Category: 1. Pakistan

THE May 9 convictions are here. Wholesale. And after a long wait — during which time most of those who were behind bars remained behind bars and most of those who had managed to wrangle some form of freedom continued to remain outside.

So far, this situation has not really changed as we wait to see if any of the well-known names who have been convicted are found and arrested.

None of this is surprising — neither the judgements nor the convictions/acquittals. And not even the names of those who were able to escape being tried in the first place.

So far, in the three decisions which have come forward, among others, Yasmin Rashid and the other prisoners in Lahore have been found guilty, as have key PTI leaders in the various assemblies — from Omar Ayub in the National Assembly to Shibli Faraz in the Senate and the Punjab opposition leader Ahmed Bachchar.

The judgements appear to have given a starring role to the key prosecution witnesses, who hid in Zaman Park, and heard the PTI’s ‘evil’ planning. The testimony of these police officers established for the courts the case against the party leaders and workers, who took part in these discussions.

And while time may have dimmed recollections of May 9, these two star witnesses are now etched in the memory of even those who heard any of the commentary about these cases with half an ear.

It is hard to understand why the judgements have come now.

Since then, checking under the table or behind the sofa has become as mandatory as the quick move to stuff phones in sofa crevices or under a pile of cushions during casual discussions in Islamabad. Beware of the Big Brother who may be listening through the phone and be equally afraid of the police wallah under the coffee table.

But in the confusion of who has so far been convicted and who has been spared, the real question here is: why? Two years later, when those who have been able to escape have escaped and those who are never to be forgiven languish in jail, it is hard to understand why the judgements have come now. What is the point?

For those who are never to be forgiven were already in jail, and those who were as free as the other parliamentarians continue to be somewhere out there, with the police searching for them. And doubting Thomas that I am, I wonder if any of them will be caught.

But I digress. The main question still remains, why? And why now?

It is not as if the government or its allies needed more seats in parliament for stability or legislation. It is already sitting pretty and the numbers, whenever needed, are easy to complete, as the 26th Amendment showed.

It could be to weaken the PTI; many say this when asked. But in recent times, the party has revealed quite comprehensively that it is incapable of functioning coherently or strategically; its internal rifts have rendered it incapable of action, before or after Aug 5, and the limited access to Imran Khan adds to the confusion.

Combine this with the allegations that most of those making the decisions within the party are compromised and it seems there is little reason for any concern or fear.

But when these questions are asked, those with bigger and wiser brains (bigger and wiser than those inside the head of subeditors), feel that it is essential to prove not just that the party is weak and dysfunctional but also that it can be broken or fragmented further.

It is to send a message. A message not just to the party but also to prove that those in charge are in control and confident about their position. This is being linked to recent international events such as the Indo-Pak conflict, the reaction to it worldwide and especially the newfound warmth with the White House.

It goes without saying that, internally, there is little reason for any questions about the control of the system.

But that is not all. Somewhere, there is also concern and an effort to prove that May 9 has been forgotten. It was a terrible event and it has to be taken to its logical conclusion. There is concern that if it was abandoned, or the cases allowed to languish, then it may send the message that it was a day used simply for political purposes and then forgotten.

And if this is not the case, the culprits of the day must be brought to ‘justice’ so the people at large (within the country) know how serious it is. This is also why the military courts’ judgements have also been announced.

Perhaps this is also why many of the same people who spent months informing all and sundry that what happened on May 9 was unforgiveable now speak about the possibility of forgiveness if an apology is sought.

This idea of an apology had also been mentioned over the past two years, but the intensity with which it is now echoing across TV screens and elsewhere should not be taken lightly.

If this last issue is of concern, then it is worth asking if such judgements, which are raising further questions, will be able to change the larger perception. Especially because in the process, the judicial system has suffered further collateral damage.

And there is risk of more, in case those convicted manage to file appeals and the higher courts hear these cases. Generally, a lot more attention is paid to the proceedings in the high courts and beyond. And upholding these judgements there will not be easy, in terms of the credibility of the post-26th Amendment judiciary.

But then, who would even heed these words? Credibility is a word that is becoming rather irrelevant.

The writer is a journalist.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2025

The PAA’s pivot to the Z-10ME was not a choice made in a vacuum. It was the final, logical step on a long and frustrating path paved with broken promises and geopolitical maneuvering. The original modernization plan, a carefully balanced two-tiered approach to acquire 12 Bell AH-1Z Vipers and 30 Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) T129B ATAK helicopters, collapsed under the weight of a fundamental US miscalculation.

