Category: 1. Pakistan

ISLAMABAD:

The newly constituted bench formed to hear the case regarding incarcerated Pakistani neurosci-entist Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s health and repatriation has been dissolved.

Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday forwarded the file to the IHC chief justice, Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, for the for-mation of a larger bench.

This case had earlier been transferred from the court of Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, who had issued contempt notices to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his cabinet members for disregarding its order to provide reasons for not assisting a US court hearing the case of Dr Aafia.

On Monday, Justice Minhas heard arguments regarding Dr Aafia’s health and return from a US prison while hear-ing the petition filed by Dr Aafia’s sister, Dr Fowzia Sid-diqui,

Counsel for the petitioner, Advocate Imran Shafiq, told the court that the matter had become quite complicated. The judge stated that it was not the case and that his ruling was clear regarding the chief justice being the master of the roster.

“Justice Munib [Akhter] also held [that the CJ is the mas-ter of the roster], and I have given the same ruling. How-ever, since another [judge’s] opinion differs, I am referring this issue to a larger bench. The larger bench will decide who the master of the roster is.”

Earlier, this case was heard by Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, who, on July 21, initiated contempt proceedings against PM Shehbaz and his entire cabinet. “The replies of all the ministers, including the prime minister, shall be filed within two weeks from today,” said the order authored by Justice Khan.

The judge noted that in his last order he had given the government time to revert with its decision, while cau-tioning the state law officer that inaction would result in contempt proceedings.

The federal government on July 15 approached the Su-preme Court, seeking to overturn the May 16, 2025, or-der of the IHC that allowed amendments to a previously settled petition concerning Dr Aafia—nearly a decade af-ter its filing.

Justice Ejaz Ishaq Khan was to go on summer vacation from July 21. However, he had announced at the last hearing that he would hear the case on July 21. Interest-ingly, the IHC did not list the case for hearing before his bench.

The judge, nevertheless, heard the case and later issued a blistering order. He also criticized IHC Chief Justice Dogar and the entire “demolition squad catapulted into” the IHC after the 26th amendment.

Dr Aafia Siddiqui is a Pakistani neuroscientist and educator who gained international attention following her conviction in the United States.

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar said on Monday that the party would boycott National Assembly sessions in protest against what he called unfair treatment of party lawmakers.

“From now on, we will not attend National Assembly sittings. We will protest and boycott instead,” said Gohar while speaking to reporters alongside other PTI members in Islamabad.

He added that PTI’s parliamentary party met at Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) House, heard instructions from the party founder, and endorsed them.

He accused authorities of stripping PTI legislators of their seats, disqualifying them and silencing their voices. “Even if we try to celebrate Inde-pendence Day, we are not allowed. Despite countless difficulties, we at-tended sessions to raise demands democratically, but we are not permit-ted to speak,” he said.

Meanwhile, former speaker Asad Qaiser urged the federal government to support flood victims. “The K-P government is working for the flood-hit people. We will also appeal to our party founder to launch a fundraising call. We appeal to the United Nations to provide aid. It is the federal government’s duty as well,” he said.

K-P Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur reported severe devastation from heavy rains, particularly in Buner, Shangla, Swabi and Swat. “A flood surge of 12 to 14 feet destroyed homes. Our agencies rescued all people within 24 hours. So far, 490 people have lost their lives in the province,” he said.

He said compensation was being distributed, with Rs2 million given to families of the deceased, Rs1 million for completely destroyed homes, and partial payments to the injured.

At least 812 people have been killed and nearly 3,000 injured after a powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late on Sunday, leaving entire villages flattened and thousands feared trapped beneath the rubble. Survivors spoke of chaos and devastation as the tremors shook homes in the mountainous provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar, with shocks felt as far as Kabul and Islamabad.According to UN figures, more than 12,000 people have been directly affected across four provinces, with Taliban officials warning the toll is likely to rise as rescue efforts struggle to reach remote valleys blocked by landslides.

