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                        <title>Pakistan News, Latest News Pakistan, Pakistan Headline | The Express Tribune</title>
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			<title>Pakistan summons Indian envoy over killing of two Pakistanis along international border</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632752/pakistan-summons-indian-envoy-over-killing-of-two-pakistanis-along-international-border</link>
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			<pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 26 08:23:23 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Foreign Office categorically rejects India's attempt to 'mischaracterise' civilians as 'infiltrators']]>
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				<![CDATA[The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Saturday summoned the Indian Charg&eacute; d&rsquo;Affaires and lodged a strong protest over the killing of two Pakistani civilians by personnel of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) in the Bedian Sector along the International Border on Friday.

&quot;The BSF personnel resorted to unprovoked lethal force against unarmed civilians. Such use of force was wholly unjustified and grossly disproportionate, resulting in the tragic loss of two precious lives. Pakistan categorically rejects any attempt to mischaracterise the deceased as &#39;infiltrators,&quot; said a statement issued by MoFA.

The statement came a day after two Pakistani civilians were killed, and another was injured after Indian BSF personnel opened fire near the Pakistan-India international border in Kasur. The incident reportedly occurred when three residents from Ladhar village moved a few steps beyond a border pillar, upon which BSF personnel opened fire on the men without warning.

According to MoFA, the incident amounted to a serious violation of fundamental human rights, including the right to life, and raised concerns over the protection of civilians under international law.



🔊PR No.2️⃣7️⃣2️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣

Indian Charg&eacute; d&rsquo;Affaires Summoned Over Killing of Two Pakistani Civilians

🔗⬇️ pic.twitter.com/7o9A1UvrLF
&mdash; Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) October 3, 2026


It noted that &quot;the Indian side was called upon to conduct an immediate, transparent and credible investigation into the incident, take appropriate disciplinary and legal action against those found responsible, and formally communicate the findings and action taken to the Government of Pakistan.&quot;

Further, it added that &quot;India was further urged to ensure respect for fundamental human rights and international law, strictly observe relevant bilateral arrangements and established border procedures, exercise maximum restraint in dealing with such situations, and take effective measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.&quot;

The civilian killings were reported&nbsp;after Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry uncovered an&nbsp;Indian&nbsp;&ldquo;false flag operation&rdquo;. He&nbsp;rejected Indian claims that a former Pakistan Army soldier had been killed as a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), presenting the individual alive before the media and describing the episode as another Indian &ldquo;false flag operation&rdquo;.

Civilian casualties and injuries inflicted by Indian forces during 2016-2026

Cross-border firing along the Pakistan-India border has repeatedly resulted in civilian casualties, particularly in villages close to the Working Boundary.

In October 2016, the military&rsquo;s media wing confirmed that two civilians, including a toddler, were martyred and another seven were injured in firing in the Harpal, Pukhlian and Charwah sectors.

In September 2017, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said India had targeted Pakistani civilians with mortars and automatic weapons, resulting in the death of Muhammad Zahoor, a civilian in Dewra village.

The following year saw another major escalation. In May 2018, The Express Tribune reported that four members of the same family &mdash; a woman, two daughters and a son &mdash; were killed in firing along the Working Boundary near Sialkot, with 10 others reported injured. The report cited the ISPR and the Foreign Office. The death toll climbed to 16 during a wider six-day confrontation.

Read: Pakistan issues &#39;strong demarche&#39; to US over &#39;irresponsible&#39; remarks by ambassador in India on IIOJK status

A year later in October, the Foreign Office said a 10-year-old boy was martyred, and 16 civilians were critically injured in firing in the Sharda sector.

In May 2020, three civilians were reported seriously injured in the Nikial sector, while in September, two civilians were reported seriously injured in the Baroh sector. Both reports cited Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Office.

In 2021, at least seven people were injured, including two elderly persons and a teenager, in cross-border shooting. The situation changed for the better after Islamabad and New Delhi reaffirmed their ceasefire in February.

Once again in 2023, however, The Express Tribune reported three civilian deaths and one serious injury in two LoC firing incidents.

2024 remained peaceful, a year after a war broke out between the nuclear-armed rivals.]]>
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			<title>Bilawal credits PPP for warding off imposition of emergency in K-P</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632791/bilawal-credits-ppp-for-warding-off-imposition-of-emergency-in-k-p</link>
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			<pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 26 14:01:32 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Says govt had decided on emergency, governor’s rule in province, seeks political solution to K-P security crisis]]>
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				<![CDATA[PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Saturday that the federal government had decided to impose emergency or governor&rsquo;s rule in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, but his party had urged it to first seek a political solution to enable all parties to fight terrorism together.

His remarks came a day after the government and opposition held their first formal talks in years, with the two sides agreeing to continue negotiations on Saturday. The ruling coalition had decided to engage the opposition instead of immediately resorting to emergency or governor&rsquo;s rule in K-P.

Speaking at an event in Karachi, Bilawal said emergency and governor&rsquo;s rule were constitutional and legal options that could be used when necessary, but political parties should make every effort to resolve the issue through dialogue before resorting to such measures.

&ldquo;I understand that the federal government had made up its mind and was ready to immediately impose emergency in Pakhtunkhwa and implement governor&rsquo;s rule,&rdquo; he said.



لائیو: ضلع کیماڑی کراچی میں ہارون آباد، گٹر باغیچہ کے مقام پر گریٹر کراچی سیوریج پلان کے سلسلے نکاسی آب کے پانی کو صاف کرنے والے ٹریٹمنٹ پلانٹ ون کے منصوبے کی افتتاحی تقریب@BBhuttoZardari https://t.co/TjAgtC8Trs
&mdash; PPP (@MediaCellPPP) October 3, 2026


He said the PPP believed that before using such &ldquo;an atomic bomb&rdquo; and imposing emergency, political parties should make a comprehensive effort to find a political solution that would enable them to fight terrorism &ldquo;in a better way&rdquo;.

Bilawal said terrorism should not be treated as a political issue but as a national one, adding that the government and opposition should work together to counter the threat.

&ldquo;We don&rsquo;t want terrorism to be seen as a political issue. We want it to be seen as a national issue,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Whether you are in the opposition or in the government, we want you to fight it together.&rdquo;

He said the PPP, the federal government and President Asif Ali Zardari had remained in contact over the past few weeks as terrorist attacks continued in K-P and attacks from Afghanistan also increased.

He also referred to what he described as the role of India in the attacks, saying: &ldquo;Whether these two attacks are of terrorism or of Afghanistan, whatever is happening, the hand of India behind it is also not a hidden thing.&rdquo;

Also Read: Govt, PTI kick off second round of talks ahead of Oct 4 long march

Bilawal said the PPP wanted political parties to engage with the PTI and persuade it to end its planned long march on Islamabad.

He said the PTI had the right to protest and had achieved a degree of political success through its protest, but it should also recognise the worsening security situation in K-P.

&ldquo;While you are focusing on your politics, you are focusing on your protest, terrorism is taking place in Pakhtunkhwa every other day,&rdquo; he said.

The PPP chairman said a formal written agreement should be reached between the PTI and the federal government under which both sides would work together to fight terrorism.

&ldquo;If there is a political issue, you should keep it away from terrorism and national interests,&rdquo; he said, adding that political differences should be dealt with separately from the security situation.

Bilawal said the PPP wanted all political parties to reach an &ldquo;amicable political solution&rdquo; in the interest of the provinces and people of Pakistan so that the country did not have to resort to emergency measures to fight terrorism.

&ldquo;Terrorism is the red line of the Pakistan People&rsquo;s Party,&rdquo; he said, adding that the party had lost workers and leaders to terrorism.

He warned that continued deterioration in Balochistan and K-P could have consequences beyond the two provinces, particularly for Karachi.

&ldquo;Karachi is a mini Pakistan. We are connected to every city, every province,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;If Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa gets sick, Karachi gets a cough.&rdquo;

Bilawal said the PPP considered terrorism a major issue because any deterioration in the security situation in Balochistan and K-P would eventually affect other parts of the country.

Bilawal&rsquo;s statement came as the second round of negotiations between the government and opposition continued on Saturday, ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf&rsquo;s (PTI) planned Oct 4 long march on Islamabad.

Ahead of the negotiations, the government was considering imposing governor&rsquo;s rule in K-P amid the deteriorating security situation. It had also accused the PTI-led provincial government of poor governance, which it said had contributed to a surge in terrorism in the province.

The possibility of imposing governor&rsquo;s rule in K-P gained attention after several federal ministers said constitutional provisions allowed such measures if required, while accusing the PTI-led provincial government of failing to address security and governance challenges.

PPP chiarman calls for greater federal support for Karachi

Earlier in his address, the PPP chairman spoke at length about issues confronting Karachi, saying the city had been treated unfairly by the federal government despite its contribution to the national economy.

He said Karachi continued to face shortages of water, electricity and gas, despite Sindh being a major gas-producing province.

&ldquo;Your Constitution says that the first right is theirs, where this resource is produced,&rdquo; he said, referring to the province&rsquo;s claim to its share of natural gas.

He also criticised the federal government over the K-IV water project, saying the Centre had failed to fulfil its commitment to contribute 50 per cent of the project&rsquo;s cost.

Bilawal said the Sindh government, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab and the public-private partnership model had provided a way forward for the project.

He also criticised delays in the Hyderabad-Sukkur motorway, saying completion of the project would benefit Karachi and Pakistan&rsquo;s wider economy.

The PPP chairman praised Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, the Karachi mayor and local representatives for working on the city&rsquo;s water problems.

&ldquo;We will continue to listen to all their complaints and criticisms. We will continue to do our work,&rdquo; he said.]]>
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			<title>Bodies of Pakistanis killed in Somalia being repatriated, arrive in Addis Ababa: PMO</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632799/bodies-of-pakistanis-killed-in-somalia-being-repatriated-arrive-in-addis-ababa-pmo</link>
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			<pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 26 15:17:14 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Says arrangements are under way to bring back the bodies of three Pakistanis killed in Somalia]]>
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				<![CDATA[The bodies of three Pakistanis killed in an operation to recover a hijacked oil tanker off the Somali coast have reached Addis Ababa, with arrangements under way for their repatriation, the PMO said on Saturday

The Palau-flagged MT Honour 25, carrying 18,500 barrels of oil and a 17-member crew, including 10 Pakistanis, was seized on April 21, around 30 nautical miles off Puntland while sailing from Oman to Somalia. Puntland&rsquo;s Maritime Police Force said it rescued the tanker in an operation off Dharin-baar, but the pirates opened fire on the hostages, killing five, including three Pakistanis and injuring four others.

According to the PMO statement, the bodies of Syed Kafeel Omar, Ahmad Ansari and Rafiullah had&nbsp;arrived in Ethiopia&rsquo;s capital Addis Ababa, where Ethiopian Airlines staff were reviewing arrangements for their transfer to Pakistan.

Read: Three Pakistani sailors killed in Somali ship rescue operation



وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف کی ہدایت پر صومالیہ میں جاں بحق پاکستانیوں شہریوں کی میتوں کی پاکستان منتقلی کے انتظامات جاری ہیں. اس سلسلے میں جاں بحق پاکستانی شہریوں کی میتیں ایک گھنٹہ قبل ایتھوپیا کے دارالحکومت ادیس ابابا پہنچ گئی ہیں۔

ایتھوپین ایئرلائنز کا عملہ میتوں کی پاکستان&hellip;
&mdash; Prime Minister&#39;s Office (@PakPMO) October 3, 2026


The PMO said final approval would be granted for the bodies to be dispatched to Karachi once the necessary preparations had been completed.

In accordance with the prime minister&rsquo;s directives, relevant officials were in constant contact to expedite the repatriation process, the statement said.

The prime minister had assured every possible assistance in bringing back the bodies of the three Pakistani citizens, according to the PMO.

It said PM Shehbaz had spoken by telephone on Friday with Izaan Kafeel, the son of deceased Syed Kafeel Omar, and expressed his condolences over the death of his father and assured him that the government would take all necessary measures to swiftly repatriate his body along with those of the other deceased Pakistanis.

Also Read: Four Pakistani crew members from hijacked MT Honour 25 to arrive in Karachi tomorrow: Dar

A day earlier, the prime minister announced financial assistance of Rs12.5 million for the families of each of the three Pakistanis killed during a Somali operation to rescue the crew from pirates.

He also announced free education and healthcare for the deceased&rsquo;s children, while each bereaved family would be provided with a house.

The oil tanker Honour 25, sailing under the Somali flag from Oman to Somalia, was hijacked by pirates on April 21. There were 17 crew members aboard, 10 of them Pakistani nationals. The families of the Pakistani hostages spent months seeking the safe release of their loved ones, staging peaceful protests and repeatedly approaching government authorities.

During their captivity, the pirates initially demanded a ransom of $3 million, which was later reduced to $1.9 million and subsequently to $1 million. All the Pakistani crew members who were killed or injured were from different areas of Karachi.

The pirates came under pressure during a rescue operation and, while retreating from the vessel, opened indiscriminate fire on the abducted crew before fleeing the ship. Five sailors were killed, including three Pakistanis &mdash; Second Officer Kashif Umar, Third Engineer Mahmood Ansari and Boiler Rafiullah. The other two deceased crew members were an Indian sailor, Tanveer, and the chief engineer from Myanmar.

Four sailors were injured &mdash; Usman, Yasir, Ameen and Vicky from Indonesia &mdash; while Hussain Yousuf, Imran Ali and Yaseen remained safe. The two surviving Pakistani crew members later contacted the Ansar Burney Welfare Trust in Karachi using the ship captain&rsquo;s mobile phone and provided details of the incident.

Puntland police said the Honour 25 had 18,500 barrels of oil on board when it was hijacked. The police had been pursuing three hijacked vessels off the Somali coast and had also rescued another oil tanker, Sibu 1, on Friday. However, 28 of the 41 pirates arrested during that operation later escaped while being transferred to jail, with several Puntland security officials accusing local police of complicity.]]>
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			<title>Deadlock persists as hours-long govt, PTI talks end without breakthrough</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632785/govt-pti-kick-off-second-round-of-talks-ahead-of-oct-4-long-march</link>
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			<pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 26 12:16:56 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Achakzai refuses to back down on long march, says it won’t be called off without meeting PTI founder]]>
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				<![CDATA[The second round of talks between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) continued past Saturday midnight after hours of negotiations but failed to achieve a breakthrough, with a deadlock persisting between the two sides.

The negotiators from both sides left the meeting room after 2am in the early hours of Sunday.

Speaking to Express News, PTI MNA Asad Qaiser confirmed that there still existed a deadlock.

&quot;We informed the government of our differences regarding the meeting with the founding chairman, the release of the sisters and other demands. We have apprised the government of certain issues; our primary demand is a meeting with Imran Khan. There are issues concerning our elderly women and other matters,&quot; he said.

Qaiser said the PTI side stipulated that a meeting with Imran must take place first and only then would it proceed further.

&quot;We hold a very clear stance on the issue of terrorism; we want peace in our province.&quot;

Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Raja Nasir Abbas told the media there was a deadlock on &quot;small issues&quot;. He said the issue of the meeting with Imran could not be resolved.



