g UNOFFICIAL RESULTS SHOW PML-N LEADING IN KEY NATIONAL AND PUNJAB A SSEMBLY SEATS
g PUNJAB A SSEMBLY SEATS IN FAISALABAD SAHIWAL, AND SARGODHA SHOW STRONG PML-N PERFORMANCE
g TUFAIL JUTT SURGES WITH OVER 136,000 VOTES IN NA-143 SAHIWAL PARTY DOMINATES NA-96 FAISALABAD AND NA-18 HARIPUR
g PM SHEHBAZ CONGRATULATES VICTORIOUS CANDIDATES, PRAISES PARTY LEADERSHIP
g PTI ALLEGES RIGGING AND DISRUPTION CLAIMS WORKERS DETAINED AND CAMPS DISMANTLED
sults showing the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leading in multiple constituencies the by-elections are being viewed as a significant indicator of public sentiment ahead of the general elections PML-N LEADS IN KEY NA AND PA CONSTITUENCIES
According to unofficial results in NA-143 Sahiwal PML-N s Chaudhry Muhammad Tufail Jutt secured a commanding lead with 136,313 votes from all 442 polling stations, while independent
constituencies including
18 Haripur, NA-96 Faisalabad-II, NA104 Faisalabad-X NA-129 Lahore-XIII NA-143 Sahiwal-III NA-185 Dera Ghazi Khan-II PP-73 Sargodha-III PP-87 Mianwali-III PP-98 Faisalabad-I PP-115 Faisalabad-XVIII, PP-116 FaisalabadXIX, PP-203 Sahiwal-VI, and PP-269 Muzaffargarh-II turned out amid tight security and heightened political tension These seats had fallen vacant primarily due to the disqualification of several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers in cases linked to the May 9, 2023, riots that erupted following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan With unofficial and unconfirmed re-
candidate Zarar Akbar trailed with 13 120 votes In NA-185 Dera Ghazi Khan PML-N s Mehmood Qadir Leghari led with 40,527 votes, followed by PPP candidate Sardar Dost Khosa, who received 19,008 votes In NA-18 Haripur PML-N’s Babar Nawaz led with 44 707 votes against independent candidate Sheher Naz s 28 469 votes NA-129 Lahore which witnessed an intense contest, saw PML-N s Hafiz Nauman leading with 38,252 votes, while PTI-backed Chaudhry Arslan secured
Sanaullah reiterates gov t’s dialogue ‘offer’ to PTI, flays electoral boycott
g PM ’S AIDE SAYS GOVERNMENT STILL OPEN TO POLITICAL TALKS UNDER ‘ MISAQ-I-ISTEHKAM-I-PAKISTAN ’
t PML-N Senator Rana Sanaullah on Sunday reiterated the government s offer to the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to hold dialogue and resolve the long-standing political crises affecting the country “The government is committed to a peaceful negotiated resolution and all political parties need to come together at the table to safeguard democracy and stability PM s advisor Sanaullah emphasized while speaking to the media in Faisalabad We are still in favour of politicians sitting together to resolve issues, Sanaullah said, recalling Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ’s “unconditional offer” made in August to all political parties to join the ‘Misaq-i-Istehkami-Pakistan’ (Charter for Stability of Pakistan) The senator stressed that dialogue not confrontation is the cornerstone of democratic progress criticizing PTI Chairman Imran Khan for always creating deadlocks that undermine governance Sanaullah made these remarks as by-elections were underway in PP-116, where his son-in-law Ahmed Shaharyar is contesting as the PML-N candidate On PTI’s official boycott of most by-elections he stated bluntly: “Imran Khan sahib is not even doing politics He has never done politics It is this country s and the public s misfortune that he was brought [into power] He accused the PTI of attempting to spread chaos anarchy and fitna from jail, citing examples from May 9 and November 26 protests Weeks of negotiations between the government and the PTI in December last year failed to yield results, with both sides blaming the other for derailing talks Recently PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan confirmed that no negotiations were ongoing between the party the federal government or the military establishment
17 047 votes In NA-96 Faisalabad-II Bilal Chaudhry of PML-N led with 63 957 votes followed by independent Malik Nawab Sher Waseer with 21,067 votes Among Punjab Assembly constituencies, PP-269 Muzaffargarh saw PPP’s Mian Alamdar Qureshi leading with 23 227 votes while independent Iqbal Pitafi trailed at 13 444 votes In PP87 Mianwali Ali Haider Noor Khan led with 44,944 votes against Nawabzada Ayaz Khan s 2,622 votes PP-98 Faisalabad reported PML-N’s Azad Ali Tabassum leading with 28 907 votes followed by independent Muhammad Ajmal Cheema with 20 401 votes Other PMLN leads were reported in PP-115 Faisalabad, PP-203 Sahiwal, and PP-73 Sargodha PRIME MINISTER CONGRATULATES PML-N’S TUFAIL JUTT Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended his congratulations to Muhammad Tufail Jutt on his resounding victory in the NA-143 Chichawatni byelection In a statement, he attributed the win to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif ’s leadership the tireless work of party workers and public confidence in Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz s development initiatives
Pakistan slams Indian Defence Minister ’s Sindh remarks as ‘expansionist hindutva agenda’
g FO SPOKESPERSON CALLS RAJNATH SINGH ’S STATEMENTS ‘ DELUSIONAL AND DANGEROUSLY REVISIONIST ’
ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t Pakistan on Sunday delivered a forceful diplomatic protest after the Foreign Office (FO) issued a sharply worded condemnation of what it described as Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh s delusional and dangerously revisionist remarks about Sindh, saying such statements reflected an “expansionist Hindutva mindset” aimed at redrawing recognised borders and unsettling regional stability Responding to Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh s remarking the FO in a statement said Such statements revealed an expansionist Hindutva mindset that seeks to challenge established realities and stands in clear violation of international law the inviolability of recognised borders and the sovereignty of states The FO said Singh s remarks were not only provocative but in clear violation of international law, the inviolability of recognised borders, and the sovereignty of states It said the comments laid bare an ideological posture in New Delhi that seeks to advance “historical distortions and fantastical civilisational claims at the expense of regional peace The FO emphasised that responsible leadership required restraint and respect for established norms saying: We urge Mr Rajnath Singh and other Indian leaders to refrain from rhetoric that threatens regional peace and stability It would be far more constructive for the Government of India to focus on ensuring the security of its own citizens particularly vulnerable minority communities The rebuke followed Singh s assertion
