Category: National

Almost a year after the 26th Constitutional Amendment was presented and widely criticised by opposition circles, the government is finalising the draft of the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, which is expected to be approved by the federal cabinet on Friday.

As members of opposition, legal community and rights groups express concerns over the amendment that the ruling alliance aims to get approved by both houses of the parliament by Nov 14, sources have revealed to The Current key points of the proposal, a public draft of which has not yet been made available.

Officials privy to the details said that the amendment involves issues of national interest and the process in this regard has been ongoing for quite some time. “It is not about the benefit or loss of any political party, and the Constitution is not a divine scripture that cannot be amended,” they said.

Responding to queries in light of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s tweet ahead of consultations, sources revealed that a central defence-related clause in the proposed amendment sought to enhance coordination among the country’s armed forces.

“It has been proposed to ensure rapid response to external threats, and on the basis of what we learnt from the recent Pakistan-India clashes,” they added when asked about the reported changes to Article 243 of the Constitution, which pertains to command of the armed forces.

Sources also confirmed judicial tweaks pertaining the establishment of Constitutional Courts with representation from all provinces, and the restoration of executive magistrates besides the transfer powers of judges to the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP).

On changes proposed to the workings of the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, which determines provincial shares in national resources, sources did not confirm or deny the reservations of the government-allied PPP.

They also did not comment on the reported proposal seeking the return of education and population welfare ministries back to the federal list, reducing provincial control.

It may be noted that consensus for the passage of the amendment is crucial given the fragile coalition and frequently reported rifts between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the PPP and others.

While PPP’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) is deliberating its stance, allied Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) is lobbying for local government reforms through the amendments. According to reports, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has assured the MQM-P of supporting its proposed amendments as a delegation comprising Sindh Governor Karam, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Farooq Sattar called on the premier at the PM House in Islamabad.

Meanwhile, critics are warning against “militarising the Constitution, weakening provincial autonomy and concentrating power in Islamabad”.

Karachi’s electronic traffic challan (e-challan) system has come under fire after a motorist was issued five separate fines worth Rs50,000 in a single day.

Reports quoted the citizen, Hakimullah, as saying that all five challans were generated on October 30.

Three of the challans were recorded at 12:03 pm in Mauripur while the fourth and fifth were issued ten minutes later at 12:13 pm in Hasan Square.

All fines were imposed for failing to wear a seatbelt, Hakimullah said, adding that he was left stunned after realising that paying them would cost him Rs50,000.

While traffic police officials confirmed that they have contacted the citizen and advised him to visit the facilitation center for his concern to be addressed, authorities have assured the people of Karachi that their challans will be reviewed with first violations waived off.

It may be noted that the port city, which is rather infamous for its traffic, got its own e-challan system last week.

With Karachi traffic police releasing data from the newly-launched system shortly after, it was revealed that more than 2,600 challans with Rs12.5 million in fines were issued within just six hours.

 
These included 419 for overspeeding, three for lane violations, four for stop-line violations, 1,535 for not wearing seatbelts, 166 for crossing red lights and 507 for riding motorcycles without helmets.

 
Four challans were issued for wrong-way driving on one-way streets, seven for tinted windows, five for wrong parking, 32 for using mobile phones while driving, three for driving in the wrong direction and another five for illegal or no-parking violations.

 
Officials said the e-challan system marks a major step forward in improving traffic monitoring and aims to encourage citizens to follow traffic rules.

 
While traffic police have urged citizens to cooperate, the system has for now landed in the midst of a controversy as opposition leaders and citizens question its legality.

The Sindh High Court has received a petition challenging the system, arguing that heavy fines are being imposed on residents without proper infrastructure or clear legal procedures.

The petitioners’ lawyer, Usman Farooq Advocate, told the court that e-challans are being sent to vehicle owners using CCTV cameras and artificial intelligence, regardless of who was actually driving at the time of the violation.

He said the system unfairly penalizes owners, not necessarily the real offenders.

The lawyer also highlighted poor road conditions in Karachi and across Sindh, noting the lack of speed limit signs and zebra crossings in many areas. He pointed out that ongoing development projects often force traffic police to direct vehicles onto the wrong side of the road.

Authorities have identified more than 250,000 fake Pakistani Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) allegedly obtained by a large number of Afghan nationals among others, prompting scrutiny by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).

