Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Tariq Mahmood Bajwa heard the pleas of the incarcerated PTI leaders.

The PTI leaders had filed appeals challenging their conviction in the May 9 cases alongside applications seeking the suspension of the sentence as an interim relief.

However, the bench dismissed the pleas for interim relief and adjourned the hearing on the main appeals.

Separately, the bench also allowed a similar application filed by PTI leader Afzal Azeem Pahat and suspended his sentence.

Senior PTI leaders, including Chaudhry, Rashid, Dr Yasmin Rashid and Omer Sarfraz Cheema, have been handed down sentences by the anti-terrorism courts in five cases pertaining to violent protests in the country on May 9, 2023, including an attack on the Shadman police station, violence at Sherpao Bridge, the burning of police vehicles and the torching a Supreme Court judge’s squad vehicle near Jinnah House.

The convictions involve charges including abetment of violence and criminal conspiracy, with each accused awarded an average sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment in the respective cases.

It should also be mentioned that Chaudhry, who is a former senator, has been suffering from heart and kidney disease. Over the weekend, the Punjab government had allowed his medical check-up at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology, which revealed that the condition of his kidneys had further deteriorated.

The couple personally appeared before the court along with their counsel.

Judge Ashfaq Ahmed heard and allowed the bail petitions of the couple, subject to submission of surety bonds, and restrained the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from arresting them till May 7.

Last week, an accountability court had suspended the perpetual arrest warrants issued against the prime minister’s daughter and son-in-law in a case related to alleged irregularities in the Punjan Saaf Pani Company.

The court had accepted their request to surrender before it and directed both of them to appear on May 5.

An accountability court had issued perpetual warrants for their arrest in 2021 and 2022.

Lahore’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed a reference against PM Shehbaz and 20 others in connection with the Saaf Pani Company case.

The accountability court had subsequently allowed the acquittal pleas of the prime minister and others.

“We all know well, what disease is afflicting the Pakistan Railways. I know it, and there is no doubt that the biggest issue faced by the PR is the track,” he said while speaking to journalists at a media talk here on Monday.

“On this [issue], the work the sitting government has launched was never been done in the 78-year history of Pakistan,” he maintained.

He said the civil work for laying the new 480km-long Rohri/Sukkar/Karachi track by removing the existing one would be launched from September, 2026. Similarly, he said, the replacement of the existing Lahore-Rawalpindi track has also been planned with financial assistance by the Punjab government. After laying of the new tracks, the travel time between Lahore and Karachi, especially from Rohri and Sukkar, would be considerably reduced.

Says replacement of Lahore-Pindi track planned with Punjab’s assistance

“After laying new track on Lahore-Rawalpindi route, the train would complete the 4-5 hours journey in just two hours and 20 minutes. This will happen with the launch of a high-speed train on this route, in collaboration with the Punjab government,” he maintained.

He said the 900km-long Nokundi-Rohri track would also be upgraded with laying of 400km-long new track and 500km-long existing track’s uplift. Similarly, the Nokundi-Taftan track is also being upgraded, Mr Abbasi said, adding that 105km-long new track would be laid in collaboration with the Sindh government in a bid to ease transportation of Thar coal. The work on this will start on Dec 25, this year.

The minister said the PR, for the first time, has engaged all provinces, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), in the efforts to upgrade all branch-line routes by uplifting the existing tracks.

“We have held meetings with the KP chief secretary and other officials concerned. “Hopefully, they will allocate some funds to collaborate with the PR for the upgrade of the railway tracks connecting various cities,” he hoped.

Abbasi said an MoU has already been signed with the Punjab government, under which the chief minister has pledged to fund railways for the upgrade of branch-line routes.

“She (the CM) is also eager to help us in laying the new track to run high-speed trains on Lahore-Rawalpindi route. Similarly, Sindh and Balochistan governments are also coordinating with us in this regard,” he explained.

The minister said that after being assigned the tasks by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the PR has started work to digitise all its major departments, including control rooms, to track the trains operation.

According to him, for the first time, the PR has started work to manufacture wagons required for the transportation of vehicles from car manufacturing plants to various destinations. This will enable railways to earn Rs2 billion annually in freight income.

“We are also planning to allocate as many as 40 locomotives for freight operations alone. This is being done just to increase the freight income by 80pc of the total PR’s income,” he said.

The minister said the first “safe and smart” railway station was established in Rawalpindi, and the second would be set up in Lahore. Similar stations would also be established in all major cities, he said. He added that the Wi-Fi facility is available at all major railway stations.

The minister said that all efforts were being made to meet the Rs100 billion revenue target of the PR.

He said that railways marketing department would be digitised, adding that automobile transportation by rail would begin this year. He added that the railways would transport 700,000 tons of edible oil annually, generating Rs2bn per year.

He said the Sahiwal coal power plant is the biggest revenue source for the railways, and its supply is currently at its peak. Consignments related to the power plant would soon arrive and the issue would be resolved by May 10, he claimed.

The minister said following the PM’s instructions, the PR has not increased the fares and freight charges despite the massive increase in the diesel prices.

About the rehabilitation of the passenger coaches, he said, four refurbished rakes of Awam Express, each comprising 10 coaches, would soon be on the track. After this, the passengers would see new rakes of Allama Iqbal Express, he pledged.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2026

The HEC has yet to verify degrees of lawyers obtained from several universities including Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai University, University of Sindh, University of Karachi, Gomal University, Mirpur University of Science and Technology and Mohiuddin Islamic University.

All relevant lawyers have been given a final deadline of May 15 to get their degrees verified by the HEC and submit the attested documents to the bar council, said a joint statement issued by PbBC Vice Chairman Khawaja Qaiser Butt and Executive Committee Chairman Fakhar Hayat Awan.

The statement warned that failure to comply within the stipulated time would result in immediate suspension of licences of those holding unverified degrees, along with further legal action. The bar council also announced a stricter policy for future enrolments, stating that no lawyer would be admitted without a degree verified by the HEC.

Additionally, it said, individuals posing as lawyers, holders of fake degrees and those practicing law while employed in government or semi-government institutions have been granted a last opportunity to regularise their status.

After the deadline, the council said, no leniency or concessions would be extended and strict legal proceedings would follow.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2026

The FIA with the help of NCB Interpol arrested Abdullah, Adil, Muhammad Adnan and Shah Faisal.

“The accused were apprehended in Abu Dhabi and were brought back here. They were wanted by Punjab Police and were involved in cases registered in Faisalabad and Sargodha under charges of murder and fraud,” the FIA said.

