FCC fixes Imran's 'release force' case

As the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) prepares to launch an agitation campaign demanding the release of former prime minister Imran Khan, the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) has fixed for hearing two separate cases: one challenging the formation of the "release force" by the PTI founder, and the other contesting the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government's decision to withdraw cases related to the May 9 riots. A three-judge bench led Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan will take both petitions on July 29. First constitution petition has been filed under Article 175 E of the Constitution by Islamabad-based advocate Malik Zaheer Ahmed through Advocate Ali Nawaz Kharal. The petition seeks a declaration that the formation or mobilisation of the so-called "Imran Khan release/rihai force" is prohibited, and that any attempt to constitute, organise, or mobilise such a private force or militia would be illegal, unconstitutional and in violation of articles 5, 17, and 256 of the Constitution, as well as the Private Military Organisations (Abolition and Prohibition) Act, 1973. The same bench on April 1 sought a response from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi within ten days regarding the formation of PTI founder Imran Khan's "release force". Now the matter is listed for hearing after almost three months. According to the petition, the K-P chief minister on February 18 made a public statement widely circulated in print, electronic, and social media announcing the intention to form a force described as the "Imran Khan Release Force", also referred to as the "Imran Khan Rehai Force", aimed at securing the PTI founder's release, who is incarcerated in connection with various criminal cases and has convictions upheld by competent courts. The petitioner expressed concern that similar terminology used in the past by political parties had led to the emergence or at least the perception of militant wings linked to them, including groups such as the Al-Zulfiqar Organization historically associated with the Pakistan Peoples Party, and militant elements previously attributed to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. The petition contends that Article 5 of the Constitution imposes a fundamental duty on every citizen including public office holders to remain loyal to the state and abide by the Constitution and the law, and any action contrary to this is ultra vires the Constitution. A senior law officer believes that both the FCC and petitioner misunderstood the Imran Khan's "release force". Actually, it is Imran Khan's "release force movement" and there is no intention to establish a militia force for this purpose, he adds. He clarified that it has no link with the provincial government. Meanwhile, the same bench will also take up petition filed by the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC), seeking the transfer of the criminal case regarding the attack on Radio Pakistan Peshawar from K-P to a competent anti-terrorism court in Federal Capital Territory Islamabad or any other province, in the interest of justice, in view of the alleged political pressure and executive interference that have undermined the prospects of a fair trial. The FCC while hearing Radio Pakistan's petition on March 24, passed a restraining order regarding the withdrawal of the May 9 cases. A senior official in the K-P Law Department, speaking to The Express Tribune, expressed surprise that the FCC passed a restraining order when the K-P government has yet to move an application in the ATC, adding that there should first be a cause of action. "It would have been better if the FCC had heard the K-P Prosecution Department before passing the restraining order," he added. Regarding the K-P cabinet's decision on withdrawing all May 9 cases, he stated that the cabinet only decided to withdraw "politically motivated cases" and cases lacking clear evidence against the accused. He also said there were a total of 29 terrorism-related cases in the K-P, of which 23 have already been decided. Likewise, 319 cases related to the May 9 incidents were filed in ordinary courts, of which 285 have already been decided. On the transfer of ATA cases from one province to another, the official contended that it is the domain of the chief justice concerned to pass such an order under the law. He said that the mechanism regarding the transfer of cases from province to other is already provided in the law. Lawyers are questioning the Federal Constitutional Court's (FCC) decision to seek replies from the respondents without first deciding the maintainability of the petitions. In the past, the Supreme Court was criticised for exercising public-interest jurisdiction without deciding the maintainability of petitions. The SC was also being questioned over its involvement in political controversies. Interestingly, there is no official notification regarding Imran Khan's "release force". Dozens of PTI-related cases have been transferred from the Supreme Court to the FCC. However, these cases have yet to be fixed for hearing. The Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Act is still applicable in the Supreme Court to ensure transparency in the chief justice's powers regarding case fixation and bench formation. On the other hand, the chief justice is the master of the roster in the FCC. The chief justice's powers to fix cases and form benches are not regulated in the FCC. Interestingly, two-member benches are hearing cases related to the interpretation of law and the Constitution. Earlier, political parties had raised concerns over the lack of representation from every province on benches hearing constitutional matters. Despite a case pendency of 22,746, only seven judges are currently serving in the FCC. The FCC judges are also facing a "battle of perception" since they were appointed by the federal government, which is expected to be the primary litigant before the court. The challenge now confronting the judges is to demonstrate that they are not "executive-minded" and will dispense justice "without fear and favour". Superior bars which challenged the 26th Constitutional Amendment are not interested in filing petitions against the 27th Amendment.

