PPP signals flexibility on legislation

Backchannel contacts between the government and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have reportedly yielded progress towards ending a weeks-long political and legislative deadlock between the two coalition partners as National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq plays a key role in brokering the talks. According to a private television channel report, the behind-the-scenes efforts have helped ease differences between the government and the PPP as the latter shows willingness to adopt a more flexible position on legislation. Further contacts are continuing between the two sides to settle their remaining differences. The reported breakthrough comes after weeks of friction that had disrupted parliamentary business. In August, the PPP had withheld cooperation on legislation after its lawmakers blocked or deferred government business in the NA and parliamentary committees. The party had linked its position to unresolved grievances, including its reservations over the AJK elections and other political issues. The tensions had become particularly visible on the floor of the National Assembly on August 19, when the government was forced to defer a sizeable legislative agenda after the PPP declined to cooperate. The standoff also affected parliamentary quorum. Against this backdrop, sources said the government had given NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq a full mandate to maintain contacts and negotiate with the PPP to resolve the impasse. The speaker subsequently held meetings with PPP leaders in his chamber as the two sides explored ways to restore cooperation on parliamentary affairs. Sources say progress has been made in the discussions and the PPP is also prepared to show flexibility on legislation.

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Broadband internet services to resume in AJK capital after months-long disruption

Broadband internet services will be restored across the capital city of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Sunday (tomorrow), providing residents with access to fixed-line internet after prolonged restrictions on mobile data services. Sources told The Express Tribune that DSL connectivity will also be restored, while 3G and 4G mobile internet services will remain unavailable. The move is expected to provide some relief to students, businesses, journalists, professionals and households that have faced difficulties accessing online services during the suspension of mobile internet. Read: AJK PM Iftikhar Gilani restores internet, easing months-long disruption However, the continued absence of 3G and 4G services means users dependent on mobile data will remain without connectivity, particularly those who do not have access to fixed-line DSL connections. The restoration of DSL services comes amid continued demands from residents and business communities for the restoration of normal internet connectivity across the region. AJK High Court Judge Justice Shahid Bahar had issued directions on Wednesday for the restoration of internet services within 10 days. Justice Bahar issued the directions during the preliminary hearing of two separate petitions filed by the AJK Bar Association and a local citizen seeking the restoration of internet services. The court clubbed the petitions and directed the government to ensure restoration within 10 days, while allowing an exception for areas where law and order conditions did not permit the resumption of services. The order comes after months of disruption to internet connectivity in AJK, which has severely affected education, businesses, government operations and digital services. On August 31, on the directives of AJK Prime Minister Iftikhar Gilani, authorities issued a notification partially restoring internet services in several districts. The DSL services were subsequently restored in areas including Mirpur, Neelum and Haveli, but full connectivity remained unavailable in Muzaffarabad. Internet services were initially suspended on June 5 following a long march and sit-in announced by the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee in Rawalakot. After around 48 days of disruption, services were partially restored, but connectivity in Muzaffarabad was suspended again on July 25 following a strike and clashes. Also Read: Internet services partially restored in parts of AJK after 48-day suspension Prime Minister Gilani had announced the restoration of internet services during his first media interaction at the Muzaffarabad Press Club on August 31. The prolonged suspension has taken a heavy toll on economic and professional activities. Students have been among the worst affected, while traders dependent on digital payments have suffered financial losses. Freelancers, government employees and other professionals have also faced difficulties performing routine work due to the lack of reliable internet access.

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JI announces Sept 20 long march to Islamabad over petroleum levy