The FIA NCB Interpol had earlier issued Red Notices for their arrest.

Upon arrival, the suspects were handed over to Punjab police by FIA Immigration, Lahore.

“Their extradition was made possible through close coordination between Interpol Islamabad and Interpol Abu Dhabi,” it said.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2026

As per the initial reports, the fire spread so fast that the children including Alezay (6), her brother Ali Ahmad (4) and sister Fizza (2) got trapped in a part of the warehouse.

The parents of the children were not present there at the time of the incident and the neighbours called Rescue 1122 and police officials soon after they spotted huge flames.

A local resident told the police that the neighbours helped and recovered the children in a critical condition as the Rescue teams were on the way. Of them, Alezay and Ali breathes their last due to critical burns on way to hospital while Fizza died during treatment.

A Rescue 1122 spokesperson confirmed the death of the three siblings in the fire incident which had sparked panic and fear in the area.

He said the cause of the fire had not yet been determined.

To a question, the spokesperson told the journalists that the Rescue 1122 vehicles reached the site and controlled the ablaze after hectic efforts of a few hours.

The children had already been shifted to the hospital by the local residents, he said.

The police are investigating the incident.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2026

Officials associated with the project describe the revamped museum as a vibrant cultural landmark where Punjabi traditions have been thoughtfully curated under one roof. By combining traditional displays with modern technological interventions, the museum reflects not only the tangible heritage of Punjab but also its intangible essence, preserved through oral traditions, music, poetry, and craftsmanship.

The visitor experience begins at the main entrance, which immediately evokes the rustic charm of rural Punjab. A restored traditional tonga, alongside a buffalo diorama, welcomes guests with familiar and nostalgic imagery.

This carefully designed entry point sets the tone for the journey ahead, introducing visitors to the agrarian roots and everyday life that define much of Punjab’s cultural fabric.

Moving further inside, an impressive array of handicrafts showcases artistry of Punjabi craftsmen. Intricately designed objects reflect generations of skill and creativity, highlighting the enduring legacy of indigenous craftsmanship. The museum also brings to life the region’s most beloved folktales through detailed and lifelike dioramas. Timeless romances such as Heer Ranjha and Sohni Mahiwal are recreated with attention to detail, accompanied by evocative background music.

Music, an integral component of Punjabi culture, has been given dedicated space within the museum. Displays of traditional musical instruments illustrate the diversity and richness of the region’s musical heritage. A carefully constructed diorama on block printing and embroidery sheds light on Punjab’s vibrant textile traditions while a recreated Sufi Baithak offers visitors an immersive experience of spiritual poetry and musical expression in a traditional setting.

The museum also celebrates the cultural diversity of Punjab through thematic exhibits. A Cholistani village scene provides insight into the life and traditions of desert communities while a series of portraits highlights some of the province’s most iconic architectural landmarks. These include the Noor Mahal, the Lahore Fort, Gurdwara Dera Sahib, Rohtas Fort, the Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam, and Hiran Minar.

The museum integrates modern technology to enhance visitor engagement. A dedicated virtual reality (VR) section allows visitors, particularly younger audiences, to experience Punjab’s cultural landscape in an interactive and immersive manner. Complementing this is a large geographical map of Punjab, depicting its rivers, the Potohar Plateau, fertile plains, the Salt Range, Cholistan, and the Thal desert.

The museum also presents a vivid portrayal of everyday life in Punjab through depictions of traditional fairs, professions, and agricultural practices. Exhibits on puppetry, basketry, spinning, weaving, and indigenous games highlight the ingenuity and simplicity of rural life. The colorful tradition of kite flying has also been thoughtfully included.

A special section dedicated to Punjabi Sufi wisdom underscores the intellectual and spiritual richness of the region. Portraits and works of nine great Sufi poets, Baba Farid, Guru Nanak, Shah Hussain, Sultan Bahu, Bulleh Shah, Waris Shah, Ghulam Rasool Alampuri, Khawaja Ghulam Farid, and Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, offer visitors a glimpse into the profound philosophical traditions that have shaped Punjabi thought and literature.

Adding further artistic depth to the museum is the monumental mural of the creative past of Punjab, created by the late Aslam Kamal. Two additional works from his renowned series Sufi Poetry on Canvas, featuring verses of Sultan Bahu and Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, have also been displayed.

According to a Pilac official: “The museum not only preserves our cultural heritage but also presents it in ways that resonate with the younger generation while guided tours and educational visits are being planned to maximize its outreach and impact”.

With its diverse exhibits, thoughtful curation, and modern presentation, the Punjab Cultural Museum stands poised to become a living narrative of Punjab’s glorious past and vibrant present.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2026

The bill was presented in the assembly by Punjab Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman. However, the lawmakers were not initially provided copies of the bill, which led to a heated debate.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari voiced her objections, saying that the situation was “unprecedented”. She called for transparency in the legislative process.

Bokhari said, “It is for the first time that members are sitting in the assembly without having receiving copies of a bill under consideration.” She stressed that it was essential for all lawmakers to be fully informed about the contents of the bill before passing it.

Subsequently, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan directed that copies of the bill be immediately distributed among the members.

Expressing her views on the bill’s propositions, she argued that both “mental and physical maturity” needed to be considered before marriage and emphasised the need for age verification through documents such as national identity cards or birth certificates.

She also strongly opposed PML-N lawmaker Zulfiqar Ali Shah’s suggestion that individuals under 18 years of age should be allowed to marry with court permission.

For his part, Shah urged lawmakers not to prioritise the bill over “societal values” and expressed concerns over “moral implications” of “entirely restricting early marriages”.

Bokhari countered his arguments by highlighting the implications of child marriages for girls. She also criticised practices of “using girls to settle disputes” and questioned whether women should continue to bear the burden of societal injustices.

She noted that the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) had endorsed similar legislation passed by the Sindh Assembly.

Following extensive debate by both treasury and opposition members, the bill was approved with a majority vote.

Previously, the minimum legal age for marriage in Punjab was 18 years for men and 16 years for women under the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929.

That changed with the promulgation of the Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2026 as an ordinance by Punjab Governor Saleem Haider in February. The ordinance, however, was to lapse in May — 90 days after its promulgation — and hence, the legislation needed the Punjab Assembly’s approval to remain in effect.

The House also passed an amendment to the bill, which called for the best interests of the child being made a primary consideration in all actions under the child marriage law — from investigation and prosecution to bail, sentencing and protective custody.

Moved by PML-N MPA Ejaz Augustine and co-signed by thirteen members from both treasury and opposition benches, the passing of the amendment marked a rare moment of cross-party consensus on child protection.

