KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Murtaza Wahab won Karachi’s mayoral elections on Thursday, defeating Jamat-e-Islami’s (JI) Hafiz Naeem Ur Rehman who alleges PPP for stopping his voters from voting by kidnapping them. The election for the Karachi mayor and deputy mayor of the port city were held by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) today at the Arts Council …

LAHORE: Federal Minister of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has claimed that a recent hearing of the Supreme Court on the Panama Papers case proved that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was targeted at the behest of some judges and generals. He claimed that the recent hearing also termed the judgment disqualifying Mr Sharif for life and the …

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday said after returning to power, the PTI would create a federal ministry to boost the dollar income and a separate set-up planning and looking for venues to generate greenbacks so that perennial problems can be sorted out. Addressing a webinar, with a rather extended title From Crisis to Catastrophe: Budget 2023-24 and …

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court has extended by a day an order for the trial court not to proceed against Imran Khan in the Toshakhana criminal case. The PTI chairman had filed an appeal against his indictment in the Toshakhana criminal case. Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the plea of the PTI chairman. The petitioner’s lawyer Khawaja …

GILGIT: The coordinator to Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid and his parents were killed after his vehicle fell into a ravine on Tuesday. His sister sustained serious injuries. Muzamil Hussain was travelling with his family when the accident took place in Skardu. According to police, the car skidded off Jugulote-Skardu Road and fell into a ravine near Shangos area on Tuesday …

KARACHI: The local body elections in Sindh took place on January 15. In these elections, the PPP emerged as the leading party in Karachi, securing 93 seats. The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), with 86 seats, closely trailed them. As neither party managed to gain a clear majority, they must now rely on forming alliances to elect their respective mayoral candidates. Any party …

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Communications Maulana Asad Mehmood was overjoyed as Pakistan Post moved up seven spots in the 2022 World Postal Rankings released by the Universal Postal Union (UPU). Mehmood, who was the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony of the “UMS-Overnight” Service by Pakistan Post, said Pakistan Post had reached the 155th position from 162nd in the world …

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) on Tuesday heard the case of killing of slain journalist Arshad Sharif who was shot dead in Kenya. The apex court adjourned the hearing of the case till the first week of July. The SCP Chief Justice of Pakistan SCP Umar Ata Bandial remarked that Investigating Officer (IO) should look according to the …

ISLAMABAD: National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) Chairman Tariq Malik on Tuesday stepped down from his post, Aaj News reported. Malik tendered his resignation in a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the PM’s House. The chairman is under investigation by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for alleged involvement in a corruption scandal. …

ISLAMABAD: The federal government’s petition to form a larger bench to hear the election commission’s review petition on Punjab polls was rejected. Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial has decided to retain the three-member bench for hearing the elections case. The Supreme Court Registrar’s Office released the cause list of the election review plea. A three-member bench headed by CJP …

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Monday arrested TikToker Sundal Khattak in a case pertaining to a fellow TikToker Hareem Shah’s video leak. Special Judge Central Islamabad heard the video leak case filed by Shah, during which she and the suspect, Khattak, appeared in the court along with their lawyers. During the hearing, the suspect said she neither made nor …

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad police on Monday booked journalists Shaheen Sehbai and Wajahat Saeed Khan, as well as army-officer-turned-Youtuber Adil Raja and anchorperson Syed Haider Raza Mehdi for “abetting mutiny” and inciting people to attack military installations across the country on May 9 the day violent protests erupted following PTI chief Imran Khan’s arrest. During the protest, military installations including the …

LAHORE: Chairman Rice Research and Development Board Punjab Shahzad Ali Malik warned that challenges such as climate change, water scarcity, and pests can affect rice production in Pakistan and hectic efforts must be made on top priority to address these issues through research and development, improved farming practices, and policy support to ensure the continued importance and sustainability of rice …

A case of killing of two police officers has been registered on government’s complaint in Karachi’s Sohrab Goth Police Station. The police officers Rahmat and Abdul Hakeem were shot dead near Sohrab goth. Karachi Police said that the attackers took advantage of the darkness and targeted the policemen. The case registered on behalf of ASI Nasir Raqbal Cheema, includes the …

