CHARSADDA: Renowned cleric Maulana Muhammad Idrees was killed on Tuesday after unidentified assailants opened fire on him, police said.

Police Personal Relations Officer Safiullah told Dawn that Idrees left for Darul Uloom Noumania from his home in Tarangzai. He said that shortly before he arrived at his destination, armed assailants fired at the vehicle in the Tariqabad Utmanzai area.

He said that two officials were also injured in the incident, adding that police had obtained CCTV footage of the incident.

The cleric’s body was subsequently shifted to the District Headquarter Hospital.

Meanwhile, KP Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed took notice of the incident. According to a post on X by KP police, the IG sought a report from the Mardan regional police officer. He also told the official to take the necessary steps to arrest those responsible for the incident.

IG Hameed also expressed his condolences to the bereaved family and expressed his resolve to arrest those responsible soon.

KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also took notice of the incident and strongly condemned it. According to an official statement, he also sought a report from the police.

“The martyrdom of Maulana Muhammad Idrees is regrettable. We stand with the family members in this hour of difficulty,” he said. He also directed to provide the best possible medical treatment to the police officials injured in the incident.

KP Governor Faisal Faisal Karim Kundi also expressed sorrow at the incident and sought a report from the authorities concerned. According to a statement issued by his office, he termed the Maulana’s death an “irreparable loss” for the country.

Former senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan said that he was deeply saddened by the news of the cleric’s killing.

“Can the provincial and federal governments, security agencies, and intelligence agencies tell us when terrorism will end in KP? No one is safe from terrorists,” he said.

The deceased’s father-in-law, Maulana Hassan Jan, who had defeated Awami National Party leader Abdul Wali Khan in his native Charsadda constituency, leading to his retirement from politics, was also gunned down by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for opposing armed struggle.

Idrees hailed from Charsadda’s Tarangzai area. He was also the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) district ameer and was considered one of Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s important advisers.

Already reeling from the effects of conflict in the Middle East, Asia is now facing the prospect of strong El Nino conditions that could spike energy demand, sap hydropower, and damage crops.

El Nino is a naturally occurring climate phenomenon that brings worldwide changes in winds, air pressure, and rainfall patterns.

Last week, the United Nations’ weather and climate agency said El Nino conditions could develop as soon as May to July.

The World Meteorological Organization, meanwhile, said early signs indicated the event could be particularly strong, with some dubbing the impending event a “super El Nino”, although the term is not used by scientists.

That is not good news for Asia, parts of which are traditionally heavily affected by the heatwaves, drought and heavy rains that El Nino can bring.

The phenomenon essentially shifts traditional weather patterns around, for example moving rain that normally falls over Indonesia out to sea, leaving the country vulnerable to drought and wildfires.

El Nino occurs around every two to seven years and is forecast based on sea temperatures.

“The subsurface anomaly that we’re seeing so far is pretty strong,” said Peter van Rensch, a climate scientist at Australia’s Monash University.

“It does look a little bit like what we saw in the 1997/98 event, and that was probably the strongest El Nino,” he told AFP.

There are still plenty of uncertainties, and van Rensch cautioned it was possible an El Nino might not develop at all.

Catastrophic impacts

But the 1997 El Nino brought catastrophic impacts, including extreme drought and devastating wildfires in Indonesia that burned through millions of hectares and created regional air pollution.

Authorities there have already identified peatlands at risk, and warned the country could see its lowest rainfall in 30 years.

The warnings come with Asia buckling under the strain of an energy supply crunch and fears over shortages of fertiliser and other industrial and agricultural components which pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has effectively closed the strategic waterway since the United States and Israel launched attacks on the country on February 28, disrupting global fuel supplies.

Hotter weather will strain energy grids already experiencing fuel shortages, as populations seek to cool homes and workplaces, warned Haneea Isaad, energy finance specialist at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.

“For countries that are highly dependent on the Strait of Hormuz for oil and gas deliveries and other trade, strained supply will lead to further fuel rationing, demand-side management and a reduction in economic activities … impacting overall GDP growth,” she told AFP.

The droughts that El Nino can bring to parts of the region also pose a threat to countries that are highly dependent on hydropower, said Dinita Setyawati, senior energy analyst for Asia at the Ember thinktank.

“Most ASEAN countries use a lot of hydropower,” she warned, highlighting Mekong countries, Nepal, and parts of Malaysia as particularly vulnerable because of their dependence on the sector.

The risks were laid bare in 2022, when a heatwave in China saw hydropower generation in Sichuan fall over 50 percent, creating shortages that impacted households and industry alike.

Agriculture risks

Hotter, drier conditions will also create fresh risks for agriculture, already under pressure as the ongoing conflict raises the costs of fertiliser and fuel needed for farming equipment.

