Category: 1. Pakistan

Peshawar [Pakistan], July 13 (ANI): Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday said there should be a “change” in the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, adding that it would be preferable if the change came from within the ruling party, Dawn reported.

Addressing a press conference in Peshawar, the JUI-F chief said, “My advice would be that there should be a change in the province but if the PTI is in the majority, then the change should be from within the majority of the PTI. If the same people come together to bring a change in the provincial government, then it will be better,” Dawn quoted him as saying.

According to Dawn, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had recently met two key leaders from the province, in what appeared to be an effort to assess the political situation. The PML-N-led federal coalition believes that the PTI government in KP has failed to deliver over the past decade and is increasingly unable to safeguard citizens. Meanwhile, the PTI has warned against any attempts to topple the provincial government, even through constitutional means.

Fazl said he preferred internal change within PTI rather than an effort by the opposition to bring down the government. “The majority of the province was ‘fake’ and a product of rigging,” he said, according to Dawn. However, he added, “It could not tolerate any political struggle or uncertainty, thus it would be better if there was a change from within the ruling PTI.”

On the province’s security situation, Fazl stated, “The common citizen’s life is insecure today,” Dawn reported. He added that if opposition parties reached out, the JUI-F would engage with them and may also try to convene an all-party conference to devise a joint strategy.

Speaking on the merger of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Fazl said, “We strongly opposed the merger when it was being done,” according to Dawn. He criticized the committee formed to bring reforms to ex-Fata for lacking KP representation. “From all the parties, only we have been asked for representatives for the committee, but we haven’t given our representatives,” he said, adding that the party would consult a grand tribal jirga scheduled for Sunday before making a decision.

Fazl also questioned the government’s motives behind revisiting the merger. “Is this decision an admission of the failure of the previous decision (Fata merger) or another ploy to gain access to the minerals of the area?” he asked, Dawn reported.

The JUI-F chief further stated, “If I was content with the federal government’s decisions, then I would have joined them. Both the federal and the provincial governments were a result of electoral rigging,” Dawn added.

Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi clarified that the committee on ex-Fata was not intended to reverse the merger. “The committee was formed when the prime minister and Field Marshal [Asim] Munir visited and a jirga was held,” he said at a press conference in Peshawar.

Dawn reported that Kundi explained, “The provincial government said that the jirga system that had ended in the merged districts should be revived, and this is what the committee was formed for.” (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.)

LAHORE:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Saturday gave a 90-day ultimatum to those at the helm of the affairs for the release of PTI founder Imran Khan with a do and die warning.

The remarks came during a high-profile gathering in Lahore, where parliamentary committees of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) from Punjab and K-P met to chalk out the party’s future course. The meeting marked what party leaders described as the formal launch of a renewed protest campaign focused on securing Khan’s release and resisting what they see as growing authoritarianism.

“Listen carefully, decision-makers — listen, custodians of the state — our 90 days begin today. on 91st day, it will be either us or you. Enough is enough,” Gandapur said while addressing the joint session while accusing “a handful of powerful individuals and parties” of hijacking the political system, likening them to a “mafia” that had entrenched itself over decades.

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The chief minister led participants in taking an oath to intensify efforts for Khan’s release, calling the incarcerated party founder “innocent” and imprisoned for “fighting for a better system and the future of this country.”

Criticising what he called the imposition of de facto martial law, Gandapur said such actions had “devastated our democracy,” and claimed they were eroding public trust in institutions.

“Those responsible feel no remorse. They use blackmail and violence as tools,” he alleged, adding: “I am the son and brother of a soldier. It is painful to see the reputation of our army being tarnished by a few individuals’ interference.”

The K-P CM reiterated that he took orders from no one but Imran Khan. “Even if threats are made, I will remain answerable only to the public and to my leader,” he said.

Addressing workers across the country, he urged party supporters to begin preparing for protests in their respective regions, encouraging local leadership to take the lead.

“We announce a movement, and our workers are abducted — this won’t go on,” he said. “Let me be clear, I will respond now, even if some in my own party disagree. If you shoot at me, be ready to be shot at too. If you act unlawfully, we will respond in kind.”

Responding to reports of alleged attempts to dislodge the PTI-led government in K-P, he said: “Go ahead, try to bring it down. You didn’t give us this government — we earned it through struggle and public support.”

