National

  A Karachi Additional District and Sessions Court has granted interim bail to Abdullah, the brother of the business partner of young trader Mir Raza Ali, in connection with the businessman’s murder case. The court approved Abdullah’s interim pre-arrest bail until September 1, providing him temporary protection from arrest while the investigation into the case continues. Abdullah had approached the court seeking bail before arrest after being allegedly linked to the investigation surrounding Mir Raza Ali’s death. During the hearing, the court also issued notices to the investigating officer and the complainant in the case. The judge directed the applicant to submit surety bonds worth Rs100,000 as part of the conditions attached to the interim bail. According to Abdullah’s lawyer, there was no basis for treating his client as a suspect in the murder. The lawyer informed the court that Abdullah had a business-related connection with Mir Raza and used to supply chocolates to him. The defence further explained that Abdullah had spoken to Mir Raza by telephone on the night when the young trader left his home. According to the lawyer, the phone conversation took place at around 3:30am. The lawyer argued that the late-night phone call should be viewed in the context of their regular business dealings rather than being treated as evidence of involvement in the alleged crime. The defence also accused the police of harassing Abdullah during the investigation. His lawyer told the court that law-enforcement officials were repeatedly troubling the applicant despite the absence of any established evidence connecting him directly to the murder. The lawyer maintained that communication between Abdullah and Mir Raza at around the same time was not unusual. He explained that after completing his work, Mir Raza would generally speak with the applicant around that time. The defence therefore requested the court to provide Abdullah with protection from arrest while the authorities continued investigating the circumstances surrounding Mir Raza Ali’s death. After hearing the arguments, the court granted interim bail until September 1 and directed the relevant parties, including the investigating officer and complainant, to respond to the bail application. The applicant was also ordered to submit the required surety bonds. The court’s decision does not amount to a final determination regarding Abdullah’s involvement in the case. The interim bail merely prevents his immediate arrest while the matter is considered further by the court. The murder investigation remains ongoing, and the police are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding Mir Raza’s death, including his final movements, communications and interactions with people connected to him. The late-night telephone conversation between Mir Raza and Abdullah is among the details that investigators may consider while establishing a timeline of events. However, the defence has maintained that the conversation was consistent with their normal business-related communication. The case has attracted attention because of the young trader’s death and the subsequent investigation into people associated with him. Abdullah’s decision to seek pre-arrest bail indicates that he feared possible arrest during the investigation. The court’s issuance of notices to the investigating officer and complainant means that the prosecution and police will have an opportunity to present their position regarding the allegations and the bail request. For now, Abdullah remains protected by the interim bail order until September 1, subject to the conditions imposed by the court. Further proceedings are expected to determine the next legal steps in the case and whether the investigating authorities have sufficient evidence to proceed against him.

  Three prisoners have approached the Islamabad High Court seeking relief similar to that granted to the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, regarding treatment at a private hospital. The petitions were filed before the Islamabad High Court, with the applicants requesting permission to be transferred from prison to a private medical facility for treatment. The prisoners have specifically asked the court to allow them to receive medical care at either Shifa International Hospital or Quaid-e-Azam International Hospital. The development comes amid continued legal discussions over the medical treatment of prisoners and the circumstances under which an inmate may be allowed to receive treatment outside a prison hospital or government medical facility. During the proceedings, the Islamabad High Court sought a response from the relevant prison authorities by August 27. The court has directed the jail administration to explain its position regarding the requests made by the three prisoners. The court also ordered the superintendent of Adiala Jail to submit the medical reports of the petitioners. These reports are expected to help the court assess the prisoners’ medical conditions and determine whether their requests for treatment at private hospitals have sufficient grounds. Justice Muhammad Asif issued a two-page written order in connection with the petitions. In the order, the court directed the relevant parties to submit para-wise comments before the next hearing. The applicants have argued that they require medical treatment that may not be adequately available within the prison system. Their petitions seek permission to be transferred to either Shifa International Hospital or Quaid-e-Azam Hospital so that they can receive treatment from specialists and access facilities available at private medical institutions. The court has not yet issued a final decision on whether the prisoners will be allowed to move to a private hospital. Instead, it has sought medical documentation and responses from the prison authorities before considering the matter further. The medical reports from Adiala Jail will be particularly important in determining the nature and seriousness of the applicants’ health conditions. The court is expected to examine whether their medical needs justify treatment at a private hospital and whether such a transfer is appropriate under the applicable legal and prison regulations. The petitions also highlight broader questions concerning prisoners’ access to healthcare and the circumstances in which courts can intervene to ensure that inmates receive appropriate medical attention. The applicants’ request for relief similar to that provided to Imran Khan has placed the issue before the Islamabad High Court for judicial consideration. Their lawyers are seeking comparable treatment arrangements based on the medical needs of the petitioners. Under the court’s latest directions, the prison authorities are required to respond by August 27. The superintendent of Adiala Jail must also provide the petitioners’ medical reports, while all concerned parties have been asked to submit their detailed para-wise comments before the next hearing. Following the submission of these documents, the court will have an opportunity to review the medical evidence and the authorities’ position before deciding the applications. For now, the three prisoners remain in custody, and no final order allowing their transfer to a private hospital has been issued. The next hearing is expected to provide greater clarity on whether the applicants will be permitted to receive treatment at Shifa International Hospital or Quaid-e-Azam Hospital. The case could also become significant for future requests by prisoners seeking specialised medical treatment outside jail facilities, particularly where serious health concerns are raised and comparable relief has previously been granted in individual cases.