Survivors recall ‘apocalypse’ as villages razed

Eyewitnesses described terrifying scenes as mud-brick houses collapsed while families slept. “We were all afraid,” said Matiullah Shahab, a journalist in Kunar, who told the BBC he felt 17 aftershocks through the night. In one village he visited, Andarlachak, 79 people died. “The villages I visited were destroyed,” he said.Survivors like Rasheed Khan, who told the Guardian he lost his wife, three children and two brothers, fear the worst. “I fear thousands still remain trapped under the rubble,” he said.Another resident, Ezzatullah Safi, told the BBC: “I woke to the screams of children, women, and animals. The earthquake was intense, and the night felt like a small apocalypse.” With power out and roads blocked, he said helicopters later airlifted the injured to clinics.The Guardian reported the story of Hameed Jan, who was buried alive when his house collapsed in Piran village. Villagers dug for five hours to free him, but his wife, two sons and two brothers were killed. “It felt as if the entire mountain was collapsing on us,” he said.Cleric Abdul Rahim described mass burials in Kunar’s Mazar valley: “The death toll is so high that graveyards are overflowing, and local people are busy digging graves in advance.”

Rescue efforts hampered

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed more than 800 deaths, telling Al Jazeera that 2,817 others were injured. Yet residents accused authorities of failing to respond adequately. “There are women and children pleading for help but there are no authorities present,” one villager told the Guardian. “Everyone is trapped under the rubble and we are helpless.”Local disaster officials in Kunar told AFP that “many people are stuck under the rubble of their roofs,” while the UN warned that several villages remain unreachable. Helicopters have been deployed, but roads blocked by landslides have slowed access.The earthquake struck just 27km from Jalalabad at a shallow depth of 8km, according to the US Geological Survey. Shallow quakes are typically more destructive, especially in Afghanistan where many homes are built of mud and stone.

International aid begins to arrive

The United Nations released $5m in emergency funds, with Secretary-General António Guterres pledging to “swiftly assess needs, provide emergency assistance and mobilise support.”India was among the first to send help. The ministry of external affairs confirmed trucks loaded with food and 1,000 family tents had been delivered, with 15 tonnes of supplies moved to Kunar. External affairs minister S Jaishankar wrote on X that India “stands by Afghanistan at this difficult time.”(With inputs from agencies)

Islamabad police on Monday arrested a man for allegedly harassing and attempting to kidnap social media influencer Samiya Hijab.

A statement from the police spokesperson said the action was taken after her complaint and video statement.

A case was registered in the capital’s Shalimar Police Station at her complaint under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 365 (Kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person), 392 (punishment for robbery), 500 (punishment for defamation), 509 and 511 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The suspect had been stalking her for several days, the social media influencer said in the first information report.

She added that on Sunday at 6:30pm, an attempt was made to forcefully take her out of the house

“Today’s incident further escalated when he attempted to forcibly abduct me from my house while I was returning his gifts. This amounts to abduction, harassment, and assault under the law. For evidence, I have CCTV footage,” she was quoted as saying in the FIR.

Samiya thanked the Islamabad police in a subsequent video on her Instagram account and mentioned that the suspect had threatened her to take her complaint back.

Earlier in June, the Islamabad police said they had arrested the main suspect in the murder case of 17-year-old social media influencer Sana Yousaf, a day after she was shot dead in her house.

CHINIOT: Across the fertile plains of Pakistan’s Punjab, families are struggling to rebuild their lives after the worst flooding in decades swept away homes, destroyed crops, and drowned livestock.

“Thirteen of my 15 acres are gone,” said Muhammad Amjad, 45, a rice and potato farmer in Chiniot, as he stood by submerged fields. “Our rice is completely destroyed. Women and children have evacuated. Men are left guarding what remains.”

The provincial disaster management authority said more than two million people have been affected, with more than 2,000 villages inundated. Approximately 760,000 people and 516,000 animals have been evacuated, and at least 33 people have died in less than a week.

Amish Sultan, 50, lost his only source of income.

“I have 10 buffaloes. They’re so weak there’s no milk left for my children, let alone to sell. I used to earn 100,000 to 150,000 rupees a month. That stability is gone.”

Farm laborer Mehdi Hassan, 40, said entire neighborhoods were washed away.

“My home is completely destroyed. We’ve been left on the roadside with whatever we could carry. We tried to build our own dams but the water still took everything.”

