Category: 1. Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A local court on Monday sought arguments on bail applications of 23 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers in a case registered against them in connection with the violation of Section 144 on August 15.

Duty judge Rizwan Uddin, while hearing the case, sought arguments on PTI’s workers’ bail pleas today (Tuesday) in a case registered against them at Industrial Area Police Station under different sections of the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order (PAPO) Act and Section 144.

The same court in another case registered against 40 PTI workers at Margalla police station issued notices to defence and prosecution for the submission of arguments on the bail applications.

During the hearing, the court asked both parties to present their arguments on bail pleas during the next hearing to be held on August 20.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

The fate of the Rs1,275 billion power sector circular debt settlement—through refinancing the amount by 18 banks to disburse to the companies in the power sector chain, including Chinese IPPs—is contingent upon Chinese government approval. Authorities are hoping the PM will get the green light during his upcoming visit to China.

The plan has been approved by the IMF on the assumption that all Late Payment Surcharges (LPS) will be waived.

One of the reasons the Fund approved the plan is that it includes a form of rescheduling (or reprofiling) of the power sector debt within CPEC. However, if the Chinese do not agree, chances are the IMF may not entertain any revised plan that excludes the waiving of Chinese LPS.

The Chinese may be reluctant to accept this based on optics. If they allow CPEC loans to be altered, it could set a precedent for the 50-odd other countries under the BRI to ask for relief. Some people say the Chinese may do it for us, as they have done some reprofiling in the case of nuclear power plants (K2 and K3 loans). However, that is a different story, as K2 and K3 are not part of CPEC.

Thus, the widespread view is that the Chinese may not accept the proposal, based on optics, to avoid setting the wrong precedent for other borrowing countries. However, if we get lucky and China agrees to waive full (or partial) LPS, this may come with new—and perhaps harsher—conditions, IMF-style, which will be non-negotiable in the future.

The question is what type of conditions the Chinese may apply, and whether these will be acceptable for us. Sources close to the Chinese say that one requirement could be to open a revolving account for IPPs under CPEC. This would ensure timely payment of all capacity charges going forward, and in case of non-compliance, it might effectively be treated as a default on due payments.

This would mean invoices generated for August 2025 payments must be released within October 2025 to avoid any further delay and prevent additional LPS going forward. In effect, no new circular debt would be created in the future. That would be a tough condition, and given history, it is difficult to commit to payments for the next 10–20 years.

If that happens, the Chinese may start repatriating dividends in large chunks. That would be different from the current situation, where IPPs get unsecured credit against pending payments. There could also be a second condition on the upfront tariff, as well as requirements to ensure the security of Chinese nationals in Pakistan.

Sources say that even with all these conditions, the Chinese may, at best, accept a 50 percent waiver—against the government’s wish for 100 percent. And if the government delays any payment in the future, the waived LPS could become part of the due payments.

That is a slippery slope, as China must keep the overall BRI in mind during negotiations. There will be no carte blanche. Fingers crossed.

RAWALPINDI: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Monday asked the administrations of six districts of Rawalpindi division to remain ready to deal with heavy rains as predicted by the Pakistan Meteorology Department (PMD) in the next three days.

PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Khatia directed to ensure the presence of rescue teams and equipment at sensitive places. He said PDMA had provided more rescue and relief equipment to Rawalpindi Division as a reserve. All officers and staff should be present in the field; there is no room for negligence, he said.

Continuous monitoring of private dams should be ensured in the region. According to the instructions of the Punjab government, the safety of life and property of citizens is the top priority.

“Citizens are requested to cooperate with the administration in any emergency situation. Rains are predicted for the next three days, the public should follow the precautionary measures issued by the administration. A landslide occurred on the expressway in Murree on Monday, the public should avoid unnecessary travel,” he said while addressing a meeting held at the commissioner office Rawalpindi.

PDMA chief visits Rawalpindi to review arrangements, schools in Murree closed for two days, Rawal Dam spillways opened again

The meeting was attended by Commissioner Aamer Khattak, Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Dr Hasan Waqar Cheema and officials of other relevant departments. The meeting reviewed the measures taken regarding possible rains, including along Leh Nullah and rivers.

The PDMA chief said the government was assessing the damages, and relief activities were underway in affected areas. Rescue equipment has been provided to all relevant agencies. Encroachments are being eliminated.

