National

At least 10 people lost their lives and several others were injured after a three-storey residential building collapsed in Lahore’s Baghbanpura area late Wednesday night, prompting a large-scale rescue operation. Emergency teams rushed to the scene shortly after the incident and recovered 16 people from beneath the debris. Six victims were pronounced dead at the site, while the remaining injured were shifted to nearby hospitals. Four more later died from their injuries, raising the death toll to 10. Rescue officials said four people remain in critical condition and are receiving treatment, while two injured victims have been discharged after medical care. Search teams continued clearing the rubble to ensure no one remained trapped. According to preliminary findings, the roof of the ageing building collapsed at around 10:15pm, causing the entire structure to cave in. Members of an extended family living on different floors were inside the building when the collapse occurred. Police and rescue workers immediately launched a coordinated operation, using heavy machinery and manual equipment to search for survivors. Authorities said the exact number of people inside the building at the time of the collapse is still being determined. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed grief over the loss of lives and directed senior officials to monitor the rescue and relief efforts. The city commissioner visited both the accident site and the hospital to review the situation and meet the injured survivors. Local lawmakers also visited the area and assured affected families that all possible assistance would be provided during the rescue operation and rehabilitation process. The latest tragedy has renewed concerns over the safety of old and deteriorating buildings in Lahore. It comes only weeks after a deadly roof collapse at a private tuition centre in Kahna claimed the lives of 14 children. Following that incident, provincial authorities had ordered safety inspections of educational institutions and other ageing structures.

The Sindh government has announced that all public and private schools across the province will observe a six-day working week from August 1. The new schedule will remain in place until further orders. An official notification issued by the School Education and Literacy Department confirmed that schools will remain open from Monday to Saturday. The decision applies to all educational institutions operating under the department’s administrative control. The announcement comes as schools prepare to reopen after the end of summer vacations. Educational institutions remained closed for two months, with the holiday period running from June 1 to July 31. Students and teachers will now return to classrooms under the revised weekly schedule. Officials said the six-day week has been introduced to ensure smooth academic activities and improve the pace of teaching. The move is expected to help schools complete the academic calendar on time and make up for learning time lost due to previous disruptions. The decision applies equally to government and private schools throughout Sindh. School administrations have been instructed to implement the revised timetable immediately after reopening. Earlier this year, educational institutions in Sindh also experienced temporary closures because of regional security concerns linked to tensions in the Middle East. Schools remained closed for a brief period before normal academic activities resumed. Provincial authorities later restored regular operations while maintaining Saturday holidays. However, the latest notification has withdrawn that arrangement and introduced a six-day working week across the province. Education officials have advised parents, students and school administrations to follow the updated schedule. They said any future changes to school timings or working days will be communicated through official notifications.

The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution calling for the formation of an independent Truth Commission to investigate the recent unrest that claimed several lives and left many others injured. The proposed commission will examine the causes of the violence, investigate all reported deaths, injuries and property damage, and recommend measures to provide relief to victims and prevent similar incidents in the future. The move comes after violent clashes between law enforcement personnel and protesters in Rawalakot, where both security officials and demonstrators reported casualties. The unrest sparked widespread concern and renewed calls for an impartial investigation. According to the resolution, the Truth Commission will function as an independent and impartial body. Its structure, powers and terms of reference will be finalised jointly by the federal government and representatives of the protest leadership before being formally established under AJK law. The commission will be tasked with reviewing all aspects of the recent crisis. It will examine evidence related to deaths, injuries, property losses and allegations of violence. Authorities said the inquiry will be conducted without any predetermined conclusions, ensuring that every affected family and relevant party has an opportunity to present evidence and testimony. The proposed body will have access to official records, including government documents, police reports, forensic material, communication records, videos and witness statements. Sensitive information involving national security or witness protection may be reviewed through confidential proceedings. The Assembly clarified that the commission will not determine criminal guilt or hand down punishments. Instead, if evidence suggests legal violations, the matter will be referred to the relevant investigative or judicial authorities for further action. Individuals or institutions facing adverse findings will also be given an opportunity to respond before any conclusions are reached. The commission will submit interim and final reports within an agreed timeframe. Its final report is expected to be made public, subject to legal restrictions concerning national security and witness safety. It may also recommend compensation for victims, institutional reforms, legal action where necessary and measures to prevent future unrest. The resolution also called for immediate de-escalation of tensions across the region. It urged the government to restore normal life by reopening roads, ensuring medical and emergency services, improving communication networks and maintaining the uninterrupted supply of essential goods. At the same time, protest organisers were urged to suspend demonstrations until the commission completes its work. The governments of AJK and Pakistan were also asked to avoid further actions linked to the crisis during the inquiry, except where immediate measures are required to protect public safety. The Assembly reaffirmed its commitment to democratic values, constitutional governance and the rule of law. It stressed that peaceful protest, freedom of expression and the right to raise political, economic and social demands are guaranteed under democratic principles. However, it strongly rejected violence, vandalism, the use of weapons and attempts to challenge state authority through force. Lawmakers paid tribute to security personnel, police officials and civilians who lost their lives during the unrest. They expressed sympathy with all affected families and stressed that every victim deserves justice, humanitarian assistance and equal treatment under the law. The House also appealed to citizens, political workers, traders and youth to distance themselves from violent elements. It emphasised that responsibility for any unlawful acts should be determined individually through evidence and due legal process rather than collective blame.

