Pakistan

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Judge hears final arguments in Google trial over proposals to curb its online search and ad monopoly

Kerala is the worst-hit state, followed by Maharashtra and Delhi, amid a sharp Covid spike reported in just four days

PPP Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman on Saturday expressed “serious concern” over Pakistan topping the list of countries most affected by climate change, stating that training Pakistanis to protect themselves from severe weather is the need of the hour. The Climate Risk Index (CRI), published by Germanwatch, ranks countries by the human and economic toll of extreme weather. The latest edition highlights increasing losses and the urgent need for stronger climate resilience and action. In the report published in February, Pakistan was ranked as the most vulnerable country to climate change in 2022, followed by Belize and Italy. Rehman shared the report to her X page, stating that Pakistan had been listed in the report as the country most affected by climate change. “CRI ranks countries by the human and economic toll of extreme weather, measuring realised risk,” she wrote, adding that the report “should serve as a huge wake-up call”. In a longer statement published by the PPP, Rehman regretted that Pakistan ...

RWMC has finalised cleaning arrangements, removal of offal ahead of Eid

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Barrister Ali Zafar announced on Saturday that party founder Imran Khan has decided to launch a nationwide protest movement against the government.

A reduction of 91,000 cusecs in water flows from India into Chenab River was recorded in the past two days, the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) said on Saturday. Delhi suspended its participation in the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which governs the usage of the Indus river system, on April 23, shortly after 26 civilians were killed in India-held Kashmir. Delhi, without evidence, blamed Islamabad for the attack. The latter has denied the allegations and called for a neutral probe. Despite the two nuclear-armed neighbours agreeing to a ceasefire this month following the worst fighting between them in decades, the accord remains “in abeyance” by India. According to data provided by Wapda today, the inflow of water at Chenab River at Marala Headworks was 98,200 cusecs on May 29, before dropping to 44,800 cusecs yesterday. The inflows plunged further to 7,200 cusecs today, with no water discharged. Overall, a reduction of 91,000 cusecs in the inflow of water at Chenab River at Marala Headworks wa...

United States President Donald Trump told reporters late on Friday he wanted to assure Chinese international students in the country that they would be fine amid his administration’s crackdown on academia. Trump’s administration this week said it would specifically target permissions for Chinese students, in its latest broadside against US higher education. But when asked on Friday what message he would send to Chinese college students in the country, Trump insisted: “They’re going to be ok. It’s going to work out fine. “We just want to check out the individual students we have. And that’s true with all colleges,” he told reporters. The softer tone comes after a judge on Thursday extended a temporary block on Trump’s bid to prevent Harvard from enrolling international students. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed on Wednesday to “aggressively” revoke visas to students from China. Rubio has already revoked thousands of visas, largely over students’ involvement in activism critical of Israel’s offensive in ...

Punjab’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Saturday said it foiled a “major terror plot” by arresting 34 terrorists of banned organisations during 415 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) across the province. The CTD regularly carries out operations across the province to prevent and investigate terrorism-related activities and gather intelligence. Operating under the provincial police department, the Punjab CTD plays a key role in maintaining internal security and countering terrorism within the country. The law enforcement agency said in a statement, “Two dangerous terrorists [were] arrested in Lahore along with explosives, both of whom are affiliated with Fitna al Khawarij.” Fitna Al Khawarij is a term the state uses to refer to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The statement quoted a CTD spokesperson as saying, “Punjab CTD conducted 415 IBOs in different districts of the province to effectively deal with any untoward incident of terrorism, in which 420 suspects were questioned and 34 terror...

Pakistan on Saturday said India was violating its international human rights obligations by its “deliberate incitement” against Muslims in its own territory. The statement comes amid heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries in the wake of their recent military confrontation, sparked by New Delhi’s allegations levelled without evidence against Islamabad over a deadly attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Responding to media queries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said in a statement: “The targeting of Muslims through hate speech, discriminatory actions, and state complicity is a matter of serious concern for the international community. “At a time when restraint and reconciliation are most needed, the deliberate incitement of religious hatred for political or ideological purposes violates international human rights obligations and vitiates the prospects for communal harmony, and regional stability,” it added. Pakistan expressed “grave concern over the alarming ris...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during his visit to Command and Staff College Quetta on Saturday, commended the Pakistan Armed Forces for their pivotal role in Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos, calling them the “guardians of national sovereignty and integrity.

Naeem Haider Panjotha, legal counsel for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, firmly dismissed speculation about Khan's possible release before Eid, calling such claims baseless.

The Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has issued arrest warrants for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Abdul Latif and six others following their conviction in the May 9 riots case.

India’s Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan confirmed on Saturday that his country’s fighter jets were shot down by Pakistan during the four-day conflict earlier in the month. Indian fighter jets were shot down by the Pakistan Air Force on the night of May 6-7 in response to the Indian Air Force’s late-night missile strikes at six Pakistani sites, including Subhan Mosque in Bahawalpur’s Ahmedpur East, Bilal Mosque in Muzaffarabad, Abbas Mosque in Kotli, Umalkura Mosque in Muridke, the village of Kotki Lohara in Sialkot district, and Shakargarh. Pakistan took down six Indian jets, including three advanced French Rafale planes. According to a Dawn report, the recent clash between India and Pakistan marks a significant development in the regional air power constellation. Three Rafales, one Su-30MKI, one Mirage 2000 and one MiG-29 were downed within a 40-minute span. Not one Pakistani jet crossed the border or engaged in close combat. While speaking to Bloomberg at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Ge...

At the Eurasian Forum in Perm, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov issued sharp criticism of India’s growing alignment with Western-led alliances, particularly targeting the QUAD and the Indo-Pacific Strategy.

Pakistan’s pre-Hajj flight operation is set to conclude today (Saturday), marking the final phase of transporting pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2025.

Hours after Pakistan decided to enhance ties with Afghanistan yesterday, the Afghan foreign ministry welcomed the decision and announced upgrading the status of its chargé d’affaires in Islamabad to ambassador. Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to upgrade their diplomatic relations by exchanging envoys earlier this month — a key step towards normalising ties after years of strained relations due to terrorism concerns repeatedly voiced by Islamabad. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan welcomes the decision of the Government of Pakistan to upgrade the level of its diplomatic mission in Kabul to that of an ambassador,” the Afghan foreign ministry said on its X account late on Friday. “In reciprocity, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will elevate the status of its mission in Islamabad from chargé d’affaires to ambassador,” the ministry added. Zakir Jalaly, an Afghan foreign ministry official, wrote on X that the current chargé d’affaires in Islamabad, Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb, will ...

The Punjab government on Saturday said that Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) will be in place to prevent disturbance of public peace and danger to human life from June 5 to June 11. A notification issued by the provincial government today said that it was reported that during Eidul Azha, random people burned the heads and feet of sacrificial animals which emitted unhealthy smoke and unpleasant smell. “Members of the public throw entrails of sacrificial animals on roadside and drains, which causes smell/insanitary conditions and blockage of sewerage system,” the notification added. It continued that people in different areas swim in the “canals, ponds, lakes, riverbanks and distributaries during Eid holidays”, placing their lives at risk. “Cattle sellers illegally establish sale points for sale/purchase of sacrificial animals within populated areas of districts, which causes hindrance in smooth conduct of traffic and also spread of different diseases,” it read. “The said activities are not ...

In a rare weather shift for May, several areas of Gilgit-Baltistan experienced unexpected snowfall, bringing a wave of chilly weather to the region.