widely quoted in Indian media in which he claimed: Today, the land of Sindh may not be a part of India, but civilisationally, Sindh will always be a part of India borders can change Who knows, tomorrow Sindh may return to India again ” Singh reportedly made the remarks at a Sindhi Samaj Sammelan event in Delhi where he also suggested that Sindhi Hindus from his generation never fully accepted the province s accession to Pakistan in 1947 Analysts say such rhetoric surfaces periodically in India, often during domestic political cycles or moments of heightened Pakistan-India tensions Pakistan dismissed the assertions outright calling them irresponsible revisionist and reflective of a deepening ideological radicalisation within segments of India s governing elite The FO said India would also do well to address the persistent grievances of peoples in its northeast, many of whom continue to face systematic marginalisation identity-based persecution and cycles of state-enabled violence ” Reiterating its position on Jammu & Kashmir the FO said India must take credible steps toward genuine resolution of the dispute in line with UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people living under occupation ” Pakistan, the statement added remained committed to peaceful dispute settlement but would “safeguard its security independence and sovereignty without hesitation In early October the Pakistani military had warned that any future conflict with India could lead to cataclysmic devastation and Islamabad would respond “resolutely, without any qualms or restraints”
announces dates for 2026 matric and intermediate exams
India-Israel nexus worsening human rights situation in K ashmir, says S afi
LAHORE
t
Ghulam Muhammad Safi, convener of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu and Kashmir (APHCAJK) on Sunday warned that India s policies in Kashmir combined with growing ties with Israel, are escalating risks for regional stability Speaking at a three-day public gathering hosted by Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Safi said the strategies in occupied Kashmir mirror those used by Israel in Palestine including demographic manipulation, curbs on political freedoms, media suppression, and branding resistance as terrorism Safi described these measures as clear violations of international law including the Fourth Geneva Convention and the United Nations Charter and
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The victory in NA-143 is a reflection of the people’s trust in PML-N’s commitment to service development and governance ” the prime minister added He also urged Tufail Jutt to dedicate himself to serving the constituency and advancing public welfare, saying, He will represent the aspirations of his constituents and work day and night for their progress ”
E C P h a i l s P E a C E f u l vo t i n g, l o w t u r n o u t n o t E d: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Chairman Sikandar Sultan Raja described the byelections as very peaceful and thanked
Tarar warns PTI’s boycott of by-polls would carr y ‘serious political repercussions’
for Information and Broadcasting expressed confidence that Pakistan s young swimmers will soon compete at major international events, including the SAF Games, Asian Games and Olympics and ultimately win Olympic medals He commended the remarkable performance of the young participants noting that their enthusiasm and talent reflect a promising future for them, not only in Pakistan but also on the international stage He described the event as both healthy and competitive highlighting the strong display of sportsmanship across all age groups from under-16 to under10 categories He voiced the hope that Pakistan will one day win medals in swimming, expressing confidence that the country’s young athletes will represent the nation at the major events globally The minister praised the enthusiasm of parents and families who supported the young swimmers, calling the event inspiring
cautioned that they undermine human rights while threatening the strategic balance in South Asia
He said India has intensified demographic changes, altered electoral boundaries for political advantage, and systematically targeted local leaders and youth creating conditions ripe for conflict between two nuclear powers
Highlighting the India-Israel nexus Safi said both states pursue similar tactics in occupied territories, using advanced military capabilities to suppress local populations
“The aim is not merely to crush resistance but to maintain permanent control he said urging global institutions including the UN EU OIC and human rights organizations, to break their silence and hold India accountable Safi stressed that Kashmir is not just a bilateral issue but a matter of self-de-
termination human dignity and adherence to international resolutions He criticized attempts to portray the dispute as internal, insisting it remains an unresolved international concern He called for urgent human rights monitoring release of political prisoners restoration of communications and diplomatic efforts aligned with the will of the Kashmiri people Expressing gratitude to Pakistan and Jamaat-e-Islami for ongoing support, Safi said solidarity with Kashmiris has historical, emotional, and religious significance He urged the Muslim world to unite in addressing oppression in both Kashmir and Palestine pointing to the shared nature of human rights violations Peace in South Asia will remain unattainable until Kashmiris exercise their right to self-determination,” he concluded
the provincial governments for implementing stringent security arrangements While turnout was reported to be relatively low Raja noted that by-elections typically see lower voter engagement compared to general elections The Commission has taken impartial action against those violating the code of conduct Some reports were received from District Returning Officers while certain complaints were taken suo motu However no extraordinary complaints were reported, he said s E C u r i t y, a r r a n g E m E n t s, and aCCEssibility: A total of 2 792 polling stations were established with 408 highly sensitive and 1 032 sensitive loca-
