Opposition parties have claimed the lists have been manipulated to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Election Commission of India has said differences are normal in any institution, and that all its actions were lawful.

The Indian Express newspaper reported this week that two election commissioners had raised questions or expressed concerns to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at least 14 times in 10 months, mostly in connection with the process of updating voters’ lists that began last year.

Opposition parties and the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party have demanded Kumar’s resignation.

The CJP said it would launch nationwide protests on October 2 if he did not quit by Saturday.

The Commission said on Saturday that a committee led by a senior election official and including an independent technology expert would examine whether the software complied with election laws and rules.

It also said local officials would visit voters flagged for discrepancies instead of routinely requiring them to appear at government offices.

In a post on X, Naqvi shared a KP Assembly Secretariat’s letter addressed to the KP inspector general (IG) on Friday, a day after the provincial cabinet approved the KP Police Act 2026. The proposed law, yet to be passed by the assembly, links the IG’s decisions to the chief minister or the government’s approval.

In his letter to IG Zulfiqar Hameed, KP Assembly Deputy Secretary (Admin) Ibrahim Khan reminded him of Section 11 of the KP Provincial Assembly (Powers, Immunities and Privileges) Act 2026, which made the speaker’s approval mandatory to arrest or detain an MPA.

The Act was among multiple pieces of legislation enacted in April by the KP government. A few of those provisions about lifetime blue passports and arms licences were withdrawn in August after facing criticism from the media and public.

Commenting on the letter on Saturday, Naqvi said: “Now in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, even if an MPA is accused of a criminal offence, the police must first seek the speaker’s permission before arresting him.

“What next?” the minister asked, detesting that in case an MPA killed a person, would the police “first wait for the speaker’s permission to arrest him?”

“What an extraordinary version of ‘equality before law’. Well done. Keep it up! And this is Riyasat-i-Madina?“ Naqvi wrote, referring to PTI founder and ex-prime minister Imran Khan’s motto of transforming Pakistan into Riyasat-i-Madina (the State of Madina).

In the letter, the KP Assembly Secretariat had directed the IG to ensure strict compliance with Section 11 of the KP Provincial Assembly (Powers, Immunities and Privileges) Act, 2026.

The letter reproduced the section, titled “permission of speaker before arrest, detention etc of a member”, which provides:

“(1) When a member has to be arrested on a criminal charge or for a criminal offence or has to be detained under an executive order, the magistrate or the executive authority, as the case may be, shall seek prior permission of the speaker, indicating the reasons for the arrest or detention of the member in the appropriate form set out in the Second Schedule.

“(2) Where the speaker deems it necessary in the public interest, he may require the relevant police officer to submit the police report or challan, as the case may be, to ascertain the facts of the matter. The speaker may, in his discretion, call up such inquiry before submission of challan in the court, as he may deem appropriate.”

The KP Assembly Secretariat directed the IGP to ensure strict compliance with Section 11 and adopt the prescribed procedure before arresting or detaining any provincial lawmaker, whenever such action becomes necessary.

The development comes amid an already heated debate over the new KP Police Act, with the interior ministry arguing that the provincial legislation violates the constitutional framework and weakens the police command structure at a time when KP remains on the frontline of the fight against terrorism.

The approval comes as the PTI claims dozens of its leaders and workers have been detained ahead of the party’s nationwide protest, now rescheduled for Oct 4. It has also said KP cabinet members were being targeted by unidentified individuals.

During a cabinet meeting that approved the Police Act, CM Sohail Afridi said if his government was forcing the local bureaucracy, police, district commissioners or others to do anything wrong, then they should not obey those orders.

DI Khan Regional Police Officer (RPO) Ghulam Mubashir Maken, citing an initial assessment, confirmed the casualties. He clarified that no law enforcement or security personnel were among the deceased, which included a Customs official and civilians.

The deceased comprised nine men, two women and a minor.

According to police and Rescue 1122 officials, an unidentified attacker rammed the explosives-laden tractor trolley into the checkpost. DI Khan District Police Officer (DPO) Ziauddin Ahmed confirmed that it was a suicide blast.

The blast destroyed a large portion of the checkpost and completely demolished a house adjacent to the post. The intensity of the explosion was such that it was heard over a considerable distance, according to local officials and residents. Heavy firing was also heard following the blast.

The Aman Mela checkpost, located near Mughal Kot and Darazinda on the DI Khan-Quetta Road, is used by police for security and checking along the route. It is situated close to the border between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

According to RPO Maken, 25 of the injured were being taken to the district headquarters (DHQ) hospital. Meanwhile, District Excise Officer Faheem Wazir said Excise personnel present at the checkpost remained safe.

A bomb disposal team was also sent to the site to determine the nature of the explosion and examine the scene, police said.

DPO Ahmed and the superintendent of police for the Saddar area had reached the site soon after the explosion and supervised the rescue operation. A Rescue 1122 spokesperson noted that their teams were on the site for relief operations, but mobile phone services were unavailable in the area.

