Category: National

Archaeological authorities have acquired nearly 400 ancient coins that were uncovered from the Kuki Hill Torrent in proximity to the shrine of Hazrat Sakhi Sarwar Syed Ahmed Sultan located in Dera Ghazi Khan. 

Deputy Commissioner Usman Khalid reported that the coins originate from various centuries and dynasties and have been transferred to the archaeology department. A team led by deputy director of archaeology Sulaiman Tanveer visited the site, secured the coins, and stated that plans for further excavations along the torrent bed are in progress. 

The initial discovery of the coins was made by local residents near the shrine of Hazrat Sakhi Sarwar, who is believed to have entered the region in 1077. Historical records indicate that he was martyred alongside his family and interred in that same area. Recognized for his efforts in promoting Islam, the shrine eventually evolved into a significant religious site in southern Punjab. 

Prior to his arrival, historians note the existence of an ancient temple in the settlement. Along the path leading to this temple were rest houses called Dhodah Ranas, named after a local sweet bread. These facilities catered to travelers and devotees, although their original structures have undergone changes over time. A third Dhodah Rana was situated in the village of Wadore, which was positioned on the historic route that connected Nigaha-Moqam, the former name of Sakhi Sarwar, to Afghanistan. Historical narratives also document that Mughal emperor Babur traversed this ancient trail. 

Recently, remnants of an old check post have also been found along the Kuki torrent. Archaeologists believe these discoveries highlight the region’s importance as a stopover on trade and travel routes for numerous centuries.

The town of Sakhi Sarwar, formerly known as Nigaha and Moqam, has historically possessed both Islamic and pre-Islamic significance. Scholars assert that its geographical position on an ancient trade route linked it to Ghazi Ghat on the Indus River, which was previously referred to as Pattan Moqam. The latest findings contribute to the documentation of the town’s complex history, blending religious, cultural, and commercial narratives from diverse eras.

Netizens have commended Pakistan for its firm and uncompromising response to Israel during an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday, held in the wake of Tel Aviv’s illegal strikes on Doha.

Initiating his address, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, slammed Israel for violating Qatar’s sovereignty.

“The brazen and illegal assault is not an isolated incident, rather it is part of a broader and consistent pattern of aggression and violation of international law by Israel that undermines regional peace and stability,” Ambassador Ahmad said.

He termed the attack on Doha as “yet another manifestation of systematic disregard for international law” by Israel, and its brazen policy of destabilising the region.

When the floor was given to the Israeli ambassador, he hit back with reference to the United States (US) raid that killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil.

Exercising Pakistan’s right of reply, Ambassador Ahmad rejected the analogy as “unacceptable and ludicrous”, accusing Israel of attempting to deflect attention from its own “illegal actions and violations of international law”.

“Israel is an occupier, a serial violator of the UN Charter and international law, that threatens the international community, humanitarian organisations and even the UN itself… and does so with impunity,” Ahmad said.

“Despite being the aggressor, it pretends to be the victim. But today, it stands fully exposed,” he added.

“Al Qaeda was largely decimated due to Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts, and we remain committed to this collective endeavour,” he said, reinforcing that Islamabad’s position was based on facts and international law.

“Maybe he was offended by my words and I apologise for that, but I make sure my speeches stick to facts. And the fact is, Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan, and no one condemned the US for that. When other countries attack terrorists, no one condemns them,” he said.

Netizens react

Internet users were quick to react to Pakistan’s “teeth-breaking” response to Israel at the UNSC on the presence of its representative.

“Pakistan Ambassador to the United Nations Asim Ahmad made brilliant & bold critique of Israel at Security Council, terming Israel as ‘irresponsible rogue state, that is, in fact, worst perpetrator of State Terrorism in Gaza’! Bravo! (sic)” wrote Mushahid Hussain Syed, former chair of the Senate foreign relations committee, in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

“Teeth-breaking response to Israel from Pakistani ambassador in UN. Well done @Asimiahmad you represented not only Pakistan but [also] all those who think Israel is no more a rogue state but it is a terrorist state. You rightly said a ‘serial violater of international law,’” journalist Hamid Mir said in a post on X.