“If crop prices do not rise enough to offset these higher input and shipping costs, producer margins will be squeezed, raising the likelihood of lower fertiliser application and weaker yields,” warned BMI, a unit of the Fitch Solutions research company.

“This would intensify food price inflation and worsen food insecurity, especially in import-dependent and climate-vulnerable markets.”

For some parts of Asia, an El Nino can bring bouts of intense rain and provoke flooding, which could impact sectors like southern China’s late-season rice harvest, added Isaad.

How climate change affects the emergence and strength of El Ninos is still not well understood.

But research shows climate change itself will bring more frequent intense heatwaves, as well as sudden heavy rainfall that can cause flooding.

So experts said countries across the region should further insulate energy systems against more frequent disruptive weather events by diversifying and greening their grids.

“Solar and wind, coupled with batteries, provide a more resilient infrastructure than a centralised fossil infrastructure,” said Setyawati.

JOSEPH Stalin’s spirit has been showing up at diverse places in recent days, amused, perplexed and despondent. One could see him chortling at the toast King Charles raised to the Anglo-Saxon brotherhood at the White House. He looked saddened to see one of his more erudite followers and among the gentlest of ‘Stalinists’ you would meet saying adieu to admirers in Delhi.

Stalin’s spirit has looked despondent and shocked at his followers in Iran, the Mujahideen-i-Khalq, who are siding with Israel as Western stooges against the country’s battle with imperialism. And he didn’t look too pleased with the election verdict in crucial Indian states whose results were still coming in on Monday and where comrades sworn to Stalinism as their creed just helped Hindu fascism consolidate its hold over India.

Mamata Banerjee lost West Bengal to Narendra Modi on Monday. He was enabled in the task by the secular left led by the CPI-M. Mamata Banerjee offered the doughtiest challenge to Hindu fascism among all the opposition parties. Rahul Gandhi is also a leading challenger to Modi, but far too many of his Congress colleagues look poised to desert him at the first temptation from the ruling classes — Judas pretending to be Nehruvian activists. A woman candidate for the communist party, which together with the BJP sought Mamata’s arrest for any number of frustrated charges, was canvassing with a singular message in her Bengal constituency. The CPI-M’s view of Mamata was so shocking that I recorded the message on the phone to be sure I had heard it right. The woman was lying to her voters: “We believe that if Trinamool is defeated, the BJP is de­­­f­eated automatically.” At the last count as I write, the BJP was leading in 192 out of the state’s 294 seats with Mamata’s Trinamool Congress trai­ling at 95. Mamata has questioned the count, but it would be a stretch to see the leads reversing.

A solitary CPI-M candidate was likely to get one seat, if at all, and the Congress, likewise, one. Rahul Gandhi also uncharacteristically laid into Mamata during the campaigning, describing her rule as terrorism. The comment may have put paid to the future of the perennially fractured INDIA bloc opposition. Everyone who has ruled West Bengal needed an iron hand, given the state’s history of militant agitations.

Stalin had little clue that Indian comrades would one day shore up Hindu nationalism, hitching their anti-Congressism with Hindutva forces.

The late Mubashir Hasan, who helped found Pakistan Peoples Party as a left-of- centre hub, visited West Bengal during CPI-M’s rule. As a perceptive former administrator in various Bhutto ministries, Hasan put his finger on the button. He told me he saw little that was Marxist about the communist party’s rule in Kolkata. “All you need is a strong cadre and the police with you, as is the case here. And you are invincible as long as you don’t make an error of judgement.” The CPI-M ruled Kolkata with an iron hand for a record 34 years until it hit an ideological sandbar and wooed corporates against the people’s will to rural regions of Singur and Nandigram. Left rule ended in 2011.

India’s communist party was born in 1925. In 1946, the party turned to armed struggle and waged guerrilla warfare against feudal satraps in the Nizam’s territory of Telangana abutting Hyderabad. Its best songs and poetry and creative juices flowed in this period. The idea was to launch a rural-based movement à la China. But in 1951, Stalin summoned its leaders and said their conditions were different from Mao’s. There was no USSR in the neighbourhood to provide a lifeline or sanctuary to guerrillas. Besides, the network of railways and a battle-hardened army would enable the colonial state to crush the movement with ease. Stalin advised his Indian comrades to suspend the Telangana movement and join the national democratic mainstream.

The party obeyed and won enough seats (16) in the first elections to become the main parliamentary opposition to Nehru in 1952. It went on to establish the world’s first elected communist government in Kerala in 1957. So far, so good. Stalin would be happy with this less-discussed preference for bourgeois democracy if the time so dictated. He had little clue, though, that Indian comrades would one day shore up Hindu nationalism, hitching their anti-Congressism with Hindutva forces. The slide started with coalition state governments in 1967. The left enabled the RSS to join the federal government in 1977 and immediately felt the pain when Romila Thapar’s and Bipan Chandra’s history textbooks were banned. The left again shored up V.P. Singh jointly with the BJP in 1989. And now a self-inflicted disaster in West Bengal.

