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Category: National

  • State Bank fined Rs500,000 for denying paternity leave to employee

    State Bank fined Rs500,000 for denying paternity leave to employee

    The Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment (FOSPAH) has fined the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Rs500,000 for unlawfully denying paternity leave to an employee.

    According to reports, Federal Ombudsperson Fouzia Waqar ruled in favor of Syed Basit Ali, an officer serving as OG-1 at the SBP Banking Services Corporation (BSC), who applied for 30 days of paternity leave on April 10, 2025, after his son was born on April 4.

    The bank rejected his application, stating that “no such leave existed under the prevailing policy of SBP” and only maternity leave was granted to female employees under the Maternity and Paternity Leave Act 2023.

    Since SBP BSC falls under the administrative control of the federal government, he contended that SBP and SBP BSC could not selectively adopt provisions of the Act and grant maternity leave while denying paternity leave under the same statute.

    SBP’s counsel countered that the bank, as an autonomous entity, was not bound by the act and that paternity leave had not been incorporated into its service rules. The bank’s defence focused heavily on matters of jurisdiction, claiming institutional autonomy exempted it from federal welfare legislation.

    However, Ali presented evidence, including job advertisements and bidding documents, to demonstrate that SBP BSC adhered to federal regulations.

    “The denial of paternity leave to the complainant, to which he is legally entitled as a father, while allowing maternity leave to female employees, constitutes clear gender-based discrimination,” Waqar ruled.

    The judgment directed SBP to pay Rs400,000 to Ali within 30 days and that Rs100,000 rupees be deposited into the national treasury. The bank must also grant Ali 30 days of paid paternity leave and update its leave policies to align fully with the Maternity and Paternity Leave Act 2023.

    The ruling further emphasised that statutory rights could not be overridden by internal policies and that federal institutions, including autonomous bodies, are bound by constitutional guarantees and welfare legislation.

    “The order categorically rejected the long-standing claim of institutional autonomy used to deny statutory rights. State Bank of Pakistan is owned, controlled, and supervised by the Federal Government, and SBP Banking Services Corporation, as its wholly owned subsidiary, cannot escape the application of federal welfare legislation,” the ombudsperson added.

  • ‘Nothing as such to worry about’: Law minister on Imran Khan’s medical report

    ‘Nothing as such to worry about’: Law minister on Imran Khan’s medical report

    Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Monday dismissed concerns regarding Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s reported vision loss, saying that there was “nothing as such to worry about”.

    As per the details, the minister’s remarks came days after the Supreme Court (SC) was informed that Imran had only 15 percent vision left in his right eye, prompting the top court to form a medical team and directing that an examination be conducted before February 16.

    On Sunday, a five-member medical team visited Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, where Imran is incarcerated, and conducted an eye examination. Blood samples were taken and blood pressure was checked. The PTI rejected the check-up, stating it was carried out without the presence of his family and personal physicians.

    Addressing the Bar Association Ferozewala in Shahdara on Monday, Tarar referred to the “latest report that had to be submitted” regarding Imran’s health. The minister said he had discussed the matter with Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan and other “relevant” individuals before attending the event.

    “They said thanks to God, the examination was carried out again on the Supreme Court’s order and there is no such thing about 35 or 25 [percent],” he said.

    “If he uses glasses for his eyesight, then one eye is approximately 70 percent fine and the other eye is 6/6. There is nothing as such to worry about.” In medical terms, 6/6 or 20/20 vision refers to normal clarity and sharpness of sight.

    Before commenting on Imran’s health, Tarar also said there was a need to pay attention to our national issues. 

    “We took difficult financial decisions, but the fruits of those can be seen now,” he stated, adding that Pakistan was now “performing way better economically”.

    He said political stability was necessary for economic stability. “There is a lot of noise these days that what is about happen and what has been done to the PTI founder,” he noted.

    Referring to the PTI-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Tarar said it was the “first time that a government was taking official measures to deprive the citizens of their rights”. 

    He cited road blockades at multiple entry and exit points of the province, including Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway at Swabi’s Anbar Interchange, GT Road at Khairabad Bridge, Dera Ismail Khan-Bhakkar Road, Lakki Marwat-Mianwali Road, Hazara Motorway at Abbottabad-Havelian Interchange, Kohat-Pindi Road near Khushal Garh and Upper Kohistan-Gilgit Karakoram Highway.

