National

Bahria Town founder Malik Riaz Hussain has appealed to senior Pakistani officials for intervention over the ongoing actions against his company and family. In a detailed appeal, Riaz raised concerns over the freezing, seizure and auction of Bahria Town properties. He claimed that assets worth around Rs238.6 billion have already been auctioned or taken into possession. He further alleged that some properties are currently facing auction and sale proceedings. According to the appeal, development projects worth approximately Rs372 billion have also been suspended. Riaz expressed concern over what he described as the forced takeover of Bahria Town assets. He alleged that several properties were being sold at prices far below their actual market value. He maintained that legal proceedings related to several properties and other actions are still pending before the relevant courts and forums. Despite this, he alleged that some Bahria Town assets were being taken over and sold before the legal disputes had been fully resolved. The Bahria Town founder also raised concerns over alleged threats against him and members of his family. He claimed that a person accused of threatening him and his family with serious consequences, including death threats, remains free. According to Riaz, an FIR was registered against the alleged individual. He also said that the matter later came before the High Court. However, he claimed that despite the FIR and court intervention, the accused person has not been taken into custody. Riaz urged senior officials to take notice of the situation. He asked them to review the actions being taken against Bahria Town and its properties. He warned that continued freezing, seizure and auction of the company’s assets could have wider economic consequences. The appeal also highlighted the potential impact on ongoing development projects. Riaz claimed that projects worth billions of rupees have been affected by the current situation. He argued that prolonged uncertainty could affect workers, contractors, investors and other parties associated with the projects. Riaz further alleged that the valuation of some assets did not reflect their actual market worth. He claimed that properties were being sold at unusually low prices. He called for the relevant legal procedures to be followed before any further action is taken against the company’s assets. The appeal comes amid ongoing legal and financial disputes involving Bahria Town and its properties. Riaz has asked the authorities to intervene and examine the allegations raised in his appeal.

The Sindh High Court has dismissed a petition seeking the disqualification of Pakistan Peoples Party leader and National Assembly member Shazia Marri over an alleged fake degree. The court announced its decision after the case remained pending for around 13 years. The petition was declared not maintainable and subsequently rejected. The court said the High Court does not have constitutional authority to disqualify a member of Parliament. According to the court, such matters must be dealt with through the relevant constitutional and electoral forums. The court also noted that a similar objection had previously been raised during the 2018 general elections. The matter was taken before an election tribunal at that time. The Election Commission later rejected the objection concerning Marri’s degree in 2022. An appeal against the tribunal’s decision was subsequently filed before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal in 2023 after it was withdrawn. During the latest proceedings, Marri’s lawyer argued that the degree issue had already been examined by the Election Commission. He told the court that evidence relating to the qualification had been presented before the commission. The lawyer maintained that the Election Commission had already rejected the petition concerning Marri’s degree. The court also discussed the constitutional requirements for disqualification. It observed that a person cannot be disqualified simply through a constitutional petition. The court said the authority to determine whether a person meets the required constitutional standards rests with the appropriate judicial and electoral forums. It further stated that the courts cannot declare an individual truthful and trustworthy outside the constitutional procedure provided for such matters. The judges also referred to previous orders of the Supreme Court while determining the maintainability of the petition. Based on these considerations, the court concluded that the petition could not be entertained. The decision brings an end to a legal challenge that had remained pending for more than a decade. The case had focused on allegations concerning Marri’s educational qualification. However, the Election Commission had already rejected the related objection. The latest ruling also reinforces the distinction between the powers of the High Court and those of election tribunals and other constitutional forums in matters involving parliamentary eligibility. The court’s decision means that the petition seeking Marri’s disqualification has been dismissed without granting the requested relief.

The Lahore Metro Bus service will continue operating after a possible shutdown was avoided following talks between the service operator and the Punjab Mass Transit Authority (PMTA). The operator, VEDA, had raised financial and other concerns that had created uncertainty over the future of the mass transit service. PMTA General Manager Operations Uzair Shah said the authority was seriously considering VEDA’s demands. He said negotiations were continuing to address the company’s concerns. According to the official, there was no immediate threat to the Metro Bus operation, and commuters would continue to receive transport services as usual. The two sides are expected to hold another round of discussions on Tuesday. The meeting will focus on resolving VEDA’s outstanding demands and finding a workable solution to the issues between the operator and the authority. The development has provided relief to thousands of passengers who rely on the Lahore Metro Bus for daily travel across the city. Officials hope that the ongoing negotiations will lead to an agreement and prevent any disruption to the service in the future.

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has issued an important warning to doctors whose professional licences have expired. The council has decided to take action against doctors who fail to renew their licences within the required period. Under the new decision, doctors will be given six months to complete the renewal process. Licences that are not renewed within this period may be cancelled. The PMDC has also stressed that doctors involved in clinical practice must have a valid and active licence. Doctors with expired or inactive licences could face restrictions on their professional practice. The council has advised such doctors to complete the renewal process without delay. The move is aimed at ensuring that only properly registered and authorised doctors continue to provide medical services. The PMDC maintains the registration and licensing system for medical and dental practitioners in Pakistan. Keeping licences active is an important requirement for doctors who are practising professionally. The latest warning is expected to push doctors with expired licences to complete their renewals within the specified six-month period. Doctors have been advised to remain compliant with the council’s licensing requirements to avoid possible cancellation of their licences and disruption to their clinical practice.