The Supreme Court on Wednesday scheduled hearings in former minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain’s May 9-related cases, after he personally appeared before Chief Justice Yahya Afridi.
Fawad was accompanied by his counsel, Advocate Faisal Chaudhry.
He contended that despite earlier court orders, his case had not yet been scheduled for hearing. Advocate Faisal added that if a larger bench was available, the case should have been placed before it.
The chief justice noted that justice must not be delayed and reiterated that cases should be disposed of within four months.
Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik on Wednesday warned that the government could deny entry to the sons of PTI founder Imran Khan if they travelled to Pakistan and “spread discord”.
Imran’s sons — Suleman Khan (28) and Kasim Khan (26) — had called attention to their father’s incarceration in a rare public appearance in May. Imran, imprisoned since August 2023, is serving a sentence at the Adiala Jail in the £190 million corruption case and also faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the May 9, 2023 protests. It was the first time the two had publicly talked about their father’s incarceration.
On Monday, Kasim uploaded a post on X calling for his father’s release, saying that the PTI founder had been imprisoned for 700 days and cut off from his family and even his personal physician.
Imran’s sister Aleema Khan told reporters a day ago outside Adiala Jail that the two would join an upcoming PTI protest movement. She claimed that the sons would go to the United States to present their father’s case before coming to Pakistan to join the movement.
Addressing the matter on Geo News programme ‘Capital Talk’, Malik said the government had no issue with Kasim and Suleiman entering Pakistan, provided they do not engage in protests or political activity.
Malik noted that, being British nationals, Kasim and Suleiman could not legally participate in Pakistani political activity. He alleged that the boys are “coming to spread discord and there is no permission for this”.
“If they intend to get a visa to visit Pakistan, the concerned authorities in the interior ministry will look at their purpose of visit … But their aunt (Aleema) said … that they are coming to join the PTI movement,” the minister asserted.
“We have no issue with them coming here, but we have an issue with them participating in political activity as foreign nationals.”
He further said: “I do not believe that they will actually come here … If they had any family values, they would have come to see their father earlier.”
Malik said the PTI needed to “perform a political stunt” and the party, Aleema and Imran were “using these boys as trump cards”. “This is their last option,” he added.
On a different note, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said while talking to reporters earlier today: “His children should come and get to know what their father has done with the country. It is a very good thing but they won’t come.”
However, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah stated in an interview on the ARY News show ‘Khabar’ a day ago that the sons could face arrest.
“Their coming here [will achieve nothing] except difficulties for them and then the UK Embassy will have to get them released and take them back.”
Questioned if he meant they could be arrested upon participation in the PTI protest, Sanaullah said: “Why won’t they be arrested? If they come here to lead a violent movement, then what will be the consequence of that?”
Asked about his supposing the movement to be violent, he said the PTI could no longer be trusted after the events of its past protests.
In an exclusive interview with Indian journalist Karan Thapar, PPP Chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday said the Indian public was “lied to” by New Delhi about Pakistan’s alleged involvement in the Pahalgam attack in occupied Kashmir.
The statement comes amid tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries in the wake of their recent military confrontation, sparked by New Delhi’s baseless allegations against Islamabad over the Pahalgam attack.
In an interview with The Wire’s Thapar, the PPP chief said that had Pakistan been involved in the attack, evidence would have surfaced and the perpetrators identified.
This is the first interview given by a Pakistani representative to Indian media since the military escalation.
“As far as the Pahalgam terrorist attack is concerned, Pakistan has been willing to be part of an impartial international investigation; your government refused that,” Bilawal said.
Notably, Bilawal led a delegation to present Pakistan’s case across the globe in the wake of the confrontation.
“To this day, the Indian government is not shared with Pakistan, with the international community, with the Indian public … who exactly are these individuals that were involved in this terrorist attack that are from Pakistan?”
When pressed on the issue, Bilawal said that if Pakistan was truly involved, the international community would endorse India’s perspective.
“It’s very uncomfortable for you that I point out the truth to the Indian public, that they have been lied to … that Pakistan was involved in this attack when we were not,” he asserted.
“The government has been unable to provide the evidence. That’s why during this war, the Indian media and the Indian government launched a campaign of disinformation to continue to bamboozle the people of India,” he added.
Last Friday, Bilal had told Al Jazeera that Pakistan had no objection to extraditing “individuals of concern” — namely Laskhar-i-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-i-Muhammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar — to India as a confidence-building measure, as long as New Delhi showed willingness to cooperate in the process.