Stalin’s spirit was smiling sardonically when King Charles and Donald Trump were engaged in one-upmanship of faux historiography last week. Trump claimed that without US troops, Europeans would be speaking Deutsch. Charles returned the compliment in a toast to the Anglo-Saxon brotherhood. Had Britain not defeated Napoleon, Trump’s ilk would be speaking French. The exchange by habit was noteworthy for willfully airbrushing a chunk of vital history.

An age-old custom has plied with a Western bias to belittle the critical role of Joseph Stalin in Hitler’s defeat and demise. But for the 27 million Soviet citizens who laid down their lives in fighting Nazism, Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt would have perhaps not met Stalin at Yalta but would have been summoned instead by the Fuhrer to sign a surrender in Berlin.

Stalin’s spirit was saddened when Prof Vijay Singh passed away in Delhi last month. Stalin had a life-sized presence in Vijay’s revolutionary and intellectual life, a soft-spoken and widely respected authority on Soviet and Russian history. Stalin inspired Mao’s China, Castro’s Cuba, Ho’s Vietnam, Lumumba’s Congo. That was Vijay’s view, and there’s something about the argument that his demise was mourned across the world’s history faculties. He was remembered in Lahore by his comrades in the Pakistani Inqilabi Party and Pakistan Mazdoor Mahaaz.

The writer is Dawn’s correspondent in Delhi.

jawednaqvi@gmail.com

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2026

I HAVE a confession to make. I was far from a kid when the Harry Potter books came out and I inhaled them after being introduced to them. I didn’t just read them but also noted the publication dates and was among those who would pick up the latest copy on the eve of its release. And then re-read them.

That was, however, quite a few years ago; I haven’t returned to the series in a while. But once a fan and all that… A sprinkling of the wizarding world vocabulary still pops up here and there in everyday conversation. And sometimes more.

The Potter series, for those who may not be familiar with the story, is about the boy wizard who defeats Voldemort, another older and more proficient wizard, over seven books.

The reason the two become protagonists dates back to Harry’s birth. He is still a baby when Voldemort attacks him but survives; Voldemort fears the baby is destined to cause his (Volde­mort’s) death. This is where the story begins.

No one really believes that the conviction of Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha is fair.

Later, Harry wonders why Voldemort zeroes in on him. The explanation he is provided is that regardless of whether he was the one who could have killed Voldemort, once the latter attacked Harry, the baby, the elder wizard (popularly known as ‘he-who-must-not-be-named’) marked him as his equal and his foe. And thus destiny was made.

For some reason, it is this part of the story that has been in mind this week as I came across post after post on Imaan Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha’s incarceration. The married couple are human rights activists and lawyers who have been sentenced to 17 years in prison for tweets! That is it. Some tweets.

This past week marked 100 days of their imprisonment. And so far, these new and improved courts gifted to us by this PML-N-PPP government have not heard their appeal for bail. In the meantime, all those who used to count on Imaan and Hadi for legal assistance are perhaps left all alone, already abandoned by this state. And many did. From the victims of the blasphemy gang to the families whose relatives disappeared to journalists picked up, these two lawyers were the first choice.

Outside of those in power, no one really believes that the conviction is either fair or just. But in this day and age, few have the strength to say this. Most would prefer to simply ignore the issue or express some horror and change the topic. But then, none of that comes as a surprise.

Others still shrug their shoulders and point to other such travesties of justice or simply refer to the past. It is true, we live in terrible times where no one is spared. Consider Yasmin Rashid in Lahore, who is in her 70s and a cancer survivor; she has been behind bars for longer than Imran Khan. And her sin is basically her political views. There is also Ali Wazir, who has been imprisoned more or less since 2018; so much so that he wasn’t even allowed his right to attend parliament after having won an election. Neither the PTI speaker nor the PDM one was willing to ensure Wazir enjoyed his parliamentary rights.

One could argue that Imaan and Hadi are younger and healthier than Yasmin Rashid and have been incarcerated for a shorter period than many political prisoners and ask why so much attention is being paid to them. But I digress, for by now, readers may be wondering what Imaan and Hadi’s link with Harry Potter is. I sometimes wonder if those who cannot be named have not marked Imaan as an equal by targeting her.