The amendment stated that no child should be treated as an offender merely for being a contracting party to a child marriage. It added that in proceedings under the child marriage act, “where a contracting party who is child has been taken, enticed, induced, coerced, trafficked or otherwise removed from lawful guardianship for the purpose of marriage, the court shall not treat the mere statement or purported consent of such child to reside with or accompany the adult contracting party as determinative of custody, residence or protective orders”.

Another amendment related to the court declaring a child marriage void was withdrawn by its movers, PML-N’s Tariq Masih, Ayesha Javed and others, after Minister Shuja opposed it.

“Due to various settlements and encroachments in the riverbed, we are yet to start construction of the phase-2 of the project aimed at constructing flood-protection embankments along both sides of the 46km-long stretch of the river. We are ready to start construction within a short span of time if the administration hands over the area to us after clearing it from encroachments,” said a spokesperson of the Ravi Urban Development Authority (Ruda). “In various meetings, we reminded them about this issue, but to no avail. Though they are working on it, we cannot start work with a large number of permanent and temporary encroachments,” he revealed while talking to Dawn on Sunday.

The last year’s flood caused massive devastation in several districts of Punjab with casualties, injuries and ruining huge chunks of agricultural land. In Lahore, the flash floods of nearly 220,000 cusecs played havoc in the settlements developed inside the riverbed. A huge population living in the floodplain was evacuated by the administration.

The flood also drowned a number of houses and damaged concrete structures, forcing people to stay at temporary relief camps for many days along with their children. Subsequently, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed the Ruda authorities to complete construction of flood protection embankments before the start of the monsoon of 2026 by all means.

According to the Ruda spokesperson, the authority’s jurisdiction starts from 6km downstream of the Ravi Syphon and ends at the Hudiara drain point in Mohlanwal. He said the phase-1 consisted of the 14.6km area starting from 6km downstream from the Syphon and ending at the Railway bridge. The phase-2 consists of a 9km area starting from the Railway bridge to the motorway M2 bridge. The phase-2 starts from M2 and ends at the Hudiara drain with the total length of the portion being 22.5km.

Environmentalists warn of early onset of monsoon due to the El Nino effect with very heavy rains expected in May

“We have completed 80pc work in phase-1 by constructing embankments of 20-feet that has a capacity of 350,000 cusecs of floodwater to pass. In phase-2, the work is yet to start due to the huge population in the riverbed – settled there much before the establishment of Ruda. Several properties in the riverbed even have electricity and gas connections. Some of the properties have been transferred to the residents, surprisingly through registry and intiqal (mutations),” he explained.

When asked why Ruda had not made any efforts to remove these encroachments on their own in 2020 and onward, he said the authority inherited these settlements and they could only stop new illegal constructions and not remove those constructed decades ago.

He said that the construction work of the phase-3 of the embankment had also been launched and at some portions, 20pc work had been completed with a deadline to complete the rest as soon as possible. The work to protect the Theme Park and other localities in phase-3 was also underway at the moment. “But we are worried about phase-2, where we are yet to initiate work and if this situation persists, the upcoming monsoon may become dangerous,” the spokesperson warned.

Talking to Dawn, Dr Habibul Haq Randhawa, a civil engineer and environmental expert who also worked as the chief engineer of the Urban Development Wing of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) in the past, warned that the monsoon was expected to start early next month (May). “Due to the El Nino effect, we can expect very heavy rains starting from May and ending in June, this year. This may lead to massive urban and river flooding in Punjab,” he further warned.

To avoid the possible damage of the monsoon, he urged the government to remove all sorts of encroachments in Ravi and other rivers, restoring their natural routes. “The main cause behind devastation in Lahore was the illegal constructions, encroachments in the Ravi riverbed. So, it is time to quickly take action,” Randhawa suggested.

When contacted, Lahore Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali Ijaz said he would soon take up the issue with the government. “The settlements inside the riverbed must be shifted to some safe place,” he admitted. He said the critical area in phase-2 in terms of encroachment starts from old Ravi bridge and ends at the M2 bridge. This area had been surveyed along with the number of houses, livestock etc. “In case we receive any flood alert in monsoon, we will have no option but to shift people from this area to other places,” he said.

According to him, the irrigation department was to complete some embankment works from the Syphon to 6km downstream. “The irrigation department’s chief engineer in a recent briefing told us that the task will be completed soon. However, they are facing some problems at the railway bridge due to water passage capacity. They have taken up this issue with the railway authorities,” he explained.

He said that Ruda teams had been working hard to complete the flood protection embankments in phase-1 and phase-3. Besides the encroachment issues in phase-2, Ruda teams were facing some issues in phase-3, where they were yet to start work due to the existence of Jhok forest. “For this, we all are trying to declassify this area from the forest status. This will enable Ruda to start the civil work,” he added.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2026

Addressing the annual dinner of the Old Ravians Association, Gilani said Pakistan had demonstrated unity and maturity in responding to recent hostilities with India, emphasizing that the country acted solely in self-defence despite provocations, including the unilateral revocation of the Indus Waters Treaty.

He added that Pakistan had called for an independent inquiry into incidents such as Pahalgam, but received no response, while its stance was widely appreciated by the international community.

“The world is undergoing rapid transformation, and sustained efforts are required to ensure global peace,” he said, stressing that challenges like climate change, artificial intelligence, and the digital economy demand urgent attention and adaptation.

He noted that Pakistan was playing a proactive and responsible role in fostering dialogue and reconciliation at both regional and international levels. He pointed out that Pakistan’s diplomatic initiatives–particularly efforts to reduce tensions and build trust between Iran and the United States–were being acknowledged globally.

Reflecting on his alma mater, Government College University Lahore, Gilani described it as a “living monument to excellence” that has produced leaders, thinkers, and statesmen for over a century and a half. He said the institution’s greatest strength lies in nurturing independent thought rather than imposing uniformity.

Recalling his student life, he spoke warmly of hostel days, intellectual debates, and friendship forged over cups of tea at Lahore’s historic Pak Tea House.

Highlighting the importance of education in a rapidly changing world, he said modern challenges require not only academic knowledge but also practical guidance and mentorship. He urged the Old Ravians Association to establish structured mentorship programmes to support younger graduates in navigating evolving career landscapes.

Gilani also referred to his book Chah-e-Yousaf Se Sada, written during his imprisonment, and emphasized the enduring value of relationships built during student life. He assured full support for initiatives aimed at strengthening alumni engagement and preserving the legacy of the institution.