Indian defence minister and its army and air chiefs, we caution that a future conflict might lead to cataclysmic devastation In case a fresh round of hostilities is triggered Pakistan shall not hold back We shall resolutely respond without any qualms or restraint, it said In his remarks, Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi had warned Pakistan that it must “stop state-sponsored terrorism if it wants to retain its place on the map” Meanwhile Indian Air Force Chief Amar Preet Singh claimed without evidence that his country had downed five Pakistani fighter jets of the F-16 and JF-17 class during the intense fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May For his part, Singh said during a speech: “Our soldiers have both weapons and high morale No challenge can stand before us Whether it is terrorism or any other kind of problem we have the capability to deal with and defeat them all Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours have remained at their lowest point in years following the four-day military conflict in May described as the most intense
tions Over 20 000 security personnel including police Elite Force and paramilitary units were deployed to maintain order Walk-through gates women-only booths and ramps for the elderly and differentlyabled were provided at all stations The Punjab government’s “Clean Punjab” teams ensured sanitation while ECP control rooms monitored proceedings in real time Despite meticulous arrangements voter turnout remained low in several constituencies In NA-18 Haripur, only 23 votes had been cast at Bank Colony polling booth out of 1,036 registered female voters by mid-morning Some voters expressed frustration at the distance of polling stations from residential areas
confrontation in decades The clash was triggered by an attack on Hindu tourists in occupied Kashmir, which India quickly blamed on Pakistan without presenting evidence Pakistan firmly denied involvement and rejected India’s version of events as replete with fabrications During the conflict both sides deployed fighter jets drones missiles and artillery Dozens were killed before a ceasefire took effect Pakistan initially said it had shot down six Indian jets, including a Rafale, later revising the figure to seven India acknowledged “some losses” but denied losing six aircraft Since then top political and military officials on both sides have exchanged blistering warnings In October, Pakistan s military cautioned that any fresh conflict could result in
TH E USA still has clout in the world Though it was the only absentee among the members at the G20 Summit it still dominated because all of the decisions await re-endorsement at the new G20 Summit, which is in the USA US President Donald Trump not only refused to attend, which would have been snub enough, but he refused to send any sort of delegation The reason he gave for this was because it was being hosted on Johannesburg, while he felt the South African government of President Cyril Ramaphosa persecutes white settlers The reason he might have wished to avoid the Summit was the potentially awkward meetings with heads of government of countries adversely affected by the tariffs he had imposed on them Thus the world’s largest economy stayed away from a meeting of the world’s largest economies including the founding members of BRICS The host is a BRICS founder
Mr Trump’s most recent focus on Africa has not recognized the economic potential of the continent Instead, it has involved his peculiar brand of rabblerousing with racist undertones When he met Mr Ramaphosa in the White House earlier in the year, he berated him for the forcible dispossession of white farmers He has encouraged white South Africans to seek refugee status in the USA, prioritizing their cases even as the total number of refugees admitted has been decreased Then comes his allegations of Muslim Boko Haram militants targeting and slaughtering Christians The Nigerian government has reacted very adversely to this denying it strongly Mr Trump’s absence may not be entirely Africa-related He has also shown so far that he does not like multilateral institutions like the UN and NATO He clearly perceives the G20 as another such institution, in which US leadership, while not denied, is not necessarily a given This may not always be a productive approach, especially in economic matters While the USA was away, the rest managed to say that supplies of rare-earth minerals would remain secure, and to call for greater sustainability The Summit s members showed themselves as believing in climate change something Mr Trump denies and agreeing that climate finance needed to be increased substantially Since none of the countries fall within his electorate he may find that next year ’s summit will not be as easy to preside over as it should be The first issue may well be accepting the
Dedicated
Trump’s Relentless War on Car tels
FR O M the moment Donald Trump took office as US President he cast his anti-drug-cartel campaign as a war not a mere policing effort He proclaimed that the malignant networks shipping fentanyl cocaine methamphetamine and other illicit substances into the USA were not simply criminal syndicates but enemy forces undermining the homeland In one address he declared: We are waging war on the cartels And indeed his campaign has moved beyond rhetoric: this year a special Homeland Security Task Force fully operational in all 50 states has been credited with 3 000 arrests of cartel leaders operatives and gang members in a matter of weeks a historic figure according to his announcement Among the seizures: more than two million pounds of fentanyl pills and over 1000 illegal firearms removed from US streets In the domestic theatre the stakes could not be higher Each addict each life destroyed by a fentanyl pill or cartel-driven gang violence represents not only a personal tragedy but a quiet collapse of productivity hope and trust In 2023 about 105 000 Americans died from drug overdoses, almost 73,000 of them from fentanyl alone– roughly 200 deaths every single day; even after a record 27 percent drop in 2024 provisional data still
Trump White House calculate that illicit opioids primarily fentanyl drained about $2 7 trillion from America in 2023 alone– roughly 9 7 percent of GDP– including $107 billion a year in lost labour-force productivity as workers are killed disabled, or pulled out of the workforce by addiction and incarceration The cartels feeding this plague are no longer small-time gangs but industrial-scale employers: one study in Science estimates around 175 000 people working for Mexican organised-crime groups making them the country s fifth-largest employer and anchoring a wider ecosystem of smugglers, enforcers, and front men that stretches deep into the