“This time the monsoon rains are longer, the administration is on alert. Pakistan has been affected by climate change, there is more rain than usual,” he said.

The officials informed the meeting that in Rawalpindi division, the administration was ensuring the evacuation of people from dangerous areas under preemptive measures.

“The district administration and rescue agencies are monitoring the situation at all times,” they said.

Later, the PDMA chief visited Leh Nullah at Gawalmandi bridge and reviewed the arrangements, including its cleaning.

The deputy commissioner informed him that cleaning of Leh Nullah was in progress. “We are keeping an eye on the drains adjacent to Leh Nullah, Wasa teams are deployed with heavy machinery in low-lying areas.”

Wasa Managing Director Saleem Ashraf said special teams had been formed for drainage. Staff leaves are cancelled, and machinery has been kept on alert with the civic body ready to deal with emergency situation.

Meanwhile, more than 88mm of rain was recorded in Murree triggering landslides at various places, including Lower Topa, Chitta Mor and Shawala. However, traffic was not disrupted. Trees fell at many places due to heavy rain and wind. Immediate relief operations were carried out by the district administration.

Schools in Murree Closed

On the other hand, the Murree Education Department issued a notification to close schools for two days. According to the notification, schools have been closed in view of the weather conditions.

Deputy Commissioner Murree Agha Zaheer Abbas Shirazi issued instructions to the relevant departments to remain on alert.

Rawal Dam spillway opened

The water level in Rawal Dam reached 1751 feet at 12:10pm after the rain and the spillways were opened at 1:30pm after taking all necessary precautions, said Small Dam Organisation Subdivisional Officer Arslan Abbas.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2025

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has said that climate change is an urgent reality and despite contributing less than one percent to global emissions, Pakistan is among the most climate-affected countries, facing floods, glacial melt, and droughts.

He expressed these views while addressing the “Ethiopia–Pakistan Green Dialogue: Lessons from Ethiopia’s Green Legacy” at the Comstech Auditorium, Islamabad on Monday.

The OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), in collaboration with the Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, organised the dialogue.

He praised Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative as a global model of reforestation and sustainability, noting that both nations face common challenges but can find solutions through South-South cooperation.

He underlined Pakistan’s active role in global climate diplomacy, including championing the Loss and Damage Fund at COP27 and advancing climate finance at COP29.

Mr Gilani called for practical collaboration through joint task forces, parliamentary exchanges, and research partnerships, while inviting Ethiopia’s parliamentary leadership to the upcoming Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference.

He informed the participants that landmark laws like the Pakistan Climate Change Act and National Energy Efficiency Act have been passed by the parliament.

He urged the parliamentary committees to actively monitor climate finance, adaptation plans, and carbon markets to ensure implementation.

He further stated that Pakistan’s Green Pakistan Programme, Living Indus Initiative, and Indus Delta Blue Carbon Project resonate with Ethiopia’s visionary Green Legacy Initiative. “If climate change is our greatest challenge, South-South cooperation is our most potent tool” Chairman Senate remarked.

“We face shared constraints—limited climate finance, exposure to extreme weather, and climate-dependent economies,” he added. He observed that the way forward lies in coordinated efforts at the government, parliamentary and institutional levels. He called for maximizing linkages in legislative spheres, creating a Joint Task Force on Climate Resilience to coordinate policy and projects and strengthening linkages between academia and research institutes to exchange expertise. The Chairman Senate also invited theEthiopia’s Parliamentary leadership to the ISC in Islamabad in November 2025.

He said: “Together, we can build a greener, safer, and sustainable future.”

Earlier, in his welcome remarks, Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, Coordinator General, OIC-COMSTECH, highlighted the importance of green diplomacy and collective action in tackling global challenges such as climate change, deforestation and environmental degradation.

Ambassador Dr. Jemal Beker Abdula underlined Ethiopia’s remarkable achievements through the Green Legacy campaign, which has set an international benchmark for combating climate change through mass tree plantation and sustainable practices.

The participants expressed strong support for further enhancing Pakistan–Ethiopia collaboration in climate resilience, ecological restoration and sustainable development. The dialogue underscored the shared vision of both countries in advancing environmental diplomacy and building a greener, sustainable future for generations to come.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2025

ISLAMABAD: A special task force formed by the government held a meeting at the Capital Development Authority (CDA) headquarters to ensure action against foreign nationals illegally residing in different districts and to enhance coordination among relevant institutions in this regard.

