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ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday refused to recognise National Assembly Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai as chairman of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) over the party’s failure to hold intra-party elections.

A full five-member bench of the commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, heard the matter.

Two other cases related to the party were also fixed for hearing. It was learnt that not only Achakzai’s leadership but also certain “controversial” amendments made to the party’s constitution and PkMAP’s account details were under question.

At the initial hearing last week, the ECP bench had observed that a decision would first be made regarding the party’s counsel, Aimal Mandokhail. On Thursday, the chief election commissioner said an order would be issued regarding the power of attorney.

Raja made the remarks after asking the lawyer who had signed the power of attorney submitted to the commission.

Mandokhail replied that party chairman Achakzai had signed the document, but the chief election commissioner pointed out that there was currently no party head, as no intra-party election had been conducted so far.

He added that the power of attorney would be placed on record, but an order would be issued on whether or not it was acceptable.

Mandokhail has sought to represent the party in the three cases, but this is now subject to the ECP’s order on the power of attorney.

It was learnt that PkMAP had conducted intra-party elections on December 21, 2022, and since the term of office-bearers was fixed at three years, new elections were mandatory by December 21, 2025.

Raja said the commission had reminded the party to hold elections on October 1, 2025, and issued a show-cause notice on January 15, 2026. In response, the party sought a 180-day extension, which was granted.

However, a subsequent request for another 180-day extension was rejected, with the commission clarifying that intra-party elections must be completed by June 19, 2026, in any case. The party neither held the elections nor submitted a proper response to the ECP.

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KARACHI: The brother of imprisoned Uzair Baloch, chief of the defunct People’s Amn Committee, was shot and critically wounded in Karachi’s Lyari area on Thursday evening, according to police.

Chakiwara police, in a statement, said that Zubair Baloch, 40, was shot and injured on main Chakiwara Road, while two passersby were also injured. They were shifted to Civil Hospital Karachi.

South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that Zubair had been arrested in seven criminal cases in 2012 and was released in January 2025.

He added that Zubair was sitting outside his residence in Singu Lane when armed suspects on a motorcycle opened fire on him and fled the scene.

Zubair sustained multiple injuries, including to his chest and abdomen, and was undergoing surgery. DIG Raza noted that one of the injured passersby was also in serious condition.

The DIG added that the police were investigating the incident from different angles, including gang rivalry and personal enmity.

A social activist from the area told Dawn, on the condition of anonymity, that Zubair had joined a “political party” a few months ago and had raised its flags in his area.

The activist also mentioned rumours in Lyari that some gangsters who had fled to Dubai and Iran after the Karachi operation had returned following the US-Iran war, and that residents were fearful of a possible resurgence of the past gang war in the area.

They added that the attackers had covered their faces and fled when a nearby shopkeeper returned fire.

Earlier in March, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) rejected bail applications of Uzair Baloch in seven cases pertaining to murder, police encounter and possession of explosives.

Uzair, along with others, had been charged with attacking law enforcers with firearms and explosives in 2012 within the jurisdiction of the Kalakot police station.

In April 2020, a military court had convicted Uzair Baloch of espionage and sentenced him to 12 years in jail.

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AFTER being forced to leave his home submerged in the waters of Bhed Nullah, Aslam and his family have come back to the flooded village in Ferozwala to pick up some clothes, bedding, and other essential items.

A large number of people, including his relatives, moved to higher ground and other cities after the nullah breached its bank and inundated villages along the GT Road.

“Flooding in Bhed Nullah has always ruined our houses and farmland, throwing our life out of gear,” Aslam, a resident of Rahim Colony, told Dawn while walking beside a railway track towards his flooded house to pick up clothes.

They had to vacate their houses after the floodwater suddenly entered their village, he said, adding that they left everything behind because there was no time to prepare.

Several villages along the Lahore-Gujranwala tract of GT Road have been fully submerged after nearby nullahs overflowed

For Aslam, life had been difficult before the floods, but he fears more hardships in the near future, especially after authorities predicted another monsoon spell would swell the eastern rivers and their tributaries.

His house is among scores of inundated brick houses, surrounded by floodwaters from Bhed Nullah.

As he and his family waded through the water to reach their home for clothes and other basic items, Aslam regretted that they had not received any help from the government so far.

‘Water everywhere’

Like Aslam, many others had to leave their homes after water inundated villages and agricultural land in Ferozwala – a tehsil in Sheikhupura along the Lahore-Gujranwala tract of the GT Road.

Maqsood Ali, a local worker, moved his family to Lahore after water from the overflowing nullah entered his village.

“Today, I have come to see if the water level has gone down,” he said, but quickly added that the situation was not good. “Our houses are underwater since there is water everywhere.”

The Bhed Nullah submerged other localities as well, including Pathan Colony where most houses are under several feet of water. Dawn witnessed several people leaving their houses in rescue boats and moving towards safer places with the help of rescue officials.

“We have left our house in Bhullay village and sent our family to relatives temporarily,” Ramzan told Dawn, with his gaze fixed on the floodwaters. “Most homes in Pathan Colony are under four to five feet of water — some are even worse,” another resident said in an equally despondent tone.

Nullahs like Bhed, Main Deg, Nikki Dege, and Main Hussri originate in Kashmir and pass through rural and semi-urban localities of Punjab before merging with various rivers, particularly the River Ravi. Earlier this month, these swollen streams wreaked havoc on areas situated along their banks.

Swollen nullahs

According to Punjab irrigation officials, the devastation occurred because these nullahs overflowed as a result of frequent rains over the last week. Some of the areas affected by these nullahs included Pathan Colony, Rahim Colony, Bhullay village, and Forest Park, among others. For instance, Deg Nullah, with a capacity of 19,361 cusecs, was flowing at 20,900 cusecs on Tuesday.

The officials blamed the residents of Pathan Colony for the destruction caused in their area by Bhed Nullah. They alleged that the locals stopped their team from strengthening the embankment of the nullah and instead made a “big cut” in the embankment so that the floodwater could “enter other localities”.

The official did not share any evidence. In a separate incident, he alleged, the residents held a protest on GT Road and also pelted the official team with stones and forced them to leave the area.

Residents rejected these allegations, questioning how the villagers could breach such a big embankment on their own. “It is surprising to hear this. The breach in the nullah occurred naturally, because there was too much water,” they said, adding that they held a protest after two teenagers drowned in the Bhed and there was no help for their rescue.

The Sheikhupura deputy commissioner and the Lahore commissioner were not available to respond to these claims.

Gujranwala villages submerged

Villages in Kamoki, Gujranwala, also faced devastation after Hussri Drain and Nullah Deg overflowed their banks and entered settlements.

“Nullah Deg submerged our village Nangal Essa following two breaches. We are in great trouble,” said Muzzamil, a resident. “We want the government to immediately plug these breaches to prevent further destruction,” he requested.

As floods force people to relocate, Rescue 1122 and some relief bodies have set up camps at the GT Road in Ferozwala to assist the victims. “We are rescuing hundreds of people daily and shifting them to safe places (camps) on the GT Road,” said Waqas Ahmad, a rescue official.

“Our core objective is to rescue the people first and nothing more.” Those being rescued were being given meals and other essentials at these camps. “We are giving them warm food…besides other items,” a camp in charge said about facilities at one of the camps.

In the north, Sialkot district fared a little better but still faced floods in its villages. The affected settlements included Garar Baryar, Gagay, Sokan Wind, Pajokey, Uddo Fateh, Mokhal and Nand Pur. For now, the city is safe, said Sialkot DC Awais Mushtaq.

“In Pasrur and Daska, some areas were affected due to inundation by Aik Nullah. Daska is our tehsil where 200mm of rain occurred, leading to urban flooding.”

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2026

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LAHORE: At least 22 mouzas (villages) in Multan district have been submerged under three to four feet of floodwater from the River Chenab, forcing thousands of residents to move to safer places, while standing crops over large tracts have also been damaged, according to the district administration’s latest flood situation report.

The report compiled by the assistant commissioners, available with Dawn, said the district has 545 mouzas, of which 138 are flood-prone.

It said 22 mouzas have been partially inundated with up to 3-4 feet of water, including four in Multan Saddar, seven in Shujaabad and 11 in Jalalpur Pirwala tehsils.

Residents said the advancing floodwater drove thousands of people to relocate with their cattle to safer areas, while cotton, fodder and other standing crops were submerged, causing substantial agricultural losses.

The district administration said no mouza had been categorised as severely affected and no formal evacuation order had been issued. It added that water levels were receding and the situation was being monitored closely across all four tehsils.

In Multan Saddar, the affected mouzas are Abu Hatta, Vellan, Dhello and Zaman Pur. In Shujaabad, floodwaters have inundated Soman, Pounta, Tahir Pur, Marha, Agar Khawani, Dhundoon and Wanis.

The largest number of affected villages is in Jalalpur Pirwala, where Ripri, Manik Wali, Jung Wala, Narol, Wacha Sandila, Shahpur Lamma, Bait Kaitch Janubi, Shehni Shumali, Shehni Janubi and Bait Qaiser, among others, have been affected.

Civil society activist Majid Zahoor told Dawn that two union councils (UCs) of Tehsil Jalalpur, including Bait Kaitch and UC Sheeni of Jalalpur Pirwala, were submerged.

He said that all zamindara bunds constructed by locals on their own to stop the water from entering their crops and houses were washed away by the water.

Meanwhile, Multan Deputy Commissioner Dr Faisal Saleem said the flood wave in the River Chenab had receded to around 110,000 cusecs, but the district administration would remain on high alert until the river fully returned to normal.

He added that only minor inundation had occurred in a few riverine settlements, while residents living along the Chenab belt had been advised to remain vigilant and follow official instructions.

The DC also urged citizens to rely only on authentic government sources for updates on the flood situation and avoid rumours.

Separately, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said a low-level flood continued at Kalabagh and Taunsa on Indus River, while water flows in all other major rivers remained within normal limits.

According to the PDMA’s latest river situation report, Indus River recorded an inflow of 262,219 cusecs and an outflow of 253,979 cusecs at Kalabagh, and an inflow of 310,407 cusecs and an outflow of 290,407 cusecs at Taunsa, both remaining at low flood level.

At Tarbela, inflow stood at 246,000 cusecs and outflow at 242,100 cusecs, while Chashma recorded an inflow of 245,382 cusecs and an outflow of 236,582 cusecs, both at normal levels.

Similarly, Chenab River continued to flow within normal limits, with 92,901 cusecs recorded at Marala, 98,403 cusecs at Khanki, 89,017 cusecs at Qadirabad, 110,677 cusecs at Trimmu and 134,622 cusecs at Panjnad.

Jhelum River also remained normal, with 80,000 cusecs recorded at Mangla and 7,491 cusecs at Rasul.

On Ravi River, flows remained normal at Jassar, Shahdara, Balloki and Sidhnai, while Sutlej was also flowing within normal limits at Ganda Singh Wala, Sulemanki and Islam Head.

The PDMA warned that forecast rainfall in the upper catchment areas could increase flows in the eastern rivers and adjoining nullahs, raising the risk of flash floods.

It also cautioned about possible urban flooding in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Faisalabad and Multan, and landslides in Murree, Galiyat and other hilly areas.

The authority urged people living in riverbeds to move to safer locations and advised the public to avoid unnecessary visits to rivers, canals and rain-fed streams. Flood relief camps were established in vulnerable areas where essential facilities and medicines were being provided.

