Terrorist killed in joint operation in Bannu

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has issued the judges’ roster for the sixth week of its summer vacation. The new roster will come into effect from August 10. It will cover proceedings at the principal seat in Lahore and the court’s regional benches. According to the roster, two division benches at the Lahore Principal Seat will hear appeals from Monday. Four judges will also work as single benches and hear cases of different categories. A two-member division bench headed by Chief Justice Aalia Neelum will hear appeals of all types. Another two-member division bench headed by Justice Sadiq Mahmood Khurram will also hear appeals in different categories. Chief Justice Aalia Neelum will also hear petitions as a single bench. She will deal with applications and petitions of various kinds during the week. Justice Shahid Karim will hear civil matters. Justice Sadiq Mahmood Khurram will deal with criminal petitions. Justice Syed Ahsan Raza Kazmi will hear civil petitions of different categories. The arrangement has been made to ensure that important cases continue to be heard during the summer recess. The roster also includes arrangements for the LHC’s regional benches. Justice Ahmad Nadeem Arshad will hear cases as a single bench at the Bahawalpur Bench. Justice Khalid Ishaq will perform the same role at the Multan Bench. At the Rawalpindi Bench, Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan will hear cases as a single bench. The issuance of the roster will allow the high court to continue judicial proceedings during the sixth week of summer vacations. The scheduled benches will hear appeals, petitions and other cases according to their assigned jurisdictions.

Islamabad: The federal government has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court challenging its interim order directing the transfer of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital. In its petition, the government described the Supreme Court’s interim order as an overreach of legal authority. It argued that the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978, clearly prescribe the procedure for providing medical treatment to prisoners. According to the government, a prisoner can be shifted to a government civil hospital or a district headquarters hospital when necessary. However, it said there is no provision in the law for transferring a prisoner to a private hospital. The government also maintained that prison laws and the Prisons Act do not give a prisoner the right to receive treatment from a private doctor of his choice. The petition stated that Imran Khan’s case had been fixed for hearing for the first time and that he had not even been issued a notice. Despite this, the court issued an interim order regarding his medical treatment and transfer. The government argued that the court appeared to have reached the conclusion that Imran Khan’s health was deteriorating on the basis of a medical report. However, according to the petition, the report did not clearly indicate any such deterioration. It further stated that a medical board had examined Imran Khan several times. The government maintained that expert medical opinions should have been sought before making a decision on such a medical matter. The petition also challenged the use of Section 561-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, arguing that the provision cannot be used to interfere in matters falling within the jurisdiction of prison authorities. The government further objected to the relief granted to Imran Khan at the interim stage. It said four requests were effectively granted through the interim order, including his transfer to Shifa International Hospital, access to personal doctors, meetings with family members, and provision of medical reports to his lawyers. According to the government, such relief at the interim stage amounted to granting final relief without completing the regular legal proceedings. The petition also warned that allowing a special facility for Imran Khan at a private hospital could set a precedent for other prisoners. It argued that other inmates could make similar demands under prison laws, potentially creating a large number of such requests. The government maintained that providing such special treatment would also conflict with the principle of equal treatment of prisoners.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide will arrive in Pakistan on August 13 for a two-day official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation between Islamabad and Oslo. The visit will continue through August 14 and will be Eide’s first trip to Pakistan by a Norwegian foreign minister in a decade. Eide is visiting Pakistan at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. During his stay, the Norwegian minister will hold delegation-level talks with Dar. The discussions are expected to cover a wide range of bilateral and international issues. According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the two sides will examine opportunities to increase cooperation in trade and investment, climate change, renewable energy, education and people-to-people contacts. Regional and global developments are also expected to feature prominently in the talks. The visit comes as Pakistan and Norway have maintained diplomatic engagement through senior-level contacts in recent months. Dar and Eide held telephone discussions in March and April, while Norwegian State Secretary Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik visited Islamabad in May. Officials expect the latest visit to provide an opportunity to build on these contacts and identify new areas of cooperation that could benefit both countries. Pakistan and Norway have maintained cordial relations for decades, with cooperation extending across economic, development and diplomatic fields.

QUETTA: Balochistan Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove remained safe after armed attackers targeted his convoy in Mastung on Friday. The attack took place in the Khad Kocha area. Langove was travelling from Kalat to Quetta when his convoy came under fire. The minister was not injured in the attack. However, six people sustained bullet wounds. Three of the injured were police personnel accompanying the convoy. The injured were immediately taken to Nawab Raisani Memorial Hospital for treatment. Hospital officials said six wounded people were brought to the facility. Two injured people were in serious condition. Two others were later referred to Quetta for further medical treatment. Security forces quickly surrounded the area after the attack. A search operation was launched to trace the attackers and determine their whereabouts. Security personnel also began collecting evidence from the site. The authorities are investigating how the attackers targeted the convoy and managed to escape. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. The incident has raised fresh security concerns in Mastung and surrounding areas. Balochistan has witnessed several attacks in recent years, with security forces frequently conducting operations against armed groups. Langove belongs to the Balochistan Awami Party. He assumed the provincial home ministry in March this year. He has previously served as Balochistan’s home minister. His earlier appointment was later declared invalid after he was removed from the provincial cabinet in August 2024. The latest attack has prompted authorities to review security arrangements for senior government officials travelling through sensitive areas.