Pakistan marks Kashmir Exploitation Day

The Punjab government has imposed a 60-day ban on swimming in dams, rivers, canals, ponds and lakes across the province. The restriction has been introduced under Section 144 of the law. The Punjab Home Department issued a notification announcing the ban. According to the notification, people will also be prohibited from bathing in rainwater accumulated on streets, roads and open areas. The government has also restricted boating without official permission in the province. The ban applies to the water bodies covered under the notification. Officials said the restrictions were imposed to protect human lives during the ongoing monsoon season. Water levels have increased in several dams, rivers, canals, ponds and lakes across Punjab. Heavy rainfall has also created pools of standing water in different areas. Authorities fear that entering these waters could increase the risk of drowning and other accidents. The government has therefore moved to prevent people from swimming or bathing in potentially dangerous locations. The Home Department said the restrictions would remain in place for 60 days. Citizens have been advised to cooperate with the authorities and avoid entering rivers, canals, dams and other water bodies. The ban comes as Punjab continues to experience monsoon rains. Several parts of the province have already faced heavy rainfall, flooding and rising water levels. Officials have urged residents to remain cautious, particularly in areas where water levels are rising. People have also been advised to follow official warnings and avoid unnecessary activities near flooded areas.

The exhumation of Karachi youth Mir Raza will be conducted on Saturday to determine the cause of his death after authorities reinstated the previous medical board for his second post-mortem examination. Police and other relevant authorities have been directed to make arrangements for the exhumation. The post-mortem is scheduled to begin at 11am on Saturday. The medical board, which had earlier been reduced to five members, has now been restored to its previous eight-member composition. According to the notification, Dr Samia Syed will serve as the board’s convener. Dow University Professor Dr Naseem Ahmed will perform duties as a pathologist, while Dr Farah Wasim has been included as a forensic expert. CPLC officer Amir Hassan Khan will serve as a forensic identification expert. Dr Kamran, Dr Sri Chand and Dr Daniyal Mirza will also continue as members of the board. The decision came after Mir Raza’s father, Mir Hussain, expressed serious reservations over changes to the medical board. The exhumation had initially been scheduled for Friday but was postponed following the dispute over the board’s composition. Mir Hussain had said he would not allow the exhumation until the previous medical board was restored. His lawyer, Jibran Nasir, also rejected the newly formed board and sent notices to the police and health secretary. He alleged that political interference was affecting the case. Nasir demanded that the exhumation and post-mortem be conducted by the same eight-member board that had originally been constituted by the Karachi police surgeon on court orders. Case background Mir Raza Ali Khan went missing from the Pakistan Employees Housing Society (PECHS) area on July 28. His body was recovered from Gulistan-e-Johar two days later. According to police, Raza had left home at around 4:09am in an online taxi. His body was later found in a severely damaged condition, with a gunshot wound to his chest. Police said all of Raza’s social media accounts had been shut down a day before his body was recovered. Investigators have sought his phone records and information about people who had been in contact with him from the relevant telecommunications company. The driver of the online taxi Raza had used has also been questioned. According to his statement, he dropped Raza at his destination in Gulistan-e-Johar. Raza’s father previously said his son was due to marry on August 30 at Bait-ul-Mukarram Mosque in Gulshan-e-Iqbal. He said Raza had been extremely happy about starting a new chapter of his life.

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.