Category: 1. Pakistan

Jailed senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders have jointly called on the party leadership to initiate a dialogue process to end “political instability”.

In a letter addressed to the PTI leadership, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed, Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhry, and Omar Sarfraz Cheema stressed that negotiations are the only viable solution to the current political crisis.

Several PTI leaders, including its founder Imran Khan, have been behind bars for nearly a year. Many of them are facing charges mainly stemming from the May 9 protests — in which state installations, including the Jinnah House, were attacked.

In the letter, available with Geo News, the jailed leaders have proposed that dialogue should not be limited to political stakeholders but should also include engagement with “powerful quarters.”

They further recommended that access to the party’s patron-in-chief be made easier to help form a negotiation committee.

The letter also suggested that detained leaders be included in the dialogue process and underscored that talks should be ongoing rather than treated as a one-time effort.

May 9 mayhem

A large number of workers and supporters of PTI staged almost countrywide demonstrations on May 9, 2023 — when the PTI founding chairman was arrested by paramilitary troops on the directions of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in connection with an alleged corruption case.

The demonstrators destroyed public and private properties, attacked military installations — the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and the Lahore Corps Commander’s House (Jinnah House) — and ransacked relics of martyrs.

Following the incidents, the civil and military leadership resolved to give exemplary punishment under the relevant laws including Army Act to all those involved in hooliganism, arson, ransacking of public and private properties, attacking sensitive military installations and desecration of martyrs’ monuments on May 9.

The deposed prime minister, who was ousted from power via the opposition’s no-confidence motion in April 2022, has been facing a slew of charges ranging from corruption to terrorism since his removal as premier.

Khan has been behind bars since August 2023 after he was sentenced in multiple cases ahead of the February 8 elections.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said that the government has decided to enhance the country’s water storage capacity, given India’s designs to weaponise water.

India in April held the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance following the attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 — an incident New Delhi blamed on Islamabad without evidence. The treaty allocates the Indus Basin’s six rivers between the two countries: India gets the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej), while Pakistan receives nearly 80 per cent of the water from the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab).

Pakistan termed any attempt to suspend its water share an “act of war”, noting the IWT had no provision for unilateral suspension. It later said it was considering court action, citing a violation of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in Hague also ruled India cannot unilaterally suspend or hold the IWT in abeyance.

During a visit to the National Emergencies Operations Centre today, the prime minister referred to the PCA’s order, emphasising that India had no authority to suspend the IWT unilaterally.

“But the enemy has certain evil designs against Pakistan and wants to take steps against the waters treaty. For that, the government has decided that we will build our water storage.”

He said the government would build a “non-controversial water storage capacity” by utilising resources such as the Diamer Bhasha dam and others.

PM Shehbaz said there was a clear clause in the 1991 water accord between the provinces to build on water capacity.

“We will build this capacity with our own resources in the next few years. There is a critical role of the National Disaster Management Authority in this.”

The prime minister directed that weather warnings and calamity threats should be regularly issued through phone messages in collaboration with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.

The prime minister recounted the disastrous impacts of the catastrophic floods in 2022. He said that Pakistan was unfortunately among the countries on the world map which could be hit by natural disasters such as cloudbursts, even though it had hardly any contribution to the greenhouse effect.

During the year 2022, Pakistan had suffered more than any country in the world, he noted. More than 1,700 lives were lost, vast stretches of farmland were washed away, homes and infrastructure were damaged, and the national exchequer suffered losses of Rs30 billion, according to government estimates.

The prime minister further said that glacial melting due to heat waves also demanded the highest level of preparedness.

“What happened in Swat in which precious lives were lost, engulfed the entire nation in a pall of gloom,” he said and stressed that the stakeholders in the matter should take an honest review of the incident, directing for a formulation of a comprehensive mechanism in collaboration with the provinces to prevent such occurrences in the future.

The prime minister also ordered a report in this regard.

He opined that in the aftermath of the floods of 2022, the relevant ministers negotiated the grants and public-private partnerships for building resilient infrastructure in the country.

The prime minister appreciated the National Emergencies Operations Centre and expressed hope that the relevant authorities would fully utilise the resilient platform for the progress of the country’s economy and social sectors.

He also assured the government’s complete support in strengthening the institute and its capacity building.

The prime minister hoped that the facility would be connected with the provinces and could convey real-time information with interventions such as an early warning system.

During his visit, he was given a briefing by NDMA Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik over the current monsoon season, the flood situation and the precautionary measures taken in this regard.

