KARACHI (Internews): The fourth consignment of relief goods from China for the victims of the natural calamities in Pakistan has reached Karachi. The latest Chinese shipment includes one thousand sleeping bags, fourteen thousand tents, and twelve thousand blankets. The relief goods were stored at a warehouse in Karachi through trucks by the National Disaster Management Authority. So far, forty-five thousand …

A recent survey by the Federal Annual Finance and Planning Network (FAFN) has revealed that municipal authorities in Pakistan collect garbage from only 11 percent of households, highlighting a sharp decline in public sanitation services over recent years. According to the survey report for 2024-25, the municipal waste collection rate has dropped from 20 percent in 2018-19 to just 11 …

More than half of the buildings in the federal capital lack complete fire safety arrangements, raising serious concerns about public safety, according to findings from an initial survey conducted by the Capital Development Authority (CDA). Sources said the CDA carried out a preliminary assessment of high-rise buildings in Islamabad, categorising structures taller than 15 metres as high-rise buildings. The survey …

The government has sharply increased stamp paper fees across multiple categories, triggering strong public reaction as citizens complain of a growing financial burden on routine legal and administrative matters. According to the revised rates, the minimum value of an e-stamp paper has been increased from Rs100 to Rs300. The fee for divorce-related stamp papers has been raised tenfold, from Rs100 …

Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ruled that contracting a second marriage without the consent of the first wife and approval from the Arbitration Council is a clear violation of the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, exposing the husband to both criminal and civil consequences. In a five-page written judgment authored by Justice Musarrat Hilali, the apex court set aside earlier rulings of …

FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development and former Arsenal FC coach Arsène Wenger has highlighted the immense football talent in Pakistan and hinted at plans to establish a football academy in the country. Speaking to media on the sidelines of the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Wenger said Pakistan’s population is its greatest strength. “With …

Relief operations are under way in Kurram district as heavy snowfall has disrupted normal life in the area, with the Pakistan Army and civil emergency services working to restore connectivity and assist affected residents, officials said. According to security sources, troops used heavy machinery to clear snow-covered routes from Manato village to a local college. Following the operation, traffic flow …

The government has initiated practical implementation of an Integrated Energy Plan to address long-standing issues in the energy sector, including circular debt, weak coordination among ministries and fragmented planning, official sources said. The initiative aims to bring all relevant institutions onto a single platform to ensure coordinated, transparent and evidence-based decision-making. Energy officials said the lack of clear planning in …

Normal life has been severely disrupted in Pakistan’s upper regions due to continuous snowfall and extreme cold, with roads blocked, power supply disrupted and hundreds of people stranded, officials and media reports said on Saturday. Several districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan have received snowfall measuring several feet. The heavy snow has led to the closure …

President Asif Ali Zardari met Somali Interior Minister Ali Yousuf, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral engagement and witnessing the signing of an agreement abolishing visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports between the two countries. The agreement was signed by Hamza Adan Haadoow, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Somalia, and Dawood Muhammad Baraech, Special …

State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Jameel Ahmad has warned that cyber threats are on the rise amid shifting geopolitical conditions, with hackers becoming increasingly organised and sophisticated. Speaking at a Cyber Drills Award ceremony organised by the Pakistan Banks’ Association (PBA), Ahmad said no single institution could tackle cyber risks alone, stressing the importance of close coordination between regulators …

The British Council, in collaboration with the WOW Foundation, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Entrepreneurship and Community Development Institute (ECDI), is set to host WOW Pakistan 2026 to mark ten years of the Women of the World (WOW) Festival in Pakistan. According to organisers, the two-day festival will be held on January 24 and 25, 2026, at …

President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, has approved the confirmation and extension of tenure for additional judges of the Sindh, Lahore, and Peshawar High Courts. The approvals were granted based on recommendations from the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, aiming to ensure effective functioning of the judiciary and timely resolution of pending cases. President Zardari issued all approvals on the advice …

The Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Malik, briefed the Senate Standing Committee, chaired by Senator Sherry Rehman, on the Paper Mulberry Management and Ecological Restoration initiative in Islamabad, aimed at addressing the city’s severe seasonal pollen crisis. Dr Malik highlighted that the invasive Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera), introduced between the 1960s and …

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has demanded that Karachi be placed under federal control, calling for the city to be administered directly by the federation. Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Federal Minister and MQM leader Mustafa Kamal said Karachi should be brought under federal administration in accordance with Articles 148 and 149 of the Constitution. He called for an …

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif inaugurated Pakistan’s first Green Policing Unit, introducing electric vehicles for police patrolling for the first time in the country. With this initiative, Punjab has become the first province to adopt electric vehicles for routine police operations. During the inauguration ceremony, the chief minister inspected the electric patrol vehicle and also took it for a …

The National Assembly has passed a bill to further amend the Elections Act 2017, under which the Elections (Amendment) Act 2026 will come into force immediately. According to parliamentary proceedings, the bill was moved by Member of the National Assembly Shazia Marri. After its approval, amendments were made to Section 9 of the Elections Act by replacing the word “Supreme” …

Customs Enforcement Peshawar has seized smuggled goods and offending vehicles worth Rs. 170 million in three successful anti-smuggling operations, dealing a major blow to smuggling, illicit trade, and narcotics trafficking. The seizures were carried out by different formations of the Collectorate, which intercepted attempts to smuggle foreign-origin charas (hashish), cashew nuts, black pepper, cigarettes, miscellaneous items, and a non-duty-paid Toyota …

The 8th Pakistan–Japan Government–Business Joint Dialogue and the Pakistan Business Forum were held in Tokyo, marking the first convening of the Joint Dialogue in the Japanese capital since December 2018. The Government–Business Joint Dialogue was co-chaired by Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan, Coordinator to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Commerce and Industry, and Takuo Komori, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade …

Federal Minister for Commerce of Pakistan, Jam Kamal Khan, held a high-level meeting today with His Excellency Jiang Zaidong, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Pakistan, on the sidelines of the ongoing Pakistan-China Agriculture Investment Conference. The meeting underscored the strategic priority both countries place on strengthening bilateral economic ties, particularly in the agriculture sector. Pakistan’s delegation, led …

Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) has announced the discovery of new oil and gas reserves in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the company said on Tuesday. OGDCL informed the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) about the discovery through an official notice. According to the letter, the discovery was made at the Bargzai field in Kohat, where the X-1 well has yielded 3,100 …

Punjab’s judicial system has begun implementing a new mechanism to curb the filing of fake and bogus cases, following the approval of a plan devised by Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Alia Neelum. Under the new system, biometric verification has been made mandatory before the filing of petitions and applications in the Lahore High Court and …

The Punjab government has decided to establish the Suthra Punjab Authority under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, aimed at improving sanitation and waste management across the province. The Punjab Assembly Standing Committee on Local Government has approved the Suthra Punjab Authority Bill 2025, paving the way for the creation of the new body. According to the bill, the …

Pakistan and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) signed three financing agreements worth $603 million (Rs168.49 billion) in Islamabad to support key infrastructure, social protection, and education projects. The agreements were finalized after a meeting between Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema and IsDB Vice President Dr Rami Ahmed. The documents were signed by Dr Rami Ahmed on behalf …

ISLAMABAD (Internews): The Chinese embassy in Pakistan has expressed deep sadness over the tragic loss caused by the devastating fire incident in Karachi’s Gul Plaza. In a statement released on Tuesday, the embassy extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and conveyed sincere sympathies to those affected by the disaster. Additionally, the embassy wished for the early recovery …

ISLAMABAD (Internews): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that Pakistan, essentially an agrarian economy, held immense and largely untapped potential in agriculture and can transform its agri-sector not in years, but in months by adopting modern technologies, improving productivity and strengthening cooperation with China. Addressing the Pakistan–China Agri Investment Conference here, the prime minister noted that nearly 65% of …

