For the past many years, Balochistan has been in the grip of a low-intensity conflict, and has experienced four insurgencies since Independence. While separatist groups continue to carry out attacks on security forces, human rights organisations have expressed concern about a growing number of missing persons cases and human rights violations. In more recent times, the ethnic Shia minority has …

Pakistan authorities arrested 10 alleged human traffickers days after dozens of migrants drowned off the coast of Greece, officials said on Sunday. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also ordered an immediate crackdown on agents engaged in people smuggling, saying they would be “severely punished”. Every year, thousands of young Pakistanis embark on perilous journeys attempting to enter Europe illegally in search …

As the crisis-ridden country received its first shipment of Russian crude oil under groundbreaking agreement, Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov ruled out any sort of special discount for Islamabad on the purchase of ‘Urals’ crude from Moscow. According to foreign media, the minister told media that “Oil deliveries to Pakistan have begun. There is no special discount; for Pakistan, it …

The security forces claim to have achieved success against terrorism, with the alleged killing of a most wanted terrorist commander among three in Darra Adamkhel. Zafar alias Zafri and his two associates were killed in an alleged encounter with security forces. The forces conducted an operation on a tip-off on the night between June 16 and 17. The gunned down …

ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad sessions court on Saturday granted the police a two-day physical remand of PTI leader Shehryar Afridi over a case pertaining to the May 9 riots. Afridi was arrested on May 16 from his Islamabad residence under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance, 1960, which enables the government to arrest any person. On May …

Cyclone Biparjoy which hit India’s Gujarat coast near the border with Pakistan on Thursday weakened into a depression by Saturday morning, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said, declaring it safe for fishermen in Balochistan to venture into the sea starting today and for those in Sindh from tomorrow. Biparjoy, which means “calamity” in Bengali, had hit the state of Gujarat …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Saturday that 12 of its citizens have been identified among survivors of a shipwreck that killed at least 78 people off the coast of Greece. In a tweet, the Foreign Office (FO) said that at this stage they were unable to verify number and identity of Pakistanis among the deceased. ‘‘Pakistani Embassy remains in contact with …

ISLAMABAD: Prays Supreme Court to overthrow verdicts of anti-terrorism courts and order release of all accused held by military PPP leader and former federal minister Aitzaz Ahsan has filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the trials of civilians in the military courts. Through the petition filed on Saturday, Aitzaz Ahsan prayed the court to declare trial of a …

ISLAMABAD: As many as 13 people died and 15 others were injured when an Islamabad-bound bus crashed on Motorway near Salt Range on Saturday. The driver of the bus owned by a private company lost control of the vehicle which then crossed the divider line and turned turtle. The bus BSG-055 was travelling from Chakwal to Islamabad when it met …

LAHORE: The advocate general submitted his resignation to Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, citing personal reasons. The Punjab AG has said in his resignation that he is unable to perform further his duties due to personal reasons. Shan Gul will stay in office and perform his duties till June 26. In mid-February, the Punjab government had appointed senior lawyer, Muhammad …

ISLAMABAD: Leaders of the coalition parties in the federal government have started considering the dissolution of the National Assembly a few days before its constitutional period ends. According to sources, the ruling coalition has started consultations regarding the date for general elections. Government leaders are mulling over the proposal to dissolve the National Assembly a week before its constitutional period. …

QUETTA: After learning of the ban, the CM ordered the Inspector General of Police to seize the crackdown operation, a media report stated The CM added that selling Iranian petrol feeds and supports countless families It bears mentioning here that Iranian petrol is smuggled into Pakistan, making it illegal. Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) controls Pakistani oil and gas …

ISLAMABAD: The government announced on Saturday that key issues had been settled with the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) which had set started its ‘Pakistan Bachao March’ and had set off from Karachi on May 22. The party had demanded the release of Dr Aafia Siddiqui from jail in the US and wanted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to write a letter …

KARACHI: Prices of sacrificial animals have gone up as Eid-ul-Azha is fast approaching, the rising cost of animals will put extra burden on those who want to participate in joint Qurbani. Up till now the cattle market was relatively dull due to high prices of animals, ever decreasing purchasing power of the general public, prevailing law and order conditions in …

ISLAMABAD: The social media profiles of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and other prominent leaders have been shared with the Federal Investigation Agency for a forensic test for allegedly sharing controversial content from March 8 to May 9. A total of 23 links of Instagram, Facebook and Twitter have been dispatched to the FIA, according to the police. The police further …

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi Thursday signed the Daycare Centres Bill 2023, under which setups for minor children will be established at the public and private departments in Islamabad. The president inked the document in line with Article 75 of the Constitution, the President’s House said in a statement. According to the Bill, the federal government will ensure the setting …

KARACHI: Hafiz Naeem Ur Rehman, the Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi emir who lost the mayoral elections to Pakistan People Party’s (PPP) Murtaza Wahab, has rejected the results, saying the party would observe “Black Day” on Friday. Addressing a press conference in Karachi on Thursday, Hafiz Naeem claimed that the ECP played the role of the People’s Party’s B-team, asserting he would not …

The Karachi police detained eight suspects on Thursday after clashes erupted between JI and PPP supporters outside the Arts Council of Pakistan (ACP) where voting for the city’s mayor elections was under way. South Deputy Inspector General (DGP) Irfan Ali Baloch said that clashes broke out after reports of PPP’s Barrister Murtaza Wahab winning the polls surfaced. According to unofficial …

ISLAMABAD: Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that till date, no case against any woman involved in the May 9 violence following the arrest of PTI chairman Imran Khan, has been sent to the military courts. The minimum requirements as required under different international laws, especially Article 14 of the International Covenants for Civil and Political Rights 1966 (ICCPR) that …

LAHORE: The caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi has given in-principle approval for the implementation of ‘Safe City Project’ in Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, and Gujranwala using local resources. Stressing their importance as integral components of smart cities, he emphasized the need to commence these projects promptly. Expanding the scope of safe city project to other cities aims to enhance public safety …

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 …