Category: National

More than 100 police officers in Lahore have been dismissed from service for refusing to perform security duties for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025.

According to media reports, these officers were assigned to ensure the security of foreign teams travelling between hotels and Gaddafi Stadium. However, they either remained absent or outright refused to take up their assignments.

The dismissed personnel belonged to the Anti-Riot Force (ARF) and were terminated on the orders of DIG Operations. The dismissal was officially recorded following instructions from SP ARF, and all details were documented in an official report.

Authorities have emphasised that officers neglecting their duties have no place in the department. The dismissed personnel came from various police wings, and their failure to report for security assignments was considered a serious breach of departmental discipline.

With Champions Trophy 2025 being a high-profile event, security arrangements remain a top priority for law enforcement agencies in Pakistan. The dismissal of over 100 officers underscores the authorities’ firm stance on ensuring foolproof security for the tournament.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has rubbished Indian media’s claims of a potential terror threat against foreigners attending or participating in the Champions Trophy, saying that the country was “peacefully and very ably” hosting the mega cricketing event.

The minister’s remarks came after Indian media outlets claimed that an alert was issued by Pakistani intelligence agencies regarding a purported plot by “active covert groups” aimed at abducting foreign attendees for ransom.

Reacting to the claims, Tarar lambasted Indian propaganda “to politicise sports” and hit out at the neighbouring country that also did not send its team to Pakistan out of “security concerns”.

Speaking to a private media outlet, the info minister said that Pakistan was peacefully and very ably hosting the Champions Trophy. “Our grounds are full, we have fans from all over the world, the crowds are jubilant, our streets are filled with people who are celebrating the victory of cricket but the Indian media, which is a subservient media, is trying to do politics and is spreading propaganda against Pakistan.”

“This is unacceptable and totally untrue,” he said, stressing that Pakistan was one of the safest venues and the country had been able to conduct ICC matches very peacefully and efficiently.

He said that Indian media could not digest the fact that a major sports and ICC tournament was being held in Pakistan and they were extremely worried. “They tried to spread a lot of propaganda about this earlier as well and tried to sabotage the tournament through various excuses… so we think they are extremely pained by this.”

Tarar recalled the match between England and Australia at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, which he had attended, and said that he could not find the words to describe the atmosphere and sentiment on the day as the stadium was packed with no place to stand.

“Not just Pakistan, there were a lot of fans from England and Australia and I met a lot of Britishers there. This was a victory for Pakistan that such a great match between England and Australia was held in a Pakistani sports ground,” he said.

“Their false propaganda of a low turnout died its own death. Now these false threat alerts that are being run are completely baseless, fake and concocted propaganda. The BCCI cannot stay without mixing sports with politics. They are extremists, fundamentalists and hardliners who attempt to mix sports with politics even in the sports grounds with their venomous propaganda.”

He also talked about reports that a New Zealand cricketer’s phone had been stolen, adding that resorting to such propaganda in an attempt to gain success could not be sustained.

“This is a very important moment for Pakistan and you will see the way cricket is being played in these grounds will be a victory for the citizens of the world and sports,” he said, adding that Indian propaganda will fall flat on its face.

Punjab government has announced new timings during the holy month of Ramadan for schools in the province. 

From Monday to Thursday, shools will open at 8:30 am and close at 1:00 pm. On Fridays, schools will close at 12:30 pm. 

For double-shift schools, the first shift will run from 8:30 am to 12:00 PM, whereas the second shift will be held from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. 

A notification issued by the provincial government states that girls’ schools will be allowed to dismiss students 15 minutes prior to the above mentioned schedule. 

The exact date of the first of Ramadan is not confirmed as of yet. The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will meet in Peshawar for the sighting of the Ramadan moon on February 28 (Friday). If the crescent is sighted on that night, March 1 will be the first day of Ramadan.

Pakistan Meteorological Department and the Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) have separately determined that  the holy month of Ramadan will likeky start on March 2.

