LAHORE: The Punjab government issued an order on Tuesday banning the use and sale of camera-enabled smart glasses and miniature cameras “disguised as everyday objects” for 30 days.

The restriction was notified in an order by the Punjab Home Department secretary in exercise of powers conferred under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.

“No person shall wear or operate ‘camera-enabled smart glasses with hidden recording ability’ or ‘miniature cameras with recording ability disguised as everyday objects such as pen, keychain, etc.’,” the order said, adding that the restriction excluded laptops, handheld tablets, mobile phones and terminal equipment approved by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.

In addition, the government restricted retailers, wholesale dealers, traders and distributors from “selling or offering these devices for sale, online or off the shelf”.

The order said that it had been reported that the unrestricted use of these glasses and disguised cameras — capable of “capturing, processing and transmitting data in the form of speech, images, videos and sound” — in Punjab could pose a “serious risk” to public order, individual privacy, particularly the integrity and dignity of women and children; security of sensitive data and installations; and institutional integrity.

It named airports, examination centres, secure government establishments, healthcare facilities, shopping malls, court premises and public places as particular areas of risk.

The order also noted that the use of such devices were deemed to “create an imminent apprehension of secret recording, breach of privacy and security, or unauthorised transmission of protected information”.

“Immediate preventive action is necessary to ensure public safety, integrity and dignity of persons particularly women and children, and the maintenance of order within the province,” it stated.

The order said the ban was being enforced with immediate effect and would remain in force for a period of 30 days unless withdrawn earlier. It was also specified that “authorised law enforcement personnel” would be exempt from the restriction.

The ban comes a day after the Punjab government announced its plan to impose the restriction.

Amid concerns about the misuse of such devices, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has also been seized with a public interest petition that challenges the unregulated import and sale of camera and mic-equipped smart glasses, citing threats to people’s privacy, dignity and national security.

Meta in particular has faced pushback for its AI-powered smart glasses, with critics dubbing the eyewear as “pervert glasses”. And while it has not officially listed Pakistan as a market, the petitioner’s counsel in the case before the LHC has contended that its glasses are openly sold online and in shops in Lahore.

Taking up the plea on Thursday, the LHC directed the federal government to forward a summary to the federal cabinet regarding the unregulated import and sale of smart glasses.

ISLAMABAD: The prime suspect accused of defrauding a 20-year-old student, who died allegedly by suicide, was killed after being shot by his accomplices in Islamabad on Tuesday, claimed police.

Laiba Ijaz, a student at International Islamic University, was said to have been defrauded of Rs5 million, which she had paid to move to the United States for further studies. An agent was accused of handing her fake travel documents.

The case drew the government’s attention, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directing the police to arrest the suspect. Subsequently, he and two of his female accomplices were picked up during separate raids in the federal capital.

According to the Islamabad police spokesperson, the prime suspect sustained injuries when his accomplices opened fire on cops in the jurisdiction of Ramna police station on Tuesday.

The spokesperson said the main suspect has shared information about another suspect, and a police team was taking him to track down the second suspect. It was then that four of the main suspect’s accomplices, who were on two motorcycles, “opened indiscriminate fire on the police party in an attempt get the main suspect freed”, the spokesperson added.

The main suspect was injured in the firing while the police team remained safe “due to bulletproof jackets and protective measures”, the spokesperson said.

The injured suspect was taken to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, he added.

Search operations were underway for arrest of his other accomplices, the spokesperson said.

The case

A case following Ijaz’s death was registered at the Ramna police station under Sections 322 (unintentional murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Another separate case was registered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on a complaint filed by Ijaz’s maternal uncle under provisions relating to cheating, abetment and immigration-related fraud.

According to the FIA, the main suspect had allegedly obtained millions of rupees from Ijaz’s family with the help of a female accomplice and by misrepresenting his identity and professional status.

The money was allegedly taken on the pretext of securing employment for her brother and arranging her admission to Harvard University in the US. The suspect was accused of giving Ijaz fake travel documents.

The government on Tuesday increased the price of petrol by Re0.88 per litre and that of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Re0.53.

Following the revision, petrol will retail at Rs382.02 per litre while HSD will cost Rs389.80 per litre. The government continues to levy Rs114 per litre in taxes and duties on petrol and Rs100 per litre on diesel.

According to the Petroleum Division’s notification, the new prices are applicable for Oct 21 (Wednesday).

The price of HSD has come down from a peak of Rs520.35 recorded on April 3. Its price had started rising from Rs281 per litre after the US-Iran war broke out on February 28.

The petrol price had peaked at Rs458.41 on April 3 after beginning its upward trajectory from Rs266 in the first week of March.

Meanwhile, the government has reintroduced a raft of austerity measures in response to rising fuel prices amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. Under these measures, markets are required to close by 9pm and fuel allocations for official vehicles has been cut by 50 per cent for three months.

On September 13, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also announced a “relief scheme” for users of motorcycles, autos and vehicles of up to 800cc to “alleviate the burden” of rising global oil prices.

Previously, on July 17, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik announced that fuel prices would now be fixed on a daily basis due to fluctuations in international market prices following renewed hostilities between Iran and the US.

Prior to this, the government had been announcing weekly revisions to fuel prices since early March, alongside measures for the conservation of fuel amid possible oil supply disruptions due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The federal government in April also announced targeted relief measures to provide subsidised fuel.

The petroleum minister stated that the cabinet and the prime minister had decided to give the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) the responsibility of deciding fuel prices on a daily basis based on international market trends.

Petrol is mainly used in private transport, small vehicles, rickshaws and two-wheelers, and changes in its price affect the middle and lower-middle classes.

Similarly, changes in diesel prices also impact the public at large, as it is mainly used in the heavy transport sector, power plants and large generators.

Petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) are the major revenue earners, with monthly sales of about 700,000 to 800,000 tonnes, compared to just 10,000 tonnes of monthly demand for kerosene.

LAHORE: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency said on Tuesday that a prime suspect in a case involving the sale of counterfeit US postage stamps had been arrested in Lahore.

The US Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Florida had identified the suspect as a 33-year-old from Khanewal. It said in a statement last month that he was accused of operating “an unauthorised website that allegedly sold more than five million counterfeit US postage labels”, causing more than $126 million in losses to the US Postal Service

NCCIA’s Lahore Zone Additional Director Atif Ameer announced his arrest at a press conference, saying that the counterfeit postage labels were sold over a period of three years.

He said the suspect operated a website — LabelsBank.com — from August 2023 to September 2026 and used it to market and sell counterfeit US postage stamps online.

“More than five million stamps were sold through the website at a price of around $2 per stamp. Based on the alleged volume of sales, the total value of the transactions has been estimated at approximately Rs35 billion,” he said, adding that the agency also focused on the financial channels used to receive and move proceeds from the business.

Money trail

Flanked by Lahore NCCIA Deputy Director Waqas Saeed, Ameer said that 16 bank accounts had been used in the scam. Seven of the accounts were operated by the suspect, five by his brother, two by his wife, and one each by his sister and aunt.

The NCCIA officer said the agency had expanded the investigation across several parts of the country.

“Eight special teams had been formed in Punjab, Islamabad and Sindh to trace the suspect and investigate the network,” he said and added the teams conducted raids at 35 locations and questioned 47 people as part of the investigation.

“Investigators also employed digital and forensic techniques to establish the suspect’s movements and identify people associated with the operation.”

Ameer said that investigators analysed 122 call-data records, 50 IMEI-tracking reports and audio and video recordings from 120 cameras.

“Artificial intelligence and other modern technological tools were also used during the investigation. A locator operation continued for 10 days as investigators attempted to establish the suspect’s whereabouts and trace his activities,” he said.

The NCCIA said the major focus of the investigation was the financial trail generated by the online sale of the counterfeit stamps.

“We are examining transactions conducted through the 16 bank accounts and attempting to determine the flow of funds between the accounts allegedly belonging to the suspect and his relatives.

“The involvement of family members is also being examined as part of the investigation, particularly the alleged use of their bank accounts in connection with the online business,” the additional director said.

He said the role of other individuals in operating the website, processing orders, receiving payments or distributing the counterfeit stamps was also being probed.

“Investigators are also working to establish the full scale of the operation and verify the volume and value of the transactions,” he said.

MIRANSHAH: An additional station house officer (SHO) of the Miranshah police station was martyred in firing by unidentified individuals near Miranshah Bypass Road in in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district on Tuesday, police said.

District Police Officer (DPO) Sajjad Hussain confirmed the details to Dawn, saying that additional SHO Meera Khan was targeted when he was on duty.

“He sustained multiple bullet wounds and succumbed to his injuries,” the DPO said.

Police said a search operation was launched into the area following the incident to trace the attackers. An investigation has also been initiated into circumstances surrounding the incident.

DPO Hussain said the morale of the police force remained high and law enforcers were determined to track down Khan’s attackers.

KP has been witnessing terrorist attacks and security challenges for a long time, including attacks on police personnel.

According to a recent report from the Centre for Research and Security Studies, Pakistan recor­ded a sharp 83 per cent increase in violence-linked fatalities during the third quarter of 2026, re­­versing a declining trend reported in the first and second quarters as terrorism and counter-terrorism deaths surged nationwide.

Balochistan and KP remained the epicentres of violence, jointly accounting for 98pc of all fatalities during the period. Balochistan recorded 829 deaths, nearly 59pc of the national total, while KP reported 556 fatalities, accounting for more than 39pc.

On Oct 7, seven policemen were injured when terrorists attacked a police checkpost in Kohat. Later, an official told Dawn that the attack was repulsed, and the injured cops were safe.

It was a day after four Federal Board of Revenue officials were martyred in firing by unidentified men, while a separate attack on a highway traffic police vehicle left a police official martyred and another injured in Dera Ismail Khan.

On Sept 27, 14 people, including two rescue officials, were martyred and 35 sustained injuries after a suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a police checkpost in and then targeted an ambulance taking bodies to hospital in DI Khan.

On Sept 18, an explosives-laden vehicle detonated near a mosque in Kohat Police Lines, following which terrorists stormed the compound and attacked police facilities. The attack resulted in the martyrdom of 17 policemen and six civilians.

