FBR challengesPHC tobacco firms'de-sealing order

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has approached the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) challenging the Peshawar High Court (PHC) order directing the de-sealing of three tobacco companies. The FBR, through its counsel Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmad Khokhar, has filed a petition before the FCC against the PHC's December 18, 2025 judgment, which directed the revenue authority to de-seal three tobacco companies in the province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). Challenging the PHC judgment, the FBR contends that the high court exceeded the limits of its constitutional jurisdiction by entertaining the writ petitions despite the existence of adequate and efficacious alternate statutory remedies provided under Sections 33, 34 and 35 of the Federal Excise Act, 2005, which establish a complete statutory hierarchy for adjudication, appeal, and revision. According to the department, the judgment contradicts the well-settled doctrine of exhaustion of remedies, consistently affirmed by the Supreme Court (including in 2022 SCMR 92), which holds that constitutional jurisdiction cannot ordinarily be invoked to circumvent remedies provided under a special fiscal statute. The petition further submits that the high court interfered at a premature stage of the proceedings, even though only a show-cause notice had been issued and the adjudication process under Section 33 of the Federal Excise Act had not yet culminated in a final determination of liability. The department argues that issuing a show-cause notice merely initiates adjudicatory proceedings and does not constitute a final adverse order amenable to challenge under Article 199 of the Constitution. The FBR has also challenged the high court's interpretation of the statutory expression "reason to believe" contained in Rule 28A(6) of the Federal Excise Rules.

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Aviation sector faces financial woes

Escalating hostilities between Iran, Israel, and the United States are now sending shockwaves through Pakistan's aviation sector, with commercial flights and pilot training facing unprecedented financial pressures. Jet fuel prices have surged, and aviation gasoline for training planes has followed suit, hitting aspiring pilots the hardest. Industry experts warn that if the trend continued, small aircraft operation could come to a halt. Global fuel markets severely under pressure these days because of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran, following joint US-Israel attacks that began on February 28. Oil prices have since rise sharply, creating ripples across the globe. In Pakistan, aviation experts say, commercial flight fuel, Jet A-1, has risen by Rs154 per litre, while aviation gasoline, used in smaller training aircraft, has hot up by Rs80 per litre. As a consequence, they say, domestic fare tickets have jumped by Rs10,000-15,000, and international fares by Rs30,000–150,000, as airlines struggle to absorb the sudden cost spike. The price of crucial fuels has transformed the aviation landscape, disrupting both commercial operations. In the past 17 days, over 1,600 flights from Karachi and other airports to Gulf states and beyond were cancelled due to regional instability. For trainee pilots, the financial squeeze is severe. At the Karachi Airport's hangars, the situation is especially concerning, as flying lessons now cost an extra Rs1 million, while reserves of aviation gasoline are estimated to last only a month. Unlike commercial planes, training aircraft rely on aviation gasoline, produced at just five locations worldwide. Imported in 16,000-24,000 litre shipments and 200-litre drums, the fuel now costs Rs670 per litre. "Overnight, everything changed in the aviation industry," said Imran Aslam Khan, CEO of Sky Wings. "The cost of flying training has gone up by nearly Rs1 million, and if fuel prices keep rising, these expenses could jump by another Rs2-3 million." As Middle East tensions persist, Pakistan's aviation sector finds itself navigating both literal and financial turbulence, with the cost of flight reaching new heights long before takeoff.

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Court formally closes Chaudhry Sugar Mills case