“The true legacy of this institution lies not just in degrees, but in the values of tolerance, dialogue, and mutual respect,” he concluded, urging alumni to remain connected and contribute to national development while upholding the spirit of unity.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2026

Farhan, the father of the deceased identified as Mudassar (5), was harvesting wheat in the fields near his house. His son, Mudassar, was asleep at a charpoy under a tree at some distance when a stray dog attacked him and injured him critically. He was shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital Toba where he succumbed to his wounds.

Toba District Emergency Officer Mian Faraz Munir claimed, in a press release, that the emergency call for shifting the child to hospital was received by Rescue 1122 in tehsil Shorkot of district Jhang and the rescuers there forwarded the number of the caller to their colleagues in Toba. He added that when Toba rescuers contacted Farhan, he told that the child was shifted to the DHQ Hospital Toba on a bike.

The Rescue 1122 ambulance received the child from the bike near the University of Agriculture sub-campus on Khikha Road. After giving the child CPR, they shifted him to DHQ Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds.

According to the district administration, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has taken notice of the incident and demanded a report.

Meanwhile, another minor child was attacked by a stray dog in Chak 746-GB, Pirmahal.

Police spokesperson Attaullah said that the child, identified as Haider Ali (8), had received injuries on his head and left eye and he had been shifted to the DHQ Hospital where his condition was out of danger.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2026

She stated that measures are being implemented to restore the long-declining film industry and put it back on its feet. For the first time in Punjab’s history, a substantial fund of Rs2 billion has been allocated for the revival of the sector.

Sharing details of key initiatives, she revealed that work has commenced on a world-class “Lahore Film City” built to universal standards. The project will include state-of-the-art laboratories, enabling filmmakers to carry out editing and post-production locally, eliminating the need to travel abroad.

Following a rigorous scrutiny process, 32 individuals have been selected for film production. Each filmmaker will receive Rs30 million per film. An initial amount of Rs15m will be released at the script submission stage, while the remaining funds will be disbursed upon completion of the film. Selected filmmakers will be given one year to complete their projects.

She further stated that to encourage the film industry, the government has decided to provide an additional incentive: filmmakers will receive a 25 per cent bonus based on their film’s box office earnings.

Applications from new filmmakers will be invited in the upcoming fiscal year starting in June. Additionally, five exceptionally talented young individuals will be provided with special funding for film projects.

The minister also announced that, to reduce electricity costs and provide relief to cinema owners, cinemas will be transitioned to solar energy systems.

Azma Bokhari emphasised that these initiatives aim to promote creativity in Punjab and enable the local film industry to compete at the international level.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has expressed concern over unregulated traffic trends and has set a target to ensure strict adherence to lane discipline across major cities, including Lahore.

Chairing a special meeting, she directed developing major roads into model traffic corridors and asked the authorities to ensure immediate improvements in traffic management.

She ordered strict enforcement of lane and line discipline, elimination of roadside parking, and zero tolerance against violations such as one-way breaches.

The CM also directed that an extensive public awareness campaign be launched to educate citizens about lane discipline carrying out monitoring through cameras installed on traffic police vehicles.

Taking notice of zigzag driving, she ordered that motorcycles involved in such violations be impounded at police stations for three days. The chief minister assigned the Lahore chief traffic officer (CTO) the task of bringing about visible improvement in the city’s traffic system.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2026

In a statement issued through their counsel Rana Mudassar Umer, jailed leaders Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Omer Sarfraz Cheema and Mian Mehmoodur Rashid bemoaned that the country’s power division, with an installed generation capacity of 46,000MW, was not able to manage the current peak demand of 19,000MW.

“With announced power outages of two-and-a-half hours, people in urban areas were suffering seven to eight hours of loadshedding, while those living in rural areas were trying to cope with loadshedding ranging between 12 and 18 hours every day,” the statement said.

They said Power Minister Awais Leghari had informed the people that this was being done to protect them from an increase in their electricity bills.

LNG supplies’ disruption due to ME war termed main reason for long hours of outages

The jailed PTI leaders said that the Middle East crisis, triggered by the US-Israeli war against Iran, had disrupted LNG supplies and that it was the main reason for the current loadshedding, which was beyond the government’s control.

However, they said if one looked at the energy mix of coal, solar, wind, hydel and nuclear energy, these power plants provided no more than 6,000MW.

The PTI leaders further said that the power division minister had conceded that there was no issue of load management in the southern areas, and that the country had surplus electricity but it could not be utilised in the northern and central regions due to transmission constraints.

“It seems that our power division has learnt nothing from the oil crisis of 2022, and has failed to address structural vulnerabilities identified four years ago,” they lamented.

They said the power minister must acknowledge the fact that the country’s current energy crisis was not on account of the Middle East war. Though it had put an additional burden, the crisis was far deeper and far more complex than being narrated by the government, they added.

They stressed that the power division must thank the people of the country, who contributed to the solar revolution by adding 18,000MW of solar energy through their private investments and saving billions of dollars over the last eight years by preventing additional import of fossil fuels.

“Instead of appreciating the private investors who contributed to the solar revolution in the country, they are living under the constant threat of discontinuity of the net metering policy. When will our planners realise that the future path is renewable energy?” they asked.

They further questioned why a country with a capacity of generating 50,000MW of clean, cheap hydel energy had to install expensive IPP plants based on imported fuel.

“What was the logic in providing sovereign guarantees for capacity payments, which have contributed to our circular debt crisis? Did anyone hold the architects of the IPP policy accountable for the rise in electricity tariffs?” they asked.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2026

According to the latest weather outlook, a shallow westerly wave that previously affected upper parts of the country has weakened, leaving little chance of rain. As a result, dry and humid conditions are expected to dominate across the province.

The PMD said that unlike Saturday — when isolated areas such as Kashmir, Murree and the Galliyat experienced partly cloudy weather with chances of light rain — Sunday will see no significant rainfall even in these upper areas. This shift indicates a further increase in heat intensity.

In plains, especially across central and southern Punjab, daytime temperatures are expected to remain 3 to 5 degrees Celsius above normal, adding to the discomfort citizens already facing due to rising heat levels.

Recent weather data highlights the intensity of the temperature, with Rahim Yar Khan recording the highest temperature in Punjab at 41.5 degrees Celsius, while Murree remained comparatively cool with a minimum temperature of 12.0 degrees Celsius. In Kashmir, Garhi Dupatta recorded a high of 35.0 degrees Celsius, while Rawalakot saw the lowest temperature at 10.6 degrees Celsius.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2026

Senator Chaudhry, incarcerated at Kot Lakhpat jail, is suffering from heart and kidney ailments and his condition has reportedly deteriorated due to the delay in medical treatment. He is suffering from Stage-III kidney disease.