Washington’s error was twofold. 

First, it underestimated the velocity at which the Chinese defence industry was advancing and scaling, operating under the assumption that Beijing was at least another decade away from producing a truly competitive equivalent to top-tier US platforms. The belief was that Pakistan, facing a capability gap, had no viable alternative and would eventually be forced to accept US terms regarding the withholding of financing support.

Second, it overestimated Pakistan’s patience while also underestimating the PAA’s operational urgency. The aging Cobra fleet was not just obsolete; it was an airworthiness and major safety liability. The need for a replacement was an urgent, non-negotiable requirement.

The historical context of mistrust is deep. The Pressler Amendment of the early 1990s, which blocked the delivery of 28 F-16A/B Block 15 aircraft that Pakistan had already paid for, had left a scar on the relationship. Not only were F-16s withheld, but the US ‘repaid’ Pakistan with soybean stocks, rather than the cash the PAF had needed (for a downpayment for alternate French Mirage 2000/-5 fighters sought in lieu of the F-16s at the time). 

This event, where US law unilaterally abrogated an existing contract and withheld Pakistan’s payment for years, created a policy-level reluctance within Rawalpindi to commit its own national funds for major US procurements without the security of co-funding using aid mechanisms like Foreign Military Financing (FMF) or Coalition Support Funds (CSF). These mechanisms were not just for financial relief; rather, they were a litmus test of American commitment.

When the Trump Administration froze the FMF/CSF designated for the AH-1Z deal in 2017 and asked Islamabad to self-fund the acquisition, it triggered this deep-seated institutional memory of the Pressler-era betrayal. Islamabad walked away, just as it had from a self-funded F-16C/D Block 52 deal earlier in 2016. Subsequently, the T129 deal fell victim to Washington’s refusal to issue re-export licenses for its American-made LHTEC T800 engines – a decision tied to broader US geopolitical friction with Turkey. 

This was the final straw. It demonstrated to Pakistani defense planners that even sourcing from a non-US, NATO-aligned partner offered no immunity from a US political veto. Supply chain security could only be guaranteed from a source outside the Western orbit.

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government has issued new instructions to pacify the protesting business community and decided to gradually ban major purchases, would treat cash deposits as digital transactions, and linked the use of enforcement powers with consent of the grievances redressal committees.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has issued two separate circulars to explain the taxation measures introduced in the budget and give effect to the understanding reached with the business community. The government has tried to address the concerns of the traders by softening the harsh provisions of the tax laws related to enforcement measures with subordinate legislation.

According to the explanatory circular, the FBR maintained that “the board will also ensure that the provisions related to enforcement are carried out in a judicious manner with the redressal committees, consisting of representatives of business community and the Board”.

The traders closed shops in Lahore and Karachi last month against the government measures including giving the FBR arrest powers in tax fraud cases, allowing it to treat half of the cash expenses over Rs200,000 as income, deploying taxmen in business premises and authorising them to arbitrarily reduce tax refund claims.

The FBR has now modified its position on cash expenses and stated that “when a person, whether a national tax number holder or otherwise, deposits the cash against invoices in the bank account of the seller, the payment shall be treated as having taken place through banking channel and no disallowance of the expenditure will be made in this regard under this clause”.

The explanation through subordinate legislation suggests a significant change in the FBR’s earlier stance.

The FBR, however, added that the expenditure disallowance power was aimed at enabling the formal sector to capture more market share as compared to that of the informal sector. It further said that this provision will not apply to agricultural produce unless it is sold by middle men.

This provision also authorises the board to exempt any class of persons subject to conditions and limitations as it deems appropriate.

While explaining the powers to arrest in tax fraud cases, the FBR said that the powers and procedure of inquiry and investigation in cases of sales tax fraud and other offences warranting prosecution under the Sales Tax Act have been streamlined.

Warrant of arrest may be issued only after approval from a committee, comprising of three members of the FBR, as may be notified by the chairman, and that too only in the cases where fraud involves amount exceeding Rs50 million and nature of the fraud falls within the ambit of any of the first six sub clauses of the clause (37) of section 2, it added.

The FBR said that the officer can only arrest a person, if there is a chance that the accused may tamper with documents, the accused may abscond and the accused does not help investigations despite three served notices

However, the explanatory circular also underlined that the tax commissioner can obtain subscriber’s information pertaining to the internet protocol in connection with any inquiry or investigation in tax fraud cases from any internet service provider, telecommunication companies and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

The FBR further said that sufficient safeguards have been introduced and multiple approvals are required at inquiry stage as well as investigations stage to prevent the misuse of the provisions of prosecution.

