Islamabad | Pakistan

An Islamabad court issued non-bailable arrest warrants for human rights activist and lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, in a case related to controversial social media posts. The National Cybercrime Investigation Agency had registered a case against Mazari and Chattha, accusing the two of attempting to incite divisions on linguistic grounds through social media posts and of creating the impression that the armed forces were engaged in terrorism within the country. Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Muhammad Afzal Majoka had indicted the two in the case last week. Both had denied the charges. The court had summoned all prosecution witnesses for today’s hearing. The judge presided over the hearing today in which Chattha expressed a lack of confidence in the court, to which ADSJ Majoka said the case could have been transferred if the lack of confidence had been expressed before the couple’s indictment. He added that only the high court could transfer the case ...

Twelve people were injured in a “gas” explosion at the Supreme Court building in Islamabad on Tuesday, police said. “A gas blast occurred at a canteen in the basement of the Supreme Court building at around 10:55am,” Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IG) Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi said while speaking to the media after the incident. He added that of the 12 injured, nine were taken to the Polyclinic hospital and three to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims). IG Rizvi further told the reporters that the condition of two of the injured was “serious” who had sustained 80 per cent and 30pc burns. “The rest suffered minor injuries, most of which are burn injuries.” In multiple videos received by Dawn following the incident, the damaged interior of parts of the SC building is visible with blood stains on the floor. In other videos recorded outside, people, including lawyers, could be seen spilling out of the building. The IG said police, including special branch and along with bomb disposal squad and Res...

An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad issued a notice to police on Friday on an application for the provision of documents in a narcotics and terrorism case registered against senior journalist Matiullah Jan. The case, registered at Margalla Police Station on November 28 last year, accuses the journalist of snatching a government-issued rifle, hitting a vehicle at a police barrier and possessing narcotics. Initiation of legal proceedings against Jan has drawn strong criticism from journalist bodies and rights groups, who maintain that he is being targeted for investigating reports of alleged deaths during law enforcement action against PTI protesters in November last year. At the outset of the hearing today, lawyer Mian Ali Ashfaq submitted a power of attorney to Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra on behalf of Jan. He also contended that the journalist had been “portrayed as a terrorist” in the case. Judge Sipra remarked that the other side needed to be heard as well and issued a notice to police for November 8 on an app...

Hadi Ali Chattha, husband of rights activist and lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, was arrested from outside the courtroom in Islamabad on Wednesday in a case related to controversial social media posts. Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Muhammad Afzal Majoka issued an arrest warrant for him at the hearing and adjourned the proceedings until tomorrow. Mazari also posted on X about the arrest, saying: “My husband, Hadi Ali, has been arrested because Judge Majoka is insistent on committing misconduct. Hadi appeared in court today and despite his appearance the … judge ordered his arrest.” Sharing a picture of the short order, she termed it “completely illegal” in a subsequent post, saying there was video evidence inside and outside the courtroom of Hadi being present. “Today case was fixed for framing of charge and prosecution evidence. Hadi Ali Chattha accused has intentionally not appeared in court. Hence, his bail bonds are forfeited and non-bailable warrant of arrest be issued against him” for t...

An Islamabad district and sessions court on Wednesday upheld a non-bailable arrest warrant issued for former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister and PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur around a week ago over his continued absence from the hearings of a 2016 arms and liquor case. Arrest warrants have been issued for Gandapur in the case multiple times over his non-appearance, including on October 5, 2024, September 4, 2024, July 19, 2025, Sept 10, 2025 and October 21, 2025. During today’s hearing, too, both Gandapur and his lawyer, Raja Zahoor-ul-Hassan, failed to appear in court. Subsequently, Judge Mubashir Hassan Chishti upheld the court’s previous order and directed the relevant authorities to arrest and present Gandapur in the court. The court adjourned the hearing till November 11. Arms and liquor case The case dates back to Oct 30, 2016, when Islamabad police said they had recovered five Kalashnikov rifles, a pistol, six magazines, a bulletproof vest, alcohol and three tear gas shells from then-KP revenue minist...

Islamabad - A senior Islamabad police officer reportedly shot himself inside the official vehicle when he was on his way from the Constitution Avenue to his office in sector I-9 on Thursday evening, with Inspector General (IG) Islamabad Police, Ali Nasir Rizvi, casting a doubt it was a suicide case.

A superintendent of police (SP) posted in Islamabad passed away on Thursday after sustaining critical injuries from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot near Serena Chowk. He was rushed to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), where he succumbed to his injuries. A police official told APP that police teams reached the site immediately after the incident, cordoned off the area, and collected forensic evidence. Senior police officials launched a detailed investigation into the circumstances surrounding the event. According to police sources, the SP was a respected officer of the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) and had recently assumed charge as SP Industrial Area, Islamabad. A day earlier, the police official visited a doctor of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), at his private clinic, and informed the medical practitioner that he was having suicidal ideation. Psychiatrist Dr Sultan Muhammad, who checked the SP, suggested he take leave and get admitted to Pims, but the deceased infor...

An Islamabad district and sessions and court on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister and PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur on a 2016 liquor and weapons recovery case over his continued absence from the proceedings. Senior Civil Judge Mubashir Hassan Chishti presided over the proceedings and directed that Gandapur — who did not show up today — be arrested and presented before the court. The hearing was adjourned till October 28. The case dates back to October 30, 2016, when Islamabad police said they had recovered five Kalashnikov rifles, a pistol, six magazines, a bulletproof vest, alcohol and three tear gas shells from then-KP revenue minister Gandapur’s car outside Bani Gala, where the residence of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan is located. The incident had taken place against the backdrop of authorities preventing PTI supporters from reaching Bani Gala on Imran’s call to execute a plan to ‘lockdown’ the capital later on November 2. Gandapur had rejected police claims,...