More than 25 personnel, six ambulances and a fire vehicle took part in the relief operations, according to the rescue service. On the directions of District Emergency Officer (DEO) Mohammad Arif Khan, four additional ambulances with staff were dispatched from DI Khan to assist in evacuating the injured.

Governor seeks report

KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi sought a report from senior officials on the incident and directed that every possible medical facility be provided to those injured.

“The attack is a nefarious conspiracy by Fitna al-Hindustan Khawarij,” the governor said.

The state refers to designated Balochistan-based groups as Fitna al Hindustan to highlight India’s role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan, and uses the term Fitna al Khawarij for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the blast in a statement issued by the Presidency and expressed grief over the lives lost.

The president ordered that the best medical facilities be provided to the injured, and that relief operations be made “more effective”.

“Making innocent citizens and law enforcement personnel a target of terrorism is highly condemnable,” he was quoted as saying.

“Operations against terrorists belonging to Fitna al Hindustan and Fitna al Khawarij, who perpetrate heinous acts with foreign support, must be made more effective.”

In a statement issued by his ministry, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly condemned the “suicide blast at the anti-smuggling Aman Mela police checkpost” and expressed his condolences to the bereaved families.

“The cowardly acts of kharjis cannot weaken the nation’s firm resolve against terrorism,” he was quoted as saying, using a term the state employs to designate terrorists.

“Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is on the front lines of the fight against terrorism.”

Naqvi noted that people from all walks of life have made sacrifices against terrorism, adding that the state deeply values the sacrifices of martyrs.

Rise in terrorism

KP has witnessed an increase in terrorist activity in recent months, with law enforcement agencies and security forces being targeted, prompting authorities to intensify counterterrorism operations.

Earlier this month, police said they foiled an attack by TTP terrorists on a checkpost in DI Khan’s Daraban area. No casualties were reported among the police personnel.

On Sept 18, a major attack in the old Police Lines in KP’s Kohat claimed 23 lives and injured about 100 others. Eight terrorists were killed during an overnight clearance operation.

In response to that and other terrorist incidents, Pakistan days later conducted “calibrated” airstrikes in the border region with Afghanistan against terrorist hideouts, with the government saying over 28 terrorists were eliminated.

Mainland KP, excluding the merged districts, recorded 54 terrorist attacks in August compared with 36 in July, representing an increase of 50 per cent, according to monthly data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).

This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources, such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.

The statements issued after the two meetings do not contain anything that would suggest that joint strikes or ground operations against Yemen’s Ansar Allah — commonly referred to as Houthis — are in the offing. However, the two communiques do show that the agreement signed on August 7 in Makkah is shifting gears from political assurances to putting in place the military arrangements required to give practical effect to its collective defence commitment.

That is one notable change since the signing of the agreement. For instance, Islamabad’s position, articulated by the Foreign Office only two weeks ago, was that the Makkah agreement was still being institutionalised and there was no discussion of Pakistani participation in strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. The FO had further characterised the pact as a defensive alliance aimed at protecting regional security through deterrence.

The language contained in the communiques that came out of Riyadh in the early hours of Saturday goes much further.

The statement issued after the meeting of the three military chiefs says they discussed ways of strengthening “intelligence cooperation, military coordination, and capability integration” and expressed their “shared determination to immediately begin translating the commitments contained in the Makkah Agreement for Joint Defence into effective military cooperation”.

The reference to beginning “immediately” and to “effective military cooperation” implies that the three militaries are now looking at how their capabilities can work together, rather than merely reaffirming the principle that an attack on one member would be treated as an attack on all.

This fast-tracking of the implementation of the agreements is taking place against the backdrop of repeated missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia from Yemen, including attacks threatening civilian and economic infrastructure and, most significantly for Riyadh, one that is claimed to be directed towards the vicinity of Makkah city.

While the trilateral statement strongly condemned those attacks and praised the Saudi armed forces for their “vigilance and professionalism” in protecting the kingdom, it is noteworthy for lacking any reference to retaliation, offensive operations or strikes against Ansar Allah positions.

Neither Ansar Allah, Houthis, nor Yemen was referenced directly. Instead, emphasis has been placed on intelligence, coordination and integration of capabilities, which would be the first practical steps towards improving Saudi Arabia’s ability to detect, intercept and deter further attacks.

In practical terms, this announcement would translate into closer intelligence sharing and early warning arrangements, as well as technical personnel, air defence specialists, sensors, electronic warfare capabilities and other assets that could be incorporated into Saudi Arabia’s existing defensive architecture.

On the coordination front, the three countries could, as a follow-up to the meeting of the military chiefs, appoint liaison officers and set up a joint planning cell, which can then work for coordinated responses.

The reference to “capability integration” in the statement is particularly significant. Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia can cooperate while maintaining separate military systems and operations, but integrating capabilities would require a much closer degree of liaison, planning and command and control arrangements.