The FBR has also altered the mechanisms that it had defined to use artificial intelligence for the purpose of identifying tax evasion by authorising its officers to reduce the amount of sales tax refund claims. The FBR had taken the authority to fix a certain limit of input tax adjustment based on Compliance Risk Management (CRM).

The FBR said that now the “input restrictions and conditions shall not be altered without meaningful consultation with the business and trade representatives related to the sector for which such action is intended”.

The explanation implies that if the FBR has any doubts about the attempt to evade taxes by claiming higher refunds, it would first consult with chambers before making any decision.

Last month, the FBR had given nearly 11,000 nudging notices on sales tax anomalies being identified through the CRM system.

The FBR also explained its enforcement powers against hard to tax persons and promote documentation of the economy. It added that these measures include bar on the operation of bank accounts, bar on the transfer of immovable property, sealing of business premises, seizure of immovable property and appointment of a receiver.

“However, these enforcement measures shall be carried out in conformity with natural principles of justice and in a sequential manner to avoid undue hardships”, the FBR explained.

It further stated that before taking any extreme measure like freezing bank accounts or business premises, a public notice of hearing will be given and hearing will be conducted jointly by a concerned representative of the chamber of commerce and trade and concerned officer of Inland Revenue.

Such decisions will also be made public by placement on FBR’s website and newspapers, it added.

RAWALPINDI:

The civil administration in Rawalpindi on Monday imposed Section 144 across the district from August 4 to August 10 ahead of the PTI’s protest scheduled for today, August 5.

According to a notification issued by Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema, public gatherings and political rallies are banned in the garrison city, whose Adiala Jail is the place where the PTI founder Imran Khan has been detained for around 2 years. Under Section 144, pillion riding on motorcycles and display of weapons are prohibited while loudspeakers cannot be used during this period. To prevent any law and order situation near Adiala Jail, a red alert has been issued and Adiala Road will be completely sealed with containers.

According to the official notification, the Punjab Rangers will be deployed around the jail and the rangers will conduct joint patrols with Rawalpindi Police. Anti-riot police equipped with tear gas and batons will also be stationed at all barricades.

Traffic from Kacheri to Adiala Jail and from the Chakri Motorway Interchange will be diverted to alternate routes. Legal action will be taken against anyone attempting to remove official blockades.

Meanwhile, ahead of the planned protests, senior PTI leader and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser issued a video message stating that on August 5, there will be protests all across the country

“This is not just a protest, but the beginning of a movement. Two years ago, on this very day, the fascist government unjustly arrested Imran Khan, and for the last two years, he has remained imprisoned without due cause.

“We demand justice and merit-based decisions from the judiciary. Unfortunately, after the 26th Constitutional Amendment, the judiciary has practically become subordinate to the government. It is saddening to see the public’s trust in the courts diminishing day by day,” he added.

The PTI leader asked as to what has come out of the numerous operations conducted in merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which were earlier part of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

“These operations have neither brought peace nor ended unrest. Let it be clear—we will not allow any military operation on our soil. We want peace on our land.

“Our demand is simple and clear: justice for Imran Khan. When justice is denied, the principle of ‘might is right’ prevails. A system of disbelief can survive, but a system based on oppression cannot,” he added.

According to Qaiser, the country is heading further into tyranny and the current rulers are sitting on power through force. He said people do not want violence, explosions, or extortion but peace, jobs, and education for our children.

“The movement starting today is not just PTI’s battle—it is the struggle of the entire nation, for the rule of law, justice, merit, and equal rights for all citizens,” he said.

WITH INPUT FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT IN PESHAWAR.

 

 

 

LAHORE:

On the eve of former prime minister Imran Khan completing two years in prison, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has issued a ‘white paper’ alleging systematic political victimisation, legal manipulation, and human rights violations.

The release came ahead of PTI’s planned protests on Tuesday.

Speaking to the media, PTI Punjab Media Cell head Shayan Bashir said, “The protest call for August 5 is for peaceful demonstrations, yet our homes are being raided, our privacy violated. In Lahore alone, over 200 raids have taken place in the past two days.”

He alleged that authorities were using coercive tactics, including arbitrary detentions, extortion, and forced affidavits. “They pick up people, take bribes, or make them sign affidavits before releasing them,” he said.

