Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Manzoor Wassan predicted on Sunday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will dissolve the National Assembly (NA) within the next three months, Geo News reported.
The PPP leader stated that the next “trimester is extremely crucial” as far as the political situation in the country goes. “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif may dissolve the National Assembly within the next three months.”
Wassan also dismissed the claim that President Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif will become the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
The former member of the Sindh Assembly further stated that the political environment is not favorable for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), adding that “Reliefs are given and taken back, so Imran Khan shouldn’t be living in his imaginary world.”
Wassan’s statement came about after it was rumoured that PPP has not been consulted on the upcoming federal budget for the year 2024-2025.
Seven army officials including a captain embraced martyrdom after an improvised explosive device (IED) targeted their vehicle in Shahab Khel area of district Lakki Marwat on Sunday.
A statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) read, “An improvised explosive device exploded on the vehicle of security forces in Lakki Marwat District.”
Officials said the vehicle was on its way to the Kaichi Kamar area when it came under attack near Sultankhel village, an area bordering Punjab’s Mianwali district.
ISPR’s statement revealed that 26-year-old Captain Muhammad Faraz Ilyas, a resident of Kasur, along with 50-year-old Subedar Major Muhammad Nazir from Skardu, 34-year-old Lance Naik Muhammad Anwar from Ghanchi, 36-year-old Lance Naik Hussain Ali from Ghizer, 33-year-old Sepoy Asadullah from Multan, 27-year-old Sepoy Manzoor Hussain from Gilgit, and 31-year-old Sepoy Rashid Mehmood from district Rawalpindi embraced martyrdom.
Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur strongly condemned the cowardly attack on security officials.
NEW DELHI: India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi was sworn in on Sunday for a third term after worse-than-expected election results left him reliant on coalition partners to govern.
His office said he would appoint a 71-member cabinet, including 11 National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally ministers.
Modi’s Hindu-nationalist BJP ruled outright for the past decade but failed to repeat its previous two landslide wins this time around, defying exit polls. He was instead forced into quick-fire talks with the 15-member coalition NDA, which guaranteed him the parliamentary numbers to govern.
Flanked by top BJP officials and party leaders of his coalition, Modi vowed in a ceremony marking his formal assumption of power to “bear true allegiance to the constitution of India”.
South Asian leaders from neighbouring Bangladesh, the Maldives and Sri Lanka attended the ceremony, but China and Pakistan did not.
The crowd also included adoring BJP loyalists, as well as celebrities such as Bollywood legend Shah Rukh Khan and billionaire tycoons Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani, key Modi allies.
But with Modi yet to announce details of his cabinet, the line of lawmakers also taking the oath of office was keenly watched as an indication of who will be in government.
Larger coalition parties have demanded hefty concessions in exchange for their support. Other coalition leaders to take the oath included Ram Mohan Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party, the largest BJP ally with 16 seats, and which media reports has extracted four cabinet seats.
Rajiv Ranjan Singh also took the oath, from the BJP’s next biggest ally the Janata Dal (United) with 12 seats, which has reportedly two minister posts.
Indian media reported widely that the top jobs including the four most powerful posts of the interior, foreign, finance and defence would remain in BJP’s control. The Hindustan Times described days of “hectic talks”, while the Times of India said the BJP had sought to “pare down” their partners’ demands.
Modi’s previous cabinet had 81 ministers.
‘More consultation’
But analysts said that the coalition would shift parliamentary politics and force Modi’s once domineering BJP into a somewhat more conciliatory approach.
“In the past, the BJP has had confidence because of its sheer majority,” said Sajjan Kumar, head of the Delhi-based political research group PRACCIS. “The coalition will now force the BJP to engage in more consultation.”
Political analyst Zoya Hasan of Jawaharlal Nehru University said Modi faced potential challenges ahead, warning he may be “meeting his match” in the “crafty politicians” of the TDP’s Chandrababu Naidu and JD(U)’s Nitish Kumar.
Two members of the Ahmadi community were shot dead by a teenager in Mandi Bahauddin on Saturday. The primary suspect was arrested soon after, along with the alleged murder weapon.
The victims were a 50-year-old man and a 25-year-old man, as per Dawn. While the former was on his way back from offering prayers, the latter was on his way to the market when they were shot dead in the Saddullapur area of Phalia Police Circle.
District Police Officer (DPO) of Mandi Bahauddin confirmed to Dawn that the main killer who was involved in both shootings was arrested along with the weapon used in the murder from Saadullahpur.
Social media users are condemning the incident and asking the government to put an end to violence against minorities in Pakistan.
Journalist Bilal Farooqi posted, “Two Ahmadis, Ghulam Sarwar, 62, & Rahat Ahmad Bajwa, 30, shot dead in Saadullah Pur, Mandi Bahauddin. The alleged killer, a madrassa student, was arrested and confessed he killed them because of their faith. When will this madness end? Please stop!”
Two #Ahmadis, Ghulam Sarwar, 62, & Rahat Ahmad Bajwa, 30, shot dead in Saadullah Pur, Mandi Bahauddin. The alleged killer, a madrassa student, arrested & confesses he killed them because of their faith. When will this madness end? Please stop! Pics & report via @IamAmirMahmoodpic.twitter.com/z6K8OB7Xc3
Netizen Rehana Khan posted the details with the caption, “A moment of shame for Pakistan.”
A moment of shame for Pakistan
Amidst anti-Ahmadi protests in Punjab and Karachi calling to prevent Ahmadis from celebrating Eid, 2 Ahmadi men, Ghulam Sarwar & Rahat Ahmad Bajwa were murdered by a 16-year-old madrassa kid, Syed Ali Raza, in Saadullah Pur, Mandi Bahauddin. pic.twitter.com/ycWydeLVeU
Sabookh Syed posted a thread on X, showing video proofs of local TLP leadership threatening the Ahmadi community to not carry out Qurbani on Eid like Muslims or they will bear the consequences. “This horrific incident is further alarming given the public incitement by TLP leaders, who have openly called for violence against Ahmadis.”
In a disturbing act of violence, two Ahmadis, Ghulam Sarwar (62) and Rahat Bajwa (30), were brutally murdered in broad daylight in Mandi Bahauddin, solely because of their faith. The attackers, including a 17-year-old seminary student, 1/3 https://t.co/AXFjlYLozv
— Sabookh Syed | Journalist (@SaboohSyed) June 8, 2024
Meanwhile, Inspector General Punjab Usman Anwar pledged to bring all culprits before law. “Ensuring justice for the bereaved families will be a priority,” he said.
Over the last few decades, Pakistan’s minority communities have borne the brunt of mob brutality, bomb attacks, arsons, lynchings and other forms of violence.
Earlier this year, the president of the Ahmadiyya community in Bahawalpur’s Hasilpur district was shot dead by unknown assailants last month.
In March, police said they had arrested two suspected killers of a man belonging to the Ahmadiyya community.
Beirut, Lebanon: Israeli strikes Saturday on southern Lebanon sparked massive wildfires, state media and a first responder said, the latest fallout from escalating cross-border violence involving Hezbollah.
Hezbollah has traded near-daily fire with Israeli forces in the nine months since the Gaza genocide began.
Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) said on Saturday that “Israeli artillery bombarded today the outskirts of the town of Alma al-Shaab with incendiary phosphorus shells, causing fires in the forests that spread to the vicinity of some homes”.
Fire sweeps over fields targeted by Israeli artillery on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese village of Rmeish on June 4, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. Photo by Kawnat HAJU / AFP.
It added that the fire had reached “large areas of olive trees”.
Lebanese authorities and several international rights groups have accused Israel of using white phosphorus rounds in its strikes on its northern neighbour.
White phosphorus, a substance that ignites in contact with oxygen, can be used as an incendiary weapon.
Its use as a chemical weapon is prohibited under international law, but it is allowed for illuminating battlefields and can be used as a smokescreen.
Rescuer Ali Abbas of the Risala Scout association, affiliated with Hezbollah ally the Amal movement, told AFP that “Israel deliberately bombs forested areas with phosphorus with the aim of starting fires.”
According to him, rescuers on the grounds have been struggling to extinguish the flames, while the Lebanese military avoids sending helicopters to assist for fear of more Israeli attacks.
Further east, the NNA reported that “a large fire broke out at positions belonging to the Lebanese army and UNIFIL”, the UN peacekeeping mission, in the area of the border village of Mais al-Jabal.
It is located near the UN-demarcated Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel.
A security source told AFP on condition of anonymity that fires broke out near military positions but have not reached them or caused any casualties.
The UN peacekeepers in a statement reported a “bushfire near one of their positions in Hula”, which was put out with help from Lebanese troops and civil defence forces.
“The fire didn’t cause any damage to UNIFIL assets or personnel,” it said.
The NNA said, “Several landmines exploded, and firefighting operations are still continuing” in the area.
The border violence, which began on October 8, has killed 456 people in Lebanon, primarily fighters but including about 90 civilians, according to an AFP tally.
On the Israeli side of the border, at least 15 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed, according to the army.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur vowed on Saturday to “hang” those who violated the country’s constitution, Geo News reported.
“[I] swear to God, you will not be able to live in Pakistan, let alone Islamabad,” he said while addressing a public rally in Swat. “The constitution of Pakistan was violated. Those who break the constitution will be hanged,” Gandapur said. He asked those people to identify themselves, who filed fake cases against Imran Khan, alleging that Maryam Nawaz, Shehbaz Sharif, and President Asif Ali Zardari were responsible for cases against Khan.
“We will have to hold them accountable for each day. We are silent just because of Imran Khan,” he added.
Karachi court rejected the request to extend the physical remand of activist Sarim Burney in the case of human trafficking. He has been sent to jail on judicial remand.
Burney was detained by the FIA on charges of human trafficking and fraud. He was produced in the court of Judicial Magistrate Sharqi after a two-day physical remand.