Don’t get me wrong. She is exceptional. I say this as someone who admires her greatly. For someone so young and still inexperienced in some ways, her sheer courage and empathy did make her stand out. She wasn’t afraid to even take on her mother, Shireen Mazari, when the latter was a federal cabinet minister. This is not easy in our society where children barely have the space to disagree in private, let alone publicly. Neither was she less courageous when it came to support for those facing state violence be it the Baloch or the Pakhtun. But most of all, her empathy for the vulnerable was inspiring. The last time I met her was when the Baloch protesters were in town. She and Hadi had taken the protesters’ children out for a meal and a drive. Most of the rest who showed up to express solidarity chatted with the women and perhaps helped them out with food and so on. But few turned up there nearly every day or even thought of entertaining the children who had no choice but to play on concrete as their mothers sat waiting. And this is what Imaan and Hadi did — regularly.

And this is why many of us thought that Imaan would eventually become one of the big names, the heroes this country has and will continue to produce. A role model for women and for human rights activists. After all, because of her youth, she had a long journey ahead of her.

But I was wrong. Little did I know that some unnamed people would decide to turn her into a heavyweight overnight. By throwing her into prison, they have simply acknowledged her as an equal, someone they fear. After all, isn’t this what is happening with the likes of Imran Khan or Mahrang Baloch. They are imprisoned because at some level their presence outside is deemed a threat. And now how can Pakistan or the world view Imaan and Hadi any differently when you’ve have been marked by the powerful?

The writer is a journalist.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2026

• Hearings set for May 12-13 in Lahore and Karachi
• Consultant proposes a nominal cut in UFG allowance

ISLAMABAD: An independent consultant, hired by Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), has proposed a nominal scale-down in the billing of unaccounted-for-gas (UFG) losses to gas consumers over the next five years, as the two gas utilities seek about 21 and 121 per cent increases in the prescribed tariffs to meet their revenue requirements for 2026-27.

Ogra has called public hearings on May 12 and 13 in Lahore and Karachi to consider petitions from the Sui Northern Gas Company Ltd (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company Ltd (SSGCL).

Ogra had earlier postponed the public hearings on April 21 and 22 on the premise that gas prices, particularly LNG prices, had become unpredictable given the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.

However, the law required the regulator to issue its determination at least 40 days before June 30, allowing the government to propose any changes to the consumer tariff. The government has also committed to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to provide timely biannual notifications of gas rates to avoid a further build-up of circular debt, which has already exceeded Rs3 trillion. The gas tariff must be revised with effect from July 1.

On Monday, it was disclosed that independent consultant KPMG Taseer Hadi & Co has suggested scaling down the UFG allowance in the gas tariff to 6.5pc for FY27, 6.3pc for FY28, 6pc for FY29, 5.8pc for FY30 and 5.5pc for FY31 for both utilities. In addition, SNGPL would be given an additional allowance of 0.5pc for local challenges and 1.7pc for SSGCL.

This will take SNGPL’s UFG to 7pc for FY27 and about 6pc for FY2031 while SSGCL’s UFG allowance would be in the range of 8.2pc for FY27 and 7.3pc for FY31. At present, the system loss allowance in the prescribed gas prices stands at about 7.6pc, including a 2.6pc performance-based UFG allowance. The actual UFG losses for SNGPL stand at 8.8pc compared to 13.6pc for SSGCL.

The consultant, hired by Ogra, also highlighted that, under the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) decision of 2016, transmission loss was to be determined and charged at actual, subject to a maximum of 0.5pc (to be shared by gas companies based on the length of the transmission line involved), while distribution loss was to be determined and charged at actual.

The decision further provided that such loss for customers located on high-pressure transmission lines, as well as for those willing to lay dedicated lines from SMS/TBS, shall also be determined and charged at actual.

For other customers on distribution lines, the actual average UFG for the last financial year will be used in the determination. “Currently, there is no benchmark for UFG incurred in transmission or distribution of RLNG; instead, last year’s actual average UFG of indigenous gas is allowed for the purpose of RLNG pricing,” which has practically increased the RLNG sale price by around Rs1,500 per million British thermal unit (mmBtu), almost equivalent to the prescribed price for domestic gas.

SNGPL has requested that the prescribed price of Rs1,853 per mmBtu be increased to Rs2,084 next fiscal year, including the cost of LNG diversion.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2026

WITH the Strait of Hormuz caught in a dangerous limbo, the global energy markets have entered the most uncertain period of their history. Last month, the International Energy Agency predicted that both oil supply and demand growth would be slow compared to last year.

This suggests not just supply disruptions but also a weakening global economy. Oil markets are responding to the lingering crisis through volatility, shortages and rising prices. The IEA warning that demand destruction will spread points to a grim reality: high prices are constraining economic activity, particularly in nations dependent on imported energy such as Pakistan.

Iran’s control over the choke point has already triggered what the IEA says is the largest supply disruption. Compounding the crisis, the agency said, countries have begun hoarding energy stocks and restricting exports, amplifying shortages and undermining market stability. The US blockade of the strait to restrict Iranian tanker movement has added greater uncertainty to already strained supply chains.