The 13-page document, spanning August 2023 to the ongoing month, documents what PTI characterises as a relentless campaign of repression. It cites at least 186 criminal cases filed against Khan, secret trials inside jail premises, and what it calls misuse of anti-terror laws to stifle dissent. It also alleges interference in the February 2024 general elections.

The PTI alleged that Khan’s detention conditions amounted to inhumane treatment.

LAHORE:

Ceremonies were held across Punjab on Monday to mark Police Martyrs’ Day, honouring over 1,700 Punjab Police personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty.

“I salute those brave soldiers of Punjab Police who made Pakistan a cradle of peace by giving their blood,” said Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

“Some mothers lost their sons, some wives lost their husbands and some kids lost their fathers so that we all could be safe,” said in her message on Police Martyrs’ Day. She said, “Blood of police martyrs is the strongest brick of our state. Real strength of a state are those soldiers who face bullets but do not step back.”

The central event took place at Alhamra Arts Council, Lahore, where Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar, CCPO Lahore Bilal Siddique Kamyana, and families of martyred officers gathered alongside representatives from the media, civil society, showbiz, and academia.

Speaking at the event, IG Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar said, “Punjab Police made sacrifices on 353 out of 365 days last year – a reflection of our commitment to peace.” He noted that more than 712 families of martyrs (prior to 2017) had received residential plots and financial support, with enhanced measures introduced under the direction of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

As part of welfare initiatives, 26 children of martyred officers received laptops for educational support, and residential plot documents were distributed to families of pre-2017 martyrs.

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police, Zulfiqar Hameed, has said that the police martyrdom compensation package had been raised to Rs11 million, and the recruitment quota for martyrs’ families increased from five per cent to 12.5 per cent.

He added that K-P Police have made unparalleled sacrifices to transform the dark night of terrorism into the light of a peaceful dawn. He added that the spirit of freedom, martyrdom, and courage runs deep in the blood of the people and forces of K-P for centuries. Reaffirming their commitment, he vowed that every officer and soldier of the force would continue to serve the nation until their last drop of blood, drawing inspiration from the sacrifices of their predecessors. He expressed these views while addressing the 11th annual Police Martyrs Day ceremony held in Peshawar.

Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, was the chief guest on the occasion. The police chief said that August 4 holds special significance for them, as it is an opportunity to pay tribute to those who laid down their lives for the nation, while renewing the pledge that their sacrifices will never be forgotten. He added that every officer and jawan of the K-P Police has stood like an unbreakable wall against terrorists, confronting the enemy with unwavering courage and determination.

Safia* thought she had finally found safety for herself and her children. After years of violence and hardship at the hands of her husband, a police officer who became a Taliban commander in the western province of Herat, Safia and her two children had fled to Iran in 2018 to start a new life.

There, with the help of other refugee Afghan women, she had started a small clothing business and had built a fragile but dignified life for herself and her family.

Two weeks ago, that all collapsed when Safia and her teenage children were given a deportation notice. They joined hundreds of thousands of other refugees being rounded up and forced back over the border into Afghanistan.

Now back in Herat, Safia lives in daily terror of her husband and his family.

“I was his second wife. My father forced me to marry him because he had money and power. He used to beat me constantly,” she says. “Here in Herat, it is not safe for me. My husband is now working with the Taliban and still has influence.”

Even though Safia was able to pull together some money before she was deported, she has not been able to find anywhere stable for her and her children to live and has no way of making a living.

Of the estimated 800,000 undocumented Afghan refugees and migrants who were returned from Iran between 1 June and 23 July this year, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) says that 153,000 were women.

Zuhal Nabi, of IOM Afghanistan, says of these 153,000 women, 8% are “female-headed households”, deported back to Afghanistan alone with their children without a husband or male guardian.

All have been forcibly returned to a country operating under what is in effect a system of gender apartheid, and where women’s rights have been stripped back to the bone.

Safia and thousands like her find themselves in a country where women cannot rent homes without a male guardian, where they are barred from most paid work and cannot even visit a health clinic without a male escort.

Human rights and aid organisations are warning that the number of single women who have been deported from Iran in the past few weeks has already overwhelmed the few remaining support systems, leaving many female-headed households trapped in poverty and exposed to abuse.

Reporters from Zan Times talked to nine women forced to return to Afghanistan from Iran with their children but without a male guardian, all of whom say they are struggling to find shelter and food, while facing a maze of legal, economic and cultural restrictions.