US supply chain It is this machinery that Trump brands the ISIS of the Western Hemisphere and it underpins his argument that the supply side must not merely be intercepted at the border, but hunted and dismantled at its source The war did not end at the US coastline Rather, Trump’s strategy pushed into the sea lanes airspace and political arenas of Latin America In August 2025 he ordered a naval deployment including an aircraft carrier strike group into the Caribbean Sea as part of what military analysts now call Operation Southern Spear The goal: choke off maritime cocaine, heroin and fentanyl conduits reaching America’s shores through Venezuela and Colombia According to one recent analysis by mid-October the USA had carried out at least 20 strikes on vessels off the coast of Venezuela and Colombia killing some 80 suspected traffickers Relations with both Caracas and Bogotá have now entered dangerous territory The USA has accused Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro regime of using the so-called “Cartel de los Soles” to traffic cocaine in exchange for military loyalty and in August Washington doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro s arrest to $50 million Colombian President Gustavo Petro has publicly condemned US strikes that killed civilians alleging one victim was a fisherman, not a cartel member This has triggered a full-scale diplomatic rift with Trump calling Petro an “illegal drug leader and suspending US aid
Why such urgency? Because the human cost is catastrophic and mounting The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in its 2025 National Drug Threat Assessment identifies the Cártel de Sinaloa as one of the world’s most significant suppliers of fentanyl precursors destined for the USA and warns that criminal groups are now operating sophisticated cargo-networks submarines drones and semisubmersibles Trump argues that each illicit shipment not intercepted means countless American lives lost, families ruined, communities hollowed out At the same time, the domestic crime war is deeply personal Many of the gang-and-cartel footsoldiers he says have been dismantled were once street-level traffickers exploiting underage girls and vulnerable young people in rings of trafficking sexual exploitation and drugs Here lies the central dilemma Trump s strategy is unrelentingly kinetic: he believes only overwhelming force will
information
deficits push people back toward informal channels When an online service becomes unreliable, citizens fall back on intermediaries and manual processes recreating the very inefficiencies digitization aimed to eliminate The problem is not technological ambition but the absence of institutional continuity and strategic planning Digital reforms often begin with political momentum but lose steam due to leadership turnover, budgetary reallocation, or bureaucratic reshuffling Projects are launched with ceremony but receive limited long-term investment in maintenance security and user training This cycle mirrors other governance domains in Pakistan, where reform is episodic rather than cumulative Digital governance should be understood as a living system requiring constant updating, integration, and evaluation Instead many platforms function as static repositories that cannot adapt to population growth economic change or increasing service demands Accessibility is an equally pressing concern With more than 36 percent of the population lacking reliable internet access and wide disparities in digital literacy online public services risk excluding entire regions In Balochistan for example less than half of tehsils have broad-band coverage Rural districts in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa face similar connectivity challenges Digitization without accessibility deepens inequality by creating a two-tiered system in which citizens with devices and connectivity benefit while others are left behind These gaps are more than administrative challenges They have economic implications A malfunctioning online tax system discourages formalization Errors in digital land records hinder investment and contribute to litigation Weak cybersecurity exposes institutions to risk; Pakistan recorded more than 900 000 attempted cyber intrusions against public databases in 2024 alone The economic cost of poorly implemented digitization is therefore both direct and structural Pakistan s digital governance experience also raises questions internationally Global competitiveness and ease-of-business indices increasingly evaluate countries on the reliability of their digital systems The World Justice Proj-
ect Rule of Law Index ranks Pakistan 129 out of 142 countries in regulatory enforcement Fragmented digital systems reinforce these rankings by creating opacity rather than transparency For investors development partners and oversight bodies inconsistent digital governance signals institutional fragility These challenges do not diminish the value of digital reform Pakistan has made progress that should not be dismissed The Sindh police’s online FIR system, Punjab’s e-stamp papers, KP’s citizen facilitation centers and the federal government s e-office initiative demonstrate that functional models exist The question is how to replicate them with consistency rather than novelty Sustainable digital governance requires interoperable data standards, dedicated funding for system maintenance, and user feedback mechanisms that inform iterative improvement What ultimately matters is not how many systems Pakistan digitizes but how many of them work reliably for ordinary citizens Digital governance is not a technological project It is an institutional one that depends on credibility, predictability, and state capacity If systems do not function, citizens disengage And when citizens disengage even the most ambitious reforms lose their legitimacy Pakistan stands at a crossroads It can continue launching digital platforms that promise transformation but deliver frustration, or it can invest in the slower, more disciplined work of building robust institutions behind them Technology may modernize the interface of the state but only trust can modernize its relationship with the public
Suleman Zia is a transnational educational consultant freelance columnist and policy analyst based in Lahore Pakistan
Home healing
Clipped wings
parity, containment and mutual management This subtle recalibration reflects broader geopolitical calculations Washington appears to have tempered its ambitions for India preferring a stable partner over a dominant one It is a strategy aimed less at amplifying India s influence and more at containing unpredictability ensuring no single regional actor India included, disrupts the broader
suleman Zia