Mr Chaudhry’s son Advocate Ali Chaudhry tweeted that Senator Chaudhry was brought to the PIC where doctors present conducted blood and other investigations. He stated that the blood reports indicated further deterioration of kidneys.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2026

According to PRO Muhammad Naeem, police teams have conducted multiple raids to arrest the suspects, who are currently absconding. He said efforts are underway to arrest them at the earliest.

Police sources told Dawn that a first information report has been registered under Sections 341, 427, 506, 148, and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Muhammad Safdar alias Jattoo. The complainant stated that he, along with several companions, was traveling in cars when they were ambushed near Chak No. 93/DB by a large group of attackers.

The assailants, comprising 19 nominated and 25 unidentified persons, were armed with rifles, clubs, iron rods, and sticks. They intercepted the vehicles, forcibly pulled the occupants out, subjected them to severe torture at gunpoint, and damaged the cars. The attackers also threatened them with dire consequences.

As a result of the assault, four persons Qamar Munir, Iftikhar Ahmed, Rashid Ali, and Shahroze Mustafa sustained injuries and were shifted to Yazman THQ Hospital for treatment.

The complainant stated that the motive behind the attack was an ongoing dispute over a watercourse. Among the nominated suspects are Muhammad Javed, Qaisar Abbas, Irfan Nazir, and Shehbaz, along with others.

Police said further investigation is underway.

MARTYRS DAY: Speakers at a function held on Friday to observe Martyrs’ Day of the Bahawalpur United Front (BUF), which campaigns for a separate provincial status for Bahawalpur, reiterated their longstanding demand for the creation of a Bahawalpur province.

Addressing the gathering, former MPA Syed Tabish Alwari, Akram Ansari, and other speakers reminded the ruling PML-N of its promises to grant Bahawalpur independent provincial status. They also referred to pending resolutions in the Punjab Assembly on the issue and urged the party leadership to honour its commitments to the people of the region.

The speakers vowed to continue their struggle until their demand is met.

They recalled that on April 25, 1970, during the rule of former martial law administrator General Yahya Khan, two activists were killed when police opened fire on demonstrators demanding a separate Bahawalpur province at Farid Gate, a central location in the city.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2026

Abdullah Malik, a lawyer and an activist, had approached the Punjab Information Commission (PIC), invoking the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013, seeking the policy on judges’ privileges and details of vehicles other than the official one, used by them.

The PIC forwarded the complaint to the LHC registrar, asking to furnish the details sought by the lawyer under the right to information law.

However, the LHC registrar, in a reply to the PIC, refused to disclose the information, declaring the request without substance. It said such requests are not maintainable in the light of a 2024 decision passed by the seven-member administration committee of the high court.

Cites immunity from right to information law

The registrar’s reply reproduced the decision, wherein the administration committee unanimously resolved that the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013 does not apply to the high court as the Supreme Court, in a 2024 judgement, held that the apex court is established under the Constitution, and not under the federal law, nor is the Supreme Court a public body of the federal government to which the Act does not apply.

Drawing the same analogy, the decision said, the high court is also established under the Constitution and thus is not a public body of the provincial government.

“Complaint filed by Abdullah Malik is without any substance and information sought by him cannot be provided to him in light of the decision of the honourable Administration Committee of this Court,” the registrar concluded.

Relying on the reply of the LHC registrar, the PIC also dismissed the complaint of the lawyer, saying, “This Commission being bound by decisions of the Lahore High Court in all matters, including those involving interpretation of law, is under an obligation to follow decisions announced by the said court.”

An order passed by the Chief Information Commissioner, Muhammad Malik Bhullah, said the complaint filed under the RTI Act 2013 runs contrary to the LHC administration committee’s decision and cannot proceed and, accordingly, is rejected.

In a statement, Abdullah Malik said Article 19-A of the Constitution guarantees access to information as a fundamental right and that the denial of such information is contrary to constitutional principles of transparency and accountability.

He said the PIC failed to apply its independent and objective mind to the matter and showed bias in favour of the public body instead of protecting the taxpayer’s right to information.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2026

Narowal Rescue 1122 spokesperson said that they received information that three people had drowned while fishing in the Ravi. He said that rescue divers and trained swimmers reached the spot and started a search operation. He said the team found all the three people who had drowned in the river but only Fayyaz Shahzad (30) could be rescued alive.

He said that he survived due to timely medical assistance.

He said the bodies of the father and son, Asghar Saleem (45) and Muzammil Asghar (12) residents of Pejowali village, were also found by the divers. He said that after completing the legal proceedings, the bodies were shifted to their native villages at the request of their relatives.

According to the spokesperson, the trio drowned after going into deep water while fishing. He said that three professional divers and nine trained swimmers participated in the search operation.

District Emergency Officer Engineer Aurangzeb asked the citizens to stay away from the river, canals and deep water. Untrained individuals should not enter the water to avoid unpleasant incidents, he added.

ROOF COLLAPSE: One person died and a woman was seriously injured after the roof of a dilapidated house collapsed in Zafarwal.

Narowal Rescue 1122 spokesperson said that they received information that the roof of a room in a dilapidated house had suddenly collapsed and two people were buried under the rubble in Mohallah Rehmaniya in Zafarwal tehsil.

He said the rescue team started a search for Tehzeeb Ahmed (21) and Rafi Bibi (25), who were buried under the rubble. He said that the team, with the help of locals, pulled out the woman who was buried under the rubble in a seriously injured condition. The injured woman was shifted to Zafarwal THQ hospital after providing her with first aid.

He said that Tehzeeb Ahmed died on the spot due to severe head injuries. The rescue team also shifted the dead body of the deceased to the government hospital.

District Emergency Officer Engineer Aurangzeb said that dilapidated and weak buildings could cause loss of life and property at any time. He asked the citizens to pay attention to the repair of their buildings so that they could be safe from such accidents.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2026

Addressing a press conference, Khokhar alleged that farmers had suffered losses amounting to Rs2,200 billion over the past two years due to flawed policies, poor pricing and bureaucratic mismanagement. He demanded that a high-level, independent commission headed by the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly be formed to probe the past three years and fix responsibility.

He strongly criticised the government’s wheat policies, claiming that despite a production cost of Rs3,410 per maund in August 2024, wheat was sold at Rs2,700, while in 2025 the price fell further to Rs2,200.

