Pakistan

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti on Thursday said Pakistan was fighting a full-fledged “intelligence-driven war” funded by India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and carried out through “Indian proxies”. The security situation in Balochistan has deteriorated, with militants escalating attacks as part of a long-running insurgency. Last month, Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry accused India of activating its “assets” post-Pahalgam to intensify terrorism in Pakistan, citing “irrefutable evidence” of state-sponsored attacks directed by Indian military personnel. He said “credible intelligence” showed India tasked groups such as the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban and other militant cells to ramp up activity. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad today, Bugti referred to the attacks in his province and said: “This is a completely Raw-funded intelligence-driven war against the state of Pakistan.” He said India changed its narrative after suffering a crushing blow...

Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to “help resolve” the standoff between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s nuclear programme, the Kremlin said on Thursday. “We have a close partnership with Tehran. And President Putin said that he was ready to use this partnership to help resolve the Iranian nuclear issue,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. After a call between the leaders on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said Putin had offered to “participate” in talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme, as Trump accused Iran of “slow-walking” its response to Washington’s offer of a deal. Washington and Tehran have held five rounds of talks since April to thrash out a new accord to replace the nuclear deal that Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018. Trump said on Monday that his administration would not allow “any” enrichment of uranium, despite Tehran’s insistence that it has the right under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said earlier...

Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan on Thursday submitted a request to National Assembly (NA) Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq to constitute a committee to appoint a new chief election commissioner (CEC) and two new members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The constitutional deadline for the appointment of a new chief election commis­sioner and two members of the ECP exp­ired on March 12, with no action from the government. On Wednesday, it emerged that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote a letter to Ayub inviting him to join consultations to appoint a new CEC. No exact date for a meeting was given, nor were any names released about prospective CECs in the letter, dated May 16. In today’s letter to the NA speaker — seen by Dawn.com — Ayub recalled a previous letter written on January 15 in which he requested that the parliamentary process to appoint a new CEC be initiated. “I am writing once again to remind you that a considerable period has passed since the expiry of the Chief Ele...

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader and head of Senate parliamentary party Senator Irfan Siddiqui has asserted that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has lost its ability to mobilize any movement following the events of May 9, 2023, adding that any attempt by PTI to launch a movement would only lead to further difficulties and yield no.

Director General Information Service Academy (ISA) Mubashir Tauqir Shah on Thursday held a farewell meeting with Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the construction of new dams will be made with the consensus of all provinces.

Head of Parliamentary delegation and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has urged the international community to support Pakistan in its efforts to achieve peace through dialogue and diplomacy.

The man charged with fire-bombing a Colorado march by people who wanted to raise awareness of Israeli hostages in Gaza is scheduled to be formally charged in state court on Thursday, as those he targeted vowed to carry on their efforts. State prosecutors say Mohamed Soliman, 45, faces nearly 400 years in prison on attempted murder charges in state court. He also faces other state charges. Prosecutors on Wednesday said the number of people injured in the attack rose to 15 ranging in age from 25 to 88. A dog also was injured. Soliman also faces federal hate crimes charges that carry a life sentence. A federal court appearance is scheduled for Friday. The Boulder public defenders office, listed in court documents as representing Soliman, did not respond to a request for comment. Prosecutors say that Soliman, an Egyptian national, on Sunday tossed Molotov cocktails and yelled “Free Palestine” at people taking part in an event organised by Run for Their Lives, an organisation devoted to drawing attention to the ho...

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday termed India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) as “a blatant violation and act of water aggression” and warned that Pakistan will give a befitting response under the decisions taken in the April 24 National Security Committee (NSC) meeting.

With the heatwave in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa likely to intensify from June 7 to 12, the provincial disaster management authority (PDMA) on Thursday issued an advisory cautioning the public. Day temperatures are likely to remain 5 to 7°C above normal from June 7-12 in Peshawar, Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda, Nowshera, Kohat, Hangu, Bannu, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Khyber, Kurram, Orakzai, Waziristan, Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Buner, Malakand, Bajaur and Mohmand, according to a PDMA advisory dated June 5, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com. “Additionally, dust storm/rain-thunderstorm associated with gusty winds are expected over the province,” PDMA said. It noted that rising temperatures in upper areas may enhance the snowmelt rate during the forecasted period, and advised precautionary measures be taken to avoid any loss of life, damages to crops/ infrastructure and livestock. The general public, especially senior citizens and children, sh...

In a powerful and emotional sermon delivered during Hajj 2025 from Masjid al-Namirah, Sheikh Dr.

In celebration of Eidul Azha, the Punjab government has granted a 90-day special remission in prison sentences across the province.

A Karachi resident who was assaulted in the Defence Housing Authority earlier this week says he has forgiven the suspect and does not want to take the case to court, even as a judge rejected the suspect’s bail in a separate hearing. On Monday, Karachi police arrested a main suspect along with two of his employees over charges of beating a citizen named Dheeraj. The suspect, identified as Salman Farooqi, was arrested from DHA and his vehicle was impounded. Farooqi, who was travelling in a luxury car, allegedly assaulted a motorcyclist accompanied by a woman on the Khayaban-i-Ittehad Road following a minor accident. A judicial magistrate on Tuesday remanded Farooqi and his guard, Owais Hashmi in police custody in the case. They were produced in court today by the police following the completion of their two-day remand. Today, Dheeraj appeared in court and identified the suspect. “I was not aware that the court had summoned me,” he said. “The lawyer told me today, so I appeared.” The judicial magistrate asked Dh...

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has strongly condemned what he termed as “Fitna-e-Hindustan,” holding it responsible for fuelling terrorism and unrest in Balochistan through foreign-backed proxy wars.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a severe heatwave warning for most parts of the country during the Eidul Azha holidays and the following week.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) was informed on Thursday that former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry’s name has been removed from the Passport Control List (PCL), in line with the court’s earlier directive.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reiterated the federal government’s commitment to improving transport infrastructure and essential services in Karachi, highlighting the Green Line project as a top priority.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced a boycott of National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, barring its members from participating in any events or official foreign delegations led by him.

KARACHI: A man attempted suicide after killing his wife and a minor son in Surjani Town on Wednesday, police said. They added that Faisal Sagheer, 45, allegedly killed his wife Sana, 35, and 10-year-old son Mohammed Ali. Later on, he attempted suicide by cutting his throat and got injured. Surjani Town police SHO Mohammed Ali Shah told Dawn that Faisal owned a hardware shop in the area but on the day of the incident, he did not open it. His children study the Quran at the home of his sister in the vicinity of the same area, but on that day they did not attend the class as well. It triggered suspicion among his relatives. Faisal’s sister made calls on the cell phone of her sister-in-law, which was on, but no one responded. Ultimately, she visited the residence of her brother in Yusuf Goth near Karimi Chowrangi, knocked at the door but did not get any response. Then she saw from a window that both her brother and sister-in-law were struggling for their lives. She raised alarm, alerting neighbours who entered th...

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader and former Speaker of the National Assembly, Asad Qaiser, has declared that the party is prepared to make any sacrifice in its struggle for the Constitution and rule of law, vowing to give the federal government a tough time in the days ahead.