PSX drops over 1,000 points

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called for a fair and transparent electoral process in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), saying the Election Commission’s duty is to protect the people’s vote rather than support any political party. In a statement regarding the first phase of the AJK elections, Bilawal said the credibility of the entire electoral process would depend on ensuring justice and transparency at the initial stage. He urged the Election Commission to address all complaints related to alleged rigging and irregularities before August 2 through open hearings. He also demanded that polling station results and election records be made available to the public to remove doubts and increase confidence in the process. The PPP chairman said his party was not seeking anyone’s favour or special treatment. He said the demand was only for the right to participate in clean, transparent and impartial elections. Bilawal emphasized that the Election Commission should remain neutral and perform its constitutional responsibilities without any pressure. He said the institution’s main responsibility was to safeguard the mandate given by voters. He added that protecting the people’s vote was essential for strengthening democracy and ensuring that the voices of Kashmir’s residents were properly represented. The PPP leader’s statement came amid political discussions over the first phase of the AJK elections, with parties raising concerns and demanding a transparent mechanism to address electoral complaints.

QUETTA: A wave of violence and tragic accidents swept across Balochistan on Tuesday, as authorities recovered six bullet-riddled bodies from four districts while eight more people, including two women, lost their lives in separate incidents of gunfire, a roadside explosion, a fuel tanker fire and a deadly road crash. According to police officials, the bodies of six unidentified men were recovered from Kalat, Mastung, Panjgur and Kharan, prompting multiple investigations into the killings. Three of the bodies were discovered in different areas of Kalat district. Two were found dumped in the Rej locality after local authorities received information from residents, while another body was recovered from the Chhapar area. All three were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital for identification, but officials said their identities had not yet been established. In Mastung, police recovered another unidentified man’s body from the Jungle area after receiving reports from local residents. Preliminary investigations suggest the deceased may have been a drug addict, though authorities said the exact cause and circumstances of his death are still being examined. The fifth body was found in Nowan Kur, Panjgur, where police believe the victim was shot dead by unidentified attackers before his body was abandoned. In Kharan, authorities recovered the body of a man who had reportedly been abducted by armed men two days earlier after they stormed his home. His body was later found on the outskirts of the city with bullet wounds. Separate incidents elsewhere in the province added to the death toll. In Kalat’s Mangochar area, unidentified gunmen opened fire on a family travelling from Zhob to Karachi after their driver allegedly failed to stop at a signal. Two women were killed in the attack, while a child sustained injuries and was taken to hospital. Meanwhile, an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near the N-65 National Highway in Mastung, killing a driver and injuring five others. The explosion severely damaged an LPG tanker and two trailers. In Quetta, two people were burned to death after an oil tanker caught fire at a petrol pump near Sariab Customs. In another tragedy, three people were killed in a head-on collision between two vehicles on the Quetta-Karachi National Highway in the Surab area. Police have launched investigations into the shootings and explosions, while authorities continue efforts to identify the unidentified victims and determine those responsible for the attacks.