IRAN WARNS HORMUZ ROUTE CHANGES WILL INFL AME TENSIONS AS TRUCE TEETERS
KARACHI/RAWALPINDI
S TA F F R E P O R T Three Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) personnel embraced martyrdom while thwarting a terrorist assault on a Rangers camp in Karachi s Gulistani-Jauhar, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday, adding that the attack by terrorists belonging to the "Indian proxy Jamaatul Ahrar was decisively foiled According to the military s media wing, the attackers targeted the Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) Camp in Gulistan-iJauhar after detonating an explosive at the main gate before attempting to breach the facility's perimeter
The assailants after a blast at the main gate of the Camp, attempted to breach the perimeter security However their nefarious designs were decisively foiled by the vigilant and resolute response of Rangers troops, eliminating three kharijis and capturing one khariji, who is an Afghan national, in injured condition," the ISPR said The government designates the perpetrators of terrorist attacks in the country as kharijis (outcasts) The ISPR said three brave sons of the soil" embraced martyrdom during the exchange of fire while four other soldiers sustained injuries
trators of this attack to avenge the martyrdom of its soldiers " Sanitisation operations were continuing to eliminate any remaining Indian-sponsored terrorists in the area, it added
The military further asserted that Pakistan shall undertake retribution operations against the perpe-
The ISPR reaffirmed that the security forces and law enforcement agencies would continue the relentless counterterrorism campaign under the vision of Azm-i-Istehkam to eradicate the menace of foreign-sponsored terrorism from the country Chief of Defence Staff (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the martyred soldiers
These sacrifices further reinforce our unwavering commitment to safeguarding our nation at all costs," the statement said Explosion, gunfire rock Gulistani-Jauhar
Residents of Karachi s Gulistani-Jauhar reported hearing a powerful explosion followed by intense gunfire at around 8pm on Saturday
Specialised security units, law enforcement personnel and rescue teams rushed to the scene while police and paramilitary forces cordoned off the area Initial reports indicated that the attackers rammed a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VB-IED) into the main gate of the Rangers headquarters in Block 5 of Gulistan-i-Jauhar triggering a massive explosion before storming the compound and opening indiscriminate fire
PAKISTAN’S GOLD IMPORTS FALL 47.79%
revenue shortfall of Rs77 346 billion after the National
Electric Power Regulatory Authority did not approve its reference tariff the audit said the tariff issue stemmed from the company’s failure to conduct third Party Validation of project costs despite repeated directives from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council As a result, a lower provisional tariff was approved Business interruption losses during FY2022-23 to FY202425 were estimated at Rs99 18 billion
During these periods the company s revenue depended largely on Late Payment surcharge receipts instead of electricity generation Financial indicators deteriorated from FY2022-23
PAKISTAn EyES ExPoRT-lED gRowTh ThRoUgh
SME PUSh, SAyS hARoon AKhTAR
Teign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar held an in-depth telephonic conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan during which the two leaders reviewed the latest regional developments and expressed deep concern over the renewed hostilities In a statement, the Foreign Office said both foreign ministers discussed
which culminated in the signing of the 14-point Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on June 18 to end the fourmonth US-Iran conflict and facilitate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz The interim agreement initiated a 60-day negotiating framework aimed at reaching
begin charging transit fees for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that previously handled nearly one-fifth of global oil and natural gas shipments The United States and Gulf Arab states have rejected Tehran s position maintaining that the Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway despite lying within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and several Gulf countries strongly condemned Iran’s latest attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain, as well as actions they said threatened security and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz
PBF sees scope to lif t Pakistan Iran trade to $10b af ter
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01 Under
nomic prosperity for the people of both Pakistan and Iran through sustained commercial engagement and closer economic cooperation
Cloudburst causes widespread damage in Diamer
A cloudburst in Gilgit-Baltistan s Thor Valley in Diamer district triggered flash floods that damaged homes orchards, crops, bridges and vehicles, while national and provincial authorities issued fresh warnings over the risk of glacial lake outburst floods and related hazards in northern regions
According to police torrential rain on Friday sent floodwaters through large parts of Thor Valley washing away houses orchards cultivated land link bridges and vehicles The flooding also entered Wapda Colony, where buildings, roads and other infrastructure suffered extensive damage Police said the main road connecting Thor Valley was blocked at several points cutting off a large population from the rest of the district and complicating rescue and relief work Residents in the affected area appealed to the government for immediate assistance, compensation and a full assessment of losses One resident described the scale of personal damage suffered in the flooding "I have suffered huge losses and even my
