Oil-Like Material Washes Ashore on Koh Larn Beaches, Coating Some Swimmers

  The Peshawar High Court has issued a written judgment regarding a petition filed against the non-extension of visas for an Afghan businessman and his family members. The court has directed the relevant authorities to decide the applicant’s visa extension case within 15 days in accordance with the law. According to the written decision issued by the High Court, the petitioner is a registered taxpayer with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). The applicant possesses a National Tax Number (NTN) and is also a member of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The court observed that the applicant has established business ties and fulfills the necessary legal requirements as a registered member of the business community. The judgment stated that the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports, Islamabad, failed to make a timely decision on the visa extension applications submitted by the petitioner. Due to the delay in processing the applications, the applicant and his family have faced difficulties and uncertainty regarding their legal status in Pakistan. The court emphasized that government authorities are required to make decisions within a reasonable period and in accordance with the provisions of the law. The judgment noted that the applicants had submitted proper applications for visa extensions after the expiry of their previous visa periods. Therefore, their pending applications should have been considered and decided promptly by the relevant department. The Peshawar High Court further directed the concerned authorities to review the pending visa extension requests and issue a detailed decision within 15 days. The court made it clear that the decision must be based on legal principles and should address all relevant aspects of the applicants’ cases. The court’s order highlights the importance of timely administrative decisions, particularly in matters involving foreign nationals who are legally residing and conducting business activities in Pakistan. Delays in such cases can create serious challenges for individuals, including difficulties related to travel, business operations, documentation, and compliance with immigration requirements. The judgment also reflects the court’s view that individuals who meet legal obligations, such as tax registration and business registration, deserve a fair and timely review of their applications. The authorities have been instructed to avoid unnecessary delays and ensure that administrative procedures are completed within the timeframe prescribed by law. The case was brought before the High Court after the applicant’s visa extension requests remained unresolved despite the submission of formal applications. The petitioner argued that the delay by immigration authorities had caused hardship for him and his family. After examining the facts of the case, the court issued directions to ensure that the pending matters are resolved without further delay. The written decision of the Peshawar High Court serves as a reminder that government departments must act efficiently and transparently when dealing with legal applications. The court’s order does not grant an automatic visa extension but requires the authorities to make a proper and lawful decision on the pending applications within the specified 15-day period.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced plans to march to Islamabad on September 27 if its demands regarding party founder Imran Khan are not met, with senior party leaders calling for legal and constitutional relief. The announcement was made during a public gathering near the motorway in Peshawar, where PTI leaders said the planned demonstration would go ahead unless progress is made on several issues, including regular meetings with Imran Khan, access to his personal physician, and timely hearings of court cases involving the former prime minister. Addressing supporters, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said the party had pursued every available constitutional and legal avenue but had failed to achieve the desired outcomes. He argued that the party had little confidence in the judicial process and claimed that recent constitutional amendments had affected the functioning of the courts. Gandapur also alleged that PTI supporters had faced excessive force during previous demonstrations. He questioned the continued detention of Imran Khan and reiterated the party’s position that the former premier’s removal from office was the result of external interference. He further claimed that Pakistan’s economy had performed better during Imran Khan’s tenure and criticized the current government’s handling of economic and security challenges. The chief minister also expressed concern over inflation, unemployment, law and order, and the country’s overall economic situation. He accused the federal government of mismanagement and urged supporters to remain united ahead of the planned protest. Speaking at the same event, PTI leader Sohail Afridi said the party had exhausted all legal and constitutional options before deciding to launch another protest movement. He maintained that the planned march was intended to demand justice rather than political concessions. Afridi announced that PTI would proceed towards Islamabad on September 27 if its demands remained unaddressed. He told supporters that the party was seeking what it described as judicial justice and the restoration of legal rights for its leader. The planned demonstration is expected to become one of PTI’s major political mobilization efforts in the coming months. Party leaders have called on supporters from across the country to participate peacefully in the protest. The federal government has not yet issued a detailed response to PTI’s latest announcement. Political observers say the coming weeks will be important as both sides weigh their next steps amid Pakistan’s evolving political landscape.

The federal government has significantly increased the value of diyat (blood money) for the fiscal year 2026-27, setting the amount at more than Rs. 19 million due to a sharp rise in silver prices. The new value represents an increase of nearly 97 percent compared to the previous year. According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Finance, the official value of diyat has been fixed at Rs. 19,352,390 in accordance with the provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), 1860. Under Pakistani law, diyat refers to the compensation paid by an offender to the heirs of a person killed in a criminal case. The amount is determined based on the value of 30,630 grams of silver, as outlined in Section 323 of the PPC. The latest increase is mainly linked to the significant rise in silver prices. The diyat amount for the fiscal year 2025-26 was Rs. 9,828,670, meaning the new figure has almost doubled within one year. The value of diyat has continued to rise in recent years due to fluctuations in precious metal prices. For the fiscal year 2023-24, the amount was fixed at Rs. 6,757,902, which was already a 56 percent increase from Rs. 4,318,524 in 2022-23. Section 323 of the Pakistan Penal Code states that courts must determine the diyat amount while considering Islamic injunctions from the Quran and Sunnah, as well as the financial circumstances of both the convicted person and the victim’s heirs. However, the amount cannot be lower than the value of 30,630 grams of silver. The law also requires the federal government to announce the value of silver through an official notification each year. This declared value becomes the basis for calculating the minimum diyat amount for that financial year. The increase has renewed discussion over the method used to calculate blood money. In July 2025, a proposed amendment was introduced in the Senate suggesting that the minimum diyat calculation should be changed from 30,630 grams of silver to either 2,000 grams of gold or one-fourth of the assets owned by the convicted person. The latest notification highlights how changes in precious metal markets can directly affect legal compensation amounts in Pakistan. As silver prices continue to fluctuate, the annual revision of diyat remains an important financial and legal matter affecting victims’ families and the criminal justice system.

Lahore: The Punjab government has approved comprehensive martyr compensation packages for the families of 14 police personnel who lost their lives while performing their duties, reaffirming its commitment to supporting the families of fallen law enforcement officials. The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by Punjab Minister for Law Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan at the Home Department. The meeting was attended by Home Secretary Dr Ahmed Javed Qazi, Additional Inspector General Imran Arshad, Additional Secretary (Police) Kanwar Anwar Ali Khan, DIG Welfare Mehboob Rashid and other senior officials. The minister directed the relevant authorities to ensure that all financial dues, housing benefits and other entitlements are provided to the families of the martyrs without delay. Approval was granted under three different martyr packages based on the circumstances of service and sacrifice. Package-1 was sanctioned for police personnel martyred in encounters with terrorists in Bhakkar and Layyah, including Constables Muhammad Shehbaz, Muhammad Faheem and Muhammad Asad Naseer. Under this package, the families of martyred constables will receive Rs10 million, a five-marla house and other benefits. Package-2 was approved for police officials who embraced martyrdom during duty in Bahawalnagar, Sargodha, Rajanpur, Faisalabad and Gujrat. The beneficiaries include Sub-Inspectors Shahid Parvez and Amir Rizwan, Constables Muhammad Nasir and Mirza Umar Aftab Baig, and Driver Constable Iftikhar Ahmed. Under this package, the families of martyred constables will receive Rs4 million, a five-marla house and additional benefits, while the families of martyred Assistant Sub-Inspectors will receive Rs5 million, a seven-marla house and other incentives. Package-3 was approved for police personnel martyred while on duty in Bahawalnagar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahim Yar Khan and Sahiwal. The approved beneficiaries include Sub-Inspector Muhammad Zaman Zia, Assistant Sub-Inspector Muhammad Bashir, Constables Muhammad Bismillah, Muhammad Ramzan, Tahir-ul-Zaman Siddiqui and Muhammad Waris. Under this package, the families of martyred constables will receive Rs3.5 million and other benefits, while the families of martyred Assistant Sub-Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors will receive Rs4 million along with additional concessions. Addressing the meeting, Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan said the welfare and protection of the families of martyrs remains one of the Punjab government’s highest priorities. He pledged that no martyr’s family would be deprived of its rightful benefits, describing the fallen officers as the pride of the nation and the country’s true heroes who laid down their lives in the line of duty. The minister also vowed that terrorists responsible for killing police personnel would be brought to justice in accordance with the law. The meeting concluded with prayers for the elevation of the ranks of the martyrs.

ISLAMABAD: A high-level investigation committee constituted by the Prime Minister visited the Fire Brigade Headquarters on Thursday as part of its inquiry into the response to a recent fire incident. During the visit, the committee recorded statements from officers and staff of Capital Emergency Services who participated in the rescue operation. Officials provided details about the sequence of events and the measures taken after the fire was reported. Sources said the investigators examined the timeline of the incident, including the period between the outbreak of the fire and the arrival of emergency response teams. The committee also assessed the fire brigade’s response and reviewed the actions taken by personnel during the operation. The investigators sought information about difficulties and operational challenges encountered by the emergency teams while carrying out rescue and firefighting efforts. The committee is headed by retired Federal Secretary Shahid Khan and includes Major General (retd) Dr Khursheed Uttra, Dr Barrister Naeem Ahmed Awan and the Deputy Commissioner Islamabad. According to sources, the committee is scheduled to submit an interim report to the Prime Minister today. A comprehensive investigation report, along with recommendations based on its findings, is expected to be submitted within five days. The inquiry is aimed at determining the sequence of events, assessing the emergency response and identifying areas requiring improvement in the city’s firefighting and rescue arrangements.

