Category: 1. Pakistan

Senior lawyer Muneer A Malik will appear before the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench (CB), led by Justice Aminuddin Khan, on September 29 to plead the case of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri against his suspension through a judicial order.

Previously, Malik had appeared on behalf of five IHC judges, who challenged the transfer of judges from three different high courts to the IHC. However, the CB by 3-2 majority endorsed the transfers.

Interestingly, two judges, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazahar and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan, who endorsed the transfers, are part of this bench as well.

Four judges who are part of this CB have already endorsed trials of civilians in military courts.

Lawyers believe that Justice Jahangiri’s case is very strong to get relief but keeping in view the recent judgments of four members, anything can be expected.

One section of lawyers says that it seems things are going against Justice Jahangiri as per a plan. First, he was suspended through judicial order without issuance of notice. Second, early hearing application was moved in Sindh High Court for vacating the stay in his law degree case, which was cancelled by the Karachi University.

After one week of filing, the CB committee decided to fix his case against suspension on September 29. Questions are also being raised on the composition of the benches by CB committee.

Lawyers point out that under the 26th Amendment there should be representation from each province in constitutional benches. Yet no judge belonging to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) has been included in the bench hearing Justice Jahangiri’s case, even though 15 judges have been nominated for constitutional benches. Interestingly, Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim has not yet been included in any constitutional bench.

Lawyers are urging the committee responsible for bench formation to give equal opportunity to all judges to hear important cases. Earlier, criticism had also been directed at chief justices for including “like-minded” judges in benches hearing high-profile cases.

Muneer A Malik already represented for chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and Qazi Faez Isa. Now the situation has changed and the executive has dominancy on the judiciary.

KHAR: Four teenagers were martyred and two others sustained serious injuries when a shell exploded in Laghrai area of Mamond tehsil in the restive Bajaur tribal district on Saturday.

According to details, four youths identified as Sajjad, 18, Fawad, 18, Jawad, 15, and Naushad, 13, critically injured when all of a sudden the shell went off and martyred on the spot in Laghrai area of Mamond tehsil.

Also, two teenagers named Waqas, 17, and Attaullah, 15, sustained serious injuries in the explosion. The police said that all the deceased and injured belonged to the Laghrai area in Mamond.

They added that the cause of the incident was under investigation.

A wave of fear and grief spread across the area following the tragic incident.

NEW YORK: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that the recently signed Pak-Saudi defence pact had “formalised” a relationship between the two countries that was previously “a bit transactional” while skirting a question on whether the agreement involved nuclear weapons, reports Dawn.com.

Mr Asif made the remarks in an interview with journalist Mehdi Hasan for Zeteo, which shared a five-minute preview and clips on social media.

On Sept 17, PM Shehbaz Sharif and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a defence pact in Riyadh, declaring that an attack on one would be considered an attack on both.

The accord, signed after an Arab summit and Israel’s attack on Qatar, reflects shared defence concerns. It also follows the May India-Pakistan clash and the June Iran-Israel war.

Denies the move is reaction to Israeli bombing of Qatar

Earlier, Mr Asif hinted Pakis­tan’s nuclear capability could be extended to Riyadh, but later denied it, saying nukes were “not on the radar.”

In the preview posted on Zeteo’s website on Friday night, Hasan asked Asif about the defence pact. “How much of it is a reaction to the Israeli bombing of Qatar?” he asked.

“It is not a reaction to what happened in Qatar because this was being negotiated for quite some time. So it’s not a reaction; perhaps it sped it up a bit, but that is all. It was already in the offing,’’ Mr Asif replied.

Hasan noted Pakistan was the Muslim world’s only nuclear power, with Saudi Arabia eyeing the status, and reminded Asif he had earlier said nukes were “not on the radar” for this pact.

“Is Saudi Arabia protected by Pakistan’s nuclear umbrella under this agreement or not?” Hasan asked.

“Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have shared defence ties for decades, with thousands of our troops once stationed there. This pact formalises what was previously a transactional arrangement,” the minister said.

“Formalised with or without the nukes?” Hasan probed.

