Pakistan

KARACHI: The Sindh government has extended the deadline to replace old number plates of vehicles with new Ajrak-themed plates by two more months. According to a notification issued on Friday, the excise and taxation department “is pleased to extend the timeline for replacement of existing number plates with new security-featured number plates to 31st December, 2025 instead of 31st October, 2025 (in respect of all types of vehicles).” Earlier in August, the Sindh government had extended the deadline for citizens to obtain new number plates featuring the Ajrak design until Oct 31, following instructions from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2025

US President Donald Trump’s administration on Friday banned reporters from accessing a core part of the White House press office without an appointment, citing the need to protect “sensitive material”. Journalists are now barred if they do not have prior approval to access the area in the West Wing known as Upper Press — which is where Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s office is located. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung defended the move, saying without providing evidence that reporters had been “ambushing” cabinet secretaries in the area and secretly recording video and audio. “This memorandum directs the prohibition of press passholders from accessing … ‘Upper Press,’ which is situated adjacent to the Oval Office, without an appointment,” said a memo from the White House National Security Council (NSC). The memo, addressed to Leavitt and Cheung, said the aim was “protecting sensitive material from unauthorized disclosure in Upper Press”. The policy comes amid wider restrictions on journali...

JERUSALEM: The Israeli military’s chief legal officer resigned on Friday over a criminal inquiry into the leaking of a video that showed soldiers abusing a Palestinian detainee arrested during the Gaza conflict. Advocate General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi said that she was stepping down because she had approved the video’s leak in August last year. The abuse investigation led to criminal charges against five soldiers and stirred an uproar. The inquiry drew condemnation from right-wing politicians and prompted protesters to storm two military compounds after investigators sought troops for questioning in the case. A week after the break-in at the bases, a security camera video showing the moments of the alleged abuse was leaked to an Israeli television channel. It showed soldiers taking a prisoner aside and crowding around while holding a dog and blocking visibility of their actions with their riot gear. On Wednesday, Defence Minister Israel Katz said that there has been an ongoing criminal inquiry into the video ...

• Analysts warn warming US-China ties may undermine India’s multipolar world vision, weaken Quad-like groups • Pakistan assessing impact of deal, says Foreign Office NEW DELHI: India and the United States on Friday inked a 10-year defence framework agreement, a deal India’s defence minister described as a “signal” of growing strategic alignment, even as warming US-China ties raised questions about the region’s geopolitical landscape. Indian reports confirmed the defence pact was sealed at a meeting here between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his American counterpart Peter Hegseth. The “convergence” however seemed undermined by a potentially opposite view on the Obama era encircling of China that Chinese and US presidents presented at a globally watched meeting in South Korea. Indian newspaper The Hindu noted that the meeting of US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan “sent ripple effects to India”. Following the talks, US tariffs on China were cut to 47 per cent, leaving India ...

KARACHI: The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has reduced the validity of Umrah visas from three months to one month from the date of issuance, Saudi news channel Al Arabiya.net reported. The new amendments, which will go into effect from next week, also includes the cancellation of the visa 30 days after its date of issuance in case the pilgrim has not entered the kingdom within this period. Reducing the visa’s validity, however, will not affect the permitted duration of stay after the pilgrim arrives in Saudi Arabia. All those arriving to perform Umrah are allowed to stay for three months. The changes were made to prevent overcrowding of pilgrims in the two holy cities during cooler months, according to Ahmed Bajafar, adviser to the National Committee for Umrah and Visit. Although Umrah rituals are solely performed in Makkah, many Umrah pilgrims seize the chance to visit Madina during their short trip to Saudi Arabia. In October, Riyadh introduced stricter Umrah rules, including mandatory pre-booking of acc...

