Category: 1. Pakistan

Islamabad  –  Director General of Public Relations Navy (DGPR Navy) Commodore Ahmed Hussain SI(M) has been promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. Rear Admiral Ahmed Hussain SI(M) has a vast experience of various command and staff appointments including command of PN Ships. He has also commanded US led CTF-151 at Bahrain. Rear Admiral Ahmed Hussain, recognized with the prestigious Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Military) for his distinguished service, has played a pivotal role in maintaining transparency and communications between the Pakistan Navy and the public. His duties include briefing media, overseeing outreach campaigns, and conveying the institution’s strategic messaging across national platforms. His promotion comes at a time when naval communication has become increasingly critical, amid global and regional security challenges and maritime developments.

WASHINGTON: After months of campaigning for the Nobel Peace Prize, President Donald Trump sent a sharply different message on Friday when he signed an executive order aimed at rebranding the Department of Defense as the Department of War.

Trump said the switch was intended to signal to the world that the United States was a force to be reckoned with, and he complained that the Department of Defense’s name was “woke.”

“I think it sends a message of victory. I think it sends, really, a message of strength,” Trump said of the change as he authorized the Department of War as a secondary title for the Pentagon.

Congress has to formally authorize a new name, and several of Trump’s closest supporters on Capitol Hill proposed legislation earlier Friday to codify the new name into law.

But already there were cosmetic shifts. The Pentagon’s website went from “defense.gov” to “war.gov.” Signs were swapped around Hegseth’s office while more than a dozen employees watched. Trump said there would be new stationery, too.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whom Trump has begun referring to as the “secretary of war,” said during the signing ceremony that “we’re going to go on offense, not just on defense,” using “maximum lethality” that won’t be “politically correct.”

The attempted rebranding was another rhetorical salvo in Trump’s efforts to reshape the US military and uproot what he has described as progressive ideology. Bases have been renamed, transgender soldiers have been banned and websites have been scrubbed of posts honoring contributions by women and minorities to the armed forces.

He’s also favored aggressive — critics say illegal — military action despite his criticism of “endless wars” under other administrations. He frequently boasts about the stealth bomber strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, and he recently ordered the destruction of a boat that the US says was carrying drugs off the coast of Venezuela.

The Republican president insisted that his tough talk didn’t contradict his fixation on being recognized for diplomatic efforts, saying peace must be made from a position of strength. Trump has claimed credit for resolving conflicts between India and Pakistan; Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Armenia and Azerbaijan, among others. (He’s also expressed frustration that he hasn’t brought the war between Russia and Ukraine to a conclusion as fast as he wanted.)

“I think I’ve gotten peace because of the fact that we’re strong,” Trump said, echoing the “peace through strength” motto associated with President Ronald Reagan

When Trump finished his remarks on the military, he dismissed Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, from the room.

“I’m going to let these people go back to the Department of War and figure out how to maintain peace,” Trump said.

Florida Republican Rep. Greg Steube proposed legislation in the House to formally change the name of the department.

“From 1789 until the end of World War II, the United States military fought under the banner of the Department of War,” Steube, an Army veteran, said in a statement. “It is only fitting that we pay tribute to their eternal example and renowned commitment to lethality by restoring the name of the ‘Department of War’ to our Armed Forces.”

Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Mike Lee, R-Utah, are introducing companion legislation in the Senate.

The Department of War was created in 1789, then renamed and reorganized through legislation signed by President Harry Truman in 1947, two years after the end of World War II. The Department of Defense incorporated the Department of War, which oversaw the Army, plus the Department of the Navy and the newly created independent Air Force.

Hegseth complained that “we haven’t won a major war since” the name was changed. Trump said, “We never fought to win.”

Trump and Hegseth have long talked about restoring the Department of War name.

In August, Trump told reporters that “everybody likes that we had an unbelievable history of victory when it was Department of War. Then we changed it to Department of Defense.”

When confronted with the possibility that making the name change would require an act of Congress, Trump told reporters that “we’re just going to do it.”

“I’m sure Congress will go along,” he said, “if we need that.”

Trump and Hegseth have been on a name-changing spree at the Pentagon, sometimes by sidestepping legal requirements.

For example, they wanted to restore the names of nine military bases that once honored Confederate leaders, which were changed in 2023 following a congressionally mandated review.

Because the original names were no longer allowed under law, Hegseth ordered the bases to be named after new people with similar names. For example, Fort Bragg now honors Army Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, a World War II paratrooper and Silver Star recipient from Maine, instead of Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg.

In the case of Fort A.P. Hill, named for Confederate Lt. Gen. Ambrose Powell Hill, the Trump administration was forced to choose three soldiers to make the renaming work.