“Where is the promised minimum support price?” he asked, adding that even as of April 24, government-selected private companies had not procured a single grain.

Khokhar also called for the immediate abolition of the Price Control Department, accusing it of contributing nothing while harassing farmers.

Referring to past decisions, he said the impact of wheat imports in 2023 was still being borne by farmers, while initiatives like the Electronic Warehouse Receipt (EWR) system failed to materialise. He further criticised the government’s claims of providing free gunny bags, stating that such packaging is typically the buyers’ responsibility, not the farmers.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2026

He said the NFC Award is the right of all provinces, yet some people are seeking to bring changes to it.

The JUI-F leader visited Dera Ghazi Khan to offer condolences on the demise of former Punjab governor Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa. He met with sons of the deceased, chief of tribe Hussamuddin Khosa, Saifuddin Khosa, Dost Muhammad Khosa, and other family members.

Speaking to media on Thursday night, Fazl an said that his relationship with Sardar Zulfiqar Khan Khosa was that of a respect, adding that Khosa was not just a figure of a family but a great leader of the entire region. He expressed deep sorrow over his death.

Fazl announced a nationwide protest against inflation and load-shedding but clarified that due to tensions between the US and Iran, the protest has been postponed, not canceled.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2026

The Services and General Adminis­tration Department (S&GAD) has written a letter to all BS-18 officers of the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) and Provincial Management Service (PMS), saying that it was noted with “serious concern” that some officers had applied for Haj duty directly to the religious affairs ministry without obtaining prior permission or a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the competent authority.

The provincial government has directed all such officers to route their applications through the S&GAD for ex-post facto approval of the NOC.

To ensure discipline and administrative control in the future, all BS-18 officers have been directed to secure prior permission from the S&GAD before applying for Haj duty.

Provincial govt warns such requests to religious affairs ministry without NOC will be deemed as ‘misconduct’

The Punjab government has made it clear that if any officer applied directly to the federal ministry without prior permission from the competent authority, they would not be considered for ex-post facto approval of the NOC.

“Furthermore, applying for Haj duty without proper procedure and NOC will be considered as an act of misconduct. In such cases, disciplinary proceedings shall be initiated under the Peeda [Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipl­ine and Accountability] Act, 2006,” the provincial government warned.

Tevta COO transferred

Separately, the provincial government transferred Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (Tevta) Chief Operating Officer Faisal Fareed and posted him as special secretary in the home department against a vacant post.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2026

The operation was carried out by the new Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (Pera) which was assisted by Deputy Commissioner Bilal Saleem. But the people who have lived there for generations, challenge the notion that they are squatters. And even though Pera’s Director-General for Monitoring and Implementation, Ahmed Zaheer, says they issue encroachers a digital Emergency Prohibition Order, activist Fazl-e-Rab maintains the basti had no idea the bulldozers were coming.

As Bilal Saleem is the second DC in three years since Kot Addu became a district, many people believe that the new district government, whose departments are not even fully developed yet, are incapable of understanding the area’s history and their relationship with the land and river.

How does the government explain, for example, that it provided the basti electricity, schools and drainage, which counts as the surest proof that it recognises it as a settlement, asks Seraiki Lok Sanjh activist Fazl-e-Rab. “Then how is it encroachment?”

The DC says the government also plans to build a cluster of buildings for an IRSA Flood Monitoring system. Yet, this begs the very question: how does it make sense to undertake so much construction in an area that is vulnerable to flooding?

What is even more ironic, says Khadim Khar Hussain of the Sindhu Bachao Tehreek, whose home was also destroyed, is that the boatpeople are the ones transporting the government construction materials for spaces where they have been thrown out of. It is even more cruel that these displaced people are the very same ones who supply catch to the fisheries and generate an estimated ten million rupees in revenue.

The government’s planning, thus, fails to factor in the ways in which the Indus has historically supported millions of people across Pakistan, including fishing communities that lived along its banks for generations and formed an integral part of the river’s economic and ecological system. This context is not considered in the face of commercial concerns.

The Mohanas are boat people who used to come ashore only when they needed to bury their dead. Over time, they transitioned to land, but brought the houseboat’s spatial sensibility with them. They had to build on the safest, flattest patches they could find next to the unpredictable river (and obviously not on the grid of a planned neighbourhood).

Every home opens into a courtyard that spills into the next, giving the settlement the feel of a cluster. The alleys are tight arteries as living on a boat taught the Mohanas to use every inch of space. This also keeps their settlement closed off, more secure, and the animals don’t wander. All of this complicates the state’s ability to measure and manage such a population.

Evicted resident Muhammad Shareef filed a petition against Pera, which is in the process of being heard. So far, the government’s plans for a Circuit House have to wait.

Basti Sheikhan’s Achilles heel

Shortly after Independence, the Taunsa Barrage was built on the Indus to give farmers in Punjab and Balochistan water. The hope was that it would last fifty years, but the system began to immediately show signs of wear and tear after being unveiled in 1958. Shortcuts had been taken to save money that had been scarce post-Partition.

Patchwork repairs staved off the crisis for 45 years, but by 2003, the barrage was in danger of immediate failure, which would have cut off water for millions. The emergency solution was to build a weir to protect the main structure. World Bank documents, all of which are available on its website, say that the 2005 planners did not initially figure that the fisherfolk would be displaced by all this rehabilitation.

It took a fight by the pro-poor Alternative Law Collective for the World Bank to recognise that the people must be compensated and resettled to make room for machinery and workers. According to the collective’s Asad Farooq, the families were moved two thousand feet away in the first wave of evictions. They were allowed to remain next to the river but were not granted legal rights over the land.

This makes them vulnerable to Pera today. “Twenty years later, exactly what we had feared has happened,” said Farooq. “When development pressure increases, they are the first to be removed,” he said.

Raids on repeat

Away from Basti Sheikhan in South Punjab, similar Pera-led anti-encroachment operations have been ramped up for Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s Saaf Suthra Punjab initiative. The goal is to improve urban cleanliness and aesthetics through coordinated municipal action to remove waste and informality.

Encroachment drives gained renewed vigour after Pera was launched in July 2025, with Maryam Nawaz announcing that the complete operations across Punjab would be implemented by December to usher in a “new era” of implementation of the law through Pera.

The authority was launched under the Punjab Enforcement and Regulation Act, 2024. Passed in October last year, the law granted the provincial government sweeping powers to remove encroachments from public property across the province. Before this, municipal committees and union councils were in charge of anti-encroachment activities, and most matters were resolved amicably.