aid workers The local administration said it was monitoring the situation continuously and trying to restore access to isolated communities as quickly as possible
The disaster coincided with a fresh alert issued by the National Disaster Management Authority through its National Emergencies Operation Centre, warning of a heightened risk of glacial lake outburst floods and flash floods from June 27 to July 3 in Gilgit-Baltistan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir
According to the advisory prolonged high temperatures along with forecast rainfall are expected to speed up glacier melting and increase water flows in rivers and mountain streams Authorities warned that fast glacier melt could sharply raise river levels, while mounting pressure on glacial lakes could lead to glacial lake outburst floods flash floods landslides and mudslides
The PMD advised residents, tourists and travellers to stay away from riverbanks streams glacial
Terror in Karachi
TH AT terrorism still has teeth was shown in Karachi in the attack on Rangers headquarters there, which though foiled by the alertness and professionalism of the Rangers personnel, also threw into relief how terrorism, though checked, has not been eliminated The incident showed once again that Karachi is a favoured destination for terrorists with incidents ranging from the 2002 murder of US journalist Daniel Pearl to the 2011 attack on the Naval Air Base in which two P3C Orions were destroyed, to the 2022 attack killing three Confucius Institute teachers of Chinese
One reason for this is that many terrorists have moved from the stronghold of South Waziristan into what is the largest Pashtun city in the world The problem with that information is that it leads to racial profiling, and the local police have in the past extracted bribes from the families of innocent Pashtuns picked up to terrorism charges, for their release The latest outrage should not lead down that rabbit hole Apart from the existence of a pool of recruits, there is the possibility of a single organization carrying out these attacks which is additionally dangerous for it means that the group develops collective memory and thus a knowledge of best practices, thus making them that much harder to trace and to combat The real vulnerability of such outfits is to human intelligence If the intelligence agencies, both civilian and military, were doing their job properly, these groups would be so deeply penetrated that they could not carry out an operation on the scale of Saturday evening’s attack
The government must consider whether the Rangers have become too much part of the city landscape, and are considered just another law-enforcing agency, like the police After all, they have been operating in Karachi since 1989 It must also redouble the intelligence effort not with a view to hounding anyone or even punishing the other culprits (especially any facilitators) but of preventing any such future attacks The number of attacks is too small to draw any firm conclusions, but that being said, it does seem that there is a slight uptick in frequency That means that trying to prevent further attacks is worthwhile Terrorism is a hydra-headed monster, and even as the Karachi attack took place there were operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan The terrorists have to be eliminated not just brought under pressure
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
Economic sur vey F Y26: some reflections
TH E government recently released ‘Pakistan Economic Survey 2025-26 ’ which is an annual publication surveying major economic happenings of the fiscal year in terms of macroeconomic indicators, and government economic initiatives, and is released before the federal budget Two comments upfront: First, Pakistan is among the top-ten most challenged country in terms of climate change and the ongoing fiscal year saw catastrophic flooding in the country during the monsoon season which are also the first few months of the ongoing fiscal year, and it is quite shocking that the chapter on climate change is the last chapter of the Survey, behind two annexures ‘contingent liabilities,’ and ‘Tax expenditure 2026 ’ and the section ‘Economic and social indicators ’ Even in the chapter there is no mention of climate finance which is strange given Pakistan suffered from significant level of flooding during summers of 2025, and also has significant climate finance needs given the resilience enhancing needs, including improving water related resilience against higher temperatures, including its negative impact on the pace of melting of glaciers Also the current year is reportedly starting to witness El Niño about which the chapter has no mention! Highlighting about El Niño a June 11 BBC-published article What is El Niño and why could it mean record temperatures? pointed out A natural weather pattern called El Niño- which could bring extreme weather to many parts of the world- has begun US scientists say The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said that El Niño conditions are likely to strengthen over the rest of 2026 Many forecasts suggest it could be one of the strongest El Niños ever recorded Coming on top of decades of human-caused warming, 2027 may be the hottest year on record, with disruption to weather, food supplies and economies ’ Moreover it is strange that the Survey has no concerns about the financial envelope of the IMF s Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) programme which only provides around US$1 4 billion– or SDR 1 billion to be precise– over around two years of programme duration Secondly, there is a very weak analysis depicting level of resilience where the main indicator is taken as trade tariffs shock from USA during early 2025 which although quite deep yet in the broader scheme of things in a world affected by polycrisis it is just one of a number