LAHORE: A Multan court on Tuesday granted police three-day physical remand of a suspect accused of killing a 15-year-old boy in the city.

The suspect has been accused of hitting the victim, who used to work for him, with his car. The suspect was arrested yesterday and presented before Judicial Magistrate Saadia Aslam on Tuesday.

Police requested the judge for the suspect’s 14-day physical remand for investigation. However, the judicial magistrate granted them his three-day remand.

Later, Multan City Police Officer (CPO) Akhtar Farooq said while speaking to the media that raids were being conducted for the arrest of a second suspect.

“We all are in deep pain,” the CPO said, adding that the orphan boy had been “subjected to barbarity”.

The CCTV footage of the incident shows a boy running on the road after spotting a car. The car is seen swerving and chasing the boy, eventually hitting him. The boy, who fell, then rams into the gate of a nearby house and dies on impact.

A case has been registered on the state’s behalf at Multan’s DHA police station.

The first information report (FIR) names two suspects and invokes Sections 302 (intentional murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

According to the FIR, the teenage boy had working for the suspects and was being trained as an electrician. His cousin told police that the boy had reportedly faced violence and threats by the suspects, the FIR said, adding that the 15-year-old was fleeing when the suspects pursued him in a car and hit him.

Police arrested one of the suspects while the other escaped, the FIR stated. It added that their vehicle had been taken into custody.

As Gus Atkinson and Sonny Baker found themselves stranded at the same end, Arafat Minhas fumbled a throw from the deep. The run-out opportunity, with England already nine down, still stood.

Arafat gathered the ball again and his slingy left arm, which had caused havoc in the preceding overs, produced a flat, direct throw that crashed into the stumps.

It was the final act of an evening Arafat had made his own, leading Pakistan to an 87-run victory over England in the One-day International tri-series match at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

The run-out capped an outstanding all-round performance from the left-arm spinner, who had earlier scored a crucial half-century before claiming six wickets for 40 runs in 8.4 overs to bowl England out for 215 in 38.4 overs while chasing 303.

England began the chase confidently, with Tom Banton and Ben Duckett racing to 91 without loss in 14.3 overs. Duckett made 45 off 46 balls, striking eight fours, while Banton scored 57 from 53 deliveries with five fours and two sixes.

Haris Rauf broke the opening stand when Duckett mistimed a pull and Fakhar Zaman took the catch at deep fine leg. Arafat then changed the complexion of the chase, removing Banton with his third delivery as the opener swung across the line and picked out Shaheen Shah Afridi at midwicket.

The spinner struck again by bowling England captain Harry Brook for five with a delivery that gripped and straightened, leaving the visitors at 128-3. Naseem Shah subsequently ended Joe Root’s resistance, bowling him for 33 off 35 balls with a skidding delivery that kept low and struck the off stump.

Sam Curran and Jordan Cox attempted to keep England in contention, but the visitors’ resistance steadily faded. Curran made 27 before top-edging a pull off Haris to substitute fielder Ghazi Ghori at deep backward square leg. Cox, who scored 18, was trapped leg-before by Arafat’s quicker delivery and lost his review.

Arafat continued his dismantling of the lower order, dismissing Jamie Overton for one when Hasan Nawaz took a catch at long-on after the batter charged down the pitch.

Will Jacks briefly threatened a counterattack, striking Haris for six, but fell for 19 when he miscued Arafat to Shaheen at short midwicket.

Arafat trapped Adil Rashid leg-before for a first-ball duck in the 39th over, completing his six-wicket haul. The final run-out of Atkinson then sealed Pakistan’s commanding win.

England captain Brook acknowledged that his side had made a promising start but failed to capitalise after losing the opening partnership, with wickets falling in clusters.

“Banton and Ducky set the tone beautifully, but we lost the wickets in clumps and could not put on a partnership and ended up on the wrong side,” Brook said.

He also felt England had missed an opportunity to put Pakistan under pressure by being too cautious against the spinners.

“We were a bit too much circumspect against the spinners. We could have put them under pressure, I feel,” he said, adding that England would discuss their shortcomings and look to bounce back in the next match.

Pakistan’s total of 302-9 had been built on a spirited recovery led by Hasan Nawaz and Arafat after the hosts slumped to 133-5 following England’s decision to field.

The pair added 78 runs off 74 balls for the sixth wicket, reviving an innings that had threatened to unravel.

Hasan struck 79 off 74 deliveries, including five fours and four sixes, while Arafat contributed 59 off 58 balls, hitting nine fours.

Faheem Ashraf then provided a late surge with 39 off 26 balls, and captain Shaheen’s brisk five-ball 10 helped Pakistan cross 300.

Arafat said the partnership with Hasan had been crucial in rebuilding the innings, with the pair determined to bat deep after he came to the crease.

“We needed an important partnership when I walked in the middle. Hasan and I discussed that we need to bat deep,” he said at the presentation ceremony, speaking to Urooj Mumtaz.

After Hasan’s dismissal, Arafat took responsibility for carrying the innings forward, helping Pakistan reach a total that ultimately proved beyond England.

“I took the charge after Hasan got out and I tried to bat until the end of the innings, which helped in taking the score beyond 300,” he said.

Pakistan had made a disastrous start when Atkinson dismissed Fakhar Zaman for a first-ball duck, caught by Joe Root at short midwicket. Saim Ayub briefly counterattacked before falling for eight, skying Sonny Baker to Sam Curran in the sixth over with Pakistan at 31-2.

Babar Azam and Saad Baig attempted to stabilise the innings, but Babar’s 34 off 52 balls ended when Will Jacks breached his defences in the 15th over.

Adil Rashid then removed Salman Ali Agha for 16, caught by Atkinson at deep fine leg, leaving Pakistan at 81-4.

Saad and Hasan offered resistance, adding 52 for the fifth wicket before Atkinson returned to dismiss Saad for 35 off 54 balls.

Hasan and Arafat then took control, with Hasan finding the boundary through cover and backward point while punishing loose deliveries over the ropes. Hasan’s innings ended at 211-6 when Jamie Overton beat him with a yorker in the 40th over.

Arafat continued the recovery alongside Faheem, whose aggressive strokeplay included consecutive boundaries against Rashid and a six off Root.

Faheem fell for 39 in the 49th over, caught by Jacks at deep midwicket, while Arafat was dismissed for 59 after skying Baker to Harry Brook at cover. Shaheen’s late boundaries ensured Pakistan finished with a formidable total.

Reflecting on his performance with the ball, Arafat credited the slower surface for offering more assistance to the spinners than in the previous match and said he had worked on varying his deliveries to deceive batters.

“I have kept my plans simple. There was not much help for the spinners in the first match. The pitch was on the slower side today, which helped me,” he said.

“Variations are very important for a spinner as they help in deceiving the batters. I have worked on my variations.”

Pakistan captain Shaheen praised the contributions of Hasan, Arafat and Faheem in rescuing the innings but acknowledged that the top order needed to be more consistent.

“It was really good how Hasan Nawaz, Arafat Minhas, and Faheem Ashraf batted, but we also need our top-order to fire,” he said.

Shaheen described Arafat as a promising all-rounder whose performance was an encouraging sign for Pakistan as they build towards the World Cup.

“The form of Arafat and fast bowlers is good signs for us. Arafat is a very good talent and he is a proper allrounder, which bodes well for us. Hopefully, he will deliver for us in many more games in the future,” he said.

While pleased with aspects of Pakistan’s performance, Shaheen stressed that the team still had room for improvement ahead of the global tournament.

“As a team we have done some good things but we need to improve further as we are looking to build towards the World Cup,” he said.

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday sought replies from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and senior police personnel, including the inspector general (IG), regarding non-functional provincial chief executive Sohail Afridi’s detention.

Afridi has not been seen since the imposition of governor’s rule and emergency in his province on Oct 11. His whereabouts remained unknown on the day governor’s rule was imposed and a federal minister confirmed a day later that he and some of his cabinet members were in preventative custody.

The PTI has also alleged the detention and arrests of several of its other members, including lawmakers and ministers. Their whereabouts have not been disclosed by the government so far.

Multiple pleas have been filed in the PHC in this connection, and a bench comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Farah Jamshed fixed them for hearing on Nov 3, when the respondents were told to submit their replies.

Apart from Afridi’s detention, the petitions pertain to the disappearance of KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, MNAs Junaid Akbar and Dr Amjid Ali, provincial minister Amjid Ali Khan, MPAs Ikramullah and Aurangzeb Khan, former chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan Muhammad Khalid Khursheed and several other PTI leaders.

Afridi’s brother Muhammad Aamir filed one of the petitions, alleging that Afridi was “abducted” from the Chief Minister’s House on the night that the emergency was imposed in the province. He had approached the PHC last week.

Aamir sought directives for the respondents, including the KP IG, the Peshawar capital city police officer (CCPO) and others to immediately take all lawful and effective measures to trace and recover his brother.

He also sought that if Afridi was found to be in custody, the PHC order that he be produced so that the legality of his custody could be examined in accordance with Article 199(1)(b)(i) of the Constitution.

The article states that a high court may direct that a person in custody within its territorial jurisdiction be brought before it, “so that the court may satisfy itself that he is not being held in custody without lawful authority or in an unlawful manner”.

The petitioner sought directives for the respondents concerned to submit a comprehensive report regarding the whereabouts, present condition and legal status of Afridi, as well as the details of steps taken to trace and recover him.

He also requested the court to direct the CCPO to submit a detailed report concerning the alleged Oct 11 incident at the CM House — “including the circumstances in which the abductee was allegedly taken away, the security arrangements in place, the people present and the action taken immediately thereafter”.

Presenting his arguments at the hearing on Tuesday, Aamir’s lawyer, Bashir Vazir, claimed that on Oct 11, at approximately 2pm, Afridi was “illegally detained” in the CM House and later on was abducted from the premises, in the presence of the Peshawar CCPO, by “certain unknown armed and masked individuals”.