So far, Pera has conducted 232,194 raids across Punjab. (The highest number, 55,562, was in Lahore). The authority says it was able to take back 7,790.33 kanal worth Rs13,237,422,578 in 532 raids.

In a “grand” operation in March, Pera tore down structures along Murree’s high-value Mall Road to free up 20 kanal for a theme park. One of the buildings that was demolished was the colonial era iconic stone Habib Bank Limited. Architect Fauzia Qureishi says it was conserved by the Urban Unit in 2016.

Last year in August, Pera appeared in Mandi Bahauddin’s Chelianwala, whose fortune was to be declared a model village under Saaf Suthra Punjab to demonstrate the best roads, sewers, pipes, schools and clinics. Villagers who resisted were arrested.

Necessary evils

Pakistanis feel ambivalent about anti-encroachment drives depending on which class they spring from. Some hail this kind of application of force if it widens their streets, supposedly eases their traffic jams, and promises cleanliness and “beautification”. But ask those whose lives are demolished why they were there in the first place.

Non-government endorsed, or informal solutions, emerge for many reasons: population grows, job shortages spur village-to-city migration, where low-income housing is in short supply. “In the absence of adequate state planning to accommodate these shifts, such informal developments, which the state calls najaiz or ghair qanooni, inevitably take shape,” argues Aasim Sajjad Akhtar of the left-wing Awami Workers Party.

Thus, informal settlements and food markets are symptoms of a state failure. “When the state fails to provide affordable housing, security of tenure, or adequate livelihood opportunities, people are forced to create their own solutions,” says urban planning researcher Fizzah Sajjad. “These spaces emerge out of necessity.”

Furthermore, none of this happens without the government knowing. “Structures do not proliferate at this scale without some level of official awareness, if not tacit approval,” adds Fizzah. “Whether through weak enforcement, administrative neglect, or outright rent-seeking, space is informally negotiated and controlled. Payments are made, boundaries are blurred, and over time, the illegal becomes normalised.”

More formal encroachments, such as upscale housing schemes, commercial expansion, and even the systematic occupation of sidewalks, do not carry the same precarity. “They are not accidental. Their existence points less to failure and more to selective enforcement,” she says.

Then, she added, at a certain political moment, the same state reverses course. Anti-encroachment drives are launched, often abruptly. Informal structures are cleared in the name of beautification or to make way for cityscapes. “Everything else that obstructs that purpose is removed, be it shopkeepers, street vendors, and katchi abadi settlers.”

This reflects an elitist model of development in which formal projects are prioritised, and others are pushed out. “Such processes amount to a form of exclusion that can be understood as class-based violence against the poor,” he says. “Resistance within this framework is often suppressed, and those who resist are frequently subjected to harsh punishment, particularly when they are already marginalised. The consequences are banal, in fact, catastrophic.”

What this ultimately points to is not just state failure, but a deeper structural problem — “one that requires rethinking how cities are planned and governed. Because as long as formal systems fail to accommodate lived realities, people will continue to build informally — and remain exposed to the cycles of tolerance and demolition that define urban governance, Sajjad argues.

Remove Basti Sheikhan, and a gleaming hotel may rise up along the serene banks of the Indus. The Mohanas will scatter. The old structures that held fragments of history, like the one on Murree’s Mall Road, will disappear too. When future generations visit the leisure park for some fleeting amusements, they will be unaware of what came before.

Header image: Mohanas ferrying bricks across the River Indus for a government construction project. — photo by Khadim Khar Hussain

Additional reporting by Dawn’s Kot Addu correspondent Tariq Birmani and Dawn-Adenauer fellow Zil E Huma

The transfer of senior LHC judge Justice Jawad Hassan from the Rawalpindi bench to the Bahawalpur registry is a routine practice, but lawyers expressed surprise that a judge with over a decade of experience in tax, commercial, corporate and international arbitration matters was replaced by a judge appointed as an additional judge last year and recently confirmed as an LHC judge.

The LHC chief justice replaced Justice Hassan with Justice Ahsan Raza Kazmi.

President of the Lahore High Court Bar Association (Rawalpindi Bench), Saeed Yousaf Khan, said that although all judges are equally respectable and knowledgeable, Justice Hassan is an exception.

He said Justice Hassan is an expert in international law, constitutional, corporate, tax and commercial law, adding that the Bahawalpur registry does not require such expertise.

He expressed hope that, being an extraordinary jurist, Justice Hassan would write landmark judgments in his area of expertise.

Khan lamented that the Rawalpindi bench, established in the 1980s, initially had a strength of four judges and 32 staff members, adding that after nearly half a century, it still has four judges, though the workforce has increased to 360 officials.

During his posting at the Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court, Justice Jawad Hassan was widely regarded for deciding a substantial number of complex, high-profile commercial, constitutional, tax, defence-related and international commercial arbitration matters, many of which had remained pending for years.

Rawalpindi, closely linked with Islamabad, carries significant institutional and economic importance, hosting major defence establishments as well as leading national corporate groups engaged in energy, construction and public sector enterprises, making its docket particularly sensitive and commercially significant.

Kashif Ali Malik, Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan, while speaking to Dawn, noted that although Justice Hassan’s transfer to Bahawalpur may be a routine administrative matter, it will be felt by both litigants and the legal fraternity of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, who benefited from his efficient handling and timely disposal of high-profile and technically complex disputes, including those involving commercial arbitration.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2026

On Thursday, the police claimed that three children who were found murdered at their house near Lahore’s Shah Jamal Colony were killed by their mother over estrangement with her husband.

The investigating officer presented the accused before Judicial Magistrate Irshad Hussain on Friday and sought a 14-day physical remand so that evidence of the murder could be recovered.

The IO further stated that the accused’s DNA, polygraph and other medical tests had to be conducted as well.

However, the judicial magistrate granted a five-day physical remand.

According to initial reports on Thursday, the children had their throats slit in a room at a multi-storey residential building near Shah Jamal in Lahore.

Later in the day, Deputy Inspector General (Operations) Faisal Kamran said that the children were allegedly slain by their mother over a domestic dispute with her husband.

Talking to Dawn, he said that the woman had confessed to her crime, saying her relationship with her husband had soured over the past few months. She claimed that he used to force her to develop relations with other men.

During interrogation, the woman told police she had planned to die by suicide but abandoned the idea, fearing her husband might expel the children from the house and leave them at the mercy of others.

Justice Raheel Kamran dismissed a petition filed by Faizan Kareem, who had challenged a Dec 18, 2025 order passed by an appellate court (additional district and sessions judge) in Ahmadpur East.