KARACHI: In Karachi’s mayoral and deputy elections, the documents of Barrister Murtaza Wahab a PPP candidate and Jamaat-e-Islami’s Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman have been declared valid. In the Karachi Provincial Election Office, the papers of Murtaza Wahab’s covering candidate Najmi Alam, Deputy Mayor candidate Abdullah Murad of the People’s Party were also declared valid. Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Hafiz Naeemur Rahman said that …

Women, children are among the dead, President Alvi and PM Shehbaz condole loss of lives. Severe weather conditions struck the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab resulting in a devastating toll on human lives and infrastructure. As heavy downpours, strong winds, and thunderstorms battered the region, at least 25 people lost their lives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 4 lost …

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Sunday urged people to stay away from shorelines as Cyclone Biparjoy, which is heading towards the coastal areas of Pakistan and India, lay at a distance of about 760 kilometres south of Karachi. According to state-run Radio Pakistan, the NDMA also called on people to follow local authorities’ guidance in any emergency situation. …

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has been urged to declare that the trials of the civilians arrested, in light of the May 9 and 10 violent protests, under the Army Act and Official Secret Act are violative of Article 25 of the constitution, until and unless legal and reasonable guidelines are framed to structure the discretion not to arbitrarily try civilians …

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that Pakistan is at “the fork in the road” towards democracy. In an interview which aired on Saturday, Bilawal Bhutto discussed a raft of issues and the formidable challenges facing Pakistan. The Foreign Minister has said that despite many economic and political challenges faced by Pakistan, ranging from climate change to Russian-Ukraine conflicts …

KARACHI: People’s Party and Jamaat e Islami’s five candidates filed their nomination papers for Karachi Mayor’s election on last day of submitting nominations. Six candidates from the PPP, JI, Muslim League and PTI, have submitted nomination papers for the deputy mayor’s slot. Murtaza Wahab, his covering candidate Najmi Alam from the PPP, JI’s Hafiz Naeem, Junaid Mukati and Saifuddin advocate …

KARACHI: The Chief Minister Sindh on Saturday during his budget speech announced ongoing flagship projects under ADP 2023-24. English Medium Schools: Under the Rs 11,777.401 million project 50 state-of-the-art resilient schools are being constructed on prefabricated mild steel structures. The project is implemented under three separate schemes: the establishment of 25 English medium schools; one in each district, the establishment …

ISLAMABAD: The Australian High Commissioner Neil Hawkins has visited IRSA headquarters and discussed issues related to water sector and provision of technical training to IRSA officials. Chairman IRSA, Asjad Imtiaz Ali, along with Members IRSA Balochistan and Sindh, Abdul Hammed Mengel and Zahid Hussain Junejo and Secretary IRSA, Muhammad Khalid Rana welcomed the High Commissioner Hawkins. Chairman IRSA informed that …

LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Saturday here expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in rains in different areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The PM sympathised and condoled with the bereaved families, said PM’s media wing. He directed National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to ensure steps for relief and rehabilitation in the affected areas. He also ordered for …

At least three terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in the general Miran Shah area in North Waziristan district, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday. The military’s media wing said that three soldiers were also martyred in the intense exchange of fire that took place on the night between June 9 and 10. …

KARACHI: Provincial development budget set at Rs410bn; salaries increased by 30-35%; minimum wage set at Rs35,500 Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has presented the budget for the upcoming financial year 2023-24. The budget amounts to Rs2.244 trillion. The chief minister emphasized the commitment of the provincial government to revive Sindh’s economy. Furthermore, Rs25 billion will be allocated to irrigation …

ISLAMABAD: The Punjab caretaker government and the Islamabad administration have both decided to return the services of the army. The Punjab Home Department and the Islamabad authorities have written separate letters to the Interior Ministry, asking it to withdraw the services of the army from the province and the capital city. The letter written by the Punjab Home Department reportedly …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Kazakhstan have agreed to further expand bilateral cooperation in the fields of energy, agriculture, Information Technology and textiles. The understanding came during a telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, on Saturday. The prime minister underscored that Pakistan deeply valued its bilateral relations with Kazakhstan.  First Pakistan-Kazakhstan direct flight from July …