Officials say the floods are the worst in decades, with major dams near capacity, and more rain is forecast.

BUMPER TO BUST

Farmers and exporters warn the impact on agriculture will be staggering. Rice, sugarcane, maize, vegetables, and cotton fields across Punjab are under water.

“We were expecting a bumper rice crop this year,” said Ibrahim Shafiq, export manager at Latif Rice Mills.

“Paddy was forecast to open at 3,200–3,600 rupees per 40kg, but with flood damage, prices could rise to 5,000–5,500. That will push rice prices up for local consumers and make us uncompetitive against India internationally.”

Cotton losses also threaten the textile industry, which makes up more than half of Pakistan’s exports, at a time when the country faces a 19 percent US tariff in its biggest market.

Agriculture technology firm Farmdar said the damage is likely to be exponential, given the vast stretches of farmland along the rivers now under water.

Ghasharib Shoukat, co-founder of commodities platform Zarai Mandi warned wheat, vegetable, and cotton shortages would ripple through supply chains, hurting exports and household budgets.

The disaster comes at a sensitive moment for Pakistan’s fragile economy. Inflation had cooled to 4.1 percent in July from 11.1 percent a year earlier, and food inflation, which spiked above 50 percent in 2023, had eased.

Officials now expect the August inflation reading, due Monday, to come in at 4–5 percent, with food shortages already driving prices higher. Analysts say delayed wheat sowing, shrinking rice exports and the need to import cotton will deepen the pressure.

TENTS NOW, TOMORROW UNKNOWN

The destruction extends beyond fields. In Lahore, 38-year-old rickshaw driver Aslam said he waded through six feet (two meters) of water to pull his three-wheeler vehicle to safety.

“I’ve lived near the Ravi all my life and it never flooded my home before. This time it came inside in hours. If I hadn’t saved my rickshaw, we would have lost everything. It is my only livelihood,” said Aslam, who is now living in a relief tent.

A muddy tent city has been erected near the Ravi River, where families huddle under tarpaulins and tents, some beside foul-smelling drains.

About 150 to 200 camps have been set up for the displaced just in that area, said Dr. Ijaz Nazeer of Al Khidmat Foundation. Each tent is home to around five to eight people.

With three of Pakistan’s main rivers in flood, authorities in the Punjab have set up 511 relief camps, 351 medical sites, and 321 veterinary facilities, evacuating nearly 481,000 people and 405,000 animals so far. More than 15,000 police officers have been deployed as monsoon rains continue.

Farmers and experts warn the cost of recovery will run into billions of rupees to rebuild homes and re-establish farms.

Farmer and activist Aamer Hayat Bhandara said unless the recovery is supported, food insecurity will deepen.

“Farmers grow the food that sustains us all. If they are left alone in times of disaster, the whole nation will suffer,” he said.

•  Gandapur says offered help to Punjab amid severe floods.
•  PTI founder’s release linked to law, not establishment deal.
•  Afghan refugees deserve dignity, urges six-month time for return.
  

---

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has said that Pakistan cannot be harmed in the name of provincialism and called for consensus to undertake projects like the Kalabagh Dam in the wider national interest.

Speaking to the media, Gandapur said that all reservations must be addressed to initiate such a project. “Everyone must be satisfied, and such projects should be carried out for our children, future generations and Pakistan,” he remarked, stressing that the broader national benefit should not be compromised.

Referring to the ongoing crisis, the KP CM noted that the province was currently facing heavy rains, cloudbursts and flash floods. He said relief and rescue activities were being conducted using available resources.

“Punjab is our brother, and the people living there are our own,” he stated, adding that his government had offered Punjab assistance wherever needed. Gandapur stressed that KP shared in Punjab’s pain and would stand with them in difficult times.

Imran Khan’s release

Turning to political matters, Gandapur commented on the release of PTI founder Imran Khan, saying there were two possible ways forward.

The first, he explained, was through implementation of the constitution and the rule of law. “The day the supremacy of law is established, the PTI founder will be among us, false cases will collapse, and his honourable release will be ensured,” he said.

