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  • PTI’s leaders of opposition in NA, Senate removed from posts

    PTI’s Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan and Opposition Leader in the Senate Shibli Faraz, were removed from their seats, according to notifications by the respective houses’ secretariats that came to light on Friday.

    On Tuesday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had disqualified the Senate and National Assembly opposition leaders, Sunni Ittehad Council chief Hamid Raza and other PTI lawmakers following their convictions in cases related to the May 9 riots.

    According to the notification by the National Assembly Secretariat dated August 7, “ Consequent upon disqualification and de-notification of Leader of the Opposition Omar Ayub Khan from being a member of the National Assembly (NA-18 Haripur) under Article 63 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan … the office of the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly has become vacant with effect from August 5th, 2025.“

    A similar notification for Faraz was issued by the Senate Secretariat: “Consequent upon disqualification and de-notification of Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Senator Syed Shibli Faraz, from being a member of the Senate under Article 63 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan … the office of the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate has become vacant with effect from 5th August”.

    The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday halted ECP from taking any action against PTI leaders Faraz and Ayub.

    A notification from the ECP had said Faraz, Ayub, Kharal, Raza, MNA Rai Hassan Nawaz Khan, Gul, MPA Muhammad Ansar Iqbal, MPA Junaid Afzal Sahi and MPA Rai Muhammad Murtaza Iqbal were now disqualified under Article 63(1h) (a person shall be disqualified from being elected [if] … he has been, on conviction for any offence involving moral turpitude, sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years) of the Constitution and their seats were vacant.

    On May 9, 2023, PTI supporters, protesting the party founder Imran Khan’s arrest, staged violent protests throughout the country, vandalising military installations and state-owned buildings, while also attacking the Lahore corps commander’s residence. Following the riots, thousands of protesters, including party leaders, were arrested.

    Last month, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faisalabad senten­ced over 100 leaders and workers of the PTI, including several key opposition figures, to jail terms of up to 10 years in connection with the May 9 riots.

    NA Opposition Leader Khan, Senate Opposition Leader Faraz, MNA Zartaj Gul, Raza, Sheikh Rashid Shafique (nephew of former interior minister Sheikh Rashid), Kanwal Shauzab, Farah Agha, Rai Haider Kharal and Muhammad Ahmad Chattha were among those sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.

    Ayub had lambasted the ATC’s “bogus verdict” in a post on X, saying that he would contest it and the ECP’s disqualification in court.

    He also posted a video of himself at the Peshawar High Court with other PTI leaders and lawyers, saying the court had given him a few days and bail would be granted to him on filing his appeal.

    The ECP disqualification followed other recent disqualifications of PTI leaders and lawmakers.

    On July 29, the ECP had disqualified MNA Abdul Latif from the NA-1 constituency (Upper and Lower Chitral), raising questions over the haste with which a flurry of similar decisions were taken in recent days.

    On July 28, the commission had disqualified Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, MNA Mohammad Ahmed Chatta and MPA Ahmad Khan.

    On December 21 and 26 last year, a military court had sentenced over 50 PTI leaders and activists, including Imran Khan’s nephew Hassaan Niazi, to up to 10 years for their involvement in the May 9 riots.

    The ATCs have been hearing May 9-related cases daily to meet a deadline set by the Supreme Court for the conclusion of trials by August.

  • Sharon Osbourne reveals Ozzy’s touching message to fans in resurfaced interview

    Sharon Osbourne reveals Ozzy’s touching message to fans in resurfaced interview Sharon Osbourne is gushing over her late husband Ozzy Osbourne’s final show in his hometown. In a resurfaced interview taken by Pollstar on July 17, the reality star shared his late husband’s…

  • Security forces kill 33 terrorists in Balochistan’s Zhob district: ISPR

    Security forces killed 33 terrorists attempting to infiltrate across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on Friday, the military’s media wing said in a statement. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a large group of terrorists belonging to the “Indian proxy Fitna al Khwaraj”, were trying to infiltrate through the Pakistan-Afghanistan border when they were detected by…

  • 2 killed in accident as mob torches 7 dumper trucks in Karachi

    Two siblings were killed and their father injured in a road accident involving a dumper on Karachi’s Rashid Minhas Road near Lucky One Mall early Sunday, sparking mob violence and protests that disrupted traffic on key city routes, officials said.

    In recent months, Karachi has witnessed a rise in traffic accidents, especially involving heavy vehicles, including dumpers and water tankers, which killed nearly 500 people and injured 4,879 in 2024, according to hospital data.

    According to Central Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Zeeshan Shafiq Siddiqi said that around 3:15am, a dumper truck hit a motorcycle carrying a family, killing Mahnoor, 22, and her 14-year-old brother Ahmed Raza, and injuring their 48-year-old father, Shakir.

    Following the incident, transporters staged a protest by blocking Rashid Minhas Road and the Superhighway near Sohrab Goth, causing traffic jams.

    “A mob gathered and set fire to a total of seven dumpers on both sides of the road within the limits of Yusuf Plaza and Federal B Area police stations,” the SSP told Dawn.com.

    “The police reached the spot to apprehended the driver and took the dumper in custody.”

    The police cordoned off the area, set up diversions, and called fire tenders to put off the fire, Siddiqi said.

    “Furthermore, police have arrested 14 suspects on charges of torching the dumpers, and more arrests are being made with the help of videos and technical evidence.”

    Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed told Dawn.com the siblings were brought dead to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, while their father was injured. Quoting relatives, she said the deceased girl was to get married soon.

    Dr Summaiya said police brought in two drivers with critical injuries after they were beaten by the mob. She said the alleged errant driver was critically injured but stable, while a driver of another burnt dumper was also in critical condition with head injuries.

    Earlier this month, a high-speed trailer truck crashed in Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA), injuring two people.

    In July, a 59-year-old milk supplier was killed when a dumper ran over his motorcycle in Karachi’s Saudabad.

  • Why This English Teacher-Turned-Library Leader Is Optimistic About the End of Book Bans

    Daniel Montgomery’s love of books started as a youngster with weekly visits to the public library, which fittingly led him to a nearly two-decade career as an English teacher. As an educator, he became a union leader. That led to another long tenure, this time as president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, where he…