Kushner’s Gaza mission end in deadlock as Israel…

Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora has said that the painful memories of August 16 are still fresh. He described the Jaranwala tragedy as a deep wound on the hearts of the affected families and communities. In a statement, Arora said the Punjab government stood with all victims of the tragedy. He said Chief Minister Punjab and the provincial government were committed to protecting the rights of religious minorities. Arora said the Punjab government had adopted an effective strategy to ensure the safety of minority communities. He added that security measures had been strengthened to protect people from violence and discrimination. The provincial minister said the protection of religious minorities was a priority for the government. He claimed that the government had taken steps to ensure that such an incident would not happen again. Arora warned that no individual or group would be allowed to take the law into their own hands. He said violations of the rights of religious minorities would not be tolerated. He stressed that every citizen had the right to live in safety and with dignity. He said the government was responsible for protecting the lives and property of all citizens, regardless of their religious background. The minister also said religious minorities in Punjab were being provided with all possible facilities. He said the government was working to address their concerns and improve their overall security. Arora said the Punjab government would continue taking measures to create a peaceful environment for all communities. He added that protection of minorities was essential for maintaining harmony and stability in the province. The minister’s statement came on August 16, the anniversary of the Jaranwala incident. The episode remains a painful memory for the Christian community and has continued to raise concerns about the protection of religious minorities. Arora said the government was determined to learn from the tragedy and prevent similar incidents in the future. He reiterated that no one would be permitted to violate the law or target minority communities.

Karachi is expected to remain hot and humid over the next three days. The weather is likely to stay partly cloudy. Light drizzle is also possible in some parts of the city. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, Karachi’s maximum temperature is expected to remain between 34°C and 36°C during the next three days. The weather department said most parts of Sindh will experience hot and humid conditions today. However, some areas could receive rainfall. Tharparkar district may receive light rain accompanied by thunderstorms. Residents have been advised to remain cautious during periods of strong winds and thunderstorms. August could bring more rain A private weather forecasting organisation has also issued a longer-range outlook for August. It said low-pressure systems could develop over the Bay of Bengal during the first 10 days of August. These weather systems could increase the chances of rain across several parts of Pakistan. Northern areas of the country may experience a strong spell of rainfall. Sindh and Balochistan could also receive one or two rain spells during the period. Karachi may see rainfall during the first week of August if favourable weather systems develop. The forecast comes as Pakistan continues to experience monsoon weather. Rainfall in different regions has already affected temperatures and local weather conditions. However, meteorologists have stressed that the August forecast is based on long-range weather models. Such forecasts can change as new weather data becomes available.

MQM-Pakistan Chairman Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has accused the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of creating an ethnic divide in Sindh. He said the province had not simply been divided into urban and rural areas. Instead, he claimed that a linguistic and ethnic division had been created. Speaking at a public gathering in Hyderabad, Siddiqui said Muhajirs were settled in 21 cities across Sindh. He said his party had always preferred political and peaceful struggle over confrontation. Siddiqui warned that if the people participating in the political movement were directed towards the Chief Minister’s House, the situation could reach a decisive point. However, he stressed that MQM-P had never called for fighting. He said the party wanted different communities to recognise and respect each other. The MQM-P chief said the cities of Sindh belonged to the descendants of people who had contributed to the creation of Pakistan. He said they had brought their share of Pakistan with them and had continued to remain committed to the country. Siddiqui also spoke about abandoned properties in Sindh. He claimed that the Muhajir community had not received even 10 per cent of what he described as its rightful share. He said the community’s love for Pakistan and desire for peace should not be considered a weakness. He said MQM-P would continue raising the rights of the people regardless of the number of votes it received. Siddiqui claimed that the party was bigger than the assemblies and said its presence represented Pakistan. The MQM-P chairman also urged the federal government to take the party’s demands seriously. He said one of the party’s major demands was the establishment and empowerment of effective local governments. Siddiqui argued that strong local governments were necessary to solve problems at the grassroots level. He said people should have greater control over decisions affecting their cities and communities. The MQM-P leader also demanded a fair and accurate population census in Sindh. He said every person must be properly counted to ensure fair political representation and distribution of resources. Siddiqui warned that those responsible for failing to count people accurately would eventually have to answer for it. He claimed that two sections of society were currently contributing to the state’s economy in Sindh but were not receiving proportionate representation. He argued that a transparent population count could resolve many of the grievances surrounding political representation. According to Siddiqui, if the people of Sindh were properly counted, the demand for a separate province would no longer remain necessary. His remarks come amid an ongoing political debate in Sindh over population figures, ethnic representation, local government powers and the distribution of resources. The MQM-P has repeatedly called for stronger local governments and greater representation for urban areas. The party maintains that accurate population data is essential for determining political representation and ensuring a fair share of development resources.