ڈیڈ لاک برقرار ہے۔ مجموعی صورتحال یہ رہی کہ عمران خان صاحب سے ہماری ملاقات کے حوالے سے انہوں نے کہا کہ ابھی نہیں ہو سکتی ۔

لیکن خیبر پختونخوا میں آپریشن کے حوالے سے مسائل اور اس میں صوبے اور وفاق کے کردار پر کوئی اتفاق نہیں ہو سکا۔

ذاتی ڈاکٹرز کے معاملے پر بھی ہم کسی نتیجے&hellip; pic.twitter.com/c37SODHGPw
&mdash; Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) October 3, 2026





صوبہ میں دہشتگردی کے حوالہ سے صوبہ اور وفاق کے رول سے متعلق کوئی understanding نہیں ہو سکی،عمران خان سے ملاقات کا معاملہ حل نہیں ہوسکا، ہماری کوشش تھی کسی نتیجے پر پہنچ سکیں لیکن ڈیڈ لاک برقرار ہے، خان صاحب کے ذاتی معالج تک رسائی کے معاملے پر ڈیڈ لاک ہے،

قائد حزب اختلاف سینٹ&hellip; pic.twitter.com/4tXLVjVXaT
&mdash; Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (@TTAP_OFFICIAL) October 3, 2026



However, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said: &quot;Look, we don&#39;t have a consensus on foundational issues,&quot; adding that he could not say that he foresaw both sides moving forward on a mutually acceptable plan of action.&nbsp;

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar said the long march would go ahead and was &quot;intact&quot;. He said the party&#39;s demands should be addressed and said governor rule or an emergency were not the answers to the long march.

PPP Senator Sherry Rehman said they had performed their constitutional and democratic role.&nbsp;

&quot;We constantly talked with them on every point, whatever their concerns were were heard and debated and shared with our leadership. The agreement draft was changed four times.&quot;

She said it was the PPP&#39;s stance that, given the terrorism situation, there could be no compromise, and that it was &quot;not a small matter&quot;.&nbsp;

Rehman added that agreement was achieved on many points but disagreements remained on some.&nbsp;

&quot;They have refused to do an agreement,&quot; she said.

Prime Minister&#39;s aide Rana Sanaullah said the basic issue related to K-P&#39;s security situation, with the federal government demanding that the provincial government fulfil its responsibilities in this regard and play its role.

He said there was no reassurance from the other side about this. &quot;They made changes in the drafts two to three times, but despite that, the K-P government is not ready to cooperate to play its role in the war against terrorism and this is absolutely unacceptable. That is why the agreement could not be achieved.&quot;

Sanaullah said the government had provided various reassurances to the PTI regarding its demands about Imran. He added that the long march would not be allowed to enter Islamabad.&nbsp;

K-P CM lays out long march plan

Meanwhile, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi laid out the schedule for the long march from his province in a post on X at 12:46am.



انشأللہ آج گنڈی چوک لکی مروت سے ہم لانگ مارچ کا پہلا مرحلہ شروع کریں گے-

آج بروز اتوار، 4 اکتوبر، دوپہر ایک بجے گنڈی چوک لکی مروت سے ٹانک، ڈیرہ اسماعیل خان، ساؤتھ وزیرستان، نارتھ وزیرستان، بنوں اور لکی مروت کے اضلاع سے تعلق رکھنے والے غیور پاکستانی لانگ مارچ کا حصہ بنیں گے۔ رات&hellip;
&mdash; Sohail Afridi (@SohailAfridiISF) October 3, 2026


According to a statement issued by the National Assembly on X, NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said Friday&rsquo;s session had been held in a &ldquo;very cordial atmosphere&rdquo; and expressed hope that all sides would continue the talks in the same spirit.

He also thanked members from the government, PPP and opposition for participating in the negotiations.



حکومت، پیپلز پارٹی اور اپوزیشن کے درمیان مذکرات کا دوسرا دور شروع۔

اسپیکر قومی اسمبلی سردار ایاز صادق اجلاس کی صدارت کر رہے ہیں۔

کل کا اجلاس بہت خوشگوار ماحول میں ہوا، اسپیکر قومی اسمبلی

آج بھی امید ہے کے تمام فریقین خوشگوار ماحول میں مذکرات کو آگے بڑھائیں گے، اسپیکر سردار&hellip; pic.twitter.com/QSKz1WB2gE
&mdash; National Assembly 🇵🇰 (@NAofPakistan) October 3, 2026


Federal ministers Engineer Amir Muqam and Syed Mushtaq Raza Naqvi, Minister of State Talal Chaudhry and Prime Minister&rsquo;s Adviser Rana Sanaullah are representing the government in the talks.

From the PPP, Senator Sherry Rehman and National Assembly members Naveed Qamar and Ijaz Hussain Jakhrani are participating.

The opposition delegation comprises National Assembly members Barrister Gohar Khan, Raja Nasir Abbas, Amir Dogar, Asad Qaiser and Haleem Adil Sheikh, along with Salman Akram Raja.

Achakzai refuses to back down on Oct 4 long march

Meanwhile, TTAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai refused to withdraw his demand, saying the long march would not be called off until a meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan took place.

Speaking to a private television channel, he demanded that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi be allowed to meet the PTI founder, while also giving an assurance that the chief minister would not speak to the media after the meeting.

He said a decision to call off the long march, scheduled for Oct 4, could be taken after consultation with the PTI founder, adding that whatever joint decision was reached after the meeting would be accepted.

Earlier in the evening, amid reports of successful government-opposition negotiations, PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai welcomed the development as a positive step for the country.

Yousafzai said the success of the talks should not be viewed as a victory or defeat for any particular side, but rather as a victory for Pakistan. He noted that he had previously made the same position clear through a letter, emphasising that negotiations were the best way to resolve political differences.

Addressing the issue of terrorism, Yousafzai called on the federal government to support the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in efforts to eliminate terrorism and improve security in the province.

He also said that the imposition of Governor&rsquo;s Rule would have caused significant damage and expressed hope that the government would provide PTI with adequate political space.

Yousafzai further expressed the expectation that court decisions concerning PTI founder Imran Khan would be implemented in accordance with the law.

A day earlier, the first round of talks between the government and opposition concluded with the two sides deciding to meet again on Saturday (today) in the NA speaker&rsquo;s chamber. The negotiations come amid continued tensions after PTI announced a long march towards Islamabad on September 27 that was rescheduled to October 4. Currently, the standoff between the federal and provincial governments remains unresolved.

The speaker, in a statement, said the previous day&rsquo;s session was held in a &ldquo;very cordial atmosphere&rdquo; and expressed hope that all sides would continue the dialogue in the same spirit.

Sadiq also thanked members of the government, PPP and opposition for participating in the talks.



حکومت، پیپلز پارٹی اور اپوزیشن کے درمیان مذکرات کا دوسرا دور شروع۔

اسپیکر قومی اسمبلی سردار ایاز صادق اجلاس کی صدارت کر رہے ہیں۔

کل کا اجلاس بہت خوشگوار ماحول میں ہوا، اسپیکر قومی اسمبلی

آج بھی امید ہے کے تمام فریقین خوشگوار ماحول میں مذکرات کو آگے بڑھائیں گے، اسپیکر سردار&hellip; pic.twitter.com/RjRpcdDhc1
&mdash; National Assembly 🇵🇰 (@NAofPakistan) October 3, 2026


As per the statement, Federal Ministers Engineer Ameer Muqam, Mohsin Naqvi and Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Minister of State Talal Chaudhry and Prime Minister&rsquo;s Adviser Rana Sanaullah are representing the government during the meeting. Furthermore, the PPP delegation comprises Senator Sherry Rehman, Naveed Qamar and Ijaz Hussain Jakhrani.

On the other hand, PTI is represented by Barrister Gohar Khan, Raja Nasir Abbas, Aamer Dogar, Asad Qaiser and Haleem Adil Sheikh, along with Salman Akram Raja, according to the NA&rsquo;s statement.

The talks are being held as part of efforts by the government, PPP, and the opposition to engage in dialogue on matters of political importance.

Read: Govt, opposition conclude first round of talks ahead of PTI&rsquo;s Oct 4 march

On Friday, the NA spokesperson revealed that detailed discussions were conducted on the country&rsquo;s political situation, with the government, PPP, and opposition apprising each other of their respective positions. However, the first round of talks ended without a conclusive decision from either quarter. The parties also refrained from mudslinging in accordance with an agreement reached during the talks.

Defence Minister alleges PTI, KP govt supporting unrest

Earlier in the day, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif questioned whether the PTI and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government hired terrorists to spread sedition, riots and chaos under the guise of protests on October 4.

He made these remarks in connection with a video he shared on X alleging that PTI&rsquo;s social media accounts shared footage showing non-custom-paid vehicles from Waziristan.

In a statement shared on social media, he further alleged that &ldquo;unemployed young men&rdquo; were paid and sent around the camps of police and security forces to spread unrest, adding that some of them might not even have identity cards.

&ldquo;Now, if these ignorant fools attack any government institution tomorrow, just like it happened in the past, and the police or forces disperse them in self-defence, then will the narrative against the state be built from the ready social media accounts sitting there, just like before?&rdquo; The defence minister posed a question.

He also asked why the cops were not checking the convoy to determine whether the people travelling in the vehicles were terrorists with covered faces or ordinary citizens, and whether the non-custom-paid vehicles were carrying weapons or explosive materials.



کیا پی ٹی آئی اور خیبر پختونخوا حکومت نے 4 اکتوبر کو احتجاج کی آڑ میں فتنہ فساد اور انتشار پھیلانے کیلئے دہشت گردوں کی خدمات حاصل کر لی
وزیرستان سے نان کسٹم پیڈ گاڑیوں کی یہ ویڈیو پارٹی کے سوشل میڈیا اکاونٹس سے شیئر کی جارہی ہیں جس میں ایک تو *بے روزگار کمر عمر نوجوانوں کو پیسے&hellip; pic.twitter.com/vJpadU0zbZ
&mdash; Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) October 3, 2026


Furthermore, he questioned who was providing the people travelling in the convoy with what he described as Rs10 million a day for the vehicles, food, drinks and other expenses, particularly in an area such as Waziristan where poverty and unemployment were prevalent.

&ldquo;Isn&#39;t this the same smuggling money that is used for terrorism?&rdquo; he concluded in his post.

Before the second round of talks with the government, PTI leader Asad Qaiser assailed the defence minister for his statement.

In a post on X shared by Qaiser, he said the tone and manner in which Khawaja Asif spoke in the tweet was &quot;extremely inappropriate&quot;.

However, he reiterated the resolve to end the deadlock with the government.



ہم اپنی پولیٹیکل کمیٹی اور کور کمیٹی کو آن بورڈ رکھ رہے ہیں، ان کی مشاورت کے مطابق مذاکرات ہو رہے ہیں۔ خواجہ آصف کا بیان آپ نے دیکھا ہے، انہوں نے جس لب و لہجے میں بات کی ہے، وہ انتہائی نامناسب ہے۔ دیکھیں، مذاکرات کے دوران اَپس اینڈ ڈاؤنز آتے ہیں، ہمارا اپنا اور ان کا اپنا مؤقف&hellip; pic.twitter.com/UaoQ81pbxF
&mdash; Asad Qaiser (@AsadQaiserPTI) October 3, 2026


&quot;There are ups and downs during negotiations; we have our own position, and they have theirs. We want meaningful negotiations and for matters to be resolved peacefully,&quot; he responded to a question regarding the way forward for peace.

He further highlighted that the PTI delegation had kept the political committee and core committee on board for the ongoing consultation with the ruling coalition.]]>
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			<title>Pakistan rejects India's 'internal matter' claim on Kashmir at UN</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632750/pakistan-rejects-indias-internal-matter-claim-on-kashmir-at-un</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632750/pakistan-rejects-indias-internal-matter-claim-on-kashmir-at-un#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 03 Oct 26 08:01:08 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2632750</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Islamabad says territory's final status remained unresolved as diplomatic exchange resurfaces at UN]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan on Saturday rejected India&#39;s characterisation of Jammu and Kashmir as an internal matter, telling a United Nations General Assembly committee that the territory&#39;s final status remains unresolved and must be determined in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

Speaking during the general debate of the Third Committee of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Pakistan&#39;s First Secretary Sarfraz Ahmed Gohar said Islamabad rejected New Delhi&#39;s assertion that Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India.

&quot;Pakistan categorically rejects India&#39;s futile attempts to dismiss the Jammu and Kashmir dispute as a so-called internal matter,&quot; Gohar said, according to remarks shared by Pakistan&#39;s Permanent Mission to the UN.



Pakistan categorically rejects India&#39;s futile attempts to dismiss the Jammu and Kashmir dispute as a so-called internal matter. Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory, and its final status remains to be determined in accordance with the wishes of&hellip; pic.twitter.com/UhMsqfD2mX
&mdash; Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanUN_NY) October 3, 2026


He maintained that Kashmir was an internationally recognised disputed territory whose final status had yet to be determined in accordance with the wishes of its people and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Gohar accused India of failing to meet what Pakistan considers its international obligations under those resolutions and urged New Delhi to move towards a peaceful settlement of the longstanding dispute.

The Pakistani representative also highlighted human rights violations and discrimination against religious minorities in India, citing Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and other communities.

He said that religion-based violence, hate speech, discrimination and attacks on places of worship had become increasingly prevalent under the government led by India&#39;s Bharatiya Janata Party.

Read: Pakistan pushes back at India&rsquo;s terrorism allegations at UN General Assembly

Gohar added Pakistan remained committed to dialogue, diplomacy and the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the UN Charter, arguing that such an approach was necessary for peace and stability in South Asia.

The exchange came as the General Assembly&#39;s Third Committee began its work for the 81st session. The committee deals with social, humanitarian and cultural matters, including human rights, racial discrimination, refugees and the right of peoples to self-determination.

Kashmir has remained a source of contention between Pakistan and India since the partition of British India in 1947. Both countries control parts of the Himalayan region and claim it in full, with their respective territories separated largely by the Line of Control.

Read: Status of J&amp;K under international law

Islamabad reiterated its position ahead of this year&#39;s UN General Assembly session, saying in September that the Kashmir dispute remained unresolved and that its final disposition should be determined in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

Pakistan&#39;s latest remarks mark a continuation of the diplomatic exchange seen during the UNGA high-level week. On September 25, Pakistani Counsellor Saima Saleem also used a right of reply to reject India&#39;s position on Kashmir after comments by an Indian delegate.]]>
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			<title>Public hospitals staff to be tested across Sindh</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251863/public-hospitals-staff-tested-across-sindh</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251863/public-hospitals-staff-tested-across-sindh#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 10:29:19 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[sameer.mandhro]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251863</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Health department to restart contact tracing for coronavirus]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Sindh government issued directives on Saturday for all public hospitals to get its staff tested for Covid-19 as well as begin coronavirus contact tracing again.

In a letter issued by Sindh health director general Dr Irshad Ahmed Memon, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, the heads of all public-sector hospitals have been asked to get their respective facility's staff tested for the coronavirus on priority basis. Besides, they have been instructed to continue tests for the diagnosis of other suspected Covid-19 cases.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Dr Memon stressed the need for all hospital employees to get tested, claiming, however, that Sindh had the least number of infected health department employees among the provinces.

Another health department official, also emphasising the need for "immediate" screening of healthcare professionals, said the decision had come late.

"It is feared that most health workers do not [properly] follow standard operating procedures. This eventually leads to multiplying the number of infected persons, even in far flung areas," he explained.

This was confirmed by other officials, too, who pointed out that SOPs were particularly ignored at private clinics. They can then carry the virus to public hospitals, the officials added.

Saying that health department officials did all they could to monitor health workers and ensure they followed SOPs, they noted that it was near impossible to keep a watch over private facilities.

According to the health department, there are 1,500 rapid response teams in Sindh that collect samples for Covid-19 testing, besides serving at various healthcare facilities and helping Covid-19 patients in getting admissions to hospitals.

"But after several of them contracted the infection, the number of tests conducted daily was reduced," explained a senior health department official. He, however, added that other reasons also factored in reducing the number of tests. "[Following this], routine testing was disrupted," he explained.

Speaking on the matter, Pakistan Medical Association general secretary Dr Qaisar Sajjad also called for the immediate screening of healthcare professionals. "We had asked for it in March but orders for it have only been issued now."

He was also of the opinion that the government was giving rise to confusion by decreasing the number of tests.

"While the number of tests [conducted daily] is going down, the number of cases are shooting up," he observed, explaining that fewer cases being reported had led to people disregarding SOPs.

"Over 60 per cent citizens have stopped wearing masks," he claimed.

Contact tracing

With the health department also announcing to recommence Covid-19 contact tracing, a health department official told The Express Tribune that the exercise was stopped due to "some confusion."

"But we are starting it again so that [suspected] cases can be traced and screened," he confirmed.

The health dept's silence

Meanwhile, all senior department officials, including spokespersons, have reportedly been instructed not to talk to the media for reasons unknown. "Only a few are privy to this development," a health official, on condition of anonymity, disclosed to The Express Tribune. "We have been told not to share any information with the media." He added that none of the department's officials had access to the daily update on pandemic statistics given by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.

"This is the only department for which the CM releases data," the official said. "And while we work in the health department, we don't have access to it." 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020. ]]>
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			<title>MQM-London ‘hitman’ apprehended</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252248/mqm-london-hitman-apprehended</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252248/mqm-london-hitman-apprehended#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 18:29:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2252248</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Police claim he was involved in over 100 murders]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) police claimed on Saturday to have arrested a notorious target killer, allegedly belonging to Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London (MQM-L) and involved in over 100 murders, during a targeted operation in Orangi Town. The police reportedly seized arms and ammunition from his possession as well.

According to SIU SSP Irfan Bahadur, the suspect, namely Shakeel alias Haddi, was a member of MQM-L’s ‘death squad’ and had confessed to the killings of Pirabad police SI Aleem Shah and Orangi Town police constable Rana Sohail in 2011, during his initial interrogation.

Bahadur added that he was also involved in an attack on Awami National Party (ANP) leader Bashir Jan and the targeted killing of ANP’s Shah Faisal Colony in-charge, Nabi Gul, among others.

The SSP claimed Shakeel had also killed a medico-legal officer at Qatar Hospital and MQM-Haqiqi’s Asif Malang, while also setting fire to the ‘astana’ of Khalid Baba, burning three people to death.

According to the police, Shakeel admitted to involvement in over 100 murders on the basis of ethnicity, sect and politics, on the orders of the MQM-L leadership.

Cases against him and other members of the ‘death squad’, including Ajmal Pahari, Saeed alias Bharam, Danish alias Mama, Omar alias Mullah, Zeeshan alias Dada, are registered in several police stations across the city, as well as with the SIU. Further investigation is underway.]]>
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			<title>2,179 people diagnosed with coronavirus in Sindh</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252371/2179-people-diagnosed-coronavirus-sindh</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252371/2179-people-diagnosed-coronavirus-sindh#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 23:50:45 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2252371</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[CM Murad says province's daily testing capacity has been stretched to 12,000]]>
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				<![CDATA[Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah shared on Sunday that 2,179 people were diagnosed with coronavirus overnight, of the total 9,244 samples tested on the day.

Shah added that 435,393 samples have been tested to date in Sindh, of which 80,446 have been positive, which constituted around 18.4 per cent of the total.

The CM apprised that the testing capacity in the province has been stretched to 12,000 a day, courtesy of the laboratories established in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Gambat and Sehwan, which have been functional for the last month.

According to Shah, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences in Hyderabad could conduct 2,000 tests, Syed Abdullah Shah Institute in Sehwan 100, Gambat Institute 300 and Ghulam Mohammad Maher Medical College in Sukkur could screen 100 samples.

Moreover, the chief minister stated that 26 more people succumbed to the contagious disease overnight, taking the death toll to 1,269 in the province. He claimed that the government has curbed the mortality rate by spreading awareness among the masses.

Shah added that 34,654 people were currently infected by the virus, of whom 33,110 were in home isolation, 88 were quarantined at isolation centres and 1,456 were being treated at different hospitals. He added that 655 patients were in critical condition and 94 of them have been put on ventilators.

Meanwhile, he said that 1,079 more patients had recovered from the contagious disease, pushing the number of recovered people to 44,523 - around 55.5 per cent of all those affected.

Furthermore, the provincial capital saw 1,406 new Covid-19 cases. He presented the district-wise breakup, saying 555 were diagnosed with the virus in East, 358 in South, 171 in Korangi, 138 in Central, 109 in West and 75 in Malir district.

Separately, Sukkur had 86 new cases, Hyderabad 54, Ghotki 40, Khairpur 38, Jamshoro 26, Mirpurkhas 22, Thatta 19, Larkana 17, Sanghar 14, Naushero Feroze 12, Matiari 12, Shikarpur 12, Shaheed Benazirabad nine, Umerkot eight, Dadu seven, Kashmore and Tando Allahyar three each, and Jacobabad one.]]>
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			<title>Youngster killed while shooting TikTok video in Karachi</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252250/youngster-killed-shooting-tiktok-video-karachi</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252250/youngster-killed-shooting-tiktok-video-karachi#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 18:39:33 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category><category><![CDATA[archives]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2252250</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Faraz lost control of car due to speeding, rammed into tree]]>
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				<![CDATA[A youngster was killed and two of his friends injured in a car accident while filming a video for popular video-sharing platform TikTok in Korangi on Saturday night.

The deceased, identified as Faraz, lost control of the car he was driving due to speeding and ran into a tree. As a result, he and his friends, Ayaz and Ahsan, were injured. They were rushed to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) for treatment, where Faraz succumbed to his injured.

According to the police, the car was completely wrecked in the collision. They added that the statements of the injured could not be recorded till the filing of this report.

The body was handed over to the family after the completing of medico-legal formalities.

This is not the first time that a life has been lost while filming a TikTok video. On June 21, a 17-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed himself while making a video. He was reportedly filming himself while holding his father’s pistol to his temple when he accidentally pulled the trigger.

Karachi teenager shooting TikTok video ‘accidentally’ kills himself

Meanwhile, in April, a 22-year-old man died after being hit by a train while shooting a video at the Jumma Goth railway station in Bhens Colony.

According to the Landhi Railway police, Kashif had been running on the railway tracks while doing a TikTok challenge when the train hit him, causing critical head injuries. His friends, who were also filming videos, took him to JPMC, where he succumbed to his wounds.]]>
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			<title>Illegal plasma sale thrives in Lahore</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251888/illegal-plasma-sale-thrives-lahore</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251888/illegal-plasma-sale-thrives-lahore#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 10:56:28 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Imran Adnan]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251888</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[First Covid-19 patient recovered through trial treatment last month]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Following a surge in confirmed coronavirus cases and a significant increase in the number of patients recovering, a black market of blood plasma has emerged across the country, particularly in the provincial capital.

People are selling blood plasma of the patients who have recovered from coronavirus for tens of thousands of rupees, The Express Tribune learnt on Saturday.

The blood plasma or convalescent plasma is currently being trialled as a possible treatment for coronavirus disease in different countries, including Pakistan, as it contains antibodies developed by the immune system of people who have won the battle against the virus.

Though a large number of patients overcoming the disease are willing to donate plasma free of charge, some black sheep are using popular social media platforms to contact critically ill coronavirus patients seeking donation.

A patient who wanted to sell his blood plasma after his recent recovery said, “I don’t want to earn money but to recover my expenses incurred on the treatment since thousands of rupees were spent on medicines, consultation and food. I believe there is no harm in recovering the cost while people are selling their blood plasma for tens of thousands of rupees in the city.”



Other people involved in the unethical trade also have their own reasons. Thousands of posts are available on social media indicating that the illegal activity is happening openly without the fear of law enforcing agencies or accountability.

On June 13, a Twitter user posted her thoughts on the issue: “People are making money by selling their plasma to patients in Pakistan.

Humanity is dead.” Meanwhile, many people were of the view that there was nothing wrong with it. They commented that people also sell kidneys and blood.

Besides blood plasma, people have posted requirement for medicines such as Remdesivir, Besimivir and other drugs considered beneficial in coronavirus treatment. To save the lives of their loved ones, some people have expressed their willingness to pay any amount for these scarcely available drugs. In May, the National Institute of Blood Diseases (NIBD) confirmed that the first coronavirus patient who had been treated with plasma therapy had recovered.

The sale of oxygen cylinders is also on the rise in the online black market. A 6-litre cylinder along with regulator and stand is being offered for Rs23,000, while an 8-litre variant is being sold for Rs28,000 and 12-litre equipment is available for Rs35,000.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, an oxygen cylinder dealer, Rashid Malik, highlighted that the prices has increased three-fold owing to very high demand. “Mostly these cylinders are being imported from China, Turkey and Russia. In normal days, we were selling a 12-litre cylinder for Rs12,000 to Rs15,000 and 6-litre for Rs6,000 to Rs7,000,” he disclosed.

The Ministry of National Health Services has already announced action against illegal trading of blood plasma and black marketing of life-saving drugs used for coronavirus patients in the country. Health experts are warning citizens not to pay donors for blood plasma since it is still an experimental therapy.

As per the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act 2012, commercial dealing and trade of human organs and tissues is illegal in the country.

Section 11 of the law highlights that whoever makes or receives any payment for the supply of, or for an offer to supply, any human organ; seeks to find a person willing to supply for payment of any human organ; or offers to supply any human organ for payment shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years and with fine of up to Rs1 million.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Woman commits suicide with two daughters</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251906/woman-commits-suicide-two-daughters</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251906/woman-commits-suicide-two-daughters#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 10:41:58 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Tariq Saeed Awan]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251906</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Victim’s husband wanted to marry off girls against their wish]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[A mother of seven children ended her life by consuming poisonous pills along with her two daughters over a domestic dispute in Mohalla Selwan, Kundian on Saturday.

A sense of shock and mourning spread in the neighbourhood after the incident.

As per details obtained by The Express Tribune, Muhammad Tahir Qureshi, son of Allah Din, a resident of Mohalla Selwan, and his wife had a dispute over marriage proposals for their daughters. The husband allegedly pressured his daughters to accept the marriage proposals as per his wishes, while the wife and daughters did not agree to the proposals.

As a result of the dispute, Tahir’s wife and daughters, 12-year-old Anza and 11-year-old Asma, swallowed a poisonous substance.

The mother and two daughters were shifted to a rural health centre, where doctor referred them to the Mianwali DHQ Hospital after immediate medical aid. However, the three victims could not survive.

As soon as the incident was reported, Kundian police and Rescue 1122 teams reached the spot. After postmortem was conducted and police completed the legal procedure, the bodies were handed over to the heirs.

Cases where multiple members of the same family committed suicide or were killed by their own family have been also been reported earlier in the province.

On Monday, a woman reportedly poisoned herself and four other members of her family due to financial problems in Okara.

A poor labourer of Okara, Nazar Mohammad, who failed to repay a loan, was struggling to make ends meet due to which his family often quarreled over financial issues.

Nazar’s son, 20-year-old Waqas Ahmed, married 19-year-old Naheed two months ago. The couple lived in Ghouspura neighbourhood of Basirpur Town, Okara with Nazar, his 45-year-old wife, and sons, 18-year-old Ashfaq Ahmed and 16-year-old Sattar Ahmed.

The family reportedly had a debt of Rs150,000. The whole family was worried about paying back the debt and there were often altercations in the house.

Naheed’s in-laws often pressured her to bring money from her father to settle the debt.

Reportedly, Naheed was fed up with the daily quarrels and allegedly fed her in-laws food containing poison, due to which her husband Waqas and brother-in-law Ashfaq died, while her other brother-in-law, 16-year-old Sattar Ahmed, and mother-in-law were severely affected.

In March last year, a man shot and killed his wife and three children, over a domestic dispute, before committing suicide in Rai Chand area of Chiniot.

In April 2019, a man committed suicide after killing his father and sisters over a family dispute regarding his ex-wife, whom he wished to remarry, in Shafiqabad, Lahore.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Letter to Punjab IGP seeks ban on PUBG video game</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251900/letter-punjab-igp-seeks-ban-pubg-video-game</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251900/letter-punjab-igp-seeks-ban-pubg-video-game#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 10:45:21 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category><category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251900</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Official says excessive violence in game triggers aggressive behaviour among youth]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[A letter written to the Punjab inspector general of police (IGP) on Saturday sought a ban on online game Player Unknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG).

The letter was penned by SSP Liaqat Ali Malik on the instructions of CCPO Zulfiqar Hameed. It mentioned that the online video game has devastating impacts on the mental health of the youth and two incidents of suicide have been reported in the city.

It stated that excessive violence triggers aggressive behaviour among the youth and they become addicted to the game. The CCPO said the game should be banned and an awareness campaign should be launched.

A matric student had committed suicide in Gulshan-e-Abbass Phase-II a few days ago. The boy was found hanging in his room. The police also spotted a smartphone beside the body with the PUBG game app running on it.

His parents also confirmed to the police that they had stopped the boy for playing the game. In another incident, a 20-year-old student of second year at the FC College University Lahore also reportedly committed suicide after being scolded by his parents for playing the PUBG. The victim identified as Jonty Joseph was living in North Cantonment. On the day of the incident, his father reportedly reprimanded him for playing the PUBG for a long period.

He took the punishment so seriously that he locked himself inside a room. The next day when he did not open the door, the family broke it and found him hanging.

The victim also worked part-time to assist the family financially and after work would remain busy in playing the game late at night.

On May 18, a man approached the Lahore High Court to ban the video game. “The game has a negative impact on children. They are becoming more ruthless and violent,” maintained the petitioner.

The PUBG, which has been developed by a South Korean company, is a 2017 survival game in which players are dropped onto an island to battle it out against others. The multiplayer game allows players from all over the world to compete against each other or in teams.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>NGO offers transgender people foreign scholarships</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251895/ngo-offers-transgender-people-foreign-scholarships</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251895/ngo-offers-transgender-people-foreign-scholarships#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 10:51:06 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Asif Mehmood]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Punjab]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251895</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Programme will allow selected persons to attend month-long training in host country]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[&nbsp;

While educational opportunities have been few and far between for gender minorities in Pakistan, a local NGO has stepped in to create an international platform for the development of the country’s transgender persons. The Gender Guardian (TGG), a non-governmental organisation working to train and educate transgender persons in Pakistan, has partnered with various foreign NGOs to allow transgender citizens the opportunity to participate in a month-long training program in four different countries.

Transwoman Sania Abbasi, who is a makeup artist and has been associated with TGG as a teacher for the past several months, is among the many aspirants of the training scholarship. If selected for the coveted programme, Ms Abbasi says it will bring her immense pride to be one of Pakistan’s first transgender persons sent abroad for training in social work and welfare. “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to be able to represent our country on an international platform and I have been working tirelessly towards achieving my goals. I can’t wait to work alongside international NGOs. I want to learn from them and also share my personal experiences with the world.”

According to The Gender Guardian (TGG) Head Asif Shehzad, his organisation is committed to providing equal opportunities to transgender people through the provision of free vocational training and formal education. “We have taught and trained dozens of transgender people in various skills such as driving, cooking, makeup, sewing and etc over the last couple of years. However, through this scholarship the selected participants will be able to use share their skills and talent with the world and for the first time, have access to international cultural exchange and training,” said Shehzad. Speaking further about the scholarship programme, Shehzad also informed that The Gender Guardian has been working towards compiling a digital database of transgender persons registered with TGG as well as other people who donate to the organisation. “So far, we have partnered with NGOs working in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. Using our database, we will select candidates every six months to be sent to these four countries for a month-long training, while people from the same four countries will also have the option to come and train in Pakistan. Our selected candidates will be working alongside their host country’s NGOs and represent Pakistan on an international level,” he explained.

