91 stories found
PTI leaders were again denied a meeting with Imran Khan at Adiala jail, prompting the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister to request Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to allow close family members to meet the incarcerated founder over Eid.
Hybe, the K-pop giant behind K-pop supergroup BTS, has dismissed speculation that a plan by the Seoul metropolitan government to illuminate major landmarks in red for the group's long-awaited…
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government announced on Tuesday a three-day Eid holiday in the province. A press release issued by the KP government said: “It is notified for general information that March…
Penta Hospitals Slovakia vehemently denies any suspicion of a cartel agreement and refutes public claims that its use of legal remedies constitutes obstruction or harassment of the Antimonopoly Office of the Slovak Republic (PMÚ).
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Unidentified armed militants attacked the Khutti police checkpoint in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan district late on Saturday night, triggering an exchange of fire with security personnel, police officials said. According to the police, the assailants carried out the attack under the cover of darkness using heavy weapons. Personnel stationed at the checkpoint responded swiftly and returned fire, forcing the attackers to retreat. During the exchange, one police const...
ISLAMABAD: Expressing serious concern over a disquieting state of affairs in public appointments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Friday ordered a departmental inquiry against delinquent officials of the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Karak to discourage such irregularities in the future. Headed by Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, a two-judge FCC bench also set aside the appointments of several Class-IV employees at DHQ Hospital Karak and ordered a fres...
PESHAWAR: An attack on a police vehicle martyred seven policemen, including an officer, in the Bettani subdivision of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district on Friday. The spokesman of the district police officer, Qudratullah, said that a squad of the Shadikhel police station was on routine patrol duty in the area when the terrorist attack occurred. The vehicle was targeted with an improvised explosive device (IED). The official said that terrorists had planted an IED along the Shahdikhel...
KHYBER: Pakistan and Afghanistan border forces on Thursday agreed on a brief pause amid ongoing clashes to identify and collect a dead body lying at Zero Point at Torkham for the last few…
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is mulling a Rs60 billion project for a second ring road in Peshawar, aimed at improving transportation infrastructure in the city's southern areas.
The Education Department in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, announced that public and private sector schools will remain closed on Fridays and Saturdays for two months due to a fuel crisis.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) cabinet has approved a 25% cut in fuel allowance and introduced a two-month conservation plan, including a 50% work-from-home policy for government offices, in response to the Mideast crisis.
Security forces in Pakistan have killed 13 terrorists in five separate intelligence-driven operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s request to postpone the delimitation exercise in 24 districts for the upcoming local government elections.
A viral video shows the brutal assault and abduction of a 15-year-old girl in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where she was forced to confess on camera.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) province in Pakistan has temporarily halted its crackdown on illegal Afghan migrants residing in the region, with police clarifying it as an administrative measure, not a permanent policy shift.
Pakistan has declared a state of emergency in the Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, indicating a serious security or humanitarian situation.
Punjab offers to share the debt burden, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh insist on constitutional limits regarding the 57.5% NFC share, highlighting a provincial dispute.
Four police officers were martyred and two others injured when unidentified assailants opened fire on a patrol squad in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district, Pakistan.
A main highway linking Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Punjab remained closed after a suicide attack at the Dajil checkpost near the Dera Darya Khan bridge in Bhakkar district, causing hardship for commuters and traders.
A bridge connecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Punjab was closed following a suicide attack at a Bhakkar checkpost, stranding commuters and transporters, particularly affecting those traveling during Ramazan.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the assault, which appeared to be carefully timed to target responding officers. The violence came just a day after another deadly episode in nearby Karak. On Monday, attackers used an explosives-laden drone to hit a paramilitary post, injuring several personnel. As the wounded were being transported for treatment, the assailants ambushed two ambulances.
Rekordy a konec dlouhého čekání na olympijské zlato, ale i podvody, pochybení rozhodčích a hořké konce. Připomeňte si některé zajímavé momenty zimních olympijských her 2026 v Miláně a Cortině d'Ampezz
Three personnel of the Federal Constabulary were martyred in a terror attack in the Karak district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, with an ambulance carrying injured personnel also targeted.