The appellate court had set aside earlier ex parte decrees and remanded the case to a family court for fresh adjudication, subject to the condition that the petitioner pay past and future maintenance as previously determined.

The dispute originated from a suit filed in 2022 by the petitioner’s estranged wife, Yasmin Khan, seeking maintenance for herself and their minor daughter, Bakhtawar. She alleged that the petitioner had expelled them from the home and failed to provide financial support.

The family court proceeded ex parte against the father and, in 2024, awarded Rs6,000 per month each to the wife and the child. Subsequently, the appellate court enhanced the maintenance to Rs10,000 per month, along with a 10 per cent annual increase for the child.

The petitioner later challenged the ex parte decree. His application was initially dismissed but was accepted on appeal. However, the appellate court remanded the matter to the family court for a fresh trial, subject to payment of maintenance.

The petitioner argued that he had divorced the respondent in 2017, rendering her ineligible for maintenance. He also contended that the maintenance amount was excessive and that the appellate court lacked jurisdiction to impose such a condition.

Justice Kamran rejected these arguments and drew a clear distinction between the rights of the minor child and those of the wife.

The judge ruled that a father’s obligation to maintain his minor child is absolute, continuous, and independent of the outcome of litigation. He observed that a child’s needs for food, education, and healthcare do not cease during legal proceedings.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2026

The CM appreciated Dr Hasnat Khan’s decision to return from England to serve his countrymen and paid tribute to his spirit of public service.

During the meeting, matters related to administrative affairs of the newly constructed Jinnah Institute of Cardiology were discussed.

The CM reaffirmed her resolve to develop the institute into a state-of-the-art institution.

“It is heartening that a son of the soil has chosen to serve his underprivileged compatriots,” she said and added efforts were underway to provide the best possible treatment facilities for heart diseases to every citizen, not only in Punjab but across Pakistan.

CM said the government aimed at transforming Punjab into a global hub for medical tourism.

Dr Hasnat is known internationally for his friendship with the late Princess Diana.

Born in Jhelum in 1958, Dr Khan received his early medical education from the King Edward Medical University before moving to the UK for higher education.

Dr Khan came into international focus in the mid-1990s when Diana visited the Royal Brompton Hospital during a patient visit and met him there. Princess Diana was reported to have called him “Mr Wonderful”.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2026

The 17th quarterly Gallup Business Confidence Survey, conducted in April 2026, based on responses from 510 businesses across the country, shows a broad-based decline across all key indicators — current performance, future expectations and perception of national direction.

As per the survey report, only 41 per cent of the businesses described their current operations as “good” or “very good,” reflecting a 13 percentage point drop from the previous quarter. The net proportion of firms reporting positive conditions has fallen by 27pc, indicating a clear shift toward pessimism after earlier gains.

The report says the outlook for the coming months appears even weaker. While 44pc of respondents expressed optimism about future performance, a larger 57pc expect conditions to worsen. The net future confidence score has declined by 25pc compared to Q4 2025, pointing to growing uncertainty and weakening business momentum.

Mentions rising energy costs and Middle East situation among major factors

Perceptions regarding the country’s overall direction also deteriorated significantly, with the score dropping to -32pc from -8pc in the previous quarter, it mentions.

The survey report observes that sentiment has firmly entered negative territory, reflecting heightened concern among businesses about the broader economic trajectory.

Structural challenges continue to weigh heavily on the private sector. Inflation remains the top concern, cited by 37pc of businesses, while concerns over fuel and petrol prices surged to 25pc, highlighting intensifying cost pressures.

Energy reliability remains another major issue, with 57pc of firms reporting loadshedding on the day of the survey, a 15 percentage point increase from the previous quarter.

It mentions that rising costs have emerged as the dominant operational risk, with 62pc of businesses identifying inflation and input costs as their biggest challenge.

The Gallup survey also shows declining confidence in economic management, as 46pc of respondents believe governance has worsened, compared to 33pc who see improvement.

A key feature of the latest Gallup survey is the strong impact of regional developments, particularly tensions in the Middle East. It says around 81pc of businesses reported negative effects linked to these developments, primarily through rising fuel and energy costs.

The survey shows nearly 58pc of firms said their energy expenses had increased, while 73pc reported overall cost escalation compared to the previous quarter.

Looking ahead, 76pc of businesses expect conditions to deteriorate further if regional instability persists over the next three months, it says.

The report concludes that Pakistan’s business environment is facing a period of heightened uncertainty, driven by a combination of domestic economic pressures and external shocks. While some sectors continue to show resilience, the overall trajectory suggests stagnation risks in the near term.

“The simultaneous decline across all major indicators signals a clear shift toward pessimism within the business community, with external cost pressures playing a central role in shaping sentiment,” comments Bilal I Gilani, executive director at Gallup Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2026

The FIA in July last had launched a probe into the allegations that funds allocated for “public health” at the Shaikh Zayed Hospital were misappropriated.

“We have completed the investigation in a span of nine months and detected Rs36.2m embezzlement of funds in which 15 employees were involved,” FIA Deputy Director Anti-Corruption Circle Syed Asad Muzaffar told a press conference on Thursday.

He said the suspects with the connivance of each other and officers of accounts section made forged entries and prepared fake/bogus bills containing fabricated signatures of consultants/doctors in the Private Practice Share Distribution Section of the Accounts Department, Shaikh Zayed Medical Institute Lahore, to acquire illegal financial benefits.

“The embezzled funds were falsely attributed to doctors. Doctors would charge fees for examining private patients, which was misused in this scheme. Over a period of one-and-a-half years, 156 fake bills were fraudulently approved,” the deputy director said and added the arrested suspects had been handed over to the FIA on a four-day physical remand.

Those arrested are Tajamul Sattar (director finance BPS-19), M Maqsood (accounts officer BPS-18), Hafiz Akhtar Mehmood (audit officer BPS-18), M. Ijaz (audit officer BPS-18), Waheed Abbas (cashier BPS-16), Dr. Najeebullah Khan (P.G trainee), Haroon Umer (sub-engineer BPS-15),Naeem Ahmed, Usman Lal Khan and M. Asif (daily wagers), Farooq Khan (naib qasid), Rehan Ali (junior clerk), Rashid Ali (lab attendant), Ali Raza (electrician) and Amjad Jaameel ( transport officer). The suspects have been booked under sections 109, 409, 420, 468, 471, 477-A PPC, R/W 5(2)47 PCA.

Meanwhile, the FIA arrested a Lesco line superintendent for demanding a bribe of Rs1 million from a citizen.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2026