Pakistan

An official was killed and two others injured in an explosion at the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station in Peshawar on Sunday, reportedly caused by a short circuit.

Punjab’s Home Department has extended Section 144 across the province until November 8, banning protests, rallies, sit-ins, and public gatherings due to concerns over terrorism and public order, a statement issued on Sunday said. Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code is a legal provision that empowers district administrations to prohibit an assembly of four or more people in an area for a limited period. “In view of security threats, public processions and sit-ins can be soft targets for terrorists,” the home department said in its statement. “Malignant elements can take advantage of public protests and carry out anti-state activities to fulfil their nefarious intentions.” It added that a complete ban has been imposed on the display of all types of weapons across Punjab. “There is also a complete ban on the use of loudspeakers under Section 144,” it said. Furthermore, as per the statement, there is a complete ban on the publication and distribution of inflammatory, hateful or sectarian material. The depa...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said the government would take steps to ensure effective investigation, justice, and prosecution in cases of crimes against journalists. His remarks came on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists. The day, observed on November 2, highlights the need for justice in cases where journalists are attacked or killed. This year’s observance draws attention to the online threats faced by women journalists and the broader chilling impact these have on freedom of expression. “Today reminds us that a free, informed, and responsible press is the foundation of any democratic society,” the prime minister said in a statement. “Journalists enable public access to facts and are torchbearers of truth. Violence, threats, or reprisals against them while performing their duties are attacks on freedom of expression. “I pay tribute to journalists who faced hardships for truth and solidarity with families of media workers who lost loved ones in the line of duty.” ...

A Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) official was martyred in Peshawar on Sunday morning, while two others were injured when explosives stored in a police station went off. Peshawar Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Dr Mian Saeed Ahmad confirmed the casualties of the incident at the CTD police station in a statement. “Preliminary assessment shows that an explosion occurred due to the detonation of old explosive material stored in the police station’s ammunition room. Fire has also spread to other ammunition, causing further explosions,” the statement read. Police and security forces cordoned off the area, as “clearance [was] going on”, the CCPO said. He added that the Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU), along with rescue and fire brigade services, were working accordingly. Citing a preliminary assessment, the statement said, “Police sources confirm that this incident does not appear to be a terrorist attack”. In another statement, the CCPO’s office said a special investigation team of the CTD reached the police statio...

Rows of coffins line a university classroom in the South Korean port city of Busan, ready for use in training the funeral directors of the future in a rapidly ageing country. Growing numbers are finding work in the business of death as South Korea undergoes massive demographic change, with birth rates among the lowest in the world and almost half the population aged 50 or older. Students at the Busan Institute of Science and Technology carefully draped a mannequin in traditional Korean funeral cloth, smoothing the fabric as if over real skin, before gently lowering it into a coffin. “With our society ageing, I thought the demand for this kind of work would only grow,” said Jang Jin-yeong, 27, a funeral administration student. Another student, 23-year-old Im Sae-jin, decided to enter the field after his grandmother died. “At her funeral, I saw how beautifully the directors had prepared her for the final farewell,” he said. “I felt deeply grateful.” ‘Like portraits’ More and more South Koreans are also living —...

Jamaat-i-Islami emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Sunday criticised the Sindh government’s e-challan initiative, calling it a “drama” meant to burden citizens instead of improving the city’s transport and road infrastructure. In June, the Sindh government decided that e-challans for traffic violations would be delivered to vehicle owners’ registered home addresses. Vehicles with unpaid fines would not be allowed to be sold or transferred. Last month, the system was officially inaugurated, drawing a mix of praise and criticism from the public. Speaking at an event in Karachi today, the JI chief said, “While the government was issuing challans worth Rs5,000, Rs10,000, and even Rs25,000 to Karachi’s commuters, it had failed to provide the city with a viable transport system.” “When the same challan is Rs200 in Lahore, and Rs5,000 in Karachi, isn’t the criticism on the Pakistan People’s Party valid?” he questioned. Citing World Bank reports, he said Karachi required around 15,000 buses, but the Sindh government had br...