A mortar shell strike on a civilian pickup truck during Iftar time in Tirah valley, Khyber, resulted in five deaths and sparked protests.
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, claims to have prevented a major incident by arresting a suspected female suicide bomber during an operation in DI Khan.
ISLAMABAD: The prolonged legal saga surrounding the audio leak case involving PTI leader and former chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, finally moved to the next stage on Saturday with an additional district and sessions judge indicting him and his co-accused. Additional District and Sessions Judge Nasr Minallah Baloch conducted the proceedings. Gandapur, accompanied by his counsel, Advocate Raja Zahoorul Hassan, appeared before the court, along with his co-accused, Asad ...
Security forces in Pakistan killed four Indian-sponsored terrorists in an intelligence-based operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Lakki Marwat district.
Jake Basden, formerly of Sandbox Entertainment and Big Machine Label Group, has been named the head of HYBE AMERICA's new country and Americana label, Blue Highway.
PESHAWAR: The prolonged closure of the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway (M-1) by the PTI activists heaped misery on commuters, transporters and traders. The ruling party’s leaders and workers have closed M-1 at Swabi rest area since last Friday to demand early treatment of their incarcerated leader, Imran Khan, for “vision loss”. The closure of M-1, the main artery connecting Peshawar with the rest of the country, has put the Grand Trunk Road, the other major road, under immense strain as the neglected highway is unable to cater to the traffic diverted from the motorway. Also, the GT Road is facing closures by PTI activists, causing massive inconvenience to people travelling to attend urgent business meetings and exams, take international flights from Islamabad airport and seek treatment. The businessmen, whose supplies have got stuck along the road, are also distressed. Businessmen wonder why PTI govt troubling people of KP Jan Mulk, a businessman, who was travelling from Islamabad to Peshawar on Sunday evening, told Dawn that he left Islamabad at around 4:30pm and reached Attock at around 6:30pm before finding himself caught in a huge traffic jam at Attock crossing. “Hundreds of vehicles were stuck in a long traffic grid lock and there was not even any way to turn back,” he said. The businessman said that the Attock traffic gridlock forced him to return and spend the night in Islamabad before coming to Peshawar next morning. “There were women, children and elderly, with a large number of them being on foot due to road closure and unavailability of public transport,” he said. Mr Mulk said transporters in Attock were charging commuters Rs1,000 for a trip to Rawalpindi. Khan Zaman Afridi, president of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Transporters Association, told Dawn that road closures had made life difficult for transports. “Nearly 3,000 vehicles leave Peshawar General Bus Stand on a daily basis but the number has dropped to around 1500 due to road closures,” he said. Mr Afridi said almost all public transport used the M-1 and now its closure has diverted all the traffic to the GT Road and a usual trip of two to three hours on motorway was taking over 10 hours on GT Road. “GT Road is not old GT Road and is full of potholes and full of vans, Qingqi motorcycle-rickshaws and push carts, so it is very difficult to traverse and now, the entire motorway traffic has been diverted to it, causing massive traffic snarl,” he said. Mr Afridi said that due to the road closures, many people had stopped travelling, and commuter arrivals at bus stands had almost halved as only people who had to attend urgent business meetings travelled in compulsion. “It is ironic that the KP government is inflicting pain on its own people,” he said. A representative of Faisal Movers told Dawn that his transport company had stopped its Peshawar-Islamabad operations since the start of the M-1 closure. Junaid Altaf, president of KP Chamber of Commerce and Industry, questioned the rationale for the motorway closure. “Who are they troubling? Is it the people of KP or residents of Punjab and Sindh who are being affected due to the M-1 closure?” Mr Altaf said that KP chief minister and his cabinet had been sitting in Islamabad for the past many days, leaving their offices and official duties unattended. He said that the prolonged closure of Pak-Afghan border points had already ruined the province’s business community and now, the politicians didn’t understand that the trucks stranded on the road to KP carried raw material to factories in the province and prolonged closure was hurting the business community as well as the economy of the province. “If PTI thinks the people of KP deserve this for voting them to the powers, then it is ok and we deserve it,” he said. Malik Sohni, president of All Pakistan Agriculture Produce Traders Federation, told Dawn that road closures had resulted in an over 10pc increase in the vegetable prices in the provincial capital. He said that in the current season, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, okra, garlic, peas and leafy vegetables were transported from Punjab to Peshawar. Mr Sohni said that as vegetables were perishable, prolonged blockages not only caused spoilage but also drove the prices up. “Prices automatically go up when fresh supplies don’t reach on time,” he said. Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2026
A bomb blast near a police station in Pakistan's Bannu district has claimed at least two lives, including a child, and injured 14 others. The improvised explosive device, reportedly a time bomb attached to a motorcycle, detonated near shops. Authorities have cordoned off the area and launched a search operation, with officials condemning the act as an attack on peace.
