As Pakistan finalizes a $7 billion staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), policymakers have been alarmed by an unresolved $6 billion annual discrepancy in the country’s trade data, which reportedly remains unaddressed despite repeated reminders from the Fund. According to official documents, the issue of inconsistent trade figures was once again raised by the IMF mission during its …

ISLAMABAD (Internews):  The Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Nurlan Yermekbayev, underscored China’s pivotal role in advancing global governance and multilateral diplomacy within the SCO framework during a webinar titled “Post-Tianjin SCO Summit: Achievements and Prospects for Multipolar Regional Cooperation.” organised by Centre for SCO Studies– Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies (IPDS) and Pakistan SCO Friendship Forum. …

Pakistan has earned global recognition by winning two international awards at the Osaka Expo 2025 in Japan, celebrating the country’s creativity, culture, and innovation on the world stage. According to official sources, the Pakistan Pavilion received the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Bronze Award and the Exhibitor Online Editors’ Choice Award, marking a proud moment for the nation. Built on …

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has stopped the by-election process in the NA-1 Chitral constituency while hearing a petition filed against the disqualification of Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Abdul Latif Chitrali. The case was heard by a two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Waqar Ahmad. During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel, Advocate Muazzam Butt, argued …

Pakistan’s Power Division has reported that net metering capacity across the country has reached 6,000 megawatts (MW), a milestone that officials say is both a success for renewable energy and a challenge for the national grid’s stability. During a briefing to the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Power, the Secretary Power Division said that the rapid expansion of solar energy …

Air pollution in Lahore and several other cities across Punjab has reached dangerous levels as cooler temperatures and winds from India have worsened smog conditions across the region, according to the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Fresh data from the EPA and the province’s advanced Smog and Climate Monitoring System shows that Lahore’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has climbed to …

The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Rawalpindi has announced the results of the first-year annual examinations, showing an overall pass percentage of 43.46 percent, with female students once again outperforming their male counterparts. According to the official results, 63,494 candidates appeared in the exams, of whom 28,442 passed while 35,052 failed. A total of 1,213 students were marked …

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has completed an inquiry into the controversial appointment and extraordinary salary increases of the former Chief Executive Officer of Pakistan Reinsurance Company Limited (PRCL), declaring that the company’s board violated multiple corporate laws and governance rules. According to the inquiry report, SECP found that the PRCL board appointed the former CEO without …

An audit report has revealed that officials of the Punjab Board of Revenue caused a loss of more than Rs2.82 billion to the national exchequer by failing to enforce mandatory banking procedures for property transactions. According to the report, around 4,700 properties were purchased through non-banking channels without any fines or penalties being imposed by the department. Under the law, …

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations General Assembly today elected Pakistan to the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) for a three-year term, commencing on 1 January 2026. Pakistan secured its seat with a resounding majority of 178 votes. This election to the Council marks the sixth time Pakistan has been chosen for this role since the HRC’s establishment in 2006. This …

On the sidelines of GITEX 2025, Federal Minister for IT & Telecom, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, met with H.E. Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary at the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, to discuss collaboration in digital governance, AI innovation, data infrastructure, and startup development. The Minister highlighted Pakistan’s Digital Nation Pakistan Act, National Data Exchange Layer, and initiatives promoting …

Pakistan and Rwanda have discussed strengthening bilateral trade through maritime-linked corridors connecting Karachi Port with key East African ports in a bid to boost access to regional markets and reduce shipping costs. The proposal was discussed during a meeting between Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry and Rwandan Ambassador Harerimana Fatou, who called on the minister at …

The Sindh High Court has issued notices to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and other relevant parties in response to a petition filed by Dr. Sarah Gill, Pakistan’s first transgender doctor, over the non-issuance of her medical registration and practicing license. During the hearing, Dr. Gill’s counsel informed the court that she had completed her MBBS degree from …

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Salman Akram Raja on Tuesday urged political and security actors to pursue talks with Afghanistan, saying enduring peace cannot be achieved without settling outstanding disputes between the two neighbours. Speaking to reporters in Peshawar, Raja also dismissed suggestions that PTI plans to march on Islamabad, saying the party has no intention of staging such a …

