As the nation commemorates the sombre anniversary of the May 9 tragedy, the families of the dead martyrs continue to deal with tremendous loss and a sense of injustice.

One year after the heartbreaking events, their anguish is apparent, and their tears attest to the lasting pain of loss.

The relatives of the martyrs expressed their feelings in emotional professions of love and remembrance, their voices filled with emotion. “I am proud that Allah chose my son for martyrdom,” remarked the mother of Captain Taha Hashmi Shaheed, echoing her son’s steadfast dedication and sacrifice.

However, despite their pride, worries about the legacy of those who gave their life for their country persist. “Did the sacrifices of these martyrs go in vain?” said another weeping mother, her pain echoing that of countless others who have lost loved ones.

For the families, the destruction of the memorials created in memory of the dead soldiers on May 9 was an inexcusable act of contempt. “The desecration of the martyrs’ memorials on May 9 was intolerable,” lamented Captain Mohammad Aqib Javed Shaheed’s sister, her grief obvious in her words.

Calling for justice, the families encouraged the government to take immediate and decisive action against those guilty for the tragic events of May 9. “I appeal to the government to take strict action against those responsible for May 9,” Captain Mohammad Aqib Javed Shaheed’s sister pleaded, echoing many others’ feelings.

The families felt great betrayal, and their faith was challenged by the conduct of individuals who desecrated the memory of their slain heroes. “The tragedy that happened on May 9 is highly condemnable,” said Naik Islam Kashif Zuberi Shaheed’s sister, her words tinged with disbelief and outrage.

Another letter has emerged from the Islamabad High Court, highlighting a rising trend of aggressive campaigns against the court.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani has also written to the IHC chief justice, requesting him to file contempt of court proceedings against individuals involved in the alleged smear campaign.

This event follows a similar letter delivered yesterday by Justice Babar Sattar to the chief justice of the Islamabad High Court, suggesting a concerted effort among judges to address what they see as an attack on the judiciary’s integrity and authority.

According to officials in the judiciary, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani emphasised the importance of taking action against anyone guilty for spreading misinformation or engaging in activities that are considered contemptuous of the court.

In response to Justice Sattar’s letter, the Supreme Court issued a significant ruling on Monday regarding the judge’s social media campaign. The court has announced that contempt proceedings will be initiated in response to the alleged hostile campaign against Justice Sattar.

According to reports, Justice Babar Sattar wrote a letter to IHC Chief Justice Aamir Farooq about a social media campaign against him. The court then decided to treat the letter as a contempt of court action.

The Pakistani rupee rose 0.04% versus the US dollar during early trading hours on Tuesday in the interbank market.

At 10 a.m., the rupee stood at 278.12 against the US dollar, up Re0.12 from the previous day’s finish of 278.24, which had seen a small decrease of Re0.03.

In a momentous development, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is scheduled to visit Pakistan next week for important talks with Pakistani leaders.

These talks are scheduled to feature the signing of multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) targeted at increasing Saudi investment in industries such as agriculture, mining, human resources, energy, chemicals, and shipping.

On the global front, the US dollar rose against the yen on Tuesday, as huge interest rate differentials weighed on the Japanese currency.

The US dollar climbed 0.22% to 154.235 yen in early Asian trading, adding to its 0.58% rise the day before. On Friday, the yen fell to its lowest level since April 10, weighed down by softer-than-expected monthly US jobs data and signals of likely Bank of Japan action.

Meanwhile, oil prices rose slightly after Israeli strikes on Rafah in Gaza, amid continued talks with Hamas over a truce. Brent crude prices increased 0.28% to $83.56 per barrel at 0400 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 0.31% to $78.72 a barrel.

This increase comes after a reversal of last week’s slump, during which both contracts suffered their worst weekly losses in three months, fueled by fears about disappointing US job statistics and speculation about the timing of a Federal Reserve rate decrease.