Sania Abbasi, believes this scholarship will allow the people of the world to see the skills and talent of Pakistan’s transgender person, who often tend to be stereotyped as people limited to sex work. “As a gender minority, we have little no resources for pursuing higher education or going abroad, because of which we have very limited opportunities for work. However, this scholarship opportunity for transgender people to showcase their abilities and break the stereotypes associated with them,” she asserted.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>‘Pakistan’s progress linked to Balochistan peace’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251914/pakistans-progress-linked-balochistan-peace</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251914/pakistans-progress-linked-balochistan-peace#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 10:35:52 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Balochistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251914</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[NA speaker chairs parliamentary committee meeting to discuss issues facing province]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser on Saturday asked Balochistan parliamentarians and public representatives to suggest solutions to the socio-economic problems being faced by the province and its people.

Chairing the maiden meeting of the special parliamentary committee on Balochistan in the Parliament House, Qaiser said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) emanated from Gilgit-Baltistan and culminated in Balochistan, which increased the significance of the province.

“Balochistan and its issues are always a priority of the incumbent government,” he said. “Parliament and public representatives are the best option to put forth solutions to the socio-economic issues faced by Balochistan and its people,” he said.

“Pakistan’s progress is linked to peace and progress in Balochistan,” Qaiser said, stressing the need for the committee to look into the matters related to ensuring transfer of the real benefits of CPEC to the local people.

Committees in the parliamentary system across the world, Qaiser said, played a recommendatory role, therefore, this committee would make all-out efforts to recommend the best possible solutions to the issues faced by Balochistan.

The speaker mentioned that the issuance of an executive order, regarding immediate implementation of 6% employment quota in all federal departments, underscored the seriousness of Prime Minister Imran Khan towards addressing the issues of Balochistan.

On the occasion, the speaker formed a four-member sub-committee, headed by Dr Fehmida Mirza, to develop comprehensive terms of reference (ToRs) encompassing all the issues related to Balochistan. It was also decided that a representative from the Balochistan National Party and Defence Minister Prevaiz Khattak would be invited to assist the sub-committee in developing the ToRs.

Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri appreciated the initiative of the speaker to constitute the special committee.

He noted that the government was seriously looking into the resolution of the issues confronting peace and development in the province.

Mirza, the inter-provincial coordination minster, told the committee that Balochistan’s issues had always been the top priority of the parliamentarians.

She pointed out that comprehensive ToRs were essential to make the committee more effective. Khattak said that the government had taken various steps to mitigate the grievances of the people of Balochistan.

Representing Balochistan National Party (BNP) chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal, National Assembly lawmaker Agha Hassan Baloch contended that the issues of Balochistan were getting intense since 2006 and needed to be redressed forthwith.

He called for examining the recommendations, proposed after a meeting between previous parliamentary committee, headed by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, and late Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Balochistan collects Rs2.5b from mineral sector</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251919/balochistan-collects-rs2-5b-mineral-sector</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251919/balochistan-collects-rs2-5b-mineral-sector#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 10:38:28 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[APP]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Balochistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251919</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Computerised weighing scales have been installed]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[The Balochistan government has collected Rs2.5 billion from the minerals sector during the current financial year, despite coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdown that was imposed to curb virus spread.

The government has collected the huge amount from mining sector and deposited in the provincial treasury, an official of the Balochistan government said. Computerised weighing scales have been installed besides increasing mining check posts in the province, he added.  

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>First phase of HingIaj road construction completed</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251913/first-phase-hingiaj-road-construction-completed</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251913/first-phase-hingiaj-road-construction-completed#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 10:35:07 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[mohammad.zafar]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Balochistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251913</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Project was approved at a cost of Rs120 million]]>
			</description>
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				<![CDATA[The first construction phase of Hinglaj Mandir Link Road project has been successfully completed with the special funds from Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal.

The Hindu community of Lasbela has expressed gratitude to the government of Balochistan, according to official sources, as 90% of technical work of the temple stands completed.

The project was approved at a cost of Rs120 million to construct a 13km road to the temple which is adjacent to the Gwadar Coastal Highway.

The first phase of the 4.7 km Link Road project has been completed this week while phase two of the project will be completed in the next financial year.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Bilawal, Mengal agree on joint strategy for budget</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251810/bilawal-mengal-agree-joint-strategy-budget</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251810/bilawal-mengal-agree-joint-strategy-budget#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 00:50:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Khalid Mehmood]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Sindh]]></category><category><![CDATA[Balochistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251810</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Both leaders express concern over spread of coronavirus in country]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto telephoned Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Akhtar Mengal on Saturday and discussed the current political situation in the country.

According to details, both the leaders agreed on a joint strategy for the next year’s fiscal budget.

They also exchanged views on the 18th Constitutional Amendment and government’s measures on the National Finance Commission (NFC) award.

“By criticising the 18th Constitutional Amendment, Imran Khan is attacking the constitution,” Bilawal said.

They expressed concern over the growing number of Covid-19 patients in the country and deliberated the holding of all parties’ conference next week.

Bilawal, Shehbaz reject federal budget

“PTI-IMF budget is anti-people. We cannot accept it,” the PPP chairman said.

“Due to the incompetence of the government, coronavirus has spread everywhere,” he added.

Both the leaders also rejected the increase in the petroleum price and noted that this was the time to provide maximum relief to the people.

A few days back, Mengal announced his party's withdrawal from its alliance with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led federal government over its failure to implement accords with the party.

Speaking during a session of the National Assembly, he said: "I am officially announcing that our party is ending its alliance with the PTI. We will stay in Parliament and will keep talking about issues."

Mengal added that the PTI had signed two agreements with the party at the time of government formation after the 2018 elections and later during the presidential elections, but not a single point of the accord was implemented.]]>
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			<title>K-P wants revival of tourism hit hard by Covid</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251918/k-p-wants-revival-tourism-hit-hard-covid</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251918/k-p-wants-revival-tourism-hit-hard-covid#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 10:37:34 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[K-P]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251918</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[CM Mahmood Khan orders early opening of provincial tourism authority]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[In an effort to boost the tourism sector, which has been hit hard by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the provincial chief executive has directed for expediting efforts for opening the newly established provincial tourism authority.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan issued these orders while presiding over the 22nd board meeting of the Board of Directors of the Tourism Corporation of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (TCK-P).

CM Mahmood directed to finalise formalities for opening the newly established K-P Cultural Tourism Authority immediately.

The chief minister also ordered to take steps for liquidation of TCK-P and handing over its assets and liabilities to the culture and tourism authority. The TCK-P employees would be absorbed in the authority, he added.

The chief minister termed tourism as a major economic sector and said its promotion is a top priority of his government.

The meeting was briefed on the progress so far made on the liquidation of the TCK-P after the establishment of the Culture and Tourism Authority as provided in the K-P Culture and Tourism Act, 2019.

The meeting decided to constitute a committee headed by K-P Additional Chief Secretary Shakil Qadir to streamline and expedite all the legal, administrative and financial matters with regard to the liquidation of the TCK-P in a prescribed manner.

The committee would draft and present its recommendations to the competent forum within a week. Other members of the committee would finance secretary, law secretary, tourism secretary and establishment secretary.

K-P Chief Secretary Dr Kazim Niaz, Additional Chief Secretary Shakil Qadir, Finance Secretary Atif Rehman, Tourism Secretary Khushal Khan and TCK-P Managing Director Junaid Khan, private sector members of the board and other relevant officials attended the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Poor internet access for students echoes in K-P assembly</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251303/poor-internet-access-students-echoes-assembly</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251303/poor-internet-access-students-echoes-assembly#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 20 09:14:06 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[shahid.hamid]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[K-P]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251303</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Debate on Rs55.42b supplementary budget completed]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Lawmakers on Friday took up the issue of poor internet connection for students in the remote areas of the province, noting that the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic means that online classes are the only means for obtaining education for students now.

This was discussed as the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly resumed on Friday to debate the provincial budget for the fiscal year 2020-21.

MPAs raised questions on online classes in the province. They urged the provincial government to ensure students have access to 3G and 4G networks, especially in the merged districts, so that they can access classes.

Moreover, they lamented that a girls college built in the Mohmand tribal district has yet to start functioning even though its structure was completed years ago.

During the discussion on the supplementary budget for the fiscal year 2019-20 worth Rs55.42 billion, the issue of a laptop scheme was raised.

Opposition lawmakers including Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Nighat Orakzai, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Maulana Lutfur Rehman, Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) Inyatullah Khan, Mir Kalam Wazir, Shafiq Afridi, Baseerat Bibi, Khushdil Khan, Shagufta Malik and others said that a handsome amount had been allocated for the information technology sector in the supplementary budget to provide laptops to teachers.

They noted that if teachers can be provided laptops, then what about the students and called for greater transparency in the programme.

The opposition benches also raised concerns over the plight of the inmates in prisons across the province during the pandemic. They slammed the government for losing control of the bureaucracy.

Police reforms

On the directions of Deputy Speaker Mahmood Khan for a senior police officer attend the assembly proceedings, an SP level officer arrived at the assembly on Friday.

However, the deputy speaker did not allow him to enter the session as he expressed his anger over the absence of senior officers.

He then directed a DIG level officer to attend the session.

Later, Peshawar CCPO Ali Gandapur visited the assembly lobby and marked his presence.

Lawmakers from across the aisle pointed to the need for police reforms. They also asked the CCPO to explain reports of extrajudicial killings and the harassment of citizens at checkpoints set up across the province.

Members of the opposition expressed their reservations over the dormant status of the public safety commission. With no check and balance on the department, they claimed that the police was doing what it wants.

The secretary of the home department was also accused of deliberately delaying the process of activating the commission. Opposition lawmakers also pointed to the incident in the Zangi area where a motorcyclist was killed when he failed to stop at a checkpoint.

Discriminatory allocations

Shafiq Afridi from the Khyber Tribal District accused the government of dividing development funds based on the personal likes and dislikes of the finance and chief ministers. Moreover, he said that lawmaker of the merged districts has been completely ignored. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>K-P up in arms against custodial torture</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251292/k-p-arms-custodial-torture</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251292/k-p-arms-custodial-torture#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 20 09:19:02 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondents]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[K-P]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251292</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Govt asks PHC to probe yet another instance of police high-handedness]]>
			</description>
			<content:encoded>
				<![CDATA[Scores were left injured on Friday as police and protesters clashed in the Tehkal area of the provincial capital as the latter demonstrated against the excesses of the former.

The clashes came even as the government wrote to the provincial judiciary, asking it to probe reports of police detaining an Afghan national, stripping and parading him naked and then torturing him for abusing officers in a video.

Several protests and rallies were held across the province on Friday to protest the torture of Rafiullah alias Amir of Tehkal.

The largest protests were staged in the Tehkal area, outside the Peshawar Press Club and in front of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly building. Protesters filled the road from Saddar to the press club, blocking it for all sorts of traffic. Former Awami National Party (ANP) provincial assembly member Alamgir Khan Khalil and members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Youth Wing also participated in the protest.

They held aloft banners condemning the police brutality and of filming a detainee in a compromised position and then leaking the videos. Chanting anti-police slogans, they demanded a judicial inquiry into the case and kept the road closed for nearly two hours.

As the protesters neared the provincial assembly, they were charged by police in riot gear. At this, the protesters started pelting police officers with stones.

To disperse the crowd, the police resorted to firing tear gas canisters.

The clashes left scores of protesters and police officers injured.

Meanwhile, protests against police excesses were also held in Mardan, Swabi, Bajaur, Charsadda, Nowshera, Malakand, Lower and Upper Dir, Swat and other southern districts. Lawyers, social workers, students and local political leaders participated in those protests.

Judicial inquiry

In a media briefing at the Information Cell in the Civil Secretariat on Friday, Adviser to the K-P Chief Minister on Information Ajmal Wazir said that the provincial government has written to the Peshawar High Court’s registrar to nominate a judge who will lead a judicial commission to probe the Tehkal incident under the K-P Tribunal of Inquiry Ordinance.

Wazir said that soon after the video went viral on social media, the provincial government had taken immediate action by suspending and booking the four police personnel involved, including an SHO. Moreover, the SSP Operation was removed from his post.

On the judicial commission, he confirmed that the PHC had been requested to form the probe body. He added that the body will be tasked with identifying those responsible for the incident and that later they will be tried as per the law.

Noting that the commission has been directed to complete its inquiry within 15 days, Wazir said that the government will make the inquiry public.

The adviser, however, urged the public not to malign the entire police department due to the actions of a few

“The misconduct and wrongdoings of a few personnel should not be blamed on the entire police department,” he said, reiterating the immense sacrifices rendered by the provincial police force in the war against terror apart from serving on the frontlines against the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Another case of police excesses surfaces</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251290/another-case-police-excesses-surfaces</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251290/another-case-police-excesses-surfaces#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 20 09:19:42 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Yawar Hayat]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[K-P]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251290</guid>
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				<![CDATA[The report further showed that the additional SHO had been previously found guilty of framing a man in a fake case]]>
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				<![CDATA[After Peshawar, a case of police excesses has emerged from Haripur where a senior police officer allegedly beat up a clerk at a filling station for refusing service to his son.

A report submitted to the district police officer's (DPO0 office stated that additional SHO SI Muhammad Nawaz's son had gone to a filling station in the Batrassi area of Haripur to get fuel for his motorbike. Because he was not wearing a face mask nor a helmet, the clerk on duty refused to provide him with service as per a campaign being run by the district police.

At this, additional SHO Nawaz and his driver arrived at the fuel station where they beat up the workers. Nawaz’s driver also allegedly snatched cash from the cashier's pocket and then fled.

The owner of the filling station and workers subsequently approached the DPO and urged him to intervene. The DPO took notice of the incident and suspended Nawaz and launched an inquiry.

The report further showed that the additional SHO had been previously found guilty of framing a man in a fake case and allegedly took a bribe to set the case aside.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2020.]]>
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			<title>Virus cases in Indian Occupied Kashmir top 7,000</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252336/virus-cases-indian-occupied-kashmir-top-7000</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252336/virus-cases-indian-occupied-kashmir-top-7000#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 23:11:02 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Anadolu Agency]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category><category><![CDATA[Jammu &amp; Kashmir]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2252336</guid>
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				<![CDATA[2,700 infections, including 41 virus-linked deaths, confirmed in last 2 weeks]]>
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				<![CDATA[Coronavirus cases in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&amp;K) region crossed the 7,000-mark including 94 deaths, officials said on Sunday.

As many as 127 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the national tally to 7,093, according to the latest data by the government.

Since June 13, the data revealed, about 2,700 cases have been registered while 41 people, including a 15-day-old baby, have died.

The Doctors Association of Kashmir has warned of community transmission, saying that more than 90% of the region's population is susceptible to the infection.

AJK president lauds Joe Biden for urging India to restore people’s rights in IOJ&amp;K

Dr Suhail Naik, who heads the association, told Anadolu Agency the recent numbers indicate that the virus has arrived in the community, and is going to spread amid an ease in restrictions.

“We cannot bear the excess load of cases in our underdeveloped healthcare systems... the only remedy available is social distancing, hygiene and prevention,” he said.