ISLAMABAD (Internews): The Government of China has appointed Gulmina Bilal, Chairperson of Pakistan’s National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), as the first Chairperson of the China Global Professional and Technical Certification Center (CGPTC), marking a significant milestone for Pakistan as it assumes leadership of this newly established international body. According to details, the Government of China has formally established …

BEIJING (Internews): A parliamentary delegation led by the Speaker National Assembly of Pakistan Sardar Ayaz Sadiq arrived in Beijing on Monday for a three-day official visit to the People’s Republic of China. The visit is being undertaken at the special invitation of Mr. Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) of China. Upon arrival …

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has recommended legal amendments to ensure the timely conduct of local government elections across the country. According to the ECP spokesperson, local governments are a vital pillar of the democratic system. However, successive governments have so far failed to hold local elections on schedule. The Election Commission has submitted recommendations to the government proposing …

A Pakistan Air Force (PAF) contingent comprising F-16 Block 52 fighter jets along with air and ground personnel has reached at King Abdulaziz Air Base in Saudi Arabia. According to the PAF spokesperson, the contingent will participate in the multinational air combat exercise Spires of Victory 2026. The exercise includes air forces from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, France, Italy, Greece, Qatar, …

Federal Minister for Health, Syed Mustafa Kamal, during his official visit to Indonesia, held an important meeting with Shadiq Akasya, President Director of the renowned vaccine manufacturing company Bio Farma. The meeting marked a significant step forward in strengthening bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Indonesia in the field of vaccine production. According to the spokesperson of the Ministry of National …

Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to expand the Track and Trace System (TTS) to several new sectors, including steel, pharmaceuticals, spices, biscuits and other packaged products, after reporting strong results in the sugar, cigarette, fertilizer and cement industries. According to FBR sources, the system, which uses unique identification markings on products, has helped the tax authority prevent …

ISLAMABAD (Internews): A parliamentary delegation led by the Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, is visiting the People’s Republic of China from January 19 to January 21, 2026, on the special invitation of the Chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC) of China, Mr. Zhao Leji. The visit marks the first state-level and maiden official visit of the Pakistani Parliament …

The death toll from the devastating fire at Gul Plaza on Karachi’s M.A. Jinnah Road rose to 14 on Monday after eight more bodies were recovered from the smouldering debris, as firefighters resumed operations following the re-emergence of flames inside the damaged structure. The blaze, which erupted late Saturday night at the multi-storey shopping mall, was brought under control after …

Opposition leader in the National Assembly and head of the Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Aaeen Pakistan, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, stressed the importance of upholding the constitution, warning that breaking it would damage relationships across the country. Addressing a public gathering in Jamshoro, Achakzai criticized restrictions on meetings held by PTI founders, describing them as “inhuman,” and called for inclusive governance that respects all languages …

Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik represented Pakistan at the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Riyadh, where he took part in high-level discussions aimed at showcasing Pakistan’s vast mineral potential to the global community. On the sidelines of the forum, the minister held a series of important bilateral meetings. He met Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy, HRH Prince Abdulaziz …

Adviser to the Federal Minister for Finance, Khurram Shehzad, has announced that significant relief will be provided to salaried individuals and registered businesses in the upcoming federal budget, as the government works to strengthen purchasing power and promote sustainable economic growth. Speaking to a private TV channel, Khurram Shehzad said the government is actively working on reducing energy tariffs and …

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is considering a massive relief package worth between Rs1.5 trillion and Rs2 trillion aimed at reviving Pakistan’s industrial sector, and is expected to seek support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during a meeting next week in Davos, sources said. The prime minister is scheduled to meet IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Tuesday on the …

Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal announced that under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program, residents of Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir can receive free treatment at private hospitals. He made the remarks during the inauguration of the second digitized health center in Jacob Lines, Karachi. The minister described the event as a moment of gratitude and …

Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said he would not allow speeches against Pakistan, the judiciary, or the armed forces on the floor of the National Assembly. Speaking to the media during a visit to the National College of Arts (NCA), Ayaz Sadiq said he would perform his role strictly as speaker, remaining neutral between the government and …