    “Article 15 [of the Constitution] allows freedom of movement, but the blockage of motorways and GT Road on the official level is unconstitutional,” he said.

    The minister expressed hope that the PTI would “rectify” the situation after reviewing the latest report.

    “Otherwise, the federal government will have to take some action,” he warned.

    Separately, a medical report dated February 6 and signed by Pakistan Institute of Medical Science (PIMS) Executive Director Professor Dr Rana Imran Sikander stated that a qualified ophthalmologist examined Imran at Adiala and a “diagnosis of right central retinal vein occlusion was made”.

    The PTI and Imran’s family have demanded his transfer to Shifa International Hospital for further examination.

  • KP raises Rs470.3m in second personalised number plate auction

    KP raises Rs470.3m in second personalised number plate auction

    The Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has generated Rs470.3 million on Saturday during its second auction of personalised vehicle number plates.

    The auction was held at Arena Hall, Qayyum Sports Complex, where 30 selected number plates were put up for bidding. Several of the plates featured names of tribes and districts written in transliterated English.

    According to official figures, DAWAR 1 received the highest bid of Rs175 million. The plate was purchased by Inzamam-ul-Haq. Officials said it is the highest amount paid for a personalised number plate in the province to date.

    ORAKZAI 1 was the second most expensive plate, sold for Rs41 million to former senator and MPA Aurangzeb Khan.

    Other plates that attracted high bids included WAZIRISTAN 1, sold for Rs40.6 million; BAJAUR 1 for Rs33.5 million; MOHMAND 1 for Rs32.1 million; MEHSUD 1 for Rs22 million; KHYBER 1 for Rs20.1 million; GUJJAR 1 for Rs16.3 million; and PASHTUN 1 for Rs13.2 million.


    Additional plates auctioned during the event included BUNER 1, which fetched Rs9.5 million; JADOON 1 for Rs7.1 million; MARDAN 1 for Rs6.8 million; DIR 1 for Rs6.7 million; KHALIL 1 for Rs6.5 million; KHATTAK 1 for Rs6.1 million; and TAJ 1 for Rs4.2 million.


    The auction was supervised by the Director General of Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control, Abdul Haleem Khan and attended by senior officials of the department. Participants included members of business and tribal communities.


    Officials said the auction was part of a revenue generation initiative by the provincial government.


    In 2024, the Sindh Excise Department auctioned the premium number plate A 1 for Rs100 million. Muzammil Kareem placed the highest bid. Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon handed over the ownership certificate to Mazhar Kareem.


    In the same year, the number plate 786 was auctioned for Rs26.5 million. A businessman named Sarosh placed the highest bid, while Provincial Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah presented the ownership certificate to him.

  • Historic Aitchison gurdwara reopens for first time since partition

    Historic Aitchison gurdwara reopens for first time since partition

    For the first time since Partition, a gurdwara within Aitchison College came alive with Sikh worship on Friday, marking a historic and emotional return to prayers. 

    The gurdwara, located on the grounds of the prestigious institution, had remained closed for nearly eight decades, as no students from the Sikh faith were enrolled. Its reopening coincided with Aitchison College’s 140th Founder’s Day celebrations, drawing current students, alumni, and members of the Sikh community.

    “It was a nostalgic moment for me in particular to worship at the same place where my father, grandfather, and great grandfather prayed every evening before the Partition while they were students at Aitchison College,” said Dr Tarunjit Singh Butalia, an honorary envoy of the college.

    Dr Butalia added, “It was a historic and emotional moment. This gurdwara had not been functional since Partition, but was well maintained by the college management.” He noted that about 15 Sikh alumni currently living in India still fondly remember the gurdwara, with its black-and-white marble floor and interior resembling a castle.

    Leading the ceremony, local Sikh Harwinder Singh expressed joy: “What a joy to sing these holy verses at this over 100-year-old gurdwara which we had never visited, even though we live in Lahore.”

    Principal Dr SM Turab Hussain said the college looks forward to hosting more such occasions in the future. “We hope this promotes more communal harmony, mutual understanding, and respect,” he said.