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Internet services partially restored in parts of AJK after 48 day suspension

Internet services were partially restored in parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir AJK on Thursday after remaining suspended for 48 days following restrictions imposed in the wake of the banned Joint Awami Action Committee's (JAAC) long march and sit-in call in Rawalakot on June 5. Internet services were restored in Mirpur city, Afzalpur, Chakswari, Mangla Hamlet, Islamgarh, Kotli and Bhimber on Thursday evening. However, connectivity remained unavailable in other parts of AJK, where restoration is expected to be carried out in phases before the general elections. The prolonged suspension severely disrupted communication, online banking, business activity and public services, leaving thousands of consumers without internet access. Businesses dependent on digital payments suffered financial losses, while students, freelancers, government offices and professionals faced difficulties in carrying out routine work. Although connectivity resumed in parts of the AJK, users continued to report intermittent disruptions and slow internet speeds. The 48-day suspension triggered widespread frustration among residents, many of whom said the shutdown had hampered communication, delayed financial transactions and affected routine official work. The disruption also underscored the region's dependence on digital connectivity and raised concerns over the vulnerability of AJK's communication infrastructure. Officials said internet restoration would continue in phases, with services expected to be resumed in the Muzaffarabad Division during the next stage of the process. Earlier, Pakistan Peoples Party AJK President Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin wrote to AJK Chief Election Commissioner Justice Retired Ghulam Mustafa Mughal, urging the authorities to restore internet services across AJK. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also raised the issue during his election public meetings in AJK, calling on the authorities to immediately restore internet services to facilitate businesses, students and the general public. انٹرنیٹ کی بندش سے اجتماعی سزا کا پیغام دیا جا رہا ہے، عوام تک آواز نہ پہنچ سکے تو کشمیر میں انتخابات کی ساکھ کیا رہ جائے گی: بلاول بھٹو زرداری@BBhuttoZardari @BBCUrdu https://t.co/oH0uyYjXnv — PPP (@MediaCellPPP) July 22, 2026 READ: Bilawal promises greater constitutional rights, urges restoration of internet in AJK Residents and members of the freelance community welcomed the partial restoration but urged the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and service providers to waive internet charges for June and July, arguing that consumers should not be billed for services that remained unavailable during the prolonged suspension. Following the restoration of internet services in Mirpur Division, Bilawal thanked the concerned authorities and Mughal, and urged the PTA to enhance the internet speed across AJK. I’m grateful to the AJK PPP for their efforts & the election commission of AJK for their intervention. I’m hearing internet and digital connectivity will be restored in Mirpur AJK soon. I’m hopeful our requests for Muzaffrabad and other areas are also accepted as soon as… — Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (@BBhuttoZardari) July 23, 2026  

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Karachi police kill suspect in alleged encounter over six-year-old girl's murder

The police on Thursday killed a man suspected of kidnapping and murdering a six-year-old girl in an alleged encounter in Karachi's Jackson area. The girl, identified as a resident of Baba Bhit Island, had gone missing a day ago. Her body was found in the bushes near Kachhi Line in Manora today According to police, investigators obtained CCTV footage from multiple locations during the probe into the kidnapping and murder. The footage allegedly showed the suspect wearing a red cap, a black-and-white shirt and blue jeans while carrying a sack on his shoulder at the jetty. Read: Girl found dead in tuition centre washroom Police said the footage also showed him boarding a launch with the sack, which allegedly contained the girl's body. Jackson Station House Officer (SHO) Inayatullah Marwat said the suspect was identified through the CCTV footage, after which police launched a search operation. He said police later received information from intelligence sources that a man matching the suspect's description was present near Mubarak Masjid Street along the seafront. A police party reached the spot, where the suspect allegedly opened fire after seeing the officers. Police returned fire, critically injuring the suspect, who later died. A weapon was recovered from his possession, according to the SHO. He added that a team was summoned from the Crime Scene Unit to collect evidence before taking the body to Civil Hospital Karachi for legal formalities. SHO Marwat said a separate case had been registered over the alleged encounter, while legal and forensic proceedings were under way. The investigation into the girl's kidnapping and murder was continuing in light of CCTV footage, medico-legal, forensic, technical and other available evidence, he added. Also Read: Child's brutal rape, murder shakes the city Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar praised the Keamari police for making progress in the investigation and for killing the absconding suspect in the alleged police encounter. According to a spokesperson, the home minister commended Keamari Senior Superintendent of Police Singhar Ali Malik and his team for their efforts. Lanjar said crimes against innocent children were highly condemnable and directed authorities to utilise all available resources to bring those responsible to justice in accordance with the law. He also directed investigators to complete the probe on merit by examining all available evidence, including CCTV footage, medico-legal findings, forensic evidence, technical data and other material. The home minister said the possible involvement and role of the deceased suspect in the kidnapping and murder case should be determined based on concrete evidence.