An additional station house officer was martyred after terrorists attacked a police station in the War Mamund tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur region in Pakistan.
Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk dominated South Korea’s culture and content sector in shareholder wealth, holding shares worth 4.8 trillion won ($3.2 billion) as of Tuesday, according to a report from the…
A technical error occurred during the testing of ninth-grade students in Slovakia, specifically impacting thousands of students with special educational needs.
Shares of K-pop giant Hybe are edging higher as investors position for the long-awaited return of BTS, with the group set to hold its first performance in nearly four years at a comeback concert in…
PESHAWAR: The armed forces have destroyed Afghan Taliban posts across the Pak-Afghan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur sector as part of Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, security sources said on Monday. Operation Ghazab lil-Haq was launched in late February following unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban from across the border. Security sources said that in the operation against the Afghan Taliban and the Fitna al-Khawarij, armed forces also targeted Afghan Taliban posts with “guided missiles”...
Heeseung of Enhypen will not be returning to the boy band, its agency Belift Lab reaffirmed Sunday, less than a week after Hybe’s sub-label announced the main vocalist’s solo path outside the group. “Heeseung will not be returning to Enhypen,” Belift Lab told The Korea Herald. “He has a clear artistic direction he wants to pursue, and we decided to respect that.” The confirmation comes as fans — particularly international supporters — continue to organize large-scale campaigns urging the agency
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) conducted an intelligence-based operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat, resulting in the killing of six terrorists.
Afghanistan launched retaliatory drone strikes against Pakistani military centers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including a fortress and command center, following Pakistani strikes that killed four people in Kabul and Kandahar.
Singapore Engenes have sent a protest truck to Hybe's headquarters in South Korea.
The Pakistani provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are bracing for hazardous pollutants as westerly winds are expected to push toxic smoke towards the region.
PM Shehbaz Sharif • PM defends ‘difficult decision’ on fuel prices, says global oil market ‘not in Pakistan’s hands’ • Public, private workplaces to shift half their staff to ‘work from home’; won’t apply to essential services such as banks, hospitals, agricultural or industrial sectors • All schools, colleges to stay closed for two weeks; higher education institutes to shift classes online • Special cabinet committee reviews fuel stocks, assesses national preparedness • Punjab, Khyber P...
The district administration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan has imposed Section 144, restricting movement on several roads and in sensitive areas due to the prevailing law and order situation.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur Afridi announced that the provincial government will absorb the recent fuel price hike for motorcycles and keep Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) fares unchanged. He also revealed plans to introduce 10 pink buses for women and provide solar systems to 130,000 households.
Police are investigating procedural errors during a 'Break the Silence' preventive campaign, which included simulated school attacks, after emergency lines received calls and children were frightened, despite training being for teachers only.
Local governments in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province are set to continue functioning beyond their official expiry date, with a committee considering the stance of nominated members.
