Azma Bukhari mocks PPP over Lahore rally

A district and sessions court in Islamabad has dismissed a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, who had sought the registration of a criminal case against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, and several other senior government officials over the events of the November 26 protest. The court issued a detailed 17-page written judgment, outlining the reasons for rejecting the application. The verdict was authored by Additional Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka, who concluded that the petitioner had failed to provide sufficient evidence to justify the registration of a first information report (FIR). According to the judgment, Barrister Gohar was given multiple opportunities to appear before the court and record his statement as an eyewitness. However, the court noted that he did not record his testimony despite repeated chances. The ruling further stated that the petitioner neither presented eyewitnesses nor submitted legally admissible evidence in support of his allegations. The court observed that the application relied mainly on claims without providing documentary or forensic material required to initiate criminal proceedings. The petition alleged that 12 people lost their lives and more than 38 PTI supporters were injured during the November 26 protest. However, the court noted that no post-mortem reports, death certificates, medical records, digital videos, photographs or other primary evidence were produced to verify the claims. The judgment emphasized that criminal action cannot be initiated against senior public officeholders solely on the basis of verbal allegations. It said there must be credible and legally admissible evidence before the court can direct the registration of an FIR against high-ranking officials. Among those named in the petition were Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Information Minister Atta Tarar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Islamabad Inspector General of Police Ali Nasir, DIG Operations Ali Raza, SSP Operations Zeeshan Haider and other officials. The court also observed that if the petitioner believed that government institutions were not cooperating in the investigation, he had legal options available under Pakistani law. These included approaching the courts for further investigative measures, including exhumation where legally justified. The judgment noted that no such legal remedies were pursued.

Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat has announced that he will begin teaching students in government schools in Lahore from the first week of September as part of an initiative aimed at improving the quality of education in the province. The minister said he has decided to personally enter classrooms and teach students instead of only monitoring the education system from administrative offices. He said the experience would help him better understand the challenges faced by teachers and students while also providing an opportunity to evaluate classroom teaching firsthand. Rana Sikandar Hayat said English and Chemistry are his favourite subjects, and he will start by teaching these courses. He said he plans to teach English in primary schools and Chemistry in high schools before expanding his teaching to other subjects in the future. He added that he will visit a different government school every week without giving prior notice. According to the minister, these surprise visits will allow him to observe the actual learning environment, interact directly with students, and assess the effectiveness of teaching methods being used in classrooms. The education minister said the initiative is not symbolic but a practical effort to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the public education system. He believes that personally teaching students will provide valuable insight into issues affecting classroom learning and help identify areas that require immediate improvement. Rana Sikandar Hayat said he has immense respect for the teaching profession and considers it an honour to serve as a teacher. He added that educators play a vital role in shaping the future of the nation and deserve recognition for their contribution to society. He expressed hope that the initiative would encourage greater accountability within the education system and inspire teachers and school administrators to continue improving academic standards. He also said direct interaction with students would help the education department design better policies based on practical classroom experience rather than relying solely on reports. The minister said the feedback gathered during his teaching visits would be used to identify shortcomings in teaching methods, curriculum delivery, and classroom management. He added that the information would help the government introduce reforms aimed at improving learning outcomes and raising educational standards in government schools across Punjab.