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s health has improved after a cardiac issue yesterday, his Awaam Pakistan party said on Sunday. Abbasi complained of pain in his shoulder yesterday morning and was “immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors diagnosed a cardiac issue during examination”, Awaam Pakistan spokesperson Dr Zafar Mirza said in a statement. “The doctors provided him with timely treatment, after which his health has improved significantly, and he is resting at the hospital,” the statement added. It prayed for the speedy recovery of the Awaam Pakistan chief and urged the media to be considerate of his “private life and privacy”. Awaam Pakistan co-founder Miftah Ismail also said on X that Abbasi’s “health condition continues to improve, and he is now resting comfortably”. “We expect and pray for his quick and full recovery. I thank friends who have been calling to ask about his health,” the former finance minister added. Anchorperson Nadia Mirza and journalist Asad Toor expressed th...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says the government is committed to protect freedom of press and provide a safe environment to journalists.

ISLAMABAD: Tens of thousands of solar power users with on-grid systems and green meters have been shocked to see their current month’s electricity bills, which state that they must replace their green meters with Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) meters within three months to ensure the continuation of net metering. Consumers who have invested up to Rs1 million or more are being told to purchase the AMR meters for Rs52,000, while their existing green meters, which they had earlier bought, will be taken away by the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco). A number of consumers have approached the Prime Minister’s Portal, seeking relief and requesting the government to stop Iesco from forcing them to purchase new meters. However, an Iesco official said that although it was principally decided to replace the meters, the implementation has been temporarily put on hold, and a policy will soon be announced in this regard. Consumers approach PM Portal against demand to replace meters worth Rs52,000 each It is worth me...

Jamaican officials announced plans on Saturday to set up multiple field hospitals as it recovers from Hurricane Melissa, with the death toll numbering at least 50 across the Caribbean — and expected to rise. The island’s confirmed deaths remain at 19 as of Saturday, though Health Minister Christopher Tufton told a briefing, “I would imagine it’s more… because there are still places that we have had difficulties reaching.” Haiti’s Civil Protection department, meanwhile, said at least 31 people have been killed there as a result of the storm. Melissa tore across Jamaica as a ferocious top-level Category 5 hurricane, the most powerful storm ever recorded on the island, with sustained winds peaking at 185 miles (nearly 300 kilometers) per hour while drenching the country with torrential rain. Hospitals in western Jamaica were particularly hard-hit, prompting officials to deploy several field hospitals in the coming days to shore up health responses. The first such field hospital — in Black River, the capital of t...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said that freedom of press is necessary for a strong democratic society.

WASHINGTON: US Vice President JD Vance has defended saying that he hopes his wife Usha — who was raised as a Hindu — converts to Christianity. A fervent Catholic who himself converted in 2019, Vance said on Friday that pushback against his remarks reeks of “anti-Christian bigotry“. The 41-year-old was asked about raising their three children in an interfaith marriage at a Turning Point USA event honouring assassinated right-wing activist Charlie Kirk at the University of Mississippi on Wednesday. “Do I hope eventually that she is somehow moved by the same thing that I was moved in by church? Yeah, I honestly do wish that,” he said. “But if she doesn’t, then God says everybody has free will, and so that doesn’t cause a problem for me.” Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2025

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to take decisive measures for the elimination of cross-border terrorism and ensure the protection of its people.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) says that dependent parents have the right to file maintenance suits against their children before family courts, ruling that such cases fall within the courts’ jurisdiction under the Family Courts Act, 1964. Justice Raheel Kamran issued a detailed judgment on a petition filed by one Azhar Ijaz Khawaja who had challenged the orders of a family court of Model Town-Lahore and an additional district & sessions judge, directing him to pay monthly maintenance to his mother, Riffatun Nissa. The family court had ordered Khawaja and his other three brothers to pay Rs5,000 per month as interim maintenance to their mother by the 14th day of each month. When the payments were not made, the family court struck off their defence and decreed the suit under Section 17-A of the Family Courts Act. The appellate court/sessions court also upheld that order, prompting the petitioner to approach the LHC. Accepts a son’s plea against lower court verdict over ‘irrelevant’ section, ‘premature acti...