He contended that Afridi’s detention and disappearance was “wholly illegal, unlawful, without lawful authority and of no legal effect” as the respondents had “not disclosed any lawful order, warrant, abduction order or other legal authority” under which Afridi was taken into custody.

Swati’s cousin, Waqar Ahmad Khan, has also filed a similar petition. His lawyer is also Vazir, who requested the court at Tuesday’s hearing to issue directives for Swati’s recovery.

He claimed that on Oct 11 at approximately 7pm, Swati was “abducted” from the KP Assembly in the presence of the CCPO by “certain unknown armed and masked individuals”.

He stated that the precise sequence of events, the identities of the persons involved and the circumstances in which Swati was taken away required “immediate verification through the relevant official record, eyewitness accounts and other available evidence”.

In both cases, the petitioners prayed that the court direct the respondents to ensure the preservation and lawful examination of all relevant CCTV footage, security logs, entry and exit registers, duty rosters, vehicle access records and other material relating to the incidents.

Furthermore, they sought the registration of a first information report and a prompt, impartial and effective investigation into the alleged abductions, disappearances and detentions.

They contended that the whereabouts and present condition of PTI leaders needed to be immediately ascertained through lawful means, and requested the PHC to issue directives for their release if they were found to be in unlawful custody.

Junaid Akbar’s nephew, Nadir Shah, and Khalid Khursheed’s brother, Hanif Ullah, have also filed pleas, requesting the court to order the recovery and production of the two politicians.

In almost identical petitions, they challenged their “abduction” on the night of Oct 11.

Adviser to the National Command Authority (NCA) and former director general of the Strategic Plans Division (SPD) retired Lieutenant General Mazhar Jamil has warned of the “risky” outcome for South Asia and beyond of a “dangerous ideology” shaping the Indian military mindset.

“Indian military thinking is being shaped by a dangerous ideology, which conflates mythology with national power. The outcome is very risky and delusional Indian military doctrines with a poor strategic sense of nuclear realities are endangering South Asia and beyond,” he said in his key note address at a workshop titled ‘Nuclear Deterrence and Strategic Stability in South Asia’.

The workshop, held last week in London, was organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, which shared a transcript of Jamil’s address late on Monday.

He began by saying that a strategic stability model for a region must take into consideration the political beliefs and strategic thinking of states, which formed the basis of policies.

And that shaped the strategic and security environment in the region, he explained.

“The political and strategic thinking of states, therefore, should prefer [a] political approach because military adventurism, hegemonic ambitions are highly risky and unaffordable in the South Asian nuclearised environment,” Jamil stressed, before specifically talking about India and Pakistan.

The two South Asian rivals, he said, had outstanding disputes, Kashmir being the core one.

“It needs to be resolved as per the United Nations Security Council resolutions. But, what we are seeing, on the contrary, is [an] Indian political approach of avoiding the resolution of conflict, because perhaps the Indian leadership believes it has no locus standi on Kashmir when it is presented on the multilateral forums,” Jamil said.

He added that India “tries to manage [the] Kashmir conflict with military violence within occupied Kashmir and through military aggression against Pakistan. This has not worked, and therefore Kashmir remains a nuclear flashpoint, seriously impacting the South Asian strategic and security environment”.

The security perceptions in South Asia had not evolved in a vacuum, Jamil continued.

“Indian revisionist and hegemonic political aspirations have [a] long history of Indian coercion and militant violence against all [of] its neighbours. Indian political ideology is based on its mythological concept of violence and revisionism, according to which South Asia, they believe — this traditional belief — that it belongs to [the] Hindu civilisation.

“And, not surprisingly, the country was given a dual name in the constitution, India, that is Bharat, clearly defining the strategic direction of the state to be Bharat,” he said.

Jamil said Bharat was essentially a “revisionist concept that is rooted in reclaiming [the] vast landmass of South Asia and its domination by Hindu civilisation”.

“Indian political forces, interestingly, do not shy away anymore in projecting what previous governments pursued covertly. Very surprisingly, the map of Mahabharat, the greater Bharat, as they call it, covering [the] entire landmass of South Asia, is on the display in the Lok Sabha. That’s the parliament of India, clearly giving the political direction to the state and the state organisations.

“So, no wonder, beyond [the] core nuclear diet of India–Pakistan, India’s conflict with all other countries serves as a perpetual driver of [the] evolving security dynamics in South Asia,” he added.

He also mentioned a recent “political transformation, led by the extremist Hindutva doctrine, that seeks to marginalise and delegitimise [the] non-Hindu population of the state, especially the Muslims”, in India.

“This has introduced an additional layer of complexity to the regional security environment. This marks a significant shift towards a nationalism, which is prejudiced by extreme theological principles,” Jamil said. “So, what we see is that we have a nuclear-armed neighbour whose political and strategic thinking is subordinated to a revisionist, mythological outlook with an overconfidence to subdue its neighbours. This dangerous political philosophy has trickled into the Indian political, strategic, organisational and even societal culture.”

The NCA adviser went on to say that this mindset had also, “unfortunately, penetrated deeply into Indian military thinking”.

Two diametrically opposing strategic approaches

Continuing his criticism, Jamil said it seemed that the Indian leadership was “frozen in time and is unable to break the shackles of history”.

“Indian political- and mythological-laced stubbornness is not allowing India to realise three very fundamental but significant conclusions and lessons,” he said, adding that those lessons were vital for strategic stability in South Asia.

He said the first of those lessons was that conflicts outlasted military adventurism and wars, unless they were resolved politically.

“The resolution of the Kashmir conflict, therefore, needs a political approach and dialogue to achieve stability at [the] higher political planes,” he asserted.

The second lesson, he said, was that any military misadventurism between two nuclear powers could only escalate the crisis to undesirable consequences and could not serve any purpose to the policy.

In this connection, he added that the Indian leadership needed to understand that it “cannot dictate its unjustified and illegal policy objectives through military aggression to another nuclear power”.

Moving on to the third lesson, Jamil said it was “pivotal to the crisis dynamics of South Asia”. He then cited military scholar Carl von Clausewitz, who Jamil said had warned that “war is the realm of uncertainty and escalation is really a control ladder”.

Elaborating further, he said: “War is the realm of uncertainty and the lesson from the history of warfare and theory alike is clear. Wars that begin with confidence and control often end with the realisation that control was illusory.

“In a nuclearised environment of South Asia, that realisation may come too late to manage safely, if [the] Indian policy of provocation with [a] false sense of achieving escalation domination continues.”

Resultantly, he said, “what we are seeing in South Asia are two diametrically opposing strategic approaches, directed by the political ideology of India and Pakistan […] which define the strategic and security environment of South Asia”.

The Indian strategic approach, he said, sought political and military dominance to be a “regional hegemon with a revisionist political thinking”.

Whereas Pakistan’s strategic approach was directed at the resolution of conflicts through a political process with shared prosperity and to defend the sovereignty with strength against a “regional bully”, he added.

‘Irresponsible nuclear behaviour’

He then shared his views on how the global geopolitical environment and emerging destructive technologies were impacting the strategic stability of South Asia.

“To me, there are three major outcomes of [the] contemporary global strategic environment that have influenced [the] Indian leadership’s strategic thinking and behaviour,” he said.

He said first of those outcomes was that in the Asia-Pacific balance-of-power struggle, India presented itself as a net security provider, to exploit this geopolitical competition for its own global power-projection ambitions.

“The US and Western powers did not dig deep into the actual political motives and capacity of India, [and] rather were too quick to grant this status to India. This, however, gave India a false sense of hegemony in the region,” he said.

The second outcome, Jamil said, pertained to the support by Indian technology partners and, “very strangely, also allowing India to get a Nuclear Suppliers Group waiver, in spite of its irresponsible nuclear behaviour”.

“Resultantly, India, now, is running one of the fastest-growing nuclear and missile programmes. This has been done with no regard and concern to arms control, a key factor in the strategic stability for the region. So, we now see India developing intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles to reach the entire globe, with eight reactors outside International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.”

Pointing out that India was not a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, he said its reactors outside IAEA safeguards “are operating as a potential source of fissile material for nuclear weapons”.

“From the nuclearisation of South Asia in 1974 to the nuclearisation of the Indian Ocean by Bharat speaks of its global power ambitions. I think what [we] should now worry about is this ambitious and revisionist state reaching to most of their capitals with no restraints and transparency, even to its own technology partners,” Jamil said.

He said the third outcome was about the policy of appeasement by “certain powers that has made India think that its exceptionalism will always be acceptable to the world”.

“Indian propaganda and [its] disinformation campaign was accepted without scrutiny and responsibility. No questions [were] asked to India about its human-rights violations in Kashmir and against minorities, where state institutions and Hindu extremists [are] conducting heinous crimes as a state policy,” he said, adding that it was only a matter of time before internal uprising in India-occupied Kashmir boiled over.

“That will have a serious impact on the security and stability of our region,” he warned.

In parallel, he said, India’s access to advanced technologies, space-based capabilities, dual-use weapons systems were also impacting strategic stability. “Dual-use platforms with precision-guided systems have blurred the lines between conventional and nuclear technologies, making it more dangerous for South Asia, due to its geographical proximities and also the sensitivities”.

“This also has to be seen against the backdrop of the irresponsible behaviour of India. The case in point is the intentional BrahMos missile attack on Pakistan on 9 March 2022. Strangely, it took India 48 hours to tell its nuclear neighbour about this incident,” Jamil recalled.

He added, “While India claimed this to be an accident, it speaks volumes about the dysfunctionality of Indian command-and-control systems, and maybe the presence of some rogue elements in their organisation, because India never shared the findings of [its] investigations for [the] sake of transparency and building some trust.”

Likewise, the launch of dual-capable BrahMos missiles during the four-day military conflict between Indian and Pakistan in May 2025 “was a deliberate act of provocation that could have caused catastrophic miscalculation”, Jamil said.

“So, it complicates the regional security dynamics, which already lacks institutionalised confidence-building measures and an arms-control mechanism aligned with the emerging technologies.”

Crisis management

Jamil also discussed the “crisis behaviour” of Pakistan and India in the 2019 and 2025 crises, saying that while the crisis management mechanism was vital for stability, responsible behaviour of leadership remained “the spirit and the key” to its success.

In the 2019 crisis, he pointed out, Modi had bragged at an election rally that India was “not storing nuclear weapons for Diwali”. The open threat was followed by the prime minister called the night of Feb 27, 2019 “Qatal ki Raat” or “Night of Slaughter” — “basically, boasting that India could have struck Pakistan with missiles to inflict huge human casualties”, he said.

“Such rhetorics and nuclear sabre-rattling is inconceivable during the crisis, and that too from the highest leadership of [a] nuclear state.”

Similarly, in May 2025, Indian leaders rushed to blame Pakistan for the April 22 deadly terror attack in Pahalgam without evidence or waiting for an investigation, he said. India then launched a military offensive despite Islamabad calling for an independent investigation into the incident.

Jamil said that India’s strategy aimed for “escalation domination” and that it planned to intimidate Pakistan via sheer force and the tempo of the operation; however, “Indian planners closely underestimated Pakistan’s resolve and capability”.

“The crisis of India’s making could have taken South Asia to the brink of nuclear catastrophe, saved only by the strategic restraint of Pakistan,” he stressed.

He added that Indian leadership had dismissed Pakistan’s nuclear deterrent as “mere nuclear bluff” and boasted about being able to “break Pakistan apart”. He emphasised that when “rhetorics and confidence” became policy, blunders were likely.

On the other hand, he said, Pakistan’s retaliation was not impulsive but rather had clear political direction and strategic restraint, denying India the space to “normalise coercive conventional aggression”.

He added that Pakistan made the responsible choice not to escalate and to agree to a ceasefire, noting, “I think in all fairness, India owes a thanks to (US) President Trump.” However, he highlighted that this responsible behaviour was being “deliberately misrepresented” by India as a bluff.

Strategic landscape post-2025

Jamil stressed that in the wake of the May 2025 conflict, there was an increased risk of escalation in the region. He highlighted the “revisionist agenda” of Modi that had “dangerously enhanced the conflict profile” of South Asia by holding the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, adding to the flashpoint of Kashmir, and continuing with “threats and compellence to another nuclear power”.

He added that India also supported terrorist organisations such as the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), “exporting terrorism as an instrument of policy” to engineer instability in Pakistan.

“The space is shrinking between Indian aggressive posturing and Pakistan’s restraint,” he said.

Jamil also pointed out an assessment by a think tank, SIPRI, that India had mated some nuclear warheads with submarine-launched ballistic missiles and conducted sea-based deterrence patrols, without pre-notification.

“While Pakistan remains committed to peace, strategic stability and responsible nuclear stewardship, it cannot ignore these dangerous escalatory steps,” he said. “Pakistan reserves the right to undertake all appropriate measures to safeguard its national security.”

He emphasised that “the perpetual instability in South Asia can only be addressed when [the] strategic and political discourse of India takes a direction of political engagement and [the] resolution of conflicts, instead of political and military dominance”.

He called on India to shun the policy of supporting terrorist organisations such as the TTP and BLA, noting that Pakistan had presented “irrefutable evidence” of Indian state support to these organisations to the international community and the UNSC. He also called for the international community to hold India accountable for its involvement in supporting terrorism.

“It should be realised that the restraint and strategic patience of Pakistan has its own thresholds,” Jamil stated, adding that “in any future military aggression, the aggressor will have to bear a heavy cost”.

He stressed Pakistan’s readiness to move towards a political dialogue to resolve conflicts, including that of Kashmir, as a responsible nuclear state. He added that Pakistan offered to establish a robust crisis management mechanism as a first step towards this.

“Bharatiya leadership should not be allowed to hold hostage the welfare of two billion people of South Asia, in favour of their hegemonic and delusional revisionist aspirations,” he concluded.

US Vice President JD Vance said he would not be following Donald Trump in endorsing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and wanted to stay on the sidelines.

“I’m not anti-endorsing him. I’m not pro-endorsing him. I’m not getting involved in Israeli elections,” Vance said of Netanyahu, in an interview on Monday with journalist Mark Halperin.

“I endorse American candidates and that’s where I’m focused on is the (US) midterms,” he added.

Trump on Sunday issued a public endorsement of his right-wing ally Netanyahu, who is seeking a new term as premier in Israel’s Oct 27 parliamentary election.

Vance’s reticence to weigh in on the Israeli vote contrasts with his approach to European elections.

Days before Hungary’s parliamentary election in April, he flew to Budapest to support then-prime minister Viktor Orban, another right-wing figure.

He has also voiced support for Germany’s far-right AfD party, whose leader, Alice Weidel, he met last year.

Vance, who is widely viewed as aiming to succeed Trump in 2029, reportedly expressed opposition to launching the US-Israeli war with Iran, but has since defended the campaign.

The vice president also had notably strong words for Israeli officials who criticised a short-lived US-Iran ceasefire agreement in June.

“Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment,” he said at the time.

“If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,” he added.

A YEAR after Islamabad severed commercial ties with Kabul over security concerns, the border trade disruption is taking a growing toll on KP, where livelihoods, businesses, farm markets, and a large number of workers depend on cross-border commerce. Bilateral trade has fallen by more than 72pc, from $1.3bn in FY25 to $358m in FY26 — which means fewer customers for local shops, lower earnings for farmers, idle trucks, and lost jobs.

KP was already struggling to attract investment and create work amid rising terrorism; the loss of an established market makes recovery harder. The damage is not confined to the province. Farmers and factories in Punjab and Sindh, too, have been hit, and Pakistan’s exports to Central Asia have been badly disrupted.

Afghanistan has long been KP’s natural outlet because of its proximity and the long-standing commercial and tribal networks. Traders built their businesses around moving food, cement, pharmaceuticals, and other goods across the border. Medical tourism, hotels, and other services catering to Afghan visitors are suffering as well. When crossings shut, traders cannot send their goods to distant markets without facing higher costs, finding new buyers, and adapting to unfamiliar commercial conditions.

In fact, most services cannot be shifted at all. Rerouting shipments is not an easy fix. Pakistan’s shortest land routes to Central Asia run through Afghanistan. Alternatives mean longer distances, higher freight costs, and thinner margins. Small enterprises with little financial cushion are the most exposed to prolonged border trade closures.

KP needs expanding markets and productive investment to employ a growing workforce; it cannot afford to lose existing ones before alternatives are in place. Islamabad has valid security concerns — the Taliban must prevent Afghan territory from being used for attacks on Pakistan. But border closures also hurt citizens on both sides, who have nothing to do with Kabul’s policies.

Islamabad must find the right balance between its security priorities and the economic strain on KP’s residents. Sustained efforts to obtain genuine security assurances from Kabul and carefully monitored arrangements for legitimate trade may offer a way to protect both. It should also assess the losses of traders, transporters, and farmers, and help businesses find new markets. The government must protect its people from terrorism without restricting their livelihoods.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2026

KARACHI: A judicial commission formed to investigate the circumstances and possible negligence in businessman Mir Raza Ali’s murder case has pointed out the police’s “epic failure” in their investigation.

The Sindh cabinet decided to make the report public during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah earlier in the day. The judicial commission, which began its proceedings on Aug 28, held regular hearings to record statements of several individuals linked to the case.

“This case demonstrates an epic failure by the police in their investigation,” declared the 62-page report submitted by Sindh High Court’s (SHC) Justice Omar Sial, who had been heading the judicial panel.

“The police breached all required procedures, both knowingly and unknowingly, necessary to withstand judicial scrutiny and a successful prosecution,” the report stated.

While acknowledging that the initial police response when they were informed of the presence of a body was prompt, the report noted that subsequent events “left a lot to be desired”.

“It was a murder,” the report declared.

It explained that the bullet trajectory, the unusual location of the wound if it had been a self-inflicted injury, the “absence of blood, the state of the body, the principles of medical jurisprudence, acid burns and the anaesthesia detected in the blood all clearly excluded suicide as the cause of death”.

The commission determined that releasing the police findings before a proper investigation was “premature and fell short of professional standards”.

“Even if the death had been a suicide, the police should have established who was responsible for driving a young man to that point, including whether coercion, blackmail, or instigation was involved. They made no such effort.”

It said the police investigation “failed in its most basic duty: to establish the truth”.

It further observed that “incessant public criticism of the police created problems” as the police “went into a shell, completely broke down communication channels, and took a position based on ego rather than on cogent, solid reasons”.

The report pointed out specific issues with the police conduct: “Lack of leadership, seriousness, and supervision, and, in some cases, negligence by the senior officers. The handling of this case has been like a rudderless ship, not aware of its destination.

“Ranging from negligent to criminally negligent, inexplicable, casual, and unprofessional investigation.”

According to the commission, an active cover-up in the initial stages of the investigation cannot be conclusively ruled out. It noted that senior police officers swept clear investigative lapses under the carpet, without acknowledging them, addressing them, or even attempting to do so.

“Too many cooks spoil the broth. The proverb is applicable to this case as far as the police are concerned,” the judicial commission observed.

“Dozens of police officers – authorised and unauthorised – were involved in collecting evidence in this case, approaching and interrogating crucial persons, and in most cases not documenting it in any manner,” it said, adding that therefore, no officer was willing to take responsibility for the lapses.

The inquiry said there was a need to mitigate public speculation by an “honest and timely briefing on the investigation”, but this was not done, and the family or the public were not updated through official disclosures.

“The police did not follow the commission’s recommendation to appoint a focal person for this reason. As a result, public speculation further embarrassed the government and the police.”

Regarding the controversy over the reconstitution of a medical board formed for the exhumation of Ali’s body, the report said: “The overnight bureaucratic manoeuvring was a highly irregular, inexplicable, legally flawed overreach dictated entirely from the upper echelons of the Sindh Health Secretariat, more specifically by the secretary and special secretary, Health.”

It added that the Health Services director general, “being aware that he was not legally competent to form a medical board for exhumation, looked the other way”.

“The two gentlemen who directed the change in the board could not give a cogent reason for the abrupt change, making it extremely controversial, fueling public speculation, and embarrassing the Sindh government.”

Referring to an Aug 9 meeting held at CM House, which “drew considerable speculation and controversy”, the report said that “no ulterior motive can be inferred from this meeting”. The meeting was attended by Medico-Legal Officer (MLO) Dr Osama Sheikh, who conducted Ali’s first autopsy, the Karachi police chief and other senior officials.

Observations on officials

Listing its observations for certain police officials involved in the case, the judicial panel identified “criminal negligence” on the part of Station House Officer (SHO) Adeel Afzal of Ferozabad police station.

“Initiate a comprehensive inquiry into him, leading to dismissal from service. He should be suspended in the interim. He must also be questioned to determine whether he has facilitated the destruction of key evidence,” the report read.

It also found criminal negligence by Sub-inspector Shabbir Leghari, the first investigating officer (IO) in the case, and called for disciplinary proceedings against him and his suspension.

The report also determined criminal negligence of Inspector Ghaus, but did not recommend any action against him.

Regarding DIG Farukh Lanjar and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Samiullah Soomro, the commission noted a “lack of leadership and supervision”.

The judicial panel also called out “extreme immaturity” and “childish behaviour” of MLO Sheikh, who conducted the first medico-legal examination, whose findings were later proven incorrect after a second autopsy.

“Overconfidence. Unprofessional conduct not befitting a medical professional. Must not be assigned medico-legal duties unless he has undergone at least two years of rigorous academic and practical training.”

The report said he was “possibly influenced” and called for the angle to be “conclusively determined”.

Suicide vs murder

The report also said a voice note provided by Alishaz Mushtaq to police was “one of the most suspicious parts of this case”. It said that Mushtaq and ASP Nida Junaid, “played a very important role in supporting the police narrative that the death was due to suicide”.

It said that the person Mushtaq named as his source did not corroborate the information he provided, raising suspicion regarding his conduct.

It further said that the WhatsApp messages Ali sent to Sarim Bin Tahir asking for Rs30m, which was “full of uncharacteristic grammatical errors and truncated spellings and read as acute panic”, suggested the deceased was being “blackmailed or threatened”.

It also noted that while CCTV footage showed Ali with a pistol on the night he was killed, this was “unusual”.

“All his close friends and associates told the Commission that Raza did not possess or use pistols. They said he would probably not even know how to handle one. Witnesses also vouched for his peace-loving, calm, and gentle demeanour. Why he took the pistol remained a mystery. The pistol, however, has not been found to date,” it said.

It further said: “The known financial distress was also not of such a nature that would lead a person to suicide. Ali’s behaviour, until the ride-hailing service dropped him off, did not suggest he was ready to take an extreme step for this reason.”

Recommendations

Suggesting the next steps, the judicial commission said accommodating the family’s request for a joint investigation team (JIT) was the “most viable path to mitigate ongoing reputational damage to the Government of Sindh”.

It recommended that a JIT be constituted under the leadership of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Irfan Baloch to “balance the need for public accountability with preserving Sindh Police morale and reputation”.

The report said the team should “integrate senior representatives from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Pakistan Rangers (Sindh), and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to ensure an impartial, comprehensive, and credible resolution.

“This extreme step is necessary to restore public trust and end speculation,” it stressed.

The commission contended that any subsequent police actions will inevitably face heavy public speculation, determining that the police department “bears responsibility for this profound trust deficit between itself and society”.

“Even an accurate conclusion or the apprehension of the true culprit is unlikely to be accepted by the public,” it added.

The report pointed out that the case could now “only be resolved through a rigorous, intelligence-based investigation as a “significant portion of physical evidence has been compromised”.

It called for the police to “transparently acknowledge and apologise for past operational lapses”, as well as immediately initiate formal inquiries against the responsible officers in light of the report.

While stating that it did not have investigative powers and that it was difficult to conclude conclusively that an active cover-up occurred, the commission noted that “certain inexplicable actions are difficult to justify and raise the possibility that one may have occurred”.

Therefore, it suggested that a high-level committee, preferably led by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), be constituted to initiate criminal action against any police officials it finds culpable.

The committee would inquire into “whether any of the police officials involved in this probe in the first 10 days” were in breach of sections 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence), 166(2) (public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury) and 218 (public servant framing incorrect record or writing with intent to save person from punishment) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

The judicial commission also called for initiating police reforms, particularly to address and modernise the investigation protocol.

It suggested forming a committee of “seasoned professionals” to “specifically address first response, crime scene handling, medico-legal dynamics, collection, safekeeping, and analysis of evidence, and recording the entirety of the investigation in written or digital form”.

While it proposed a three-month timeframe for the exercise, the commission said the Sindh government will make the final decision.

Another suggestion was to consider an increase in the investigation budget, with a protocol in place to monitor the fund’s use. The panel further suggested steps regarding training of investigators and enhancing the capacity of Crime Scene Units.

Panel formed to ensure implementation

The judicial panel’s primary mandate was to determine the facts and circumstances of the case; assess whether police and medico-legal investigations were impartial; identify professional negligence, misconduct, evidence manipulation, or cover-ups; review digital/forensic evidence; and recommend further investigation, forensic analysis, or legal/departmental action.

According to a handout issued by the Sindh chief minister’s spokesperson, the judicial inquiry report was presented in seven separate sealed envelopes.

It will be uploaded on the website of the provincial home department on Tuesday, while a copy will also be provided to the aggrieved family.

Further, CM Shah also constituted a three-member sub-committee to ensure the implementation of the report.

According to a notification issued by the Sindh government, the committee comprises Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar as convener, Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah and Labour Minister Saeed Ghani.

The Sindh advocate general will provide legal assistance to the committee and the additional chief secretary of the Home department will provide secretarial support, the notification said.

The committee will oversee the implementation of the commission’s findings and will submit its recommendations to the Sindh chief minister “at the earliest”, and present them before the Cabinet in its next meeting, it added.

Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon also took to X to announce that the report would be made public on Tuesday.

“The government of Sindh remains committed to transparency, accountability and ensuring that due process of law is upheld,” he said.

Last week, the commission handed over the sealed report to the provincial government after examining 49 witnesses during 15 hearings.

The inquiry report, along with associated documents, was handed over to the focal person of the provincial government and Home Department Additional Secretary Javed Ahmed Abro by the commission registrar, Abdul Majid, on the premises of the SHC.

After receiving the record, Abro told reporters that he would hand over the sealed report along with other records to the provincial government and it was the prerogative of the government to decide whether the inquiry report was to be brought into the public domain or otherwise.

In August, the provincial government formed the commission, which was tasked with making recommendations for further investigation and forensic analysis or legal/departmental action, and it was required to submit its findings and recommendations to the Sindh government within 30 days.

However, the commission had struggled to meet its deadline and sent an application last month to the Sindh government for an extension in its tenure till Oct 15. Therefore, the provincial cabinet granted an extension.

Besides examining 49 witnesses and available record, the commission had also sent questionnaires to Karachi police chief Azad Khan, head of current investigation team DIG Amir Farooqui and DIG East Farrukh Lanjar after dismissing an application by the aggrieved family to summon the senior police officers to testify before the commission.

The 25-year-old businessman and Institute of Business Administration graduate had gone missing on July 28 after leaving his home in PECHS and his body with gunshot wounds was found a day later in bushes in Gulistan-i-Jauhar’s locality.

Initially, the police built the case around suicide on the basis of the first autopsy, which indicated a bullet entry wound on the chest, and by pointing out business losses and money borrowed by the victim.

Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed had disputed the findings of the first post-mortem conducted by medico-legal officer Dr Osama Sheikh.

The second post-mortem report termed the findings of the first report “inconsistent” with suicide as the manner of Mir Raza’s death. It said the Exhumation Board was of the unanimous opinion that the death was caused by a gunshot wound to the back.

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Additional input by Tahir Siddiqui

British fighter planes will be deployed to help Saudi Arabia defend itself against increasing attacks from Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the UK government announced on Tuesday.

The defence ministry said the deployment formed part of “additional defensive military support” to Riyadh.

“The UK will fly defensive counter air missions to support the protection of Saudi cities and critical national infrastructure against aerial attack, using RAF Typhoon fighter jets,” the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement.

“These aircraft will operate in a defensive role and will not conduct offensive strikes against the Houthis.”

Britain will also deploy a military transport aircraft “to support the movement of defence material within Saudi Arabia alongside UK military advisers to support Saudi staff officers”, the statement added.

“The continuing attacks from the Houthis on our ally Saudi Arabia are absolutely despicable,” said Defence Minister Wes Streeting.

“The targeting of the airport in Riyadh in particular shows the lengths the Houthis are going to (to) escalate the situation in the region,” he added.

The Saudi capital’s international airport has been targeted by strikes 20 times since the beginning of the month, with a recent attack killing 13 people and wounding more than 300.

The Houthis have imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, hitting its tankers, seizing swathes of Yemen’s Red Sea coast vital for oil exports and causing energy prices to jump, while also raining missiles on the kingdom.

Yemen’s civil war — in which Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition supporting the government since 2015 — reignited in September after the collapse of a years-long truce.

Saudi Arabia, the Yemeni government and the United States accuse Iran of backing the Houthis — an allegation Tehran denies.

LAHORE: The Punjab Defamation Tribunal on Tuesday ruled in favour of Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari in a defamation suit against Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Moeen Riaz Qureshi, ordering him to pay Rs3 million in general damages.

In January, Bokhari filed the defamation suit against Qureshi seeking damages of Rs800 million. She filed the claim against the opposition leader, alleging that he made “baseless and fabricated” accusations against her.

In a short order issued on Tuesday, the tribunal said that the counsel for both parties had concluded their final arguments.

“The claim of the plaintiff is hereby decreed up to the extent of general damages amounting to Rupees three million (Rs3,000,000),” said tribunal member Anjum Raza Syed in an order seen by Dawn.

However, the tribunal dismissed the minister’s claim for special and punitive damages.

Meanwhile, the PTI said in its statement that its MPA was told to pay Rs84m in damages.

