Punjab launches 77 electric buses in seven more districts

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari has strongly criticised Sindh Minister Sharjeel Memon over his remarks about the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections. Azma Bukhari told Memon to “drink cold water and pour some on his head,” saying the election was over and the people of AJK had already delivered their verdict. She said the election results had proved the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) calculations wrong and dismissed its allegations regarding pre-poll rigging. Bukhari claimed that a PML-N candidate had recovered bags containing ballot papers from the residence of a PPP candidate one night before polling. Taking a sharp jibe at the PPP, she said its “arrow had disappeared in the valleys of Kashmir,” while the PML-N’s “lion” was roaring across the region. She said AJK voters had given their verdict in favour of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif during the first phase of the elections. Bukhari urged the PPP to learn to accept defeat instead of raising allegations whenever it loses an election. She said political parties should celebrate victories but also show maturity in defeat. She further questioned the PPP’s position on elections in Gilgit-Baltistan. Bukhari asked whether the party considered those elections transparent because it had formed the government there. She said it was unfair to describe an election as transparent when a party wins and allege rigging when it loses.

Pakistan’s Counsellor at the United Nations, Saima Saleem, strongly criticised India during a meeting of the UN Security Council. She accused New Delhi of violating international law, ignoring UN Security Council resolutions and pursuing policies that threaten regional peace and stability. In her address, Saleem said it was contradictory for India to present itself as a supporter of peace while, according to Pakistan, it continues to violate international law and fail to implement UN Security Council resolutions related to the Kashmir dispute. She also alleged that India has pursued aggressive policies toward neighbouring countries and has been involved in activities that undermine regional security. The Pakistani diplomat highlighted what she described as a clear difference between the situations in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). She said people in AJK enjoy political freedoms, while residents of IIOJK continue to face restrictions, arrests and alleged human rights violations. Saleem said the denial of basic rights in the disputed territory cannot be ignored. She stressed that political freedom and the suppression of civil liberties cannot be viewed as the same. According to her, the people of Jammu and Kashmir continue to possess an inalienable right to self-determination under relevant UN resolutions. She further stated that Jammu and Kashmir is not an integral part of India and cannot be treated solely as its internal matter. She said India’s position does not change the internationally recognised status of the dispute and called for implementation of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. The Pakistani representative also said that India had originally taken the Kashmir issue to the United Nations and is now distancing itself from the resolutions adopted by the Security Council. She maintained that the dispute remains on the UN agenda and requires a peaceful resolution in accordance with international law. Referring to the Indus Waters Treaty, Saleem criticised India’s decision to suspend the agreement. She said the move violates international legal obligations and warned that water should never be used as a political or military tool. She described the Indus River system as a lifeline for millions of people and stressed that international agreements must be respected. She also alleged that terrorism networks linked to India have expanded beyond the region. In addition, she claimed that the rise of Hindutva ideology has contributed to increasing Islamophobia in India and accused the Indian government of promoting discriminatory policies against Muslims.

Medical board sources have revealed that injection marks were found on the arm and wrist of one of the two women who died at Township Police Station in Lahore. According to sources, around three and a half hours passed between the time the women were brought to the police station and their deaths. The sources said there was no significant difference in the post-mortem reports of the two women. The exact cause of death, however, has not yet been established. Police sources said the two women were not searched after being brought to the police station. They added that no female police personnel were present when the women were brought to the station. According to sources, both women were brought to the police station following a call made to emergency helpline 15. They reportedly remained seated near the station’s muharrir for around two hours. The muharrir was preparing to send the women to the female lock-up when the situation changed, sources said. Police officials said a case had been registered and the women were subsequently handed over to the investigation wing. They were reportedly being prepared for transfer to jail when both women collapsed. Sources further said there was no CCTV camera installed in the room of the investigation wing where the women were present. Police said female officers assigned to the station were deployed on duty at Data Darbar at the time. Officials maintained that women are searched before being placed in the female lock-up. Meanwhile, medical experts have suggested that the women may have died after consuming or being given a poisonous substance. Experts said the actual cause of death can be determined through forensic examination of samples collected during the investigation. The deaths have raised questions about the circumstances in which the women died while in police custody. Authorities are expected to rely on forensic evidence, post-mortem findings and other available evidence to establish the exact cause of death.