ISLAMABAD:

Following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s offer for dialogue, detained Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders from Lahore have expressed their willingness to engage in political negotiations.

In an open letter addressed to the government, the senior incarcerated leaders proposed a political dialogue to help steer the country out of its ongoing constitutional and political crisis. However, they made it clear that no talks would be possible without prior permission to meet the PTI founder.

The letter, signed by senior PTI figures Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, and Umar Sarfraz Cheema, emphasised that the country is facing one of its worst political and constitutional crises, and that comprehensive negotiations are the only viable path forward.

The leaders called for dialogue not only at the political level but also involving state institutions to ensure that all stakeholders can move ahead with mutual trust. They stressed that political discussions must begin immediately and should include PTI leaders currently imprisoned in Lahore jails.

A key point raised in the letter is that access to Imran Khan is essential before any negotiation committee can be formed or any decisions finalised. Without the PTI chairman’s guidance, they said, no meaningful or representative dialogue can take place.

The letter further insists that one-time access to Khan would not suffice. Instead, regular consultations must be ensured so that leadership input remains continuous and the negotiation process remains effective and result-oriented.

Read More: PM holds out an olive branch to PTI

The development comes as PM Shehbaz last week extended a formal invitation to the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for direct talks.

According to sources, the exchange reportedly took place just before the Supreme Court’s landmark decision on reserved seats, during a National Assembly session when he approached PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, initiating a brief but meaningful conversation, including a handshake.

The PM was quoted as saying: “Let’s sit and talk — negotiations are the solution to everything. I’ve said this before and I’m saying it again: we must talk.” Barrister Gohar responded succinctly with an optimistic, “InshaAllah” (God willing).

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ISLAMABAD, Jul 01 (APP):Capital Development Authority (CDA) Board has decided to consult the Establishment and Cabinet Divisions for legal guidance on integrating maintenance staff transferred from the Public Works Department (PWD) into the CDA structure.

The decision was taken during the Board’s 12th meeting, chaired by CDA Chairman and Islamabad Chief Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa on Tuesday.

The Board directed that a set of recommendations be drafted after thoroughly reviewing all legal frameworks.

The meeting also approved a comprehensive feasibility plan to operationalize the Gandhara Heritage and Cultural Centre at F-9 Park.

Chairman Muhammad Ali Randhawa stated, “The revenue generated from this center will be invested back into the city for public welfare, better civic amenities, and Islamabad’s overall beautification and development.”

Legal matters were also on the agenda. The Board approved the issuance of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Plot No. 676D-12/2, in compliance with the Islamabad High Court’s directive in Writ Petition No. 2214/2022 titled “Hasan Bano vs FGEHA and Others.”

In another land-related decision, the Board accepted a request by the Motamar Al-Alam Al-Islami to return an allocated plot in Sector H-8.

CDA clarified that while it would refund the original allotment amount, the current market value of the returned plot is significantly higher.

Additionally, the Board approved an alternate plot allocation in exchange for Plot No. 39 in Sector I-10/3, again in accordance with the Islamabad High Court’s instructions.

Chairman Randhawa emphasized the CDA’s commitment to making Islamabad a model city. “CDA is deploying all available resources to ensure the capital’s growth, prosperity, and aesthetic appeal while meeting the residential, transportation, and recreational needs of its citizens,” he said.

One of the key discussions centered on the transfer fee, registration charges, and stamp duty applicable to urban and rural properties within CDA and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) limits, including private housing societies

Senior officials, including CDA Board members and the Deputy Commissioner Islamabad, attended the meeting.

Call for inclusive negotiations and access to party founder gains momentum from behind the bars

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Updated On: Wed, 02 Jul 2025

08:53:10 PKT

LAHORE (Dunya News) – Senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), currently incarcerated in Lahore jail, have issued a formal appeal urging the initiation of comprehensive negotiations to steer the country out of its worsening political and economic crisis.

In a joint statement released from jail on Tuesday, the PTI leaders emphasised that dialogue is the only viable path toward stability. “Negotiations must take place at all levels,” the statement read, adding that both political actors and state institutions need to engage constructively.

The statement further proposed that political negotiations be prioritised as an entry point to broader talks, with incarcerated PTI leaders included in the process. It also called for improved access to PTI’s founding chairman to facilitate the formation of a negotiation committee.

Also read: Aleema Khan claims 26th Amendment being used to sideline PTI founder

The appeal was signed by prominent PTI figures including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Umar Sarfraz Cheema, Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, and Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry.