Some Australian SAS officers knew that soldiers under their command were using “throwdowns” – planting weapons on dead Afghan civilians to portray them as combatants – but did nothing to stop the unlawful practice, a previously unpublished military report has said.
Posted online this week, the executive summary of a 2021 investigation into the “cultural context” of the special operations command by the inspector general of the Australian Defence Force (IGADF) is scathing about the “breakdown of command” and the erosion of military discipline during special forces operations in Afghanistan, which “resulted in episodes of potential and actual egregious behaviour”.
Friedrich Merz, canciller de Alemania, aseguró la semana pasada que “la principal amenaza” para la estabilidad de su país es Rusia. No hay mes que pase sin un nuevo caso de posibles acciones hostiles dirigidas por los servicios secretos del Kremlin, según denuncia Berlín. El semanario Der Spiegel ha avanzado que el 7 de octubre fueron detenidos dos ciudadanos bielorrusos investigados por planear un sabotaje en infraestructuras críticas de Baviera. La Fiscalía Superior de Múnich, según el medio alemán, cree que los sospechosos actuaban bajo órdenes de los servicios secretos rusos.
Varios agentes de policía recorren un campo en los terrenos del aeropuerto de Leipzig dentro de la investigación sobre el hallazgo del dron cargado de explosivos, el 7 de agosto.
LAHORE: Incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan’s sister Noreen Niazi was moved from Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology on Wednesday due to high blood pressure, her lawyer said.
Three sisters of the ex-premier — Noreen, Aleema Khan, and Uzma Khan — have been detained since Sept 21 under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960 (MPO) on the Lahore deputy commissioner’s (DC) orders. They are currently serving the second term of a 30-day detention under the MPO, which was extended on Oct 7.
Noreen’s counsel Rana Mudassar Umer told Dawn that she had been taken to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology on the recommendation of the jail doctors.
She was brought to the hospital at around 7:30pm and hospital sources said doctors were performing her tests, he added.
No family member has been informed about her deteriorating health condition, the lawyer claimed.
Umer further alleged that the jail authorities were consistently denying medicines to Imran’s sisters. He said Uzma, who was a heart patient, had also been denied medicines, adding that they were eventually delivered to her upon the Lahore High Court (LHC)’s order after her husband approached the court.
When contacted, a senior jail officer refuted the accusations, telling Dawn that medicines and daily-use items were allowed to be provided to the inmates and that the three sisters were getting all such items.
Noreen’s lawyer further said that no family members or counsel had been allowed to meet the sisters. Umer said he had filed multiple petitions before the Punjab home secretary and the Lahore DC seeking meetings of the detained sisters with their family and lawyers, but the DC had not responded.
Regarding the meetings, the jail officer said this was the jurisdiction of the Lahore DC, and jail authorities could allow such meetings on a by-name written order issued by the DC.
Imran’s sisters were detained by authorities in September, under Section 3 of the MPO, as the PTI geared up for a planned protest march towards Islamabad.
Their detention was ordered for 30 days and would have expired on Oct 19 for Aleema and Oct 20 for Uzma and Noreen, according to Umer. However, they remained in jail, and the government later informed the LHC that their detentions had been extended on Oct 7.
On Sept 24, the LHC had turned down a request to immediately suspend the preventive detention notifications issued against Noreen and Dr Uzma.
Earlier this month, Imran’s cousin, Qasim Zaman, was also taken into custody when he went to Adiala jail to meet the ex-prime minister.
The detention had come amid reports of a crackdown on the PTI ahead of its countrywide protest and march to Islamabad, which the party had called to demand Imran’s release from jail and mobilise people for the supremacy of the Constitution.
MIRAN SHAH – A mortar strike on house in South Waziristan’s Angoor Adda killed one civilian and wounded five members of the same family, security sources said, prompting a Pakistani military response that the information ministry said destroyed seven Afghan Taliban posts.
The fresh confrontation garnered strongly rebuttal from Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which rejected the Afghan Taliban’s version of events as “false and fabricated”. It said mortar shell fired from the Afghan side landed on a house in a residential neighbourhood, causing the casualties and spreading fear among communities living along the volatile frontier.
The ministry accused Afghan Taliban forces of starting the clash with unprovoked gunfire and mortar shelling directed at unarmed civilians inside Pakistani territory.
Afghan Taliban regime’s latest fabrication of lies on Angoor Adda border incident again confirms their deceitful character. Fact of the matter is that their cowardly forces initiated unprovoked fire and mortar shelling on unarmed civilians on Pakistani side, following pattern and instructions of their proxy masters India.
Immediate, effective and disproportionate response by our brave and proud security forces not only silenced their guns but inflicted heavy casualties to their men in addition to material losses including destruction of seven posts.
Such lies of Taliban regime so called official spokespersons carry no value and are part of a litany of fabricated stories that they keep on telling, mostly to their own people suffering under their imposed and non representative regime.
Pakistani security forces responded immediately, the ministry said, silencing the firing positions and inflicting heavy losses in personnel and equipment. It claimed seven Taliban posts were destroyed. Security sources separately said several checkpoints were targeted during the retaliation.
The ministry also accused Taliban spokespersons of presenting a misleading account of the confrontation, describing their statements as part of a recurring campaign of fabricated claims aimed largely at audiences within Afghanistan.
The statement further alleged that the firing had been carried out on India’s instructions and reflected a pattern associated with Indian-backed proxies. The supplied information contained no independent evidence substantiating that allegation.
ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam—Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday accused the government of misusing the Constitution and resorting to unconstitutional measures in imposing governor’s rule and an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Centre imposed governor’s rule and emergency in KP on Oct 11, citing the provincial government’s “deliberate disengagement” from the fight against terrorism. The move had drawn criticism from the opposition, as well as Fazl, who had made efforts to reduce tensions between the federal and the KP governments.
Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly on Wednesday, Fazl noted the Centre’s stance was that it took the measures according to the Constitution.
He alleged, “The government has misused the Constitution […] Here, just as the law is misused, the Constitution was misused.”
The senior politician asserted that by imposing governor’s rule in KP, transfer of power took place “by force”, rather than by public opinion.
“I may have my reservations about the [KP] government, but this is not the way to enact change, by bringing about a revolution and upending everything. You must go to the people for that.”
He also blamed Defence Minister Khawaja Asif for failing to protect the sanctity of the Constitution and the Parliament.
Responding to the JUI-F chief’s accusations, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary said that governor’s rule in KP was only in place for six months, and the emergency was imposed in only a few districts affected by terrorism.
“You have to be on one side, either remain with the state of Pakistan or be supportive of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and Afghanistan,” the minister said.
He noted that the situation in Balochistan was different to that of KP, where he said the chief minister, PTI’s Sohail Afridi, was using provincial resources to march on Islamabad. Chaudhry alleged that Afridi “even defended the terrorists”.
Fazl calls for ‘Charter of Democracy’
While criticising the government in his speech, Fazl called for establishing a new Charter of Democracy to save the country from “unconstitutional” actions and potential violence.
“This Parliament is a representative institution of the people, but the capacity for tolerance has ended and matters are deteriorating,” the veteran politician contended.
Fazl said the simultaneous imposition of governor’s rule and an emergency in KP might be the first instance in history that such provisions were applied but only in certain areas of the province.
“Governor’s rule [is in force] in half of the province, emergency in the other half,” he said, apparently referring to the special emergency measures in 12 districts that are overseen by a council.
Fazl also recalled his efforts to defuse political tensions during the PTI’s long march towards Islamabad and said that the party’s leaders had asked him to play a role in resolving the matter.
He said that after subsequent discussions with senior PML-N and PTI leadership, he held a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who asked for the PTI’s long march to be called off.
“The following day, [Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister] Ishaq Dar called me and said that the cabinet was not agreeing to the proposal and that governor’s rule must be imposed in KP,” Fazl recalled.
Narrating the events of Oct 11, Fazl said he received a phone call at around 9:30am wherein he was told that his efforts were being discussed in the cabinet meeting, which later decided to impose emergency and governor’s rule in KP.
“At 10:30am, I received a phone call from Ishaq Dar saying that the cabinet is not agreeing to this. And they are saying that governor’s rule must be imposed there at all costs,” the JUI-F leader said.
“So I said that all the effort made since yesterday was being negated. I was hoping that you brought about a consensus, but the government negated it.”
Maintaining that all of his efforts had been aimed at “preventing bloodshed”, Fazl questioned the government’s ability to maintain law and order, particularly in Balochistan, asking whether the situation there was worse than in KP with the reported kidnapping of commissioners.
“How can the federal government claim that it has succeeded in maintaining law and order?” he asked.
Fazl responds to those ‘doubting his patriotism’
Fazl also said those who doubted his patriotism should know that his party had made significant sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and regretted that its martyrs and contributions were being ridiculed.
Days after the Centre imposed emergency in KP, the JUI-F chief accused it of depriving the provinces of their rights and raised doubts over its reasoning that there was a lack of cooperation by the KP government on counterterrorism.
The next day, following rebuke from several federal ministers, Fazl stressed that his party’s criticism of the government was directed at policies, not institutions, and was intended to bring about corrective action rather than undermine the sacrifices made in the fight against terrorism.
“My party is a party of martyrs. You do not see our martyrs, and our sacrifices are being mocked,” Fazl told the House.
The JUI-F chief said Pakistan belonged to all its citizens and not to any one person, while questioning the government over the debate on mineral resources.
He added that his party was mobilising its political strength to resist what he described as “government encroachments”, insisting that the JUI-F had not violated any limits.
“If the government is prepared for a confrontation, we are also ready to confront it,” he said, reminding the government of times when he stood at the forefront to support efforts to protect the country from political turmoil.
Urging the government to refrain from pursuing a policy of force, he warned, “We are prepared to die. We are prepared to die at your hands, but we are not prepared to die at the hands of history. If you are prepared for a confrontation, we are sitting here ready for it.”
He went on to say that the state was like a mother, “but this mother is not treating all her children fairly”.
The federal government on Oct 11 imposed an emergency and governor’s rule in KP under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution following the president’s approval of the recommendations by the federal cabinet.
The move drew criticism from the opposition, including Fazl, as well as Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Raja Nasir Abbas of the Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayin-i-Pakistan.
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.
On Oct 16, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that the “head of a party” was “extremely upset over being denied a role in the new setup in KP and not getting the governorship”, seemingly referring to Fazl.
This politician, Naqvi told journalists in Lahore, had remained “dependent on the establishment for decades to advance his political career”.
The next day, Fazl termed the allegations levelled against him by federal ministers as character assassination.
LAHORE (Javed Iqbal) – Imran Khan’s sister Noreen Niazi has been moved from Lahore jail to Punjab Institute of Cardiology on Wednesday evening, where doctors start investigating possible heart attack after she developed chest pain and difficulty breathing.
Noreen, the wife of Hafeezullah Niazi, was brought to the hospital’s emergency department at 6:51pm under strict police supervision, according to sources. Noreen arrived with rapid heartbeat, elevated blood pressure, chest pain and shortness of breath. Some changes in her ECG prompted doctors to order blood tests to determine whether she had suffered a heart attack.
A heart attack has not yet been confirmed. Doctors said the ECG findings could indicate a cardiac event, but a definitive diagnosis would depend on blood test results, particularly those checking for damage to the heart muscle.
After immediate examination and initial medical care, Noreen was moved to the relevant surgical ward, where she remains under continuous observation and treatment. Sources said she had been experiencing heart discomfort while incarcerated in a Lahore jail. Her worsening condition prompted the transfer to the specialist cardiac hospital.
The hospital also saw heightened security presence following her arrival, with a heavy police contingent and senior officials reaching the premises. Strict security arrangements were put in place around the section where she was being treated, restricting access to her.
Noreen is the sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founding chairman Imran Khan. Doctors are continuing to assess her condition, with the blood test results expected to clarify whether her symptoms and ECG changes were caused by a heart attack.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Wednesday dismissed a statement by Afghanistan’s defence ministry regarding the firing at Angoor Adda border area, terming it a “fabrication of lies”.
Afghan security forces opened unprovoked fire on Pakistan Army border posts and residential areas in the border area in Lower South Waziristan on Tuesday. The attack, which violated border protocols, claimed the life of one local and injured five, while provoking a swift response from security forces.
Subsequently, the Afghan defence ministry claimed that Pakistani military personnel “without any provocation or justification” launched drones targeting the Angoor Adda bazaar and the commissioner’s office in Paktika province. It claimed that Afghan forces “launched retaliatory strikes against a nearby Pakistani military base and outposts”, alleging that Pakistan was the aggressor.
In response, the ministry’s fact-checking account on X said: “[The] Afghan Taliban regime’s latest fabrication of lies on Angoor Adda border incident again confirms their deceitful character.
“Fact of the matter is that their cowardly forces initiated unprovoked fire and mortar shelling on unarmed civilians on [the] Pakistani side,” the ministry said, adding that the actions were following the “pattern and instructions of their proxy masters India”.
Pakistan’s security forces gave an immediate and effective response, the ministry said, adding that they inflicted heavy casualties as well as material losses on the Afghan side, including the destruction of seven posts.
“Such lies of [the] Taliban regime’s so-called official spokespersons carry no value and are part of a litany of fabricated stories that they keep on telling, mostly to their own people suffering under their imposed and non-representative regime,” the ministry said.
Earlier in the day, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi condemned the firing from the Afghan side, asserting that Pakistan would “never tolerate” attacks on its people or violations of its sovereignty.
The governor added that KP had “sacrificed thousands of lives in the fight against terrorism, and we will not allow anyone to threaten our people or undermine our security”.
“Any aggression against Pakistan will be confronted with unwavering resolve. Our armed forces have the full backing of the nation to defend every inch of our soil, and no threat or hostile act will weaken our determination to protect Pakistan,” he warned.
According to officials, the firing originated from posts located inside Afghan territory and targeted Pakistani border posts with small and heavy weapons.
Sources said that Pakistani forces launched an immediate and effective retaliatory action, engaging multiple Afghan Taliban border posts, mortar positions and defensive bunkers with small and heavy arms, including artillery. The “intense and accurate response” forced the Afghan Taliban to abandon their posts and flee.
The border at Angoor Adda is one of the most important and sensitive crossings along the Pak-Afghan border, serving as a key trade route and one of the main points of public movement between the two countries.
Border violations from the Afghan side have become a routine matter as ties between the two neighbours have remained strained in the past few years over counterterrorism measures.
Pak-Afghan tensions
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.
September witnessed another bout of conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
On Sept 21, in response to recent major terrorist attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan conducted “calibrated” airstrikes in the border region with Afghanistan against terrorist hideouts, with the government saying more than 28 terrorists were killed.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar described the action as part of Operation Ghazab lil Haq, which was launched on the night of Feb 26 in response to unprovoked cross-border firing by the Afghan Taliban.
Days later, Pakistan shot down eight drones launched from across the border that had entered Pakistani airspace near the Torkham border and Kohat. It was also reported that the Afghan Taliban engaged in unprovoked firing the night before near Kurram as security forces foiled an attempt by terrorists to cross into Pakistan.
In retaliation for the drone incursion, Pakistan conducted “precision aerial and drone strikes” in 10 locations across Afghanistan.
A demarche was also delivered to the Afghan side on Sept 26 on account of the Sept 23 airspace violation by drones, the Foreign Office said.
On Oct 1, Pakistan again carried out “well-planned and calibrated” airstrikes against terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan, the information ministry said, adding that the strikes resulted in the deaths of “multiple terrorists”.
Around mid-October, the state media reported that security forces had again responded to unprovoked firing by Afghan Taliban forces along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in KP’s Upper Kurram.
It quoted security sources as saying that several personnel of the Afghan Taliban were “reportedly killed during the Pakistan Army’s retaliatory action along the Ghuzgarhi border”. The sources further said that in the Upper Kurram sector, the army targeted the Afghan Taliban’s Topsar post and Shipola base camp with artillery fire, reportedly completely destroying the latter.
The border skirmishes came a day after the Foreign Office said that talks with Afghanistan could not be unconditional, but also rejected suggestions that Islamabad was unwilling to engage with its neighbour and said it would welcome sincere efforts by friendly countries to help resolve the dispute.
KARACHI – The Sindh government has formed a joint investigation team (JIT) on the directions of the judicial commission to probe the murder of young Karachi businessman Mir Raza Ali Khan, and has issued a notification in this regard.
According to the notification, DIG West Irfan Baloch has been appointed convener of the JIT, which will include representatives of the ISI, the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Rangers and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
The JIT will investigate case No 795/2026 registered at the Ferozabad police station in Karachi. The team has been directed to identify those responsible, prepare its report and submit the charge sheet in the relevant court. The Sindh government has also ordered all relevant institutions to cooperate fully with the JIT.
The team has been directed to collect physical, forensic and digital evidence in the case. During the investigation, records of the deceased’s mobile phone, smartwatch, social media accounts and other accounts will also be examined.
Mir Raza Ali Khan went missing from the Pakistan Employees Cooperative Housing Society (PECHS) on July 28, and his body was found two days later in Gulistan-i-Jauhar. According to available information, he left home in an online taxi at 4:09am.
According to police, the body was found in a severely decomposed condition and he had been shot in the chest. All his social media accounts had also been deactivated a day before the body was found.
Police had approached the telecom company to obtain the deceased’s phone records and had also sought details of people who were in contact with him. The taxi driver who took Mir Raza was also included in the investigation; in his statement, he said he had dropped the deceased at his “kitchen” in Gulistan-i-Jauhar.
According to the deceased’s father, Mir Raza Ali Khan’s nikah was scheduled for August 30 at the Bait-ul-Mukarram mosque in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, and he was very happy about the start of his new life.
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s crypto market is entering new chapter of accountability as Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) joins country’s anti-money laundering framework, strengthening oversight of digital asset businesses and efforts to curb illicit money flows.
National Executive Committee on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financing of Terrorism approved adding PVARA to Schedule IV of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA), strengthening the authority’s role in overseeing cryptocurrency exchanges and other virtual asset service providers.
The decision brings regulatory accountability to a market used by millions of Pakistanis, and it reinforces efforts to establish clearer operating requirements for crypto businesses as the country develops a formal framework for digital finance.
Under the strengthened oversight arrangements, licensed platforms must maintain anti-money laundering programmes, report suspicious transactions and meet applicable Financial Monitoring Unit requirements. Firms that fail to comply can face regulatory action.
For businesses seeking to enter Pakistan’s digital asset market, the development adds another layer of clarity to a sector undergoing rapid regulatory change. Stronger supervision could also help build confidence in licensed platforms and support their integration with the wider financial system.
PVARA’s mandate rests on the Virtual Assets Act, passed by parliament in March 2026, following a presidential ordinance introduced in 2025. The legislation established a dedicated legal framework for licensing and supervising virtual asset businesses, alongside market surveillance provisions.
Chairman Bilal bin Saqib has described the Act as Pakistan’s first dedicated cryptocurrency law. He has also said the regulator has issued No Objection Certificates to several firms as it advances the authorisation process. The authority works alongside the State Bank of Pakistan and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan. While PVARA leads licensing and supervision within its mandate, the central bank is working on banking arrangements for virtual asset businesses.
Pakistan’s large crypto user base makes the transition particularly significant. Bringing more activity into a supervised environment could improve transparency and give businesses a clearer route into the formal economy.
PVARA operates regulatory sandbox where companies can test services under supervision before pursuing full licences. The initiative provides space for innovation while allowing the regulator to assess emerging products and potential risks.
Pakistan’s boom in crypto market faces critical test to keep dirty money out of digital finance. Criminals are exploiting weak ID checks and poorly supervised platforms to disguise illicit funds as routine trading. Pakistan’s Financial Monitoring Unit has flagged virtual assets as vulnerable to money laundering and terrorist financing, citing analysis that included domestic suspicious transaction reports.
The scale makes effective oversight essential. Around 40 million Pakistanis hold crypto-linked accounts, PVARA Chairman Bilal bin Saqib told a Senate committee, according to reporting in September 2026. The figure represents an official estimate rather than a verified count of active traders
Stronger safeguards can prevent criminal proceeds from slipping into legitimate trading activity. Verifying customers, monitoring unusual transfers and reporting suspicious transactions give authorities a better chance of detecting abuse while supporting a more accountable crypto market.
ISLAMABAD – As attacks on Saudi Arabia and fears of renewed Israeli strikes on Iran deepen Middle East crisis, Pakistan reaffirmed its backing for the Makkah defence alliance, calling it a critical force for lasting regional peace.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar delivered the message during a meeting with retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood, the alliance’s first secretary-general, as Islamabad continued diplomatic efforts to ease tensions.
Dar highlighted efforts to promote regional and international stability and stressed the alliance’s importance in securing lasting peace. He also congratulated Mahmood on his appointment and wished him success.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye in August, the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement binds the three countries to a collective security commitment under which an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. The pact took shape amid a widening regional confrontation following US and Israeli attacks on Iran in February. Tehran responded by targeting American military bases and civilian infrastructure across the Gulf.
The crisis has since spread to Saudi Arabia, where attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels have heightened concerns over the security of civilian facilities and the risk of further escalation.
Pakistan warned the Houthis against attacking the kingdom and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Islamabad has repeatedly stressed that the agreement is defensive and is not directed against any country.
The meeting comes as Pakistan works with Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Qatar and other regional partners to advance peace efforts at a time of mounting military and diplomatic uncertainty. On Monday, senior officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye met Iranian officials in Tehran to discuss ways to ease the confrontation.
Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin and Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei participated in the talks. Meanwhile, negotiations between Washington and Tehran remain stalled, placing renewed attention on Qatar’s mediation efforts.
An earlier report suggested Iran was considering a draft agreement presented by Qatari mediators on Sunday, with a response expected by the end of the week. The proposal was aimed at ending the war involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
However, a subsequent statement attributed to a senior Iranian official challenged that account, describing the suggestions as unacceptable ideas rather than a new peace proposal.
On Monday, the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement did something a defense treaty is not usually built to do. Its members went to Tehran to talk. Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir and Turkey’s intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalın met President Masoud Pezeshkian and Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei. […]
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Wednesday regretted the course adopted by a bench of the Supreme Court on an already determined matter by describing the approach as “something that raises serious concerns regarding judicial discipline, legal norms and institutional propriety”.
“The course adopted in the subsequent order, authored by Justice Munib Akhtar, raises serious concerns regarding judicial discipline, legal norms and institutional propriety, particularly when the earlier determination remained operative and was already the subject of review proceedings,” observed FCC Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan in his order.
A two-judge FCC bench, comprising Justice Aminuddin and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, had taken up dozens of review petitions against a Dec 28, 2021 SC judgment, whereby leave to appeal was refused in a batch of petitions arising out of Sindh High Court’s 2020 order concerning the constitutional validity of the Income Support Levy Act 2013.
The two-judge SC bench had upheld that the Income Support Levy Act, having been enacted through the Finance Act 2013 without observance of the legislative procedure prescribed by the Constitution, did not acquire the status of a valid law.
The bench comprised Justice Aminuddin — who now heads the FCC formed under the 26th Amendment — and Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who went on to become the SC chief justice in 2023. Justice Isa penned the judgment.
Despite the 2021 decision and the pendency of the present review petitions, a subsequent three-judge SC bench, including Justice Akhtar, through its June 21, 2022 order, granted leave on substantially identical constitutional questions and expressly contemplated reconsideration of the earlier determination.
In his judgment, the FCC chief justice also criticised the SC’s subsequent conduct by describing the development as an aspect of institutional significance concerning judicial discipline and consistency of judicial pronouncements.
Justice Aminuddin recalled that the constitutional validity of the Income Support Levy Act had already been examined by the two-judge SC bench in the ‘Commissioner Inland Revenue versus Muhammad Mustafa Gigi’ case in which the appeal was refused.
The FCC top judge went on to express “serious concerns” over the 2022 SC ruling by Justice Akhtar.
“It is a settled principle that coordinate or subsequent benches must accord due regard to earlier judicial determinations and any departure therefrom must conform to the established principles governing judicial precedent and the prescribed institutional procedure,” he stated.
Although refusal of leave does not invariably preclude consideration of a distinct petition, a subsequent grant of leave cannot, by itself, operate to review, modify or displace an earlier determination, ruled the FCC.
Judicial independence must be exercised consistently with judicial discipline, restraint and institutional decorum, the FCC chief justice stressed.
He added that the course adopted in the subsequent proceedings, insofar as it contemplated reconsideration of the 2021 judgment, “without recourse to the appropriate judicial mechanism, was inconsistent with these requirements”.
“We reiterate that adherence to judicial discipline is indispensable to maintaining certainty, consistency and the institutional integrity of judicial adjudication,” Justice Aminuddin observed.
Referring to the present review petitions, he noted that the 2021 SC judgment under review does not suffer from any error apparent on the face of the record or other fundamental defect warranting interference in review jurisdiction.
The constitutional questions raised therein were duly examined and determined, and no sufficient legal ground was established for their reconsideration, Justice Aminuddin observed.
Consequently, the instant review petitions were dismissed, and the Dec 28, 2021 judgment “shall remain undisturbed”.
The FCC order recalled that the principal controversy determined by the 2021 SC ruling concerned the constitutional character of the Income Support Levy introduced through the Finance Act 2013, and whether the legislation imposing such levy could validly be enacted as a Money Bill within the contemplation of Article 73(2) of the Constitution.
Upon consideration of these provisions, it concluded that the levy, notwithstanding its financial implications, did not fall within the constitutional classification of a Money Bill and that its enactment was consequently required to undergo the ordinary legislative procedure involving both Houses of Parliament.
“The distinction between a Money Bill and ordinary legislation is substantive and reflects the constitutional allocation of legislative authority between the two Houses of Parliament,” the FCC noted.
It said that Article 73 (procedure with respect to Money Bill) constituted a “limited exception to the ordinary legislative procedure” prescribed under Article 70 (introduction and passing of bills) and cannot be expanded “merely by characterising a legislative measure as a levy or incorporating it into a Finance Act”.
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has reversed its decision and allowed Taiwanese flights to use its airspace, after fully closing it to Taiwan’s airlines in line with China’s “One China” policy.
According to Bloomberg, Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority has permitted Taiwanese carriers EVA Air Corporation and China Airlines Limited to use Pakistani airspace from October 28 to March 27.
Earlier, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told Bloomberg News: “Our aviation division is following the ‘One China’ policy, under which only mainland China is permitted. We have only allowed Chinese airlines to fly over Pakistan.”
According to Flightradar24 tracking data, Taiwan’s leading carriers China Airlines Limited and EVA Air Corporation began changing their routes last weekend, and both stopped using Pakistani airspace entirely from the morning of October 25.
Since Sunday, at least a dozen of their flights between Asia and Europe have flown over Russia.
Taiwan’s civil aviation authority did not comment on the rerouting, but said it has never barred its airlines from flying over Russia.
Although Russia never formally banned Taiwanese airlines, they had, like most Asian, European and North American carriers, generally avoided Russian airspace since the Ukraine war.
Bloomberg said Pakistan’s latest restrictions were stricter than mainland China’s own policy, as China allows Taiwanese airlines to use its airspace.
Taiwanese airlines had relied heavily on Pakistani airspace for their flights between Asia and Europe. Data shows 14 flights by the two airlines crossed Pakistan on October 24.
Rerouting via South Asia, the Middle East or Russia has added several hours to flight times. The longer routes and extra distance will significantly raise jet fuel costs, dealing a heavy financial blow to Taiwanese airlines.
PESHAWAR – A Peshawar court on Wednesday sentenced Afghan national to death and imposed Rs100,000 fine after convicting him in a blasphemy case reported in Hayatabad in 2022.
Additional Sessions Judge Rafiullah announced verdict against Mullah Din after the completion of the trial, finding him guilty on the basis of witness testimonies and evidence presented by the prosecution.
Din, a resident of Afghanistan, made derogatory remarks about Prophet in 2022, within the jurisdiction of Hayatabad police station. Local residents apprehended him following the incident and handed him over to police. A case was subsequently registered under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, and an investigation was launched.
Police later submitted a charge sheet to the relevant court, paving the way for formal trial proceedings. During the hearings, prosecution witnesses recorded their statements and other evidence was placed before the court for examination.
At the conclusion of the trial, the judge convicted Din and ordered his execution by hanging in accordance with the law. The written verdict directed that he be hanged by the neck until dead.
The court also ruled that failure to pay the Rs100,000 fine would result in an additional six months in prison.
Pakistan has strict blasphemy laws, with offences involving derogatory remarks about Islamic personalities carrying death penalty under Section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
KARACHI: Around 51,000 metric tonnes of imported wheat arrived at Karachi Port on Wednesday, according to the Karachi Port Trust (KPT).
“The geared vessel MV GOKOVA M, carrying a declared manifest of 51,000 metric tonnes of wheat, was allocated Berths 16 and 17 and arrived at Karachi Port at 1225 hours on Oct 28,” the press release said.
It added that another geared vessel, MV GREAT RAINBOW, carrying 59,132 metric tonnes of wheat, was expected to arrive on Nov 3.
“Together, the two vessels represent a declared wheat cargo volume of over 110,000 metric tonnes,” the KPT said, highlighting the port’s capacity to facilitate bulk commodity handling through Karachi Gateway Terminal Multipurpose Limited (KGTML) and support the smooth flow of essential imports.
“The KPT is facilitating the handling of bulk wheat cargo at KGTML, reinforcing Karachi Port’s role in supporting the country’s essential commodity imports and ensuring efficient cargo operations,” the press release said.
On Monday, Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain announced that the government would maintain strategic wheat reserves of up to six million tonnes.
He asserted that there would be no shortage of wheat in Pakistan this year as adequate arrangements were in place to meet the national requirements. He further stated that arrangements could be made to import up to 550,000 metric tonnes of wheat in accordance with provincial requirements and demand.
Expressing concern over recent fluctuations in wheat prices, Hussain described the prevailing price hike as artificial and manipulated by certain market elements.
He maintained that sufficient wheat stocks were available in the country and expressed confidence that prices would return to normal within the next few days.
The food security minister emphasised that the government was closely monitoring market developments and would take necessary measures to discourage artificial shortages, speculative practices and unjustified price increases.
Last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had announced the indicative price of Rs4,500 per maund of wheat for 2027, raising the price by Rs1,000 from last year.
DPM Dar chairs meeting on wheat
Separately, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting of the Steering Committee on Wheat on Wednesday.
“The committee evaluated overall grain availability across the country and examined import plans aimed at keeping local supplies steady,” according to the Foreign Office.
It said Dar stressed that “maintaining sufficient stocks and preventing any disruption in grain supply remain a top priority for the government”.
He noted that smooth coordination between federal and provincial bodies is vital to keep prices affordable for the public, the statement said.