While educational institutions remain closed, and public transport is still suspended in the region, some businesses have reopened.

As the pandemic crisis is looming, Indian forces continued their human rights violation in the valley, killing over 130 freedom fighters in over 40 gunfights in 2020 so far.]]>
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			<title>AJK president lauds Joe Biden for urging India to restore people’s rights in IOJ&amp;K</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252239/ajk-president-lauds-joe-biden-urging-india-restore-peoples-rights-iojk</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252239/ajk-president-lauds-joe-biden-urging-india-restore-peoples-rights-iojk#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 22:27:03 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category><category><![CDATA[Jammu &amp; Kashmir]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2252239</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[US former vice president has said restrictions on dissent, such as preventing peaceful protests, weaken democracy.]]>
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				<![CDATA[While welcoming US Democratic presidential nominee and former vice president Joe Biden’s statements over the restoration of rights of Kashmiris, Azad Jammu and Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan has said that Biden’s remarks are a proof that the world community has refused to buy the Indian narrative on Occupied Kashmir.

Biden has asked New Delhi to take all necessary steps to restore rights of all the people of Kashmir and asserted that restrictions on dissent, such as preventing peaceful protests or shutting or slowing down internet, weakens democracy.

The US ex-vice president also expressed disappointment over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the enforcement of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in different states of India.

“We welcome the US Democratic Party leader’s remarks and urge Indian-Americans and Muslim-Americans to applaud Joe Biden’s policy statement together because nobody wants India to be ruled by theocratic fascists. Kashmiris’ liberties and fundamental rights, especially their right to self-determination, should be restored. It’s a just demand,” President Masood said in Muzaffarabad on Sunday.

Earlier addressing a function held in connection with the disbursement of cash grant among the affectees of Indian shelling living along the Line of Control (LoC), the AJK president said that relief being provided by the federal government to 610,000 members of 80,000 families is the recognition of their sacrifices as well as acknowledgement of the responsibilities being shouldered by the state government.

"Azad Kashmir is not only a strong defence line of Pakistan, but the people living close to the LoC and facing India's direct aggression are the defenders of the motherland," he added.

While commenting on Prime Minister Imran Khan's announcement to include more than 100,000 people affected by the Indian firing at the LoC in the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme and to issue health cards to 1.2 million people of Azad Kashmir, he said that the people of occupied and the liberated territory want to become part of Pakistan not because of geographical location but on the basis of their faith and ideology.

Joe Biden seeks restoration of peoples’ rights in Occupied Kashmir

The AJK president said that India's ruling party BJP and the RSS have planned to eliminate the Kashmiri people, occupy their lands, reduce the number of Muslims in the assembly of Occupied Kashmir, and to turn the whole state into a colony of India, but the people of both the liberated and occupied parts of Kashmir would offer stiff resistance.

He went on to say that it is high time that the government and the people of Pakistan as well as the valiant people of Azad Kashmir adopt an aggressive policy to counter India because "India is constantly threatening to attack Pakistan, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan".

"Instead of saying that we will defend Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, we should also talk about the liberation of Khalistan, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Mizoram, and tell the world that India is no longer a secular state but it has emerged as a fascist state," he added.

President Masood also said that India's anti-Muslim moves have awakened the Muslims across the world, and a wave for the renaissance of Islam has risen in the whole Muslim world. "It is now clear that whether it is Kashmir or Palestine, the Muslims are prepared to safeguard their interest."

Referring to Azad Kashmir, he said that the liberated territory can emerge as an economic engine for Pakistan. At present, he maintained, that 2,000 megawatts of electricity is being generated in Azad Kashmir while the territory has a potential of producing another 8,000 megawatts of electricity "though our own demand is between 300 and 400 megawatts, and the surplus electricity is injected into the national grid".

On completion of Kohala, Gulpur, Azad Pattan, Dudhnial and many other projects in the coming decade, Azad Kashmir will become the biggest electricity generating region of Pakistan.

President Masood said that Azad Kashmir is not only strategically important for Pakistan's defence but it can also play an important role in the economic uplift of the country. "That is why, we say that Pakistan is incomplete without Kashmir and Kashmir has no identity without Pakistan."]]>
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			<title>Hinduism being masqueraded as secularism in India, says AJK president</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251761/hinduism-masqueraded-secularism-india-says-ajk-president</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2251761/hinduism-masqueraded-secularism-india-says-ajk-president#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 20 00:33:43 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Jammu &amp; Kashmir]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2251761</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[Masood says 13,000 Kashmiri boys have been abducted and kept in prison houses where they're being subjected to torture]]>
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				<![CDATA[Sardar Masood Khan, the president Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), has said that after grudgingly accepting the independence of Pakistan, India adopted a secular doctrine, an insincere attempt to hide prevalent Hindu nationalism under the guise of secularism.

He made these remarks while addressing two separate web-conferences organised by the Institute of Policy Studies on the topic of “India: Past, Present &amp; Future: Perceptions of the Muslim World”; and by the Pakistan High Commission UK on the topic “Seeking Justice for Kashmiri Victims of Sexual Violence and Physical Torture, and Widows”.

Speaking at the IPS session – which was attended by leading international experts from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Nigeria – the president said Hindu fascists romanticise an imaginary state of "Akhand Baharat" that they claim to have existed before the arrival of Muslim rulers in the sub-continent. This notion, he said, is not only unsubstantiated by history, it is also counterintuitive.

Referring to the faux secularism adopted by India, the AJK president said that over the decades, this glue of secularism had has come off and the real face of India’s political masters has been exposed. "Not long after independence, on 27 October 1947, India began working on its imperialistic agenda, and invaded the Jammu and Kashmir State. Driven by its Hindu-extremist policy, India has carried on with this agenda over the years," he said.

Masood Khan said that lawmakers and the leadership of BJP, the RSS and their affiliates have publicly declared that they would do away with Muslims from within India. This, he said, has caught the attention of Hindu zealots from across India which has consequently impacted the larger political landscape of the neighbouring country.

This BJP-RSS nexus has waged three wars in the region; one against its minorities inside its own borders, the second one against Kashmiris in the occupied territory of Kashmir and the third one against all its neighbouring countries. "Considering Pakistan as enemy number one, they have threatened to wipe off Pakistan from the face of the earth by the use of nuclear weapons," he informed.

The AJK president said that India’s ambition of becoming a colonial and imperial power in the region has led it to using the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh for sabotaging the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It has also formed a four-member alliance QUAD – comprising of India, USA, Japan and Australia – to oppose the BRI and, especially, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

“India is the biggest barrier for progress in the region. SAARC has been struggling for decades and that too because India has been standing in the way of economic integration as it wants to establish its hegemony in South Asia,” said the president.

'Existing tensions surfacing in new China-India row'

Speaking about the situation in IOJ&amp;K, he said that India is practicing the policy of lebensraum by reoccupying the State of Jammu and Kashmir, bifurcating it and now bringing it under the direct rule of Delhi. He compared the new domicile rules introduced in the occupied valley, to the policy followed by Nazi Germany against the Jews, based initially on economic strangulation, followed by demonisation and marginalisation and finally physical extermination.

The president apprised that in IOJ&amp;K political leaders have been incarcerated, the youth are being killed and tortured in jails all over Occupied Kashmir and northern India. He added that 13,000 Kashmiri boys have been abducted and kept in prison houses where they are being subjected to torture and brainwashing. Bipin Rawat, India’s Chief of Defence Staff, has said that these boys (some as young as 10 years old) are more dangerous than a pellet-firing shotgun because they raise the slogan of Azadi (freedom) and self-determination, he said.

The AJK president said that members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) should start a boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against India, while the corporate sector of these countries should be discouraged to invest in India as they are committing human rights violations against Kashmiris and Muslims of India.

"Start by banning the import of non-halal meat into OIC countries and the formation of a Kashmir Humanitarian Fund with the help of the Islamic Development Bank and Islamic Solidarity Fund.”

He also suggested an international civil society movement be mobilised to delegitimise Hindutva and campaign to declare RSS a terrorist organisation. “The biggest and the most trained terrorist organisation in the world is the RSS. They have openly declared to target Muslims not only in South Asia but all over the world”, he added.

Appreciating the supportive role of the OIC, Masood Khan appealed to the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council to raise their voice against Kashmir and call out the egregious human rights violations taking place in IOJ&amp;K.

Speaking at the web-conference hosted by Pakistan High Commission, the president appealed to powerful nations to make moral and legal choices for bringing India to justice and helping dismantle this machine of torture in IOJ&amp;K. “Silence is a crime when such torture is openly taking place in any part of the world”, he said.

He added that 25,000 Hindus from all over India have been given domiciles of IOJ&amp;K; and in the same manner, in which Muslim Indians have become second class citizens, Kashmiris have to run from pillar to post just to prove that they are state subjects. “If we don’t stop this now, IOJ&amp;K won’t be a recognisable entity like it is today. Two million Hindus will be brought in over the coming years” he said.

The AJK president said that India’s non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council will lead to three setbacks in the Council. Firstly, it will try to delete the agenda from the UNSC calendar; secondly, they would make efforts to stop us from holding informal meetings on Kashmir; and thirdly, they will imperil funding of the mandate of the UNMOGIP. “As a permanent member of the UNSC, the United Kingdom can stop this and create a balance in the UNSC,” said the president while speaking to his audience.

He urged the British citizenry and its civil society to lead the campaign of letter writing and awareness-raising on Kashmir in the international realm.

He also thanked MP Steve Baker for his active and vocal role in raising his voice for the Kashmir people by authoring a letter. He urged him to use his clout with 10 Downing Street and the FCO to mobilise the UK towards Kashmir advocacy in both the British Parliament and the UNSC.

The web-conference hosted by the Pakistan High Commission London was attended by Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK Nafees Zakaria, MP Afzal Khan, MP Naz Shah, MP Steve Baker, MP Tony Lloyd, MP, Imran Hussain, MP Khalid Mahmood, Lord Qurban Hussain, Councillor Aasim Rashid, Mr Muzammil  Ayub Thakur, Chairman JKSDMI Raja Najabat Hussain, President Tahreek-e-Kashmir UK Fahim Kiyani, Dr Nazir GIllani, Syed Ali Raza, Shaista Safi and other leading members of the civil society.]]>
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			<title>World leaders urged to help end Indian atrocities against Kashmiris</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2250999/world-leaders-urged-help-end-indian-atrocities-kashmiris</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2250999/world-leaders-urged-help-end-indian-atrocities-kashmiris#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 20 21:06:07 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[​ Our Correspondent]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[World]]></category><category><![CDATA[Jammu &amp; Kashmir]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2250999</guid>
			<description>
				<![CDATA[On International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, AJK president condemns BJP-RSS regime]]>
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				<![CDATA[Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan has urged the international community and United Nations to help end the most "cruel, inhumane and degrading" treatment of the people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&amp;K) by occupation forces,

“We fully agree with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’s statement that torturers must never be allowed to get away with their crimes, and systems that enable torture should be dismantled or transformed,” he said in a video message released on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture observed across the globe on Friday.

The AJK president said that torture is a crime against humanity and it is prohibited by international law and all religions. "Yet, this crime is committed everyday by the Indian forces and authorities in the occupied territory, most brutally and systematically."

He appealed to the United Nations not to generalise and blur the focus on torture where it is pervasive. In Occupied Kashmir, he said, torture is most rampant and most egregious.

“Torture has been committed by the BJP-RSS regime by reoccupying and colonising Jammu and Kahsmir against the will of its 14 million people, dividing their state into two parts, and enforcing decrees whereby the entire territory is now ruled by a foreign capital, Delhi."

While lambasting the Modi-led government, President Masood said: “As we mark this day today, Kashmiri young men are hunted down and killed in cold blood in fake encounters, demonstrators are blinded and sexual molestation is used as a weapon of war.”

Kashmiris, he went on to say, are being deprived of their homeland by bringing Hindus from all over India and settling them in the occupied territory through new domicile rules.

“Stripped of their permanent residence rights, Kashmiris are being robbed of their jobs, livelihoods, businesses and land. Systematically, the demography of the disputed valley is being altered permanently."

PM urges int'l community to hold India accountable for atrocities in IOJ&amp;K

The AJK president said what India is doing in occupied region is a war crime according to the Fourth Geneva Convention, the ICC Statute and international humanitarian law.

Referring to arbitrary arrest of political leaders and political activists, he said thousands of political detainees  – illegally incarcerated – are being subjected to the vicious torture leading in many instances to death and disability.

President Masood demanded that political prisoners in the Tihar jail in India - Yasin Malik, Asiya Indrabi, Shabbir Shah - should be released forthwith and Syed Ali Geelani and other Hurriyet leaders - hundreds of them holed up in cramped prisons - should be set free.

Some 13,000 boys and children, as young as 10, are caged in concentration camps where they are being tortured and brainwashed, he said while calling for the international community led by the United Nations to play ts role for their release.

He also made a demand that India should be asked to repeal all draconian laws that empower occupation forces to commit crimes with impunity.

“Kashmiris are citizens of planet Earth. Listen to their screams of SOS. Save their bodies; save their souls. Silence too is a crime while such massive torture is taking place right before our eyes.”]]>
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			<title>Bilawal welcomes Islamabad talks</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632715/bilawal-welcomes-islamabad-talks</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632715/bilawal-welcomes-islamabad-talks#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 26 23:21:37 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2632715</guid>
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				<![CDATA[PPP chief expressed hope that talks would conclude with opposition unconditionally calling off long march]]>
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				<![CDATA[PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday welcomed the government&#39;s decision to work with his party and jointly engage with the opposition &quot;to find political solutions to political problems&quot;.

&quot;The challenge of terrorism has become an existential threat to Pakistan, particularly given the active support these groups receive from neighbouring countries,&quot; he wrote on X.

The PPP chief expressed hope that the talks would conclude with the opposition unconditionally calling off the long march, which would allow the country to come together to address the threat of terrorism and those from neighbouring countries.]]>
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			<title>Bilawal hails govt-opposition talks, hopes for unconditional end to long march</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632638/bilawal-hails-govt-opposition-talks-hopes-for-unconditional-end-to-long-march</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632638/bilawal-hails-govt-opposition-talks-hopes-for-unconditional-end-to-long-march#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 26 16:36:18 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2632638</guid>
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				<![CDATA[Says terrorism poses existential threat, hopes talks allow nation to unite against the menace]]>
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				<![CDATA[Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday welcomed the government&rsquo;s decision to engage the opposition to find political solutions, saying he hoped the talks would lead to an unconditional end to the long march and allow the country to unite against terrorism.

His remarks came as the first round of talks between the government and opposition concluded on Friday, with the two sides agreeing to meet again at 2pm on Saturday in the National Assembly (NA) speaker&rsquo;s chamber.

&ldquo;I&rsquo;m pleased that the government has accepted the PPP&rsquo;s suggestion to jointly engage politically with the opposition in an effort to find political solutions to political problems,&rdquo; he wrote in a post on X.



I&rsquo;m pleased that the government has accepted the PPP&rsquo;s suggestion to jointly engage politically with the opposition in an effort to find political solutions to political problems.

The challenge of terrorism has become an existential threat to Pakistan, particularly given the&hellip;
&mdash; Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (@BBhuttoZardari) October 2, 2026


Bilawal said the challenge of terrorism had become an existential threat to Pakistan, particularly given the active support he said such groups received from neighbouring countries.

&ldquo;I hope these talks conclude with the opposition unconditionally calling off its long march, allowing us to come together as a nation to combat the menace of terrorism and address the threats emanating from neighbouring countries,&rdquo; he said.

Bilawal added that the PPP had been, and would always remain, committed to combating terrorism through all constitutional means.