A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Tuesday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister and PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur in a case pertaining to the recovery of liquor and illegal weapons.

Islamabad police on Monday arrested 17 Afghan nationals residing illegally in the federal capital during an operation conducted in the Bari Imam area.

Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) Muhammad Ali Randhawa on Tuesday met with a delegation of architects and consultants from Baku, Azerbaijan, here, to discuss bilateral cooperation on the establishment of the Asan Khidmat Markaz — a one-stop citizen service center planned for Islamabad.

Authorities on Sunday opened multiple roads across Punjab as Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) protesters continued their sit-ins in Muridke and Sadhoke for the third consecutive day, continuing attempts to reach Islamabad to stage a protest in ‘solidarity with Palestinians’. The M1 motorway connects Peshawar to Islamabad, while the M2 motorway connects Lahore to Islamabad and the M3 motorway links Lahore to Abdul Hakeem in Khanewal district, where it joins the M4 leading to Faisalabad and Multan. A day ago, the main TLP procession reached Muridke after breaking through police security, hours after violent clashes in Lahore left over four dozen police personnel injured. The marchers then staged a sit-in at Muridke, blocked by trenches dug along the GT Road. In an update on Sunday evening, motorway police issued an alert stating that the Sialkot Motorway was now open, but that the roads going from Chowk Yateem to Scheme Morr and Babu Sabu remained closed. Earlier, authorities reopened the M1, M2 and M3 motorway...

Thousands reach Muridke as Lahore police fail to contain protesters DIG claims 112 policemen injured, several missing during clashes with TLP workers Authorities shut down mobile, internet services amid roadblocks in Islamabad, Rawalpindi.

ISLAMABAD - Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Friday warned the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) of its ongoing long march on Islamabad, saying the government will no longer tolerate chaos.

ISLAMABAD - The residents of federal capital faced inconvenience in both commuting and communication as the authorities placed containers on key intersections and suspended mobile data services in anticipation of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) march towards Islamabad on Friday.

• Law enforcers use tear gas, barricades to contain procession • Dozens of personnel hurt; TLP alleges casualties from police firing • Trenches dug up to block marchers on G.T. Road; Chenab, Jhelum bridges sealed • Talal warns against violence or ‘mob blackmail’ • ATC grants 12-day remand for 110 TLP activists LAHORE: The Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) began marching towards Islamabad after Friday prayers, with a large number of supporters reaching Shahdara and staging a sit-in after clashes with police, partially paralysing the provincial capital. The law enforcers repeatedly tried to contain the procession near the group’s headquarters by erecting barricades and containers and using tear gas and other crowd-control measures. In the Gujrat district, local authorities on Friday night dug up trenches at least three locations along the G.T. Road to block the march headed towards Islamabad. However, the TLP, led by its chief Saad Rizvi, not only managed to take out the main procession in Lahore as part of its ...

POLITICAL uncertainty in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has been deepening with each passing day, as both major coalition partners in the Chaudhry Anwarul Haq-led government have urged their leaders to allow them to withdraw from the coalition, ahead of the upcoming elections. Following recent shifts in political affiliations in the 53-member AJK Legislative Assembly, the PPP has raised its strength to 17 and the PML-N to nine, while the PTI forward bloc stands at 20. The PTI, which holds the office of the leader of the opposition, is left with only five lawmakers — one of whom has tendered his resignation, although it hasn’t been accepted yet — while two seats are held by members of other parties. The PPP’s parliamentary party and some key ticket holders, who met in Islamabad on Wednesday with its regional president Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin in the chair, unanimously resolved that the party should quit the government “sooner rather than later” to protect its political goodwill among the masses. Amid suspicions t...

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said on Thursday that the government always allowed peaceful marchers and demonstration, however, the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) did not seek permission for a protest in Islamabad. Violence broke out in Punjab late yesterday night, after police launched a crackdown on the headquarters of TLP in a bid to arrest its chief, Saad Rizvi. At least three police constables were reportedly injured in clashes with enraged TLP supporters, who attacked law enforcers with stones and iron rods. Police responded with tear-gas shelling, turning Multan Road into a battleground. The group had annou­nced plans for a massive anti-Israel demonstration outside the US emb­as­sy in the federal capital on Friday. Addressing a press conference today in Islamabad, Chaudhry said the speeches by the leaders of the religious party were inflammatory and abusive in nature. “When did the TLP seek permission, when did it give assurances of following SOPs (standard operating procedures),” he ...

ISLAMABAD - A high-level Saudi business delegation led by Chairman of the Saudi-Pakistan Joint Business Council Prince Mansour bin Mohammad Al Saud arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday.

An Islamabad anti-terrorism court on Monday issued bailable arrest warrants for PTI leaders Omar Ayub, Zartaj Gul and central information secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram in a case pertaining to the Sangjani rally in September last year. On Sept 8, 2024, clashes took place between PTI leaders and the Islamabad police as party supporters rallied on the outskirts of the city, demanding the “immediate release” of ex-premier Imran Khan and criticising the government for marginalising the party. Following that, at least 10 PTI MNAs were arrested on Sept 9 and 10 last year from different areas of Islamabad, including the Parliament House. Today, ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra presided over the hearing, where lawyers Sardar Masroof Khan, Amna Ali and Murtaza Toori appeared on behalf of the PTI leaders. The judge rejected Ayub’s application seeking an exemption from the hearing. “None of them have appeared before the court even once,” Judge Sipra observed. Subsequently, he ordered that the three PTI leaders be arrested and ...