The Punjab government has decided to amend decades-old criminal laws to modernise the province’s legal framework, media reports said Tuesday.

According to reports, the government has established a Legal Reforms Committee to draft amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) 1898, the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) 1860, and the Qanun-e-Shahadat Order (QSO) 1984.

While CrPC is procedural legislation for prosecuting, trying and punishing criminals under substantive criminal law, PPC is the law that defines crimes and their punishments. The QSO, on the other hand, is the law of evidence. It includes Islamic rules such as competency of witnesses, number and gender of witnesses, exclusion of accomplice’s evidence, provisions for oaths as a way to determine cases and provisions for legitimacy.

The reforms will focus on crime prevention, law enforcement efficiency and public safety, with special emphasis on laws pertaining to the protection of women and children. The committee will also suggest amendments related to counterterrorism, cybercrime, cybersecurity and interprovincial coordination.

The Punjab Home Department has issued a notification confirming the committee’s formation. DIG Kamran Adil has been appointed as chairman while Additional Secretary (Judicial) Imran Hussain Ranjha will serve as secretary.

Other members include legal and prosecution officials, and the committee is expected to submit its report within three months.

In December 2024, the Punjab cabinet, led by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, had approved a series of significant reforms and projects aimed at improving governance, agriculture and social welfare across the province. Significant approvals included the formal establishment of the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority under the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority Rules 2024.

The cabinet also approved the delegation of hearing powers to assistant commissioners for the Punjab Environment and Regulatory Authority.

A spike has been reported in incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s expenses at the Adiala Jail since after his wife and former first lady Bushra Bibi was also locked up in the Al-Qadir Trust case last month.

According to reports, the total cost of Khan’s meals and other expenses has jumped from Rs400,000-500,000 to Rs700,000 with jailed Bushra adding Rs200,000 to it.

The expenses, including food, are being borne by former prime minister’s (PM) family, reports said and added that these included the customized breakfast, lunch and dinner menus set by Khan himself.

Reports also quoted sources as saying that the incarcerated couple’s meals were prepared in a separate kitchen.

On Khan’s dietary habits, reports quoted sources as saying that he preferred fresh juice and fruits in breakfast, three coffees a day, and all his meals were checked by nutritionists. Moreover, he regularly has pink salmon as well as desi chicken broth.

It merits a mention that Bushra joined Khan in jail as legal woes of the former premier continued with a rigorous imprisonment sentence in the Toshakhana reference last month.

The Toshakhana – state gifts storehouse – has been under a microscope ever since the emergence of the allegations that Khan purchased the gifts he received as PM at throwaway rates and sold them off in the open market for staggering profits.

Accountability court’s Judge Muhammad Bashir announced the verdict in January, also disqualifying Khan for 10 years while handing over a fine of Rs1.57 billion — Rs787 million each — to the couple. 

Khan told the court that his wife had nothing to do with the case and was being humiliated by forcibly being dragged into it.

Following the verdict, Bushra, who was not present in court when the sentence was announced, arrived at the Adiala Jail and surrendered before the authorities.

NAB had filed the reference against the duo for unlawfully taking a Rs1.57 billion jewelry set, including necklaces, earrings, bracelets and a ring, from the Toshakhana. Khan and Bushra had only paid Rs9 million for the set and had fixed the price of the jewelry set through a private firm.

Muslims around the world are preparing to welcome the holy month of Ramzan for the year 1446 Hijri, which, based on astronomical calculations, is expected to begin on March 1, 2025, in most countries. But have you ever considered the possibility of fasting for Ramzan twice in the same year?

Interestingly, this rare event is set to occur in 2030. It happens approximately every 33 years, resulting from differences between the Islamic (Hijri) and Gregorian calendars.

According to astronomical calculations, the world will observe Ramzan twice in 2030. The first Ramzan will begin on January 4, 2030 (corresponding to 1451 Hijri), while the second will start on December 26, 2030 (corresponding to 1452 Hijri). This means Muslims worldwide will observe a total of 36 fasts that year.

The Hijri calendar follows the lunar cycle, with months beginning based on the sighting of the new moon. As a result, a Hijri year consists of either 354 or 355 days, making it about 10 to 12 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar.

In contrast, the Gregorian calendar is based on the Earth’s revolution around the sun, with each year lasting approximately 365 or 366 days. Due to this difference, every 33 years, the two calendars align in a way that results in two Ramzans occurring within the same Gregorian year.

The last time this extraordinary event took place was in 1997. After 2030, it is expected to happen again in 2063.

Such occurrences serve as a fascinating reminder of the intricate workings of astronomical and calendrical systems. For Muslims worldwide, it presents a unique spiritual opportunity, allowing them to observe an additional Ramzan within the same Gregorian year—an event that happens only once in a lifetime for most people.

As for 2025, according to a report by Al Arabiya Net, the moon sighting for Ramzan is expected on Friday, February 28, 2025. The International Astronomical Center confirms that the crescent moon will be visible in various locations across the globe.

Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail of the Supreme Court (SC) has said that understanding the purpose of the Army Act would solve half the issues pertaining to military trials.

Hearing intra-court appeals regarding the trial of civilians in military courts, Justice Mandokhail, who was a part of the seven-member constitutional bench headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, remarked that a category of civilians also fell under the Army Act.

Last year, the apex court’s constitutional bench had granted conditional permission to military courts to announce verdicts in cases involving 85 suspects in the May 9 riots case. In its order on the hearing of the appeals against civilians’ military trial, the constitutional bench had said judgments of military courts would be conditional to the top court verdict on the cases pending before it.

While this had led to dozens of convictions, the military had in January accepted mercy pleas of 19 out of the 67 convicts on “humanitarian grounds”.

During Monday’s hearing, Uzair Bhandari, the lawyer representing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, presented his arguments.

Justice Mandokhail questioned how it would be determined which civilians came under the jurisdiction of the Army Act and which did not, noting that the Constitution granted the military two types of powers — one for defence and the other for assisting the civil government.

He further stated that if the argument based on Article 245 was accepted, how would the military defend its own institutions. He questioned whether in the event of an attack on the General Headquarters (GHQ), authorities would have to wait for an Article 245 notification.

At this, Imran’s lawyer responded that if someone is firing bullets, no permission is needed for defence. In case of an attack, all institutions, including the police and military, take action, he added.

“If a military officer and a civilian together violate the Official Secrets Act, where will the trial take place?” asked another judge, to which Bhandari said that such a trial would be conducted in an anti-terrorism court.

This was the point when Justice Mandokhail remarked, “If we understand the purpose of the making the Army Act, half the issue will be resolved.” 

He added that the Constitution clearly stated that it was a law related to the armed forces. He noted that in disciplinary action against a civilian officer, the power to impose punishment had not been granted, whereas military courts had been given this authority.

“If an army officer commits a crime while on leave, where will the trial be held? Is the jurisdiction of military courts very broad or limited?” he asked and pointed out that in Karachi, the trial of Rangers personnel was conducted in a civil court.

Justice Mandokhail remarked that the Constitution was made by Parliament, and legislation could only be done in accordance with the Constitution. “No law can be made that contradicts the Constitution. Our dilemma is that laws are sacrificed for politics.”

“We have even legitimised military dictators,” he added.

Later, the constitutional bench adjourned the hearing till Tuesday (Feb 25).

Speculations are rife as an undated video showed Interior Minister and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi getting off a Rolls-Royce in Dubai.

Pakistan on Sunday lost arch-rivals India in a one-sided Champions Trophy clash by six wickets. A day prior to the match, PCB chief Naqvi visited the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, where he interacted with Pakistani players and coaching staff.

During his visit, Naqvi met with the players, offering words of motivation and discussing the team’s progress and preparations. The chairperson also took the opportunity to connect with the coaching staff, ensuring they had the resources and support needed for the team’s continued development.

While he also observed the team’s practice session, the only thing that caught netizens’ attention was the luxury vehicle the PCB chairperson was spotted getting off of.

A viral video showed Naqvi stepping out of a Rolls-Royce Cullinan bearing the registration plate ‘55555’.

Instagram Post

While netizens share unverified reports regarding the ownership of the vehicle that they claim belong to a United Arab Emirates (UAE) based Pakistani property tycoon, there hasn’t been an official reaction to the same.

The Current has also reached out to an official concerned; however, a response is awaited.

Meanwhile, India secured a commanding six-wicket victory over Pakistan in their high-stakes ICC Champions Trophy clash on Sunday, with Virat Kohli delivering a match-winning century that all but ended Pakistan’s title defence.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Pakistan struggled to capitalise on the decision, getting bowled out for 241 runs in 49.4 overs.

Chasing 242, India’s batting remained in complete control, led by Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 100 off 111 balls. His composed innings ensured India never came under pressure, and they comfortably reached the target with six wickets in hand.

Apart from him, Shubman Gill scored 46 off 52 balls, while Shreyas Iyer contributed 56 off 67.

The match result sparked strong reactions from cricket experts, many of whom highlighted India’s superiority and Pakistan’s struggles.

Legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram also called for major changes to the team. Speaking on Sports Central, Akram criticised Pakistan’s outdated strategies and poor performances, urging bold decisions to rebuild the team ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.

“Enough is enough. We have been playing old-fashioned cricket for too long. Now it’s time for bold steps. Bring in fearless young players into white-ball cricket. If we need to make five or six changes, do it. Even if we lose for six months, it’s fine, but we must start preparing for the future,” he said.

Akram also slammed the PCB and selectors for persisting with underperforming players instead of giving new talent a chance. He highlighted that in Pakistan’s last five ODIs, the bowlers have taken just 24 wickets at an average of 60 runs per wicket — one of the worst records among 14 international teams, including Oman and the United States (US).

Former defence minister, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chief minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) loyalist Pervez Khattak has said that he was respected across the country, and was the kind of person with whom the entire nation stands.

Khattak’s statement comes days after he announced his decision to join Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F).

The former PTI leader last week met JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and confirmed his decision to join the party. His brother, Liaqat Khattak, was also present during the meeting.

The two leaders held extensive discussions before finalising the move.

It may be noted that Khattak was the provincial president of the PTI in KP. He served as provincial chief executive during the PTI tenure from 2013 to 2018.

However, in June 2023, Khattak announced his resignation from all positions of the party in the wake of May 9 incidents and the arrest of party chief Imran Khan.

In a jibe at Khan on Saturday, Khattak labeled him the “biggest liar of Pakistan”.

“Imran Khan made false promises merely to secure votes,” said the former PTI leader.

Speaking at a large public gathering in his hometown of Manki Sharif, Khattak claimed that the people of the province were now regretting their choices in the last elections.

“Politics is not a joke where anyone can claim to serve the people as per their wishes,” Khattak told the crowd.

“I am glad that those who voted for the wrong and incompetent candidates are now realising their mistake.”

Reflecting on his tenure, Khattak highlighted his achievements, including the provision of electricity and clean drinking water to villages, the installation of tube wells for agricultural land, road and street construction, as well as the upgrading of hospitals and schools.

He stressed that he had always prioritised public welfare and worked tirelessly for political progress.

Turning his criticism towards the ex-premier, Khattak accused Khan of deceiving the public with false promises.

“Imran Khan is Pakistan’s biggest liar. He misled people to win votes,” he said.

“The elected members from the last elections will soon be forced to flee due to public pressure,” Khattak added, assuring supporters that he remained committed to serving the people and would continue fighting for their rights.