As the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) gears up for its long march towards Islamabad, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Friday also announced plans for a long march towards the federal capital on Sept 20 to press the government to withdraw the petroleum levy, calling it a “goon tax”. Addressing participants of the JI sit-in at Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh through a video link, Rehman said negotiations between the JI and the government team over the withdrawal of the petroleum levy had failed. He said the government claimed it was helpless to abolish the levy because it was an International Monetary Fund (IMF) demand. Read: JI talks at table, turns heat on streets “If this is so, did Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz seek the IMF’s permission before purchasing an aircraft worth Rs11 billion?” he asked. “Did she seek the IMF’s permission for the expenses she is incurring in London these days?” “These are all theatrics. End these theatrics and abolish the goon tax,” he said, also calling for the abolition of taxes on independent power producers (IPPs). Rehman also criticised the Punjab chief minister over her use of expensive aircraft. “Maryam Nawaz is travelling in expensive aircraft while our mothers and daughters are suffering in Qingqi rickshaws,” he said. Addressing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he warned the premier of public anger and said he should realise before it was too late; otherwise, he would not get an aircraft to flee the country, while drawing a parallel with former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina. “Understand the public’s anger. Sheikh Hasina was provided an aircraft to flee; you will not even get an aircraft,” he said. Rehman said he would personally participate in the women’s sit-in in Rawalpindi on Saturday and address the gathering. He added that he would also lead the women’s march towards Islamabad. He said a long march towards Islamabad would then be held from across the country on Sept 20. “Let the government place as many containers as it wants. The people will sweep them away,” he said, adding that the entire nation would come out for the long march. *Urgent Trend Alert* 🚨 🔥 *اب اگلا مرحلہ اسلام آباد ہے!* امیر جماعت اسلامی پاکستان حافظ نعیم الرحمٰن نے بھتہ لیوی کے خلاف *20 ستمبر کو اسلام آباد لانگ مارچ* کا اعلان کر دیا ہے۔ اب یہ جدوجہد ایک نئے مرحلے میں داخل ہو چکی ہے۔ حکومت کو بھتہ لیوی واپس لینے پر مجبور کرنا ہے تو… pic.twitter.com/JOX9Lceiko — Jamaat e Islami Pakistan (@JIPOfficial) September 11, 2026 Calling for an end to interest-based financial practices, Rehman said: “End interest. This is an open war against Allah Almighty.” He also strongly criticised Maryam, accusing her of destroying Punjab’s education and health systems and said the province’s ninth-grade results this year had been disastrous. He said she wanted schools and health centres to be named after her, while alleging that 11,000 schools and all basic health centres had been put up for sale. JI chief warned that if the petroleum levy was not abolished, the JI would launch a movement to oust the government.

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PM Shehbaz directs no area to face more than two hours of load-shedding

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday took notice of persistent electricity load-shedding in the country and directed authorities to ensure no area faces more than two hours of load-shedding According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the premier chaired a review meeting on electricity load management in Islamabad. He expressed displeasure at the worsening load-shedding situation in several cities and took notice of prolonged power outages across the country. وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف کی زیر صدارت ملک میں بجلی کی لوڈ مینیجمینٹ پر اہم جائزہ اجلاس آج اسلام آباد میں منعقد ہوا. وزیراعظم نے ملک کے مختلف علاقوں میں بجلی کی لوڈ شیڈنگ کا نوٹس لے لیا. وزیراعظم نے ملک کے مختلف شہروں میں بجلی کی بڑھتی ہوئی لوڈ شیڈنگ پر اظہار برہمی کیا. وزیرِ… pic.twitter.com/dOqY2g25fd — Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) September 11, 2026 “No area should experience load shedding for more than two hours,” he said, directing authorities to utilise all available resources effectively to provide relief to the public. The meeting was informed that the recent situation in the region, tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and transmission difficulties had affected the supply of RLNG, resulting in a reduction in electricity generation and necessitating load management to maintain a balance between demand and supply. “Keeping in view the situation in the region and future requirements, immediate measures be taken to address disruptions in RLNG transmission,” the prime minister directed. Read: Load-shedding plagues Punjab as shortfall rises He also ordered the establishment of Consumer Grievance Redressal Committees at the Discos level to address public complaints related to electricity transmission and other issues across the country. The prime minister directed that public representatives should also be included in the grievance redressal committees and that the committees should be made functional within a week. The meeting was told that electricity consumers could register their complaints through helpline 118. Upon registration, a consumer is provided with a token number and a timeframe for resolution of the complaint. It was further informed that, at present, apart from six electricity consumers in Rajanpur district, no consumer across the country was without electricity due to monsoon rains. The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Federal Minister for Climate Change Mushtaq Malik, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik, Federal Minister for Power Division Sardar Awais Leghari, Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah, Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani and relevant senior government officials. The prime minister’s action came as the country’s electricity shortfall had exceeded 4,000 megawatts, leading to prolonged load-shedding in various areas. Sources said the shortfall faced by the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) had crossed 1,200MW, while the overall power shortfall had risen above 4,000MW. The situation has also triggered concerns in the provinces. Last Friday, the Punjab Assembly unanimously passed a resolution against severe electricity load-shedding across the province, with lawmakers questioning the government’s energy policies. Also Read: NEPRA orders K-Electric to end load-shedding The problem has become more severe in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, where load-shedding in some areas has reportedly exceeded 12 hours a day. Karachi and other parts of Sindh have also been facing prolonged power cuts, with residents having to endure more than 10 hours of load-shedding a day. Amid the situation, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) ordered K-Electric to immediately stop unannounced, unscheduled and excessive load-shedding in Karachi. The regulator also banned the utility from cutting power to entire feeders on the basis of aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses, saying the practice unlawfully penalised paying consumers.