Read: TTAP accuses Sherry of breaching talks code as PPP leader calls for end to long march

The talks came after weeks of escalating tensions between the federal government and the PTI-led Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government over the party&rsquo;s planned October 4 march on Islamabad. PTI had initially announced the protest for September 27 but later postponed it to October 4, while the Centre had increasingly discussed constitutional options, including governor&rsquo;s rule and emergency, citing the deteriorating security situation in the province.

The government and PPP subsequently formed a six-member committee to engage the PTI, with the opposition also signalling willingness to negotiate but insisting on dialogue without preconditions. Barrister Gohar confirmed that the two sides would meet at Speaker Ayaz Sadiq&rsquo;s office, while maintaining that the long march would proceed unless the party&rsquo;s concerns were addressed.

The prospect of federal intervention in K-P had become a major point of contention, with federal ministers citing the province&rsquo;s security situation, while PTI leaders rejected governor&rsquo;s rule or emergency and called for political engagement instead. K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also said the October 4 protest would remain peaceful and rejected warnings of federal intervention.]]>
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			<title>TTAP questions Bukhari's stance on governor's rule</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632729/ttap-questions-bukharis-stance-on-governors-rule</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632729/ttap-questions-bukharis-stance-on-governors-rule#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 26 23:39:24 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Rameez Khan]]>
			</dc:creator>
			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2632729</guid>
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				<![CDATA[TTAP says it suspected that Bukhari had been compelled to change his earlier position under external pressure]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Aain Pakistan (TTAP) has conveyed its reservations to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership over General Secretary Nayyar Hussain Bukhari&#39;s alleged abrupt change of position on the possible imposition of governor&#39;s rule or an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to a TTAP spokesperson.

However, Bukhari denied making any U-turn, maintaining that the issue had never been discussed between him and the TTAP-PTI delegation.

The disagreement comes as political parties continue to debate possible constitutional options for K-P amid heightened tensions between the federal government and the provincial administration.

Meanwhile, TTAP said it suspected that Bukhari had been compelled to change his earlier position under external pressure.

According to the alliance, Bukhari had previously called on all political parties to sit together to break the cycle of political instability and uphold democratic principles, while describing the imposition of governor&#39;s rule as unconstitutional. TTAP representatives said his position had been unequivocal.

Talking to The Express Tribune, TTAP spokesperson Akhundzada Hussain said he was surprised by statements attributed to Bukhari on Wednesday suggesting that the PPP would consider the option of imposing governor&#39;s rule and that governor&#39;s rule could be imposed on the governor&#39;s recommendation in case of the failure of the provincial government.

Hussain said the remarks contradicted the position Bukhari had previously taken.

He said TTAP had conveyed its reservations to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari through another senior party leader and would now prefer to engage directly with the chairman&#39;s office.

Asked about PM&#39;s Adviser Rana Sanaullah&#39;s remarks during a television programme, in which he was asked whether the PML-N would be invited to the proposed All Parties Conference (APC), Hussain said the PML-N would certainly not be invited.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Bukhari maintained that he had not changed his position on governor&#39;s rule or the imposition of an emergency. He said the matter had never been discussed between him and the TTAP and PTI delegation.

He acknowledged saying that the PPP would examine the proposal if and when the government formally placed it before the party, adding that the ultimate decision rested with the president.

&quot;We are allies in the government, so when they move forward and seek our proposal, we will give our suggestions. Without any proposal being placed before us, how can we give our position on the matter?&quot; he said.

Bukhari said the delegation led by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar had met him solely to extend an invitation to the PPP for the APC. He said he had informed the delegation that he would convey the invitation to the party chairman, who would decide, after consulting CEC members, whether to attend the APC.

Asked about the date of the upcoming Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting, Bukhari said convening the meeting was the prerogative of the party chairman, who could either seek the opinion of CEC members individually or call a formal meeting. The ultimate decision rested with him, he added.

He further said he had been informed that the APC had been convened by TTAP rather than the PTI.]]>
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			<title>Mir Raza commission seeks answers from senior police officers</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632651/mir-raza-commission-seeks-answers-from-senior-police-officers</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632651/mir-raza-commission-seeks-answers-from-senior-police-officers#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 26 19:13:18 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Nasir Butt]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[AIG Karachi Azad Khan and two DIGs receive sealed questionnaires submitted by Mir Raza’s family]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Judicial Commission probing the Mir Raza Ali case has sent questionnaires to senior police officers, including AIG Karachi Azad Khan, involved in the investigation, seeking answers to questions raised by the victim&rsquo;s family.

The sealed questionnaires were delivered through the commission&rsquo;s designated Nazir, Tajammal Lodhi, to AIG Azad Khan, DIG Amir Farooqi, head of the investigation team, and DIG Farukh Lanjhar.

The questions were submitted to the commission by Mir Raza&rsquo;s mother, sister and father through their counsel, Advocate Jibran Nasir.

Read:&nbsp;Mir Raza judicial commission&rsquo;s term extended until October 15

Separately, Sindh government focal person Javed Abro met commission chairman Justice Umar Sial in his chamber and informed him that the commission&rsquo;s term had been extended until October 15.

The commission has also issued notices to CPLC official Kashif Iftikhar and DSP Siraj Lashari. Their statements will be recorded on October 5.

The commission is examining the circumstances surrounding Mir Raza&rsquo;s death and has been recording statements and seeking responses from officials and other relevant witnesses.

The Sindh cabinet on Thursday extended the tenure of the Judicial Commission probing the death of Mir Raza Ali until October 15, giving the panel additional time to complete its proceedings and finalise its findings.

The cabinet was told that the commission, headed by Justice Umar Sial, had recorded statements from several witnesses but needed more time to complete its inquiry. It was also authorised to continue proceedings beyond October 15 if required.

The case so far

Mir Raza Ali, the 25-year-old owner of dessert brand Wafflix, went missing from Karachi&rsquo;s PECHS area on July 28, 2026. His body was found the following day in bushes near a wedding hall in Gulistan-e-Johar. Police initially treated the death as a possible suicide, but a second post-mortem conducted after his exhumation found a firearm entry wound, multiple ante-mortem injuries and signs of internal bleeding, leading investigators to treat the case as murder.

The initial post-mortem had faced several objections, with the Karachi police surgeon identifying 14 deficiencies, including the absence of an X-ray, failure to collect hand swabs for gunshot-residue analysis and the lack of chemical examination of gunpowder marks around the bullet wound.

The investigation subsequently came under scrutiny from Raza&rsquo;s family, who alleged serious lapses in the handling of evidence and CCTV footage and sought the formation of a joint investigation team. The Sindh High Court later rejected the family&rsquo;s plea for a JIT but directed the relevant authorities to conduct the investigation impartially, fairly and expeditiously.

Read More: Mir Raza commission rejects family&#39;s plea to summon top cops

Police told a Senate committee in September that they had recorded statements from 78 people but had not found evidence linking anyone to Raza&rsquo;s alleged murder. Investigators nevertheless continued to treat the case as murder, while reviewing medical, chemical, forensic and digital evidence.

The Sindh government had meanwhile established a judicial commission headed by Sindh High Court Justice Umar Sial to examine the circumstances surrounding Raza&rsquo;s death, the conduct of the investigation and any possible negligence or concealment of evidence by police or other officials.

The judicial commission had so far examined police records, witness statements and the circumstances surrounding Mir Raza Ali&rsquo;s death, with its proceedings raising discrepancies in witness accounts, the handling of evidence and the initial post-mortem. The commission also questioned senior police and health officials over the investigation, including the handling of CCTV footage, Raza&rsquo;s phone and smartwatch, and the initial focus on a possible suicide.]]>
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			<title>'Dead' SSG man 'resurrects' to expose India's lie</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632523/dead-ssg-man-resurrects-to-expose-indias-lie</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632523/dead-ssg-man-resurrects-to-expose-indias-lie#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 26 00:24:32 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Our Correspondent]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[DG ISPR rejects Indian military claims; Asif says reports falsely declared him dead]]>
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				<![CDATA[Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Thursday rejected Indian claims that a former Pakistan Army soldier had been killed as a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist in the Indian Illegally-Occupied Kashmir (IIOJK), presenting the individual alive before the media and describing the episode as another Indian &quot;false flag operation&quot;.

&quot;So-called terrorist incident, another false flag that has been staged by the Indian military. I will take you step by step through the details,&quot; Chaudhry said during a press briefing.

He said that he was there to talk about a claim made by the Indian military of an anti-terror operation conducted on Sept 29 inside IIOJK.

The military spokesperson said that the false flag started on the night of Sept 29, when the corps of the Indian military in IIOJK made a social media post saying that &quot;based on specific intelligence input, a joint search operation was launched by the Indian army, Jammu Kashmir police and CRPF Srinagar in the general area Korag, Yousmarg. Vigilant troops observed suspicious activity, and upon being challenged, terrorists opened fire, prompting a fierce exchange of gunfire during which one terrorist was neutralised&quot;.

Chaudhry said that after seven hours, the Indian military gave an update yesterday morning, saying that a &quot;body of a Pakistan-based LeT terrorist was recovered in a search operation&quot;, further claiming that he had been identified as Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Moosa.

The news conference came after Indian media claimed that Asif, also known as Hashim Moosa, was killed in an operation in IIOJK and had previously served in the Pakistan Army. According to the reports that emerged in Indian media, Asif was born on March 7, 1980, joined the Pakistan Army in 2000 under service number PA-3106947 and retired with the rank of Havildar. Indian media further claimed that he was inducted into the Special Services Group (SSG) in 2005 and served with the 4 Commando &quot;Yalgar&quot; Battalion.

The reports alleged that Asif was deployed in Balochistan from 2006, where he took part in around 10 operations against Baloch insurgents and was credited with 13 &quot;personal kills&quot;. They also claimed that he served on former president Pervez Musharraf&#39;s VVIP security team between 2006 and 2009.

The DG ISPR stated that the Indian newspaper ANI reported further details about &quot;Asif&quot;, including his joining date, his service number, details of his retirement, his photo, and further claimed that he was a former Hawaldar of the SSG branch of the Pakistan military. &quot;A very interesting story is getting cooked, and you have a face as well. You might recall the false flags of Uri, Pahalgam and Pulwama.&quot;

He further stated that the Indian government then claimed through the Home Affairs and Press Information Bureau that the Indian Army had neutralised a LeT &quot;commander&quot;, who was later identified as &quot;Musa aka Asif Fauji&quot;, through an intelligence-led operation.

&quot;According to the Indian government, this was a serious blow to the LeT ecosystem, and Asif had been operating in Jammu and Kashmir since 2022 and was involved in sensational attacks. Asif was neutralised after six months of a sustained operation,&quot; he added.

The military spokesperson said that the &quot;so-called credible Indian media&quot; jumped onto the bandwagon, repeating the claims of the Indian government of killing a Pakistani SSG officer during an Indian military operation.

&quot;Now that the Indian military has claimed that Musa is an ex-Hawaldar of the SSG, the question becomes: where is Musa?&quot; he remarked before presenting Asif to the audience.

&quot;Here is that superman gentleman; you can see this superman. Please tell us about your activities. I would request my dear friend Hawaldar Asif to tell something about himself&quot;.

Asif stated that he had been receiving calls since yesterday from Indian numbers inquiring about him, further adding that he had seen social media commentary about his &quot;killing&quot; in an Indian military operation. &quot;I was sitting at home when I heard these false reports from the Indian media. This is a heinous allegation from the Indian media, and my presence here shows that I am alive&quot;.

&quot;I was inducted in 2000 in the Pakistan Army and joined the SSG in 2005 and served for 18 years and retired from service in 2023,&quot; Asif stated.

&quot;What was the need for this drama from India? There are six reasons for this, and it is important to understand why Indians keep on repeating this drama. It is a very shameful and embarrassing thing that no self-respecting nation does,&quot; DG ISPR stated.

Chaudhry said that the first reason for these repeated Indian accusations was to &quot;cover its own track of terrorism&quot;, adding that India was the biggest terrorist state in the world and its involvement in terrorism in the region went back decades through funding and sponsorship of terror outfits.

&quot;They think that every problem can be rectified and addressed through terrorism. They are terrorising Muslims, Sikhs, Kashmiris, Dalits, tribals and Christians inside India. Such a country that lives and breathes in terrorism is afraid that its dark face will be exposed. What better way to cover your tracks than to call everyone else a terrorist? That is why you see these false, concocted stories coming out of India. This list of false flag events goes back decades, and they have been feeding these lies to their own people and to the world at large,&quot; he remarked.

The DG ISPR further stated: &quot;We need to understand that this habit of false flag operations has further encouraged India to even go for transnational killings; you must have seen how they are doing targeted killings far beyond their borders, and the world has seen that. You then need to cover your tracks because they see their own face in the mirror. They are proud of their terrorism.&quot;

DG Chaudhry noted that those guilty of perpetrating terrorism internationally could easily concoct stories to accuse Pakistan.

&quot;A normal human cannot comprehend the basis for this drama,&quot; he said, assailing the new false flag operation by India. He said such concocted stories appealed to the Indians to create relevance for Indian oppression in IIOJK.

&quot;IIOJK is the biggest garrison in the world, for every 10th Kashmiri, there is a soldier or security official deployed by the Indian Army,&quot; he highlighted, adding that nearly a million guard IIOJK.

&quot;Hawaldar Asif does not have to go across the border to instigate Kashmiris,&quot; he said, explaining that Indian oppression of Kashmiris and refuting their right to self-determination caused the reaction of Kashmiris that India tries to pin on Pakistan.

&quot;If you wish for a fight, engage with us like you did in Marka-e-Haq and let us teach you a lesson,&quot; DG Chaudhry warned.

He lamented that India was obsessed with Pakistan, built lies surrounding it and came up with theatrics matching Bollywood.

The DG ISPR said if the Indians wished to pursue a fresh conflict, &quot;they are most welcome, but this time we will not leave them so easily.

&quot;This time the cost that Pakistan will inflict on their strategic folly will be very, very severe.&quot;

&nbsp;

Makkah pact and Afghanistan

Talking about the Makkah agreement, he said the matter of troop deployment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was a &quot;confidential matter&quot;.

He noted that the operationalisation of the defensive actions under the Makkah alliance was a matter of &quot;operational necessity and confidentiality&quot;, adding that it was not a matter for media discourse. &quot;There should be complete clarity that Pakistan&#39;s commitment to Saudi Arabia security and sanctity is absolute&quot;.

While answering a question on cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghanistan, the DG ISPR noted that as per the Constitution, the army worked under the federal government and therefore it was the task of the federal government to coordinate with the provincial government, further adding that there would be no compromise on &quot;Pakistan&#39;s territorial integrity and sovereignty&quot; and everything necessary would be done to secure it.

Responding to another question on India&#39;s standing in the world, he stated that &quot;the Indian fa&ccedil;ade is very well exposed to the whole world. You are hearing from the Canadian prime minister and the US secretary of state talking about Indian terrorism. The fa&ccedil;ade of Shining India has been exposed.&quot;

Answering a question on operations against the Afghan Taliban, DG Chaudhry noted that the Afghan Taliban had made their choice of &quot;abetting and sponsoring terrorism&quot;.

He further asked representatives of international media outlets to probe the Afghan government on why there were Afghans involved in acts of terrorism inside Pakistan and what Afghanistan was doing about it, further adding that Pakistan has nothing against the people of Afghanistan.