The meeting held under the chairmanship of CDA Chairman and Chief Commissioner Islamabad Mohammad Ali Randhawa was attended by members of the task force, including district administration and police officers from Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Murree and Haripur, as well as senior officers from the Ministry of Interior, Nadra, FIA and CTD.

During the meeting, it was decided that action will be taken against foreign nationals residing without valid visas in the districts of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Murree and Haripur. The chief commissioner directed to formulate a plan to prevent the future illegal resettlement of foreign nationals in the districts.

He emphasised the need to develop an integrated database containing complete information, residential addresses and other key details of such individuals.

He instructed FIA, Nadra and other relevant institutions to enhance data sharing and coordination to declare these five districts as ‘Safe Zones’. Additionally, authorities were directed to monitor the presence of foreigners without valid visas in adjoining areas and to take immediate legal action against them. The meeting also decided to ensure action against unregistered foreign tenants residing in houses and hotels.

He directed the appointment of focal persons in relevant districts and departments to strengthen coordination against illegal immigrants.

The chief commissioner stressed the need for seamless data synchronisation among concerned institutions to ensure that only foreigners with valid visas are allowed to stay, failing which strict legal action will be taken.

In line with the direction of the chief commissioner, the deputy commissioners will immediately collect data on foreign nationals residing without visas in their respective districts.

The meeting also unanimously agreed to halt the issuance of stamp papers for property transactions involving illegally residing foreigners and strictly enforce the Tenancy Act. Furthermore, it was decided that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will not issue mobile SIMs to illegally residing foreign nationals without valid visas.

He said the government was committed to ensuring national security and stability by taking effective legal action against illegal immigrants. He said all relevant institutions were jointly working to implement measures for a permanent solution to this issue.

Pakistan has extended the deadline for the deportation of foreigners without proper documents to September 1, 2025.

About 1.4 million Afghan refugees are registered with the UN Refugee Agency and have the Proof of Residence Cards (PoR) issued by the government Pakistan.

A police officer said the number of Afghan nationals staying in the capital illegally was much higher compared to those holding valid documents.

Thousands of Afghan nationals used Islamabad as a transit point to fly to European, Western and Middle Eastern countries. Moreover, hundreds of families and individuals were also coming to the city for medical treatment.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2025

LONDON: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday said that the country was “running well” and experiencing stability and economic improvement, adding that there was no need for a 27th Const­itutional Amendment, Dawn­.com reported.

Even as the 26th Amendment remains mired in controversy, the power corridors in Islamabad have been abuzz with talk of a possible 27th Const­itutional Amen­dment, which, according to insiders, would further ‘fine tune’ the structure and the functioning of the superior judiciary.

Speaking to reporters in London during a visit to the United Kingdom, the deputy premier said: “We are still digesting the 26th Constitutional Amendment, so there is no need for a 27th right now. The country is running well. There is stability and economic improvement.

“We are putting our full attention towards GDP growth and development. Under [Prime Minister] Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership, all efforts are being made.”

Meets British under-secretary, parliamentarians of Pakistani origin

Dar said that under the leadership of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 2017, Pakistan was “the 24th-biggest economy” and added that the government was working to bring the economy back to that point.

“We are headed that way very quickly, and we are getting ready to become part of the G20,” he said.

In June, amid speculation in legal circles about the government planning to bring in the 27th Amen­dment, the Islamabad High Court Bar Association had endorsed a possible amendment while calling for broa­d-based judicial reforms, including the nationwide rotation of judges.

Sources had said certain contentious matters, such as a separate constitutional court, left unresolved in the 26th Amendment, would be taken up in the new amendment. Though speculations had been rife since then, there had been no official word regarding the 27th Amendment.

Meets British-Pakistani lawmakers

Separately, Mr Dar held “productive meetings” with British lawmakers of Pakistani origin, according to a statement from the Foreign Office.

The deputy PM arrived in the UK on Saturday ahead of diplomatic engagements with British and Comm­onwealth leadership from August 17-19.

The FO said earlier this week that he would meet British Deputy Prime Min­ister Angela Rayner and Parli­amentary Under-Secr­etary of State for Pakistan Hamish Falconer.