An accountability court on Monday approved the closure of a National Accountability Bureau inquiry against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case. Accountability court judge Rana Muhammad Arif announced the decision while hearing an application filed by NAB seeking formal approval to terminate the inquiry. In its plea, the anti-graft body informed the court that the investigation into allegations of corruption against Nawaz and Maryam had already been completed and no evidence supported the charges. The bureau requested the court to grant final approval to close the inquiry in accordance with legal requirements, which the court accepted. During the proceedings, counsel for Maryam Nawaz presented arguments supporting the application. The NAB prosecutor told the court that the investigation into the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case against both leaders had already concluded. The case related to allegations of money laundering and assets beyond known sources of income through alleged irregular business transactions involving the sugar mill, in which Maryam Nawaz had previously been reported to be a major shareholder. Interestingly, following the accountability order NAB appealed to the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), requesting it to set aside the LHC's February 4, 2026 order. NAB initiated an inquiry against Chaudhry Sugar Mills on November 14, 2018. During the investigation, Maryam Nawaz, who now serves as Punjab chief minister, was arrested on August 8, 2019, and placed on physical remand for 48 days. She subsequently filed a post-arrest bail petition before the LHC. On October 31, 2019, the court granted her bail against two surety bonds of Rs10 million each and directed her to deposit Rs70 million and submit her passport with the registrar judicial. NAB challenged the grant of bail before the Supreme Court, but the petition was dismissed on August 22, 2023, after it was withdrawn. Following amendments to the NAB law, the NAB investigation officer concluded that no case of corruption or corrupt practices was made out. Based on this finding, the NAB Executive Board decided on April 3, 2024 to withdraw the proceedings under Section 31B(1) of the NAB Ordinance. After the closure of the proceedings, Maryam filed a miscellaneous application before the LHC seeking the return of the Rs70 million deposited as part of her bail conditions. The LHC on February 4, 2024 ruled that the case could only be formally closed with the accountability court's approval and directed the accountability court in Lahore to decide the matter within one month. In its appeal, NAB argues that once the NAB chairman approved the inquiry's withdrawal, the high court had no authority to interpret the law in a way that imposed additional judicial approval. It contends that when a case is withdrawn at the inquiry stage, the accountability court does not possess judicial authority over the matter. It says if the law does not require judicial approval for withdrawing an inquiry, such a requirement cannot be introduced through a court decision. NAB further contends that the LHC issued its February 4 ruling without notifying the Attorney General's Office and that the court exceeded its jurisdiction by taking suo motu notice of the matter. It requests the FCC to declare the February 4 judgment null and void. (WITH INPUT FROM JEHANZEB ABBASI FROM ISLAMABAD)

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Jemima directly appeals PM Shehbaz to allow sons to meet Imran Khan in jail

Jemima Goldsmith, the ex-wife of jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, on Monday made a direct appeal to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to allow their sons, Kasim Khan and Sulaiman Khan, to visit their father in prison. Imran has been imprisoned since August 2023, currently serving a sentence at Adiala Jail in a £190 million corruption case. In addition, he faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) related to the protests of May 9, 2023. The brothers have not seen their father since November 2022 after he survived an assassination attempt. They said they applied for visas in January but have yet to receive a response. In a post on X today, Jemima said that the request was prompted by concerns about Imran’s health and delays in the visa process for their sons. “This is an appeal directly to Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif to please allow Imran Khan’s two sons to see their father asap, particularly since, by all accounts, his health is in decline,” she wrote. My sons Sulaiman & @kasim_khan_1999 applied for visas in January (again… ) to allow them to visit their father @ImranKhanPTI in Pakistan. The Pakistan consulate states that online visa processing normally takes 7–10 working days. It has now been 60 days. This despite the public… — Jemima Goldsmith (@Jemima_Khan) March 16, 2026 Jemima added that her sons had applied for visas earlier this year but had yet to receive approval. “My sons Sulaiman and Kasim applied for visas in January (again…) to allow them to visit their father Imran Khan in Pakistan. The Pakistan consulate states that online visa processing normally takes 7–10 working days. It has now been 60 days,” she said. Jemima said this was despite a public promise that their sons could safely travel to Pakistan to see their father after four years, assurances that Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had given to British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan and PM spokesperson Mosharraf Zaidi had conveyed to Sky News presenter Yalda Hakim. “They are not allowed to speak to him on the phone, nor send him a letter. They haven’t seen him since 2022 after he was shot in an assassination attempt,” she said. Kasim had accused the government last month of deliberately refusing to process his visa and that of his brother to prevent the siblings from meeting their father. He said that denying a prisoner treatment was cruel and denying his children the right to see him was collective punishment. Last year, Imran’s sister Aleema Khan had told reporters that the brothers would participate in a protest movement planned for August 5, 2025. Later, it was reported that Imran had stated his sons would not be coming to Pakistan to join the protest. The brothers had later held meetings with key individuals in the United States.

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Fazl, Siraj discuss regional situation

Former emir of the JI, Sirajul Haq, called on JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman at his residence, where the two leaders held a detailed discussion on the national and international situation. During the meeting, both leaders expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the region. They also voiced dissatisfaction over rising inflation in the country and the difficult conditions being faced by the public. The leaders strongly condemned the attack on Iran by the United States and Israel, terming it dangerous for peace in the region. They said that such actions could further escalate tensions in the Middle East and worsen the already fragile security situation.