According to reports, officials identified the suspicious CNICs through a special verification software, which was followed by the revelation that most of the fake cardholders were Afghan citizens who had been added to the family trees of Pakistani residents.

The Afghan citizens, mainly linked to families living in Pishin, Chaman and Quetta, were reportedly charged heavy amounts by agents who facilitated them in obtaining the CNICs illegally.

Reports said that NADRA has already started blocking these fake CNICs, and individuals whose cards have been blocked have been instructed to visit NADRA offices for verification.

Authorities also warned that anyone who fails to verify their blocked card within the given deadline will have it permanently cancelled.

While the development has raised serious concerns about identity fraud, border security and the use of fake documents for criminal activities, this is not the first time NADRA has tightened its system against illegal identity cards.

Over the past several years, Pakistan has faced repeated challenges involving fake CNICs, especially in border regions where Afghan refugees have lived for decades.

In 2016, Pakistan launched one of its biggest CNIC verification drives after authorities discovered that thousands of non-Pakistani nationals, mainly Afghans, had been added to Pakistani family trees. NADRA carried out a nationwide re-verification campaign through SMS and data checks, which helped identify 86,380 illegal entries in family records. 

The interior ministry had also at the time confirmed that more than 450,000 suspicious or fake CNICs were blocked.

The crackdown also exposed corruption inside the authority. According to official reports at the time, 765 NADRA employees were dismissed for facilitating the issuance of fake identity cards, often in exchange for money.

A second major verification effort began in 2021 when NADRA introduced a new digital system to clean the national database.

The interior ministry had launched a family-tree verification drive using upgraded biometric and AI-supported tools. Through this system, millions of family records were reviewed and nearly 200,000 suspicious entries were detected across the country.

At that time, NADRA had encouraged citizens to use the 8009 SMS service to confirm or reject names appearing in their family tree, which helped remove many of the flagged entries.

After repeatedly reminding the world of Indian losses during May’s clashes with Pakistan, United States (US) President Donald Trump has revised the number of planes that were shot down, saying that the tally of the downed jets was “eight essentially”.

Pakistan and Indian in May this year engaged in intense military clashes – the worst between the nuclear-armed neighbours in decades – that were sparked by a terrorist attack on tourists in held Kashmir.

With New Delhi blaming Islamabad for the attack and Pakistan repeatedly rubbishing the accusations while offering an independent probe, clashes broke out between the two countries over India’s unprovoked cross-border aggression.

During the standoff, Pakistan downed seven Indian fighter jets, including three state-of-the-art Rafale jets, and dozens of drones. After over 80 hours, the conflict came to an end on May 10 with a ceasefire agreement brokered by the US.

With President Trump, every now and then, reminding the world how he played a key role in putting an end to the clashes, he has over the past several months repeatedly mentioned the loss of seven jets, which did not sit well with Indians.

He, however, took it up a notch on Wednesday when, while addressing the America Business Forum in Miami, President Trump said some newspapers had reported that seven or eight planes were shot down during the Pakistan-India war.

Trump added that one newspaper claimed seven aircraft were downed and another damaged.

“I won’t name any newspaper here — most of them publish false news,” Trump said, adding that, in fact, eight planes were shot down in the recent Pakistan-India war.

Recalling his efforts to end military clashes between the two neighbours, Trump said he was in the middle of signing a trade deal with Pakistan and India when he heard that both the neighbouring countries “were going to war” and it was then that he decided his administration would not make any deal with either country “if they are at war”.

“I was in the midst of a trade deal with both of them. Then I read on the front page of a certain newspaper… they are going to war. Seven or eight planes were shot down. Eight planes were shot down essentially,” Trump told the business forum.

He recalled threatening to decline trade deals and said, “I got a call, they need peace. They stopped. I said thank you, let’s trade. Isn’t that great?.”

The statement comes less than a month after the US president said that “seven brand-new and beautiful planes were shot down” during the Pakistan-India war, highlighting New Delhi’s losses.

People across Pakistan will witness the breathtaking Beaver Supermoon tonight, the biggest and brightest full moon of 2025. 

Astronomers say the moon will come as close as 356,980 kilometers (about 221,817 miles) to Earth and will shine at its peak brightness at 6:19 pm Pakistan time. The rare sight will be visible across the world, including Pakistan.