Fahima, who returned to Afghanistan in June, says no landlord will rent to her. “They tell me outright that Taliban rules forbid it,” she says.

“I’ve been couch-surfing with relatives since I arrived. The only way to get a house is if a male relative signs the lease.”

Two rental agents who agreed to be interviewed say it is impossible for them to offer housing to single or unaccompanied women. “All rental agreements must be registered with the Taliban intelligence. If we rent to an unaccompanied woman, we risk imprisonment,” the owner of a small real-estate company in Herat says. “It’s just not worth it.”

The lack of housing is matched by a lack of work. Raqia, a recently returned widow, says the only available jobs are underground and precarious.

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“Even if a woman has skills, like tailoring or hairdressing, she must work in secret, at home. In Iran, I worked in a handbag factory; here, I can’t work outside at all.”

Almost all of the women talked of feelings of grief at losing everything they had and being sent back to Afghanistan.

Sabera from Kunduz recalls how she lost all her possessions when her family was expelled abruptly. “They didn’t even let us take our furniture. We left with just one set of clothes each,” she says.

“The Iranian police beat my sons so badly they couldn’t eat. I had to take them to the hospital often. My children now suffer from trauma. No one listens to us. We are refugees – we have no rights.”

Maida moved to Iran with her son after her husband, a police officer under the previous government, died in a military operation. She says when she was detained by police in Iran, she was alone, queueing for bread.

“They didn’t let me go home to get my son. They just took me to the deportation camp in Shandiz and sent me back to Herat.”

Now living with members of her extended family, Maida faces the impossible choice of remaining separated from her son or risking another dangerous journey back. “I can’t stay here, away from my child, dependent on relatives, but without a passport and with Iran no longer issuing visas, I don’t know how to get back to him.

“I can’t live like this,” she says, “but I don’t know what to do.”

* All names have been changed

LAHORE:

On the eve of former prime minister Imran Khan completing two years in prison, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has issued a ‘white paper’ alleging systematic political victimisation, legal manipulation, and human rights violations.

The release came ahead of PTI’s planned protests on Tuesday.

Speaking to the media, PTI Punjab Media Cell head Shayan Bashir said, “The protest call for August 5 is for peaceful demonstrations, yet our homes are being raided, our privacy violated. In Lahore alone, over 200 raids have taken place in the past two days.”

He alleged that authorities were using coercive tactics, including arbitrary detentions, extortion, and forced affidavits. “They pick up people, take bribes, or make them sign affidavits before releasing them,” he said.

The 13-page document, spanning August 2023 to the ongoing month, documents what PTI characterises as a relentless campaign of repression.

It cites at least 186 criminal cases filed against Khan, secret trials inside jail premises, and what it calls misuse of anti-terror laws to stifle dissent. It also alleges interference in the February 2024 general elections.

The PTI alleged that Khan’s detention conditions amounted to inhumane treatment.

KARACHI:

President of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), Junaid Naqi, has welcomed the signing of 12 ministerial-level agreements between Pakistan and Iran. He said the recent conclusion of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will boost economic growth and deepen bilateral cooperation.

In a statement issued on Monday, Naqi said current trade stands at $3 billion, with Pakistan’s share only a third. He stressed that with coordinated efforts, trade could rise to $10 billion. Key sectors include textiles, pharmaceuticals, leather, and food. He urged tapping into Iran’s affordable energy to support Pakistan’s industries.

“Pakistan and Iran have historic ties that have grown stronger over time. Our support during the Iran-Israel and Pakistan-India wars reflects our long-standing solidarity,” Naqi stated.

The KATI president urged governments to remove trade barriers and support local businesses seeking to enter the Iranian market. He also called for promoting barter trade to accelerate commercial ties. Naqi said the FTA would reduce tariffs, remove trade obstacles, and energise both economies. He urged stronger business-to-business engagement and recommended regular joint exhibitions and B2B meetings.

He also pressed for policies to attract both domestic and foreign investment, especially in agriculture and industry. “The Pakistan-Iran Free Trade Agreement has the potential to redefine our economic landscape and help both nations meet their growth targets through enhanced regional cooperation,” he concluded.

On Sunday, Pakistan and Iran officially agreed to increase trade from $3 billion to $10 billion in talks held in Islamabad between visiting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Pezeshkian’s visit marked his first official foreign tour since taking office and follows a 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.