• Trials to be held in Rawalpindi ATC • Home dept says move will help ensure PTI founder’s security, prevent untoward incidents RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has notified that all eleven FIRs registered against former prime minister Imran Khan in connection with the violent protests of May 9, 2023, will now be tried in the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Rawalpindi. The trials will be conducted via video link from Adiala jail, where the PTI founder remains incarcerated. According to a notification issued by the Home Department, the decision has been made under Sections 15(2) and 21(2)(b) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. The order directs that proceedings in all eleven FIRs — registered at various police stations, including RA Bazaar, Civil Lines, City, Waris Khan, New Town, Morgah, Sadiqabad, Saddar Wah, and Cantt — be held at the Rawalpindi ATC through video link from Adiala jail. The Home Department stated that the arrangement aims to ensure Imran Khan’s security and prevent any untoward incident during the ...

• Islamabad says ceasefire with western neighbour not ‘open-ended’; any breach will trigger ‘all options’ • Foreign Office insists Istanbul statement a ‘preface’, not full text of accord • Says Taliban privately acknowledge TTP, BLA presence in Afghanistan • Khawaja Asif hints at multi-nation monitors, says ‘terrorism must stop’ ISLAMABAD: Islamabad on Friday viewed the Istanbul agreement with Kabul as a conditional truce and a step forward, but not an end-state as it awaited the next high-level engagement with the Afghan Taliban regime scheduled for Nov 6 in Turkiye. “Afghanistan should understand that this arrangement is a conditional truce, one which hinges on demonstrable responsibility by the Afghan side,” a senior security source said on condition of anonymity, underscoring Pakistan’s cautious optimism after five days of intense talks in Istanbul mediated by Turkiye and Qatar. The round of negotiations, which concluded earlier this week, produced a three-point understanding — the continuation of the cea...

• Critical Minerals Forum chief meets Aurangzeb • Islamabad welcomes move; asks team to revert with a detailed framework for collaboration ISLAMABAD: A leading US delegation met with Pakistani officials in Islamabad on Friday, seeking to build secure and transparent mineral supply chains for American industry amid Washington’s growing concerns over China’s upper hand in global rare earth materials. The delegation led by Robert Louis Strayer II, president of the US government-funded Critical Minerals Forum (CMF), “discussed avenues of cooperation in the minerals and mining sector, strengthening supply-chain security, and encouraging responsible and sustainable investment in Pakistan’s critical minerals landscape” with a Pakistani team headed by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, according to an official statement. The meeting took place as the US and India announced a 10-year defence framework agreement. The CMF’s focus is driven by the strategic threat posed by Beijing’s control over key resources. “China’s...

Pakistan warns ceasefire not 'open ended'; Terms Istanbul understanding 'interim' deal

The federal government on Friday night increased the price of petrol by Rs2.43 per litre and that of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs3.02 per litre for the next fortnight. In a late-night announcement, the Ministry of Finance said the revision followed movements in international markets and recommendations from the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) and relevant ministries. According to the notification, the price of petrol now stands at Rs265.45 per litre from Rs263.02 per litre. Meanwhile, the price of diesel has increased to Rs278.44 per litre from Rs275.42 per litre. Most of the transport sec­tor runs on HSD and its price is considered inflationary as it is mostly used in heavy transport vehicles, trains and agricultural engines like trucks, buses, tractors, tube-wells and threshers and particularly adds to the prices of vegetables and other eatables. Petrol is primarily used in private transport, small vehicles, rickshaws, and two-wheelers, and directly impacts the budgets of the middle and lower-middl...

Platform presents opportunity to diversify textile footprint beyond West

Onions, sugar, wheat flour drive weekly inflation to 0.12%; CPI projected at 5.2%

Gold tops Rs424,000/tola after jump of Rs5,300; rupee inches up

Total investments in drilling can reach between $750m and $1b

Looks for avenues of cooperation in minerals, mining

Govt may pump Rs1.1tr into economy by slashing corporate, salaried class taxes

High court directs competition body to conclude inquiry in six months

IT ministry takes new initiatives to accelerate digital transformation

KSE-100 index jumps almost 5,000 points on Afghan ceasefire news

Envoys focus on trade and investment linkages, regional connectivity