Experts explain that although the distance difference between the moon and Earth is not easily noticeable to the naked eye, a supermoon appears about 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than a regular full moon. Tonight’s supermoon will look 9.7 percent bigger and 16 percent brighter than usual. It is the second of three consecutive supermoons in 2025, following October’s and preceding December’s.

A supermoon occurs when the full moon aligns with its closest point to Earth, known as perigee. This phenomenon happens three to four times a year, but tonight’s supermoon is the closest and brightest of them all.

The name Beaver Moon comes from ancient Native American and European traditions. During this time of the year, beavers prepare for winter by building dams, while hunters used to set traps for their fur. The full moon in this season was therefore called the Beaver Moon.

Deputy Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb among others have highlighted the country’s growing potential in the technology and maritime sectors, hailing the launch of Google Chromebook assembly line in Pakistan aimed at making the country an export hub.

Pakistan’s first Google Chromebook assembly line was on Tuesday launched in a ceremony attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar who termed it “a defining moment” in the country’s digital transformation.

The new assembly line, located at the National Radio & Tele¬com¬munications Corpora¬tion’s (NRTC) Haripur facility, will produce up to 500,000 Chrome¬books annually.

These devices will be high-quality, secure, and affordable and tailored specifically for educational and public sector use.

Google has unveiled plans to deepen its local presence to provide on-the-ground support to Pakistani businesses, helping them scale their operations and reach global markets.

Speaking at the occasion, Dar said the ‘Digital Nation Pakistan’ vision reflected the government’s resolve to empower youth with digital skills, equip them with modern tools and ensure equal access to opportunities.

He said that under a strategic memorandum of understanding, Google and Pakistan would “collaborate to provide skills training for 100,000 developers nationwide while also developing targeted programmes for the gaming and startup industries”.

“Together, we will also advance localised AI-powered solutions, such as Android services for public safety and offer 100,000 Google Careers certificates to equip Pakistanis with world-class digital training and globally recognised credentials.”

Speaking at a summit in Karachi, the finance minister emphasised the need to equip youth with digital and technical skills to help them capture higher-value opportunities in coding, blockchain and AI-driven sectors.

“Google’s plan to establish Pakistan as an export hub aligns with our vision for AI-driven growth. There are vast opportunities to expand the blue economy,” Aurangzeb said, adding that Pakistan’s economy is moving in the right direction.

He emphasised that sustainable growth could only be achieved through production-driven development.

“The private sector plays a vital role in economic progress. Our focus will remain on the IT and maritime sectors to transform Pakistan into an export-oriented economy,” he said.

Police in Karachi have arrested the guard of Dumper Association President Liaqat Mehsood for opening fire on citizens protesting over a road accident involving a dumper truck.

According to police, the arrest was made from Sohrab Goth after a viral video showed the guard opening fire to disperse residents of Ramswami staging a protest when a dumper ran over a pedestrian, killing him on the spot.

The victim, identified as Shahzaib, was a resident of Garden and his wife also sustained injuries in the accident.

The enraged crowd had set the dumper on fire and blocked the road in protest as police arrested the driver, Niaz Hussain.

The situation escalated when Liaqat Mehsood reached the site with his armed guards.

Witnesses said the crowd began chanting slogans against him, accusing him of showing up only to defend his trucks rather than taking responsibility for the accidents.

During the commotion, one of his guards fired shots in the air before leaving the area. Fortunately, no one was injured.

Two days later, police on Wednesday confirmed that the guard involved in the incident had been apprehended investigation is ongoing.

Lawyer and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Naeem Haider Panjotha landed in a pool of embarrassment for attempting to contest a May 9 video of now-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, which was played by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ikhtiyar Wali Khan live on air.

As per the details, Khan on journalist Mansoor Ali Khan’s show played a video that purportedly showed KP CM Afridi “near” the Corps Commander’s House in Lahore on May 9, 2023 – the day it was attacked by violent PTI protesters over party founder Imran Khan’s arrest.

Panjotha, who was appearing as a guest alongside PML-N’s Khan, attempted to refute the claim, alleging that the video in question was “fake” and “edited”.

With the PTI lawyer going on to seek validation from another panelist – journalist Irshad Bhatti, who did not comment over it – the PML-N leader ended up finding the same video on the verified personal social media account of the KP CM.

A viral clip of the discussion showed a visibly upset and confused Panjotha continuing to attempt and deny the veracity of the video as PML-N’s Khan laughed over what he later called was an “interesting situation” on Mansoor Ali Khan’s show.