Also Read: PM Shehbaz pledges economic turnaround through structural reforms

The gathering took place at a farmhouse on Raiwind Road in Lahore, shortly after the arrival of a convoy led by Gandapur and PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan from Islamabad.

Party sources said the meeting focused on legislative strategy, protest planning, and possible alliances between regional power blocs. Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar termed the Lahore meeting a “symbolic awakening” of the province, warning of sit-ins if the PTI’s political space continued to be restricted.

Earlier in the evening, a high-profile PTI convoy arrived in Lahore amid a heightened police presence, arrests of party workers, and escalating tensions with the Punjab government.

The convoy, which departed from Islamabad earlier in the day, arrived at the Raiwind Road farmhouse of former Deputy Senate Chairman Mirza Muhammad Afridi, located near the Sharif family estate in Lahore. A dinner and strategic meetings of PTI’s parliamentary committees were scheduled at the venue.

According to party insiders, the discussions were expected to center on protest planning and legislative responses to the recent suspension of PTI lawmakers from the Punjab Assembly. Given the prevailing political climate in both Punjab and K-P, the meeting is being viewed as politically significant. Talks are also expected to address future political strategy and the potential for alliances between regional power blocs.

Read More: Punjab speaker offers suspended PTI MPAs chance to present their case

The convoy’s arrival at Shahdara Morr was met with a heavy deployment of Punjab police. According to PTI sources, officers arrested four party workers, including Lahore-based ticket holder Engineer Yasir Gilani. Although Gilani was later released, the arrests fueled fresh accusations of political harassment by the PTI leadership. Media access to the site was restricted, and a scheduled press interaction was reportedly cancelled due to security concerns.

Addressing supporters prior to departure, Gandapur said the convoy symbolised peaceful solidarity with the 26 suspended PTI legislators. “This is not a protest in the conventional sense, but a democratic show of unity,” he said. “We bring with us a message of peace, brotherhood, and constitutional respect.”

He added that his government had formally notified the Punjab administration of their plans and travel route. “Our elected representatives are being silenced through unconstitutional and undemocratic tactics,” Gandapur said. “Political arrests will not derail our resolve to uphold democratic values and the public’s right to representation.”

Earlier in Jhelum, Gandapur stated that the leadership was formulating a roadmap to sustain the movement through at least August 5. “We want consensus through consultation. Our leadership and workers are in jail, but our commitment remains unwavering,” he said.

Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan affirmed that any announcement regarding the protest campaign would come directly from party founder Imran Khan. He said the Lahore visit was intended to meet party legislators and finalise the movement’s future direction within the law.

Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar welcomed the convoy in a video message, calling it a “symbolic awakening” of Punjab. “The people of Lahore are on the streets to welcome their leaders,” he said. “The government’s use of force to suppress this peaceful demonstration is unacceptable — even under authoritarian regimes.”

Bhachar warned that PTI is prepared to launch sit-ins if obstructed, and condemned what he described as growing political repression under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s administration.

Also Read: Punjab PTI MPAs face speaker’s reference

The backdrop to this political mobilisation is the June 27 suspension of 26 PTI lawmakers, following their protest during Maryam Nawaz’s address to the Punjab Assembly. Since then, thousands of PTI workers have reportedly been arrested or charged as the party ramps up its opposition to the provincial government’s policies and what it terms the “Form 47 mandate.”

“PTI has now formally launched its protest movement,” Bhachar declared. “Raids are underway across Punjab, and we are not afraid of these arrests. Our central leadership and parliamentary parties from K-P and Punjab are meeting in Lahore to finalise our course of action.”

QUETTA:

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has noted that the narrative being promoted at both national and international levels regarding province is often inconsistent with facts and requires correction to reflect a balanced and accurate perspective.

He urged human rights organisations to develop an impartial and fact-based understanding of Balochistan’s history, current realities, and overall situation.

Chief Minister Bugti shared these views during a meeting with a delegation from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Quetta on Saturday. The meeting involved detailed discussions on law and order, the human rights situation, and the province’s social development initiatives.

Bugti clarified that the accession of the State of Kalat to Pakistan was the result of a mutual agreement, not coercion. He alleged that certain groups deliberately distort historical facts to mislead those unfamiliar with the region’s true history.

Read More: Terrorists slaughter nine passengers

Referring to recent terrorist incidents, he strongly condemned the targeted killings of innocent passengers based on their identity, describing it as part of a broader agenda orchestrated by hostile foreign powers, particularly India.