Showers in Islamabad, parts of Punjab

Parts of Punjab and Islamabad received rain on Wednesday morning, marking the onset of a fresh monsoon spell in the country just as a previous one that caused flooding in several areas of Punjab and over 100 deaths ended.

An update by the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) at 11:30am said the highest amount of rainfall in the city by then was recorded in Tajpura at 44.8 millimetres.

It was followed by 44.4mm of rain in Mughalpura, 32.8 in Shadipura, 31.4 at Pani Wala Talab, 29mm at Chowk Nakhuda, 26.8mm in Johar Town, 26mm in Mannawan, 22.4mm at Lakshmi Chowk, 16.4mm in Farrukhabad, 7.6mm in Saggian, 6.2mm in Nishtar Town and 5.8mm at Upper Mall.

Gulshan-i-Ravi received 1mm of rain while 0.8mm of rainfall was recorded at Jail Road and 0.2mm in Iqbal Town. Trace amounts of rainfall were also recorded at Kahna, Hdyara Defence Road, Samanabad, Airport and the Wasa head office in Gulberg.

Separately, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said that several areas of Sialkot, as well Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Narowal, Mangla and Murree also received showers between 2am and 5am.

According to a report by the Met Office, 54mm of rain was recorded in the Sialkot city during this period while Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Narowal, and Murree also received showers.

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The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and Amnesty International have expressed concern over reports of violence in the Rawalakot area of Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s (AJK) Poonch district, and called on the authorities to probe the incidents.

Clashes took place between protesters and law enforcement personnel in Rawalakot on Monday and Mirpur on Tuesday, which reportedly resulted in several casualties.

The now-proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which has been demanding the abolishment of 12 seats in the local legislature reserved for refugees from Indian-held Kashmir, has been holding protests in the region for several weeks now.

The government has accused militant elements “pu­r­­s­u­ing a foreign age­nda and backed by Indian funding” of fomenting the unrest. The tensions come as elections are being held across AJK in three division-wise phases.

In a statement published on Tuesday, the HRCP said it was “deeply alarmed” at reports of deaths and injuries in clashes between protesters and law enforcement personnel in AJK’s Rawalakot area on Monday.

“The reported deaths in Rawalakot are a stark reminder of the human cost of the tensions that have gripped AJK in recent weeks,” the HRCP said. “While the authorities have a duty to maintain public order, this must never come at the expense of the right to life or the freedoms of peaceful assembly and expression,” it added.

HRCP urged an end to the “cycle of violence” and called for a “prompt, impartial and independent investigation” into the reports of deaths and injuries. It also called for “anyone responsible for unlawful use of force to be held to account”.

“We also urge the authorities to exercise restraint in responding to protests. As the remaining phases of the elections approach, the focus must shift from confrontation to protecting lives and restoring public confidence,” the statement concluded.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International called on authorities to lift a communications blackout in the region.

The statement, quoting Amnesty International’s Acting Regional Director for South Asia Isabelle Lassee, sought a “prompt, independent, and transparent investigation” into the reported use of force against protesters.

“So long as an internet and mobile services blackout remains in place, it will severely impede the independent verification of the full extent of the situation on the ground. We urge the Pakistani authorities to restore all communications access and allow media and independent observers into the area,” she stated.

Amid the suspension of mobile services in several parts of AJK, it remains difficult to obtain information from residents and officials in those areas. Secondary officials have also refrained from commenting on the situation.

Over the past month, the regional administration and the JAAC have been at odds over various issues, most notably the committee’s demand to abolish the 12 seats in the region’s Legislative Assembly, which has resulted in protests across the region.

On June 5, following the announcement of the JAAC’s June 9 strike, the AJK government declared the committee a proscribed organisation and placed it under the First Schedule of the region’s anti-terrorism act (ATA).

The next day, AJK authorities launched a crackdown on the JAAC, arresting scores of its leaders and later placing 147 of its activists on the Fourth Schedule of the ATA.