سہیل آفریدی کی کور کمانڈر ہاؤس پر حملہ کی ویڈیو سچی ثابت ہونے پرمنصور علی خان کے شو میں دلچسپ صورتحال۔۔ یوتھئیے پھر نہی مانیں گے اسلئے ویڈیو سے دور رہیں۔ pic.twitter.com/83525xQjfz

— Ikhtiar Wali (@ikhtiarwali) November 4, 2025

Khan went on to share the clip on his official X account, showing Panjotha undeterred as both the PML-N leader and host Mansoor Ali Khan tried to make him realise the video was shared by Afridi himself.

It merits a mention that the on-air exchange came two days after Ikhtiar Wali Khan also issued a statement on the footage showing Afridi leading an armed mob during the May 9 protests.

In the statement issued Saturday, Khan said the video raised serious questions about Afridi’s conduct and fitness for public office that he holds since after his election as the provincial chief executive last month.

He said the videos clearly showed Afridi leading violent demonstrators and pelting stones at state officials. “The footage leaves no doubt that Sohail Afridi was commanding the rioters engaged in violence against law enforcement personnel.”

The PML-N leader added that after the video emerged, PTI launched a campaign labeling it “fake” but insisted that truth would come out once the forensic examination of the videos was completed.

He argued that dismissing the videos as being from another event does not reduce the seriousness of the crime. “Sohail Afridi’s actions are far more severe than those of other May 9 offenders,” he asserted.

The PML-N leader further said that even after taking the oath as the CM, Afridi’s statements and speeches remained “deeply objectionable” and “a violation of his constitutional oath”.

The Punjab government could soon be increasing fines for traffic violations from a mere Rs500 to a whopping Rs20,000, registering a hike of 3900%.

According to a City42 report, a summary proposing the hike – which would only be applicable to bigger vehicles – has entered the final stages of approval.

While it has already received an initial nod from the provincial finance ministry among other departments, the summary will now be presented before the cabinet for a final approval.

Bigger vehicles, reports said, have been defined as upwards of 1800cc.

It may be noted that a meeting in May this year, chaired by Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz, had discussed a tenfold hike in fines to enforce road discipline across the province.

It was also decided that in cases involving underage drivers, the parents or guardians will be held accountable, with criminal cases registered against them.

The provincial chief executive had in the meeting directed officials to take strict legal action, including FIRs, against one-wheeling and dangerous driving. She had also ordered immediate removal of obstructions on major roads, particularly Bedian Road among others.

The re-modelling of 372 traffic points in Punjab and 77 in Lahore to ease traffic congestion was also discussed.

CM Maryam had also approved the installation of digital roadside screens to provide advance traffic jam alerts to commuters. A consensus was also reached on imposing hefty fines for mobile phone use while driving.

A proposal to change the uniform of traffic police was also reviewed.

In the first major crossing since May’s military clashes, hundreds of Sikh pilgrims from India on Tuesday crossed into Pakistan for the 556th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. 

The pilgrims were welcomed by Pakistani officials who presented them with flowers and showered them with rose petals at the Wagah-Attari border crossing.

The pilgrimage for Indian Sikhs begins days after Pakistan rose above India’s politics of hate and issued visas to more than 2,100 pilgrims to attend the annual celebration.

 
According to reports, the visas were issued by the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi under the 1974 Protocol on Religious Pilgrimages – an agreement between Pakistan and India allowing citizens from both countries to visit each other’s religious sites.

 
The celebrations are being held in Pakistan from November 4 to 13 with thousands of Sikh devotees expected to join the annual festivities.

 
During their visit, the pilgrims will travel to several sacred gurdwaras, including Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Baba Guru Nanak; Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, which is one of Sikhism’s holiest sites.

 
These historic shrines hold deep religious and cultural importance for the global Sikh community, drawing thousands of pilgrims every year for prayers and community gatherings.

 
Earlier, Chargé d’Affaires Saad Ahmed Warraich welcomed the pilgrims at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi and extended his best wishes for a “blessed and spiritually fulfilling journey”.

 
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to supporting Sikh pilgrims from around the world, saying such initiatives highlight the country’s dedication to interfaith harmony, religious tolerance and cultural understanding.

 
“Pakistan will continue to extend full support to Sikh pilgrims to make their spiritual journeys meaningful and memorable,” Warraich said.