Bokhari’s counsel argued that the defendant, Qureshi, had acknowledged making the remarks in question during a television programme but had failed to produce any evidence to substantiate the allegations.

The tribunal said a detailed judgment would be issued separately.

The information minister had filed the suit following allegations Qureshi levelled at the time of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s then-chief minister Sohail Afridi’s visit to the Punjab Assembly.

He had alleged that the provincial minister got 200 paid individuals into the assembly premises, and that the journalists who put questions to Afridi were her salaried employees.

‘Attempt to respond to criticism with fines’

Commenting on the verdict, Qureshi wrote on X: “The voice I raise in favour of the people’s rights, the supremacy of the Constitution, and Imran Khan cannot be silenced.”

He asserted that as the opposition leader, his duty was “not to flatter those in power but to question them, defend the rights of the people, and stand firm against every undemocratic action”.

“Remember! Dissent is the strength of democracy, not its weakness. Attempting to respond to criticism with fines cannot prove any stance wrong.”

In its statement, the PTI expressed its deep concern over the verdict, assailing the Punjab government for being “unwilling to tolerate even political criticism and dissent”.

It contended that the PML-N introduced the Punjab Defamation Act 2024 and used its majority to turn it into law, which it has now employed.

Noting that Qureshi had been attempting to present a resolution in the Punjab Assembly against the imposition of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PTI said the emergence of the verdict “raises questions about its timing and political implications”.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday said the federal government was ready to invite all political parties and build consensus on counterterrorism.

Speaking in the Senate, the PML-N leader also urged the opposition to “set other demands aside”.

The PM’s aide’s remarks come after the Centre imposed emergency and governor’s rule in KP on October 11, citing the PTI-led provincial government’s “deliberate disengagement” from the fight against terrorism. The decisions were also endorsed by the Parliament last week amid protests by the opposition.

“Even now, if all parties [..] can agree to sit down to discuss this issue, then Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is willing to invite them and find a way forward (on counterterrorism) or how operations can be supported by the entire nation,” Sanaullah said, urging political parties to put other demands aside and “stand united” in tackling terrorism.

Sanaullah went on to criticise National Assembly Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai.

“He became the leader of the opposition after the speaker signed off on his appointment; however, [..] he does not accept the speaker’s authority and is not even ready to meet the prime minister and has even refused to sit in the speaker’s chambers with the PM,” Sanaullah said.

Sanaullah then turned his attention to the rise in terrorism in the country, expressing sorrow at the martyrdom of an army officer a day earlier.

Addressing the opposition, he said, “You are running propaganda against the head of this institution and [..] making below-the-belt remarks.”

The PML-N senator also assailed the members of the now non-functional PTI-led KP government for not attending apex committee meetings.

“In 11 months, there was one apex committee meeting in which the KP CM was in attendance, and the way he was brought there, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi already spoke about it,” Sanaullah said.

Recalling the federal government’s talks with the PTI earlier this month, Sanaullah said: “During the talks, we agreed on constituting a political committee comprising members from both sides; however, [..] the talks broke down on one single point — the PTI fulfilling its responsibilities and supporting the federal government in counterterrorism efforts.”

Chaudhry reiterates invitation to opposition

Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry also invited opposition parties to develop a consensus against terrorism, saying Pakistan’s peace and the future of its children depended on a united stance against the menace.

“I extended an invitation yesterday, and today I am once again inviting all opposition parties to come forward and build a consensus against terrorism,” he said while speaking to the media.

“Why can we not develop a consensus, at least on this issue?” he asked.

Chaudhry said political differences should not be allowed to compromise the national interest, adding that peace and prosperity required a collective effort.

The minister said controlling terrorism in KP was practically impossible without the provincial government’s full cooperation with federal institutions, the Pakistan Army and security agencies.

He said the provincial government had refused to cooperate with the federal government on its Afghanistan policy, particularly efforts to prevent cross-border infiltration.

“This was the only reason why the emergency was imposed,” he said, referring to the decision concerning the administration of KP.

Criticising the PTI, Chaudhry regretted that the party was not prepared to condemn terrorism.

“One is that we have to rid Pakistan of terrorism once and for all, and the second is the position of your party, which was in power in KP. The PTI is not even prepared to condemn terrorism,” he said.

He said networks linked to terrorists, smuggling operations and influential people patronising them had contributed to the persistence of terrorism in the province.

However, Chaudhry said the provincial government was now extending full cooperation and expressed hope that results would become visible soon. He added that counterterrorism operations would continue until the menace was eliminated.

Rejecting the impression that the federal government’s move concerning KP was driven by a power struggle, he said the objective was to restore peace.

“This is not a power game; it is a peace game,” he said, adding that advisory councils comprising tribal elders had been established in 12 districts to empower local communities and facilitate intelligence-based operations in consultation with them.

Drawing a comparison with Balochistan, Chaudhry said the provincial administration and Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti were working alongside law enforcement agencies and federal institutions to combat terrorism.

He added that the Balochistan government had not refused to cooperate with the federal government, adding that this was the difference between the two provinces.

In the days preceding the imposition of governor’s rule in KP, political tensions between the Centre and the opposition — including the PTI, which was in power in KP — had remained high since jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party announced a protest march to Islamabad to demand his release.

Intense negotiations between the two sides a week before the imposition of governor’s rule had failed to yield any results, with counterterrorism policy being one of the main reasons behind the breakdown of their talks.

The PTI said it was being left out of security decisions concerning KP, which the Centre denied. It also called for reviewing the counterterrorism policy, while the latter criticised the KP government’s efforts to combat terrorism in the province and objected to its stance on dialogue with the Afghan Taliban.

Soon after, the Centre also authorised the deployment of Pakistan Army troops and assets in aid of civil power in KP.

Federal ministers have also alleged that the PTI-led government in KP had a “nexus” with terrorist groups, stating that the province’s security situation necessitated the imposition of emergency there.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday encouraged members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to use national currencies for “mutual settlement” and establish other financial mechanisms to “offset international financial shocks”.

He made the remarks while addressing the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting in Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe, where he arrived a day earlier.

The SCO comprises 10 member states, namely Pakistan, China, India, Iran, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The two observer states are Afghanistan and Mongolia. The CHG is the SCO’s second-highest decision-making body and provides guidance on economic, financial, trade, connectivity and socio-economic cooperation, as well as the organisation’s budgetary matters.

Addressing the SCO meeting, Dar highlighted the “need to accelerate efforts to promote the use of national currencies for mutual settlement”, as well as to establish the SCO Development Bank, SCO Development Fund and SCO Investment Fund.

“Such tools are measures which will advance development initiatives and help the SCO region to offset international financial shocks,” the former finance minister noted.

Dar reiterated his call to accelerate local currency settlements in a later address to an expanded-format session of the meeting.

Two members of the SCO, Russia and Iran, face Western sanctions restricting their access to international markets and stifling their economic growth.

In the joint communiqué for the Pakistan-chaired 2024 CHG meeting, SCO member states had reaffirmed the need for consistent implementation of a roadmap on gradual increase in the share of national currencies in mutual settlements.

It underlined the need to protect and promote the World Trade Organisation’s multilateral trade system for inclusive global growth and reduce reliance on the American currency for international trade transactions.

At that summit, PM Shehbaz Sharif had noted “growing consensus among the member states on the use of mutual currencies for settlements” and said such a transition would “shield us from global financial disruptions”.

Speaking in Dushanbe, Dar highlighted that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) offered “every SCO partner a compelling opportunity to participate in and accelerate our shared journey towards comprehensive economic integration”.

“For our region to achieve seamless economic integration, targeted investment in core sectors, most notably in energy and transport, is vital,” he stressed.

The foreign minister criticised “protectionist policies and unilateral coercive measures”, saying they contradicted the principles of international law, “suppress economic growth, block technological progress and increase inequality”.

“Therefore, reform of the global financial architecture and trade regimes is essential for achieving equitable global development,” the deputy PM declared.

He said Pakistan strongly advocated for “expanding investments into high-potential industries, including agriculture, mining and minerals, and information technology, to build a resilient and interconnected economic future”.

He expressed Pakistan’s “belief that artificial intelligence, digital transformation, innovation, energy cooperation and international information security should become important pillars of future cooperation within the SCO”.

Dar then recalled the priority areas identified by PM Shehbaz for the SCO Council of Heads of State (CHS) summit that Islamabad is set to host in 2027.

These comprised peace, security and mutual trust; regional connectivity and trade; innovation, AI and digital transformation; climate resilience and sustainable energy; and people-to-people exchanges.

He emphasised that strategic investment in transport and energy infrastructure was not merely beneficial but “absolutely imperative for true regional economic integration”.

At the outset of his speech, Dar extended his appreciation to the Tajik government and people for their “very warm and generous hospitality”.

“For the past 25 years, the SCO has remained anchored in the Shanghai spirit of mutual trust and respect for diversity and expanded its mandate to encompass trade, infrastructure, culture and innovation,” he noted.

Dar went on to state that Pakistan’s journey within the SCO highlighted its commitment to the Shanghai spirit, recalling that the country’s chairmanship of SCO’s Reg­ional Anti-Terrorist Structure (SCO-RATS) and the SCO Working Group on Poverty Alleviation.

He said Pakistan intended to highlight the role of small and medium enterprises in reducing poverty.

‘Pakistan wants peaceful, regionally integrated Afghanistan’

During his speech at the CHG summit, DPM Dar also raised the issue of cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghanistan.

Noting that sustainable economic development cannot be guaranteed without durable peace and security in the region, he said ensuring stability in Afghanistan was “imperative” for safeguarding regional peace.

“Pakistan continues to be desirous of a peaceful, stable, regionally integrated and prosperous Afghanistan, which is at peace with itself and its neighbours.”

The deputy premier pointed out that Islamabad had only one expectation from the “Afghan Taliban regime: that Afghan territory should not be used for terrorism against Pakistan and the world”.

He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to a peaceful and stable neighbourhood as an essential foundation for regional development and prosperity.

Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban administration in Kabul to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil, particularly those linked to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, that are used for attacks in Pakistan. Officials say those appeals have gone unheeded.