In a fresh statement, the FO said Dar met British mem­­­bers of parliament (MP) Mohammad Yasin, Tahir Ali, Imran Hussain, Ayoub Khan and Adnan Hussain.

“The deputy prime minister/foreign minister underscored the deep historical and cultural bonds between Pakistan and the United Kingdom, which are further strengthened by the vibrant Pakistani diaspora in the UK,” the statement read.

During these meetings, the deputy premier highlighted the diaspora’s pivotal role as a bridge between Islamabad and London, fostering mutual understanding, cultural exchanges and robust people-to-people connections, the FO added.

Dar “emphasised Paki­stan’s strong commitment to enhancing bilateral parliamentary exchanges with the United Kingdom”, the statement read. “He noted that such engagements facilitate the sharing of democratic experiences, international best practices and core democratic values, which are vital for the growth and stability of democratic institutions in both countries.”

The FO said the deputy premier appreciated the efforts of the MPs to bring greater attention to the issue of human rights violations in occupied Kashmir and commended them for raising awareness on the situation in the UK.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also met UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan Hamish Falconer at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in a “productive” meeting.

“During the meeting, both sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening cooperation across political, economic, climate and people-to-people domains,” the FO stated.

Dar and Falconer also exchanged views on regional and global developments, while the deputy PM highlighted Pakistan’s commitment to economic reforms and shared Pakistan’s perspective on peace and stability in South Asia. “He (Dar) underscored the importance of the just and peaceful resolution of [the] Jammu and Kashmir Dispute, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions,” the FO statement read.

According to the FO, both sides appreciated the trajectory of UK-Pakistani relations and noted the importance of regular, high-level interactions to maintain ties and open up new avenues for cooperation.

With input from APP

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2025

GUJAR KHAN: The flash floods caused by heavy rains on the Kallar Kahar hills of Salt Range on Monday hit parts of Lillah Sharif town in the Jhelum district, damaging dozens of houses, besides washing away a link road to a nearby Esawaal town leaving the residents stranded.

A number of residential areas, including Mohallah Islamabad, were inundated, but timely measures aided by the personnel of Rescue 1122 and Saaf Suthra Punjab helped avert any loss of life.

The Rescue 1122 set up flood rescue points in the district where a number of rescue personnel have been deployed to meet any eventuality.

Talking to Dawn, District Emergency Officer Saeed Ahmed stated that preemptive measures had been taken to tackle potential flood situations and cloudburst risks. He said that all available resources and manpower of Rescue 1122 had been put on alert, and deployments were made at established posts to watch and ward vulnerable areas along Bunhan and Gahan nullahs of Jhelum.

The rescue points and posts have been established at Rasulpur, Domeli, Ghura Chaudhrian Nogran, Khurd, Darapur, and Jalalpur Sharif.

The residents of vulnerable localities have been informed to shift to safer points and places with their valuable assets, including livestock.

Mr Saeed claimed that an already on high alert force was dispatched to the affected areas to help the residents in averting further inflow into the residential areas.

According to the district emergency officer, the vulnerable localities in Jhelum district included areas around Domeli, Nagial and Jhang Khokhar.

Despite all the efforts by the rescue officials, the situation remained critical in the area till filing of this report and the authorities were working to mitigate the damage and sufferings of the thousands of the affected people.

According to Amjad Iqbal, a social media activist, the flash floods flowing down the Niromi and Neela Wahan lakes created a surge in the nullahs around Lillah Sharif town during the forenoon spell of rains.

According to Mr Iqbal, the localities of Dhoke Rajial, Dhoke Hajiyal, Dera Nasiruddin, Dhoke Mial, Dhoke Maswal, Dhoke Mahar. Government Primary School, Dera Nasiruddin, Raj Sir, Dera Dhdi, Dhoke Dhanga, Dera Macan and Government Primary School, Dera Maher, have lost direct road access to Lillah Sharif town.

Resham Khan, a native of the area, regretted that the road access of school and college going children had also been washed away due to floods.

Meanwhile, the residents expressed their serious concerns over the washing away of the link road between Lillah Sharif and Esawaal towns, claiming that they had constructed the road on self-help basis by contributing upto Rs20,000 each, and its destruction had now left them isolated. They attributed the damage to the faulty designing in the plan of Jalalpur Sharif canal, which directed the flow of flash floods towards the town.