BTS member Jungkook has ignited controversy after appearing in a late-night livestream in which he used profanity and voiced frustration with his agency, Hybe, only to later post a selfie promising to “work really hard” for the group’s upcoming comeback. The abrupt shift in tone has left fans divided and raised broader questions about the pressures facing one of K-pop’s biggest global stars. On Feb. 26, Jungkook broadcast live for about 90 minutes on Weverse, Hybe’s fan platform, while drinking
Reports indicate Afghanistan attacked a military center and a nuclear center in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, resulting in hundreds of casualties.
BANNU: A tragic incident during Taraweeh prayers on Wednesday in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district has left the area in mourning after militants raided a mosque and abducted three brothers, two of whom were police personnel. Eyewitnesses reported that 10–12 armed men entered the mosque, held worshippers hostage, and abducted three brothers before fleeing to an unknown location. The abducted individuals were identified as Saeed Akhtar, a clerk at the commissioner’s office, and Amjad and Hazr...
Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported that 34 terrorists were killed in recent separate operations conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.
Former ADOR CEO Min has reportedly offered a truce to Hybe concerning a 25.6 billion-won deal, aiming to resolve an ongoing dispute between the two entities.
Doctors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), Pakistan, are warning of a province-wide shutdown of hospitals, with boycotts already spreading, following the killing of Dr. Mehwish. The Young Doctors Association (YDA) states the issue has escalated beyond security to the protection of life for medical professionals.
PESHAWAR: Unidentified attackers blew up a school in the Birmal tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s South Waziristan in the late hours of Monday, the police said on Tuesday. According to District Police Officer (DPO) South Waziristan Lower Muhammad Tahir Shah Wazir, the explosion destroyed parts of the Government Middle School (GMS) Boys’ Sharif Khan Kot, including two classrooms, bathrooms, the main gate, and one side of the boundary wall. Initial reports confirmed no casualties were reported. Th...
Pakistan's Prime Minister has expressed concern over delays in projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), with the Chief Minister assuring that the Safe City project is nearing completion and will soon be operational.
SHABQADAR: Four people, including a father and son, were killed and several others injured when gunfire broke out during Taraweeh prayers at a mosque in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Charsadda district on Sunday, police and local sources said. According to local sources, the firing occurred during prayers at the Aldadkhel Mosque in the Battagram area of Shabqadar tehsil, Charsadda district, and started in front of worshippers inside the mosque. The incident reportedly stemmed from a dispute between tw...
Millions of children in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province remain out of school, with children with disabilities facing significantly greater obstacles to accessing education.
The Pakistani army said a security forces’ convoy was targeted by TTP militants during an operation against terrorists, the Dawn reported.
Former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur's recent actions are drawing comparisons to his past mercurial behavior, prompting discussions about his 'return to form'.
Pakistan has issued a demarche to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, protesting the use of Afghan soil for a terrorist attack on security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur.
A suicide bombing and attack by gunmen on a security post in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province resulted in the deaths of 11 soldiers and a child. Security forces thwarted the overnight breach attempt, later killing 12 TTP militants. The explosives-laden vehicle also damaged civilian homes, injuring seven others.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi apologized to the people of his province for difficulties caused by PTI protests, stating no official call for protest was given.
PESHAWAR: At least two people were killed and 14 others injured after a powerful explosion near Miryan Police Station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu on Monday. According to a statement by the police, the blast occurred when explosive material planted in a motorcycle was detonated. A child was among those killed in the explosion. According to Rescue 1122 officials, emergency teams promptly reached the scene and moved the bodies and injured parties to nearby hospitals. More to follow
The National Pension Fund (NPS) was targeted because of an erroneous social media post saying NPS was the majority shareholder of Hybe, the parent company of Belift Lab, Enhypen's agency.
Winter weather has returned to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bringing rains and snowfall to areas including Peshawar, Mardan, and Swat, with Parachinar recording the heaviest downpour.
Universities in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province are reportedly trapped in a cycle of financial deficits, student agitation, and bailouts, leading to a recurring crisis in higher education.