IN every functioning democracy an independent judiciary stands as the final barrier between the citizen and abuse of state power The separation of powers is not an abstract theory; it is the working architecture that prevents domination by any one branch Courts are not designed to move with political currents but to resist them This principle is embedded across constitutional democracies, from the life tenure of US federal judges, crafted to shield them from executive preference, to the fixed, non-renewable terms and carefully depoliticized appointment processes that govern Germany s Federal Constitutional Court The common thread is clear: security of tenure and insulation from political influence are prerequisites for judicial authority A judge who is dependent on political goodwill or vulnerable to reprisal cannot act as a neutral arbiter of constitutional limits Against this global standard Pakistan’s recent constitutional trajectory is deeply troubling The Constitution (26th Amendment) Act, 2024, and the Constitution (26thAmendment) Act, 2025, dramatically restructure judicial leadership, appointments, and jurisdiction Though presented as reforms to correct imbalance and excessive judicial activism the cumulative effect is unmistakable: the subordination of the judiciary to political control Rather than strengthening constitutional governance, the amendments weaken the protection of rights and dilute the judiciary’s capacity to check executive and legislative overreach
CONTEXT: THE RATIONALE AND THE SUO MOTU DEBATE: The amendments emerged from long-standing friction over the Supreme Court s use of suo motu jurisdiction under Article 184(3) Following the 2007 lawyers’ movement, the Court, invoking public interest litigation and the enforcement of fundamental rights began intervening extensively in political and administrative matters To supporters this activism filled a vacuum left by weak institutions and unresponsive governance To critics, it represented judicial intrusion into
G u a r d i a n s o r g a t e d i n ?
H o w t h e 2 6 t h a n d 2 7 t h A m e n d m e n t s u n d e r m i n e j u d i c i a l i n d e p e n d e n c e
policy choices and political contests Successive governments complained that the Court s expansive interpretation of its own powers destabilized governance and allowed unelected judges to override the democratic process The 26th and 27th Amendments represent the political system’s decisive reply: narrowing judicial authority reconfiguring appointments and altering institutional hierarchies in ways that critics argue go far beyond procedural correction and instead amount to structural subordination of the judiciary
THE 26TH AMENDMENT: RESHAPING AUTHORITY AND APPOINT-
MENTS: The 26th Amendment passed in October 2024, enacted a series of changes that many domestic and international legal observers including the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) called a serious blow to judicial independence
1 A Three-Year Term for the Chief Justice: The amendment revises Article 179 by capping the Chief Justice of Pakistan s term at three years, replacing a tenure defined solely by retirement age This short fixed term introduces significant instability A Chief Justice with only three years has limited ability to implement long-term administrative reform, cultivate jurisprudential coherence, or ensure continuity in judicial policy More frequent vacancies create additional opportunities for political influence at the very top of the judicial hierarchy altering the institutional balance intended by the Constitution
2 Reconstituting the Judicial Commission of Pakistan: The restructuring of
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the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) alters the balance between judicial and political actors in the appointment process The inclusion of four parliamentary members, two from each House, split between government and opposition means judicial members no longer hold a clear majority While proponents defend this as democratization the shift introduces a decisive political presence in what was originally designed as a professional, merit-based body
The amendment also introduces a Special Parliamentary Committee (SPC) empowered to select the Chief Justice from among the three senior-most judges This departs from the long-standing principle of automatic seniority, replacing a predictable and apolitical succession mechanism with one that enables political discretion Even if seniority remains a guiding factor, the introduction of parliamentary choice at the apex of judicial leadership significantly increases the risk of politicized selection
3 Curtailment of Suo Motu Powers: The 26th Amendment substantially restricts the Court’s ability to take suo motu notice by reconfiguring how constitutional cases are initiated and processed and by mandating Constitutional Benches for such matters While not couched as an outright abolition, the combination of procedural constraints and jurisdictional redistribution amounts to a severe curtailment of the Court’s previously unfettered ability to intervene in matters of public interest Critics argue that this narrows an essential tool for rights protection particularly in contexts where vulnerable groups cannot easily access the courts
THE 26THAMENDMENT: CREATING
A PARALLEL APEX COURT: The 27th Amendment enacted in November builds upon and amplifies the 26th Amendment s structural changes It introduces an entirely new judicial architecture by establishing the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC)
1 Establishment of the Federal Constitutional Court: Under the new Article 175E, the FCC becomes the exclusive forum for major constitutional matters, including: Constitutional interpretation Federal-provincial disputes Public interest cases relating to fundamental rights By transferring this jurisdiction the amendment transforms the Supreme Court from Pakistan s constitutional guardian into an appellate court for non-constitutional civil and criminal matters The realignment dismantles the coherent apex structure the 1973 Constitution created and introduces risks of fragmentation conflicting jurisprudence and legal uncertainty
2 Executive Dominance in Foundational Appointments: For its initial formation, the FCC’s first judges are to be appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister bypassing even the newly altered JCP Given that these initial appointments will shape the FCC s culture, jurisprudence, and legitimacy for decades, executi deep concerns about neutrality and independence The amendment also raises the retirement age of FCC judges to 68 granting longer tenure to those appointed through this executive-centric process
3 Judicial Transfers and Disciplinary Leverage: A significant and troubling development is the amendment to Article 200 which enables the transfer of High Court judges without their consent Judges who decline such transfers within 30 days may face proceedings before the Supreme Judicial Council under Article 209 This undermines a foundational pillar of judicial independence: security of tenure A judiciary vulnerable to punitive transfers or disciplinary threats cannot operate free from political coercion Unsurprisingly, the legal community reacted strongly Justices Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Athar Minallah, two respected
p re s s u re s Ze l e n s k y y to g i ve u p te r r i to r y, s h r i n k m i l i t a r y, a n d a b a n d o n N ATO h o p e s o r r i s k l o s i n g U S s u p p o r t
TArabia] is a great ally and Israel’s a great ally ” the president said “As far as I’m concerned I think they are both at a level where they should get top of the line That is not language that Israel likes to hear out of Washington and it was the latest of several setbacks in the bilateral relationship in recent months Potentially of equal importance to the F35 sale, the administration has announced it would lift the ban on selling advanced AI chips to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) The decision significantly boosts Riyadh s ambitions of becoming a global tech hub with vast energy-intensive datacentres that will be the foundations of the global AI economy in which Saudi Arabia and the US could take a lead together Gregory Gause a visiting scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington compared the ambitions of a US-Saudi partnership in the AI economy with the US corporate-led development of Saudi oilfields in the 1930s It could be a real solid link between the countries – a better guarantee of an American commitment to Saudi security than anything that could be written on a piece of paper,” Gause said There were other recent events which suggested at least a temporary US move away from Israeli primacy in Middle East policy On Monday a USdrafted UN security council resolution included language about a possible pathway to an independent Palestine, despite desperate Israeli efforts to have the clause removed
A few months earlier at the end of June Trump lifted some sanctions on Syria again in conflict with Israeli preferences And in May he toured the Middle East to showcase his foreign policy visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, but not Israel All this marks a drift in US Middle East policy from what was arguably the high point in the US-Israeli relationship, when Trump fulfilled Benjamin Netanyahu’s longstanding aim and joined Israel in airstrikes on Iran s nuclear facilities in June triggering anxiety across the Gulf Saudi leaders were alarmed at how quickly the conflict threatened to spill across the region, said Sanam Vakil, the director of the Middle East and north Africa programme at the Chatham House foreign policy thinktank “Although a fragile ceasefire holds for now Riyadh remains wary that another confrontation could erupt with little warning ” In the wake of the Iran strikes Netanyahu seems to have taken Washington s backing for granted and overreached, bombing a target in the Qatari capital, Doha, in a bid to kill Hamas officials Trump reportedly had very little notice of the plan to bomb a close regional ally Trump reacted by humiliating Netanyahu during his visit to the White House in late September forcing him to call his Qatari counterpart from the Oval Office in order to apologise In Trump s transactional White House, it is hard for Israel to compete against
The flow of huge amounts of money occurs in both public and private spheres Saudi Arabia Qatar and the UAE have together invested near $5bn in a fund managed by Trump s son-in-law Jared Kushner Trump has consistently shown he has a greater affinity with absolute rulers than elected leaders Prince Mohammed faces none of the
former president Joe Biden’s position on Prince Mohammed from “pariah” for the slaughter of Khashoggi to a humiliating climbdown a visit to Jeddah in July 2022 and a notorious fist bump with the prince
Some observers argue that the wind-shifts of the past few months do not add up to a US “reset” in the Middle East policy They point out that, beneath the razzle-dazzle of the Saudi visit there are aspects of the discussion that are more superficial than they initially seemed
Announcing the $1tn investment promise Prince Mohammed did not mention a timescale Nor is it clear how many F-35 the US will sell to Riyadh Several items on the summit agenda do not look as if they are coming to fruition any time soon like a bilateral defence pact and a civil nuclear power agreement which can be blocked by Congress
The prospect of Saudi normalisation of relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords came up but was politely shelved by the crown prince He made clear that normalisation would depend on a solid commitment to a Palestinian state, considerably more than the vague conditional language in Monday’s security council resolution
When it comes to Gaza and Palestine as a whole Daniel Levy the president of the US/Middle East Project and an analyst of the region, sees very little prospect of change On the Palestinian file, there s no joy at all, I would argue,” Levy said “I think Israel has a very free hand They’ve got the hostages out and they’re still bombing Gaza ” But in the bigger picture he argued that when it comes to US policy in the Middle East the more it changes the more it stays the same
If you just strip away some of
Noor Zafar
insufficient checks on the origin of some animals At the CITES meeting in Uzbekistan, live-streamed on Sunday, the recommendation was reversed after many countries, including India, the United States, Japan, and Brazil said the measure was too premature with some also saying there was no evidence of illegal imports into India There doesn t seem to be enough support for retaining the recommendation Naimah Aziz Chair of the CITES Standing Committee told the delegates adding that it could consider if further regulatory measures were needed CITES is a global treaty that regulates
S TA F F R E P O R T
UNJAB Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Sunday announced a sweeping crackdown on administrative negligence and substandard sanitation across the province warning that poor performance will no longer be tolerated
Chairing a high-level meeting she ordered an immediate halt to payments for contractors failing to meet required standards and issued new directives aimed at overhauling governance, operational efficiency, and public hygiene