The second way, he noted, would be a compromise with the establishment, which he described as unlikely. Gandapur insisted that the PTI founder was standing firm on his ideology and enduring imprisonment for the sake of the next generation.

“We are also standing with the PTI founder’s ideology,” Gandapur asserted. “Victory, God willing, will be ours. We will be victorious soon. The people must not panic and must continue their struggle.”

Afghan quake

He further announced that the KP government had contacted Afghan authorities and offered full support for earthquake-affected communities. More than 800 people were killed after a 6-magnitude quake hit Afghanistan on Monday.

Gandapur said rescue teams, medical services, relief supplies and rehabilitation assistance would be provided. He stressed that KP would stand shoulder to shoulder with the Afghan people in this difficult time.

Commenting on Afghan refugees, the chief minister opposed any forced repatriation. He said the federal government should allow six months for Afghan refugees to arrange their return and livelihoods.

“For forty years we hosted them, sending them back like this is inappropriate,” he maintained. Gandapur said his government was ensuring that no Afghan refugee in KP was harassed, nor were raids being conducted against them. He added that efforts were being made to ensure Afghan refugees return with dignity.

It was almost midnight when Hameed Jan was jolted awake in his bed by a deep rumble. Powerful tremors were shaking his small house in Piran village, in Afghanistan’s Kunar region, and he could see the walls beginning to crack.

“I jumped out of bed and rushed to where my children and parents were sleeping,” Jan said. “I managed to rescue two of my children and brought them outside to safety. I went back inside to save my younger siblings, but as I did the roof and walls collapsed around me.”

As the magnitude-6 earthquake hit eastern Afghanistan late on Sunday night, Jan found himself buried in the rubble of his own house. As much as he tried to claw at the debris, he struggled to push his head through the wreckage. It took villagers five hours to finally free him. When he finally broke through, he was greeted with scenes of tragedy and devastation.

His wife, two sons and two brothers were among the dead after the powerful earthquake had razed entire villages across the region to the ground. In the poverty-stricken, mountainous terrain of Kunar, most homes in the affected villages had been made only of mud, giving people little defence from the debris and floods caused by the earthquake when it struck as they slept. Most homes lay in piles of rubble or had been washed away entirely.

“It felt as if the entire mountain was collapsing on us,” Jan said. “Our village has been completely devastated and residential areas wiped out.”

The official death toll stood at 800 on Monday evening, with more than 2,500 injured, and was widely expected to rise significantly. Many in the villages of Kunar remained unaccounted for and rescuers continued to pull bodies from the rubble as all local hospitals declared a state of emergency.

The Taliban, who took control of the country more than four years ago when its internationally recognised government collapsed, dispatched helicopters but many areas remained impossible to access.

Sanaullah, another resident of Kunar province, had been away from his village when the earthquake struck. When he travelled back on Monday, he found that his house had been reduced to rubble and his brother had been killed alongside his five children. “It is the story of each and every house here,” he said. “Everyone I know here has lost at least three to five family members.”

Abdul Rahim, a cleric in Kunar, said graveyards in Mazar valley in Kunar were now overflowing with the dead. “Everywhere people are crying and embracing one another following a mass funeral,” he said. “The death toll is so high that graveyards are overflowing, and local people are busy digging graves in advance as bodies arrive every half hour.”

Many of those affected were critical of the rescue efforts by the Taliban, which was widely seen to lack the resources, manpower and funds to deal with a crisis on this scale. Since the Taliban retook power in 2021, it has become increasingly difficult for NGOs to operate in the country, particularly amid the draconian ban on women’s employment and education, and most foreign governments have withdrawn aid from Afghanistan, now one of the poorest countries in the world.

Sohail Shaheen, a Taliban spokesperson, called on international organisations to step in and offer assistance in the wake of the disaster. “Many villages are not accessible yet,” he said. “I fear the casualties are very high.”

One resident from the Maza Dara area, who asked to remain anonymous to speak freely, criticised the Taliban rescue efforts. “There are women and children pleading for help but there are no authorities present to help them,” he said.

“Everyone is trapped under the rubble and we are helpless and seeing them dying in front of our eyes,” he added. “There is no one here to help those buried and alive in the debris. There is no one here to remove the dead.”