Chief Minister Afridi announced that quality public services are a top priority for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, as the province launched its 'Cashless K-P' initiative and secured cabinet approval for the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Digital Payments Act 2025.
Six terrorists involved in the martyrdom of seven police personnel were killed during a Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) operation in Lakki Marwat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The president and prime minister lauded the security forces for their actions.
BAJAUR: A policeman was found dead in the War Mamund tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district on Friday, a day after he was abducted near the Dama Dola area, officials said. Bajaur district…
Latin boy band Santos Bravos released its first EP, “Dual,” on Friday, marking the group’s first new music in about two months, according to Hybe Latin America on the same day. According to the label, the six-track album highlights the group’s contrasting musical styles, blending genres such as reggaeton, Brazilian funk and club-inspired sounds. The lead track, “Mhm,” is a Latin pop song built on soft synths and percussion, paired with the group's warm vocals. The song captures the excitement of
LAKKI MARWAT: Five children were injured in a quadcopter attack in the Takhtikhel area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district on Tuesday, officials said. Police Sub-Inspector (SI) Akhto Jan told Dawn that the attack, which took place in the limits of the Shaheed Asmatullah Khan Khattak police station, was believed to have been carried out by terrorists. “Explosives dropped from the quadcopter injured five minors,” he said, adding that two of the injured boys were taken to a hospital in...
Belift Lab, the Hybe sublabel that houses Enhypen, says the K-pop group will continue as a six-member outfit.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Monday decided to implement fuel-saving measures for a period of two months, cutting the allowance for official vehicles by 25 per cent amid the global fuel…
A civilian was killed, and a police constable was injured when armed men on motorcycles opened fire on a police patrol in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district, officials said. A police official confirmed that the attack occurred in the Serai Naurang town, adding that “a gun battle between the police and the assailants erupted after the firing attack.” The official said the bodies of the civilian and the injured cop were taken to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in the Serai Naurang town...
An IED blast in Lakki Marwat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Wana, has killed three people, including two policemen, and injured 15 others.
MIRANSHAH: At least 18 people were injured in an explosion near the Chashma Sarbandki checkpost on the Bannu–Miranshah main road in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan on Friday, according to police and hospital officials. Police officials said further investigation of the incident was under way. Initially, 14 people were reported injured in the incident, with district headquarters hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Asif Iqbal saying that four of them had sustained critical injuries. The in...
Operation Ghazb Lil Haq has intensified, resulting in the killing of 67 Taliban terrorists in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) provinces, with 16 physical attacks repulsed.
Residents seek dialogue as violence rattles towns along Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier
Pakistan initiated Operation Ghazab lil-Haq against the Afghan Taliban following unprovoked cross-border fire in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with politicians uniting in response.
An anti-terror operation in Pakistan's Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces has resulted in 34 deaths, as the Centre and provinces discuss a coordinated security plan.
Min Hee-jin has said she "can no longer bear to watch" the group get "torn apart".
Min Hee-jin, former head of Ador, has proposed giving up her 25.6 billion won ($17.9 million) payout if Hybe drops all ongoing civil and criminal litigation.
The security detail provided to former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur has been withdrawn, with the government denying issuing orders for the withdrawal.
A deputy superintendent of police (DSP) and several other police personnel were martyred in a terrorist attack in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The attack targeted the DSP of Lachi's police vehicle.
Three Federal Constabulary men were killed in a terrorist attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Karak district, Pakistan. Officials stated that terrorists initially carried out an attack.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi stated that denying incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan access to his personal physician is unconstitutional, accusing certain individuals of flouting the law.
ISLAMABAD: A local court in Islamabad on Saturday once again reissued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi after he failed to appear before it in a case pertaining to derogatory remarks against state institutions. The case was registered on Nov 9, 2025, by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Authority (NCCIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016, following allegations that the KP CM made false and defamatory claims against s...
The Pakistani army said a security forces’ convoy was targeted by TTP militants during an operation against terrorists, the Dawn reported.
The FCC has upheld the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) sales tax on construction services, ruling that the provincial levy aligns with the constitutional division of powers and validating the 2% tax on contractors, developers, and infrastructure projects.
Big Machine Label Group, a subsidiary of Hybe America, has rebranded as Blue Highway Records and named Jake Basden as its new CEO.
The Peshawar High Court has ordered the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and police to ensure the reopening of roads that were blocked by supporters of the PTI.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Monday said that the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was living in the stone age, critising the province’s government for not taking steps for development in the age of technology. Addressing a laptop distribution scheme at a Gujrat university, CM Maryam highlighted that students in Punjab had access to Honhaar scholarships, laptop schemes, Parwaz Card, green buses and technical training programmes. “So there is Honhaar here, and incitement there, but this is nothing to rejoice about,” she said, adding that she was extremely upset that the “people of KP were still living in the stone age”. Maryam stated: “They do not know what development is. They do not realise that Honhaar scholarships also exist if one does not have the resources for their child’s studies. “They do not know that you must have a gadget or a laptop or an iPad or a computer in your hands if you are to meet global standards in today’s age.” Indirectly noting that the PTI had been in power in KP for the past “13 years”, she said the public there “does not even know what development is”. The chief minister quipped that the KP government’s response to every need was that it was providing them “awareness”. Maryam emphasised that blocking major roads in KP did not affect the businesses in Punjab but rather the economic activity of KP itself. During her address, Maryam also recalled the time when her mother Kulsoom Nawaz was hospitalised due to cancer in 2017 and 2018, as well as when her father and ex-premier Nawaz Sharif was ill during his imprisonment in 2019. Noting that Nawaz was in his 70s when he was jailed, the Punjab CM said, “He got sick after multiple heart attacks and his platelets dropped. He had cardiac pain [but] such a joke was made out of his ailment.” She continued: “When my father and I were in jail, my mother was diagnosed with cancer and her disease was ridiculed so much; it was even said that she was not sick and it is all a drama.” Maryam then recalled that Kulsoom was on a ventilator in a London hospital when certain individuals “entered the ICU through deception by wearing doctors’ uniforms to verify whether it was true or false”. “When my mother passed away, my father said, ‘One has to die to prove their innocence here’,” she said, adding that she was in a jail cell when Nawaz informed her about Kulsoom’s death. The PML-N leader then played some old video clips of ex-premier Imran Khan from when he was in power. In the clips, the PTI founder threatened to get the TV and air conditioner removed from the prisons of the PML-N leadership. Maryam asserted: “I am swearing by God that till today, neither I nor Nawaz Sharif or Shehbaz Sharif even thought of removing his AC or shutting off his food and TV. “In fact, Nawaz Sharif said one day that he (Imran) has one AC, give him two ACs as he should not face any problems.” She further said she was the “first woman” to be locked in the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) jail and a cell had to be vacated for her as they did not have a dedicated women’s prison. The Punjab CM then played another video of ex-PM Imran, wherein he commented on the “long list” of health issues Nawaz was facing. “You can have differences on policies and policies, but you cannot turn political disagreements into personal enmities,” Maryam emphasised. “My children, you must never do this,” she told the audience, referring to the actions taken by the PTI government of jailing PML-N leadership and “making fun” of the ailments. “The time circles back, but my father was telling me at dinner the other day to never wish bad for even one’s political opponents,” she said. “You all must not do what he or his party is doing,” the politician stressed. “Those who are ill, we pray that God may give them recovery soon,” she added. Speaking on Imran’s current health issues, Maryam said, “The kind of facilities and the doctors he needs are being provided to him, and I am telling you this on oath that no one wishes ill for him.” She called for lies, accusations, incitement, vandalism and fitna to be “thrown out” of politics.