of factors, like the existential threat of climate change crisis and elevated level of conflict in the shape of for instance Ukraine War and the recent Middle East conflict Hence to indicate in the opening paragraph of the chapter of the Survey Overview of the economy that The global economy showed resilience in 2025 despite heightened trade tensions and persistent policy uncertainty and then in the second paragraph indicate that ‘However, the global outlook weakened in early 2026 following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East Disruptions in energy supply routes and damage to critical production facilities increased uncertainty in global energy markets and added downside risks to growth At the same time renewed trade tensions, elevated public debt, and concerns regarding slowing productivity growth continued to weigh on the global economic outlook’ This is more of an example of a weak level of preparedness of the global economy in terms of resilience against shock especially for developing countries like Pakistan whereby one conflict was able to significantly impact countries in general, which is an example of lack of resilience in the global economy, which has not seen much buidt-up in a mission-oriented way, even though serious cracks were witnessed in this regard when the covid-19 pandemic hit Moreover the economic survey needs to understand that the country is stuck in a low growth equilibrium, and even an increase in growth from 3 18 percent, to estimated 3 7 percent, does not indicate a breakaway situation, given the medium-term growth ranges between two to four percent The Survey needs to be more analytical than indicating this marginal increase and citing its sources which is more of an accounting exercise than understanding the seriousness of sustainability providing that the economic policy being pursued is in the shape of being basically neoliberal, austerity, and procyclical base policy
Here, to
A deeper analysis perhaps would indicate the misgiving of pursuing a lopsided policy of mainly squeezing aggregate demand, through implementing over-board monetar y, and fiscal austerity policies Hence , lack of needed focus on aggregate supply enhancing factors has not allowed reaching a sustainable situation of macroeconomic stability, and economic growth, where the latter over the mediumterm has seen a significantly sub-optimal growth performance
c o u n t e r
commerce users now expect delivery within two hours as a standard rather than an exceptional service, and that expectation, once established, reshapes every subsequent purchasing decision
Lessons in smoke
What will determine which businesses survive this transition is neither warehouse capacity nor distribution geography but customer understanding specifically how deeply a business knows who its consumers are, what motivates their decisions, what sustains their loyalty, and what would cause them to switch This is why the world’s largest consumer goods corporations are investing billions not in factories alone but in data platforms artificial intelligence and behavioural analytics By end-2026, nearly 70 percent of ecommerce companies globally will be employing artificial intelligence to personalise experiences, forecast demand, and optimise pricing in real time The product is increasingly secondary to the intelligence built around the consumer who buys it For Pakistan s business community the choice is not between the old model and the new one The old model is already being displaced whether businesses acknowledge it or not The choice is between adapting deliberately or watching market share erode slowly and then suddenly to competitors who understood earlier that the smartphone is not a channel to be added onto an existing business but a fundamental restructuring of the relationship between seller and buyer The future of commerce belongs to whoever understands the customer best In Pakistan as everywhere else that race has already begun The shopkeeper who has not yet noticed is not losing ground but has already lost the customer
The writer has a PhD in Political Science, and is a visiting faculty member at QAU Islamabad He can be reached at zafarkhansafdar@yahoo com and tweets @zafarkhansafdar
The choice is between adapting deliberately or watching market share erode slowly and then suddenly to competitors who understood earlier that the smartphone is not a channel to be added onto an existing business but a fundamental restructuring of the relationship between seller and buyer. The future of commerce belongs to whoever understands the customer best. In Pakistan as everywhere else, that race has already begun. The shopkeeper who has not yet noticed is not losing ground but has already lost the customer
A perilous presidency
DR ZAFAR KHAN SAFDAR
DR OMER JAVED
vIgoroUsly In natIonal , InternatIonal coUrts
launched missile and drone operations targeting US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain The Guards said US strikes had violated the ceasefire and will result in the complete halt of all diplomatic processes , state-run Press TV said The IRGC Navy command said American bases in the region "will experience hell in the coming
countries such as the United States and other
demonstrate
