US Incursion Into Venezuela Fuels Thai Baht Rally

Islamabad: A controversy over a motorway incident involving a couple’s video and growing concerns over delayed road projects dominated the Senate Standing Committee on Communications meeting, where lawmakers questioned the role of motorway police and raised serious concerns over incomplete highways due to funding problems. The committee was informed that the motorway police officer involved in the incident had been suspended and an inquiry was underway after officials clarified that moral policing is not part of the department’s official duties. Inspector General Motorway Police told the committee that the incident took place on 16 July when motorway police found a vehicle parked on the roadside. He said an argument developed when the vehicle moved away. The IG informed lawmakers that stopping people for moral reasons is not included in the motorway police’s standard operating procedures. He assured the committee that action had been taken against the officer involved and the inquiry would be completed soon. The Senate Standing Committee on Communications, chaired by Senator Pervaiz Rashid, also reviewed major road development issues and questioned delays in important infrastructure projects. During the meeting, lawmakers raised concerns over the incomplete Kuchlak to Zhob N50 Highway project, which covers around 298 kilometres. Officials informed the committee that the project remains unfinished because of a shortage of funds. Senator Zameer Hussain Ghumro questioned why new development plans are considered when existing projects are still waiting for completion. The Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Communications informed the committee that no new projects had been started during the current year. The committee stressed that incomplete projects increase public difficulties and may also increase costs because delays often create additional financial pressure. Members discussed improving the National Highway Authority’s funding system so road projects can continue without stopping due to delayed payments. The committee recommended that project funds should be released every three months to ensure contractors receive payments on time and construction work continues smoothly. Officials also discussed creating a bridge financial system to prevent road projects from being affected by temporary funding shortages. The committee was briefed about financial matters related to development loans and agreed that funding mechanisms should be discussed separately to create better policies for future projects. Senator Muhammad Abdul Qadir also raised concerns about the distribution of development funds and pointed out differences in allocation for road projects. He said that out of Rs116 billion approved for Balochistan, around Rs100 billion was allocated for the N25 Highway project. The committee said better planning was needed to ensure development funds are distributed effectively and important routes receive timely attention. Several questions related to road projects in Chitral and Balochistan, including CPEC related highways and the Karachi Bela Road, could not be discussed because the members who had submitted the questions were not present.

Police have intensified their investigation into the death of 25-year-old former Institute of Business Administration (IBA) student and aspiring entrepreneur Mir Raza Ali Khan, saying several pieces of evidence point toward the possibility of suicide. However, investigators have not ruled out other possibilities as key questions remain unanswered. The young businessman was found dead with a gunshot wound to his chest in bushes near Shahi Qila in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, opposite the University of Karachi. His body was recovered two days after he was reported missing from his residence in PECHS. According to investigators, Raza had returned home after closing his business in Bahadurabad before leaving again after collecting a pistol from his office. Before departing, he reportedly left the keys to his house and car, along with his wristwatch and some cash for his mother. Police also found that all data on his iPhone had been deleted before his disappearance. The investigation revealed that he booked an online ride to Gulistan-i-Jauhar. The cab driver told police that Raza requested his favourite song during the journey and paid more than the required fare. CCTV footage reviewed by investigators showed him walking alone after being dropped off, with no one seen accompanying him. Police later recovered his mobile phone after tracing it to a person who inserted a SIM card into the device. The individual was detained, and investigators recovered the phone for forensic examination. Authorities also found the holster of Raza’s pistol hanging from a tree near the location where his body was discovered. However, the firearm used in the incident has not yet been recovered. Investigators believe it may have been taken away by someone passing through the area after the incident. The investigation has further revealed that Raza had been facing significant financial difficulties. Police said he had suffered losses worth millions of rupees through business investments and was under pressure to repay investors. Investigators also learned that he had sought a loan of Rs30 million from one investor, but the request was declined. According to statements recorded by police, the investor claimed Raza had spoken about experiencing disturbing thoughts before his death. His fiancée also told investigators that he had become deeply focused on cryptocurrency investments, particularly Bitcoin. She said she sent him a message on the night of his disappearance, but it was never delivered because his phone had already gone offline. Despite the evidence gathered so far, investigators say three major questions remain unresolved. They are trying to determine why Raza chose the isolated location where his body was found, where the missing pistol is, and why forensic experts did not detect gunshot residue on his hands despite the bullet being fired from close range. Officials noted that the body’s partial decomposition may have affected forensic findings.

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has said that the groups holding sit-ins had attempted to disrupt the Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections but failed to achieve their objective. Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Rana Sanaullah said the people of Azad Kashmir had exercised their right to vote and given a mandate to their chosen representatives. He said the process of government formation in Azad Kashmir would begin after the completion of the third phase of the elections. Rana Sanaullah expressed hope that the groups staging protests would now recognise the situation and end their sit-ins. He said the government was willing to review the legitimate demands of the protesters. However, he warned that individuals who take up arms or act against the state would have to face legal action. The adviser also rejected allegations of widespread election rigging. He said those making such claims had so far failed to present evidence to support their allegations. Rana Sanaullah accused the Pakistan Peoples Party of using allegations of rigging to cover up what he described as its electoral defeat. He said the PPP was still raising concerns about alleged rigging, but the intensity of its claims had decreased compared with earlier stages of the election. He expressed hope that PPP leaders would eventually accept the results and congratulate the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on its performance. Polling in the third phase of the Azad Kashmir elections was continuing, while authorities reported that the overall voting process remained peaceful. Rana Sanaullah said elements that had attempted to prevent people from casting their votes had failed in their efforts. He maintained that voters were freely exercising their democratic right and choosing their representatives through the ballot. The prime minister’s adviser also expressed confidence about the formation of the next government in Azad Kashmir. He claimed that the results available so far indicated that the PML-N was on course to form the government with a two-thirds majority. Rana Sanaullah described the elections as free, fair and transparent. He said the democratic process had allowed the people of Azad Kashmir to give a clear mandate to their representatives. He added that the government would focus on addressing public issues after the elections. According to Rana Sanaullah, the completion of the third phase will pave the way for the formal process of government formation in Azad Kashmir. The remarks came amid political tensions surrounding the elections and protests. The government has repeatedly called for the continuation of the democratic process, while opposition groups have raised concerns over the conduct of the polls.

Speakers at a seminar on the creation of new provinces in Pakistan have said that establishing new administrative units could directly benefit the public. The seminar was organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in Islamabad. MQM leader Mustafa Kamal, PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja addressed the gathering. The speakers described the creation of new provinces as necessary to address public problems. They also stressed the need for a strong and empowered local government system. The participants said Pakistan needs new administrative units to improve governance and ensure that resources are distributed at the grassroots level. Mustafa Kamal said the existing system had failed to ensure effective accountability of governments. He added that even if new provinces were created, a strong local government system would remain necessary. PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira suggested that the debate over creating new provinces should take place within the constitutional framework. He also called for strengthening the local government system. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said that even after the creation of new provinces, some provinces would still have populations running into millions. The speakers agreed that administrative reforms were necessary to improve governance and ensure a more effective distribution of resources among the people.