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LAHORE: Chiding the speaker for acting like a dictator under pressure, Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar said the opposition would continue fighting for the cause of the people of Punjab.

“Our patron-in-chief has appreciated PTI’s 26 MPAs for challenging the pharaohs and instructed them to hold assembly outside the [assembly] premises and continue giving tough time to the fake-mandated government,” Mr Bhachar said while speaking at a news conference at Lahore Press Club on Wednesday. He said the PTI would suggest amendments to the proposed Punjab Local Government Act.

He said the PTI would continue protesting ‘irregular’ payments of Rs10 trillion as reported by the Auditor General of Pakistan and added that this ‘Form-47’ government also got Rs509 billion supplementary budget with less than 23 members in the House.

Says PTI to suggest amendments to proposed LG law

“PML-N MPAs came in droves to listen to CM Maryam Nawaz’ speech but their number reduced to less than 25, when supplementary budget was passed,” he said.

Bhachar said the speaker suspended 26 opposition MPAs for protesting during CM’s speech but he had conveniently ignored the treasury MPAs’ protest and cheap slogans, when opposition women MPAs were speaking in the assembly. He said the speaker had neither notified the opposition parliamentary leader nor gave floor to the opposition leader despite repeated requests.

He said he had written a letter to the speaker to provide evidence explaining that the opposition members broke down microphones. He said the opposition would approach courts despite knowing that the courts were not giving justice to the opposition.

The opposition leader condemned the federal government for increasing petroleum prices and added that this increase would instantly shoot up the cost of daily-use items.

Acknowledging the negligence in death of 17 persons in Swat River, Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar said Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz should also be punished for the death of 20 children in a Pakpattan hospital.

“Those negligent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and in Punjab should be punished,” Mr Bhachar said.

Answering a question, the opposition leader said the political parties do keep their doors open for negotiations. He said party President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi was holding meetings and issuing instructions to them.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2025

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has granted relief to government servant couples by securing their right to promotion, allowing them to change domiciles without fear of being deprived of career advancement.

Now, women will be able to get promotions and higher posts after changing their domiciles, as the Supreme Court has ruled that new domiciles will be considered and such changes will not affect the provincial quota.

The judgement, a copy of which available with Dawn, was issued by a two-judge SC bench comprising Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi.

The petition was filed by Dr Shumaila Naeem, a gold medallist, who joined government service as a medical officer based on her Khyber Pakhtunkhwa domicile. After marrying a civil servant with a Balochistan domicile, she changed her domicile to that of her husband.

SC allows domicile change without career risk for couples in govt service

Subsequently, based on her new Balochistan domicile, she applied for the advertised post of Associate Professor (Obstetrics and Gynaecology), BPS-19, at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad. She topped the written exam conducted by the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), but was not called for an interview due to her domicile change, with the FPSC alleging that her original domicile was from KP.

Speaking to Dawn, Shumaila Naeem said her departmental representation and subsequent review petition were dismissed by the FPSC. “However, my appeal under Section 7(3)(d) of the FPSC Ordinance 1977 was allowed by the Islamabad High Court through a judgement dated January 28, 2025 by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq. But instead of implementing the IHC order, the FPSC filed an appeal in the Supreme Court,” she said.

“The apex court held that a married woman retains the legal discretion or choice to either adopt her husband’s domicile or retain her own,” she added.

The court ruled that the respondent had voluntarily opted to adopt her husband’s domicile, which is legally permissible. It rejected the FPSC’s stance and declared that the seat of Associate Professor is still vacant. The court directed that the candidate be considered for appointment to the post on the basis of her Balochistan domicile within a fortnight.

Dr Shumaila said that in the past, many female civil servants had no choice but to work in a province different from their husbands’.

“This decision, which has now become a precedent, will allow them to change their domiciles and serve at the same station as their husbands. It will bring peace of mind to them and their families,” she said.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2025

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Wednesday warned district administrations across the province about the possibility of flash floods, urban flooding and landslides due to a new spell of monsoon rains from July 5 to 11.

In an advisory issued to the deputy commissioners across the province, the PDMA quoted the Pakistan Meteorological Department as revealing that moist currents are penetrating into most parts of the region and likely to intensify in the next couple of days.

“A westerly wave is also expected to approach on July 5 evening and night. Under the influence of the new weather system, showers along with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds, with isolated and scattered heavy rainfalls, are expected in Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Buner, Malakand, Battagram, Shangla, Kohistan, Kolai-Pallas, Torghar, Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Charsadda, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, Kohat, Hangu, Bannu, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank and North and South Waziristan from July 5 to 11 with occasional gaps,” it said.

The PDMA warned that heavy to very heavy rains could generate flash floods in nullahs and streams of Galiyat, Mansehra, Kohistan, Kolai-Palas, Abbottabad, Buner, Bajaur, Battagram, Buner, Hangu, Torghar, Haripur, Karak, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Khyber, Kohat, Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan, Peshawar, Shangla, Kurram, Lakki Marwat, Malakand, Mansehra, Mohmand, Orakzai, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu and Tank during the forecast period.

Urges authorities to take measures to minimise damage

It also said that urban flooding was very likely to happen in low-lying areas of Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan, while there’s a likelihood of riverine flooding in Chitral, Swat, Panjkora and Kabul rivers.

According to the PDMA, landslides may cause roads closure in the vulnerable hilly areas of Abbottabad, Battagram, Buner, Chitral, Dir, Khyber, Kohistan, Kolai-Pallas Kohistan, Kurram, Malakand, Mansehra, Mohmand, Orakzai, Shangla, Swat, Torghar and North Waziristan districts.

Also, heavy rainfall and windstorms and lightning could damage weak structures like mud houses, electric poles, billboards, vehicles and solar panels during the period.

The PDMA urged deputy commissioners of all districts to take all precautionary measures against downpours and floods to minimise damage to public life and property and livestock.

It also asked authorities to assess and plan deployment of additional resources and exercise control over traffic leading to and in the vicinity of vulnerable and tourist areas and securing by physical means and keeping people away from loose structures such as buildings under construction, advertisement hoardings, electric poles and solar panels to prevent damages and save lives.

In the advisory, the PDMA said authorities should keep monitoring rivers, streams, local and rainfed nullahs, ensure drainage systems are clear from obstacles to facilitate the efficient flow of water and minimise the risk of urban flooding, coordinate with relevant municipal administrations to ensure mitigation and preparedness measures for landslides and urban flooding, and secure or remove billboards and hoardings in view of wind, dust, thunder and hailstorms.

It urged farmers to take all necessary measures to prevent damage to their crops.

The PDMA said cattle and sheep herders should undertake necessary mitigating and precautionary measures to protect their livestock from wind, dust, thunder and hailstorms.

It said that people travelling on provincial and national highways in at-risk and affected areas should be forewarned of adverse conditions and detoured to safe waiting areas under guidance of authorities, national highway and motorway police, law-enforcement agencies.

The PDMA asked people to seek shelter in safe areas such as sturdy buildings or underground structures during wind, dust, thunder and hailstorms and avoid objects that posed a risk of failing or being struck by lightning.

It stressed the need for the availability of emergency services personnel and equipment in areas at high risk of urban and flash flooding and landslides, immediate stocking of basic commodities like medicines in regions that are likely to be cut off from other regions during landslides.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2025