He emphasised that these terrorist acts have nothing to do with a legitimate struggle for rights, but rather form part of an organised attempt to destabilise and divide Pakistan. “What kind of rights movement involves killing people based on their ethnic identity?” the chief minister asked, questioning the legitimacy of such violent actions.

Bugti further stated that the elements behind such attacks reject dialogue and openly speak about dividing Pakistan — a mindset, he stressed, that is unacceptable in any civilised state or society.

He reiterated that the state has a constitutional and legal responsibility to protect the lives and property of its citizens, and this obligation will be fulfilled under all circumstances.

A day earlier, terrorists belonging to the Fitna al-Hindustan killed at least nine passengers after abducting them from buses in the Loralai district of Balochistan, a district administration official and the provincial government spokesperson said.

Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said that the terrorists, who carried out this gruesome attack belonged to the “Fitna-al-Hindustan”. The term refers to India-funded terrorist organisations operating in Balochistan.

Also Read: Seven ‘India-backed terrorists’ killed in Balochistan

On the issue of missing persons, Bugti acknowledged the seriousness of the matter but noted that it is not exclusive to Balochistan — similar cases occur in other provinces of Pakistan and globally. However, he expressed concern that in Pakistan, there is a tendency to blame state institutions without presenting solid evidence.

He pointed out that in several verified cases, individuals initially labelled as “missing” were later found to be involved in serious terrorist activities.

An Islamabad district and sessions court on Saturday suspended a lower court’s order to block 27 YouTube channels to the effect of five more channels, a day after a similar halt on channels of two journalists.

It emerged on Tuesday that an Islamabad court had ordered YouTube last month to block 27 channels for disseminating “fake, misleading, and defamatory” content against the government and armed forces. The sanctioned accounts were being run by journalists, political commentators and social media in­­fluencers in Pakistan and overseas.

On Friday, an Islamabad district and sessions court admitted two revision petitions — submitted by journalists Matiuallah Jan and Asad Ali Toor — against the judicial magistrate’s order blocking 27 YouTube channels, suspending the ban for the two petitioners. Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Muhammad Afzal Majoka heard the two revision appeals and ordered the suspension in a one-page written order for each petition.

Six more of those affected had appealed against the lower court’s order today. ADSJ Majoka heard the case and granted similar relief to the following five individuals: Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Orya Maqbool Jan, Abdul Qadir, Uzair Anwar and Umair Rafique.

The court adjourned proceedings on Habib Akram’s application till July 14 due to the unavailability of the petitioner. As per the short orders, seen by Dawn.com, the petitioners contended that they were not even given a prior notice and that the ban violated Article 10-A of the Constitution. The judge agreed that no notices were issued to the petitioners before the blocking order was passed and the point needed further consideration.

The ban order sparked criticism from various legal and digital rights groups.

On Wednesday, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said that the owners of these channels would face criminal action.

The Forum for Di­­gital Rights and Democracy (FDRD) and the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Wed­n­esday condemned the decision, calling it a “bla­­tant violation” of fundamental rig­hts and an assault on press freedom.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has also expressed concern over the ban, stating, “The wholesale blocking of entire channels — rather than addressing specific instances of unlawful or hateful speech in accordance with due process — conflates dissent with criminal activity.”

“The constitutional right to freedom of expression is fundamental not only for individual liberty but also for ensuring government accountability, fostering debate and enabling the public to access a diversity of viewpoints,” the HRCP said, urging “precise and proportionate” interventions against hate speech.

On March 20, Farhan Mallick, the founder of media agency Raftar and a former news director at Samaa TV, was arrested in Karachi and booked under Peca as well as the Pakistan Penal Code in a case related to alleged anti-state content on his YouTube channel.

The arrest was met with widespread criticism from media bodies as well as rights activists.

He was granted bail in April in the many cases against him pertaining to allegedly “anti-state” content and data theft through a call centre.

In May, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority lifted the ban on X after the platform was inaccessible to users for more than a year. The social media platform was blocked in February 2024, around 10 days after the general elections, while the caretaker government was still in power.

The late Pakistani model and actor Humaira Asghar was laid to rest in Lahore on Friday. Her body was discovered in a decomposed state earlier this week in an apartment in Karachi. Her funeral was held in Model Town and witnessed only a small gathering. Humaira had been estranged from her family, who initially hesitated to claim her remains.

