Why did BTS reject Grammy race this year?

Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has rejected Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s claim about the death of a party worker during the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections. Rana Sanaullah said Bilawal Bhutto had not received complete information about the incident. He said the PPP worker was killed during an exchange of fire between two groups. He also clarified that the PML-N candidate was not present at the scene when the firing took place. The incident occurred in the Nikyal area of Kotli during the first phase of the AJK Legislative Assembly elections. Rana Sanaullah said tensions had already existed between the two sides in the area. He said the dispute was not limited to election day. He recalled an earlier incident involving a PML-N election rally. According to him, the rally had come under fire. One PML-N worker was killed in that incident, while four others were injured. Rana Sanaullah said another firing incident during polling resulted in one death and injuries to several people. He described the incidents as isolated. He said no major incident had been reported across AJK apart from the Nikyal incident. The PML-N leader also praised the overall election arrangements. He said authorities had made satisfactory preparations to facilitate polling and maintain security. The comments came after Bilawal Bhutto expressed concern over the death of a PPP worker in Nikyal. Bilawal had questioned the authorities over the incident. He also asked where the relevant officials were and demanded action over the death of his party worker. The incident added to political tensions during the first phase of the AJK elections. Political parties had already raised concerns about alleged disruptions and security issues at some polling stations. Meanwhile, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said the people of AJK had rejected calls for unrest. She said voters had chosen the democratic process instead. According to Bukhari, polling was taking place despite attempts to create disorder. Bukhari also highlighted the performance of the Punjab government. She said the provincial government’s development work was being discussed among voters in AJK. She referred to the government’s response to heavy monsoon rains in Punjab. Bukhari said Lahore received several hours of continuous rainfall. She claimed that underpasses were cleared within a few hours. She also said government officials and administrative teams remained present in the field during the rain. The minister said monsoon rains had also caused rising water levels in Punjab’s rivers. She said authorities were monitoring the situation continuously. According to Bukhari, a central digital control room has been established for round-the-clock monitoring. She said the system was being used to track the situation and coordinate the government’s response. Bukhari also spoke about the Punjab Beautification Programme. She said plans were being made to shift hanging utility wires underground. The programme is aimed at improving the appearance and infrastructure of urban areas, according to the minister. The political statements came as vote counting began after polling ended in the first phase of the AJK elections. The first phase covered 13 constituencies in Mirpur Division. The constituencies are spread across Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimber. Election authorities have said that security arrangements were put in place to protect voters and election staff.