However, the minister refrained from going into the details.

“I will refrain from going into the details but it’s a defence pact and defence pacts are normally not discussed publicly,” he said.

Sensationalism

Hasan noted that in his 2024 book War, journalist Bob Wood­ward quoted the Saudi crown prince as telling a US senator he could “just buy” a bomb from Pakistan.

“I think that is just sensationalised […] No, I don’t believe that quote,” the minister replied.

“So you are not in the business of selling nuclear weapons to Saudi Arabia?”

“No. We are very responsible people,” Asif responded.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2025

ISLAMABAD: All the 24 Pakistanis who were on a tanker attacked by Israel off Yemen are safe, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Saturday.

He wrote on his X account that the tanker and its crew are now out of Yemeni waters.

Besides the 24 Pakistanis, the 27-member crew comprised two Sri Lankans and a Nepali.

The tanker, which was carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), was struck by an Israeli drone at Yemen’s Ras al Eisa port on Sept 17. An LPG tank caught fire after the drone strike. The crew, however, was able to douse the fire before it could cause any damage.

After the drone strike, a number of Houthi fighters boarded the ship and held the crew at gunpoint for `investigations’.

However, they agreed to allow the ship to leave Yemeni waters after the intervention of Interior Secretary Khurram Agha, Ambassador Naveed Bokhari and several other officials based in Saudi Arabia, Mohsin Naqvi said on his X account.

“I thank the officials of our security agencies who worked day and night under extraordinary conditions to secure the release of our citizens when hope was fading,” the minister added.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2025

NEW YORK: An Indian intelligence agent not only allegedly hired an Indian citizen to carry out murders in Pakistan, Nepal, and the United States but also promised to provide him with a plane-load of weapons to execute the assassinations, documents filed in US federal court show.

Documents filed in a US federal court reveal new charges against the alleged assassin, Nikhil Gupta, incl­uding money laund­ering, credit card fraud, drug and arms trafficking, and atte­mpted murder of a person in Nepal or Pakistan.

According to fresh court documents, US gover­nment lawyers claim that the alleged murder-for-hire plot was not limited to New York but also included plans to kill another person in Nepal or Pakistan.

US prosecutors allege that former Indian RAW officer Vikash Yadav promised to supply firearms and even arrange clearance for an aircraft to transport weapons from India. This was allegedly intended so that Gupta could sell the weapons to a man he believed was a trafficker, who would, in turn, help him hire a hitman to target a Sikh separatist in the United States.

In WhatsApp messages dated June 22, 2023, Yadav allegedly promised to provide “assault rifles and pistols” and to “arrange for the clearance of an airplane to transport the weapons from India.”

On June 26, Gupta reportedly followed up, asking Yadav to check on the “toys,” a coded reference to firearms. Prosecutors say Yadav res­p­o­nded that he could obtain the weapons once the killing was complete.

US prosecutors argue that these exchanges show Yadav’s alleged support was conditional on Pannun’s assassination, linking the arms offer directly to the murder-for-hire plot.

Beginning in May 2023, when Yadav instructed Gupta to “save my name as Aman,” he told Gupta over WhatsApp that there were multiple targets, including one in New York (the primary victim) and another in California, and, by reference to addresses, at least one target in Nepal or Pakistan, according to a prosecutor’s letter to the judge.

Regarding the Nepal discussions, the government stated that Yadav provided Gupta with the target’s location to pass on to hitmen, whom Gupta described as “soldiers.” On May 8, Gupta wrote to Yadav that the men had “already arrived [in Nepal] and were looking for” the target. Yadav pressed Gupta to increase their payment and stressed that the task was “urgent.” In one message, Yadav instructed: “If they have really captured the target, they should kill him. Otherwise, we won’t get another chance.”

Prosecutors argued that communications between Yadav and Gupta about the Nepal task were substantially similar to their communications regarding the New York target and described the Nepal plot as “strikingly similar” to the Pannun plan.