A third user maintained that “Pakistan just demolished Israel at the UN” by labelling it precisely: “an occupier, a rogue state, and the embodiment of modern state terrorism cloaked in victimhood. This is called diplomatic belting”.

“Never seen so many slaps & punches to Israel in one go. Pakistan’s envoy at the UNSC meeting. Bravo, hail,” said one netizen while another wrote, “A real round of applause for [Pakistan] for calling such spade a spade!”

“Amb[assador] Asim’s statement at the UN Security Council, acknowledging Israel as a brutal rogue state, is not a political statement but Pak State’s stance at this highest level of [the] Council of Nations. Words aside, Amb Asia’s delivery of the statement was like a J10 thunder strike,” a social media user maintained.

Another user, while singling out a single line from Ambassador Ahmad’s speech, sarcastically asked, “Did the Pakistani representative at the UN just say ‘Israel doesn’t even listen to its friends, if it has any’?”

Pakistan has bashed Israel in the presence of its delegation at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting, calling it out for its brazen and illegal assault in the wake of Doha strikes.

As per the details, Pakistan and Israel traded barbs during the emergency meeting of the UNSC on Thursday as Islamabad’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, started his address criticising Tel Aviv for violating Qatar’s sovereignty.

“The brazen and illegal assault is not an isolated incident, rather it is part of a broader and consistent pattern of aggression and violation of international law by Israel that undermines regional peace and stability,” he said.

Ahmad described the attack on Doha as “yet another manifestation of systematic disregard for international law” by Israel, and its brazen policy of destabilising the region.

When the floor was given to the Israeli ambassador, he hit back with reference to the United States (US) raid that killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil.

“When bin Laden was eliminated in Pakistan, the question asked was not why a terrorist was targeted on foreign soil. The question was why a terrorist was given shelter at all. The same question must be asked today,” he said and added there could be “no immunity for Hamas” just as there could be no immunity for bin Laden.

Exercising Pakistan’s right of reply, Ambassador Ahmad rejected the analogy as “unacceptable and ludicrous”, accusing Israel of attempting to deflect attention from its own “illegal actions and violations of international law”.

“Israel is an occupier, a serial violator of the UN Charter and international law, that threatens the international community, humanitarian organisations and even the UN itself… and does so with impunity,” Ahmad said.

“Despite being the aggressor, it pretends to be the victim. But today, it stands fully exposed,” he added.

Highlighting Pakistan’s frontline role in combating terrorism, Ahmad said that the international community was well aware of Pakistan’s sacrifices in the fight against terrorism.

“Al Qaeda was largely decimated due to Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts, and we remain committed to this collective endeavour,” he said, reinforcing that Islamabad’s position was based on facts and international law.

Following Pakistan’s firm response, the Israeli ambassador accused Pakistan and others of “having double standards”.

“Maybe he was offended by my words and I apologise for that, but I make sure my speeches stick to facts. And the fact is, Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan, and no one condemned the US for that. When other countries attack terrorists, no one condemns them,” he said.

A district and sessions court in Islamabad has overturned a judicial magistrate’s order to block several YouTube channels, favoring petitions filed by various content creators. 

The case originated from a directive issued by Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah on July 8, ordering the blocking of 27 YouTube channels for featuring anti-state material. Among the channels were those run by journalists such as Orya Maqbool Jan, Aftab Iqbal, Matiullah Jan, Imran Riaz Khan, and Asad Toor. 

Eleven affected YouTubers lodged appeals against the ruling, which were collectively considered by Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka. On Thursday, the court delivered its reserved judgment, partially canceling the earlier decision and declaring the blocking order invalid for the petitioners. 

During the proceedings, Judge Majoka probed the prosecutor from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) regarding the legal basis for the restriction of the channels. He expressed discontent with the agency’s management of the situation, noting that the prosecutor was attempting to shift accountability onto the court. The judge warned against any attempts to defame members of the judiciary and requested clarification on the authority under which the channels had been removed. 