supported by sustained investment and policy alignment In contrast, large parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America remain below the global benchmark reinforcing a widening structural divide that is becoming increasingly difficult to bridge Pakistan s position within this spectrum reflects the broader challenges faced by late adopters While the country possesses a large and youthful workforce, its engagement with AI remains limited in scale and depth This gap is not merely technological it highlights deeper issues of institutional readiness infrastructure development and long term strategic focus In an environment where technological advantages compound rapidly, delayed adaptation carries increasing economic and competitive costs
It is within this context that Punjab s recent policy direction assumes significance Under the leadership of CM Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the province has signalled a departure from passive adaptation towards deliberate technological positioning The decision to formalize an
artificial intelligence roadmap reflects a recognition that waiting for organic evolution is no longer viable in a rapidly consolidating global order
The ambition is clearly defined to position Punjab as a leading AI hub in South Asia by 2029 What distinguishes this effort is not only its scale but its integration Rather than isolating AI within a single sector, the strategy embeds it across governance systems economic planning and service delivery treating it as enabling infrastructure rather than a niche innovation
To support this transition, an AI Delivery Unit is being established as a central execution mechanism Its purpose is to ensure that policy commitments translate into measurable outputs addressing a persistent gap in public sector implementation In effect it introduces a results oriented structure into a domain where timelines and coordination are critical
The operational leadership of this initiative rests with Mr Ali Dar, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Artificial Intelligence With experience spanning AI systems data frameworks and emerging technologies he brings both technical expertise and exposure to international markets His engagement with global AI ecosystems has enabled the alignment of Punjab's strategy with contemporary practices while remaining grounded in local realities He has outlined both immediate deliverables and long term targets maintaining a steady focus on transforming Punjab into a competitive AI driven economy by the end of 2029 According to the official implementation timeline approved by the Chief Minister key milestones include the launch of the Punjab AI Roadmap Manifesto in March 2026 the international launch of the world s first AI Delivery Unit in June
2026, the introduction of an AI Governance Policy in July 2026, and the launch of a Global Tech Partnership and Citizen Portal in August 2026 coinciding with Independence Day Subsequent milestones feature the Health Board App in September 2026 AI integration with the Smog Program in October 2026, and the Kissan AI Board in November 2026 On the education front, an AI curriculum has already been introduced in 100 schools with an additional 155 schools set to begin AI instruction from April 2026 These incremental milestones collectively advance the long term vision of positioning Punjab as South Asia's premier AI hub by the end of 2029 Beyond these institutional milestones, the economic implications of this roadmap are equally significant The economic stakes of this transition are both immediate and transformative Over a three year horizon, the initiative is expected to generate more than 100,000 direct and indirect jobs, particularly in high value areas such as artificial intelligence development data engineering automation systems and digital services At a macroeconomic level the integration of AI across governance and industry is projected to contribute an additional 5 to 10% to national GDP, driven by efficiency gains, smarter resource allocation, and productivity improvements across key sectors Simultaneously the expansion of AI enabled exports and digital platforms could unlock between 10 to 20 billion dollars in foreign exchange earnings, positioning Punjab within emerging global technology value chains This forward looking policy direction has already begun to attract international attention with delegations and investors from countries such as the United States the United Arab Emirates the United Kingdom, and China showing
interest in potential collaboration, technology partnerships, and investment in Punjab's evolving AI ecosystem These early signals of external engagement reinforce the credibility of the initiative and reflect growing confidence in the province s strategic trajectory Punjab s existing digital ecosystem significantly strengthens the feasibility of these ambitions The province contributes approximately 65% of Pakistan s total IT exports making it the central pillar of the country s technology economy
Each year more than 25 000 IT graduates enter the workforce, ensuring a steady and scalable supply of skilled talent Major urban centres including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, and Gujranwala are increasingly functioning as interconnected technology hubs supported by expanding startup activity outsourcing networks and a globally integrated freelance workforce Pakistan s position among the world s leading freelancing markets further amplifies this advantage with Punjab accounting for a substantial share of that output