The base now honors Union soldiers Pvt. Bruce Anderson and 1st Sgt. Robert A. Pinn, who contributes the two initials, and Lt. Col. Edward Hill, whose last name completes the second half of the base name.

The move irked Republicans in Congress who, in July, moved to ban restoring any Confederate names in this year’s defense authorization bill.

Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, a Republican who co-sponsored the earlier amendment to remove the Confederate names, said that “what this administration is doing, particularly this secretary of defense, is sticking his finger in the eye of Congress by going back and changing the names to the old names.”

 

Aleema Khan, sister of Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, was attacked with an egg while addressing reporters outside Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail on Friday.A video of the episode has gone viral on social media, showing the egg hitting Aleema as she spoke to the media.Supporters of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party quickly apprehended two women accused of throwing the eggs and handed them over to police, news agency PTI reported.Rawalpindi police said the arrested women were PTI party supporters who had travelled with members of the All-Government Employees Grand Alliance to protest against unmet demands. The statement added that the egg was thrown after Aleema did not respond to questions from the two women. Both were later taken into custody and moved to the Adiala checkpoint.PTI condemned the act as “shameful,” alleging the women were planted for political motives and accusing police of helping them escape in a car. “The women were sent to Aleema’s media talk as part of an agenda,” the party said.Leaders across the political spectrum criticized the attack.Balochistan National Party-Mengal chief Akhtar Mengal condemned the act, calling it “the lowest form of politics.” He said, “Even in enmity, a woman deserves dignity. Targeting women is the lowest form of politics, and this cheap stunt must be condemned in the strongest words.”Federal minister for development Ahsan Iqbal said, “Politics must remain a contest of ideas, not of violence or hatred. We should all work to keep it healthy and respectful.”Meanwhile, PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique described the incident as “shameful, vile and crude.”Imran Khan has been in prison for more than two years facing multiple charges. In January 2025, a Pakistani tribunal sentenced the former prime minister to 14 years in prison, while his wife, Bushra Bibi, received a seven-year sentence in connection with a corruption case involving land graft.The allegations centred on the acceptance of land from a property magnate in exchange for facilitating money laundering during Khan’s tenure as prime minister.Prior to this verdict, Khan had received three separate convictions related to corruption, disclosure of state secrets, and violations of marriage laws, carrying sentences of 10, 14 and seven years respectively.

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has expressed serious concerns over the governance issues in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying that the government’s presence in the province has become almost meaningless.

He made these remarks during an informal interaction with mediapersons at a gathering here on Friday.

Mr Rehman stated that while the government had ‘left’ citizens at the mercy of circumstances, his party couldn’t ‘abandon’ the people.

He highlighted the sacrifices made by the residents for the cause of peace, noting that millions of people from Bajaur to South Waziristan were forced to abandon their homes and livelihoods. “But despite these sacrifices, lasting peace has yet to be achieved in the province.”

He criticised the government for failing to protect citizens’ lives, property, and dignity, saying that the government possessed the capacity to do so but prioritised its own interests over public welfare. According to him, such an approach is detrimental not only to the country but also to the armed forces themselves.

Claims govt presence in KP has become meaningless

Responding to a question, Mr Rehman clarified that his party was neither against the army nor did it advocate resistance against state institutions.

He emphasised that their criticism was directed at the political roles and policies of the institutions, which directly affected citizens and politicians alike.

The JUI-F chief stressed that the people’s respect and affection for the armed forces should remain intact.

However, he warned that if public support for the military continued to decline, it could prove disastrous for the country, the armed forces, and all stakeholders.

Mr Rehman further explained that the survival of the country, its institutions, politicians, and citizens was interconnected. “Weakening the political system and constitutional framework will inevitably affect the military, and any compromise in national defence could have far-reaching consequences for the entire nation.”

He said their efforts to challenge the establishment aimed to underline this vital connection between governance, public support, and national security.

HOSPITAL SECURITY: In view of the prevailing security situation, Tank district police officer Shabbir Hussain Shah visited the Christian Hospital on Friday to review security arrangements there.

He directed the officers to make security measures foolproof by utilising all available resources.

He instructed personnel to remain vigilant, avoid unnecessary use of mobile phones, closely monitor suspicious individuals, and ensure public protection alongside their own safety. He emphasised the use of bulletproof jackets and helmets as mandatory.

TWO CRIMINALS HELD: The Tank police have arrested two proclaimed offenders and seized arms and ammunition.

An official said Rizwan, a resident of Garah Koda area, was caught with a 12-bore repeater and five cartridges, while Aurangzeb alias Toor of Ranwal was found in possession of a pistol and 10 cartridges. He said the two were wanted by the police in different cases.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2025

IT is difficult to disagree with the remarks of the Supreme Court’s Justice Athar Minallah, who on Thursday indicated that the hybrid system in Pakistan — where unelected powers are actively involved in civilian affairs — is a euphemism for dictatorship.