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Pakistan rejects Afghan Taliban claim of successful strike in Wana

The federal government on Sunday categorically dismissed claims by the Afghan Taliban regime that they had carried out a successful strike in South Waziristan's Wana. "The fact is that a rudimentary drone was destroyed over South Waziristan through soft kill measures. No military installation or infrastructure was hit," the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MOIB) said in a post on X. 🔎 Fact Check | Ministry of Information & Broadcasting 🟠 Claim (circulated by @MoDAfghanistan2): Afghan Taliban’s so-called Ministry of Defence has claimed a successful strike in Wana. ✅ Reality ◼️ The fact is that a rudimentary drone was destroyed over South Waziristan… pic.twitter.com/7s1zgtwUsV — Fact Checker MoIB (@FactCheckerMoIB) March 15, 2026 The statement came in response to claims by the Afghan Taliban’s 'defence ministry', which said it had successfully struck Wana amid ongoing operations by security forces under Operation Ghazab-Lil-Haq. The statement by MOIB further criticised the Taliban’s announcement as part of a pattern of propaganda and false claims. “The Taliban regime’s claim reflects their established pattern of pushing propaganda and fabricated claims, such as the recent false assertions about shooting down Pakistan Air Force aircraft and capturing pilots, hence cannot be relied upon,” the information ministry said. Read More: Security forces destroy technical infrastructure, storage facility in Kandahar strikes A day earlier, the information ministry had rejected similar claims by the Afghan Taliban regime that it had captured a Pakistani military post and inflicted damage, terming them false, fabricated, and aimed at misleading the Afghan public. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also commented on the matter, saying: “These false claims have no basis or foundation." Tarar added that the damages and losses incurred by the Afghan Taliban and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan were regularly updated by the information ministry with “irrefutable pictorial and video evidence”.

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Afghan Taliban mortar fire kills four civilians in Bajaur: Tarar

Four civilians were killed and a five-year-old child was seriously injured after mortar fire from across the border struck a village in Bajaur district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) on Sunday, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said. In a statement posted on X, he said the attack took place at around 3pm when Afghan Taliban forces fired artillery and mortar shells into the civilian area from across the border. ✅ 15 March 2026 Attack on innocent civilians by Afghan Taliban Regime in Bajaur ▪️ Today on 15th of March 2026 around 1530 hours, Afghan Taliban regime deliberately targeted civilian population through artillery / mortar fire from across the border in Tabesta Letai, Salarzai… pic.twitter.com/M8PdBra2eN — Attaullah Tarar (@TararAttaullah) March 15, 2026 Tarar said Pakistani forces had responded to the attack. “A befitting and aggressive response is being given to the Afghan Taliban regime positions and infrastructure responsible for this dastardly act,” he added. The minister said the four victims — Sajid, Ayaz, Riaz and Muaz — were brothers. He added that residents of the area strongly condemned the attack and expressed anger over the targeting of civilians. “This cowardly and heinous deliberate targeting of civilians by Afghan Taliban regime in cohorts with terrorists organisation Fitna-al-Khawarij is not only a grevious violation of international law and basic human values but also reflective of their deep frustration and desperation while facing heavy setbacks on multiple fronts by the Armed Forces of Pakistan through targeted attacks on terrorists and support infrastructures as part of operation Ghazab Lil Haq,” he said. Read More: Security forces destroy technical infrastructure, storage facility and tunnel in Kandahar Earlier in the day while sharing details of Operation Ghazab-Lil-Haq, Tarar said the armed forces had conducted overnight strikes targeting terrorist hideouts in Kandahar and the Chitral sector, destroying a tunnel, technical infrastructure, and equipment storage facilities used by the Afghan Taliban and Fitna-al-Khawarij. Operation Ghazab Lil Haq was launched last month following renewed clashes along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border, after Afghan Taliban forces fired on multiple locations, prompting swift military retaliation by Pakistan. The neighbouring countries have been engaged in escalating hostilities along the frontier since then. The clashes intensified after Afghanistan launched a border offensive in response to earlier Pakistani air strikes targeting terrorist positions.

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