When viewed collectively these figures represent not just capacity but momentum placing the province in a strong position to absorb investment, scale innovation, and compete more effectively in the global digital economy
At the same time the expansion of AI infrastructure brings with it critical considerations around data security Safeguarding citizen information is central to maintaining public trust, particularly as digital systems become more deeply embedded in governance processes The credibility of the broader initiative will depend not only on innovation but on the The writer is the Chairperson Standing Committee for literacy & Non-Formal Education Punjab
US appeals cour t orders Har vey Weinstein's resentencing
alleged 2013 attack on an aspiring actress after three trials fell apart The now-74-year-old Oscar winner is still awaiting sentencing in New York for sexually assaulting former Project Runway assistant Miriam Haley Weinstein once ruled Hollywood as
a producer powerful enough to make or break projects -- and careers But after years of rumors, 2017 investigations by The New Yorker and The New York Times exposed a raft of abusive behavior and prompted an avalanche of allegations from more than 80 people The ensuing furor snowballed into the global Me Too movement and a reckoning that rocked the world of entertainment with multiple men called to account for abusing their positions to exploit young women in the industry In October 2017 following sexual abuse allegations dating back to the late
1970s, Weinstein was dismissed from his company and expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences More than 80 women made allegations of sexual harassment or rape against him by October 31 The allegations sparked the #MeToo social media campaign and subsequent sexual abuse allegations against many powerful figures worldwide; this phenomenon is referred to as the "Weinstein effect" In May 2018 Weinstein was arrested and charged with rape in New York City; in February 2020 he was found guilty of two of five felony counts
centuries-old
villages that were home to Christians, Shi ite Muslims and Sunni Muslims and their places of worship "There are villages that have been completely bulldozed " Salame said Even ancient towns outside the zone were pummeled with air strikes including Tyre and Nabatieh Heavy bombing hit the town of Tebnin, prompting fears that its Crusader fortress was also damaged, Salame said "Heritage is not only Roman and Phoenician antiquities ” he added “Heritage is also historic buildings archaeological sites and buildings with a cultural function In response to questions from Reuters Israel's military said it does not aim to "cause excessive damage to civilian infrastructure and strikes only out of military necessity, with consideration for the safety of its citizens " a reference to residents of northern Israel which Hezbollah has targeted It said it took into account the existence of sensitive sites and applied
CORPORATE CORNER
cdA
PunjAb l Aunches FIrst-ever
OPPO Pakistan, Ufone/PTCL Group enter strategic par tnership
OPPO Pakistan and Ufone/PTCL Group have officially formalized a Strategic Partnership Agreement through a signing ceremony, marking a significant milestone in their shared vision to elevate customer experiences accelerate 5G adoption and reshape how cutting-edge technology and next-generation connectivity come together across Pakistan The agreement brings together two of Pakistan s most forwardlooking organizations at the intersection of innovation and connectivity As Pakistan enters the 5G era this partnership is strategically positioned to accelerate the rollout of 5G-ready smartphones and services, setting the stage for a dynamic collaboration that strengthens consumer engagement and unlocks new opportunities across the country s rapidly evolving digital ecosystem Under this landmark partnership, OPPO Pakistan and Ufone/PTCL Group will collaborate
across multiple strategic areas including 5G device distribution cobranded 5G bundles pairing OPPO s latest 5G-enabled handsets with Ufone’s high-speed network plans, a dedicated Media & Communications Platform Shop-in-Shop setups Dedicated 5G Experience Zones joint promotional campaigns, and seasonal and occasionbased activations Together, these initiatives will create a more connected, immersive, and accessible retail and brand experience for consumers nationwide while placing 5G technology directly in the hands
of everyday Pakistanis Senior representatives from both organizations attended the signing ceremony, underscoring the partnership as a defining step in Pakistan’s journey toward a fully connected 5G-powered future By combining OPPO’s globally acclaimed smartphone technology including its expanding portfolio of 5G-enabled devices- with Ufone/PTCL Group s extensive nationwide network infrastructure and retail strength, the partnership is poised to deliver stronger reach deeper consumer engagement and unmatched value at every touchpoint
National conference on ‘Connec ted for Care’ strengthening c apacities on GBV c
ready Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were cited as provincial leaders in curriculum integration The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Social Welfare Department shared that revising its Standard Operating Procedures to incorporate GBV case management had shifted frontline practice measurably; staff handling cases
PAKISTAN WEIGHING CHEAPER OIL AND GAS IMPORTS FROM IRAN, SAYS PETROLEUM MINISTER
K arachi Por t Trust posts highest annual c argo
handling in its 138-year histor y
KARACHI S TA F F R E P O R T
Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid
Anwar Chaudhry said on Sunday that the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) had recorded the highest annual cargo handling volume in its 138year history, surpassing its previous peak set in FY2017-18
In a statement the minister said KPT exceeded its earlier alltime record of 54 685 million tonnes during the current fiscal year, FY2025-26 Figures available on the KPT website show that cargo handling in the previous fiscal year, FY2024-25, stood at 53 951 million tonnes
The development comes as Pakistani ports including KPT have seen increased activity in recent months after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the US-Iran war Global shipping lines redirected vessels to Pakistan resulting in a sharp rise in transhipment activity at Karachi ports Minister links milestone to reforms and port capacity
Chaudhry described the new record as an indication of expansion in the maritime sector and improved performance at the port He attributed the result to better management and greater port capacity and said it represented progress for Pakistan s maritime economy, port infrastructure and trade
The minister said the achievement reflected the success of his ministry s reform agenda as well as KPT s professional capabilities
He added that the government was continuing efforts to modernise ports, increase capacity, strengthen logistics infrastructure and provide facilities in line with international standards in an effort to improve Pakistan s standing as a regional maritime and trade hub
He also reiterated the ministry s commitment to upgrading all national ports, encouraging investment and promoting trade activity to support broader economic growth Chaudhry congratulated KPT Chairman Rear Admiral (retired) Shahid Ahmed along with the port s officers, em-
ployees and other stakeholders, saying the result had come through coordinated planning teamwork and sustained effort Container traffic also reaches a record level
The KPT chairman also congratulated the port s workforce and said the milestone reflected the institution’s professionalism strategy and teamwork He added that efforts would continue to further improve KPT s operational performance and competitiveness
The ministry also said that during FY2025-26, KPT handled a record volume of containerised cargo of more than 2 65 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs)
In May the first fully transhipment cargo vessel arrived at KPT which the ministry described as a sign of Pakistan s emergence as a regional transhipment hub Earlier this month, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and local partners signed a memorandum of understanding to explore development of a maritime business district on 140 acres of prime KPT waterfront land
The
The Pakistan People s Party (PPP) on Sunday unveiled its candidates for the July 27, 2026 general elections to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly, as political activity gathers pace amid a simmering dispute over the 12 refugee seats
According to the election schedule issued by the AJK Election Commission, candidates were allowed to file nomination papers with returning officers from June 9 until 4pm on June 19 Scrutiny of nomination papers began on June 20 with the list of eligible candidates also issued the same day
Candidates were given from June 21 to June 24 to file appeals against the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers, while appeals are scheduled to be heard on June 26 and 27 between 9am and 4pm Under the schedule decisions on appeals will be announced between June 28 and June 29, while candidates may withdraw their nomination papers until 2pm on June 30
The final list of contesting candidates will be published on July 1 followed by the allotment
of election symbols on July 2
Polling for the AJK Legislative Assembly elections will take place on July 27 from 8am to 5pm
The AJK Legislative Assembly consists of 45 general seats, including 33 constituencies within Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 12 constituencies in Pakistan reserved for refugees from Jammu and Kashmir In addition there are eight reserved seats comprising five for women and one each for ulema, technocrats and Jammu and Kashmir nationals residing abroad
According to the party announcement the PPP has nominated Afsar Shahid from LA-1 Mirpur-I Qasim Majeed from LA2 Mirpur-II (Chakswari) Yasar Sultan from LA-3 Mirpur-III (Mirpur City), and Chaudhry Sohaib Arshad from LA-4 Mirpur-IV (Khari Sharif)
For Bhimber and Kotli constituencies the party has fielded Chaudhry Pervez Ashraf from LA5 Bhimber-I (Barnala) Malik Zafar from LA-8 Kotli-I (Raj Mahal), Javed Iqbal Bhadhana from LA-9 Kotli-II (Nakyal), Chaudhry Yasin from LA-10 Kotli-III (Kotli) Chaudhry Akhlaq from LA-11 Kotli-IV (Sehensa)
and Chaudhry Yasin from LA-12 Kotli-V (Charhoi) In Poonch Bagh and Sudhnoti constituencies the PPP has nominated Sardar Qamar Zaman from LA-16 Bagh-III (Sharqi), Faisal Mumtaz Rathore from LA-17 BaghIV (Haveli), Sardar Amjad Yousaf from LA-18 Sudhnoti-Poonch-I Sardar Saud Sadiq from LA-19 Sudhnoti-Poonch-II (Hajira) Sardar Yaqoob from LA-20 SudhnotiPoonch-III (Khaigala), Sardar Muhammad Abid Khan from LA21 Rawalakot City, and Sardar Faheem Akhtar Rabbani from LA-24 Sudhnoti-Poonch-VII (Baloch) For Muzaffarabad and Neelum Valley the party has named Mian Abdul Waheed from LA-26 Lower Neelum, Sardar Javed Ayub from LA-27 Katla, Syed Bazil Naqvi from LA-28 Muzaffarabad-II, Sardar Mukhtar Ahmed Khan from LA-29 Muzaffarabad City Mubashir Munir Awan from LA30 Hattian Dupatta Ashfaq Zafar from LA-32 Chakar and Dewan Ali Chughtai from LA-33 Leepa For the refugee constituencies, the PPP has nominated Colonel (Retd) Qadeer Chauhan from LA-34 Jammu-I (Jhang Lahore Sindh and Balochistan)
