Nirmal Purja feared missing in Pakistan avalanche

  Sindh government spokesperson Sadia Javed has accused Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman of distorting the context of what she described as sincere national agreements reached in the past. In a statement issued from Karachi, Sadia Javed said that Hafiz Naeem was presenting previous national agreements in a misleading manner. She criticised the Jamaat-e-Islami leader for allegedly attempting to portray past understandings between political stakeholders in a way that did not reflect their original spirit or context. She questioned Hafiz Naeem’s position on electricity generated from Thar coal, asking why he remained silent about what she described as some of the cheapest electricity being produced through the country’s indigenous coal resources. “Why is Hafiz Naeem silent on the inexpensive electricity generated from Thar coal?” she questioned, while responding to his criticism of the Sindh government and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). Sadia Javed also strongly rejected what she described as allegations against the Sindh government, saying that Hafiz Naeem had no justification for issuing what she termed “mafia certificates” to others. She challenged the Jamaat-e-Islami leader to examine his own political record before making accusations against others. According to her, political leaders should first reflect on their own actions and positions before questioning the credibility or performance of others. The Sindh government spokesperson further defended the provincial government’s policies and highlighted the importance of Thar coal in meeting Pakistan’s energy requirements. She suggested that criticism of the provincial government should be based on facts and a complete understanding of the agreements and projects under discussion. Another Sindh government spokesperson, Ghanhor Khan, also criticised Jamaat-e-Islami and Hafiz Naeem, accusing them of making allegations based on what he described as political hypocrisy. Ghanhor Khan said that making accusations against the PPP over the issue of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) was part of what he called Jamaat-e-Islami’s unsuccessful political strategy. He argued that the party was attempting to use the controversial issue of IPPs to create political pressure against the PPP and the Sindh government. The dispute comes amid renewed political debate over Pakistan’s electricity sector, particularly the cost of power generation, agreements with IPPs and the role of domestic energy resources. Political parties have frequently criticised successive governments over electricity prices, power-sector contracts and energy policies. The Sindh government has continued to highlight Thar coal as an important component of its energy strategy, while its political opponents have raised questions about governance, transparency and the broader impact of energy-sector agreements. The exchange between the Sindh government and Jamaat-e-Islami reflects growing political tensions over energy policy and the interpretation of past agreements. While Hafiz Naeem has criticised the government’s handling of the power sector, Sindh government representatives have rejected his allegations and questioned the consistency of his political position. Both sides have continued to defend their respective positions, with the Sindh government emphasising its energy initiatives and Jamaat-e-Islami maintaining its criticism of the power-sector policies.

A renewed debate over the creation of new provinces in Pakistan has gathered political momentum after two major coalition partners publicly endorsed Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s proposal to restructure the country’s administrative system. However, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has yet to officially comment, fueling speculation over its stance on the sensitive issue. The discussion began after Naqvi argued that Pakistan’s existing administrative framework had become ineffective and called for a national consensus on establishing smaller provinces to improve governance and public service delivery. His remarks quickly drew support from coalition allies, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP). Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal described the proposal as an urgent national necessity rather than a political choice, stressing that decentralizing administrative powers was essential for effective governance. The MQM-P has long advocated the creation of an additional province in Sindh, making the party one of the strongest supporters of the initiative. Privatization Minister Abdul Aleem Khan of the IPP also endorsed the proposal, suggesting that each of Pakistan’s four existing provinces could eventually be divided into three administrative regions. He argued that smaller provinces would bring government closer to the people and reduce the hardships faced by citizens traveling long distances to provincial capitals. Despite growing support from coalition partners, the proposal faces significant constitutional and political challenges. Any change to provincial boundaries requires a two-thirds majority in the affected provincial assembly, making consensus difficult to achieve. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which governs Sindh and is also part of the federal coalition, has expressed strong reservations, warning that such a move could create more problems than solutions. Opposition leaders have also criticized the proposal, arguing that the government lacks the political mandate for such a major constitutional change. They insist that strengthening democratic institutions and improving governance should take priority over redrawing provincial boundaries. Political analysts have offered differing views on the initiative. Some believe creating new provinces could deepen ethnic and regional divisions, while others see the debate as an attempt to shift public attention away from pressing national issues, including recent unrest in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and ongoing security challenges in Balochistan. Many experts argue that empowering local governments under the 18th Constitutional Amendment would be a more practical and effective way to improve governance without altering provincial boundaries. Mustafa Kamal also acknowledged that stronger local governments are essential regardless of whether new provinces are eventually created. With the PML-N maintaining silence and key coalition partners taking opposing positions, the proposal has opened a fresh political debate that is likely to remain at the center of Pakistan’s national discourse in the coming months.

LAHORE: Five young people were killed after a speeding car crashed into a tree along Canal Road in the Harbanspura area of Lahore on Friday night. According to Rescue 1122 officials, the vehicle was travelling at high speed when it went out of control and struck a roadside tree. The impact proved fatal for all five occupants. Rescue teams reached the scene and recovered the bodies, which were later shifted to a nearby hospital for necessary procedures. Officials said all those killed were young. The cause of the crash is being investigated, while authorities are also examining whether excessive speed or other factors contributed to the fatal accident.