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has directed universities across the country to conduct the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) in accordance with the approved curriculum and examination guidelines. According to a PMDC spokesperson, all question papers will be reviewed in advance to ensure the removal of out-of-syllabus questions, and universities have been instructed to strictly maintain …

Rawalpindi’s health authorities have announced the successful completion of the first day of the city’s anti-polio campaign, achieving a major milestone with 989,924 children targeted for vaccination. According to the District Health Department Rawalpindi, vaccination teams managed to administer polio drops to 272,696 children across various areas. As part of the door-to-door campaign, health workers visited 207,427 households, completing 88 …

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved the dismissal of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Grade-20 officer Ranaa Waqar Ali after charges of incompetence, misconduct, and corruption were proven against him in an official inquiry. Following the prime minister’s approval, the FBR issued a formal notification confirming the officer’s removal from service. According to the notification, the inquiry committee found substantial …

The Rawalpindi Solid Waste Management Company (RSWMC) has imposed a new “garbage tax” on residents, shopkeepers, and commercial property owners, triggering widespread protests across the city. According to official sources, the tax has been implemented from September 1, and the company has begun sending bills ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000 to households, shops, and plazas. The collection process …

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that the Afghan Taliban are simultaneously issuing threats and expressing a desire for dialogue, urging them to first act on their threats before talking about negotiations. Speaking on a private TV program, Khawaja Asif stated that if any country launches an attack on Pakistan, Islamabad has the right to respond. He made it clear …

Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) hosted two high-level parliamentary delegations from Türkiye and Azerbaijan at its National Emergencies Operations Center (NEOC) in Islamabad on Monday. The Turkish parliamentary delegation was led by the Honourable Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, H.E. Prof. Dr. Numan Kurtulmuş, while the Azerbaijani delegation was headed by H.E. Ms. Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker …

On the occasion of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, Pakistan reaffirmed its steadfast commitment to global efforts aimed at reducing disaster risk, vulnerability, and losses. In his message, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister emphasized that reducing disaster risk is essential not only for humanitarian reasons but also for achieving sustainable development and building climate resilience. He noted …

Pakistan’s Tech Destination Pavilion was officially inaugurated today at GITEX Global 2025, marking a powerful continuation of the country’s rise as a global technology hub. The inauguration ceremony was led by Federal Minister for IT & Telecom, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, accompanied by Additional Secretary Ministry of IT & Telecom and CEO Ignite, H.E. Mr. Faisal Tirmizi, Ambassador of Pakistan to …

Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Senator Dr. Musadik Malik, held a meeting today with Ms. Helene Paust, Deputy Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Islamabad, and representatives from the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and the UNEP-CCC under the SPAR6C Programme funded by the German Federal Government. The meeting focused …

Under the directive of the Prime Minister, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) coordinated the dispatch of Alkhidmat Foundation’s 100 tons of relief consignment through a chartered flight. The relief consignment included flour, rice, sweet corn, chickpeas, ready-to-eat meals, cooking oil, and fruit cocktails. It was dispatched from Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore, to Gaza via Egypt. This marks Pakistan’s …

Road closures across Islamabad caused by a religious group’s protest disrupted judicial proceedings, as most lawyers were unable to reach the Islamabad High Court on Monday. As a result, hearings of several scheduled cases were postponed without any proceedings. The court’s division bench, comprising Justice Babar Sattar and Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, had its cause list cancelled for the …

The federal government has appointed former Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court, Justice (Retired) Muhammad Junaid Ghaffar, as the new Chairman of the Competition Appellate Tribunal (CAT), a key judicial body that hears appeals against decisions of the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP). The appointment comes nearly two months after the retirement of Justice (Retired) Sajad Ali Shah, who …

A police operation against the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) long march in Muridke concluded on Sunday after hours of violent clashes, leaving one police officer martyred and dozens injured, according to security officials. The Station House Officer (SHO) of Factory Area Police Station, Shahzad Jhoomhar, was reportedly martyred when protesters opened fire on security forces during the clearance operation. Law enforcement …

