School Shooting Update: 7 Dead 20 Injured at Nonthaburi Middle School

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said the province played a leading role in the creation of Pakistan and will continue to contribute to the country’s progress. Speaking to the media after visiting Mazar-e-Quaid in Karachi on Independence Day, Murad Ali Shah said he had paid his respects at the mausoleum along with the governor and members of the provincial cabinet. He said prayers were offered for Pakistan’s peace, stability and prosperity. The chief minister recalled Sindh’s contribution to the Pakistan Movement, saying the province had played an important role in the struggle for a separate homeland. He urged the nation to remain united and follow the principles and vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Murad Ali Shah also paid tribute to former prime ministers Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto. He described Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as the founder of Pakistan’s nuclear programme, saying he faced death but refused to compromise. He said Benazir Bhutto also sacrificed her life but never allowed Pakistan’s sovereignty and integrity to be compromised. The chief minister praised PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for taking charge of the foreign ministry during a difficult period. He said the nation demonstrated unity when India attempted to threaten Pakistan. Murad Ali Shah called on young people and citizens from all walks of life to remain united and work together for the country’s development. He also condemned Israeli actions against Palestinians and expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people, urging the international community to take notice of the suffering caused by the ongoing violence.

A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice was held under the chairmanship of Senator Farooq H Naek, where National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Nazir Ahmed Butt appeared before the committee on its instructions. During the meeting, Senator Farooq H Naek remarked that the NAB chairman had perhaps appeared before the committee for the first time. In response, Nazir Ahmed Butt said that it was his first appearance before the committee as NAB chairman. He added that he had appeared before the committee several times while performing his previous responsibilities. The NAB chairman said he had been assigned the responsibility in 2023. He recalled that ministers he met during his tenure repeatedly complained that the bureaucracy was afraid to make decisions and was therefore reluctant to work. During the meeting, NAB Director General Operations briefed the committee on the bureau’s powers and performance. The official said NAB had received 505,799 complaints since its establishment. He said NAB also operates as an investigative agency under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010. According to the briefing, NAB has so far completed 12,147 inquiries, conducted 7,339 investigations and filed 4,105 references. The DG Operations further told the committee that NAB had been allocated Rs22.556 billion over the past three-and-a-half years. Despite the expenditure, the bureau reported significantly higher recoveries during the same period. The committee was informed that NAB had recovered Rs1.069 trillion over the past three-and-a-half years. The briefing highlighted the bureau’s role in investigating corruption, financial crimes and other cases falling under its legal mandate. The committee members discussed NAB’s powers, investigations, recoveries and its overall performance during the meeting. The NAB chairman and officials responded to questions from the committee and provided details about the bureau’s operations and financial performance.

Islamabad: Pakistan’s ancient heritage sites have come under scrutiny after UNESCO raised questions over conservation work carried out at the historic Taxila archaeological sites of Mohra Moradu and Sirkap, prompting a Senate committee to seek detailed explanations from government officials. The Senate Standing Committee on National Heritage and Culture reviewed UNESCO’s concerns during a meeting at Parliament House and questioned whether restoration work at Pakistan’s internationally recognised heritage sites was being carried out according to global preservation standards. Officials informed the committee that UNESCO had asked for additional information regarding the conservation work conducted by the Directorate General of Archaeology, Punjab, at the Taxila sites. The committee was told that the required details had already been provided to UNESCO by the provincial authorities and no further objections had been received after the submission. Officials assured lawmakers that the restoration work followed UNESCO conservation guidelines and international standards. The meeting was chaired by Senator Hidayatullah Khan and attended by Senators Abdul Wasay, Bushra Anjum, Sarmad Ali and Syed Waqar Mehdi along with senior officials from the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture. During the briefing, officials explained that after the 18th Constitutional Amendment, responsibility for heritage conservation was transferred to provincial governments. They said the Government of Punjab started conservation activities at the Taxila archaeological sites and followed recommendations provided by UNESCO, ICOMOS and other expert organisations. Officials said the conservation strategy focused on protecting the original structure of the ancient remains while using scientific methods. They explained that the work included repairing damaged walls, improving drainage systems, protecting old structures from weather damage and using materials compatible with the original construction. Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi asked officials about the exact concerns raised by UNESCO. Officials explained that UNESCO’s observations mainly focused on the materials used during restoration, the method for rebuilding certain walls and the height of reconstructed structures. They said these issues were reviewed and addressed through detailed documentation submitted to UNESCO. The committee was informed that scientific cleaning and repair methods were used to protect the archaeological remains while maintaining international conservation principles. Pakistan currently has six sites listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, while documents for 24 more locations have been prepared for possible future inclusion. Officials told the committee that UNESCO usually considers only one nomination from each country annually.   They said Pakistan has requested UNESCO to give priority to its pending nominations so more historical locations can receive international recognition. The committee also discussed plans to develop Taxila as a major heritage and tourism destination.   Officials informed members that around Rs100 million had already been spent during the current year on conservation activities. They said further projects, including an open air museum and improved visitor facilities, were being considered to attract tourists while protecting ancient sites.   Senator Bushra Anjum stressed that stronger federal monitoring was needed despite heritage being mainly managed by provinces. She said Pakistan must improve tourism facilities around heritage sites, including better visitor services, accommodation options and a sustainable system that creates income while preserving history.   She warned that inappropriate materials or poor restoration methods could permanently damage important archaeological sites.   The committee directed the ministry to provide UNESCO’s official response once received and recommended that members visit the Taxila archaeological sites personally to review the conservation work. The meeting also discussed another major heritage issue involving the recovery of smuggled Pakistani archaeological artefacts from the United States. Officials informed the committee that 513 valuable archaeological artefacts had been returned to Pakistan through cooperation with US authorities. They said the recovered objects mainly belonged to the ancient Gandhara civilisation and had been seized after being illegally taken out of Pakistan over several decades. Officials described the artefacts as priceless national treasures representing Pakistan’s thousands of years of history. The committee was informed that plans were underway to establish a new museum where these recovered items could be safely preserved and displayed to the public. Officials said efforts were being made to acquire land for the museum in coordination with the Capital Development Authority and public private partnership options were also being explored. Committee members demanded details about the people involved in the smuggling network, the investigation process and the estimated value of the recovered artefacts. They directed the ministry to submit a complete report explaining how the artefacts were recovered and what action had been taken against those involved in illegal trafficking. The committee also discussed reports about the demolition of a historic Mughal era arch near Rohara Village for a housing development project. The chairman directed officials to collect complete information about the incident and present a detailed report at the next meeting.