Nikhil Gupta’s extradition, arrest

Gupta, also known as Nick, 53, was arrested in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, and extradited to the United States under the bilateral treaty between the US and Czech Republic. He arrived in the US on June 14 and was presented on murder-for-hire charges.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said the extradition “makes clear that the Justice Dep­artment will not tolerate attempts to silence or harm American citizens.” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco described the plot as “a brazen attempt to silence a political activist for exercising a quintessential American right: his freedom of speech.”

FBI Director Christopher Wray emphasised that the bureau “will not tolerate attempts by foreign nationals, or anyone else, to repress constitutionally-protected freedoms in the United States.”

DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said the extradition was “the result of the hard work and commitment of the DEA New York Division’s Drug Enforcement Task Force” and praised international law enforcement cooperation, inc­luding the Czech Republic’s Nat­ional Drug Headquarters.

Assassination plot

According to court documents, Gupta conspired with an Indian government employee, identified as CC-1, to target a US-based Sikh separatist leader who advocates for Khalistan, a sovereign Sikh state. CC-1, a former RAW officer with training in battlecraft and weapons, allegedly directed the plot from India.

Gupta, a resident of India with prior involvement in narcotics and arms trafficking, attempted to contract a hitman to kill the US citizen. The supposed hitman was, in fact, a DEA undercover officer. CC-1 allegedly agreed to pay $100,000 for the murder, and an initial payment of $15,000 was delivered in Manhattan in June 2023.

The plot included surveillance of the target, with Gupta sending photos and updates to CC-1. Gupta instructed the undercover operative to avoid carrying out the assassination during upcoming US-India diplomatic engagements.

Nijjar’s murder link

On June 18, 2023, masked gunmen murdered Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was associated with the target and also led the Sikh separatist movement, outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia, Canada. Gupta informed the undercover operative that Nijjar “was also the target” and emphasised multiple potential targets. CC-1 later instructed Gupta to prioritize the main target.

Gupta faces charges of murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, each carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The case is being prosecuted by the southern district of New York, with the FBI and DEA actively investigating.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs coordinated with Czech authorities to secure Gupta’s arrest and extradition. Trial attorneys from the National Security Division and the US Attorney’s Office are handling the case.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2025

• TTP terrorists targeted in intelligence-based operation
• Four civilians killed in Bajaur blast, caused by old explosive device
• State minister warns militants to be met with bullets if talks fail
• Says 80pc attackers are Afghans; urges political unity to tackle challenge

LAKKI MARWAT/ BAJAUR: Seventeen militants were killed in an intelligence-based oper­ation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Karak district on Friday night, while four civilians fell victim to an explosion in the Bajaur district on Saturday.

Three security personnel were also injured in the operation conducted in the Darshakhel area of Karak.

The operation was conducted “on the reported presence of khwarij belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

“During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location and, resultantly, 17 Indian-sponsored khwarij were sent to hell,” it added.

Karak District Police Officer Shahbaz Elahi said that the police and security forces launched the operation in the remote rural area within the limits of Shah Slaim police station on information about the presence of militants there.

“We had credible reports that terrorists affiliated with the Mullah Nazir group of banned Tehreek-i-Taliban were present in the area with an intention to execute their nefarious plans,” he said.

He added that an intense exchange of fire took place when security personnel reached the area and started laying a siege around the mountainous hideouts of militants.

“The fierce gun battle lasted for several hours, resulting in the killing of 17 Fitna al Khwarij terrorists and their six accomplices were injured,” Mr Elahi said.

“The anti-state and anti-peace elements will not find any place to hide and the police and security forces will carry out joint operations to eliminate them,” the district police chief added.

Another police official said that heavy contingents of police and security forces remained present in the area on Saturday and continued search in the mountains on the border between Lakki Marwat and Mianwali districts for the injured and fleeing militants.

He said that announcements were made in the Darshakhel and adjacent villages and hamlets, advising people to stay indoors as the operation was underway.

“People were also advised not to allow anyone to enter their houses seeking shelter and cooperate with police and security forces,” he added.

Bajaur explosion

In Bajaur’s Lowi Mam­und tehsil, four people were killed and two critically injured when an un­­e­­xploded device went off in a field in the Laghari area on Saturday afternoon, officials and locals said.

