ISLAMABAD: Akhtar Mengal, leader of the Balochistan National Party (BNP), has alleged that two of his party’s senators have been abducted along with their families, adding that he will not support constitutional amendments currently being discussed in Pakistan. Speaking to the media outside Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s residence in Islamabad, Mengal expressed outrage over the government’s handling of the situation, questioning …

HYDERABAD: In a hard-hitting speech on Friday, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari warned that if political parties in parliament do not reach a consensus on the 26th constitutional amendment, which he said seeks to establish a parity-based constitutional court or bench, he will push the amendment through parliament using a brute, or two-thirds, majority to break the ‘One Unit’ system in …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said on Friday that a consensus has been nearly reached with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman regarding the 26th Constitutional Amendment, and a final announcement will be made after consultations with PTI founder Imran Khan. Speaking to the media following a meeting with Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Islamabad, Barrister …

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday clarified that changes to the election laws could not undo its verdict in the reserved seats case. On July 12, a 13-judge full bench of the apex court had declared that the opposition PTI was eligible to receive reserved seats for women and non-Muslims in the national and provincial assemblies, dealing a major setback …

ISLAMABAD: Senior PPP leader Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, who is spearheading a special parliamentary committee to deliberate the much-touted constitutional package, claimed on Friday that consensus had been achieved within the body. The Senate and the National Assembly are set to convene in the evening today as the government is expected to move forward with the package. The Consti­tutional Package …

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has requested that US President Joe Biden pardon and release jailed Pakistani Dr Aafia Siddiqui, who was awarded an 86-year sentence for allegedly attacking US personnel in Afghanistan, it emerged on Friday. In a letter dated October 13, which has been seen by Dawn.com, the PM expressed his concerns about Dr Siddiqui’s “fragile mental and …

LAHORE: Punjab’s state counsel told the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday that students alleging the rape of a college student in Lahore “had no evidence” to support the claim. Last week, reports related to the alleged rape of a private college student went viral on social media, prompting the police to arrest a security guard at the college who …

ISLAMABAD: Members of opposition parties in both houses of parliament on Thursday decried the alleged harassment of their lawmakers, with the PTI claiming that its members were being offered up to Rs3 billion for their support to a government-proposed controversial amendment bill, aimed at bringing drastic changes to the country’s judicial system. Speaking during sittings of the National Assembly and …

ISLAMABAD / QUETTA: The Balochistan National Party leadership on Thursday condemned a late-night “raid” on the residence of party chairman Sardar Akhtar Mengal at the Parliament Lodges in Islamabad and accused authorities of kidnapping the sons of party senators to coerce the BNP into supporting a proposed constitutional amendment allegedly aimed at curbing the judiciary’s powers. However, the police clarified …

ISLAMABAD: The apex court on Thursday finally ordered the closure of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Prime Minister of Pakistan Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dams Fund, which was opened in 2018 amid much fanfare for generating funds to develop mega dams in the country. As of Oct 4, there were Rs23.6 billion in the account, most of which was …