&quot;The problem is with the Afghan Taliban regime that has forced itself on the country; it is non-inclusive, non-representative, unelected, and because it&#39;s a forced regime, such regimes need insecurity and oppression to thrive. For that, they have gathered the whole alphabetic soup of terrorist organisations from ISKP to ETIM. Pakistan, as the frontline state, is fighting these groups.&quot;

When asked a question on the PTI&#39;s planned long march, he stated that the &quot;army has nothing to do with politics and we will not answer anything related to politics. Politics is for the political parties and the government&quot;.

He suggested adhering to the devised National Action Plan for the elimination of terrorism.

&quot;State supersedes politics; the state supersedes democracy too,&quot; the DG ISPR emphasised.]]>
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			<title>Pakistani national indicted in US over alleged $126m postage fraud</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632485/pakistani-national-indicted-in-us-over-alleged-126m-postage-fraud</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632485/pakistani-national-indicted-in-us-over-alleged-126m-postage-fraud#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Thu, 01 Oct 26 19:12:06 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Faheem Akram allegedly operated website that sold over 5.1m counterfeit postage labels, Department of Justice says]]>
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				<![CDATA[A federal grand jury in Florida has indicted a Pakistani national for allegedly operating a website that sold more than 5.1 million counterfeit United States postage labels, causing over $126m in losses to the US Postal Service (USPS).

The US Department of Justice said&nbsp;on Monday that&nbsp;Faheem Akram, 33, of Punjab&#39;s Khanewal district, operated LabelsBank.com, an online website that allegedly sold counterfeit US postage at a fixed rate &mdash; typically $2 per label &mdash; regardless of a package&rsquo;s weight, size or destination.

LabelsBank.com was not authorised to sell USPS products and services, the department said.

Read: US charges 2 Pakistanis for alleged involvement in $10m health care scheme fraud

It added that the counterfeit labels allegedly allowed customers to ship packages at rates far below legitimate USPS prices, resulting in substantial lost revenue and shipping costs to the Postal Service.

&ldquo;The alleged scheme was simple but massive: sell counterfeit postage online at fixed, cut-rate prices, as little as $2 per label, regardless of a package&rsquo;s weight, size, or destination, enabling customers to avoid legitimate postal service charges,&rdquo; US Attorney Jason A. Reding Qui&ntilde;ones for the Southern District of Florida said.

&ldquo;The indictment alleges more than 5.1m counterfeit labels and more than $126m&nbsp;in losses,&rdquo; he said, adding that the website had been shut down, its domain seized and federal charges brought against its alleged operator.

The department said the investigation found that more than 5,200 individuals used LabelsBank.com to purchase more than 5.1m&nbsp;counterfeit shipping labels, resulting in over $126m&nbsp;in alleged losses to USPS.

In conjunction with the indictment, USPS obtained a court order authorising the seizure and shutdown of the website, according to the department.

&ldquo;Our reach goes beyond our borders,&rdquo; Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo of the US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Miami Division said.

&ldquo;Transnational criminal organisations defrauding the postal service and targeting US consumers by pushing phoney postage will be found and brought to justice,&rdquo; he added.

Also Read: US launches online portal to report suspected visa fraud

Akram was charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the US and to make and sell counterfeit postage stamps, five counts of making and selling counterfeit postage stamp labels and four counts of wire fraud, the department said.

If convicted, Akram faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy and counterfeit postage counts and 20 years in prison on each wire fraud count, according to the department.

The USPIS Miami Division is investigating the case.]]>
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			<title>Pakistani human rights lawyer Jalila Haider receives Right Livelihood award</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632285/pakistani-human-rights-lawyer-jalila-haider-receives-right-livelihood-award</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632285/pakistani-human-rights-lawyer-jalila-haider-receives-right-livelihood-award#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 26 14:45:23 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[AFP]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Receives Swedish award in recognition of her work to 'challenge ethnic, state and patriarchal persecution']]>
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				<![CDATA[Human rights lawyer and activist Jalila Haider on Wednesday received the 2026 Right Livelihood Award, which has also been dubbed the &ldquo;Alternative Nobel Prize&rdquo;.

The Right Livelihood Award was established in 1980, when Swedish-German stamp collector Jakob von Uexkull sold part of his collection to fund it, after the foundation behind the Nobel Prizes refused to create new awards in the fields of environmental protection and international development.

According to a press release from the Sweden-based Right Livelihood Foundation, Jalila received the award &ldquo;for breaking barriers, as the first female lawyer from her Hazara community, to challenge ethnic, state and patriarchal persecution, guided by the conviction that no human being is illegal&rdquo;.

Read: The travails of the Hazara community

The press release noted that the award goes to &quot;women and women-led organisations confronting the world&rsquo;s most entrenched power structures: authoritarian rule, patriarchal violence, and unchecked AI development&quot;.



The 2026 @RightLivelihood Award goes to women and women-led organisations challenging entrenched power structures:

🏆 Jalila Haider @Advjalila
🏆 Rural Women&#39;s Assembly @womensassembly
🏆 Georgian Young Lawyers&rsquo; Association @GYLA_CSO
🏆 Timnit Gebru @timnitGebru pic.twitter.com/4v29s5Y5au
&mdash; Right Livelihood (@rightlivelihood) September 30, 2026


The foundation&#39;s website noted that Jalila was a Hazara human rights lawyer and activist protecting Pakistan&rsquo;s most vulnerable communities against state repression, patriarchal norms and ethnic violence, adding that in 2018, she led a seven-day hunger strike against the targeted killing of Hazaras that forced the army chief to negotiate directly with Hazara women, resulting in a sustained decrease in attacks against the community.

Right Livelihood Foundation said that Jalila was a founding member of the Women&rsquo;s Democratic Front (WDF) and helped pioneer Balochistan&rsquo;s first Women&rsquo;s March, a street mobilisation that sparked discussions on feminism across the deeply patriarchal region, further adding that her organisation &ldquo;We the Humans&rdquo; had also helped over 400 widows of terrorism victims gain financial independence.

Read More: Feminism in the context of digital media



🧵 She&#39;s the first female Hazara lawyer in her community&#39;s history &mdash; and for over a decade she&#39;s defended the people her country tries hardest to erase.

Meet @Advjalila, a 2026 @RightLivelihood Laureate from Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/dfDrVuvUBw
&mdash; Right Livelihood (@rightlivelihood) September 30, 2026


It added that by &quot;combining legal work with street activism and community empowerment&quot;, Jalila had &quot;secured justice for thousands targeted or ignored by those in power, specifically ethnic, gender and religious minorities, as well as refugees&quot;, further noting that her law firm had also helped restore freedom of movement for more than 600 political activists and human rights defenders.

According to the press release, &quot;for over 45 years, the Right Livelihood Award has honoured and supported courageous people leading the way to a just, peaceful and sustainable world for all&quot;.

A prominent US artificial intelligence researcher and two women-led rights groups were also recognised.

The jury said in a statement it had chosen US artificial intelligence researcher Timnit Gebru &ldquo;for challenging concentrated power in artificial intelligence and pioneering digital technology rooted in justice, lived experience and human agency&rdquo;.

Gebru is known for her work examining how biases influence AI, and in 2017, Gebru co-founded Black in AI.

The foundation also gave the nod to the Rural Women&rsquo;s Assembly &mdash; a grassroots movement of more than 178,000 small-scale farmers across 11 Southern African nations.

The Georgian Young Lawyers&rsquo; Association, which the jury described as &ldquo;Georgia&rsquo;s oldest and most prominent human rights organisation&rdquo;, was also honoured.]]>
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			<title>‘Self-rhetorical lies’: Pakistan rejects Kabul’s claims over Nuristan clashes</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632316/self-rhetorical-lies-pakistan-rejects-kabuls-claims-over-nuristan-clashes</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632316/self-rhetorical-lies-pakistan-rejects-kabuls-claims-over-nuristan-clashes#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 26 19:50:46 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Information ministry says Taliban statements seeking to blame Pakistan for fighting reflect ‘despair and frustration’]]>
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				<![CDATA[The Ministry of Information on Wednesday rejected the Afghan Taliban minister&rsquo;s allegations against Pakistan as &ldquo;self-rhetorical lies&rdquo;, saying the statements aimed at externalising the regime&rsquo;s internal problems reflected its &ldquo;despair and frustration&rdquo; in dealing with its own issues.

Fighting between the Afghanistan Freedom Front and the Taliban resumed on Tuesday morning, Sept 29, in Nuristan&rsquo;s Kamdesh district, Afghanistan International reported citing informed sources, adding that the clashes began with a Taliban attack.

Meanwhile, the Taliban Defence Ministry said its operation against armed opponents in Kamdesh had ended, claiming that 41 people were killed and 62 others detained.

In a statement posted on X, the ministry&rsquo;s fact-checking account described the latest allegations by the Taliban&rsquo;s &ldquo;so-called Minister for Borders&rdquo; and other &ldquo;mouthpieces&rdquo; as &ldquo;self-rhetorical lies&rdquo; aimed at diverting attention from what it called serious internal oppression, dissent and instability.

Calling the Afghan Taliban a &ldquo;non-inclusive and non-representative regime&rdquo;, the ministry said it had imposed itself on the Afghan people through &ldquo;force and oppression&rdquo;.



𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 | 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 &amp; 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠

◼️ The latest allegations by so called Minister for Borders and other mouthpieces of the Taliban regime seeking to attribute the fighting in Nuristan to Pakistan are self rhetorical&hellip; pic.twitter.com/S4z5EYre5K
&mdash; Fact Checker MoIB (@FactCheckerMoIB) September 30, 2026


&ldquo;These comical statements to externalise their internal issues and follow-up rhetoric directed towards Pakistan actually reflect the despair and frustration in handling their own issues,&rdquo; it said.

The ministry further said the Taliban remained &ldquo;willingly oblivious&rdquo; to what it described as their &ldquo;un-Islamic abetment of terror&rdquo;, adding that the group was acting as a proxy for a &ldquo;Hindutva design&rdquo; for the sake of the interests of some of its leaders.

&ldquo;This rentier approach of destabilising the region for money as a proxy of agencies is leading the Taliban only towards a self-destructive path, devoid of dignity and honour,&rdquo; the statement said.

Read: Pakistan rubbishes Afghan Taliban claim of captured post as &#39;false and fabricated&#39;

The statement came after Taliban Borders, Tribes and Tribal Affairs Minister Noorullah Noori warned Pakistan, saying Islamabad should learn from Afghanistan&rsquo;s history and that Taliban opponents would be &ldquo;defeated&rdquo; if they chose war.

Speaking on Wednesday at a meeting with Kuchi elders from six provinces, Noori said those seeking to destabilise Afghanistan would face &ldquo;serious consequences&rdquo;.

Referring to the tensions, Noori said: &ldquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s army and intelligence services should understand the people of Afghanistan from a historical, ideological, political and practical perspective.&rdquo;

Taliban opponents, including the Afghanistan Freedom Front, National Resistance Front and United Front of Afghanistan, have stepped up attacks against the Taliban in recent months.

Criticising the group&rsquo;s political and military opponents, including the National Resistance Front, the minister said Taliban opponents had stood alongside what he called &ldquo;occupiers&rdquo; during the presence of US and Nato forces in Afghanistan but now spoke of fighting for freedom.

This is not the first time the Afghan Taliban regime has levelled allegations against Pakistan. In the past, it has accused Pakistan of facilitating infiltration, carrying out airstrikes and smuggling weapons into Afghanistan, allegations that Islamabad has repeatedly rejected.

According to security officials, the Afghan Taliban regime has been providing sanctuary, support and patronage to terrorist groups. They said documented evidence contradicted Kabul&rsquo;s repeated denials and pointed to an entrenched terrorist network operating from Afghan soil.

Also Read: &#39;Frivolous and baseless&#39;: Pakistan rejects Taliban claims of involvement in Nuristan violence

Pakistan maintains that the terrorist nexus extended beyond the movement of terrorists across the border to their training, arming and operational support.

Security officials estimate that up to 70 per cent of the Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists infiltrating Pakistan were of Afghan origin. They further claim that the Taliban regime had allowed leftover US and NATO weapons to reach terrorist groups, including Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan.

In 2026 alone, terrorism emanating from Afghan soil claimed the lives of 1,327 Pakistanis and injured another 2,484, according to figures cited by Pakistani authorities.

The United Nations estimated the strength of TTP in Afghanistan at around 6,000 to 6,500 terrorists. UN reporting had also documented more than 600 terrorist attacks against Pakistan during 2025, including attacks launched from Afghan territory.

According to Pakistani security officials, the TTP had established training facilities in Afghanistan&rsquo;s Kunar, Nangarhar, Khost and Paktika provinces.

The government has maintained that the issue was fundamentally one of Pakistan&#39;s national security and that continued attacks from Afghan soil cannot be addressed through denials alone.

Pakistan says it expected the Taliban regime to fulfil its commitments by taking verifiable action against terrorist groups operating from its territory rather than defending or denying their presence.]]>
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			<title>PM Shehbaz hails Beijing’s role in promoting global peace as Pakistan marks China’s National Day</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632296/pm-shehbaz-hails-beijings-role-in-promoting-global-peace-as-pakistan-marks-chinas-national-day</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2632296/pm-shehbaz-hails-beijings-role-in-promoting-global-peace-as-pakistan-marks-chinas-national-day#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 26 17:37:19 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Web Desk]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[Says Pakistan and China are entering a new phase of cooperation under CPEC 2.0]]>
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				<![CDATA[Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday hailed China&#39;s &ldquo;extremely important&rdquo; role in promoting global peace, stability and development and reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to further strengthening its all-weather strategic cooperative partnership with Beijing.

Addressing a ceremony marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People&rsquo;s Republic of China, the prime minister said it was a pleasure for him to attend the National Day event and extended his &ldquo;heartfelt congratulations&rdquo; to Chinese President Xi Jinping and the people of China.

He described the occasion as a day to pay tribute to the perseverance, unity and indomitable spirit of the Chinese nation.



Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to further strengthening its all-weather strategic cooperative partnership with China, describing the enduring bilateral friendship as a bond built on mutual trust, unwavering support and deep affinity&hellip; pic.twitter.com/r9DnITtx0U
&mdash; Prime Minister&#39;s Office (@PakPMO) September 30, 2026


&ldquo;China has an extremely important role in global peace, stability and development,&rdquo; he said.

Under the &ldquo;far-sighted leadership&rdquo; of President Xi, China had made unprecedented progress in human development, science, technology and innovation, the prime minister said.

He said 2026 held &ldquo;special significance&rdquo; in the shared journey of Pakistan and China, as the two countries were celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations.



2/2

The ambassador also highlighted the expansion of practical economic cooperation, saying bilateral trade reached $16.44 billion from January to July, up 13.4 percent year-on-year.

He said bilateral agricultural trade stood at around $830 million during January-August, an&hellip; pic.twitter.com/LMniVk2A0y
&mdash; Prime Minister&#39;s Office (@PakPMO) September 30, 2026


&ldquo;Our hearts are connected and beat together,&rdquo; he said, adding that the friendship between the two countries had withstood every test of time, whether earthquakes, storms or floods.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said, was a manifestation of the two countries&rsquo; longstanding friendship and their shared commitment to a more prosperous and developed future for their people.

&ldquo;We are now entering the next phase of CPEC, CPEC 2.0,&rdquo; he said.

Read More: Can China help Pakistan? myth and reality

The new phase would focus particularly on industrialisation, special economic zones, information technology and artificial intelligence, agriculture, mining and minerals, he added.

The prime minister described progress in the agriculture sector as &ldquo;extremely welcome&rdquo; and said the first group of 1,000 Pakistani agricultural graduates had completed their training in China.