In a decisive move the Chief Minister instructed authorities to immediately stop payments to contractors under the Saf Suthra Punjab program whose work fell below standards She further directed that re-contracting should be considered where performance remains unsatisfactory Officials were reminded that the province cannot compromise on public hygiene or administrative oversight Expressing strong displeasure over poor sanitation in several cities, Maryam Nawaz rebuked deputy commissioners
for recurring incidents, including stray dog bites, uncovered manholes, and preventable deaths She warned, “There will be two warnings On the third the Deputy Commissioner will be replaced The Chief Minister emphasized that elevating governance in Punjab is a top priority and that negligence in public service matters will not be excused under any circumstances To ensure accountability, CM Maryam has intensified monitoring of district-level performance Teams have been instructed to conduct secret inspections in every district to assess cleanliness and governance standards Contractors who fail to deliver results will face immediate action, including withholding of payments According to reports the Chief Minister expressed particular concern over cities with inadequate sanitation arrangements and has directed that salaries of underperforming contractors be withheld until corrective action is taken Similarly,
dress these deficiencies Maryam Nawaz stressed that ensuring citizen safety maintaining hygiene and delivering effective governance remain the core priorities of her administration The directives mark a stern message to both contractors and government officials that accountability transparency and results-driven administration will define the new approach to governance in Pun-
Commitment to deepen bilateral ties reiterated at Austrian National Day event
Additionally the Hunarmand Khawateen initiative has given five women an opportunity to scale their food venture by receiving a stall space, training, and cash to uplift their business, all under the guise of anonymity This is an application based process, taken on annually with vetting interviews and research Further partners the likes of OD The Kraftsy Zaynah Affosentials and The Willow Tree Paperie and Esnaf extend their support for the platform Through further partnerships with
Lahore Police ensures peaceful conduct of by-elections
The commitment to bolster Pakistan-Austria bilateral relations was reiterated at a reception held here to celebrate Austrian National Day and welcome new ambassador of Republic of Austria Wolfgang Oliver Kutschera Federal Minister for Investment Qaisar Ahmed Sheikh Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori, Speaker Sindh Assembly Awais Qadir Shah, Consul Generals of various countries and dignitaries from political, business, diplomatic and social circles participated in the event The event hosted by Dr Hussain Islam Honorary Consul of Austria in Karachi highlighted bilateral cooperation cultural ties and diplomatic relations expressing hope of giving a new dimension to relations between Pakistan and Austria The Austrian ambassador and other dignitaries cut a cake to mark the National Day festivities The Austrian National Day is celebrated on 26th October to commemorate the proclamation of sovereignty and permanent neutrality by the Republic of Austria in 1955 The Austrian envoy Wolfgang Oliver Kutschera speaking at the occasion highlighted his country s policy of multilateralism, neutrality, international cooperation and development and said that Austria has always prioritized peace and human rights and emphasized on protection of citizens everywhere across the globe He said that Pakistan and Austria share 70 years of friendly diplomatic relations bound with mutual respect and friendship in various sectors including trade investment renewable energy education culture and tourism He appreciated Pakistan s vital role in regional stability and constructive engagement with the countries in the region and said that Austria is looking forward to deepening cooperation with Pakistan in shared priorities including climate resilience, sustainable energy, education and inclusive development
a top priority for many healthcare institutes and communities particularly for patients from low-income backgrounds since the correction procedures come with a hefty cost Having a newborn baby in Pakistan comes with its challenges, especially for the country s lower classes And when these children face complications
Senior politician Mir Aamir Khan Magsi expressing best wishes for the new Austrian envoy said that mutual ties of both friendly countries have flourished by time He also underscored the potential of boosting the bilateral business and people to people contacts and expressed the commitment to work jointly for extended cooperation and development Honorary Consul of Austria Dr Hussain Islam at the occasion welcomed Austrian ambassador Wolfgang Oliver Kutschera on assuming new diplomatic responsibilities in Pakistan and hoped that he will play an active role in promotion of bilateral relations of both the countries
in their genetic makeup, parents often have to make the difficult choice between carrying the weight of hefty correction procedures, or helplessly seeing their child suffer from a complication that could simply be treated through the correct resources” said Hammad Zahid Country Manager Himalaya Wellness Parents to children born with this birth defect usually have little to no support or guidance as to how they can help their child live a normal life Feeding, eating, and other facial functions become much more difficult, not to mention a society that stigmatizes extraordinary physical appearances and demands physical perfection Himalaya Wellness through its partnership with Liaquat National Hospital has stepped forth to assist these families in getting the surgical help they need, thereby setting an example for business and private sector leaders Being a wide-known company in Pakistan the health and wellness giant believes in empowering its communities and consumer bases in areas that are often overlooked during community welfare debates
Dar praises PFOWA’s humanitarian work, pledges continued suppor t
s ta f f r e p o r t
