PBS revises import data after billions of dollars in discrepancies

President Asif Ali Zardari has stressed the need to protect trees and promote plantation across Pakistan. He said tree plantation is not only an environmental priority but also a national responsibility. In a message issued at the launch of the Monsoon Tree Plantation Campaign 2026, the president said the campaign aims to plant 20 million saplings across the country. He urged people and relevant institutions to actively participate in the plantation drive. He said increasing the country’s tree cover is essential for protecting the environment and improving the quality of life. President Zardari said forests play an important role in preserving biodiversity, water resources and the natural environment. Forests also help reduce the harmful effects of climate change. He stressed that Pakistan needs greater efforts to protect existing forests and increase the number of trees across the country. According to him, a stronger and healthier forest cover can help the country deal with rising environmental challenges. The president called for collective efforts to build a green, clean and climate-resilient Pakistan. He said government institutions, communities and citizens all have a role to play in protecting the environment. He also highlighted the importance of planting trees for future generations. He said the trees planted today will help provide a healthier and better environment for coming generations. The president’s message comes as Pakistan continues to face environmental challenges linked to climate change, changing weather patterns and pressure on natural resources. He said tree plantation should not be limited to seasonal campaigns. Continuous efforts are needed to protect trees, expand forests and ensure the survival of newly planted saplings. President Zardari said protecting the environment is a shared responsibility. He called for greater public awareness and participation in plantation activities to make Pakistan greener and more sustainable.

The Islamabad High Court has declared admissible the petitions seeking suspension of sentences of Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chatha, who were convicted by a trial court in the controversial tweets case. Justice Muhammad Azam Khan of the Islamabad High Court issued a reserved verdict, rejecting a miscellaneous application filed by the prosecution challenging the admissibility of the petitions. The court had reserved its decision yesterday after hearing arguments from both sides. The prosecution had argued that the petitions for suspension of sentence filed by Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chatha were premature. It is pertinent to mention that Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka had sentenced both Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chatha to a total of 17 years in prison each under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). Both convicts have approached the Islamabad High Court seeking suspension of their sentences. Earlier, The Islamabad High Court on Friday reserved its decision on whether petitions seeking the suspension of prison sentences awarded to lawyers and human rights activists Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha can proceed. The petitions relate to the couple’s convictions in a case involving alleged controversial social media posts under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). The hearing was conducted by Justice Muhammad Azam Khan, who considered preliminary arguments from both the prosecution and the defence before reserving his ruling on the maintainability of the petitions. During the proceedings, lawyers representing the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) argued that the requests for suspension of sentence had been filed too early. They maintained that the court should first decide the prosecution’s objection challenging the admissibility of the petitions before considering any request for relief

The mystery surrounding the death of young businessman Mir Raza Ali Khan remains unresolved as investigators continue to examine evidence, while the victim’s family insists he was murdered and has raised questions about the findings of the preliminary medical report. Mir Raza’s father, Hussain Raza, has rejected the possibility of suicide. He claimed his son was killed and alleged that attempts were being made to present the case as a suicide. He expressed concern over the medical report, saying it mentioned only the gunshot injury and did not describe what he believes were signs of physical violence on his son’s body. According to the father, Mir Raza had injuries on his face, hands and other parts of his body. He also claimed his son was shot from behind and questioned why the report did not include details of the alleged injuries. He further asked investigators to explain what happened during the period between his son’s disappearance on July 28 and the recovery of his body the following day. He said Mir Raza had spoken to his sister before leaving home and appeared to be in good spirits. The taxi driver who transported him also reportedly told investigators that Mir Raza seemed relaxed and was listening to music during the journey. The family has appealed to senior authorities for a transparent and impartial investigation. The investigation has made further progress with the recovery of another CCTV recording showing Mir Raza’s movements before his death. The footage reportedly captures him taking his mobile phone out of his pocket and throwing it away. Investigators are conducting forensic and technical analysis of the video to determine its significance. Police said the preliminary medical examination found that Mir Raza died from a gunshot wound to the chest. However, the firearm used in the incident and the spent bullet casing have not yet been recovered, leaving investigators without key physical evidence. As part of the ongoing investigation, police are also looking into Mir Raza’s financial dealings. Initial inquiries suggest he had borrowed money from several individuals. Authorities are preparing a list of those people and are questioning them to determine whether any financial dispute may have contributed to the incident. Investigators have so far included 12 individuals in the inquiry and recorded statements from 15 people connected to the case. Earlier CCTV footage showed Mir Raza leaving his shop in Bahadurabad during the early hours after taking a security guard’s pistol from a drawer. He later returned home, where he left behind his car, smartwatch, house keys and Rs39,000 before booking an online taxi. Further footage showed him traveling alone to Gulistan-e-Jauhar. Investigators believe he switched off his mobile phone near Johar Mor before reaching Block 2, where he was last traced.