  Islamabad: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has introduced a new mechanism to speed up sales tax registration for low-risk applicants, allowing eligible and complete applications to be processed within three working days. The measure was announced through Sales Tax General Order No. 20 of 2026, issued by the Revenue Division on August 24, 2026. The order is aimed at making the registration process faster, more transparent and business-friendly while retaining safeguards against fraudulent or suspicious registrations. Under the new system, applications submitted through the FBR’s IRIS system will be assessed according to risk-based parameters. Applicants classified as low-risk through the computerized system will receive priority treatment, provided their applications contain all required information and documents. According to the order, the relevant Local Registration Office (LRO) will be required to complete the registration process for eligible low-risk applicants within three working days. Officials have been directed to avoid unnecessary delays in processing such applications. The FBR has also restricted registration offices from seeking additional documents from low-risk applicants unless those documents are specifically required under the Sales Tax Act, 1990, the Sales Tax Rules, 2006, or are demanded by the computerized risk-management system. Another major feature of the new procedure is the introduction of pre-registration certification for manufacturers. Sector-specific trade associations operating under the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) will be able to certify the credentials of their member applicants before registration. The certification will cover key details including the applicant’s manufacturing activity, business premises and membership of the relevant trade association. However, the FBR has clarified that such certification is intended only as a facilitation measure and will not replace any legal or statutory requirement for sales tax registration. The new order also establishes clearer procedures for dealing with incomplete applications. If an application does not meet the required conditions, the applicant must be informed within seven days and provided with specific reasons for the objection. The FBR has prohibited registration officials from raising vague or generalized objections. This requirement is intended to provide applicants with greater clarity about deficiencies in their applications and allow them to address issues without unnecessary delays. For manufacturers, the order requires concerned LROs to conduct pre-physical verification under Rule 5(3) of the Sales Tax Rules, 2006 within three working days. Applications considered high-risk or suspicious, however, will remain subject to enhanced scrutiny and additional verification. The FBR said the initiative forms part of broader efforts to facilitate businesses, reduce administrative delays and encourage genuine manufacturers to enter the formal tax system. By involving recognized trade bodies in the initial verification process, the tax authority hopes to make better use of industry-level information while retaining the final decision-making authority with the relevant tax offices. The General Order has been circulated among all Chief Commissioners Inland Revenue, Commissioners, the Director General of IT and PRAL for immediate implementation. The FBR has also emphasized that classification as a low-risk applicant does not provide permanent immunity from scrutiny. If false information, misrepresentation or fraudulent documentation is discovered at a later stage, the applicant may still face subsequent verification and action under the applicable law. The new framework is therefore designed to combine faster registration for legitimate businesses with continued monitoring of applicants who may pose tax or compliance risks.

  LAHORE: Former caretaker federal minister and prominent industrialist Dr. Gohar Ijaz has raised serious concerns over Pakistan’s economic direction, warning that growing bank deposits alongside declining industrial activity indicate that capital is moving away from productive sectors.   Speaking to *Minute Mirror*, Ijaz said bank deposits had increased from around Rs. 21 trillion three years ago to Rs. 38 trillion, describing the trend as evidence that people were increasingly choosing to keep their money in banks rather than invest in businesses. He argued that excessive taxation was making industrial activity increasingly difficult. According to Ijaz, an effective tax burden of around 45 percent has discouraged investors and forced several businesses to reduce operations or shut down. “Three years ago, Rs. 21 trillion was lying in banks. Today, it has increased to Rs. 38 trillion,” Ijaz said, arguing that the country needed to encourage investment in manufacturing, exports and employment instead of allowing capital to remain parked in financial institutions. He also claimed that Pakistan could address a significant portion of its external debt if the textile industry received appropriate policy support. Ijaz said the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) had been offering for years to help generate enough foreign exchange for Pakistan to repay $10 billion in debt within one year. According to him, the proposal would require measures such as competitive energy prices, rational taxation, export incentives and a stable policy environment. He maintained that Pakistan’s industrial sector had the capacity to significantly strengthen the country’s foreign exchange position if its competitiveness was restored. Ijaz also criticised what he described as policy distortions in the sugar sector. He alleged that sugar mill-owning families had benefited from additional profits of approximately Rs. 30 billion per month due to pricing mechanisms, subsidies and regulatory decisions. He did not present documentary evidence for the figure during the interview but argued that government policies should prioritize consumers, industrial growth and the national economy rather than benefiting a limited number of influential groups. The former minister further commented on the current political and civil-military leadership, saying the Army and Prime Minister were receiving unprecedented recognition. He expressed optimism that stronger economic policies could enable Pakistan to overcome its financial challenges. Economists and business leaders have similarly pointed to high interest rates, expensive energy, inflation, taxation and policy uncertainty as major factors behind weak private investment. When bank returns appear more attractive and less risky than establishing or expanding businesses, capital can increasingly shift toward financial assets. Industry leaders have therefore called for lower and more predictable taxes, competitive electricity and gas tariffs, faster refunds, fewer ad-hoc duties and incentives for export-oriented manufacturing. Ijaz’s remarks highlight a broader challenge facing Pakistan: having substantial liquidity does not necessarily translate into economic productivity. For the country to generate employment, increase exports and strengthen its ability to repay external debt, more capital needs to flow into productive businesses. The central question, therefore, is whether future economic policies will encourage investment, manufacturing and exports or continue to make bank deposits more attractive than business expansion.