that ‘honor’ to themselves. Just like in the past, the envious will continue to burn in their own frustration,” Azma concluded.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

How do we feel about conspiracy theories? As a nation, we seem quite fond of them. They have rescued many a weary family gathering by dividing drawing rooms into passionate camps. Remember the COVID-era favourite? The ‘Amreekan’ government injecting Pakistanis with microchips under the guise of vaccines.

Ready for a new one?

Our legislature recently passed the Digital Nation Act 2025. Most commentators view it through the crypto lens: legalising trading and exchanges, perhaps issuing a digital currency, possibly even holding crypto reserves to hedge the dollar. Fair enough; these possibilities feel necessary given the economic chaos of the last half-decade. But the Act itself is far more ambitious. It aims to ‘leverage the transformative power of digital technologies, responsible use of data… to accelerate sustainable economic development, improve citizen well-being, and modernise governance frameworks.’

Crypto disrupted finance. AI, however, is reshaping everything: decision-making, automation, even human interaction. If the Act is serious about digital transformation, then AI, not merely crypto, must be central. To drive this, the Act establishes three institutions: the National Digital Commission for strategy, the Pakistan Digital Authority for execution, and an Oversight Committee for accountability. It also leans heavily on ‘data’: a National Data Strategy, data governance, data exchange layers. The message is clear: data will be regulated to realise the Act’s lofty goals. And here comes the trouble.

Despite all the talk of data, Pakistan still lacks a comprehensive data protection law. The Pakistan Data Protection Bill 2020 came and went. The 2023 Bill remains stalled. The 2020 draft was more rights-centric, the 2023 more state-centric. Both drew inspiration from Europe’s GDPR, often called the global gold standard. Yet, without enactment, Pakistan relies on patchwork: the Electronic Crimes Act 2016, Telecom Consumer Protection Regulations 2009, and the Payments Act 2007. We are all familiar with data privacy scandals: Cambridge Analytica, Meta, Google’s settlement in the United States. Closer to home, NADRA’s leaks between 2019 and 2023. These underscore the importance of treating personal data like the digital equivalent of the home: inviolable, private, integral to one’s dignity.

But here is the paradox: AI thrives on data. Big, messy, diverse datasets fuel learning and refinement. The larger the dataset, the better the model. Training modern AI has essentially meant scraping oceans of the internet; text, images, social media posts, usually without individual consent. Regulate too early and one throttles the very thing one hopes to grow.

Consider the global chronology. In the United States and China, large-scale AI development surged before serious privacy laws came into force. Europe, meanwhile, embraced GDPR in 2018 and championed consent, erasure, portability rights. The GDPR approach was principled, yes, but heavy-handed. Since then, the United States has attracted billions in AI investment and trained multiple foundational models such as GPT, PaLM, and Gemini. China, too, forged ahead with its own. Europe? It has world-class researchers and papers, but far fewer foundational models to show. The link is hard to miss: regulate early, innovate late.

This is not an argument against privacy. It is an argument about timing. Overregulation, especially before building robust digital infrastructure, can stifle experimentation and tilt the playing field towards incumbents with lawyers and cloud budgets. Pakistan’s digital ecosystem is fragile. Registries are patchy, datasets uneven, APIs scarce. Heavy data laws here would impose compliance burdens without delivering the promised benefits. The likely outcome is predictable: incumbents survive, while startups die before product market fit.

Ronald Coase, the economist, helps clarify this. His famous theorem argued that with low transaction costs and well-defined rights, markets self-correct without heavy intervention. Overregulation, in contrast, distorts incentives and raises costs disproportionately for small players. Contrast Pakistan with the United States. The US built AI in a light-regulation era, only now tightening the screws. Europe regulated early, and lags. If Pakistan mimics Europe prematurely, it risks bearing the costs without reaping the protections.

So why push Pakistan to regulate now? Perhaps because the global North discovered the sanctity of personal data only after feasting on it for decades. Having mined oceans of unregulated content to build AI, they now export glossy white papers urging the developing world to adopt tight regulation, effectively pulling up the ladder. The parallel with environmental regulation is instructive. The West industrialised first, polluting and profiting freely, only later discovering green principles. Now developing countries are told to cap emissions from day one. China’s rebuttal has long been simple: development first, regulation after.