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Malaika, Balochistan 1st female summiteer

In a historic achievement for Pakistan's mountaineering community, 14-year-old student Malaika Khilji from Balochistan has become the first woman from the province to summit Khosar Gang Peak. The expedition, organised under the auspices of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, marks a significant milestone in the country's climbing history, said a statement issued here. After successfully reaching the summit, Malaika Khilji hoisted Pakistan's green and white flag, a gesture symbolizing her love for the country and the determination of Pakistani youth. The Alpine Club of Pakistan congratulated Balochistan's "proud daughter" Malaika Khilji and her family on this historic accomplishment. Malaika Khilji's success sends a powerful message to the world that the true identity of Balochistan lies in its talented, courageous, and hopeful young people.

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Petrol up Rs6.39, HSD Rs7.83 for July 23 under daily pricing

The federal government on Wednesday increased the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs6.39 and Rs7.83 per litre, respectively, for July 23. According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Petroleum, the price of petrol has been fixed at Rs327.12 per litre, while HSD will now cost Rs375.04 per litre. The latest revision came hours after the government and the All Pakistan Petrol Pump Owners Association reached an agreement to postpone the association's planned nationwide shutdown for two weeks following successful negotiations with Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, who assured dealers that their long-pending concerns would be addressed. Read: Nationwide petrol pump strike postponed for two weeks after govt assurances This is the third consecutive day the government has revised the prices of petrol and HSD after deciding last week to switch to a daily fuel price review mechanism amid volatility in global oil prices following renewed hostilities in the Middle East. Under the new system, daily fuel prices are based on a seven-day average of international market rates to align with international standards.

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Pakistan seeks $10b in US backstop facility

Pakistan has asked the United States for a $10 billion exchange stabilisation facility, according to a source briefed on the matter, which, if approved, could provide a lifeline for the cash-strapped South Asian economy. The request, which is being reported for the first time, follows Pakistan's role in brokering talks over the Iran war, which raised its diplomatic profile and stirred hopes that it could seek economic gains from Washington and other partners. In the request to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Islamabad is seeking a Bilateral Exchange Stabilization Support Facility between the USand the Pakistani government worth $10 billion with maturity of up to five years. The facility, if agreed to, would bolster Pakistan's reserves, ease pressure on the rupee and reduce its reliance on multilateral financing, even as Islamabad undertakes tighter fiscal and monetary policies in line with its International Monetary Fund programme. Pakistan remains under $7 billion IMF discipline that has required politically unpopular tax increases, spending restraint and reforms. Pakistan's finance ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment outside of Asia business hours. The US Treasury also did not immediately respond to request for comment. Exchange stabilization facilities are rare US Treasury backstops, usually routed via the Exchange Stabilization Fund, that provide dollars, swaps or guarantees to support reserves and steady currencies. These facilities are different from the permanent standing dollar swap lines that the US Federal Reserve has with some major central banks and acts as an international supply line of US dollars to underpin financial stability. A 2025 Argentina package was the first new foreign-government exchange stabilization facility operation since Uruguay in 2002, aside from Mexico's long-standing swap line, dating to the 1940s and now sized at $9 billion. Pakistan narrowly avoided default in 2023 with a $3 billion IMF standby deal and later secured a $7 billion Extended Fund Facility, but its reserves still depend on official financing, rollovers and deposits from China and Saudi Arabia. That leaves Islamabad exposed to shifts in bilateral support and IMF disbursement delays, and that vulnerability got exposed in April when Pakistan repaid about $3.5 billion, one-fifth of its reserves, to the United Arab Emirates with Saudi Arabia providing $3 billion in fresh support. Pakistan's central bank said in January that reserves could return to near their 2021 record, reaching $20 billion by the end of 2026. US exchange stabilization facility would carry weight as both a liquidity backstop and political signal, easing pressure on reserves and the Pakistani rupee, while reducing the South Asian country's dependence on IMF tranches and ad hoc rescues. IMF-backed reforms have stabilized the economy at a political cost, including higher taxes, spending restraint and limited room for development or welfare spending.? Global ratings agency Fitch said in April that Pakistan's adherence to its IMF programme has supported the country's funding capacity, while rebuilt foreign exchange buffers provide a cushion against economic shocks from the Middle East conflict. But deeper constraints remain. Fitch cautioned that rising energy costs and potential supply disruptions could sharply erode the country's foreign exchange reserves. Foreign investment in Pakistan has remained thin, deterred by recurring external crises, policy uncertainty, security risks, past profit-repatriation curbs and a narrow export base, while the country's credit rating remains deep in speculative-grade territory, keeping borrowing costs high and market access limited. Pakistan has sought to use its ties to the Trump administration to address some of these issues, with economic cooperation that has so far spanned crypto, real estate and mining. Pakistan has signed a stablecoin agreement for cross-border payments with an affiliate of World Liberty Financial, the main crypto business of President Donald Trump's family, pursued a memorandum of understanding to redevelop the closed PIA-owned Roosevelt Hotel in New York with the US government, and courted US mining investment, including in Reko Diq, where the US Export-Import Bank has announced $1.2 billion in financing. Reuters

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Pakistan seeks $10 billion in US backstop facility to boost reserves, source says

Pakistan has asked the United States for a $10 billion exchange stabilization facility, according to a source briefed on the matter, which, if approved, could provide a lifeline for the cash-strapped South Asian economy. The request, which is being reported for the first time, follows Pakistan's role in brokering talks over the Iran war, which raised its diplomatic profile and stirred hopes that it could seek economic gains from Washington and other partners. In the request to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Islamabad is seeking a Bilateral Exchange Stabilization Support Facility between the US and the Pakistani government worth $10 billion with a maturity of up to five years. Read: PM sees new era in relations with US The facility, if agreed to, would bolster Pakistan's reserves, ease pressure on the rupee and reduce its reliance on multilateral financing, even as Islamabad undertakes tighter fiscal and monetary policies in line with its International Monetary Fund programme. Pakistan remains under $7 billion IMF discipline that has required politically unpopular tax increases, spending restraint and reforms. Pakistan's finance ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment outside of Asia business hours. The US Treasury also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Exchange stabilization facilities are rare US Treasury backstops, usually routed via the Exchange Stabilization Fund, that provide dollars, swaps or guarantees to support reserves and steady currencies. These facilities are different from the permanent standing dollar swap lines that the US Federal Reserve has with some major central banks and act as an international supply line of US dollars to underpin financial stability. A 2025 Argentina package was the first new foreign-government exchange stabilization facility operation since Uruguay in 2002, aside from Mexico's long-standing swap line, dating to the 1940s and now sized at $9 billion. Pakistan narrowly avoided default in 2023 with a $3 billion IMF standby deal and later secured a $7 billion Extended Fund Facility, but its reserves still depend on official financing, rollovers and deposits from China and Saudi Arabia. That leaves Islamabad exposed to shifts in bilateral support and IMF disbursement delays, and that vulnerability got exposed in April when Pakistan repaid about $3.5 billion, one-fifth of its reserves, to the United Arab Emirates, with Saudi Arabia providing $3 billion in fresh support. Pakistan's central bank said in January that reserves could return to near their 2021 record, reaching $20 billion by the end of 2026. Recasting ties with Washington A US exchange stabilization facility would carry weight as both a liquidity backstop and political signal, easing pressure on reserves and the Pakistani rupee, while reducing the South Asian country's dependence on IMF tranches and ad hoc rescues. IMF-backed reforms have stabilized the economy at a political cost, including higher taxes, spending restraint and limited room for development or welfare spending. Global ratings agency Fitch said in April that Pakistan's adherence to its IMF programme has supported the country's funding capacity, while rebuilt foreign exchange buffers provide a cushion against economic shocks from the Middle East conflict. But deeper constraints remain. Fitch cautioned that rising energy costs and potential supply disruptions could sharply erode the country's foreign exchange reserves. Read: Pakistan-US ties based on shared interests, commitment to advancing peace: President Zardari Foreign investment in Pakistan has remained thin, deterred by recurring external crises, policy uncertainty, security risks, past profit-repatriation curbs and a narrow export base, while the country's credit rating remains deep in speculative-grade territory, keeping borrowing costs high and market access limited. Pakistan has sought to use its ties to the Trump administration to address some of these issues, with economic cooperation that has so far spanned crypto, real estate and mining. Pakistan has signed a stablecoin agreement for cross-border payments with an affiliate of World Liberty Financial, the main crypto business of President Donald Trump's family, pursued a memorandum of understanding to redevelop the closed PIA-owned Roosevelt Hotel in New York with the US government, and courted US mining investment, including in Reko Diq, where the US Export-Import Bank has announced $1.2 billion in financing.

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