Asked about Saeed and the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Bilawal highlighted that the LeT chief was in prison and that the Mumbai attack case was still ongoing.
The attacks of November 26, 2008, targeting the symbols of India’s economic capital, including luxury hotels, left 166 people dead and more than 300 injured.
“As far as Hafiz Saeed is concerned, the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba, he was sentenced to 31 years in prison for terrorist financing in April 2022 by Pakistan,” Bilawal said.
“As far as the Mumbai attack case is concerned, it’s absolutely true that the case is still sub judice. The frustration that the courts and the Pakistani government and legal system are having with achieving a conviction is that India is refusing to participate in the trial and produce the witnesses necessary to record their statements.”
Continuing his answer, Bilawal said, “I appeal to you that we need to work towards a place where Pakistan and India have that sort of relationship again, where we have that sort of cooperation, that we can deliver justice to the people of Mumbai.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed satisfaction over the record increase in remittances during the fiscal year 2024-25, according to Radio Pakistan.
The statement comes as the State Bank of Pakistan on Wednesday reported that workers’ remittances for the fiscal year 2024-25 reached a record high of $38.3 billion, marking an increase of $8 billion, or 26.6%, compared to the $30.3 billion received in the previous year.
Data revealed that Saudi Arabia ($823.2 million) and the United Arab Emirates ($717.2 million) were the largest contributors to remittance inflows in June 2025, followed by the United Kingdom ($537.6 million) and the United States ($281.2 million).
According to the Prime Minister’s office, Sharif noted that overseas Pakistanis sent a total of $38.3 billion in remittances, marking an all-time high.
“This is $8 billion more than the remittances received during the fiscal year 2023-24,” the PM was quoted as saying. He described the 26.6% increase as a highly encouraging development, underlining the importance of such a significant rise.
وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف کا گزشتہ مالی سال میں تاریخ کی بلند ترین ترسیلاتِ زر ریکارڈ ہونے پر اظہارِ تشکر
“مالی سال 25-2024 میں بیرون ملک مقیم پاکستانیوں کی جانب سے ترسیلاتِ زر کی مد میں 38.3 ارب ڈالر بھیجے گئے۔ یہ مالی سال 24-2023 کے مقابلے میں 8 ارب زائد ہے، ترسیلاتِ زر میں… pic.twitter.com/HnjuZUlrEt
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) July 9, 2025
The PM attributed this achievement to the valuable contributions of overseas Pakistanis, emphasising that it is a clear reflection of their trust in Pakistan’s economy.
Further commenting on the country’s economic trajectory, he pointed to recent positive economic indicators, stating that they demonstrate the effectiveness of the government’s policies and their alignment with the right direction for economic progress.
He also reiterated the government’s strong commitment to transitioning from economic stability to sustainable economic growth, with a focus on long-term progress.
A general view of the high voltage lines during a nationwide power outage in Rawalpindi. — AFP/File
ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has announced a nationwide reduction in electricity prices under the monthly fuel cost adjustment (FCA).
As per the latest decision announced on Wednesday, Karachi’s electricity consumers will see a reduction of Rs4.03 per unit, while the rest of the country will benefit from a 50-paisa per unit cut.
Nepra stated that the relief will reflect in July’s electricity bills for all eligible consumers.
According to the notification, the adjustment for K-Electric pertains to April 2025, while the rest of the country’s reduction applies to May 2025’s fuel cost adjustment.
It was also noted that K-Electric had requested a reduction of Rs4.69 per unit under the April adjustment.
— Reporter
The power regulatory authority stated in its notification that the refund was decided on account of variation in fuel charges for April 2025 in the approved tariff of the power company and to be passed on to the consumers in the billing month of July 2025.
As per Nepra’s directives, the notification shall apply to all the consumer categories except lifeline consumers, domestic protected consumers, electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) and prepaid electricity consumers of all categories who opted for pre-paid tariff.
It also directed the KE to show the adjustment separately in the consumers’ bills on the basis of units billed to the users, in the respective month to which the adjustment pertains.
Last month, the federal government had abolished the provincial electricity duty on power bills effective July 1, and officially notified all chief ministers of the decision, which aimed at easing the burden on electricity consumers.
Federal Minister for Power Awais Leghari has written a letter to the chief ministers of all provinces, notifying them of the federal government’s decision to scrap electricity duty and explore “alternative mechanisms” for collecting provincial levies and duties.
In the letter — a copy of which is available with Geo News, the minister sought the support of all provincial chief executives in removing complexity arising from multiple charges, taxes, and duties being collected through consumer bills.
