Category: National

A Canadian doctoral researcher, Hamza Ahmad Khan, who went missing last week, is in custody of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), it has emerged.

As per the details, Khan, deemed missing earlier, was on Monday presented before a magistrate who sent him to jail on a 14-day judicial remand.

On Sunday, police had registered a case against Khan’s alleged abduction on a complaint filed by a friend. According to the FIR [First Information Report], Khan “disappeared” in the early hours of February 19 after leaving his residence in DHA Phase 10.

Amid widespread calls for his recovery, authorities disclosed that he was in NCCIA custody for allegedly posting anti-state content on social media platforms X and Instagram.

An FIR by the NCCIA stated that accounts linked to Khan were allegedly spreading misinformation and disinformation targeting state institutions. The report cited sections 20 (offences against the dignity of a natural person), 24 (cyber stalking) and 26A (spoofing) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).

“An initial analysis indicates that the content in question is being published intentionally and is publicly accessible. The nature of these posts is inflammatory and appears designed to incite public unrest, spread animosity and undermine social order,” the FIR said.

During the inquiry, NCCIA said it verified that Khan had been posting material against state functionaries and institutions with the intent to damage their reputations. 

The FIR added that the posts were aimed at defaming political and constitutional leadership, inciting hatred and challenging the integrity of the state.

“Such mischievous statements/posts render dire consequences nationally and internationally for the state of Pakistan,” the NCCIA said.

Karachi Assistant Commissioner (AC) Hazim Bangwar has denied having any link to the underage accused in the Khayaban-e-Ittehad road accident case, which saw the death of a food delivery rider in the Defence area of the port city.

In a statement issued after reports identified the suspect as Asghar Ali Bangwar, the AC said neither his brother nor his sister was married, and rejected claims of any connection to the accused.

“This could be any Bangwar, or someone attempting to create a name association. I only wanted to make it clear that I have no connection with the individual,” he said after investigators said the person taken into custody had claimed to be the AC’s nephew.

The accident occurred at around 2 am on 23rd February near Saba Signal on Khayaban-e-Ittehad, where two cars were reportedly involved in an illegal street race. 

Police and witnesses said one of the vehicles lost control, overturned and struck 32-year-old Farhan, who was on his motorcycle on the opposite side of the road.

Rescue officials shifted Farhan to a hospital with head injuries and fractures. He later died during treatment and his body was shifted to Thatta for burial.

Officials said the underage driver had been taken to a hospital and was subsequently transferred to a police station.

Authorities also said that the family of the deceased informed police that they did not wish to pursue legal action.

While police also did not register a case on behalf of the state, it has emerged that the detention of the underage driver, who has now been released, was not disclosed for nearly 16 hours.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan was transferred to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad on Tuesday for a scheduled follow-up visit related to the treatment of his right eye.

He was moved from Adiala Jail to PIMS under tight security arrangements. This was his second transfer to the hospital for eye treatment, following an earlier visit on January 24 and 25. Doctors had prescribed a total of three injections as part of his treatment plan.

A doctor at PIMS said Imran Khan was brought to the hospital on February 24 to receive the second dose of an anti-VEGF intravitreal injection.

“Prior to the procedure, he was examined by a board of specialists: consultant cardiologist who also performed echocardiography and ECG (result: normal) and consultant physician,” the doctor said. He also said Imran Khan was “clinically stable” before the procedure.

The doctor said informed consent was obtained before proceeding with the treatment and that standard protocols were followed inside the operation theatre.

“After obtaining informed consent, and under standard monitoring, precautionary measures and protocols in the operation theatre, he was injected with second dose of intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF under guidance of microscopy by consultant ophthalmologist, and consultant vitreo-retinal surgeon of PIMS and Al Shifa Eye Hospital,” the doctor said.

According to the hospital official, the procedure was conducted as a ‘day care’ surgery. He said Imran Khan remained stable throughout his stay at the hospital and returned to Adiala the same day.