Despite their longstanding defence cooperation and deep military ties, Pakistan and Turkiye have different military capabilities and equipment inventories from those possessed by Saudi Arabia, and the challenge will be to determine what each can contribute and how those capabilities can be incorporated into the kingdom’s existing defence system.

Turkiye has already indicated its readiness to meet Saudi military requirements, particularly on technical matters. Pakistan, meanwhile, has historical military ties with Saudi Arabia and personnel already serving in the kingdom, providing Islamabad with an established channel through which additional support could potentially be arranged.

The separate meeting between Field Marshal Munir and Prince Khalid bin Salman, the only publicly known meeting the Saudi defence minister had bilaterally with the participants of the Makkah alliance meeting, adds another dimension to the developing military engagement.

According to the Saudi statement, the two sides welcomed the outcome of the trilateral chiefs of staff meeting and discussed attacks targeted towards the vicinity of Makkah and towards civilian and economic facilities, while stressing the need to continue “joint efforts to confront these attacks in accordance with the Makkah Agreement for Joint Defence”.

The bilateral statement, on the face of it, looks more urgent than the trilateral one with assertions “discussed how to respond” and “continuing joint efforts to confront”.

One reason for such categorical assertions is that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia already have a bilateral security relationship, and there is also the 2025 Pakistan-Saudi Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, under which aggression against one is to be regarded as aggression against both, which provides a more mature bilateral channel through which practical measures could be implemented even as the trilateral mechanism is being built.

The composition of the Saudi and Pakistani delegations at the bilateral meeting was also notable. Alongside the Saudi defence minister and chief of general staff were the national security adviser and the adviser to the defence minister for intelligence affairs, while CDF Munir was accompanied by the director general of military operations and his secretary.

This may not reveal what was discussed behind closed doors, but it definitely suggests that the bilateral engagement covered a broader security agenda than a routine follow-up to the chiefs of staff meeting, including the sharing of operational capabilities.

It may be premature to read the Riyadh meetings as preparation for Pakistani or Turkish participation in offensive operations in Yemen, because no such decision has been announced and the phrasing used in the statement instead remained focused on defending Saudi Arabia, its sovereignty and the integrity of its territory. There are, however, obvious signs of the machinery required for any potential future military response being assembled.

The trilateral statement noted that the participants “strongly reaffirmed their commitment to collective defence” and their determination to defend “the security of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its sovereignty, and the integrity of its territories”.

This formulation gives Turkiye and Pakistan room to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s defences without committing themselves immediately to a wider war in Yemen.

As political and diplomatic support, the foreign ministers had already affirmed Saudi Arabia’s right to take measures it considered appropriate to defend its security under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

The military architecture now being discussed could nevertheless have implications beyond defensive measures.

While intelligence sharing, military coordination and capability integration are necessary for intercepting missiles and drones, they are also the building blocks of a more active military response.

If the three militaries establish a common threat picture, stronger intelligence links and mechanisms for coordinating their forces, they would have much of the infrastructure needed if a political decision were later taken to respond to attacks at their source. But for now, that remains a possibility rather than an announced course of action.

Therefore, the immediate path appears more likely to run through intelligence and threat assessment, followed by an identification of Saudi requirements and the integration of additional capabilities, with the possible deployment of personnel or equipment at a later stage.

Where things go from there would depend on the scale and persistence of the attacks and, importantly, on what Riyadh asks its partners to do.

Kohli, the leading century-maker in ODIs with 54 hundreds, retired from T20 Internationals and Test cricket earlier and now represents India only in the 50-over format.

The 37-year-old batter, who has scored 14,941 runs in One-day Internationals, second only to Sachin Tendulkar’s 18,426, won the World Cup on home soil in 2011 before suffering defeat in the 2023 final against Australia.

The 2027 edition, to be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in October to November, will be Kohli’s fifth ODI World Cup.

“For me, it’s the last World Cup I’m going to play for India,” Kohli told broadcaster JioStar on Saturday.

“That is my motivation and, like, you know, to leave everything out there. And of course, the goal is absolutely to win the World Cup, and whatever it takes, I’m absolutely ready.”

Kohli said the demands of a 50-over World Cup made it one of cricket’s toughest challenges, particularly with the tournament set to be played away from home.

“The intensity of a 50-over World Cup is greater than anything. Because now, it’s about 10 games at a Twenty20 level of intensity,” he said.

“But you are playing 2.5 T20 games in one day. And to maintain that intensity for 10 games in a big tournament and World Cup is a big deal. Also now, it’s in foreign conditions. It takes a lot out of you.”

Former captain Rohit Sharma, who also plays only ODIs for India, said he remained fully motivated by the prospect of another World Cup campaign.

“The thought will never cross my mind that the business I had is finished,” Rohit said.

“As long as you’re playing, there is always something to look forward to. And I’m looking forward to the World Cup.”

Kohli and Rohit were both named in India’s squad for the three-match ODI series against West Indies. The opening match will be played in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.