On Tuesday, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that JAAC were not peaceful but violent, alleging the involvement of militant elements pursuing a foreign agenda and backed by Indian funding.

“Peaceful and transparent elections were held in AJK, with all the mainstream political parties participating fully. The people of Kashmir responded to the call of the election,” he stated, referring to the first phase of elections held in Mirpur division on Monday.

However, he said, the banned outfit could not accept this political activity, nor the peaceful and transparent elections.

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A specially modified Airbus A350 plane touched down in France on Tuesday after a record 24-hour test flight from Australia, ahead of its joining Qantas’s fleet next year.

Its 23,076-kilometre journey — across three continents and two oceans, and through two sunsets and two dawns — was one of the most-watched flights shown on the Flightradar24 tracking site.

It was also a crucial step before Australian airline Qantas receives its first A350-1000ULR in April next year, to be followed by 11 others for services able to link Australia non-stop to destinations in the United States and Europe.

The ULR in its designation stands for “ultra long distance”, a feat made possible by an additional 20,000-litre rear centre fuel tank being fitted to Airbus’s A350-1000 model.

The flight from Australia to France took precisely 24 hours and 24 minutes.

On its outbound flight last week, from Toulouse to Melbourne, the test aircraft flew 17,000 kilometres in 19 hours and 12 minutes.

The return trip simulated a trajectory the plane would take once put into commercial service. Qantas plans to start offering non-stop flights between London and Sydney from October 2027. Later, it intends to start flying between Sydney and New York.

On board the plane was a cockpit crew of eight people from Airbus’s testing division, accompanied by two Qantas pilots. Two Airbus engineers were also on board.

Some of the aspects studied on the flight were the modified architecture around the extra fuel tank, changes to make the cabin quieter, and the plane’s air circulation system.

Qantas’s ‘Project Sunrise’, using ultra-long-haul planes, has been on the cards for the past nine years — but has been repeatedly delayed.

Currently, the longest commercial flight service in the world is Singapore Airlines’ route between Singapore and New York, which covers 15,350 kilometres and lasts more than 18 hours using another variant of the A350.

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KARACHI: Two suspected robbers were shot dead and a policeman was martyred in an encounter in Karachi’s Orangi Town early on Tuesday morning, according to police and rescue services officials.

The senior superintendent of police (SSP) of District West, Tariq Illahi Mastoi, said that four police officials of District West were conducting routine motorcycle patrolling near Liaquat Chowk, within the limits of Pakistan Bazaar Police Station, when they encountered armed robbers.

Upon seeing the police party, the suspects opened indiscriminate fire. The police retaliated in self-defence, resulting in an exchange of fire, he said.

The SSP added that both armed suspects were killed during the exchange of fire. Two pistols along with ammunition, spent shell casings, and the motorcycle being used by the suspects were recovered from their possession.

However, during the encounter, 26-year-old constable Hassan Ali sustained firearm injuries and was immediately taken to the hospital for medical treatment.

“Despite the best possible medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and embraced martyrdom during treatment,” the SSP said.

The spokesperson for the District West police, Nabeel Ahmed Rajput, said that although the constable wore body armour, the bullets hit his body from the side.

He was unmarried and originally hailed from Sukkur. His coffin was taken there for burial after funeral prayers were offered at Garden police headquarters, which were attended by Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Javed Alam Odho, Additional IGP Azad Khan and other senior officials.

Later, the deceased suspects were identified, and it emerged that one of them had also martyred an assistant sub-inspector in 2021, for which he had been arrested.

According to a police statement, there were “at least 13 criminal cases” registered against the suspect, while one case had been registered against the other.

Last week, a suspected robber was gunned down and a policeman was wounded in a shoot-out on Mauripur Road.

Earlier this month, two suspected robbers were shot dead by as many citizens in Gulzar-i-Hijri and Cattle Colony. In another incident, a suspected robber was lynched by an angry mob and another was wounded by a bullet allegedly fired by an accomplice during a robbery in Korangi.

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