Imran Khan’s next follow-up visit for eye treatment has been scheduled for March 23.

Indian troops have killed at least three young men in the Kishtwar district of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoJK).

The Indian army on Sunday said the three youths were killed during a military operation in the high-altitude district, following “credible intelligence of rebel presence” in the area. 

The statement added that weapons were recovered from the site and that the forces displayed “tactical precision, seamless synergy and resolute aggression” during the gunfight, dominating the encounter site.

“War-like stores including two AK-47 rifles have also been recovered,” the Indian army said.

State-run Radio Pakistan reported that the youths were killed in the Chatroo Forest area. It said that additional troops were deployed to the location and that “all entry and exit points have been sealed”.

The fresh case of Indian atrocities in the troubled valley comes just days after Pakistan observed the annual Kashmir Day on Feb 5, renewing its pledge to support the Kashmiri people’s just struggle for their inalienable right to self-determination.

Marking the occasion, rallies, demonstrations and seminars were held across the country while human chains will be formed at all entry points of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK).

A one-minute silence was also be observed nationwide to honour the martyrs of the Kashmir freedom movement.

As messages from the country’s political leadership poured in, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s steadfast moral, diplomatic and political support for the Kashmiri people, reiterating their right to self-determination as enshrined in the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.

Separately, the armed forces, in a joint message issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), reaffirmed their unwavering support for the “resilient people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK)”.

The Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department of Punjab has removed the requirement to inspect official number plates on vehicles and motorcycles and to issue fines on this basis.

In a notification, the department said that members of the public will no longer face penalties from traffic police related to this issue.

The department clarified that it has stopped manufacturing official number plates at the time of vehicle and motorcycle registration. With hundreds of thousands of plates currently pending, vehicle owners are now permitted to have number plates produced independently from the open market, provided they conform strictly to the government-approved design.

Traffic police have subsequently been directed to stop issuing challans or imposing fines concerning number plates on vehicles and motorcycles, effective immediately from Saturday.

The notification further explained that officers may only verify whether a number plate is affixed in the prescribed manner, rather than insisting on an original government-issued plate.

The Excise Department has formally discontinued the production of official number plates and has also stopped collecting any related fees.

Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz has announced that free state land will be provided to peasants starting in April under the “Apna Khet, Apna Rozgar” initiative.

According to the statement, all cultivable government land across Punjab will be leased to peasants for 10 years, with each beneficiary receiving up to five acres free of cost.

 No lease charges will be collected. Financial assistance will also be provided to help farmers begin cultivation immediately.

The scheme, first announced on February 4 during the inauguration of an electric bus service in Rajanpur, plans to distribute approximately 250,000 acres of government land to deserving and underprivileged individuals. 

Detailed guidelines and the application process are expected to be issued soon.

Separately, during the launch of the CM Green Tractor Programme Phase-III, the chief minister initiated the balloting process for the scheme and informed selected farmers of their success, including Hamza Liaquat from Bahawalpur.

Maryam Nawaz stated that 31,000 tractors have been provided to farmers in the past two years, surpassing the 20,000 tractors distributed over the previous 25 years.

She added that the provision of modern machinery is expected to enhance crop yields and reaffirmed her government’s commitment to agricultural development.

National Assembly (NA) Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has said that PTI founder Imran Khan could be shifted to hospital for one month if doctors recommend it. 

Addressing workers of the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) in Lahore, Ayaz Sadiq emphasised that no doctor had so far advised transferring Khan to a hospital. “When the doctor is not saying he should be shifted, how can we move him?” he asked, adding that the decision would be taken only if medical opinions support the move.

He said that rumors were being circulated about the PTI founder’s treatment.

The comments come amid a wider debate on Khan’s treatment and eye condition. A Supreme Court-appointed medical review earlier this month reported that Khan had lost most sight in his right eye as low as 15 percent due to a retinal condition diagnosed during imprisonment. 