    Aitchison College, originally known as ‘Chiefs College’, was founded on November 3, 1886, to educate the royals and chief families of undivided Punjab. The Patiala royal family helped fund the building, and the gurdwara itself was designed by Ram Singh, a noted Sikh architect from the then-Mayo School of Arts (now National College of Arts), Lahore. Its foundation stone was laid in 1910 by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, who studied at the college from 1904 to 1908. The gurdwara served as a daily prayer space for Sikh boys before it was closed after Partition.

  • PTI, TTAP continue Parliament sit-in, press for Imran Khan’s transfer

    PTI, TTAP continue Parliament sit-in, press for Imran Khan’s transfer

    Parliamentarians from opposition parties, under the banners of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (TTAP), continued their sit in at Parliament House and KP House in Islamabad on Saturday, demanding that Imran Khan be immediately moved to a hospital for treatment.

    On Thursday, the Supreme Court (SC) was informed that PTI founder Imran Khan’s right eye had only 15 percent vision remaining. The TTAP announced the sit in outside Parliament House on Friday following the update.


    The sit-in started after Friday prayers and continued overnight. Participants in the sit-in are demanding that PTI founder Imran Khan be moved to Shifa International Hospital.

    PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said in a post on X that the sit in had entered its second day. He added, “We also remained inside Parliament House the entire night,” and that the PTI and TTAP leadership was “exhausted from hunger.” Akram claimed, “The police did not allow dinner at night and now breakfast in the morning to be taken inside.”

    TTAP leader Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar attempted to deliver breakfast to protesting members from the rear side of Parliament House but was stopped by police. He wrote on X: “Outside the parliament to deliver food and water to friends inside. Wouldn’t mind not being let in but the refusal to let food and water go in is highly insensitive. There’s no other name for this heartless behaviour but ‘yazidiat’.”

    The protest is led by TTAP Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai and other leaders, including PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Senator Ali Zafar, Asad Qaiser, and Junaid Akbar.


    PTI leader Shandana Gulzar said, “It was unfortunate that Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi gave four days to have Imran examined by a team of doctors. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister is staging a sit-in at KP House and protesting against the government’s unjust behaviour. We are demanding that Imran Khan be shifted to Shifa International Hospital.” She added, “The police had manhandled the parliamentarians and other leaders of the opposition.”

    Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) spokesperson Aslam Ghauri said, “Respected members of Parliament and provincial assemblies were dragged. Making a mockery of democracy, playing around with the Constitution and going against Islam are the actions of this government. The fake forced government had gone mad in the fire of revenge.” He called for immediate release of all detained leaders and blamed the government for anarchy in Balochistan and KP.


    Awaam Pakistan leaders joined the sit-in. Dr Zafar Mirza, the party’s central spokesperson, represented the party at Parliament House. He said, “The supremacy of the Constitution and the protection of democratic values are our top priorities. The Islamabad police and administration have turned the Red Zone into a prison. The government has placed barriers on all routes leading to KP House.”

    KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi urged protesters to remain peaceful. He said on X, “Imran Khan sahib’s health is more important to me than politics. I will neither engage in politics myself over his health nor allow anyone else to do so.”


    Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khanum criticised the Supreme Court (SC), saying in a post on X, “The order should have been for Imran Khan to be shifted to Shifa International Hospital. Emergency orders for his immediate examination and treatment by specialist doctors under supervision of his personal doctors. Since CJP didn’t give a court order for Imran Khan’s treatment, people will have to support us to ensure there is enough pressure on the [government], so they will allow him to be treated at Shifa International Hospital.”

    PTI leader Omar Ayub Khan said, “PM Imran Khan must be given immediate access to qualified doctors and medical facilities in Shifa International Hospital Islamabad to save the vision in his eye. Every moment being delayed is criminal.”


    Imran’s personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan, said in a video statement, “This is obviously a matter of grave concern, but also lends great importance to the timeliness of treatment. In addition to timely and urgent treatment, it is crucially important that such treatment may be delivered by specialists in the field of retinal surgery.”

    He stated: “One such institution is the Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad, which is a joint internationally certified hospital. I believe that they do have the right infrastructure and the specialists to be able to provide this care at high quality and at excellence, which is to ensure that Mr Khan receives the care that he requires at this time.”


    Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said, “There is no need to deal with it politically; it is a medical issue. Wherever he (Imran) wants to go for a check-up, he will be taken. If he wants to go to Al-Shifa Eye Trust, then he will be taken there. There will be no negligence in the matter”.


    “If the CJP recommends a doctor, he will be taken there.” Chaudhry added. 

    He called on the opposition to refrain from politicising the issue. “This is a sensitive issue; politicising it and misrepresenting facts is completely unfair.”

  • Pakistani-American found dead in Washington DC apartment

    Pakistani-American found dead in Washington DC apartment

    A Pakistani American man has been found dead inside an apartment in Washington, D.C. after firefighters responded to reports of smoke in a residential building earlier this week, according to local authorities.

    The incident was reported at around 3:33am on Wednesday, when Washington Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to a call about smoke in the hallway of a building located in the 1400 block of Rhode Island Avenue NW. Firefighters entered one of the apartments, extinguished a small fire and found an adult male who was unconscious and not breathing.

    The Metropolitan Police Department later identified the deceased as 40-year-old Syed Hammad Hussain. Police said the man showed signs of blunt-force trauma along with thermal injuries and was declared dead at the scene after emergency responders found “no signs consistent with life”.

    Hussain’s family is originally from Lahore and is settled in Washington DC.  His funeral prayer service is scheduled to take place at 12:30pm on Saturday at the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center.


    The apartment building is located near Logan Circle, approximately 1.1 miles northwest of the White House.

    In a statement issued on Friday, police said that after an initial assessment by fire officials, the case was referred to law enforcement and taken over by homicide detectives. Authorities said no suspects had been identified as of Friday.

    Investigators are reviewing security camera footage obtained from a neighbouring building as part of the inquiry. 

    Sources familiar with the investigation told local media that the footage shows Hussain entering the building with three other individuals, including a woman, shortly before the fire broke out. The same individuals were later seen running from the building, according to those sources.

    Police have asked members of the public to come forward with any information related to the incident. The Metropolitan Police Department said it is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

  • ‘Noon Leegi’: Abrar Ul Haq clashes with journalist in London for ‘pocketing’ £5 note

    ‘Noon Leegi’: Abrar Ul Haq clashes with journalist in London for ‘pocketing’ £5 note

    Singer Abrar-ul-Haq and journalist Safina Khan engaged in a heated confrontation in London, with videos of their argument going viral on social media.

    The dispute stems from a video that surfaced earlier showing Abrar-ul-Haq pocketing a five pound note during a charity event. The footage sparked criticism and gave the impression that the singer was mishandling charitable donations.

    In the confrontation video, Abrar-ul-Haq accused Safina Khan of spreading the clip to gain attention and views. He also labeled her a PML-N affiliated journalist.

    “Bibi, kya aap ko marna nahi hai? Aap chand views ke liye apni qabar mein keeray bhar rahi hain (Ma’am, don’t you have to die? You are filling your grave with worms for a few views),” Abrar-ul-Haq said.

    Safina Khan defended herself, saying she was not even present at the concert and only shared what others had posted.

    “I wasn’t at your concert at all. We only posted what your people had put up,” she responded.

    The singer explained his side of the story, claiming the incident was being misrepresented.

    “I bought the land with my own money. The government didn’t give me the land. During the concert, someone handed me a five pound note. Should I have taken it to the bank?” he asked. 

    However, a second video later emerged showing the two sitting down and resolving the matter amicably. In the footage, Safina Khan explains to Abrar-ul-Haq that she was not at the concert and did not create the video.

    Abrar-ul-Haq responded by saying that people can say whatever they want, but the hospital being built is named after his mother, which is why the allegations hurt him deeply.

    Abrar-ul-Haq’s Punjabi songs remain staples at Pakistani weddings and celebrations, with hits like “Billo De Ghar” and “Chamkeeli Baraat Le Ke Aap Aayi Ae” among his most famous tracks.

    The singer briefly entered politics and joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf but later announced his departure from political life. He also serves as the founder and chairman of Sahara for Life Trust, a private charitable organization.

  • Police officer killed by racing jeep in Cholistan Desert Rally

    Police officer killed by racing jeep in Cholistan Desert Rally

    A police officer died on Friday after a racing jeep ran over him during the 21st Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally, casting a shadow over the popular motorsport event.

    According to reports, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Muhammad Bashir Ahmed Joyia was performing security duty near the Jamgarh mid-point when racer Faisal Shadikhel’s jeep lost control, skidded off the track and struck him. ASI Joyia, who was posted at Shahr Farid Police Station, died on the spot.

    Other security officials at the scene managed to escape by quickly moving away from the path of the oncoming vehicle.

    Police have booked Shadikhel for the death of the ASI. Marrot Police Station, which has jurisdiction over the area near Jamgarh Fort where the accident occurred, registered a case based on FIR No 46/26 under Section 322 (manslaughter) and Section 379 (theft) of the Pakistan Penal Code, reports added.

    The complaint, filed by Sub-Inspector Riaz Shahid, alleges that Shadikhel committed negligence on a turn that led to the fatal accident.

    Ironically, Shadikhel emerged as the unofficial winner of Friday’s first round in the prepared category, covering 236 kilometers in one hour and 43 minutes. His victory marks a major upset as he had finished third in Thursday’s qualifying round.

    Mir Jaffar Magsi, who was second in the qualifying round, finished in second position, while Hussain Asif took third place.

    The prepared category participants will compete in their second and final round on Sunday, the last day of the rally.

  • Imran Khan to be shifted to Islamabad jail: Mohsin Naqvi

    Imran Khan to be shifted to Islamabad jail: Mohsin Naqvi

    The PML-N led federal government plans to transfer former prime minister Imran Khan from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail to a new prison facility in Islamabad once construction is completed within the next two months, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Friday.

    Speaking at a passing-out ceremony of Islamabad Police, Naqvi stated that the Islamabad jail would be operational within two months and that all medical facilities would be available inside the premises.

    “Since Imran Khan was sentenced by a court in Islamabad, he will be moved to Islamabad Jail,” the minister said.

    At present, there is no jail facility in the federal capital. The former prime minister has been detained at Adiala Jail since September 2023.

    The development comes a day after the federal government assured the Supreme Court (SC) that Khan would be given access to specialist eye doctors for a fresh medical evaluation. The government also informed the court that he would be allowed telephonic contact with his sons, Kasim and Sulaiman.

    The assurance followed a report submitted by Salman Safdar Advocate, who met Khan at Adiala Jail on Tuesday in his capacity as amicus curiae appointed by the Supreme Court. A seven-page report was submitted the next day, detailing the former premier’s living conditions in custody.

    According to the report, Khan stated that despite receiving treatment, including an injection, he had been left with only 15 percent vision in his right eye.

    The report triggered statements from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which alleged that its founder was being kept in solitary confinement in violation of national and international laws.

  • Harcharan Singh becomes Pakistan Army’s first Sikh lieutenant colonel

    Harcharan Singh becomes Pakistan Army’s first Sikh lieutenant colonel

    Pakistan Army officer Harcharan Singh has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel after a selection board evaluation conducted in late 2025.

    He was born in 1987 in Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak. Singh and joined the Pakistan Army in 2007 at the age of 20 and was commissioned into the Ordnance Corps.

    He later volunteered for a combat role and was transferred to the 12th Battalion of the Baloch Regiment, where he served as a Major in operational environments and sensitive border regions.

    Punjab Minister for Minorities Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora confirmed the promotion. He said members of minority communities have served in the military before, but this qualification level has not previously been reached by Sikh and Hindu officers.


    “Lt Col Singh’s achievement has proved that there is no barrier for the minorities in Pakistan, and that only talent speaks and sets the parameters for success. Lt Col Singh is an example of equality of all religions and unity in Pakistan. We, as part of the Sikh community, will give him a rousing welcome when he visits his hometown next,” he said.


    Mastan Singh, the former president of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) said, “Lt Col Singh is the pride of Baba Nanak’s city and the whole Sikh community, as well,” he said. At present, Lt Col Singh is posted at Abbottabad in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 

    According to available figures, 22 non-Muslim soldiers of Pakistan lost their lives during the war against terrorism. Officials say the promotion reflects a merit-based process in the armed forces.