The petitions were considered only for those who were present in court or had legal representation. The court clarified that applications without representatives would not be processed further and would be dismissed. 

The ruling provides relief to the eleven petitioners, including prominent journalists and commentators, while the larger question of channel restrictions continues to be addressed through ongoing legal processes.

Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar has given clarification a day after a heated exchange took place between him and Human Rights activist and lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir during the hearing of a plea filed on behalf of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leader Dr Mahrang Baloch.

Heated exchange

During a hearing on Thursday, Justics Dogar warned Imaan of contempt of court case for allegedly calling him a “dictator”. “If I issue any order in this case, then Miss [Imaan] Mazari will go downstairs and do a programme, [saying] that a dictator is sitting [in the court],” Dogar said at one point.

At that, Mazari clarified that “whatever I have said was in a personal capacity”, adding that “it should not affect the client’s case.”

“If you have any prejudice against me, don’t let the client’s case be affected. I have come here with a brief, not in a personal capacity,” the lawyer added.

“You commented that I am not a judge but a ‘dictator’. Should we not initiate contempt of court proceedings against you,”  Justice Dogar then asked.

Mazari clarified that she had not said anything beyond the jurisdiction of the law and the Constitution. “If you want to initiate contempt of court proceedings, then please do so. The Constitution has given me the right to freedom of expression, which is what I have used,” she added.

Addressing Mazari’s lawyer husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, the IHC chief justice then said: “Hadi Sahab, samjhay issy, kissi din ma nay pakar liya na… (Hadi sahib, make her understand; if I catch her someday…)”

Mazari then quipped, “If we are at a stage where courts will threaten lawyers, then go ahead with contempt of court [proceedings].”

IHC CJ Sarfraz Dogar clarification

“Imaan Mazari is like my daughters. Yesterday, I was just advising her, as the chief justice and as an elder. A storm was created for presenting my words out of context. I had said that you can talk about my judgment, but [she] should not make personal remarks,” Chief Justice Dogar has been quoted by court reporter Saqib Bashir as saying in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday.

The tweet further quoted Justice Dogar as saying, “I did not say that I will catch [her]. Hadi sahib was standing [there]. I just said grab her and take her away; otherwise, I will carry out contempt of court proceedings. If the proceeding is initiated, the child’s [Mazari] career would be ruined. I made him understand like a child, but she was not getting it, and kept saying ‘fundamental rights’. Don’t the courts have fundamental rights as well?”

As many as seven Frontier Corps (FC) personnel have been martyred and 13 others wounded during a search and strike operation against militants in Lower Dir’s Sar Banda area of Maidan on Thursday.

Citing official sources, a leading English daily reports that one FC soldier was also reported missing following a fierce gun battle with militants in the mountainous terrain within the jurisdiction of Lal Qila police station. The militants had taken positions and opened fire on a security convoy.

The injured were taken to Lal Qila Hospital and later shifted to District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Timergara.

According to police officials, a heavy contingent of police, including the Elite Force and Dir Scouts, remained in the area as the operation continued. Security forces also claimed to have inflicted “significant losses” on the militants, though no details were immediately provided.

Lal Qila was once a stronghold of the proscribed Tehreek-i-Nifaz-i-Shariat-i-Muhammadi (TNSM), led by Maulana Sufi Muhammad. Sufi Muhammad’s son-in-law, Mullah Fazlullah, became the head of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and fled to Afghanistan during the 2009 military operation in Malakand and was later killed in an air strike in Afghanistan.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif commended the security forces for the successful operations. In their statements, both leaders lauded the bravery and professionalism of the troops in eliminating 19 militants.

“Pakistan is determined to eliminate Indian-sponsored terrorism,” President Zardari said, reaffirming the nation’s resolve to completely eradicate terrorism and praying for the safety and success of the security forces. 

The premier also commended the security forces for successful operations in Mohmand, North Waziristan and Bannu, reiterating that the war against terrorism would continue until its complete elimination from the country.