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has summoned a report from the Punjab government on a petition by the wife of PTI Senator Ejaz Chaudhry as the Camp Jail superintendent said providing better class in the jail was the domain of the additional chief secretary. A law officer submitted a report on behalf of the jail superintendent saying the PTI leader …

ISLAMABAD: The federal government had earmarked a total of Rs1,400 million for 10 ongoing and three new schemes of the Ministry of Law and Justice in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the fiscal year 2023-24. As per the budgetary documents released on Friday, the government had allocated Rs160 million for the ongoing scheme of automation of federal courts/tribunals …

The cyclonic storm Biparjoy over the Arabian Sea was maintaining its intensity and lay 910 kilometres south of Karachi, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) warned on Saturday. Maximum sustained surface winds were 120-130km/hour while gusts of 150km/hour were around the system centre, the department said. “The favourable environmental conditions (sea surface temperature of 30-32°C, low vertical wind shear and upper-level …

ISLAMABAD: Addressing a post-budget briefing on Saturday, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Ishaq Dar said the government intends to address all concerns of stakeholders, stressing that “we have been able to halt economic downfall, now we want to take the economy towards growth.” For starters, with effect from Monday two committees will be set up in the Federal Board …

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a contribution of Euro 3.5 million from the Government of France in support of the ongoing flood response for women and children affected by life-threatening malnutrition in Pakistan. The funding will help WFP reach thousands of children under-five and pregnant and breast-feeding women and girls suffering from acute malnutrition with lifesaving …

LAHORE: The caretaker Provincial Health Minister Dr Javed Akram, while distributing laptops among students belonging to Kashmir in Allama Iqbal Medical College (AIMC) said that Pakistani people’s hearts beat with Kashmiris. “We stand with Kashmiri brothers and sisters; now, laptops will be distributed to Kashmiri children every year. A hall is being built in Fatima Jinnah Medical University to pay …

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Finance and Revenue Ishaq Dar Friday presented a Rs14.46 trillion budget for the next fiscal year, avoiding rolling out new taxes and targeting economic growth of 3.5% as the cash-strapped nation seeks to unlock the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) bailout money. Pakistan has shared the budget numbers with the IMF, and the finance minister believes there’s no …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Hammad Azhar and Asad Umar have slammed the Pakistan. Azhar lashed out at Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for presenting the pre-budget Pakistan Economic Survey 2022-23 Stating that he should have resigned along with the survey. Condemning the PDM coalition government on Twitter, the former finance minister said: “The economic destruction that PDM has wrought in …

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed to immediately release Rs34 billion for Balochistan. The order was issued after a meeting of the leaders of Balochistan Awami Party with the prime minister. The PM said the BAP is a strong coalition partner in the Centre, adding the prosperity of Balochistan is the government’s foremost priority. He further vowed to address …

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Accountability Court has sent four references, including one about mega money laundering, against former president Asif Ali Zardari back to the National Accountability Bureau. The court was hearing a fake accounts case against Asif Zardari and other suspects. The court sent four references back to the NAB. Judge Muhammad Bashir pronounced his decision after hearing the arguments of all …

LAHORE: One tonne of Sindhri variety was transported by YTO Express via a newly opened cargo flight between Lahore and Nanning The second batch of Pakistani mangoes arrived in Nanning, the capital of China’s southwest autonomous region of Guangxi, Adnan Hafeez, Director of Imperial Ventures (Pvt) Ltd said. The shipment comprising one tonne of Sindhri variety was transported by YTO …

The Supreme Court’s Justice Sardar Tariq Masood observed on Friday that establishing offshore companies is “no crime”, while hearing a Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) plea seeking action against all 436 Pakistanis named in the 2016 Panama Papers. On Nov 3, 2017, the JI had, through an application, reminded the court of its pending petition filed by party emir Sirajul Haq in August …

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office on Thursday said that economic diplomacy is a key pillar of Pakistan’s foreign policy and the country’s missions abroad are under clear instructions for making efforts to promote economic ties and to find opportunities for boosting exports and bringing foreign investment in the country. Speaking at her weekly media briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said …