The deputy prime minister “directed the concerned authorities to monitor market trends closely and ensure that the supply of wheat is adequate and atta prices are on a downward trajectory,” it added.
In a recent meeting, DPM Dar had directed federal and provincial governments to take all necessary measures, including increasing market supply, to bring wheat prices under control.
ROHRI – Two people were killed and five others seriously injured in a gas tanker explosion within the limits of the Patni police station in Rohri. The dead include the tanker’s driver and cleaner.
According to police, the five injured were taken to Rohri hospital. CCTV footage of the incident has also emerged.
According to an eyewitness, vehicles collided with one another during the accident. The eyewitness said he was travelling in another trailer, which went on to hit a second tanker.
Two tankers, three trailers and a Mazda truck were damaged in the incident.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday stressed that artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalisation could improve Pakistan’s trade, exports and other areas of development and called for effective implementation of the government’s strategic partnership with global marketing company Alibaba.
The premier was chairing a meeting in Islamabad reviewing progress on the use of AI and digitalisation in the economy and governance, as well as cooperation with Alibaba in these areas, according to a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
“The secret to Pakistan’s development lies in artificial intelligence and digitalisation,” the PMO quoted him as saying.
During the meeting, he said the effective use of digitalisation, AI and modern technology could play a “vital role in improving trade, exports, agricultural productivity, ease of doing business and the quality of public services in Pakistan”, PMO said.
PM Shehbaz welcomed Alibaba’s cooperation in facilitating Pakistani agricultural exports to Chinese markets, highlighting that modernising the agricultural sector was essential for national development. He also welcomed cooperation with Alibaba on automation in agriculture.
The prime minister directed that an AI-assisted cancer early-detection system be implemented at the earliest in collaboration with Alibaba. He also directed that a 15-day AI training programme for IT graduates be launched soon under the IT ministry’s Ignite programme, in collaboration with Alibaba.
The prime minister recalled that a memorandum of understanding had been signed with Alibaba at the company’s headquarters in Hangzhou during his visit to China in May.
He said the government’s top priorities included making full use of its strategic partnership with the global company to improve small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) access to global markets and create new opportunities for technology-driven development in the country.
The prime minister directed all relevant authorities to ensure that cooperation with Alibaba was translated into tangible results through clearly defined targets, timelines and effective monitoring of all projects. He instructed the relevant ministries to complete all necessary measures by November and submit a progress report.
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) was directed to introduce an analytics system for monitoring the petroleum products supply chain in collaboration with Alibaba, the PMO statement said, adding that Ogra was being provided with AI tools for it.
The Export Promotion Board was also instructed to work with Alibaba to help increase Pakistan’s exports.
During the briefing on progress in strategic cooperation between Alibaba and the Pakistani government, the meeting was informed that work was under way on AI-based models for agriculture, track-and-trace technology for tobacco, and digital platforms to facilitate the export of citrus fruits and olives.
A dedicated Pakistan pavilion has also been established on Alibaba’s platform to promote Pakistani products in international markets, PMO added. A system for the digital verification of trade documents through Pakistan Single Window has been made operational as well.
Meanwhile, a two-year programme is being launched through collaboration between the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda) and Alibaba to provide SMEs with access to international markets, training and e-commerce opportunities.
The meeting also reviewed progress on developing an advanced data platform and a central data hub for the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL), as well as a proposed pilot project for AI-assisted cancer diagnosis.
Initiatives involving the use of digital technology and AI in higher education, railways, postal services and urban administration are also “in the final stages of completion”, the statement added.
Federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Jam Kamal Khan, Dr Musadik Malik, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Attaullah Tarar, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Syed Mustafa Kamal and Abdul Aleem Khan attended the meeting, along with Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani and relevant senior officials.
During the premier’s four-day visit to China in May this year, Pakistan expressed its support for “China’s initiative of establishing the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO), believing that this represents a concrete step toward promoting the development of artificial intelligence for good and for all”.
In July, Pakistan became a founding member of WAICO after Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar signed the agreement establishing the forum in Shanghai, China.
Earlier this year, PM Shehbaz announced the government’s plan to invest $1 billion in AI by 2030.
KARACHI – Two women who were injured in firing inside a house near Drigh Road Cantt Bazaar have died.
According to police, the deceased have been identified as 25-year-old Sobia and 23-year-old Hira.
Police officials said the firing took place inside the house, where their brother, Rehan, allegedly shot his sisters over a domestic dispute. Both women were taken to hospital in critical condition but could not survive.
Police said the suspect fled the scene after the incident and a search for him is under way. The women’s father had died five days earlier.
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