A five-member medical team visited Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where Khan is incarcerated, and conducted an eye examination. Blood samples were taken and blood pressure was checked. PTI rejected the check-up, saying it was carried out without the presence of Khan’s family or personal physicians.

Government officials, including the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, said Khan will be taken to hospital on February 25 for a scheduled injection as part of ongoing treatment. The transfers are intended specifically for these medical procedures.

Officials clarified that the latest examination, conducted on the Supreme Court’s order, showed one eye approximately 70 percent fine and the other 6/6. In medical terms, 6/6 or 20/20 vision refers to normal clarity and sharpness of sight.

The Punjab government has directed teachers in public sector schools across the province to wear black gowns during school hours while performing academic duties.

A notification issued by the Punjab School Education Department on February 19 stated that the dress code will take effect from February 23. Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of district education authorities have been instructed to ensure implementation across Punjab. 

The notification said yuat teaching is a profession that carries responsibility in society and that teachers’ conduct and appearance reflect their role. It added that a defined dress code would promote discipline and uniformity within educational institutions.

Under the policy, all teachers, regardless of gender, cadre or posting, will be required to wear a black gown during school hours. The gown must be worn over attire that conforms to cultural and social norms.

Male teachers have been advised to wear shalwar kameez in plain colours or pants and a shirt, along with closed shoes or strapped sandals. Female teachers have been directed to wear suitable attire along with closed shoes or sandals.

Heads of institutions have been made responsible for daily compliance, while district-level officers have been directed to monitor enforcement.

The directive drew criticism from the Punjab Teachers Union, with General Secretary Rana Liaqat pointing out that the environment in several areas was not suitable for wearing gowns during school hours. He said many schools lacked basic facilities, including sanitation staff, and questioned how teachers would manage the gowns in such conditions.

He said a gown would cost between Rs3,000 and Rs4,000 and that each teacher would require at least two. He suggested the government direct teachers to wear shalwar kameez with a waistcoat or dress pants with a plain shirt at the primary, middle and high school levels.

Liaqat proposed that gowns could be introduced at colleges and universities instead. He said teachers at lower levels could not afford the additional expense and demanded financial assistance if the policy was to be enforced.

He also said many schools did not have security guards or storage space to keep the gowns and asked who would be responsible if they were lost.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has said that incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan will be taken to a hospital twice in the coming days and administered an injection on February 25.

Khan’s health has remained under discussion after a right central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) was reported in late January. His family and party have raised concerns about his treatment and access to personal physicians, while the government has rejected allegations of withholding medical care or transparency.

Speaking on a private media talk show, Chaudhry said that the government’s priority was to provide medical facilities to Khan. “Our top priority is to provide him with the best treatment facilities. We previously took him to PIMS as well, but in secrecy due to his security,” he said.

He said Khan had earlier been shifted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on the recommendation of doctors who examined him in jail and advised treatment at a tertiary care hospital.

“We have to again take him to the hospital twice,” the minister clarified, adding that arrangements were being made for the scheduled injection on February 25.

Chaudhry reminded the host that the government had invited PTI representatives to be present during Khan’s medical examination at Adiala Jail on February 15. He claimed the party could not decide which leader to send.

According to the minister, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan was proposed for the visit but objections were raised within the party. “Imran Khan sahib has to be administered an injection on February 25, if they want to come, they are most welcome. There is no secrecy,” he said.

He maintained that as Khan is in state custody, responsibility for his health rests with the government. Chaudhry said a family member, Barrister Gohar and Khan’s personal physician had been invited during the previous examination and that invitations would be extended again.

“We waited for around one and a half to two hours, but they did not come,” he said.

Responding to a question about allowing access to Khan’s personal physicians Dr Faisal Sultan and Dr Aasim Yusuf on February 25, the minister said the PTI had been seeking permission for Dr Sultan’s presence, but added that he was not an ophthalmologist.