Pakistan MPs get highest salaries in South Asia

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has told the Federal Constitutional Court that no “PTI founder release force” was ever established, describing the initiative instead as a peaceful movement for the release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan. Afridi submitted an eight-page response in the case through the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa advocate general. The response was filed after the Federal Constitutional Court sought his position on a petition challenging the alleged formation of the so-called release force. In his response, the chief minister said the actual initiative was the Release Peace Movement, which he described as peaceful, unarmed and voluntary. He maintained that the movement had no armed structure or military component. Afridi further argued that the constitutional petition was politically motivated and based on misrepresentation of facts. He said the petition was premature, hypothetical and therefore not maintainable. According to the chief minister, the petitioner had also failed to establish any violation of fundamental rights. Afridi said the Release Peace Movement was protected under Articles 16, 17 and 19 of the Constitution. These provisions relate to freedom of assembly, freedom of association and freedom of speech and expression. He also argued that Article 256 of the Constitution, which concerns private military organisations, had no relevance to the movement. The KP chief minister maintained that the Private Military Organisations Act, 1973 was also not applicable to the Release Peace Movement. He rejected allegations that the initiative posed a threat to public order. He described such claims as baseless and said comparisons between the movement and armed organisations of the past were misleading. Afridi asked the court to dismiss the constitutional petition at the preliminary stage. He also requested the court to declare the Release Peace Movement constitutional and lawful. The case comes amid political controversy over claims that the KP government or PTI supporters were preparing an organisation to campaign for Imran Khan’s release. Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had previously criticised the KP government over the issue, alleging that it could establish a release force for the PTI founder while remaining silent against militants. The Federal Constitutional Court has scheduled the next hearing of the petition for July 29.

LAHORE: The Provincial Management Service (PMS) Officers Association has strongly opposed the Punjab government’s proposal to create 101 new Additional Assistant Commissioner (AAC) posts, describing the move as unnecessary and harmful to the existing administrative structure. The association argued that the AAC posts had been abolished years ago and their revival was not justified, particularly after the establishment of the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (PERA), which was created to strengthen enforcement and regulatory functions across the province. During an executive committee meeting chaired by Association President Qamar Zaman Qaisrani, members unanimously decided to raise their concerns with senior government officials. A delegation of the association is expected to meet the Punjab services secretary and the additional chief secretary to seek a review of the proposed decision. The association warned that if its concerns remain unaddressed, PMS officers across Punjab will begin a province-wide protest campaign. As part of the first phase, officers plan to wear black armbands while performing official duties to register their protest against the government’s decision. PMS officers believe the creation of the new posts would place a significant financial burden on the provincial treasury. According to the association’s estimates, establishing one Additional Assistant Commissioner post, including official facilities, office infrastructure, staff, transport and operational expenses, would cost approximately Rs46.8 million. They claim that creating all 101 posts would require nearly Rs4.73 billion initially, in addition to recurring expenditures on salaries, allowances and other administrative costs. The association further expressed concerns over what it described as long-standing issues within the provincial bureaucracy. These include delays in promotion boards, alleged discrimination in transfers and postings, and the appointment of junior officers to positions traditionally reserved for senior officials. Former administrative secretary Yawar Mehdi also commented on the proposal, saying that efforts to improve public service delivery were welcome if they genuinely strengthened governance. However, he stressed that introducing additional administrative positions should not weaken the existing civil service structure or negatively affect the career progression of Provincial Management Service officers.

Saudi Arabia has appointed Dr Rajeh bin Tami Al-Baqami as its new ambassador to Pakistan, replacing Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki. The appointment comes as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia continue to strengthen their longstanding partnership in defence, investment, trade and regional security. The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Al-Baqami was among eight newly appointed ambassadors who recently took the oath of office. The ministry shared photographs of the newly appointed envoys and said they had been sworn in on behalf of the Saudi leadership. Al-Baqami brings both military and diplomatic experience to his new position. He previously served as a major general in the Saudi armed forces before joining the Foreign Ministry at ambassadorial rank. He holds a doctorate in Human Resource Management from Brunel University London. His appointment comes at a time when Islamabad and Riyadh are expanding their strategic cooperation. The two countries recently formalised their defence partnership through a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement. Under the agreement, aggression against either country is considered an attack on both, further strengthening their long-standing military relationship. Economic cooperation has also become an important part of bilateral ties. Saudi Arabia has pledged major investments in Pakistan under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 programme. Riyadh has also provided financial assistance to Pakistan during periods of economic and balance-of-payments pressure. Saudi Arabia remains an important source of oil supplies for Pakistan, including arrangements involving deferred payments. The kingdom has also supported Pakistan’s foreign exchange position through deposits with the State Bank of Pakistan. Relations between the two countries have gained further momentum amid changing regional security dynamics. Islamabad and Riyadh have maintained close consultations on regional developments, including tensions involving Iran. Pakistan has also provided military support to Saudi Arabia during periods of heightened security concerns in the region. Al-Baqami succeeds Al-Malki, who served as Saudi ambassador during a period of expanding political, defence and economic cooperation between the two countries. His arrival is expected to provide further momentum to bilateral engagement and strengthen coordination between Islamabad and Riyadh.

PESHAWAR: Former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Adviser Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif has called for the creation of additional administrative provinces, saying Pakistan needs major structural reforms to improve governance and public service delivery. In a statement issued on Sunday, Saif said the proposal to establish new provinces should be taken seriously, arguing that the existing administrative framework is no longer capable of addressing the growing needs of the population efficiently. He said discussions alone would not bring meaningful change and urged the federal government to move beyond proposals by initiating practical measures for administrative restructuring. According to him, governance can only improve if reforms are implemented instead of remaining limited to public debate. Saif maintained that decision-making authority is concentrated within a small section of the bureaucracy, which limits administrative efficiency and delays the resolution of public issues. He stressed that a more balanced distribution of powers would strengthen governance and improve accountability. He said Pakistan requires comprehensive administrative reforms that would transfer greater authority to lower levels of government. Establishing new provinces, he added, would bring the government closer to the people, improve access to public services and ensure faster responses to local challenges. The former adviser also highlighted the importance of an effective local government system, saying empowered local bodies are essential for addressing citizens’ problems at the grassroots level. He argued that decentralisation and stronger local institutions would enhance transparency, improve service delivery and promote sustainable development across the country.