sher afzal marwat
| |

Sher Afzal Marwat backs new provinces

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Sher Afzal Marwat has expressed support for the creation of new provinces in the country.

Speaking to the media in Multan, Marwat said smaller administrative units were necessary for a fairer distribution of resources.

He argued that the existing administrative structure should be reviewed to ensure that people in different regions receive their due share of development resources.

According to Marwat, creating additional provinces could also bring governance closer to local communities. He said people living in smaller administrative units would have greater opportunities to participate in decision-making and manage their own affairs.

The lawmaker stressed that local representation was important for effective governance. He maintained that smaller provinces could help authorities understand and address the specific needs of different regions.

Marwat also called for support for the movement seeking the creation of smaller administrative provinces. He said the proposal should be considered as part of efforts to improve governance and ensure a more balanced distribution of resources.

The debate over creating new provinces has remained a longstanding political and administrative issue in Pakistan. Supporters argue that smaller provinces could improve administration, strengthen local representation and reduce regional disparities.

Opponents, however, have raised concerns about the political, constitutional and financial implications of creating new administrative units.

Similar Posts

  • | | |

    Rhea Chakraborty opens up about years of suspicion…

    Indian actress Rhea Chakraborty has opened up about one of the most difficult periods of her life, saying that she spent years under suspicion following the death of her former boyfriend and actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Rhea’s life changed dramatically in 2020 after Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead at his Mumbai residence. The case attracted enormous public attention, while Rhea faced intense scrutiny, criticism and legal proceedings. Months ago, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) reportedly filed a closure report in the case, providing major relief to Rhea. She was cleared of the allegations connected to the case. Rhea and her brother Showik Chakraborty had also been arrested by India’s Narcotics Control Bureau in connection with a drugs-related case linked to the investigation into Sushant’s death. The actress recently discussed her experience while appearing on the second season of The Traitors. During a conversation with host Karan Johar, she was asked whether she would prefer to present herself as innocent or as a traitor in order to survive the show. Rhea chose the role of the innocent. Explaining her decision, she said that she had finally received a clean chit and that people had learned she was innocent. She added that she had remained under suspicion for a very long time and no longer liked the feeling of being viewed through that lens. The actress has previously spoken about the impact the controversy had on her life. She said the experience affected her mental well-being and that she struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder following the intense period of public and legal scrutiny. For Rhea Chakraborty, the recent developments appear to represent an important turning point. After years of controversy surrounding her name, the CBI closure report has allowed her to publicly emphasize her position and move forward. Her comments on The Traitors have once again brought attention to the long-running controversy, while also highlighting the personal toll she says the ordeal took on her. Rhea Chakraborty says she is innocent, and her latest remarks show how deeply the years of suspicion and public scrutiny continue to shape her perspective on that chapter of her life.

  • Russian Supreme Court bans anti-war Yabloko party …

    Russia’s Supreme Court on Monday barred the liberal Yabloko party from contesting September’s parliamentary elections. The ruling effectively side-lines the only officially registered political party in the country that actively opposes Moscow’s war in Ukraine. The court ruled in favour of a lawsuit filed by Rodina, a small pro-Kremlin nationalist party. Rodina alleged that Yabloko had received undeclared campaign support, including backing from Western sources. Yabloko leader Nikolai Rybakov rejected the allegations during the day-long hearing, stating there was no evidence to support the claims. He described the lawsuit as an unconstitutional move to eliminate political rivals and vowed to appeal the decision. Outside the court, a few hundred mostly young supporters gathered in a rare display of public defiance. Some carried apples, a nod to the party’s name, which means “apple” in Russian, as police monitored the crowd. Yabloko currently holds no seats in the national parliament, where the ruling United Russia party and other pro-Kremlin factions maintain complete dominance. However, the upcoming campaign had offered the party a national platform to advocate for an immediate ceasefire. The court’s decision arrives amid shifting public sentiment regarding the conflict. Recent polling by the independent Levada Centre indicated that public support for military actions in Ukraine dropped to 66% in July, marking its lowest point since February 2022.

  • |

    Son-in-Law kills wife, in-laws in Lahore’s Chuhng, later dies by suicide

    By Muhammad Hussain LAHORE: A man allegedly shot dead his wife, mother-in-law, father-in-law and brother-in-law before taking his own life in the Barkat Colony area of Chuhng, Lahore, on Tuesday morning. According to police, the incident occurred at around 5:45am when children had arrived at the house to read the Holy Quran. The suspect, identified as Imran Shaukat, reached his in-laws’ house armed with a pistol and a rifle and opened fire. Police said Imran’s wife, Samia Bibi, father-in-law Ali Khan, brother-in-law Zeeshan Khan and mother-in-law Shamaila Bibi were killed in the firing. According to initial details, Samia sustained gunshot wounds to the head, Ali Khan was shot in the chest and Zeeshan Khan was hit in the back. Shamaila Bibi also died after being caught in the firing. Police said the suspect had married Samia around six months ago. After the marriage, she had been living with her parents. The suspect allegedly wanted her to return and live with her. Relatives of the victims said Imran’s brother, Rizwan, is a police employee. They claimed that a case had also been registered against him at Chuhng Police Station a few months ago, but he was released after a few days. Police have launched an investigation into the incident, while further details regarding the motive behind the killings are being ascertained.