He expressed confidence that the move will not only make electricity bills more transparent and easier to comprehend but also ensure that “consumers are paying only for the cost of electricity, rather than a mix of other charges”.
The energy minister also sought the cooperation of all chief ministers in identifying and implementing alternative revenue collection methods will be instrumental in making this initiative a success.
A technician works on porcelain insulators on power transmission tower in Karachi. — Reuters/File
July bills to include notified price reduction.
Non-Karachi rates cut by 50 paisa.
Karachi relief based on April adjustment.
ISLAMABAD: Electricity prices have been reduced across Pakistan under the monthly fuel cost adjustment mechanism, according to a notification issued by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra).
As per the latest decision announced on Wednesday, Karachi’s electricity consumers will see a reduction of Rs4.03 per unit, while the rest of the country will benefit from a 50-paisa per unit cut.
Nepra stated that the relief will reflect in July’s electricity bills for all eligible consumers.
According to the notification, the adjustment for K-Electric pertains to April 2025, while the rest of the country’s reduction applies to May 2025’s fuel cost adjustment.
— Reporter
It was also noted that K-Electric had requested a reduction of Rs4.69 per unit under the April adjustment.
The power regulatory authority stated in its notification that the refund was decided on account of variation in fuel charges for April 2025 in the approved tariff of the power company and to be passed on to the consumers in the billing month of July 2025.
As per Nepra’s directives, the notification shall apply to all the consumer categories except lifeline consumers, domestic protected consumers, electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) and prepaid electricity consumers of all categories who opted for pre-paid tariff.
It also directed the KE to show the adjustment separately in the consumers’ bills on the basis of units billed to the users, in the respective month to which the adjustment pertains.
Last month, the federal government had abolished the provincial electricity duty on power bills effective July 1, and officially notified all chief ministers of the decision, which aimed at easing the burden on electricity consumers.
Federal Minister for Power Awais Leghari has written a letter to the chief ministers of all provinces, notifying them of the federal government’s decision to scrap electricity duty and explore “alternative mechanisms” for collecting provincial levies and duties.
In the letter — a copy of which is available with Geo News, the minister sought the support of all provincial chief executives in removing complexity arising from multiple charges, taxes, and duties being collected through consumer bills.
He expressed confidence that the move will not only make electricity bills more transparent and easier to comprehend but also ensure that “consumers are paying only for the cost of electricity, rather than a mix of other charges”.
The energy minister also sought the cooperation of all chief ministers in identifying and implementing alternative revenue collection methods will be instrumental in making this initiative a success.
Commissioner Lahore Division Zaid-bin-Maqsood has issued urgent directives to the district administration, WASA, and other municipal departments in response to continued rainfall across the city
LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 9th Jul, 2025) Commissioner Lahore Division Zaid-bin-Maqsood has issued urgent directives to the district administration, WASA, and other municipal departments in response to continued rainfall across the city.
He emphasized the need for full preparedness to manage water drainage, cleanliness, and public safety amid the ongoing weather conditions.
The Commissioner directed that emergency drainage camps be activated at all major stormwater points throughout the city. He instructed WASA to ensure all machinery is operational and that backup systems at disposal stations remain fully functional. “Every disposal station must operate at full capacity, and emergency teams should be ready to respond in case of further heavy rain,” he stressed.
The Commissioner further instructed LWMC teams to begin immediate post-rain cleanliness operations and called for special teams from WASA, LDA, MCL, and CBD to stay mobilized in their respective areas. He also ordered that underpasses be closely monitored and equipped with drainage machinery to prevent water accumulation.
Reporting ongoing rainfall in several parts of the city, he noted that Iqbal Town, Sabzazar, Dhillonwal, and adjoining areas were experiencing moderate to heavy showers. Rain levels are being recorded in real-time at key stormwater drainage points across Lahore.
Directing all Assistant Commissioners (ACs) in the division, the Commissioner ordered that municipal staff be kept fully active to address ponding issues promptly. ACs were instructed to personally monitor water drainage in their tehsils and ensure swift response wherever needed.
The Commissioner also directed the city’s traffic police to maintain smooth traffic flow during the rain and provide alternative routes for citizens where necessary. He appealed to residents to stay away from electric poles and report any emergency situations to the relevant departments.
Zaid-bin-Maqsood reiterated that coordinated, timely action by all departments is essential to ensure the safety and convenience of the public during the ongoing rainfall across Lahore.