Concluding his address, Dar congratulated Tajikistan and the heads of SCO’s permanent bodies on the successful completion of the CHG meeting, and congratulated Uzbekistan for taking over the chair. He also commended the SCO national coordinators for their help in finalising documents.

He stated: “The fundamental strength of the SCO is anchored not only in our deeply intertwined histories, but more importantly, in the resilient, shared future that we collectively choose to forge.

“Pakistan stands resolute in its commitment to serve as an active architect of this shared destiny, and to shape the next decade of Eurasian connectivity and economic prosperity.”

Recommendations to deepen intra-SCO cooperation

Addressing an expanded-format session of the CHG meeting later, Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to regional harmony, trade, transit connectivity and economic integration as “a natural bridge connecting South Asia, Central Asia, and Eurasia”.

“Pakistan firmly believes that dialogue and diplomacy offer the most effective path to resolving regional tensions,” he said, highlighting the country’s efforts for de-escalation in the Middle East.

To this effect, Pakistan remains engaged in mediation efforts between the US and Iran, he added.

“We will continue to support all efforts for dialogue and peaceful resolution of disputes for lasting peace and stability,” the foreign minister said.

“Our diplomatic strategy is guided by our firm belief that regional challenges require collective, cooperative, and sustainable multilateral solutions.”

He went on to highlight that SCO had transformed from a regional confidence-building platform into a premier transcontinental organisation representing over 40 per cent of humanity.

Dar further highlighted that the intra-SCO trade had expanded significantly, proving that cooperative multilateralism can effectively drive stability and sustainable development across our shared continent.

“The future prospects of the SCO remain bright,” the deputy premier remarked, noting that the region was situated at the crossroads of major international trade corridors.

By leveraging our vast natural resources, technological advancements, and vibrant human capital, the SCO could lead digital transformation, industrial growth, and sustainable economic development across Eurasia, he emphasised.

To realise this vision, the foreign minister also proposed recommendations to deepen economic cooperation among SCO countries and expand international partnerships.

Firstly, Dar called for empowering the SCO Chambers of Commerce and Business Council by establishing direct business-to-business links and organising joint trade expos. He also urged member states to streamline customs procedures to support SMEs.

Secondly, he proposed the strengthening of the SCO Interbank Consortium (IBC).

“We must accelerate local currency settlements and enhance the SCO Interbank Consortium framework to mitigate external financial risks, harmonise cross-border payment systems, and facilitate seamless trade financing,” he said.

Pending the establishment of the SCO Development Bank, the IBC can play a more active role in financing infrastructure upgrades, Dar added.

He underlined that Habib Bank Limited (HBL), the current chair of the IBC, can help advance this agenda through close coordination with fellow members.

At last, the foreign minister recommended expanding international partnerships.

“The SCO should actively expand structured partnerships with international organisations including the United Nations, Asean, the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO), and other international and regional financial institutions, to reinforce an open, rules-based, and inclusive regional order,” Dar underscored.

He added: “Pakistan recommends that the SCO adopt a forward-looking strategy focused on joint technological innovation, climate resilience, energy security and secure supply chains.

“We must also operationalise Eurasian energy and transport corridors while deepening people-to-people ties, cultural exchanges, and educational partnerships.”

Concluding his speech, Dar said Pakistan looked forward to welcoming the heads of state at the SCO CHS summit in Islamabad in August 2027.

“Pakistan remains steadfast in its resolve to foster a peaceful, interconnected, and prosperous SCO community. Together, let us forge a shared future of enduring prosperity for all our people,” he resolved.

Dar meets Tajik top leadership

Ahead of the SCO meeting, DPM Dar called on Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, along with other heads of delegations.

“President Rahmon welcomed the leaders and emphasised the importance of strengthening regional economic cooperation under the SCO to promote connectivity, stability and shared prosperity,” the Foreign Office (FO) said.

He, along with other delegates, was then welcomed by PM Qohir Rasulzoda.

Later in the day, Dar met with Tajikistan’s FM Sirojiddin Muhriddin on the sidelines of the meeting.

The two ministers “reaffirmed the longstanding brotherly ties between Pakistan and Tajikistan, rooted in shared history, culture and faith”, FO said.

They underscored the need to further expand trade and economic cooperation, enhance regional connectivity and strengthen cooperation in energy, security and people-to-people exchanges.

The foreign ministers also exchanged views on regional and global developments and underscored the importance of continued coordination at regional and multilateral forums to advance shared goals of peace and prosperity, FO added.

The deputy premier then returned to Islamabad in the evening after concluding his “productive visit”, FO said.

During his visit, Dar also held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from SCO member states on the sidelines of the SCO moot, according to FO.

On Monday, Dar held a meeting with the Tajik premier. He also met with China’s PM Li Qiang and Mongolia’s First DPM Jadambyn Enkhbayar on the sidelines of a banquet dinner hosted for the delegates.

Pakistan, which hosted a CHG meeting in October 2024, is now scheduled to host the CHS summit in 2027 after it assumed the chairmanship last month.

On Sept 30, Dar reviewed preparations for the CHS summit as SCO national coordinators, who were in Islamabad for a meeting, called on him.

In July, Pakistan hosted the 12th meeting of the Heads of Border Services of the Competent Authorities of the SCO.

ISLAMABAD: The health ministry has again gotten a new secretary, with the Establishment Division notifying Momin Agha as the new administrative head.

Agha, a BS-22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), is the ninth secretary to be appointed during the tenure of Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, who took the oath in February 2025.

According to a notification issued by the Establishment Division on Monday, available with Dawn, Agha “has been transferred and posted as secretary health with immediate effect and until further orders”.

A health expert, requesting anonymity, said eight officers had held the post during the past 19 months, with some changes involving repeat appointments.

According to him, Nadeem Mahboob remained till March 2025, Nasiruddin Mashood till May 2025, Waqarul Hasan till June 2025, Hamed Yaqoob till Feb 2026, Aslam Ghauri till August 2026, retired Captain Mahmood till Sept 2026, then Fakhre Alam joined, and later Mahboob got additional charge of the ministry for just one day before he was replaced with Agha.

When contacted earlier, Kamal had told Dawn that he had nothing to do with the changes of secretaries, as the Establishment Division was empowered to make such decisions.

Agha was removed as petroleum secretary in January 2026 and directed to report to the Establishment Division without a further posting.

He was replaced by Mirza Nasiruddin Ahmad, who was given the additional charge of the post on a look-after basis pending the appointment of a regular officer.

The tractors rolling into the town of Gela on the southern tip of Europe are flying the Sicilian flag, emblazoned with Medusa, three bent legs and ears of wheat, a reminder of the island’s role as a breadbasket since Roman times.

But the farmers are not bringing in a harvest. They are protesting.

As soaring fuel prices squeeze household budgets and businesses across Europe, cost-of-living pressures are driving unrest and giving fresh momentum to far-right parties ahead of elections next year in countries including France, Italy and Poland.

Parties once considered fringe had already been gaining ground, with voters from motorists in rural France to young men in Germany’s former Communist east looking for alternatives.

The US-Iran war, which erupted in February and sent energy prices sharply higher, has compounded the challenge for governments already struggling to contain inflation, support growth and rein in spending.

The discontent has spilled onto the streets.

In France, demonstrations that began over deteriorating school facilities in Paris’ northern suburbs have morphed into some of the country’s worst unrest in decades, with shops looted, buildings torched and a 19th-century town hall in Limoges set on fire.

“Why am I here? Well, quite simply, I find the current cost of living truly terrifying,” said Quentin Leviloux, a 21-year-old protester in Nantes.

“Just think of people who earn barely the minimum wage, when you look at the cost of food, fuel, and everything else. Its terrifying how incredibly expensive things have become.” The European Commission estimates the Iran conflict has cost Europe roughly 100 billion ($112 billion) through disrupted trade and energy markets. Gas prices have jumped about 140 per cent and diesel prices have doubled.

In a weekend address, French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged the “legitimate demands” of protesters angered by rising living and fuel costs, while condemning those responsible for violence and looting. “We must never confuse them with those who destroyed, vandalised and looted,” he said.

Protests erupt across Europe

Violence has also erupted elsewhere. In the wealthy northern Italian city of Milan, police clashed on Sunday with protesters hurling stones and looting stores during demonstrations over poor public services and rising living costs.

In Gela, on Sicily’s southern coast, farmers say fuel costs have made operating machinery prohibitively expensive. “We cultivate the land, we harvest debts,” said one banner.

“We are completely at a standstill,” said Arcangelo Gambino, a farmers’ representative in Caltanissetta province. “The (fuel) cost has more than doubled.” Roadblocks by truckers, farmers and steelworkers have disrupted transport across parts of southern Italy, contributing to local fuel shortages and concerns over supermarket supplies.

Tens of thousands marched through Lisbon on Saturday over low wages, housing costs and the rising cost of living, increasing pressure on Portugal’s centre-right government.

In Spain, the eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her home sparked nationwide demonstrations over housing shortages and soaring rents, helping trigger a snap election next month.

Belgium has also seen demonstrations, while large rallies in Albania have been driven by anger over perceived government corruption, a lack of jobs and poor education standards.

The protests reflect broader economic anxieties that are increasingly shaping politics across the continent.

Concerns about purchasing power have become “a major driver of populist politics” across Europe, said Gilles Ivaldi, a political scientist at Sciences Po.

Politicians on both the hard right and hard left have increasingly argued that restoring energy ties with Russia would help lower costs, challenging Europe’s mainstream consensus on support for Ukraine.

Le pen makes fuel prices a campaign issue

The latest energy shock comes after years of economic strain following the pandemic and the fallout from Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

In France, rising energy costs have provided an explosive backdrop to next April’s presidential election. Macron’s government is struggling with a ballooning budget deficit and pressure from bond markets.

Frontrunner Marine Le Pen of the far-right National Rally and hard-left veteran Jean-Luc Melenchon have both made fuel prices central planks in their campaigns.

Rising fuel prices are clearly an issue that boosts Marine Le Pen, said Ivaldi. I think this is an issue she has owned for quite some time.” Since the Iran war began, Le Pen’s ratings have improved while Macron’s have slipped, according to polling by Elabe.