They told Dawn that the tragedy occurred in the Laghari area around 3pm when a group of local youths were passing through the field.

Israr Khan, public relations officer of the district police in Khar, confirmed that the blast was caused by an old explosive device.

Riaz Ahmed Khan, a spokesman for Rescue 1122 Khar station, told Dawn that among the four fatalities, one person died at the scene, while others were pronounced dead upon arrival at Khar’s district hospital. He said that the victims were identified as Sajad Khan, 18; Nawshad Khan, 13; Faw­ad Khan, 18; and Jawad Khan, 15.

The official mentioned that 17-year-old Waqas Khan and 15-year-old Attaullah were among the wounded. They were initially taken to the district headquarters hospital in Khar but were later airlifted to a hospital in Peshawar via a specially arranged Frontier Corps North helicopter for adv­anced medical treatment.

Local political leaders from the ANP, JI, and PTI visited Khar Hospital to donate blood and express solidarity with the families.

PTI MPA Dr Hamidur Rehman said he would press authorities for the early return of displaced residents to their homes.

Talal Chaudhry

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said on Saturday that Pakistan’s response to militancy would be firm, suggesting those “who understand the language of bullets will be explained with bullets” if negotiations with Afghanistan fail to stop cross-border attacks.

Speaking at a press conference, he described Pakistan’s diplomacy as at a 75-year high and defended ongoing security operations.

Mr Chaudhry said terrorism remained the cou­ntry’s biggest challenge and insisted the government was committed to making Pakistan safe for investment.

“Today red carpets are being laid for the prime minister abroad,” he said, contrasting current diplomatic outreach with past isolation. He added that federal and provincial governments must cooperate closely on security.

The minister accused militants of entering Pakistan from across the border and charged that “80 per cent of terrorist attackers are Afghans”.

Mr Chaudhry said the government would streng­then measures to prevent cross-border infiltration, curb sectarian violence and stabilise restive areas.

He called on all political parties to unite for nat­io­nal development and noted that foreign observers acknow­ledged impro­vements in Pakistan’s security situation.

On media conduct, he warned journalists again­­st supporting “those who hide behind the guise of journalists” and critici­s­­ed what he described as “false vloggers” who, he said, traded national security for money. He said the government was taking action against such individuals and hinted that laws could be further toughened.

Tariq Saeed in Toba Tek Singh also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2025

A liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker carrying 27 crew members — among them 24 Pakistanis — was struck by an Israeli drone while docked at a Yemeni port earlier this month, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi revealed on Saturday. All Pakistani sailors on board the vessel remained unharmed, he added.

The foreign ministry, meanwhile, stated that the vessel has already departed Ras al-Esa port with the entire crew — including all Pakistani nationals — “safe and unharmed.” However, it wouldn’t say what ignited a fire onboard the LPG tanker.

The Red Sea has become a hotspot of geopolitical tension due to Houthi militia’s targeting of commercial vessels in retaliation for Israel’s war in Gaza. The sea is wedged narrowly between Africa and the Middle East and connects the Indian Ocean to the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea.

According to a news agency, the drone strike ignited a fire aboard the ship traveling from Iran to Yemen. It further reported quoting diplomatic sources that the crew was temporarily evacuated before returning to the vessel to extinguish the blaze.

The strike is the latest in more than a year of attacks and counterstrikes between Houthis and Israel, part of a spillover from the war in Gaza.

In a social media post, Interior Minister Naqvi wrote that the vessel carrying 27 crew members, including 24 Pakistanis led by Captain Mukhtar Akbar, two Sri Lankans, and one Nepali, was struck by an Israeli drone on Sept 17 while docked at Ras al-Esa port, an area under Houthi control.

“One LPG tank exploded, but the crew managed to contain the fire,” he wrote on ‘X’, formerly Twitter. Shortly after, Houthi boats intercepted the tanker, and the crew was held hostage aboard the ship.