The veteran judge, while speaking in Karachi, also dwelt on the role the senior judiciary has played in the country’s history by endorsing the unconstitutional moves of strongmen.

Putting it bluntly, he said that the “77-year judicial history is not a matter of pride for me”, while giving examples of the Maulvi Tamizuddin case, as well as of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s trial and Gen Musharraf’s assaults on the constitutional order, to prove how at crucial times their lordships have sided with authoritarian rulers to subvert the rule of law. Mr Minallah also praised the bravery of judges who refused to bow before dictators.

Pakistan’s damaging experiments with different forms of hybridity, from earlier decades to the present day, have only weakened institutions, particularly parliament and the judiciary. And rarely have proponents of the hybrid system been held to account for their failures; the actual powers wash their hands of mistakes, while their civilian partners face the music. In contrast, in fully functioning democratic systems, elected leaders are held accountable before the voter.

Considering the judiciary’s role, as highlighted by Justice Minallah, in supporting unconstitutional moves — and these grim episodes are well-documented in our history — ‘willing’ collaborators on the bench have worked with usurpers to subvert the constitutional system, often guided by the ‘doctrine of necessity’. Sadly, in the current scenario too, many of their lordships have been perceived as coming to the aid of the real powers to give their legal blessings to doubtful laws and amendments.

The solution, as Justice Minallah suggested, is deceptively simple on paper, but difficult to put into practice: abiding by the Constitution, with all institutions staying within the bounds prescribed for them by the basic law. In this regard, when the country faces rampant insecurity, it is essential that the military sticks to its core duty of defending Pakistan. We face two major militant insurgencies — in KP and Balochistan — while a hostile neighbour to the east, and an unreliable regime in Kabul, mean we must constantly remain vigilant.

In such a situation, if the security apparatus indulges in political management, the focus on defence can become diluted. Whether it is direct military rule or a ‘hybrid’ system, both have left lasting scars on the constitutional system. Hence, there is a need to move away from the hybrid model in the interest of democracy, and in the interests of both the civilian and military leaderships.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2025

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination to begin immediate preparations for the 2026 monsoon season and present a comprehensive climate resilience action plan, within two weeks, that must address Pakistan’s growing vulnerability to climate change, including increasingly intense rainfall and flooding.

The prime minister chaired a high-level review meeting here to assess the damage caused by recent heavy rains and flooding, as well as the ongoing rescue, relief, and rehabilitation efforts underway across the country, a Prime Minister’s Office news release said.

PM Shehbaz declared the rehabilitation of flood-affected citizens a top national priority. He directed authorities to ensure full preparedness in river-adjacent areas of southern Pakistan, which remain vulnerable to flooding.

He emphasized that the federal government stands fully prepared to support provincial governments in all aspects of relief and rehabilitation.

The Prime Minister stressed the need for real-time monitoring of evacuation and relief operations to ensure that timely assistance reaches those in need. He instructed the establishment of a special committee to facilitate financial assistance for flood victims who are not currently registered with NADRA.

In addition, he urged the Ministry of Climate Change to begin immediate preparations for the 2026 monsoon season and directed it to present a comprehensive climate resilience action plan within two weeks. The plan, he said, must address Pakistan’s growing vulnerability to climate change, including increasingly intense rainfall and flooding.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister praised the efforts of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs), the Pakistan Army, and federal and provincial rescue and relief agencies for their coordinated operations in affected areas.

Officials briefed the Prime Minister on the extent of the damage and the current status of operations. According to the latest updates, floodwaters from the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers have reached parts of central and southern Punjab and are expected to pass through Panjnad.

Authorities have made preparations to handle a potential water flow of 1 to 1.2 million cusecs; however, the actual flow is expected to be around 600,000 cusecs, significantly lower than initially projected.

In Multan, district administration teams, military units, and rescue workers are fully mobilized and working to safely manage the passage of the floodwaters without damaging embankments. Restoration efforts in the power sector have also shown progress, with 80 percent of the affected electricity infrastructure in northern and central Pakistan already restored. Damaged roads and bridges have been repaired and reopened to traffic, facilitating relief supply and mobility.

It was reported that over two million people have been evacuated from flood-prone areas across the country, while more than 4,100 individuals stranded in isolated areas have been rescued.

The federal government has dispatched over 6,300 tons of relief goods to affected communities. To provide immediate healthcare support, more than 2,400 medical camps have been established in flood-hit regions.

The meeting was further informed that compensation for deceased persons, the injured, and property damages is being processed through NADRA, with priority given to those most affected.