تازہ ترین

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march planned for September 27 will focus on reaching party founder Imran Khan rather than demanding his immediate release. Speaking in an interview with private media, Afridi said he would personally lead the march and stressed that it would not be a one-day activity. He indicated that the participants would remain engaged in the movement rather than simply travelling to Islamabad and returning. Afridi said the decision to launch the march was taken after consultations with PTI leadership and representatives of the Tehreek Tahafuz Aain-e-Pakistan. He added that Aleema Khan, Imran Khan’s sister, would also participate in the campaign. Explaining the objective of the protest, the chief minister said the immediate goal was to gain access to Imran Khan, while any decision regarding his release would have to be made in accordance with the Constitution and the law. Afridi also addressed questions about announcing the march several weeks in advance. He said September 27 was selected after considering weather conditions and allowing sufficient time for preparations. The announcement comes as PTI continues to mobilise its supporters around the issue of Imran Khan’s imprisonment, with the party seeking greater political and legal pressure over his continued detention.

LAHORE: Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has ordered authorities at Allama Iqbal International Airport to speed up the immigration process after passengers complained about delays during his visit to the facility. Naqvi inspected immigration counters and spoke with officials and passengers to assess how long travellers were taking to clear immigration. Several passengers told him that the process was taking around 30 minutes and urged authorities to improve arrangements. Taking immediate notice of the complaints, the minister directed airport officials to keep all immigration counters operational so that passenger queues could be cleared more quickly. He assured travellers that the additional counters would help reduce waiting times and make the process more convenient. During the visit, Naqvi also acted on a passenger’s complaint that an agent had demanded money. He referred the matter to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director and ordered action against the agent. The interior minister further directed authorities not to allow passengers to travel on incomplete documents. At the same time, he stressed that travellers carrying complete and valid documents should not be unnecessarily stopped from boarding their flights. Naqvi said modern technology had made immigration procedures more efficient but warned that strict action would continue against people attempting to travel using fake or fraudulent documents. The minister’s visit comes as authorities face growing pressure to improve passenger facilitation and reduce waiting times at Pakistan’s major international airports.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is bracing for another spell of flood-related risks as heavy monsoon rains, rising river levels and high water storage at major dams put several parts of the country on alert. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), through its National Emergencies Operation Centre, has warned of possible low to moderate flooding in vulnerable areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Balochistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. According to the latest assessment, the Indus River has already reached low flood levels at Kalabagh, Chashma, Taunsa and Guddu. While the Ravi, Chenab, Jhelum, Kabul and Sutlej are currently within normal ranges, officials expect water flows in several major rivers to increase on August 8 and 9. The NDMA has identified Sukkur on the Indus, Marala on the Chenab and Balloki on the Ravi as areas where low-level flooding could occur. The Jhelum downstream of Mangla Dam and the Kabul River near Adezai are also being closely monitored. Several districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Chitral, Upper Dir, Abbottabad, Shangla, Khyber, Orakzai, Kohat, Tank and North and South Waziristan, face the possibility of low to moderate flooding. In AJK, Bagh and Kotli are also considered vulnerable, while Zhob, Musakhel, Kohlu, Barkhan and Dera Bugti in Balochistan remain under watch. Punjab is facing risks from hill torrents, particularly in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur. The NDMA has also warned of possible urban flooding in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, Faisalabad, Okara and Lahore. Water storage at the country’s major reservoirs remains high. Tarbela Dam’s water level has reached 1,548 feet, with storage at 97.94 per cent, compared with 95.98 per cent during the same period last year. Mangla Dam is at 1,205.2 feet, with storage recorded at 62.99 per cent, slightly above last year’s 62.80 per cent. Authorities have urged residents, tourists and travellers in mountainous and flood-prone areas to remain vigilant, as intense monsoon rainfall can trigger flash floods, landslides and debris flows with little warning. People have been advised to avoid riverbanks, streams and other vulnerable locations and to check weather forecasts and road conditions before travelling as the monsoon system continues to affect the country.

An eight-member medical exhumation board has confirmed that Mir Raza Ali suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the back alongside multiple severe pre-death injuries, drastically shifting the trajectory of the high-profile investigation. The four-page preliminary report, issued following an court-ordered grave exhumation at Karachi’s Rehmanial Masjid Graveyard, reveals extensive physical trauma sustained prior to death. Pathologists identified a 0.8-centimeter entry wound on the left side of the upper back, which fractured the sixth rib and tore through the heart before exiting the right side of the upper chest. Forensic examiners confirmed the presence of extravasation of blood in the underlying tissues, answering affirmatively that these injuries were inflicted while the victim was still alive. Beyond the firearm damage, the post-mortem detailed significant blunt-force trauma across the victim’s head, face, and neck. Doctors documented deep bruising on the skull, fractures to the nasal bone, tissue congestion over the maxilla, and a diastatic fracture running along the posterior sutures of the skull filled with congealed blood. Discoloration was also noted around the hyoid bone, though advanced decomposition hindered complete soft tissue analysis. While the medical board has verified antemortem bleeding and severe skeletal fractures, a final determination on the official cause of death remains reserved. Pathologists have submitted collected skin, muscle, hair, and bone samples for detailed chemical, forensic, and gunshot residue testing. The findings provide critical scientific evidence that redefines the ongoing investigation from a missing person query into a detailed homicide inquiry.