Soaring fuel costs have a global impact, but Pakistan, which depends on imports to meet most of its energy needs, is particularly vulnerable. With no end to the conflict in sight, the market upheaval is fast evolving into a domestic emergency.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s statement that the country’s oil import bill has jumped from $300m to $800m shows the scale of the shock to a fragile recovery, with the current surge affecting transport, agriculture and food prices as well as household budgets. The oil price pass-through effects are particularly severe in a context where real incomes are already under pressure, pushing more households towards reduced consumption and lower living standards.

The government is in a tricky situation. Passing on the full impact of higher global oil prices risks triggering a public backlash and accelerating inflation, while absorbing the shock through subsidies will widen fiscal deficits and deepen macroeconomic imbalances.

The State Bank’s decision to raise the policy rate to 11.5pc reflects the growing concern that inflationary pressures could become entrenched. Higher global energy prices, elevated freight and insurance costs, and persistent supply chain disruptions are not temporary shocks; they are evolving into medium-term constraints on growth. A tighter monetary policy may help anchor expectations, but it also risks dampening investment and slowing economic activity further.

The longer the crisis persists, the more profound its consequences will be. Sustained energy price increases are likely to accelerate inflation, erode purchasing power, and push more people below the poverty line. Economic growth could stall, while the already strained balance-of-payments may deteriorate further due to the swelling import bill.

Without a credible strategy to reduce dependence on imported energy and build resilience against external shocks, each spike in global prices, now and later, will have a destabilising impact.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2026

• Party leaders ‘unenthused’ by notification of five-member body to look after Punjab’s affairs
• Appointment of Amjad Khan Niazi as convenor, who parted ways after May 9 episode, raises eyebrows

ISLAMABAD: The formation of a Punjab Coordination and Monitoring Committee seems to have once again stirred up bad blood among PTI leaders.

The five-member body, which was notified by party secretary general Salman Akram Raja on Monday, has been met with derision within party circles, with the province’s regional presidents expressing a lack of faith in those named to the committee.

Interestingly, Amjad Khan Niazi, who parted ways with PTI in the wake of the events of May 9, 2023, is named as convenor of the body.

The notification, seen by Dawn, states that Niazi, Naeem Haid­­er Panjotha, Shaukat Mahmood Basra, Ali Ijaz Buttar and Mehr Abdul Sattar would also be part of the committee, which is tasked with “coordinat[ing] organisational matters between the four regions of the province of Punjab through engagement with the presidents and general secretaries of the said regions”.

The terms of reference also detail other responsibilities, such as coordinating the planning and preparation of all elections, monitoring and ensuring completion of party organisations at all levels, coordinating the activities of all affiliated wings of the party, engaging and advising regional presidents and general secretaries with respect to the effectiveness of party organisations at various levels, and proposing and monitoring the execution of political events in the province.

In addition, the body is to monitor prisoners’ welfare and provide legal support with respect to court cases. The committee is req­uired to provide a weekly report of its activities to secretary general, according to the notification signed by Raja.

According to insiders, bad blood between Salman Akram Raja and Firdous Shamim Naqvi provides some context to this notification. The inclusion of Niazi is said to be unpopular among party cadres, and recently led to a heated exchange between Raja and Naqvi.

“Naqvi alleged that since Raja changed the PTI leadership in Lahore, the city became dead/inactive. The very next day [i.e. Monday] Salman Akram Raja issued the notification,” a source said.

Another senior party leader said that there was long story beh­ind the notification, which has created further rifts within the party.

“Initially, Dr Yasmin Rashid was president of the PTI Punjab Coordination Committee. After her arrest, Hammad Azhar was appointed acting president. However, he also had to go underground after he was declared a proclaimed offender. Subse­quen­tly, Imran Khan had directed to give the responsibility to Sheikh Waqas Akram and Sardar Latif Khosa,” he said.

The party leader said that when Sheikh Waqas Akram was elevated as the party’s central information secretary, the coordination committee became dysfunctional.

During a subsequent meeting, Imran Khan had instructed Salman Akram Raja to give some responsibility to Aliya Hamza Malik, after which she was made chief organiser, a post which did not exist, the leader said. Later, after she was also convicted by a court, the post fell vacant.

However, the party leader insisted that PTI Punjab did not need a president or chief organiser, in the presence of regional presidents nominated by Imran Khan and answerable to the central leadership.

He claimed that last week, a meeting was held, which was attended by all four regional presidents of Punjab: Rai Hassan Nawaz, Taimur Malik, Bilal Ijaz and Ahmed Chattha, as well as the opposition leader in Punjab Assembly, Raja and Sheikh Waqas Akram.