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Govt plans Shariah board for digital assets

The federal government has decided to establish a Shariah advisory board on digital and virtual assets to provide guidance on transactions involving such assets, Pakistan Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (PVARA) Chairman Bilal bin Saqib said on Thursday. Speaking to journalists, Saqib said the government had taken the grand mufti of Pakistan into confidence on matters relating to digital assets and was seeking his guidance on transactions involving them. "We are establishing a Shariah advisory board on digital and virtual assets," he said, adding that guidance from the board would be sought on transactions involving digital and virtual assets. Saqib said the current cost of digital remittances stood at around 6.5 per cent, which could be reduced by one percentage point through digital remittance channels. He said the reduction in remittance costs could result in savings of around $410 million for the country. The PVARA chairman noted that the authority had demonstrated strong performance during its first six months.

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JI defers Islamabad long march, to finalise date on Friday

Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Thursday announced that the party had deferred its call for a long march to Islamabad by one day, saying the central leadership would make the final decision on Friday and announce it at a public gathering in Gujranwala. Addressing participants at the JI sit-in outside the Punjab Assembly, which entered its 26th day, Rehman said the government had already been given sufficient time to respond to the party’s demands and that there would be no further delay. He warned that failure to provide relief could lead to a countrywide march and eventually a movement to remove the government. He said JI leaders from across the country had been summoned to Mansoora for a meeting at 3pm on Friday to finalise the long march date. A major public gathering would be held in Gujranwala on Friday where the decision would be announced. 🚨 حافظ نعیم الرحمن امیر جماعت اسلامی پاکستان نے حکومت کو ایک دن کی مہلت دے دی.#بھتہ_لیوی_ختم_کرنا_پڑے_گا pic.twitter.com/6hmyGUMRu9 — Jamaat e Islami Pakistan (@JIPOfficial) September 10, 2026 Rehman said two rounds of talks with the government had produced no concrete progress. He said the government was seeking more time to consult relevant departments over the petroleum levy, but JI could not allow negotiations to continue indefinitely. Read: JI to widen protest if demands not met The JI chief said the government was using international oil prices to justify keeping petroleum prices high while continuing to collect the petroleum levy from consumers. He demanded an end to the levy and said the burden was affecting all sections of society. He also criticised government expenditure, saying rulers, bureaucrats and senior officials should reduce the use of expensive vehicles and free fuel. He said the government had been given several proposals to cut non-essential spending. On interest rates, Rehman said Pakistan had witnessed 38% inflation when the interest rate stood at 22%. He argued that reducing the interest rate would not increase inflation but would reduce the profits of powerful business groups. He demanded an immediate three-percentage-point cut in the interest rate. He criticised successive governments, including the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), for supporting greater autonomy for the State Bank, saying JI had opposed the decision. Rehman also urged opposition parties to speak out against the petroleum levy and inflation. He said he had contacted Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi over the issue. Fazl supported JI’s campaign and called for a joint opposition voice on public issues, while Afridi said the federal government should provide relief on the petroleum levy. The JI chief said protests were continuing at 35 locations across the country and warned that the party would intensify its campaign if the government failed to provide relief. He said JI could also launch a movement to remove the government if public demands were ignored. 26 دن 30 مقامات ایک آواز — لیوی بھتہ نامنظور! ملک بھر میں 30 مقامات پر دھرنے جاری ہیں۔ حافظ نعیم الرحمٰن اور جماعتِ اسلامی کا مطالبہ واضح ہے — عوام کو ریلیف دو، پیٹرولیم لیوی ختم کرو!#PetroleumLevyNaManzoor #HafizNaeem #JamaatEIslami#بھتہ_لیوی_ختم_کرنا_پڑے_گا pic.twitter.com/qb7BW6AC3T — Jamaat e Islami Pakistan (@JIPOfficial) September 10, 2026 He said the party was prepared for any government action and that its workers would move towards Islamabad if necessary. Meanwhile, JI central leader Liaquat Baloch, speaking after the second round of talks with the government team at Punjab House in Islamabad, said the party had presented its six demands and sought the abolition of the petroleum levy. جماعت اسلامی کا وفد مذاکرات کرنے کے لیے پنجاب ہاوس پہنچ گیا#ExpressNews #BreakingNews #LatestNews #JammateIslami pic.twitter.com/u9JNEvPAiL — Express News (@ExpressNewsPK) September 10, 2026 He said the government had asked for more time to consider the demands, but had not given a clear response. Baloch said JI did not want to create difficulties for the government in dealing with major economic issues, but negotiations could not be prolonged indefinitely. Read More: JI submits six proposals to govt for abolishing petroleum levy He said the government could create fiscal space for public relief by reducing oil refinery margins and cutting the interest rate by three percentage points. If relief was not provided, he warned, the sit-ins across the country could turn into a march towards Islamabad.

