The ministry submitted the report to the Supreme Court along with an application to withdraw its election-date order on Tuesday, fearing all sorts of dangers if the elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies are held on May 14 as per the top court’s instructions.

Dawn reported that the Defence Ministry feared that the provincial polls could lead to internal instability and charged political environment. These situations might encourage foreign threats to further destabilise the region, including India’s foreign intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) taking benefit of the situation. The RAW could exploit ethnic issues in the country and exacerbate water disputes and other issues.

The report also warned of a spike in terrorism since, it said, several fighters from Islamic State (IS) group and other outfits were returning to Pakistan from Syria, Yemen and the Middle East. The report added that sleeper cells of terrorist elements were active in Punjab, especially in south Punjab, and even in Islamabad.

The report also claimed that several threats have been received against senior leaders of political parties, while warning of possible clashes between supporters of political parties.

The report also feared an all-out war with India as the neighbouring country could try to exploit internal instability in the country arising due to the politically charged environment amid polls.

However, the report hoped that the situation would improve in six to eight months due to recent understanding among China, Pakistan, Iran and Afgha­nistan to counter terrorism.

News Desk

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Dyal Singh was gunned down in the Garhi Ata Mohammad area on the outskirts of Peshawar. The 35-year-old Sikh shopkeeper was killed when an unidentified motorcyclist opened indiscriminate fire on him.

The assailant parked his motorcycle outside Singh’s shop and fired two shots from a pistol, killing Dyal on the spot.

A day later, a member of the Christian community, Kashif Masih, was shot dead in Banaras Abad Academy Town.  Armed men opened fire on him while he was on his way home.

According to Voicepk.net, IS-K claimed responsibility for both attacks.

Earlier, a Hindu doctor was shot dead in Karachi’s Garden area after his vehicle was attacked by unknown assailants, in what has been described by the police as a case of targeted killing.

Dr Beerbal Ginani recently retired as Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s (KMC) medical and health services director.

Earlier, the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) issued the Human Rights Observer 2023, an annual fact sheet, detailing abuses against religious minorities in Pakistan. The reported covered five key issues impacting religious minorities, including discrimination in the education system, the prevalence of forced faith conversions, abuse of blasphemy laws, the establishment of the National Commission for Minorities, and jail remissions for minority prisoners.

The report noted an increase in the content against minorities in textbooks and curricula.

News Desk

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