In the meeting, the leader said Raja had given a commitment that a new Punjab head will be appointed after getting consent from Imran Khan.

However, the notification came out of the blue.

When contacted, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram told Dawn the appointments were made in view of the situation of Punjab.

He expressed hope that the coordination and monitoring committee will contact all leaders and workers of Punjab and help reorganise them.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2026

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court’s 2019 verdict, which provided legal cover to the otherwise controversial One Constitution Avenue project, significantly boosted its market value and attracted around 70 new high-net-worth investors.

Former prime minister Imran Khan was also among these investors, but sources told Dawn that the cricketer-turned politician had already sold his apartment (C11E) in 2022 and this property is now registered in the name of Shahid Naseer.

The Supreme Court bench, headed by then chief justice Saqib Nisar and comprising Justices Ijazul Ahsan and Faisal Arab, in its verdict had directed the defaulting construction company to pay Rs17.5 billion to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in eight annual installments. Before becoming a judge, Justice Ahsan had also served as a lawyer of the said company.

The company deposited first installment of Rs1.7 billion, but later reneged on its commitment.

SC’s 2019 ruling triggered investment surge in contested high rise

According to the sources, the project witnessed a surge in buying and selling activity, following the 2019 SC verdict and around 70 new individuals made their investments in this multi-billion rupees project.

According to the documents, the company had deposited Rs2.9 billion, which is 16 per cent of the total cost.

Prominent among those who own apartments in the building include Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, former State Bank governor Ashraf Wathra, former Pemra chairman and now TV anchor Absar Alam, former chief justice of Pakistan Nasirul Mulk, former chief justice of Lahore High Court Iftikhar Hussain Chaudhry, former naval chief Mohammad Asif Sandila, former foreign secretary Salman Bashir, retired Lt-Gen Ahsan Azhar Hayat, television celebrity Faryal Gauhar, former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ehsan Mani, former defence minister late Ahmed Mukhtar, Khawaja Asad, son of Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, former MNA Kashmala Tariq, Saqib Barjees, the son of former federal minister Barjees Tahir, former CDA director general Sohail Durrani, TV anchorperson Nasim Zehra, former chief land commissioner Sajid Hotiana, Princess Shalalay Abbasi and Dr Fazeela Abbasi.

Last week, the CDA, assisted by police, attempted to get the building vacated following an Islamabad High Court (IHC) order upholding the authority’s decision to cancel lease of the plot, which had originally been allotted for construction of a five-star hotel.

The owner later constructed the residential apartments in violation of terms and conditions.

Later, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif intervened and directed the CDA to halt the operation.

He also formed a committee to review the matter, stating that a final decision would be made in light of the committee’s recommendations.

The sources said that the developer had submitted an indemnity bond committing to compensate third parties for any claims arising from the project.

In 2017 the CDA invited apartment owners to submit claims for compensation, but fewer than 20 responded.

The CDA had originally cancelled the lease of the 13.5-acre plot in July 2016 due to multiple violations.

Although the IHC upheld the cancellation, the SC restored the lease in 2019, subject to payment of Rs17.5 billion in installments.

Since its auction in 2005, the project has remained mired in controversy.

The CDA auctioned the land for Rs4.8 billion but handed over possession after receiving only Rs800 million.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2026

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the death sentences awarded to members of the notorious ‘Chotu’ gang, rejecting a set of appeals.

The gang, which operated in the riverine area of Rajanpur, was infamous for kidnapping for ransom, extortion, dacoities and murder.

A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar and also comprising Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Salahuddin Panhwar, heard the appeals filed by gang leader Ghulam Rasool alias Chotu, as well as Ishaq and Khalid alias Khalidi, against the Lahore High Court’s confirmation of their death sentences on Sept 12, 2024.

Earlier, an anti-terrorism court in Multan had awarded capital punishment to the convicts on six counts of murder.

Convicts killed six police officials, took 24 personnel hostage during April 2016 operation

The appellants were convicted of killing six police officials, injuring seven and taking 24 police personnel hostage for eight days during an operation launched on April 13, 2016.

The SC also converted the life sentences of two juveniles into 14 years’ imprisonment, while acquitting nine other accused namely Deen Muhammad, Akram, Behram, Bashir, Mujibur Rehman, Husnain Bux, Piyara and Nadir of murder charges. However, the court maintained their sentences, ranging up to 14 years, on other counts, including under the Explosive Substances Act.

Additional Prosecutor General for Punjab Rai Akhtar Hussain represented the prosecution, while Advocate Sardar Usman Khosa appeared for the petitioners.

During the hearing, Justice Ibrahim observed that the court could not equate cases of personal enmity with the atrocities committed by the Chotu gang.