&ldquo;Another group of 1,000 people is ready to go to China,&rdquo; he said, describing the programme as a valuable investment in the capabilities and future of Pakistan&rsquo;s youth.

PM Shehbaz said Pakistan-China relations were a cornerstone of the country&rsquo;s foreign policy.

Recalling his conversation with President Xi in May, he said that it had represented a strong reaffirmation of the countries&rsquo; longstanding friendship.

&ldquo;We are fully committed to implementing the important understandings reached between the leadership of the two countries,&rdquo; he said.

&ldquo;A sincere friend living in a distant land makes a distant land close,&rdquo; the prime minister said while quoting a Chinese saying, adding that the words best reflected the friendship and closeness between the two countries.

Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong also addressed the ceremony, describing China and Pakistan as &ldquo;all-weather strategic cooperative partners&rdquo;.

He said Pakistan was playing an increasingly important role internationally because of its principled position, broad global vision and high level of diplomatic insight.

Pakistan had supported multilateralism and international cooperation and played an important role in safeguarding peace and security in the region and beyond, the ambassador said.

Also Read: Pakistan, China agree on BJC framework

He said PM Shehbaz had &ldquo;firmly defended Pakistan&rsquo;s national interests&rdquo; during his address to the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Pakistan&rsquo;s position on international and regional issues was presented at the UN General Assembly and appreciated by the international community, he added.

&ldquo;The remarkable journey of the past 75 years proves that China and Pakistan are friends who have stood by each other in times of joy and sorrow,&rdquo; Jiang said.

He said the two countries had always stood by each other like brothers.

The ambassador said PM Shehbaz had always attached great importance to practical cooperation between China and Pakistan in various fields.]]>
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			<title>Over 300,000 put under 1,291 smart lockdowns</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2242020/smart-lockdown-imposed-1292-areas-across-pakistan-ncoc-told</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2242020/smart-lockdown-imposed-1292-areas-across-pakistan-ncoc-told#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Sat, 13 Jun 20 15:20:13 +0500</pubDate>
			<dc:creator>
				<![CDATA[Razya Khan]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2242020</guid>
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				<![CDATA[Punjab, Sindh cross grim mark of 50,000 cases]]>
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				<![CDATA[The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) was informed on Saturday that smart lockdowns had been enforced in 1,292 localities across the country during the last 24 hours to prevent the further spread of Covid-19.

The forum, which serves as the nerve centre of the country’s unified efforts to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, heard that a total of 308,600 people now remain under the restrictions in various parts of the country.

A total of 10 localities in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), having a population of 60,000, were put under smart lockdown, the forum was told. The smart lockdowns had been enforced in 844 localities of Punjab, confining 15,200 people.

Similarly, the lockdown had been imposed in 414 localities of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, with a population of 11,000, seven localities in Sindh with a population of 7,000, 12 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and five areas in Gilgit-Baltistan.

It was also informed that the federal and provincial authorities were ensuring compliance with the health guidelines and instructions, particularly regarding workplaces, industrial sector, transport, markets and shops, besides pursuing the track, trace and quarantine (TTQ) strategy.

The NCOC meeting, chaired by Planning Minister Asad Umar, was also informed that over 13,116 violations of health guidelines were observed across the country in the last 24 hours and punitive actions were taken against 1,541 markets and shops, 33 industrial units and 1,429 vehicles.

Later, the NCOC released details of ventilators and beds’ availability for Covid-19 patients across the country. According to a statement, 379 beds, 68 oxygenated beds and 43 ventilators were available in AJK. Though there was no patient on the ventilator there.

In Balochistan, 2,148 beds, 262 oxygenated beds and 36 ventilators were available for the virus patients. It said that no Covid-19 patient in the province was on ventilator. There were 151 beds, 43 oxygenated beds, 28 ventilators available in Gilgit, where one patient was on ventilator.

Islamabad had 514 beds, 262 oxygenated beds, 90 ventilators, while 18 patients were on ventilators, the NCOC said, adding that 4,856 beds, 1,081 oxygenated beds and 340 ventilators were available in K-P, where 85 patients were on ventilators.

In the most-affected provinces, 9,276 beds, 3,500 oxygen beds and 387 ventilators were available in Punjab, where 233 patients were on ventilators, while 8,274 beds, 739 oxygenated beds and 368 ventilators were available in Sindh, where 83 patients were on ventilators.

50,000 cases

Punjab and Sindh, two of the most populous provinces of the country, each crossed the grim mark of 50,000 coronavirus cases on Saturday, as the country endured another day of over 6,000 new infections amid a record-breaking surge in the pandemic.

In the last 24 hours, each of the two provinces recorded more than 2,000 new cases. According to the official data released on Saturday morning, the number of recoveries also crossed 50,000. However, as the day progressed, more Covid-19 positive cases were confirmed.

By midnight, the nationwide tally of Covid-19 patients stood at 135,943 with 50,087 cases in Punjab, 51,518 in Sindh, 17,450 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 8,028 in Balochistan, 1,093 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 7,163 in Islamabad and 604 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The virus has so far, claimed at least 2,597 lives.

The NCOC said that some 839,019 people had so far been tested, with nearly 30,000 tests conducted over the past 24 hours. The data showed that death ratio in confirmed cases also rose to 2%, from 1.7% earlier, while recoveries also climbed from 20% to 32%.

Spread among medical staff

According to the data, 3,858 health workers, treating the virus coronavirus patients, have also fallen victims to this pandemic. The disease has so far, claimed the lives of 36 health workers – 14 in Sindh, 7 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 5 in Balochistan, 6 in Punjab, 2 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 2 in Islamabad.

According to the report, the health workers affected by coronavirus included 2,327 doctors, 476 nurses and 1,055 other staff. Among them, 266 health workers are being treated in various hospitals, including 3 on ventilators due to their critical condition. Over 1,450 have recovered so far.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)]]>
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			<title>Tales of survivors: ‘Isolation, not coronavirus, was my worst nightmare’</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2188962/tales-survivors-isolation-not-coronavirus-worst-nightmare</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2188962/tales-survivors-isolation-not-coronavirus-worst-nightmare#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 20 17:32:30 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[Sher Wali]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">https://tribune.com.pk/?p=2188962</guid>
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				<![CDATA[I was convinced that if my time is not up, this virus can never kill me]]>
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				<![CDATA[I’ve lived my worst nightmare. It wasn’t the coronavirus, but the prolonged treatment [read: observation] in isolation that made it a hellish experience. Imagine being confined to a tiny room with no social interaction whatsoever for almost a month. Doctors and nurses were the only visitors, who, too, would check on me once or twice a day.

If you’re sick, you need your loved-ones around you. The sense of having someone who cares about you gives you strength to fight illness. Conversely, social isolation makes you more vulnerable to sickness. Your immune system doesn’t respond properly in isolation and it takes you longer to heal.

In my case, it wasn’t me alone; my wife also shared the isolation ordeal at Mohammadabad Hospital, in Danyore, Gilgit-Baltistan. Interestingly, she didn’t have any symptoms, but tested positive for the virus. We both were in the isolation ward, while our five kids were at home – alone and worried.

The ordeal started after a trip to Iran. My wife and I went in a group of 22 pilgrims to visit the holy shrines in Iran. We mostly stayed in Qom, though our pilgrimage also took us to Mashhad, and to neighbouring Iraq.

Tales of survivors: ‘Never before had I seen doctors dressed up like aliens’

On Feb 22, we were preparing to return to Pakistan when we heard about the outbreak of some contagious disease in Qom. Until then, I didn’t know much about the coronavirus.

On Feb 25, we took a flight for Lahore. At Tehran airport, they didn’t allow anyone to board the flight without screening. Neither of us was sick. At Lahore airport, we were screened again. We drove to Rawalpindi where we stayed for two days. While fellow pilgrims dispersed, we took a bus for Gilgit on Feb 28 and reached our village Nomal, some 15km from Gilgit city, in the evening.

In the night I felt feverish. I took it for travel fatigue, took over-the-counter fever reducers from my neighbour and tried to sleep. It didn’t help. I started having chills.

Next morning, I called up the District Headquarters Hospital Gilgit and told medics about my travel and fever. A team of doctors immediately came to see me and my wife. We were then driven to the DHQ hospital in an ambulance. They took samples to test us for the novel coronavirus, while we were shifted to the Civil Hospital Basin. The samples were sent to National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad for PCR test because the facility wasn’t available in Gilgit-Baltistan. I lost my appetite but I tried to force-feed myself so that I could gather some energy to fight off my illness. After a couple of days, our test reports were received from NIH: both of us were positive for COVID-19.

After the diagnosis, they shifted us to the Mohammadabad Hospital, where we were to stay for the next 25 days. Interestingly, by now my fever was gone, while I had no cough, no muscle soreness, no sore throat, and no shortness of breath. My appetite returned to normal [I started eating more than I normally do]. My wife remained asymptomatic throughout all this time.

Tales of survivors: How I became Pakistan's first COVID-19 patient

I’m a 51-year-old ex-serviceman and my wife is 45. I had heard that the coronavirus could be fatal for people of my age and older. Doctors sought to reassure me. But honestly, I wasn’t scared one bit. It is part of our faith that every living being has to die one day. I knew if I was destined to die, I’d die no matter what. But if my time is not up, this virus can never kill me.

We were tested several times during our 25-day nightmarish sojourn. We had no symptoms, but would still test positive. I’ve heard that my wife’s reports were mixed up with another patient’s at the NIH.

Luckily, the PCR testing facility was made available in Gilgit in the meantime and we were tested locally for the first time. The results were negative and a repeat test a day later confirmed the virus was out of our bodies. It was a huge relief.

We were discharged from the hospital on March 28, but doctors said we should avoid socialising for 14 days. We’ve rented a house in Gilgit city to spend these two weeks here. It’s been five days now and we are counting the days till we are completely in the clear.

My advice to the sick: Don’t dread this virus. Keep your faith in God and power up your will, Inshallah you will defeat it. To everyone else, I say take all precautions possible. If not out of concern for the virus, then think of the ordeal isolation can create.

 (Narrated to Naveed Hussain)]]>
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			<title>'We honour his sacrifice': Dr Usama's fight against COVID-19</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2182160/honour-sacrifice-dr-usamas-fight-covid-19</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2182160/honour-sacrifice-dr-usamas-fight-covid-19#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 20 06:55:24 +0500</pubDate>
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				<![CDATA[shabbir.mir]]>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Gilgit Baltistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[It is a national tragedy and we will award him the status of national hero, says G-B CM]]>
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				<![CDATA[“We will again see what the issue is, and if they [quarantined pilgrims] need further treatment, they will be shifted to DHQ or city hospital, but if they can be treated here, we will provide treatment to them here.”

These were the last words of young doctor Usama Riaz, heard in a video recorded at a quarantine centre at Sakwar, Gilgit – where he ultimately ended up contracting the novel coronavirus while checking pilgrims returning from Iran and Iraq.

“Usama was continuously on duty and unfortunately was without proper protective gear necessary to handle coronavirus patient,” said a doctor referring to his video in which Riaz is seen wearing an ordinary mask. The video went viral on social media attracting sympathies for the young doctor.

Pakistani volunteers 3D-print ventilators, join war against COVID-19

According to relatives, Riaz returned home on Friday night from duty and went to bed. “But he couldn’t wake up next morning,” said the relative, adding he was rushed to combined military hospital (CMH) and then the district headquarter (DHQ) hospital where a CT scan machine was found to be out of order. The relatives appealed for airlifting him to Islamabad for treatment but that did not materialize either.

The 26-years-old Riaz, who was a resident of Chilas town, was then put on a ventilator at DHQ Gilgit, where he remained for the next three days before passing away on Sunday.

“It’s a national tragedy and we will award him the status of national hero,” Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman told The Express Tribune.

“He was our frontline defence and we honour his sacrifice.”

Riaz’s death brings the tally of fatalities to five in Pakistan. The country has so far above 800 known cases of the virus. Sindh has reported the highest number of cases.

Mehtabur Rehman, a local journalist, who visited the quarantine centre said, “I visited the centre where Usama was deputed and found the situation deplorable”.

“As far as protective gear, there was no such thing on the ground,” said the journalist who was later put on quarantine on ‘suspicion’ of visiting the centre without following the standard operating procedures. Rehman termed the quarantine as a vendetta for exposing the government’s false claims.

Young doctor screening coronavirus patients dies of COVID-19 in Gilgit

The Pakistan Medical Association of Gilgit-Baltistan (PMA G-B) reacted to Riaz’s death and accused the government of showing negligence towards genuine issues of the doctors.

“Dr Riaz had contracted COVID-19 due to the negligence of government and its health department,” said President PMA G-B Dr Zulfiqar Ali while addressing a press conference in Gilgit.]]>
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			<title>New coronavirus case emerges in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan's tally rises to 20</title>
			<link>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2173948/new-coronavirus-case-emerges-gilgit-baltistan-pakistans-tally-rises-20</link>
			<comments>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2173948/new-coronavirus-case-emerges-gilgit-baltistan-pakistans-tally-rises-20#comments</comments>
			<pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 20 09:27:47 +0500</pubDate>
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			<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category><category><![CDATA[Gilgit Baltistan]]></category>
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				<![CDATA[The 14-year-old boy, a resident of Skardu, was held at an isolation centre where he tested positive for COVID-19]]>
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				<![CDATA[The second coronavirus case of Gilgit-Baltistan emerged on Wednesday, raising Pakistan’s tally of total confirmed cases to 20.

The 14-year-old boy, a resident of Skardu, was held at an isolation centre where he tested positive for the mysterious viral pneumonia-like disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

So far 20 Pakistanis have been tested positive for COVID-19 with 15 of them belonging to Sindh, four in Gilgit-Baltistan now and one in Balochistan.

First coronavirus case surfaces in Quetta, raising Pakistan’s tally to 19

On Tuesday, the first coronavirus case emerged in the Balochistan capital. The 12-year-old patient had arrived in Quetta along with his parents from Iran via Taftan border, head of a government hospital said.

The family belongs to Dadu district in Sindh, said the medical superintendent (MS) of Fatima Jinnah Hospital, adding that parents, three siblings and paternal aunt of the child are tested negative.

One patient has already fully recovered and was discharged from the hospital in Karachi last week.

Meanwhile, Dr Zafar Mirza, the de facto health minister, has said the federal government is looking closely at the changing situation and new cases are being provided with the best medical care.

“No need to worry… the situation is completely under control. The federal and provincial governments are jointly making all-out efforts to protect the masses from coronavirus on war footing,” he wrote using his official Twitter handle.

Dr Mirza admitted that the coronavirus cases in Pakistan had doubled in the last 24 hours.

“This is not surprising. Disease has spread in 106 countries. All 19 cases have brought this from abroad. All are stable. There is no evidence of local spread as yet. If we act responsibly we can avoid spread,” he wrote.

He also advised the public to observe hygiene by washing hands properly, avoid touching face and keeping distance with sick people.

“The government is working hard to contain the spread, but we all need to take our part in this fight,” he added.

All educational institutions in Sindh and Balochistan have been closed till March 13 over fear of the contagious disease’s outbreak.

The mysterious COVID-19 virus, which originated in a vet market of the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, has since then spread to more than 110 countries of the world, killing over 4,000 and infecting over 115,000 people, mostly in China thus far.

But new outbreaks in Europe, the Middle East and in Asia have fanned fears of the contagion taking hold in poor nations that lack the healthcare infrastructure to cope.

There are growing fears in Pakistan — sandwiched between China and Iran, both hotspots for the disease — over how the country would deal with the outbreak.]]>
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