Is this a conspiracy?

Is this the ‘Amreeka inserting microchips’ moment to stall and detract us from leveraging the full potential of digital technology? Not in the shadowy sense, but the optics are familiar. Those who broke the rules are now writing them. We are being told, only now, that data privacy is the mark of a liberal, progressive, democratic society. And at the same time, the world leaders are getting more and more transactional. The US flagged the sale of NVIDIA chips to China as a national security risk, fearing it might boost China’s AI. Yet now, by paying the US a 15% levy on those sales, NVIDIA and AMD are free to conduct business. Now that the world is getting transactional, should we and could we afford to grow a conscience?

None of this is to argue for regulatory nihilism. Privacy matters for autonomy, dignity, and democracy. But Pakistan must be context-sensitive and innovation-aware. The prudent path is sequence, not symmetry. Begin with minimal baseline protections: breach notifications, purpose limitation, security-by-default. Create sandboxes for AI and emerging technologies. Encourage public–private data partnerships that build trust without blocking access. Invest urgently in digitising priority datasets and building consent and exchange layers. Tighten to GDPR-like obligations only after the infrastructure—the “rails”—exists. In short: regulation should follow innovation, not precede it.

And so, we return to conspiracy theories. Imagine this: the real conspiracy is that regulation, dressed as privacy and responsibility, is the global North’s way of ensuring Pakistan never gains its full economic potential. Say that at your next Sunday brunch, and watch the drawing room erupt. For the record: I do not actually believe it is a conspiracy. But if calling it one gets us to think harder about sequencing, innovation, and sovereignty, then perhaps it is worth the drama.

Daraab W. Furqan
The writer is a Lawyer at Crown 1207 LLP.

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 26 (ANI): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has granted temporary relief to 18 Afghan nationals facing deportation after their Proof of Registration (PoR) cards expired, according to a report by Khaama Press.

Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar issued the directive in response to petitions filed by the individuals, who, as per Khaama Press, are reportedly linked to the family of the late Fazlur Rahman. Rahman had sought Pakistani citizenship in 2008 after completing the legal requirements. The ruling prevents their deportation until further orders, while notices have been issued to the Interior Ministry, the Immigration Department, and the Federal Investigation Agency.

The order comes at a time when Pakistan is moving ahead with its “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan,” under which Afghan refugees holding PoR cards that expired on June 30 were directed to leave voluntarily between August 4 and August 31. Deportations are set to begin from September 1, raising fears among refugees and rights groups.

Human rights bodies and the UNHCR have voiced concern that forced returns could violate the principle of non-refoulement. Rights advocates warn that such measures will deeply impact Afghan families who have lived in Pakistan for decades and built strong community ties. While the IHC’s decision provides a reprieve to a small group, it underscores the broader uncertainty faced by over a million PoR cardholders who remain vulnerable to expulsion.

In parallel with the court proceedings, authorities have intensified enforcement. Police in Peshawar, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have been conducting coordinated operations to identify undocumented Afghan migrants. According to Khaama Press, a significant number of migrants have been detained in recent days, with officials also claiming to have seized weapons and narcotics. The operations, carried out in areas including Kacha Garhi, Nasir Bagh, and Regi, are part of a wider crackdown on Afghans without valid documents.

Reports further indicate that Pakistan’s campaign has accelerated in recent months, with arrests and deportations often involving house-to-house searches. The suspension of visa renewals for Afghan nationals for over a month has compounded the problem, leaving many previously legal residents undocumented and at risk of removal.

Adding to these measures, the federal government announced on August 13 the formation of a special committee comprising police and intelligence officials to track and repatriate Afghans holding PoR cards. This committee has been tasked with gathering and sharing data across agencies to facilitate enforcement actions.

Meanwhile, the UNHCR has expressed concern that Pakistan’s stringent policies have left thousands of Afghans homeless, with many alleging threats, coercion, and mistreatment by law enforcement agencies. Rights advocates caution that the continuation of such actions risks deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis, forcing vulnerable Afghan families into greater displacement, loss of livelihood, and insecurity. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)