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Tariq Fazal warns PTI of ‘other options’ if Sept 27 march goes ahead

Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Thursday said the federal government was trying to halt the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) September 27 march through legal means and resolve the matter peacefully, while warning that it would use “other options” if the party did not abandon its plan. The PTI has announced a march on Islamabad on Sept 27 to press for the release of its founder, Imran Khan. The party has been preparing a central convoy from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, with caravans from other parts of the country expected to join before proceeding towards the federal capital. Speaking on a private television programme, 'Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath', Chaudhry said the federal government’s first effort was to use legal and judicial means to persuade the PTI not to repeatedly attack Islamabad through armed groups. Read: Sept 27 protest call irrevocable: Gohar “Our first option is to maintain law and order in Islamabad without any confrontation and avoid a situation involving any kind of clash,” he said. Referring to previous incidents, he said whenever the PTI had marched on Islamabad, it had never been in the form of a peaceful march and had instead resulted in the loss of precious human lives. He claimed that the government had intelligence reports indicating that the PTI’s long march would not be a peaceful gathering but a violent one and that the party wanted to create a situation in Islamabad. He also warned that the government would take strict action if the PTI did not heed the warning. “Therefore, if a peaceful solution can be found through judicial means, that would be better. Otherwise, no one will be allowed to march on Islamabad. The government will then try to stop the march through other means, which will be our second option,” he added. When asked about the possibility of finding middle ground to settle the issue and avoid a confrontation, Chaudhry said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had himself approached the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly and invited him to sit down for talks. “What more can be done to find a middle ground than this? The offer is still valid,” he said. “The prime minister is ready to hold talks with the leader of the opposition at a place of his choice. What bigger political move could there be? Is this not a middle ground?” he added. PTI rejects offer K-P Information Minister Shafi, who was also attending the programme, criticised the procedure being adopted to halt the march, saying such a situation was occurring for the first time. “This is happening for the first time. The event has not even taken place yet, and the court is taking action on an application filed by an ordinary citizen,” he said. Accusing the government of trying to play a game under the pretext of the PTI’s protest, he said the party had not been involved in the May 9 incident either. “Now they are trying to do something themselves under its pretext, so we will have to keep an eye on this,” he added. Also Read: IHC forms larger bench over PTI September 27 protest Responding to the government’s offer for talks, Jan said the time for negotiations had passed. “That time has passed. Why did they not move towards negotiations in the past two years? Three times we came forward with proposals, but on all three occasions, the talks ended in a deadlock,” he said. He said whenever the PTI’s movement began gaining momentum, and the government felt threatened, or sensed that PTI workers were marching towards Islamabad, it remembered negotiations. Rejecting the government’s offer for dialogue, the provincial information minister claimed that around two million protesters would march towards Islamabad on Sept 27 under the leadership of K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. “[If] you want to impose governor’s rule, do it; if you want to disqualify Sohail Afridi, do it; if you want to open fire, do it; if you want to arrest [us], do it. Do whatever you want before Sept 27, and on Sept 27, we will show you by bringing two million people,” he said.

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