The residents of the area urged Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to order for construction of a well-designed link road with a revamped drainage system.

Sources said the deputy commissioner Jhelum sent a senior official of the canal project to the town who assured the panicked residents that after the rain spell normalised, suggestions to protect Lillah town from floods would be conveyed to higher authorities for revision.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2025

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Anguished Pakistanis searched remote areas for bodies swept away by weekend flash floods as the death toll reached 277 on Monday, while one official replied to the lack of evacuation warnings by saying people should have built homes elsewhere.

A changing climate has made residents of northern Pakistan’s river-carved mountainous areas more vulnerable to sudden, heavy rains.

More than 150 people were still missing in the district of Buner in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after Friday’s flash floods.

Villagers have said there had been no warning broadcast from mosque loudspeakers, a traditional method for alerting emergencies in remote areas. The government has said the sudden downpour was so intense that the deluge struck before residents could be informed.

Emergency services spokesman Mohammad Suhail said three bodies were found on Monday. The army has deployed engineers and heavy machinery to clear the rubble.

On Sunday, provincial chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur said many deaths could have been avoided if residents had not built homes along waterways. He said the government would encourage displaced families to relocate to safer areas, where they would be assisted in rebuilding homes.

Residents said they were not living near streams, yet the flood swept through their homes. In Buner’s Malak Pur village, Ikram Ullah, aged 55, said people’s ancestral homes were destroyed even though they were not near the stream, which emerged in the area because of the flood. He said large boulders rolled down from mountains with the flood.

In flood-hit Pir Baba village, Shaukat Ali, 57, a shopkeeper whose grocery store was swept away, said his business was not near a river or stream but had stood for years alongside hundreds of other shops in the bazar. “We feel hurt when someone says we suffered because of living along the waterways,” Ali told The Associated Press.

Pakistan has seen higher-than-normal monsoon rains since June 26 that have killed at least 645 people across the country, with 400 deaths in the northwest. The National Disaster Management Authority issued an alert for further flooding after new rains began Sunday in many parts of the country.

In a statement, the military said the Pakistan Air Force played a key role in flood relief operations by airlifting 48 tons of NGO-provided relief goods from the port of Karachi to Peshawar, the regional capital. It said the air force established an air bridge to ensure the swift delivery of supplies.

On Monday, torrential rains triggered a flash flood that struck Darori village in northwestern Swabi district, killing 15 people, government official Awais Babar said.

He said rescuers evacuated nearly 100 people, mostly women and children, who had taken refuge on the roofs of homes. Disaster management officials said the floods inundated streets in other districts in the northwest and in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting Monday to review relief efforts in flood-hit areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as northern Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

At the meeting, officials estimated flood-related damages to public and private property at more than 126 million rupees ($450,000), according to a government statement.

The U.N. humanitarian agency said it had mobilized groups in hard-hit areas where damaged roads and communication lines have cut off communities. Relief agencies were providing food, water and other aid.

Flooding has also hit India-administered Kashmir, where at least 67 people were killed and dozens remain missing after flash floods swept through the region during an annual Hindu pilgrimage last week.

In 2022, catastrophic floods linked to climate change killed nearly 1,700 people in Pakistan and left hundreds of thousands homeless.

___

Associated Press writers Ishfaq Hussain in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan; Rasool Dawar in Peshawar, Pakistan, and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.

LONDON/ISLAMABAD:

With speculation rife over a possible 27th Amendment, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday said there was “no need” for any such constitutional tweak as the country was finally finding its political footing and turning the economic corner.

“We are still digesting the 26th Constitutional Amendment, so there is no need for a 27th right now. The country is running well. There is stability and economic improvement,” the foreign minister said while speaking to reporters in London during his official visit to the United Kingdom.

“We are putting our full attention towards GDP growth and development. Under [Prime Minister] Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership, all efforts are being made,” he added.

The deputy PM added that under former premier Nawaz Sharif’s leadership in 2017 Pakistan had been “the 24th-biggest economy” and the government’s target was to take the economy back to that level.

“We are headed that way very quickly, and we are getting ready to become part of the G20,” he added.

His remarks come against the backdrop of past speculation in legal circles that a 27th amendment might be used to settle unfinished business from the 26th, particularly the proposal for a separate constitutional court.