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday reaffirmed the government s commitment to women s empowerment and social welfare during the inaugural ceremony of the Annual Charity Bazaar 2025, organised by the Pakistan Foreign Office Women s Association (PFOWA) Dar accompanied by Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch toured the international stalls and praised the event as a platform that promotes humanitarian engagement and cross-cultural cooperation He said PFOWA’s work reflects the values of service and generosity extending support not only to the families of the Foreign Service but also to vulnerable communities nationwide Highlighting the association s achievements, the minister cited PFOWA’s active role during recent floods including contributions to the National Disaster Management Authority the Prime Minister s Relief Fund and support for hospitals such as PIMS
and Polyclinic He also noted the organisation s ongoing initiatives in education, health, and broader social welfare programs Dar described the event as a symbol of solidarity and friendship with Pakistan s international partners and said it underscores the government s focus on integrating women into development and humanitarian efforts “Our faith teaches the virtue of giving, and PFOWA exemplifies this principle in action he said calling on citizens to continue supporting such initiatives
The minister concluded by lauding PFOWA s decades-long contributions to social development, saying the organisation not only provides immediate relief in crises but also strengthens long-term opportunities for underprivileged communities particularly women and children
KP CM approves major overhaul of Special Branch to boost counter-terror c apabilities
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Sunday approved a sweeping set of administrative and operational upgrades for the Police Special Branch in a major push to modernise the intelligence arm and reinforce the province s counter-terrorism mechanism Chairing a high-level meeting at the Chief Minister s Secretariat, he cleared pivotal reforms including declaring the Special Branch a standalone specialised unit creating 1 221 new posts and approving a multi-billion-rupee financial package to significantly boost infrastructure, mobility and technical surveillance capacity CM Afridi gave in-principle approval for Rs1,820 million for infra-
structure development and new buildings along with Rs904 7 million for the purchase of 98 vehicles and 404 motorcycles to expand mobility across the province A further Rs2 543 9 million will be dedicated to advanced technical equipment, surveillance systems and intelligence-gathering tools He also directed that proposed allowances for Special Branch personnel be expedited stressing that strengthening the police intelligence network was central to KP s fight against terrorism New buildings for the upgraded unit will also be set up in multiple districts
During the briefing, officials outlined the core responsibilities of the Special Branch intelligence collection security assessments verifications surveys and surveillance noting that 308 personnel from the merged districts have already been in-
tegrated In 2025 alone, the Special Branch neutralised two suicide jackets 32 IEDs 70 rocket shells and 288 hand grenades averting several planned terrorist attacks
The unit also delivered extensive security and verification operations across the province: providing protective cover for 635 political gatherings; completing 3 124 NADRA checks; 6 840 passport verifications; 14 518 CPEC-related verifications; 6 060 personal verifications; and 9 413 official employee verifications
Reaffirming his government s commitment, CM Afridi said all required resources would be made available without delay to raise the professional capabilities of the Special Branch and to ensure the province s security architecture remains fully equipped to counter emerging threats
Adab Festival panel highlights threats to truth as media faces censorship,
leaders to support the Kashmiri and Palestinian causes in unity with the public He stressed that millions have sacrificed their lives for Kashmir and that a free Palestinian state is the only just solution for the region The JI chief also addressed domestic issues, highlighting the absence of local government elections in Punjab since 2015 and the exploitation of women under the current inheritance system He called out the capitalist and feudal structures that he said enrich landlords and elites while pushing the poor further into deprivation Hafiz Naeemur Rehman urged youth to participate in reform movements and pledged that JI would guide and empower them to build an Islamic welfare state He said the party’s mission includes ensuring farmers receive fair returns on their labour and advocating for equitable social and economic policies
KARACHI M o n i to r i n g r e p o r t Journalists at the 10th Adab Festival on Saturday sounded alarms over shrinking press freedom, financial insecurity, and the rise of digital disinformation, warning that Pakistan’s media faces an unprecedented crisis
The session “Truth Trust and Tenacity: The New Media Paradigm featured Fazil Jamili Azhar Abbas Amber Rahim Shamsi and Azaz Syed moderated by Nadia Naqi
Naqi opened the discussion highlighting the stakes “Speaking the truth carries risks Journalists face intimidation and public trust is eroding in an environment dominated by misinformation she said
She questioned whether traditional media could survive against social media, YouTube creators, and other digital platforms shaping public opinion Abbas Geo TV Network managing director said falsehoods have been deliberately amplified For over 15 years social engineering has sown doubt against journalists, activists, and political actors Trust can be destroyed in minutes,” he said Shamsi, Pakistan editor at Nukta, warned that digital platforms create new forms of control Algorithms reward outrage over accuracy Political and commercial interests dictate reach Even neutral terms like Palestine can trigger shadowbans, she said She added that click-driven media encourages sensationalism at the expense of rational reporting
Jamili, Karachi Press Club president, said self-censorship is now the dominant form of control “Editors once set priorities Today algorithms do Journalists chase visibility instead of truth ” he said He noted that over half of KPC s 1 800 members are unemployed with delayed salaries undermining integrity A hungry journalist cannot serve the public faithfully,” he added Syed, also from Geo TV Network, said truth is subjective and must be distinguished from facts Religious and political groups maintain competing narratives Our role is to collect facts and separate them from assumptions and opinions, he said The panel highlighted the erosion of editorial independence Major newspapers no longer publish editorials reflecting
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