Islamabad: A controversy has emerged over the recruitment process of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) after the Wafaqi Mohtasib declared that the selection process for senior academic positions lacked transparency and directed the university to cancel appointments and repeat the process. The decision came after a complaint filed by a female complainant, who challenged her exclusion from the shortlist for Professor and Associate Professor positions despite claiming she met the required eligibility criteria. The Wafaqi Mohtasib, after reviewing documents and hearing both sides, concluded that maladministration was established and stated that serious questions were raised about the transparency of the selection process. The Ombudsman referred the matter to the Vice Chancellor of AIOU with directions to cancel the appointments and conduct the recruitment process again according to proper procedures. The controversy relates to faculty recruitment advertisements issued by AIOU for Professor and Associate Professor positions. According to the findings, AIOU advertised several academic positions on 15 September 2024, and received a large number of applications. Officials informed that 388 applications were received for 25 advertised Professor and Associate Professor positions. The university introduced an Internal Assessment Framework to shortlist candidates before sending applications for further evaluation. According to AIOU, the decision was taken because evaluating hundreds of academic files through experts would create major financial and administrative difficulties. Officials estimated that external evaluation of dossiers could cost around Rs26 million. Under the new system, eligible candidates were assessed through multiple stages including vision statement, leadership assessment, psychological assessment, teaching demonstration and screening interview. The assessment was conducted out of 50 marks, and 24 candidates were recommended for further selection stages. However, the female complainant was not recommended for any position. The female complainant challenged the process, arguing that the university changed recruitment procedures after the hiring process had already started. She claimed that according to the original recruitment rules, eligible candidates were required to appear before the Selection Board and that the introduction of an Internal Assessment as an elimination stage had no legal basis. She also argued that she was not properly informed about all stages of the assessment process. The complainant stated that she was informed about teaching demonstration and leadership assessment but was not informed about psychological assessment and screening interview. The complaint also raised concerns over fair hearing rights, claiming that she was excluded from the final process without written reasons or an opportunity to explain her position. Another serious issue raised was the timing of the Selection Board meeting. The complainant claimed that the Selection Board meeting took place on 10 April 2026, a public holiday, and that the approval process and appointment letters were completed unusually quickly on the same day. She questioned whether the process was properly transparent. She argued that recruitment rules and selection criteria should not be changed after the recruitment process has started. The Ombudsman examined the matter and found that the selection process did not appear transparent. The findings stated that several questions raised by the complainant required attention and that the recruitment process showed signs of maladministration. AIOU officials had defended the process, saying the Internal Assessment Framework was approved by the university’s Executive Council and applied to the advertised positions. They said the system was designed to identify the most competitive candidates while reducing time and financial burden. The case now requires AIOU to report compliance with the Ombudsman’s decision within the given period. The controversy has raised broader questions about transparency, fairness and recruitment procedures in public sector universities, where senior academic appointments directly affect the quality of education.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday granted one-week protective bail to Noreen Niazi, the sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, in a case registered under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). The court also restrained the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) from arresting her during this period. The relief was granted after Noreen filed a petition seeking protection from arrest. She informed the court that she intended to approach the relevant court for pre-arrest bail but feared that investigators could detain her before she had the opportunity to seek legal remedy. After hearing the arguments, Justice Sardar Akbar Dogar directed the NCCIA not to arrest Noreen for one week. The court also instructed her to appear before the competent court within the given time to seek further legal relief in accordance with the law. The case against Noreen was registered after authorities accused her of sharing content that allegedly contained false, offensive and inflammatory statements on social media. Investigators claimed the material was intended to spread misleading narratives and damage the reputation of state institutions. The allegations are linked to remarks she made during a podcast interview. In the interview, she discussed national security issues and made comments regarding regional political developments. Short video clips from the interview later circulated widely on social media, prompting authorities to launch an investigation. Following the viral circulation of the clips, the NCCIA initiated an inquiry and registered a formal case against her. The agency invoked provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act along with relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code related to public mischief and criminal intimidation. Earlier this month, the NCCIA issued a notice directing Noreen to appear before its Cyber Crime Reporting Centre in Islamabad to record her statement. The notice warned that failure to appear before investigators could result in further legal action under applicable laws. During the hearing, Noreen’s legal counsel argued that she had no intention of avoiding the investigation and was willing to cooperate with authorities. However, the defence maintained that immediate protection was necessary to ensure she could exercise her legal right to seek pre-arrest bail without facing detention. The court accepted these arguments and granted temporary relief, preventing her arrest for one week while allowing her to pursue legal remedies before the appropriate forum. The latest court order does not dispose of the case or determine the merits of the allegations. Instead, it provides temporary protection until Noreen appears before the relevant court to seek further relief.