Although the Islamabad High Court Bar Association had earlier backed the idea of a fresh amendment, Dar’s comments make it clear that, for now, there was no official move to pursue one.

Dar meets British MPs

Separately, the deputy prime minister held a series of meetings with British lawmakers of Pakistani origin.

According to a Foreign Office (FO) statement, Dar met MPs Mohammad Yasin, Tahir Ali, Imran Hussain, Ayoub Khan and Adnan Hussain, stressing the “deep historical and cultural bonds” between Pakistan and the UK, strengthened by the country’s vibrant diaspora.

He highlighted the role of British Pakistanis as a bridge between Islamabad and London and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to “enhancing bilateral parliamentary exchanges”, noting that such contacts facilitate the sharing of democratic experiences.

Dar also “appreciated the efforts of the MPs to bring greater attention to the issue of human rights violations in occupied Kashmir” and praised them for raising awareness in the UK.

During his London visit, Dar held a meeting with UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Hamish Falconer at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, in which both sides reviewed bilateral ties, cooperation in areas including economy and climate and exchanged views on regional and global developments.

The deputy PM reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to economic reforms and “underscored the importance of the just and peaceful resolution of [the] Jammu and Kashmir Dispute, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.”

He also met Kashmiri community leaders and inaugurated two services at the Pakistan High Commission in London, the Provision of Land Record Services and the One Window Passport Processing System.

The FO said the land records initiative, developed with the Punjab Land Revenue Authority, would allow British Pakistanis to access property records and deeds in Punjab remotely, using blockchain technology to ensure transparency.

Meanwhile, the passport system will streamline documentation at a single counter, cutting processing time to around 10 minutes per applicant.

LAHORE:

Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Manzer Ali Gill has observed that the May 9 violence did not qualify as a peaceful protest by any global standard, noting that coordinated attacks were simultaneously carried out across different cities, specifically targeting state buildings, military installations and monuments associated with the armed forces.

Issuing the detailed judgment in the Rahat Bakery case, Judge Gill said evidence showed that party leaders had been involved in hatching a conspiracy in connection with the attacks that followed the arrest of PTI’s founding chairman Imran Khan.

It is pertinent to note that PTI leaders Omer Sarfraz Cheema, Ijaz Chaudhry, Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, Dr Yasmin Rashid and others had been each handed 10-year jail sentences in the case.

The court held that protesting itself was not a crime, but once violence was introduced, it changed the character of a protest.

Judge Gill noted that while citizens around the world protest peacefully, holding placards without taking the law into their own hands, in Pakistan, official buildings and police and military installations across the country came under attack.

He added that in today’s digital age, no incident can be concealed for long and “several clips, snaps and other material are still available at Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, X and TikTok till today. Just by clicking the link, everybody could visualise each and every incident of the tragic moments.”

Defence questions prosecution evidence

During the trial, the defence counsel for the convicted PTI leaders raised more than 100 challenges to the prosecution’s evidence, arguing that it failed to withstand scrutiny.

They noted that none of the accused was named in the initial FIR; there were no descriptions of their identities, no allegations of instigation or provocation, no explanation for the delay in lodging the FIR and glaring inconsistencies in timelines and witness testimony.

Counsel further argued that the prosecution had failed to establish burning of vehicles or property, had withheld CCTV footage and call data records, and had produced digital material, including CDs and USBs, without authentication or playback in court as required under Supreme Court standards, rendering it inadmissible.

They also claimed the conviction amounted to double jeopardy, as it relied on the same evidence and testimony used in other cases.

‘Conspiracy witnesses’ cross-examined

Two prosecution witnesses who claimed to have overheard the alleged conspiracy – Head Constable Muhammad Khalid and Sub-Inspector Hassam Afzal – were subjected to extensive cross-examination.

Khalid conceded that his assignment to monitor PTI leaders at Zaman Park was given orally; that no FIR was registered regarding the alleged conspiracy meetings; that he kept no record of his arrivals or departures; possessed no audio or video evidence; and never returned to the supposed meeting venue with the investigating officer for corroboration.

Likewise, SI Hassam Afzal testified that his duty was issued verbally, that his phone was neither seized nor examined, that he did not carry a mobile during visits to Zaman Park, and that he was unfamiliar with the adjoining residents around Imran Khan’s residence.

He further acknowledged that he had neither recorded any footage nor invited others to observe the meetings.