Category: 1. Pakistan

Former Punjab governor and PTI-backed MNA Mian Muhammad Azhar passed away on Tuesday, his party confirmed.

The PTI announced the death in a post on X and extended its condolences to his son and party leader, Hammad Azhar.

Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan praised him as a person of “noble character” whose “political and national services” would be remembered for a long time.

Former Sindh governor and ex-PTI leader Imran Ismail said he was deeply saddened to hear of the death and praised the deceased as a “distinguished political figure”.

He was the governor of Punjab from August 11, 1990, till April 10, 1993.

He was also the founding president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid and joined the PTI in October 2011.

He was the PTI-backed candidate in the February 2024 general elections for NA-129(Lahore-XIII) and joined the Sunni Ittehad Council later on.

In January 2024, he was also taken into custody in Lahore only to be released after a few hours as police launched a crackdown on PTI-affiliated candidates and supporters who took to the streets on party founder Imran Khan’s call.

LAHORE (Dunya News) – Senior politician Mian Azhar passed away in the Punjab capital on Tuesday evening.

He was a former Governor of Punjab and a Member of the National Assembly from Lahore’s Constituency 129.  He was under treatment at a local hospital.

Starting his political career as a worker, the astute politician Mian Muhammad Azhar served as the Mayor of Lahore from 1987 to 1991 and as the Governor of Punjab from 1990 to 1992.

His early political affiliation was with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and later, during Nawaz Sharif’s exile, he joined the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q).

He was the father of Hammad Azhar, a leader of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

LAHORE: The walled city is set to further enhance its eco-friendly public transportation network with the introduction of electric trams following the successful integration of electric buses, an Orange Line spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday.  

An Orange Train spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday that an order for these advanced trams has been placed with China. This move marks another significant step for Lahore in its commitement to developing a sustainable urban transit system. 

The spokeperson highlighted the impressive efficiency of the new electric trams, stating that they will be capable of travelling between 25 and 27 kilometres on a mere 10-minute charge.

Each tram will feature a three-compartment (three-box) design and will have the capacity to carry up to 250 passengers at a time.

“The assembly of the first three-compartment trams is currently underway at the Ali Town Depot,” the spokesperson added.

The electric tram service will initially be launched as a pilot project, with a proposed route running from Thokar Niaz Baig to Harbanspura.

“At first, the tram will operate on a trial basis,” the spokesperson said. “It has been proposed that the service be offered free of charge during this phase. If successful, fare structures will be introduced for regular operations.”

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Sargodha on Tuesday handed down 10-year prison sentences to Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bachar, federal lawmakers Ahmed Chattha and Bilal Ejaz along with a group of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers in connection with violent protests that erupted across the country on May 9, 2023.

The unrest followed the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan by paramilitary forces in Islamabad, which triggered protests in different parts of the country. Demonstrators stormed military installations and government buildings, prompting a sweeping state crackdown.

Thousands of PTI members and supporters were arrested, dozens were charged under anti-terrorism laws and some were tried in military courts. The protests also led to a wave of high-profile defections from the party, as many leaders publicly distanced themselves from the events under apparent pressure.

“Yes, it’s true” Zulfi Bukhari, a close aide of Imran Khan and former federal minister, said in a statement. “The ATC judge announced 10 years sentence for opposition leader Punjab assembly and two others. MNAs Ahmed Chatha and Bilal Ejaz’s names weren’t even in supplementary documents but the judge sentenced them anyway.”

The development comes as PTI faces mounting pressure across political and judicial fronts. In the Punjab Assembly, tensions have flared in recent weeks, with Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan suspending 26 opposition lawmakers in recent weeks over disorder during the provincial budget speech.

The speaker also suggested some members could face disqualification, citing repeated violations of constitutional decorum.

Khan, the PTI founder and former Pakistan premier, remains imprisoned on a range of charges he says are fabricated. The party’s legal standing was further weakened after a Supreme Court ruling last month upheld a decision stripping PTI of its claim to reserved seats for women and minorities, significantly limiting its representation in legislatures.

While the PTI questioned the court’s decision, the government said the due process of law was upheld and there was no miscarriage of justice.

Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik said the court had listened to all the witnesses and recorded their statements. Subsequently, they were also cross-examined.

“Both sides gave their closing statements and today the verdict that was announced is according to the constitution and law,” he added.

LAHORE: After the successful introduction of electric buses, Lahore is now gearing up to welcome electric trams as part of its public transportation network, an Orange Line spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday.

The authorities have placed an order for these trams from China, marking another milestone in its move toward a more sustainable and eco-friendly urban transit system.

According to the spokesperson, the new electric trams are highly efficient — capable of travelling 25 to 27 kilometres on just a 10-minute charge.

Each tram will feature a three-compartment (three-box) design and will have the capacity to carry up to 250 passengers at a time.

“The assembly of the first three-compartment trams is currently underway at the Ali Town Depot,” the spokesperson added.

The electric tram service will initially be launched as a pilot project, with a proposed route running from Thokar Niaz Baig to Harbanspura.

“At first, the tram will operate on a trial basis,” the spokesperson said. “It has been proposed that the service be offered free of charge during this phase. If successful, fare structures will be introduced for regular operations.”

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Tuesday extended the interim bails of 230 accused including PTI chairman Barrister Gohar, Bushra Bibi and  Salman Akram Raja in a case pertaining to protest outside building of Supreme Court on
November 26.
 
ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sapra heard the case against  the aforesaid accused. During the hearing, Barrister Gohar, Zartaj Gul, Umair Niazi, Latif Khosa and others appeared in the court with their lawyers Riasat Ali Azad, Ali Bukhari and other.
 
Bushra Bibi, Salman Akram Raja, Sher Afzal Marwat, Omar Ayub, Shibli and others filed applications for exemption from attendance, which were approved by the court.
 
During the hearing, the arguments could not be made on the pre-arrest bail applications of the accused and the court extended the interim bail of a total of 230 accused and adjourned the hearing till September 8.

It may be mentioned here that 19 cases are registered against PTI leaders and activists in Margalla, Ramna, Kohsar and other police stations.