Security forces killed over three hundred and fifty militants during the last month.

Islamabad: Federal ministers Attaullah Tarar, Talal Chaudhry addressing press conference.

A supermarket explosion killed at least 23 people in northern Mexico on Saturday, according to local officials, with investigators saying the blast was an accident possibly caused by a faulty electric transformer. “Sadly, a number of the victims we’ve found were minors,” Alfonso Durazo, governor of Sonora state, said in a video message as he announced the toll of 23 dead and another 11 injured. Durazo said the survivors were being treated at hospitals in the city of Hermosillo, where the explosion took place. “I have ordered an extensive and transparent investigation to determine the causes of the incident and figure out those responsible,” he said. The prosecutor’s office said in a statement that “the working assumption is that the incident was accidental, and the investigation is looking into a transformer located inside the store“. “Once the firefighters allow access into the building … it will be possible to precisely determine the cause of the incident,” it added. The explosion happened at a Waldo’s stor...

Babar Azam showed his mastery with the bat after Shaheen Shah Afridi led a sparkling bowling performance from Pakistan as the hosts cruised to a four-wicket victory over South Africa in the series-deciding third T20 International at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday. Shaheen picked up 3-26, being the standout of Pakistan’s bowling attack, in which Faheem Ashraf and debutant Usman Tariq picked up two wickets each, as South Africa were restricted to 139-9 after being put into bat. Babar then provided an anchor in the chase with a brilliant 68, featuring nine fours, as Pakistan eased to victory with six balls to spare. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the team on X, saying, “Very well-played boys in Green!” He also commended Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and his team for their “great efforts”. In a statement, Naqvi hailed Babar’s batting and Shaheen’s bowling skills for playing an “important role” in the win. Conveying his congratulations to Captain Salman Agha, Head Coach Mike Hesson and...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has linked the filing of 892,419 new tax returns for the tax year 2025 to rising public confidence in the government’s reform agenda. The premier’s remarks followed the Federal Board of Revenue’s announcement that the tax department received 5.912 million tax returns for tax year 2025, up from 5.025m returns in tax year 2024, marking a 17.65 per cent increase. The last date for filing the tax returns was Oct 31. An official announcement issued by the Prime Minister’s Secretariat has commended the FBR for achieving a historic milestone. He expressed deep gratitude to the public for demonstrating civic responsibility and trust in the government’s economic policies. Highlighting the inclusion of new filers into the tax net, Prime Minister Shehbaz said this surge reflects growing public confidence in the government’s reform agenda. “We are sincerely thankful to the people for their support,” he stated. PM Shehbaz links surge in new returns to FBR digitisation drive Mr Sheh...

• Trio visited party vice chairman in hospital to seek his support for ‘release Imran’ campaign • Fawad says leading efforts to pave way for dialogue, get PTI chief released from jail LAHORE: After PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi was hospitalised in the provincial capital, three former PTI leaders arrived in his hospital room, ostensibly to convince the incarcerated party vice chairman to join their ‘release Imran Khan campaign’ — a move rebuffed by Mr Qureshi. According to his lawyer Rana Mudassar Umer, former leaders Fawad Chaudhry, Imran Ismail, and Maulvi Mahmood managed to gain access to Mr Qureshi on Thursday when he was alone in his room. “Shah Mahmood Qureshi was surprised to see them and immediately asked the police on duty to call his lawyer, who had left just a minute ago, and tell him some ‘guests’ had arrived,” Rana Mudassar said, adding by the time he got back, the ex-PTI leaders had already gone. He said the visitors stayed only a little over 10 minutes and left without any political discussion...