  • |

    Woman killed as 11kV power line falls in Lahore

    A tragic accident claimed the life of a woman in Lahore on Wednesday after an 11-kilovolt (11kV) high-voltage electricity wire snapped and fell on her near Sheikh Hospital in the city’s Muslim Town area, officials said. According to rescue authorities, the woman was walking along the roadside with her young daughter when the live power line suddenly collapsed, causing a powerful electric shock. She suffered severe burns and died at the scene before emergency responders could provide medical assistance. Rescue teams rushed to the area immediately after receiving reports of the incident. However, officials were unable to recover the victim’s body until electricity to the damaged line was disconnected due to the danger posed by the live 11kV wire. Fortunately, the woman’s daughter escaped the incident unharmed despite being with her at the time of the accident. Witnesses described the child’s survival as miraculous, saying she narrowly avoided contact with the live cable. Authorities promptly informed the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO), which dispatched technical teams to disconnect the power supply and remove the damaged wires. Rescue personnel and police remained at the scene while engineers worked to secure the area and prevent further danger to pedestrians and motorists. Police have launched an investigation to determine what caused the high-voltage line to fall. Officials will examine whether recent weather conditions, aging infrastructure, or a technical fault contributed to the incident. The victim’s identity has not yet been officially released, and her body will be shifted for legal formalities once the area is declared safe. The incident has once again raised serious concerns over the safety and maintenance of electrical infrastructure in densely populated urban areas. Residents urged authorities to conduct immediate inspections of overhead power lines to prevent similar tragedies. Emergency officials also advised the public to stay away from fallen electrical wires and report such hazards immediately, warning that even wires lying on the ground can remain live and extremely dangerous until disconnected by utility workers.

  • | |

    Sindh orders three-year appointment of Qaim Ali Sh…

    The Sindh government has directed Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU) to take immediate steps for the three-year appointment of Professor Dr Nighat Shah, daughter of former Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah, just one day before her scheduled retirement. The directive was issued following a decision of the Sindh Cabinet. Secretary of the Boards and Universities Department Abbas Baloch has also issued a formal notification in this regard. According to the notification, the provincial cabinet discussed the matter during its meeting held on August 5 under agenda item 16. The cabinet cited the broader public interest, continuity of specialised medical services, academic leadership, postgraduate medical education, research, innovation and institutional standards as reasons for considering the appointment. The notification initially states that the vice chancellor should consider appointing Dr Nighat Shah as a professor for three years. However, it subsequently directs the university administration to take immediate steps to process her three-year appointment. The university has also been instructed to implement the cabinet decision without delay and submit a report on the action taken to the Boards and Universities Department on a priority basis. The appointment has raised questions because the government has referred to a notification issued by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) on May 19, 2026. The PMDC had allowed public medical and dental institutions to hire retired faculty members on a purely contractual basis until the age of 65. However, the council had clarified that the policy was enabling in nature and was not mandatory for any institution. Under the PMDC policy, individual institutions were allowed to make decisions according to their requirements, rules, regulations and available resources. The PMDC notification also stated that contractual appointments of retired faculty would not create any right to permanent employment, seniority or absorption into the regular cadre. It further clarified that such appointments should not adversely affect the promotion opportunities, career progression or cadre structure of junior faculty members. The case has therefore raised questions about the need for the provincial cabinet to intervene in the appointment of a particular retired faculty member when the PMDC policy leaves the decision to individual institutions. The PMDC notification is a general policy applicable to public medical and dental institutions. It does not specifically direct any institution to appoint an individual faculty member. The proposed appointment has also triggered concerns over seniority within JSMU. Associate professors Dr Shazia Naseeb, Dr Nasreen Fatima, Dr Saba Khan, Dr Iram Majid and Dr Maimoona Rehman are reportedly among those whose seniority could be affected by Dr Nighat Shah’s appointment. The issue is likely to attract further attention because the proposed appointment comes immediately before Dr Nighat Shah’s retirement. Questions are also being raised about how the decision could affect existing faculty members and their career progression.

  • |

    25 US states challenge Trump’s new tariffs in court

    NEW YORK: A coalition of 25 US states has filed a lawsuit against the administration of President Donald Trump, seeking to block a new round of tariffs imposed on imports from dozens of countries. The legal challenge was submitted to the US Court of International Trade in New York, where the states asked the court to suspend the tariffs, declare them unlawful and order the federal government to refund businesses that have already paid the import duties. The coalition argued that the administration exceeded its legal authority by introducing sweeping tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. According to the lawsuit, the investigations cited by the administration as justification for the tariffs were used as a pretext to impose broad trade restrictions. The disputed tariffs, ranging from 10% to 12.5%, were introduced last month and apply to imports from 60 trading partners, covering a significant share of goods entering the United States. The Trump administration has defended the measures, saying they are intended to address concerns related to forced labour in international supply chains and to protect American trade interests. The White House maintains that the tariffs were imposed within the government’s legal authority and remain an important tool for securing fair trade practices. A White House spokesperson said the administration is using powers granted under US trade law to respond to what it considers unfair policies and practices affecting American commerce. Officials also argued that Section 301 tariffs have previously withstood legal scrutiny and continue to be a lawful instrument of trade policy. The lawsuit follows earlier legal disputes over President Trump’s tariff policies. Previous tariffs introduced under emergency economic powers were struck down by the US Supreme Court earlier this year, prompting the administration to replace them with the current Section 301 measures after a temporary global tariff expired in July. The states involved in the case contend that the latest tariffs are arbitrary and unlawful, arguing that while they support efforts to combat forced labour worldwide, such concerns cannot be used to justify what they describe as an illegal expansion of presidential tariff powers.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *