Partab Shivani receives Sindh Pride of Minorities Award 2026

The Punjab government has taken a major step towards holding long-delayed local government elections, approving Rs12.52 billion for the polls that could finally restore elected local councils across the province after an 11-year gap. The decision was taken during the 36th meeting of the Punjab Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. The allocation signals that the provincial government is preparing for a fresh local election process after years of political, legal and administrative delays. Punjab last held local government elections in 2015, during the tenure of former chief minister Shehbaz Sharif. Polling was conducted in phases between October and December that year, while elected councils formally assumed office in 2017 following indirect elections for mayors and chairpersons. However, the local government system subsequently faced repeated disruptions. The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government dissolved the elected local bodies in April 2019 before their scheduled completion. Although the Supreme Court later ordered their restoration, the councils eventually completed their term on December 31, 2021. Under Article 140A of the Constitution and the Elections Act, local government elections are required within 120 days after the expiry of local councils. This meant Punjab’s next elections were due in April 2022. Yet successive governments repeatedly changed local government laws, forcing the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to restart key preparations. Polls Could Be Held by November The latest development has raised hopes that Punjab may finally see local elections later this year. PILDAT President Ahmad Bilal Mehboob welcomed the cabinet’s decision to allocate funds, describing it as a positive indication that the electoral process could move forward. He said the ECP had completed the demarcation and delimitation process and dealt with objections, making it possible for the commission to announce an election schedule after August 17. According to Mehboob, if there is no “unseen factor”, local government elections could be held in Punjab by November 2026. The move could also have wider political implications. Asked whether the PML-N government’s decision might ease pressure surrounding demands for the creation of new provinces, Mehboob said provincial restructuring remained a complex issue. However, he noted that holding local elections could, to some extent, reduce the pressure for new provinces by strengthening grassroots representation. For millions of Punjab residents, the key question now is whether the latest budget allocation will finally translate into polling stations, elected councils and a functioning local government system after years of waiting.

KARACHI: A sessions court in Karachi has sentenced two men to double life imprisonment after finding them guilty of abducting a minor girl and subjecting her to gang sexual assault after luring her with the promise of ration. The Additional Sessions Court Karachi South also imposed a fine of Rs200,000 each on the convicts. The court ordered them to pay Rs500,000 each in compensation to the victim. According to the prosecution, the incident occurred in 2022 when the accused allegedly lured the girl, who was from a begging family, with the promise of providing food supplies. They subsequently abducted her and subjected her to sexual assault. During the trial, the victim identified the accused during an identification parade. The court observed that her testimony held significant importance in establishing the prosecution’s case. The court further noted that the medical evidence was consistent with the victim’s account and supported the allegations made against the accused. After reviewing the evidence presented before it, the court concluded that the prosecution had successfully established the charges against the accused beyond reasonable doubt and handed down the sentences accordingly.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Registrar’s Office has issued the cause list for the upcoming week. According to the cause list, eight benches will be available to hear cases during the week. These include six single benches and two division benches. The court has constituted two division benches to hear cases involving matters requiring consideration by two judges. The first division bench will comprise Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro and Justice Umair Majid Malik. The second division bench will consist of Justice Muhammad Asif and Justice Shah Rukh Arjumand. The cause list also includes six single benches. These benches will hear cases assigned to individual judges during the upcoming week. The six single benches will comprise Justice Sarfraz Dogar, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro, Justice Muhammad Asif, Justice Ayaz Shaukat, Justice Umair Majid Malik and Justice Shah Rukh Arjumand. The Registrar’s Office has issued the schedule as part of the court’s regular judicial proceedings. Cases listed before the respective benches will be taken up according to the cause list. The cause list determines which cases are scheduled for hearing and which judges will hear them. Lawyers and litigants will appear before the relevant benches on the dates fixed by the court. The Islamabad High Court will continue hearing cases through the six single benches and two division benches during the coming week.

PESHAWAR: Two police personnel sustained minor injuries after an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded near a police vehicle in Peshawar on Sunday, officials said. The blast occurred near Pir Zakorhi Bridge, close to the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway toll plaza, where a police van was travelling on routine duty. The explosion damaged the vehicle and left the driver and a police constable with minor injuries. Rescue teams and law enforcement officials quickly reached the site and shifted the injured officers to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. Authorities said both policemen were in stable condition and suffered only minor wounds. The Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU) launched a search operation in the surrounding area after the explosion. Initial findings suggested that the explosive device had been planted along the roadside in a green belt and was detonated as the police vehicle passed by. Security personnel thoroughly scanned the area to ensure no additional explosive devices were present. Police cordoned off the scene and began collecting evidence to determine those responsible for the attack. An investigation has been launched, while officials are examining the nature of the explosive and the method used in the incident. The latest attack comes amid a surge in militant violence across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In recent days, several security personnel have lost their lives in separate terrorist attacks and counterterrorism operations in different parts of the province.