Justice Panhwar remarked that the gang was considered the “king” of the area where it operated, adding that police stations used to be shut due to fear of such groups.

APG Hussain argued that the police personnel were kidnapped after they ran out of ammunition, following which Pakistan Army had to be called in to rescue the 24 hostages.

In its earlier judgement, authored by Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan, the LHC had noted that gangs such as the Sikhan gang, Indhar gang, Changwani gang and Chotu gang, along with several hardened proclaimed offenders armed with sophisticated weapons, posed a significant challenge to local authorities and law enforcement.

These groups targeted civilians, creating fear among the local population and consolidating their influence.

Recalling the April 13, 2016 operation, the LHC noted that it was launched to eliminate bandits, dismantle their safe havens and restore peace. During the operation, six police officials were martyred and several others were taken hostage.

Justice Sadaqat Ali had observed that anti-state activities were on the rise, with criminals taking the law into their own hands and undermining the fabric of society, and therefore must be dealt with firmly. He also emphasised that courts should remain dynamic and pragmatic in drawing rational inferences, while overlooking minor discrepancies or investigative shortcomings.

The LHC verdict had concluded that the convicted appellants, as members of the infamous Chotu gang, had committed brutal murders of six police officials and caused firearm injuries to others performing their official duties during the operation against criminals.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2026

• Verdict authored by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani declares Council’s 2025 opinion against Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza ‘null and void’
• Judgement says advisory body overstepped its constitutional mandate under Articles 229 and 230

ISLAMABAD: In a landmark verdict, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ruled that the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has no legal authority to issue opinions on the criminal culpability of individuals.

In a detailed order written prior to his transfer to the Lahore High Court, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani declared the CII’s 2025 opinion, which labelled cleric-turned-YouTuber Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza a blasphemer, as “illegal, without lawful authority, and null and void”.

The court held that the constitutional body had grossly overstepped its mandate by entertaining a reference from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) against him.

The judgement stressed that under Articles 229 and 230 of the Constitution, the CII’s advisory jurisdiction is strictly limited to providing guidance to the president, the governor, parliament, and the provincial assemblies — not to courts or investigative agencies.

“The council is not a fact-finding or judicial forum, nor is it its role to determine the criminal liability of an individual, as this authority lies solely with the courts,” the order stated.

Justice Kayani further ruled that by issuing an opinion on a pending criminal matter, the CII had violated the accused’s fundamental right to a fair trial, as guaranteed under Article 10-A of the Constitution.

The controversy arose after the NCCIA, which was investigating a blasphemy case registered against Engineer Mirza under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 11 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016, sought the CII’s “scholarly opinion” on a YouTube statement that was the subject of the FIR. Relying on the Council’s advisory opinion, the agency included it in the investigation record.

The petition against the CII’s intervention was filed by Dr Aslam Khaki, who argued that the Council had exceeded its lawful authority.

During the hearings, Additional Attorney General Usman Ghuman appeared on behalf of the state, while Advocate Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Ayubi represented Dr Khaki.

While acknowledging the “significant intellectual value” of the Council’s interpretations of the Qur’an and Sunnah, Justice Kayani stated: “Past practices cannot override the clear constitutional limitations imposed by Articles 229 and 230.”

The court noted that investigating agencies may seek independent scholarly opinions for their understanding, but they cannot treat the CII as a de facto court. Such opinions cannot be given legal effect in criminal proceedings.

“If deemed necessary, the federal government or the CII may approach parliament for appropriate amendments to expand the council’s jurisdiction. Until such amendments are made, any exercise beyond the existing constitutional mandate shall remain without lawful authority,” the judgement clarified.

The IHC accepted the writ petition, dealt a blow to the NCCIA’s reliance on the CII’s opinion, and reaffirmed the judiciary’s status as the sole arbiter of an individual’s criminal liability.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2026

• Mercury climbs to 44.1°C
• Met Office says temperature expected to drop from today
• Prolonged power outages, water shortages add to public distress
• Seven deceased persons remain unidentified

KARACHI: At least 10 people died across the city on Monday due to intense heat as the mercury surged to 44.1 degrees Celsius — the highest temperature recorded since 2018 — accompanied by gusts of continental winds that persisted throughout the day, officials said.

According to the Edhi Foundation and Chhipa Welfare Association, 10 people died in the metropolis because of “extreme heatwave”. They said most of the victims remained unidentified and appeared to be drug users, whose bodies were found in different areas.

The charities said they found bodies in Manghopir, Gulshan-i-Hadeed, Defence Phase-VIII, Boat Basin, Liaquatabad, Superhighway, Surjani Town, Mauripur Road, Baldia Town and North Karachi and their volunteers shifted them to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Civil Hospital Karachi and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.

They said seven of the deceased persons could not be identified till late in the night.

However, Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed told Dawn that “no bodies were received in the medico-legal sections of the three government hospitals for autopsy”.

An official statement said that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah expressed regret over the loss of lives in Karachi due to extreme weather conditions and other causes. He directed the city administration to identify the deceased and trace their heirs.

The chief minister urged the citizens not to come out from their homes ‘unnecessarily’ and adopt precautionary measures to avoid exposure to ongoing waves of extreme heat in the city.

Little relief from power utility

As the intermediate and O/A Level examinations are currently underway, students have found it difficult to sit their papers in such harsh weather.

Additionally, frequent power breakdowns — even at examination centres — have further worsened conditions.

Residents allege that K-Electric resorted to excessive loadshedding in the prevailing hot weather as the duration of outages in many areas crossed 16 hours.

On the other hand, despite the intense heat, there has been little relief from the water utility, as the city continued to face water shortages.

Highest temperature in eight years

Monday’s temperature, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), was the highest after May 31, 2018, when it had recorded 46°C.

Despite the record temperature in eight years, it was notable that the “feels-like” temperature did not exceed 40°C due to relatively low humidity.

A PMD official said the maximum temperature recorded in the city on Monday was 44.1°C with 17 per cent humidity (a measure of moisture in the air).

Based on current trends and data, he said, the temperature is expected to start declining from Tuesday (today) as dry winds subside, and will gradually drop further over the week.

“However, after the second week of the month, there are chances of temperatures rising again,” added the PMD official.

Anjum Nazeer Zaigham, the focal person of the PMD, said: “The recent rise in the temperature was not sudden, as it was already predicted due to the current westerly winds blowing in the city. We expected that the sea breeze would return after 3pm, but it took time, and it was after 5pm when we witnessed the sea breeze. So the stretch of hot spell prolonged due to this particular condition.”

A chart later issued by the Met Office showed that Monday’s temperature was also significant as it was 7.8°C above normal, with the 36.3°C average temperature recorded in previous Mays.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2026

RAWALPINDI: The Nati­onal Disaster Manage­ment Authority (NDMA) on Monday issued sweeping emergency protocols and placed hospitals on alert as extreme, above-normal summer temperatures threaten millions across the country.

According to a press statement, the NDMA Early Warning Team anticipated that daytime temp­er­atures from May through June would remain above normal. Given these conditions, all relevant stakeholders — including provincial and local administration, health and line departments, rescue agencies, the armed forces, and federal ministries — are advised to implement the guidelines.

Karachi also recorded its hottest day of the year, with temperatures soaring to over 44 degrees Celsius, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Depar­tm­ent. This extreme weather worsens the miseries of residents already facing water shortages due to ruptured pipelines and excessive loadshedding by K-Electric in the name of minimising transmission losses.

The NDMA asked provincial and district disaster management authorities to launch public awar­eness campaigns highlighting the dangers of heatwaves and promoting preventive measures.

Ministries, provincial departments, and educational authorities must implement steps to protect children in schools from exposure to heatwave conditions, including schedule adjustments or temporary closures if necessary.

Guidelines mandate the identification of high-risk areas and the establishment of heatstroke treat­ment centres equ­ipped with medical staff, basic treatment equipment, and water supplies.

It urged the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coor­dination to issue directives to enhance hospital and departmental capacities for managing heat-related emergencies.

Educational institutions, NGOs, and community organisations should educate students and local communities on recognising heatstroke symptoms, emergency procedures, and how to access medical support.

Furthermore, authorities should stockpile emergency supplies, including first aid kits, oral rehydration salts, electrolyte drinks, cooling aids, and water dispensers, ensuring availability in strategic locations.

The NDMA asked the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pro­v­incial Disaster Man­agement Authority and the Gilgit-Baltistan Dis­aster Management Auth­ority to monitor vulnerable sites in northern glaciated regions, as the heatwave may trigger Glof incidents.

Emergency services, forest departments, and local administrations must remain alert to the risk of forest and urban fires and undertake preventive measures where possible.

Authorities are tasked with establishing control rooms for information and coordination during the heatwave season. Relevant staff must be trained in heat-related response and rehabilitation efforts. They must provide support to vulnerable populations, such as the homeless, ensuring they have adequate shelter and hydration.

Agriculture and irrigation departments are directed to advise farmers to manage crop water responsibly and harvest wheat as required.

For individual preventive measures, the authority asked people to stay well-hydrated, and to carry and drink plenty of clean water throughout the day. Citizens must avoid direct exposure to sunlight, especially during peak hours from 10am to 5pm.

The authority promotes the use of appropriate protective measures, such as lightweight, loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing, sunscreen, and hats. In case of symptoms like dizziness, nausea, or weakness, consult a doctor immediately.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2026