Lahore: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, formally inaugurated the 983rd Annual Urs of Hazrat Ali Hajveri (RA), widely revered as Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA), by performing the traditional Chadar Poshi ceremony and inaugurating the ceremonial Sabeel-e-Doodh. On this auspicious occasion, he also unveiled the Punjab Auqaf & Religious Affairs Department’s special publication, “Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA) – Kamalaan Raa Rahnuma,” and reaffirmed that Pakistan was founded upon the eternal principles of Islam and the sovereignty of Almighty Allah, ideals that were magnificently exemplified and disseminated by the great Sufi saints through their scholarship, spirituality, and exemplary character. He observed that the timeless teachings of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA), centred on compassion, tolerance, justice, fraternity, piety and selfless service to humanity, continue to illuminate the path towards peace, national cohesion and social harmony. The ceremony was attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister Punjab Ali Dar, Provincial Minister for Housing Bilal Yasin, Provincial Minister for Finance Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Senior Member Board of Revenue Nabeel Javed, Secretary Excise Masood Mukhtar, Commissioner Lahore Nauman Yousaf, Secretary/Chief Administrator Auqaf Punjab Dr. Ehsan Bhutta, Director General Religious Affairs Hafiz Anees-ur-Rehman, Director Administration Auqaf Muhammad Shakir Sandhu, Director Projects Auqaf Rafiq Noor Wattoo, Deputy Commissioner Lahore Ali Ijaz, Administrator Data Darbar Muhammad Ali Khan, GM NESPAK Adil Nazir, and senior officers of the Auqaf Department, civil administration, law enforcement and security agencies. The annual Chadar Poshi ceremony was gracefully conducted by Maulana Mufti Kashif Jameel as Naqeeb-e-Mehfil, while the honour of Qur’anic recitation was bestowed upon Qari Syed Sadaqat Ali and Qari Ghulam Fareed Al-Hassani. Renowned Naat Khawans—Qari Muhammad Anas Mukhtar, Dr. Sarwar Hussain Naqshbandi, Hafiz Muhammad Waseem Abbas, Hafiz Noor Sultan Siddiqui, Marghoob Ahmad Hamdani, Abdul Razzaq Jami and Habib-ur-Rehman Bhatti—presented heartfelt tributes in praise of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), while Umar Chishti Group and Riaz Hussain Group presented soul-stirring Manqabat and Salaam. Floral tributes were offered at the sacred shrine, distinguished guests were ceremonially honoured with traditional turbans, and special collective prayers were led by Allama Mukhtar Ahmad Nadeem, Khateeb of Jamia Masjid Data Darbar. Following the ceremony, the Deputy Prime Minister officially launched the commemorative publication and received an extensive briefing from officials of the Communication & Works Department and NESPAK regarding the Data Darbar Expansion Project. Commending the Government of Punjab for its exceptional arrangements, Senator Ishaq Dar described the service of millions of devotees as a profound religious obligation and a matter of immense privilege, while paying rich tribute to the comprehensive security architecture, sanitation, healthcare, traffic management and public facilitation measures, and especially acknowledging the outstanding leadership and unwavering dedication of Dr. Ehsan Bhutta and his entire team. Advisor to the Chief Minister Punjab Ali Dar remarked that the shrine of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA) remains an enduring symbol of spirituality, peace and interfaith harmony across the Subcontinent, adding that under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, every possible resource has been mobilised to ensure a secure, dignified and spiritually enriching experience for pilgrims. Dr. Ehsan Bhutta further stated that, under the continuous supervision of the Chief Secretary Punjab, all Urs arrangements had been completed well in advance and to the highest professional standards, with special emphasis on security, Langar, Sabeel, medical services, cleanliness, parking, traffic management, control rooms and guidance centres. Multi-tier security measures were implemented throughout the shrine complex in close coordination with law enforcement agencies, including comprehensive search operations, deployment of armed personnel on surrounding high-rise buildings and stringent surveillance protocols, while additional personnel from the Tourism Department were also deployed to facilitate visitors. The inaugural day of the Urs witnessed an extraordinary influx of devotees from across Pakistan who thronged the sacred shrine to offer chadars, floral tributes and prayers, as the atmosphere resonated with devotional fervour, traditional drum performances and the continuous distribution of Langar. The first day also featured four prestigious spiritual and scholarly gatherings, including a Mehfil-e-Husn-e-Qira’at, an academic and educational session at Jamia Hajveria, a scholarly discourse titled “The Life and Legacy of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA)”, and a grand Mehfil-e-Naat, while the three-day Urs celebrations will continue with the inauguration of the traditional Mehafil-e-Samaa on 3 August at 10:00 a.m. at Rashid Events Complex, Chowk Sardar, Chappal Factory, Bilal Ganj, Lahore, where some of Pakistan’s most distinguished Qawwals will participate in the revered musical assemblies.