Daughter-in-Law Beheads Elderly Mother-in-Law in Phuket

Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has accused Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of filing a baseless contempt of court petition, claiming that the party, its founder and his family themselves violated the court’s directives. Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Tarar said the administration had fully implemented the court’s orders regarding the visit and medical examination of PTI founder Imran Khan. He questioned the gathering of groups of people outside Shifa Hospital and asked who had arranged their presence there. The minister alleged that the court had clearly directed that no political statements or media activity would take place. However, he said political activity and media talks were still held outside the hospital. He also claimed that the security arrangements were disrupted during the proceedings. Tarar said Imran Khan’s medical examination was conducted in the presence of his sister and doctors nominated by his family. He added that the initial medical report showed that the PTI founder was in good health. The information minister stressed that health-related matters should not be turned into a political issue. He said the government had ensured that the court’s directions were followed and that all necessary arrangements were made according to the judicial order. Referring to the political debate surrounding the matter, Tarar said that when Imran Khan was prime minister, he had also made derogatory remarks about his political opponents. He added that the government had raised the question in a respectful manner during the review process about whether similar facilities were available to other prisoners. Tarar maintained that the government had fulfilled all requirements set out by the court and rejected allegations that the administration had failed to comply with the judicial directives. The minister also commented on statements issued by members of the Pakistan and Punjab Bar Councils. He said some lawyers had expressed their personal opinions rather than an institutional position. He further alleged that a few lawyers were attempting to bring the bar councils into political controversy.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has warned that any attempt to manipulate election results would trigger serious political consequences, saying the federal government’s “countdown” would begin if the public mandate was stolen. Addressing a public gathering in Muzaffarabad, Bilawal stressed that elections must be decided through the ballot box and not through alleged interference or manipulation. He called for transparency in the electoral process and said any theft of votes should not be concealed. He said the principle of democracy demands that the candidate who receives the people’s votes should emerge victorious. Bilawal added that he wanted to see peace, justice and genuine public representation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The PPP chairman pledged to safeguard the rights of the people of Kashmir, saying decisions regarding the region should be made by its elected assembly. He also announced plans to convene a constitutional convention after the elections, bringing together representatives of the government, opposition, refugees, lawyers and civil society to discuss constitutional and governance reforms. Highlighting the concerns of Kashmiri refugees, Bilawal said their genuine representation must be protected. He argued that if their votes were manipulated or controlled by others, their longstanding issues would remain unresolved. He described Kashmiri refugees as an integral part of the region’s history and political movement and said Kashmir should have representation in institutions where major national decisions are made. During the address, Bilawal also extended what he described as a political olive branch to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), urging the party to abandon the politics of boycott and actively participate in the democratic process. He said PTI should contest elections, engage in parliamentary politics and work through committees instead of distancing itself from democratic institutions. Bilawal added that if the party intended to boycott every political process, it would have been better to remain outside politics altogether. Calling for broader political cooperation, the PPP chairman invited what he termed “serious politicians” from PTI and other political workers to join hands in pursuing parliamentary reforms. He said all democratic forces should work together to strengthen institutions and improve the country’s political system.