Pakistan has achieved a major milestone in its maritime and trade sectors as the country’s largest-ever container ship, the MSC Mikol, successfully docked at the South Asia Pakistan Terminal (SAPT), the nation’s only deepwater container terminal located at Karachi Port. According to an official statement released by SAPT on Saturday, the MSC Mikol, operated by the global shipping giant Mediterranean …

Pakistan’s Armed Forces have killed more than 200 Taliban and affiliated terrorists while repelling an unprovoked attack launched from across the Pak-Afghan border, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in an official statement on Sunday. According to ISPR, on the night of October 11 and 12, 2025, Afghan Taliban and Indian-sponsored Fitna al Khawarij (FAK) launched a coordinated assault involving …

The Sindh government has imposed Section 144 across the province for one month, banning public gatherings, rallies, and sit-ins, according to a notification issued by the Home Department. The notification states that under Section 144, no assembly of more than five people will be permitted in any part of the province. The restrictions are aimed at maintaining public order and …

A nationwide polio vaccination campaign will begin tomorrow (October 13) across 159 districts of Pakistan, according to the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC). In a statement, the NEOC said that during the weeklong campaign, more than 45.4 million children under the age of five will be administered polio drops. Alongside the vaccine, children will also receive an additional dose of …

Sixteen new dengue cases have been reported in Rawalpindi during the past 24 hours, according to the District Health Authority. Officials said that so far this year, 14,148 individuals have been tested for dengue, with 948 confirmed positive cases. Currently, 49 patients are under treatment at various hospitals, while no dengue-related deaths have been reported. As part of the ongoing …

A pilot project for Pakistan’s new digital system to report births and deaths has been launched in more than 50 hospitals and health centers across the country. The initiative is part of the National Biometric and Registration Policy Framework approved by the Prime Minister earlier this year. According to the Interior Ministry, NADRA has introduced this modern system in leading …

Metro bus and Orange Line train services in Lahore remain suspended for the fourth consecutive day due to ongoing protests by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), while other traffic in the city is operating normally. According to officials, the suspension was ordered as a precautionary measure amid the demonstrations. The protest has also caused significant damage to metro infrastructure. At the Shahdara …

Pakistan has expressed deep concern over the recent developments along the Pak-Afghan border, terming the unprovoked firing and raids by the Taliban government as a “serious provocation.” In a statement shared on social media platform X, Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that the country’s “befitting response and strikes are against Taliban infrastructure and to neutralize Fitna-e-Khawarij and Fitna-e-Hindustan terrorist …

The dengue outbreak in Islamabad continues as 26 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours, according to the district administration. Health department officials said that 14 cases were reported from rural areas and 12 from urban parts of the capital. Out of the total patients, 17 have been admitted to various hospitals for treatment. The district administration stated …

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration has thwarted multiple attempts to travel abroad using fake documents, arresting four suspects, including a woman, at Islamabad and Quetta airports. According to an FIA spokesperson, the Rawalpindi Immigration staff offloaded three passengers names Salman Khan, Badshah Khan, and a woman identified as Armaghan Balkhi for possessing forged travel documents. Salman Khan, a resident …

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed two significant Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at promoting information technology education and sports development, marking a new chapter of cooperation between the two nations. The signing ceremony took place in Karachi in the presence of Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori and Saudi Prince Mansour bin Muhammad Al Saud. Also present were Saudi Ambassador …

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said that Makkah and Madinah are dearer to Pakistanis than their own lives, calling it a great honor for Pakistan to host and safeguard visitors to the holy sites. Speaking at a ceremony held in honor of the Pakistan–Saudi Joint Business Council delegation, the chief minister said she had spent several years in Jeddah …

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has confirmed receiving the handwritten resignation of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Friday afternoon. According to official sources, the resignation was delivered to the Governor’s House by Brigadier (Retd) Musaddiq Abbasi, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Anti-Corruption. Abbasi handed over the resignation to the caretaker at the Governor’s House, who …