Court proceedings
The investigating officer of FIA requested an extension in the physical remand of the accused, claiming that the mother of an allegedly smuggled child, Afshin, had sold the baby girl to a woman named Madiha. Madiha had then reportedly sold the baby girl to another woman, Bushra. On the other hand, Sarim Burney Trust declared the girl an orphan in front of the family court.
The investigating officer also complained in court that Sarim Burney is not cooperating in the investigation as he is not answering questions correctly. He pleaded that more than 20 victims have to be identified, but the accused is not helping the FIA in the investigation.
The court raised the question of money exchanged with the person who adopted a baby girl Haya. A lawyer said that the person who adopted the girl paid three thousand dollars. The court asked if there is any evidence related to the money. The lawyer replied that FIA is trying to get digital and financial records from US authorities.
FIA wants the case of minor girls to be tried without camera recordings, as it claimed that an organised group is involved. They also wanted Burney to get one more week on a physical remand.
The court inquired if the biological parents of the girls were alive. The lawyer affirmed that the parents of the girls are alive and will get their statements recorded in court.
Burney’s lawyer, Amir Nawaz Waraich, appeared in court and said that the family had been contacted, and they gave the girls willingly. He alleged that baby girl Haya’s mother was being blackmailed by the FIA for two and a half months.
Burney’s lawyer defended his client by saying that the accused would answer the appropriate questions. Burney said that he had evidence in his mobile phone. However, the court asked Burney why he lied when he knew that the real parents of the girl were alive, to which Sarim said he did not know.
The court expressed surprise at this answer and remarked that Burney is the head of the institution; how could he not know?
Burney filed a bail application, but the court ordered the FIA investigating officer to record his statement and sent him to jail on judicial remand until the next hearing, which is scheduled for June 10.
A physical remand is a type of police remand in which the accused person is taken into custody so that the investigation can be carried out. However, in the Judicial remand
Previously, the FIA claimed that Sarim Barney admitted to making a mistake in his initial statement. However, in a judicial remand, the accused is sent to jail. Only after the judicial remand in Pakistan, the accused can file a bail petition before a judge.
The Punjab government has enforced Section 144 in Lahore to forbid the sale of sacrificial animals on highways, streets, and alleys.
The imposition of section 144 will maintain law and order in the city and ensure smooth traffic flow during the lead-up to Eid-ul-Azha, according to the government.
Under this restriction, the sale and purchase of sacrificial animals are restricted to eight designated Qurbani markets within the city. This ban is effective immediately and will remain in place until June 20.
The decision was made following a recommendation from the Deputy Commissioner of Lahore, who emphasised the need for such measures in the public interest, as per the Home Department in Lahore.
Authorities have warned that any violation of Section 144 will be met with strict action to ensure compliance.
Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq al-Rabiyyah, on June 6, warned pilgrims that political slogans are not allowed during Hajj.
Saudi Minister of Hajj Tawfiq al-Rabiyyah told reporters in Riyadh that, “Hajj is for worship and not for any political slogans, so no one will be allowed to raise political slogans during Hajj,” Geo News reported.
The Saudi Minister for Hajj said that Hajj is a form of worship, and the Saudi government wants to ensure that Hajj remains the highest manifestation of humility, peace and spirituality.
Moreover, the official page of news publication ‘Inside The Haramain’ posted the minister’s press conference with the caption, “Hajj is for worship only, not for political slogans.”
The post further added, “Making Dua for Palestinians especially our brothers in Gaza is not banned, this is completely false. What is banned is raising political slogans, be it from any country or region. ONLY the Dhikr of Allah can be raised in the Two Holy Mosques and Mosques.”
Renowned actor Ushna Shah voiced her outrage against three animal abusers who callously threw a puppy from a balcony. The video of the three men went viral after Ayesha Chundrigar Foundation, an animal shelter, raised the issue. Shah stated, “They threw puppies down a balcony for pleasure… that’s serial killer behavior. Perhaps a gap in my vocabulary isn’t the worst thing.”
Following this, she posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying, “I am putting a 100k bounty on their heads: Help me find them. If any lawyer wants to take up this case pro bono and help keep them behind bars for the maximum amount of time (once they’re found), please get in touch. (Bounty is a rhetorical term. Don’t kill them, duh).”
She added, “I am personally offering a reward of 100,000 PKR. (50K per monster) to anyone who turns these two in. Once they are behind bars, the reward will be given personally to me in cash. As well as a meet and greet with the winner and their family. Spread the word and find these perpetrators.”
I am putting a 100k bounty on their heads: Help me find them. If any lawyer wants to take up this case pro bono and help keep them behind bar for maximum amount of time (once they’re found) please get in touch.
The puppy killers have been identified as Asad and Talat, and have not yet been arrested by the police. Asad is the primary suspect as he was the one recording the video and ordering a third person, Qasim (who has been arrested) to throw the puppy off the balcony.
Talat Khan was also involved in instructing Qasim to commit the same act.
