ISLAMABAD: The government will present a bill for the 27th Constitutional Amendment in the Senate on Saturday, proposing the establishment of a federal constitutional court, new rules for judicial transfers, adjustments to provincial cabinet sizes and changes to military command structures, amid fierce criticism from opposition parties and lawyers who see the measures as a rollback of provincial powers granted in 2010.
Politics
KP chief minister Afridi faces backlash after comments on counterterror ops
PESHAWAR: The chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has come under intense criticism after questioning the conduct of security forces in counterterrorism operations, drawing swift rebukes from political and religious leaders who accused him of ingratitude, incitement and undermining national morale at a time when the military is bearing heavy losses in the fight against militant groups.
Pakistan reaffirms 1998 nuclear test moratorium, rebukes India
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan on Friday forcefully denied conducting any nuclear tests since May 1998, dismissing Indian allegations of clandestine nuclear activities as “baseless and malicious” and accusing New Delhi of distorting facts to divert attention from its own lapses in nuclear security.
Pakistan, Afghan Taliban talks collapse in Istanbul, though ceasefire still holds
ISLAMABAD: Negotiations between Pakistan and Afghanistan aimed at curbing cross-border terrorism have broken down without agreement, plunging the fragile dialogue into an indefinite hiatus, Pakistan’s defence minister said on Friday, even as a tenuous ceasefire along their shared border holds for now.
Pakistan says decision on Gaza stabilisation force to rest with parliament
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will determine in due course whether to send troops to a proposed international stabilization force for Gaza, the country’s foreign office said on Friday, emphasising that the decision would rest with the national parliament amid broader consultations.
Pakistan urges India to resume compliance with Indus Waters Treaty at UN
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s ambassador to the United Nations urged India on Thursday to resume compliance with a longstanding water-sharing treaty between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, warning that New Delhi’s unilateral suspension of the pact earlier this year exemplified the dangerous weaponization of shared natural resources amid armed conflicts.
Mediators press Afghan Taliban on Pakistan’s anti-terror demands in Istanbul talks
ISLAMABAD: Turkish and Qatari mediators are pressing the Afghan Taliban delegation on Pakistan’s demands to end cross-border terrorism, with efforts underway to secure an agreement before the scheduled end of talks here on Saturday, officials and diplomatic sources said on Friday.
PPP backs limited military reforms, rejects curbs on provincial powers in 27th Amendment
ISLAMABAD: As the government pushes forward with a contentious proposal to amend the Constitution, the Pakistan Peoples Party, a key ally in the ruling coalition, signaled conditional support on Friday for limited changes to the powers of the armed forces while rejecting other elements that could undermine provincial rights.
Government eyes swift passage of 27th Amendment despite opposition outcry
ISLAMABAD: The government signaled on Wednesday that it expected to achieve consensus on a contentious 27th Constitutional Amendment within days, paving the way for the legislation to be introduced in Parliament next week, even as opposition leaders rallied against the proposal, warning that it risked eroding provincial powers, judicial independence and public faith in the nation’s founding document.
Pakistan, Afghan Taliban hold new round of talks to shore up fragile border truce
ISLAMABAD: Diplomats from Pakistan and Afghanistan gathered in Turkey on Wednesday ahead of a third round of talks set to open Thursday, seeking to curb cross-border terrorism and reinforce a shaky ceasefire that has held since last month’s deadly clashes along their shared frontier.