Naqvi praised the “tireless efforts” of Interior Secretary Khurram Agha, Ambassador Naveed Bokhari and his team in Oman, as well as officials in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan’s security agencies, who worked “day and night under extraordinary conditions” to secure the crew’s release.

“Alhamdulillah, the tanker and its crew have now been released by the Houthis and are out of Yemeni waters,” Naqvi further stated in his post.

The Foreign Office spokesperson provided a somewhat vague statement, saying that on Sept 17, an LPG tanker caught fire off the coast of Yemen. The vessel had a multinational crew, including 24 Pakistani nationals, he added.

“On receiving the news about the incident, the concerned Pakistan embassies established contacts with the authorities in Yemen to ensure the well-being of the crew. Efforts were made to set the tanker underway again,” it was added.

The diplomatic missions also maintained contact with the family members of the Pakistani crew and kept them updated about the latest situation.

The incident has drawn attention to the growing risks faced by commercial shipping in conflict zones and highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic and security coordination in securing the safety of its citizens abroad.

KARACHI (Dunya News) – Mayor Murtaza Wahab has said the city administration has started rehabilitation of 106 roads, which will be completed in 60 days.

Talking to the media persons during his visit to different localities of Karachi to inspect roads rehabilitation work on late Saturday night, Murtaza Wahab said the money of the people of Karachi will be spent on the development and infrastructure of their city.

We have started this work. We will execute this project. The work of roads restoration will also start in seven other districts, the PPP leader vowed, while inspecting uplift work on Shahrah-e-Faisal.

“We believe in taking practical steps for the welfare of the masses. In Musharraf regime, whatever uplift work was done in Karachi by a department, the picture of Mustafa Kamal was fixed on this particular project,” Murtaza Wahab alleged.

 

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has summoned sessions of the National Assembly and the Senate on September 29 and 30, respectively.

The sessions have been summoned under the powers conferred by Clause (1) of Article 54 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

The sitting on September 29 will mark the 20th session of the current National Assembly.

ISLAMABAD: In a country faced with an economic crisis, one recent wedding of the daughter of a bureaucrat has exposed the staggering gap between the lifestyle of the rich and their negligible tax contributions.

Government sources said that the FBR, which has now started targeting such black holes, has found the case of a high-profile wedding, spread over six extravagant events, cost an estimated Rs248 million.

Yet, despite the lavish spending on luxury venues, designer attire, diamond jewellery, fireworks, and international creative consultants, no justification is found from the tax returns of the government official concerned and his daughter – the bride. Even where applicable no tax has been paid on these events or the wealth behind it.

The breakdown of the expenses reads more like the budget of a feature film than a family celebration. Lavish décor and venue arrangements alone accounted for Rs40 million, while catering for around 400 guests across the six events cost another Rs30 million. The bride and groom’s outfits, sourced from top South Asian designers, along with clothes for close family, added Rs35 million to the bill.

The most staggering expenditure, however, was on jewellery – diamond and gold sets valued at Rs80 million. Makeup, styling, entertainment, and photography added another Rs30 million, while invitations, guest gifts, and creative consultancy together cost roughly Rs28 million. In total, the celebrations surpassed Rs248 million.

The scale of the extravagance was further underlined by additional luxuries: cinematic video shoots with drones, multi-course gourmet menus, fireworks and drone light shows, handcrafted invitations, and personalised gifts and candle bouquets.

Yet despite this open display of wealth, tax authorities confirm that no declarations have been made that could justify such wedding expenditures. The sources of income used to fund them are also unknown.

Sources believe the services were procured discreetly, with vendors paid in cash and no invoices formally recorded, a common tactic used to evade tax scrutiny.

The bride had multiple trips to Canada, the UK, Mexico, and the UAE – suggesting a lifestyle far beyond what is reflected in tax filings.

Tax sources say the case is a perfect example of the systemic problem of tax evasion. Luxury spending by the affluent on weddings, foreign travel, property, and jewellery often goes unreported and untaxed.

“This is exactly the kind of hidden wealth the state fails to capture,” said a source, adding, “Events like these involve tens or hundreds of millions, yet no one pays a rupee in tax. It’s a parallel economy – invisible to the system.”