Two Boys From School Shooting Remain in Critical Condition After Surgery

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has dismissed claims that Pakistan’s governance system has collapsed, while firmly opposing the creation of new provinces in Sindh and warning that no violence or bloodshed will be allowed over the issue. Speaking to reporters after attending the Mining Technical Conference 2026 in Karachi, the chief minister said the Constitution provides a clear legal mechanism for altering provincial boundaries. He stressed that any such move can only take place if the concerned provincial assembly approves it with a two-thirds majority. Murad Ali Shah said the Sindh Assembly has repeatedly passed unanimous resolutions opposing the creation of any new province in the province. He maintained that there has been no change in the assembly’s position and that the issue should be addressed only through constitutional and democratic procedures. The chief minister said public debate on administrative reforms is acceptable, but warned against creating unnecessary tensions or presenting the issue in a way that could provoke conflict. He said no one would be allowed to exploit the matter to create unrest in Sindh. His remarks came after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi recently suggested that Pakistan’s existing governance system was no longer capable of addressing national challenges and called for administrative reforms, including the creation of new administrative units. Responding to questions about public demonstrations, Murad Ali Shah said peaceful protest is a constitutional right but should be held in accordance with the law. He urged organisers to obtain permission from the relevant authorities before staging protests. The chief minister also highlighted the provincial government’s agricultural policy, saying arrangements have been made to procure one million tonnes of wheat to protect local farmers and stabilise the market. Speaking about economic development, he said Sindh continues to expand its mining and energy sectors. He announced that electricity generation from Thar coal is expected to increase from 2,640 megawatts to 3,000 megawatts in the near future. Murad Ali Shah said Thar’s coal fields are producing more than 15 million tonnes of coal annually, helping Pakistan reduce its dependence on imported fuel and saving more than $1.5 billion in foreign exchange each year.

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of the low attendance of lawmakers during parliamentary sessions. Speaking to the media outside the National Assembly on Tuesday, Sadiq said some federal ministers had raised the issue of members’ absence with the prime minister. He said the government and lawmakers were now paying attention to improving attendance. The speaker’s comments came after a session of the National Assembly witnessed a low presence of members, with a large number of seats remaining vacant during proceedings. Sadiq said maintaining the required quorum was not solely the responsibility of the speaker. He said both the government and opposition benches had a duty to ensure that their members attended parliamentary proceedings. He expressed hope that attendance would improve when the next session is held, which is expected to take place later this week. According to the speaker, the government had conveyed that it recognised the seriousness of the issue and intended to improve lawmakers’ presence in future sessions. Sadiq urged members from both sides of the House to remain present during proceedings. He said parliamentary sessions provided limited time for debate, questions, discussions and legislation, and lawmakers should make full use of the opportunity. He noted that poor attendance affected both sides of the House. The government could not properly complete its legislative agenda, while opposition members also lost the opportunity to raise issues and scrutinise government policies. The speaker also commented on Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s intention to adopt a more active approach towards legislation. Sadiq welcomed the move, saying stronger opposition participation could improve parliamentary accountability. He said constructive pressure from opposition parties could also encourage the government to introduce reforms. Regarding resignations submitted by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members from standing committees, the speaker said he had not accepted any of the resignations. He said parliamentary committees were continuing to function and could perform more effectively if opposition members regularly participated in their meetings. Asked about the possibility of the united opposition moving a no-confidence motion against him or Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Sadiq said it was a constitutional and democratic right of the opposition. He said the National Assembly would facilitate the opposition if it decided to exercise that right. Sadiq also spoke about efforts to reduce political tensions between the government and opposition. He said several attempts had been made to bring the two sides to the negotiating table. He said he, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the law minister and Rana Sanaullah had repeatedly offered dialogue.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Law Minister Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar has defended the government’s position on meetings with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in prison. He said matters that are pending before the courts should generally not be debated in parliament. However, he noted that the Senate was discussing such issues. Tarar made the remarks during a Senate session. Lawmakers were debating Imran Khan’s health and concerns over restrictions on meetings with him. The minister said cases related to the May 9 incidents and other cases involving Imran Khan were before the courts. He said the PTI founder and other individuals had filed appeals against decisions in their cases. According to Tarar, several legal matters remain pending before different judicial forums. He said the delay in deciding appeals and cases was a broader problem within the judicial system. The law minister pointed to delays in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cases. He said some NAB appeals had remained undecided for as long as six years. He said Imran Khan’s petitions and applications were also pending before the relevant courts. Therefore, he argued, those matters should be addressed through the judicial process. Tarar also referred to the cases involving former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. He said Sharif had been convicted by the courts and later challenged the decisions through appeals. He added that relief was subsequently granted to Sharif by the judiciary itself. The minister said this showed that legal disputes should be settled through the courts. The Senate debate also focused on Imran Khan’s access to visitors in prison. Tarar said prison authorities had to follow the jail manual. He said the rules applied to all prisoners and could not be changed for one individual. He argued that if special permission was given to one prisoner, similar requests from other prisoners would also have to be considered. The minister said the government wanted a system in which everyone was treated equally before the law. He referred to the principle that the powerful and ordinary citizens should stand on the same footing. His remarks came after opposition lawmakers demanded that the Senate discuss Imran Khan’s health and the restrictions on meetings with him. Senator Raja Nasir Abbas had specifically called for a discussion on the PTI founder’s health. The issue has remained a major point of political disagreement between the government and PTI. The opposition has repeatedly raised concerns about Imran Khan’s health and access to family members, lawyers and political leaders. Tarar maintained that the government’s position was based on existing legal and prison procedures. He said pending court cases should not be settled through political debate.