Islamabad: Pakistan’s ancient heritage sites have come under scrutiny after UNESCO raised questions over conservation work carried out at the historic Taxila archaeological sites of Mohra Moradu and Sirkap, prompting a Senate committee to seek detailed explanations from government officials. The Senate Standing Committee on National Heritage and Culture reviewed UNESCO’s concerns during a meeting at Parliament House and questioned whether restoration work at Pakistan’s internationally recognised heritage sites was being carried out according to global preservation standards. Officials informed the committee that UNESCO had asked for additional information regarding the conservation work conducted by the Directorate General of Archaeology, Punjab, at the Taxila sites. The committee was told that the required details had already been provided to UNESCO by the provincial authorities and no further objections had been received after the submission. Officials assured lawmakers that the restoration work followed UNESCO conservation guidelines and international standards. The meeting was chaired by Senator Hidayatullah Khan and attended by Senators Abdul Wasay, Bushra Anjum, Sarmad Ali and Syed Waqar Mehdi along with senior officials from the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture. During the briefing, officials explained that after the 18th Constitutional Amendment, responsibility for heritage conservation was transferred to provincial governments. They said the Government of Punjab started conservation activities at the Taxila archaeological sites and followed recommendations provided by UNESCO, ICOMOS and other expert organisations. Officials said the conservation strategy focused on protecting the original structure of the ancient remains while using scientific methods. They explained that the work included repairing damaged walls, improving drainage systems, protecting old structures from weather damage and using materials compatible with the original construction. Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi asked officials about the exact concerns raised by UNESCO. Officials explained that UNESCO’s observations mainly focused on the materials used during restoration, the method for rebuilding certain walls and the height of reconstructed structures. They said these issues were reviewed and addressed through detailed documentation submitted to UNESCO. The committee was informed that scientific cleaning and repair methods were used to protect the archaeological remains while maintaining international conservation principles. Pakistan currently has six sites listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, while documents for 24 more locations have been prepared for possible future inclusion. Officials told the committee that UNESCO usually considers only one nomination from each country annually.   They said Pakistan has requested UNESCO to give priority to its pending nominations so more historical locations can receive international recognition. The committee also discussed plans to develop Taxila as a major heritage and tourism destination.   Officials informed members that around Rs100 million had already been spent during the current year on conservation activities. They said further projects, including an open air museum and improved visitor facilities, were being considered to attract tourists while protecting ancient sites.   Senator Bushra Anjum stressed that stronger federal monitoring was needed despite heritage being mainly managed by provinces. She said Pakistan must improve tourism facilities around heritage sites, including better visitor services, accommodation options and a sustainable system that creates income while preserving history.   She warned that inappropriate materials or poor restoration methods could permanently damage important archaeological sites.   The committee directed the ministry to provide UNESCO’s official response once received and recommended that members visit the Taxila archaeological sites personally to review the conservation work. The meeting also discussed another major heritage issue involving the recovery of smuggled Pakistani archaeological artefacts from the United States. Officials informed the committee that 513 valuable archaeological artefacts had been returned to Pakistan through cooperation with US authorities. They said the recovered objects mainly belonged to the ancient Gandhara civilisation and had been seized after being illegally taken out of Pakistan over several decades. Officials described the artefacts as priceless national treasures representing Pakistan’s thousands of years of history. The committee was informed that plans were underway to establish a new museum where these recovered items could be safely preserved and displayed to the public. Officials said efforts were being made to acquire land for the museum in coordination with the Capital Development Authority and public private partnership options were also being explored. Committee members demanded details about the people involved in the smuggling network, the investigation process and the estimated value of the recovered artefacts. They directed the ministry to submit a complete report explaining how the artefacts were recovered and what action had been taken against those involved in illegal trafficking. The committee also discussed reports about the demolition of a historic Mughal era arch near Rohara Village for a housing development project. The chairman directed officials to collect complete information about the incident and present a detailed report at the next meeting.

MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Shah Ghulam Qadir has been nominated as the next prime minister of AJK. The decision was taken by PML-N President Nawaz Sharif after consultations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. Party sources confirmed on Tuesday that Qadir would take oath as AJK prime minister on Thursday at 5pm at the High Court Ground in Muzaffarabad. The nomination follows the recent AJK elections, which were held in three phases between July 27 and August 10. The PML-N emerged as the largest parliamentary party after securing 25 of the 38 directly contested seats. The Pakistan Peoples Party won 12 seats, while one member of the Awami Dast-o-Bazu joined the PML-N. Qadir is a veteran politician with more than three decades of political experience. He has held several important parliamentary and ministerial positions in AJK. He has served as finance, planning and development minister and also held the food ministry. He was elected speaker of the AJK Legislative Assembly twice. He currently serves as PML-N AJK president and leader of the opposition. Qadir entered politics as a student leader and later became involved with the All-Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference. He eventually served as its secretary general during Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan’s leadership. His electoral career began with his election from the Kashmiri refugees constituency, Kashmir Valley-IV. He went on to win seven elections to the AJK Legislative Assembly. Throughout his political career, Qadir has highlighted the issues of Kashmiri refugees and advocated the right to self-determination for the people of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. He has also represented Kashmir at international forums, including the United Nations General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council. Qadir was among the founding figures of the PML-N in AJK. He played a significant role in strengthening the party’s organisational structure and political presence in the region before becoming its AJK president. During his tenure as assembly speaker, he focused on parliamentary discipline, constitutional governance and legislative oversight. As opposition leader, he continued to call for stronger democratic institutions and accountability. Qadir is known for maintaining political contacts across different parties and is regarded as an experienced parliamentary leader. He is also fluent in Kashmiri and has maintained links with various Kashmiri political circles. His nomination comes after the new AJK Legislative Assembly began its parliamentary term. Forty-six newly elected members took oath during the inaugural session, which was presided over by Assembly Speaker Latif Akbar. The new 53-member assembly has a clear PML-N majority. According to the initial proceedings, 31 PML-N members and one Awami Dast-o-Bazu member took oath, while 14 PPP lawmakers were also sworn in.