Le Pen’s proposal to sharply cut value-added tax on fuel has attracted broad public support. Analysts say the issue resonates strongly with her core voters in rural and semi-rural areas where car travel is often essential.

Calls to restore Russia ties

In neighbouring Germany, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is leading national opinion polls after strong gains in local elections. The cost of living topped Germans’ concerns for a fifth straight year in a survey published this month.

German inflation spiked to nearly a three-year high in September, with energy price inflation rising to 14.9pc, handing ammunition to the AfD to attack Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

The AfD is pushing to restore energy ties with Russia, arguing that Berlins support for Ukraine is needlessly self-sabotaging at a time when Europes largest economy and many of its energy-hungry companies are struggling.

Past experience indicates a link between high energy prices and voter turnout for the AfD, said Jan Steckel, professor for the political economy of climate change at the Technical University of Munich.

Populist parties often frame energy costs as avoidable and attribute them to government policy choices … rather than to the underlying geopolitical shocks that drive them,” he said.

These geopolitical shocks are … much more difficult to explain. And I think this is why incumbent parties often struggle.” The argument is gaining traction elsewhere.

In Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni faces growing competition from National Future, a new far-right party led by former army general Roberto Vannacci that advocates restoring gas links with Russia.

In Poland, one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters, concern over energy bills is helping boost support for the far-right Confederation of the Polish Crown. Its leader, Grzegorz Braun, has called for a return to buying Russian oil and gas, making the case alongside AfD politicians in Lubmin, where the damaged Nord Stream pipelines land in Germany.

I love the smell of Russian gas in the morning, he said.

France will impose new curfews in areas where needed on Tuesday, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said, adding that the measures introduced in several cities the previous day had “helped keep the night calm”.

France was rocked on Saturday by some of its worst rioting in recent years, just six months before the country elects a successor to President Emmanuel Macron.

Accused of failing to anticipate and contain the street violence, the government has pledged to restore order, and had announced partial curfews in Paris and some other cities on Monday.

“Targeted curfews have contributed to calm overnight,” Lecornu wrote on X.

“Tonight new curfews will be decided where the situation requires it. These decisions will be made on the ground, by the prefects, in coordination with the mayors,” he said.

Police confirmed the night had passed without major incidents across France.

Several cities, including Paris, the southwestern city of Bordeaux and Nice on the French Riviera, introduced partial curfews on Monday in response to urban unrest that followed weeks of student demonstrations over poor learning conditions in high schools.

While some restrictions, such as those in Paris, initially applied only for the night from Monday to Tuesday, others, particularly in Bordeaux and Nice, were set to remain in force for several days.

During the night, a helicopter flew over the French capital’s Place de la Republique, one of the epicentres of the unrest, sweeping a powerful searchlight across the square to monitor compliance with the curfew.

In Lyon, despite a ban on demonstrations, around 500 people gathered on Monday evening outside the tourism office that was set on fire, to show support for shopkeepers affected by looting, according to organisers.

The word “LYON” had been spelled out on the ground with candles.

A banner hung on a fence nearby read “Anti-Rioters Lyon” and “Doucet Resign”, referring to Green mayor Gregory Doucet, an AFP journalist said.

Under pressure, the government scheduled another series of emergency meetings on Tuesday, including talks involving representatives of major social media platforms.

Finance Minister Roland Lescure pledged support measures for shopkeepers and craftspeople.

Patrick Martin, the head of France’s Medef business lobby group, on Tuesday accused the state of having “failed” during the urban unrest that hit at least 3,000 businesses, according to preliminary estimates.

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday issued notices to the federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments in several petitions challenging the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in the province on Oct 11.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan moved the PHC on Oct 14 against the measures, requesting the court to declare them unconstitutional. The move to impose emergency and governor’s rule followed heightened tensions between the PML-N-led federal government and the PTI-led KP government.

On Tuesday, a two-member bench comprising Justices Ijaz Anwar and Muhammad Faheem Wali took up several petitions, including Gohar’s. PTI leader Shandana Gulzar, the KP Bar Council and leaders of the Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) have also filed pleas.

The bench adjourned the hearing till Nov 10 after hearing preliminary arguments.

The court said an order would be issued afterwards, adding that notices would also be issued to Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan and the KP advocate general.

Barrister Sameer Khosa and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja appeared on behalf of Gohar.

Barrister Sameer argued that a resolution passed by the provincial assembly was mandatory for imposing governor’s rule and emergency.

“No approval was obtained from the provincial assembly,” he told the court.

Noting that the National Assembly and the Senate approved the action later, the lawyer said, “We have also challenged this in the miscellaneous application.”

“The proviso to Article 232(1) states that approval from the provincial assembly is necessary. The word ‘shall’ is used, which means this condition is mandatory,” the petitioner’s lawyer said.

He reiterated that the measures had been taken without the provincial assembly’s approval and were therefore illegal. The counsel contended that the situation in KP was not beyond the provincial government’s control.

Sameer further contended that the chief minister, Sohail Afridi, and the speaker of the provincial assembly were currently “missing”.

Afridi, who has become non-functional as the KP CM, has not been seen since the imposition of governor’s rule and emergency. Federal ministers said a day later that he and some of his cabinet members were in preventative custody.

The bench then asked whether the petition included a request for the leaders to be presented before the court or recovered.

“Yes, we have made that request in this application,” the counsel replied.

He referred to a Supreme Court judgment in the case of ex-CM Pir Sabir Shah, in which the SC had established that the chief minister and the cabinet would continue to function if an emergency were imposed.

“In the current case, the chief minister, the cabinet and the advocate general have been stopped from working and rendered inactive,” Sameer said.

“Our plea is that the assembly be restored and the chief minister and speaker be released,” he added.

Raja also argued that governor’s rule and the state of emergency had been imposed without “fulfilling legal requirements”, calling for the measures to be revoked and the provincial assembly restored.

The petitioner, Barrister Gohar, also addressed the bench, arguing that the PTI-led government in KP had always supported the Centre in the fight against terrorism.

He went on to claim that 12 MNAs and 14 MPAs affiliated with the PTI had been “picked up”.

“Raids are being conducted on the homes of our members; they are being harassed,” he added. “We say that Pakistan comes first, we say that we are one, this country is ours,” Gohar said.

Gohar further contended that on Oct 11, deputy commissioners and district police officers had been replaced, as had officers posted at the advocate general’s office.

Appearing on behalf of Gulzar, advocate Muazzam Butt also highlighted that the KP Assembly’s approval had not been obtained before the imposition of governor’s rule and the state of emergency.

He said that an apex committee had been formed under the National Action Plan (NAP), arguing that it was the committee’s responsibility to assess the security situation in the province.

He further argued that responsibility for terrorism could not be placed on the provincial government given the existence of the apex committee.

Representing the KP Bar Council, Advocate Babar Khan Yousafzai appeared before the court and adopted the arguments advanced in Gohar’s case.

Another petitioner, Advocate Qaiser Shah, supported the imposition of the state of emergency but opposed the proclamation insofar as it imposed governor’s rule.

A petition has also been filed by National Democratic Movement (NDM) central and provincial presidents Mohsin Dawar and Bushra Gohar, which was fixed for hearing on Oct 20 (Tuesday).

In his petition, Barrister Gohar had urged the PHC to declare the federal government’s decision to impose emergency and governor’s rule in KP “unconstitutional, ultra vires, coram non judice, tainted with malice in law and fact, devoid of objective material, and of no legal effect” and to set aside the proclamation.

Filed under Article 199 of the Constitution, the petition named the federation of Pakistan (through the secretaries of the Cabinet Division, law, interior, and defence ministries); the province of KP; KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi; the KP Assembly speaker; and the secretary of the KP Home and Tribal Affairs Department as respondents.

Sohail Afridi, who is no longer functioning as the province’s chief minister following the imposition of governor’s rule, was also named as a pro forma respondent.

Gohar challenged the “constitutionality, legality and vires” of the October 11 decision, the order deploying army troops to the province, and “all consequential and derivative executive orders, notifications, and bodies” constituted as a result.

These included the establishment of the KP Advisory Council and the “arbitrary” detention and removal of Afridi as the lawful chief minister of KP, along with his provincial cabinet, which had been vested with full executive powers under Article 130 of the Constitution.

Following the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in the province, the federal government formed an 11-member technocratic KP Advisory Council.

PTI reiterates emergency, governor’s rule ‘unconstitutional’

Speaking to the media after the hearing, Barrister Gohar highlighted the “injustice” being inflicted on party workers and supporters, with their MNAs and MPAs picked up, their symbols being removed and demolished, and their houses raided. “We spoke about it in front of the court,” Gohar said.

“We have said from day one that this is unconstitutional. Whatever has happened is against the Constitution,” he stressed.

“There are no two opinions about it; terrorism is unacceptable in this country. We have condemned terrorism in every form, in every place. We have said everyone should unite to fight against terrorism,” Gohar maintained, adding the party rejects “allegations” of facilitating terrorism.

Gohar said the party requested the court to make a larger bench and hear the PTI as soon as possible.

“The court has given us the date (Nov) 10. We hope the court decides the matter as soon as possible, because this province, this country cannot stay entangled in this. On one hand, the province is deprived of resources; on the other, it is facing terrorism, and on top of that, its mandate is also being snatched away,” he said.

Raja, speaking to the media, termed the imposition of emergency “an attack” on provincial autonomy and democracy.

“Provincial assembly resolution is mandatory for emergency,” he said. “Governor’s rule requires the provincial government not to do its work.”

“Sohail Afridi is still the chief minister of the province and the cabinet is present,” Raja asserted.

Leader of the Opposition in NA Mehmood Khan Achakzai also spoke to the media and said, “We want decisions to be made in the courts. If that does not happen, issues will come out onto the streets.”

Achakzai referred to the recent protests in France against the cost of living and inequality, highlighting that the French police did not fire a single bullet.

“We will have to protest peacefully against this government too,” the opposition leader reiterated. “The final phase of the uprising has now begun.”