Police investigations indicated no suspicious circumstances surrounding Humaira’s death. Her body was discovered after her landlord filed a complaint over unpaid rent, according to a report in Arab News. “Humaira’s body is likely nine months old. She probably died between paying her last utility bills and when her electricity was disconnected in October 2024,” investigators told the publication.

The apartment showed signs of neglect, with “the jars had rusted, and food had expired six months ago,” they added.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Syed Asad Raza confirmed to the news portal, “As per Call Detail Record (CDR) the last call was made in October 2024.” This corroborates the timeline of her death as suggested by the post-mortem examination. Neighbours were unaware of her demise due to the vacant apartment next door and an open balcony door.”

Humaira’s brother, Naveed Asghar, travelled to Karachi to claim her body. He stated, “We have come here and, after fulfilling all the legal requirements, have received the dead body.” The family had distanced themselves from Humaira over the years.

Naveed shared, “That is why my father said that if there is any emergency, then you can bury her there [in Karachi].” Humaira had rarely visited the family in the past seven years, further complicating the emotional circumstances of her death.

The autopsy report was released to the police but the coroner could not determine the actor’s exact cause of death because of the level of decomposition. “We are awaiting the chemical examination and histopathological reports. However, it appears that no foul play was involved in this case,” police said on Saturday.

In the months preceding her death, Humaira was absent from social media and phone communications, which delayed the realisation of her demise.

(With inputs from PTI)

– Ends

PESHAWAR:

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday called for political change in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), suggesting that such a shift would be more appropriate if it came from within the ranks of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), which currently holds a majority in the provincial assembly.

Speaking at a press conference in Peshawar, the JUI-F leader said it was immaterial whether the change emerged from internal dynamics or external pressure — what mattered, he insisted, was that change was now imperative.

“If PTI claims to have a majority, then change must come from within,” he remarked. “It should not appear as though the opposition is engineering the removal of the provincial government.”

The JUI-F leader alleged that PTI’s mandate in the province was “artificial” and lacked genuine public support. He stressed that any internal restructuring within PTI would be a preferable path to political stability.

On the upcoming Senate elections, Fazl said consultations with other political parties were in their early stages and declined to comment further.

He also distanced himself from the federal government, stating, “If I had agreed with the government’s decisions, I would have been part of it. When seats in the assemblies were for sale during the elections, how could I align myself with such a government?”

Despite sharp criticism, he maintained that if the government were ever to face external aggression or conflict, he would stand with it in the national interest. “Even with a thousand grievances, we will stand in one row if war is imposed on the country,” he said.

JUI-F chief further expressed deep concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in K-P, warning that the province could no longer afford political and security instability.

“The ordinary citizen no longer feels safe. People hesitate before leaving their homes,” he said, calling for an all-parties conference to address the security crisis. He said the JUI-F would be open to dialogue with other opposition parties on this issue.

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Commenting on his own past tenure, he said peace prevailed during his government. “There were no checkpoints, and people moved freely. Parties may disagree, but there is no enmity among us,” he said.

Reiterating his longstanding opposition to the merger of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) into K-P, he criticised all political parties for what he called a hasty decision. “Everyone jumped into that stream, but we kept warning it wasn’t right. Now we must accept that it was a mistake,” he said.

He argued that reversing the merger would be in the national interest and questioned why the extension of judicial and administrative systems to the region had not materialised.

JUI-F chief also mentioned that a grand tribal jirga was scheduled for tomorrow and expressed respect for the tribal representatives participating in it.

Also Read: India forcibly deported nearly 1,900 Muslims after Pahalgam attack: report

Addressing the issue of provincial spending, Fazl criticised the K-P government for what he described as wasteful expenditures. “Our province’s funds are being used to appoint parliamentary secretaries and to finance luxuries. This is a government born out of rigging and extortion,” he claimed.

In response to a question about former prime minister Imran Khan’s incarceration, he said, “No politician should be in jail, though politicians do end up there. Our goal should be the progress and prosperity of the country.” He also remarked that there was no objection if the PTI founder’s children came to Pakistan.

JUI-F chief concluded by reiterating that his party would never seek power through undemocratic means. “Whether it’s the federal or provincial government, both are sold out. We don’t want power granted to us by the boots—we want the support of the people,” he added.