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained cut off from rest of the country on Sunday as activists of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf continued their protest on third consecutive day and blocked all entry and exit points of the province. The PTI activists have blocked Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway at Swabi’s Anbar Interchange, GT Road at Khairabad Bridge, Dera Ismail Khan-Bhakkar Road, Lakki Marwat-Mianwali Road, Hazara Motorway at Abbottabad-Havelian Interchange, Kohat-Pindi Road near Khushal Garh and Upper Kohistan-Gilgit Karakoram Highway. Protesters remained present all the time at exit and entry points and did not allow a single vehicle to enter the province, causing serious problems to passengers and motorists destined to Islamabad and other parts of the country. Former governor Shah Farman, PTI Peshawar district president Irfan Saleem, deputy secretary information Ikram Khattana and other leaders of the party were present at Khairabad Bridge, connecting Attock district of Punjab with KP. Commuters, motorists face hardships Protesters have been demanding of the government to shift PTI founder Imran Khan from jail to hospital for treatment of his eye by doctors of his choice. Speaking on the occasion, Shah Farman said that under Article-4 of the Constitution, no authority could deny treatment of his choice to a patient. He said that the people, who were not allowing treatment of Imran Khan through doctors of his choice, would be responsible if his eye was further damaged. PTI workers blocked Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway near Swabi Interchange to all types of traffic, vowing to stay on roads till Imran Khan was shifted to hospital for medical treatment. Vendors were seen selling various eatables while setting up stalls on motorway, converting it into a market. PTI Swabi general secretary Afsar Khan told journalists that they were not ready to go back homes under any circumstances. “We will continue to sit here and if our demand is not accepted. This protest will continue. The federal government is responsible for the prevailing mess in the country,” he said. Stranded commuters said that government should take action against PTI workers to open the motorway to traffic because people, especially patients, were facing difficulties. “Where should we go, who should we beg, who should we ask and who should we request to open the motorway,” questioned Shahzad Khan, a resident of Peshawar. Uzair Khan, a resident of Gundam who was seriously injured in a firing incident on Saturday, was not allowed to reach a hospital in Peshawar through motorway. The circumstances forced his family to pass through Swabi and Mardan but he did not reach hospital and passed away. His relatives said that PTI workers were responsible for his death. During the last three days, it has been observed, that there is no rush at daytime at the venue of protest. In the afternoon youth start to arrive at rest area and in the evening there is a lot of crowd on motorway. PTI workers blocked roads at four key points in Dera Ismail Khan district on Sunday, suspending traffic and causing inconvenience to commuters and motorists. The sit-ins were held on Bhakkar Road, Multan Road, Chashma Road and CPEC route, bringing vehicular movement to a standstill at these locations. As a result, long queues of vehicles were seen on major arteries. Witnesses said that several commuters remained stranded for hours, while alternative routes also experienced heavy congestion due to diverted traffic. The protest is being held on the call of PTI central leaders, who have urged workers to demonstrate over the deteriorating health of Imran Khan and demand his immediate release. The district administration was monitoring the situation while residents called for restoration of traffic flow to ease their hardships. PTI activists continued protest demonstrations in Lakki Marwat and Karak districts on the second consecutive day on Sunday. A good number of party workers led by former district nazim Ishfaq Ahmad Khan Minakhel gathered at Darra Tang Point where they closed Bannu-Mianwali road, linking KP with Punjab and Islamabad via CPEC route. The closure of road on the second consecutive day troubled transporters and commuters as passenger and good transport vehicles queued up on both sides of the main artery. On the occasion, the former district nazim said that denial of access to healthcare and maltreatment by federal government had led to loss of Imran’s vision. He said that PTI activists had come on roads to hold peaceful protests against the PML-N government, which was responsible for the poor health of their party leader. In Karak, the PTI workers gathered outside Nashapa oil and gas field and staged a sit-in there. They stopped supply from the oil and gas field as oil tankers could not enter or come out of the area. An official of district administration confirmed disruption of oil supply from the field. PTI district president Inayat Khattak said that leaders and workers of the party decided in a meeting to shut down oil and gas fields in Makori, Nashapa and Gurguri to record their protest against non-provision of treatment facilities to Imran Khan. Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2026