Islamabad | Pakistan

A district and sessions court in Islamabad has declared former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur an absconder and directed authorities to arrest him after he repeatedly failed to appear before the court.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday that a special protection unit was being set up in Islamabad for the security of Chinese nationals. According to a press release issued by the interior ministry, Naqvi made the remarks as he met China’s Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong in Beijing. The two met at the headquarters of China’s Ministry of Public Security, where Naqvi received a warm welcome, the interior ministry said. During the meeting, the leaders agreed to develop a joint and rapid response system against terrorism, including expanding training programs aimed at enhancing police capacity, it added. Xiaohong lauded Pakistan’s efforts in countering terrorism and strengthening internal security, the statement said. “We appreciate Pakistan’s sacrifices in the fight against terrorism,” he was quoted as saying. During the meeting, “both ministers agreed on a joint strategy for training and enhancing the professional skills of police and security personnel”. They also vowed to maintain “an ex...

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Tuesday inaugurated its first fully digital, paperless Basic Health Unit (BHU) in Gokina, Islamabad, marking a major step toward modernizing primary healthcare delivery through technology.

ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad anti-terrorism court (ATC) handed out two life sentences each to YouTuber Adil Raja, journalists Wajahat Saeed Khan, Sabir Shakir and Shaheen Sehbai, anchorperson Haider Raza Mehdi, analyst Moeed Pirzada and former army official Akbar Hussain in cases related to riots in the country on May 9, 2023. The riots — during which government and military installations were also vandalised — had erupted following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan. The prosecution had accused the convicted individuals of “digital terrorism against state institutions” in relation to the events of May 9, 2023. The cases stemmed from allegations that the accused used digital platforms to incite, facilitate and amplify attacks against state institutions during the May 9 unrest. Reserved verdicts in the cases were announced by ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra on Friday after the completion of trials in absentia. The trials were conducted in absentia at the prosecution’s request and by means of invoking the re...

Intermittent rainfall continued in Islamabad and several parts of Punjab on Thursday, further intensifying cold weather conditions across the region.

ISLAMABAD: To ensure the security of the federal capital, the administration has decided that vehicles without M-Tags will not be allowed to enter Islamabad from January 1, 2026. The M-Tag is a prepaid radio frequency identification (RFID) sticker for a car windshield that automates toll payments. As a vehicle passes through a toll plaza, scanners identify the vehicle and entry point; upon exiting, the system automatically deducts the fare from the balance, eliminating the need to wait in long queues. The decision has been made on the instructions of the Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi. Moreover, actions will be taken against vehicles without M-Tags. The Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Islamabad, Irfan Memon, has ordered that processing at all M-Tag points be expedited so that the maximum number of vehicles can be registered before the deadline approaches. According to Memon, “16 M-Tag facilitation points have been established at various locations across the city.” Since November 14, nearly 100,000 veh...

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has announced that from January 1, entry of vehicles without an M-Tag will be prohibited in Islamabad as part of enhanced security and smart city initiatives.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday extended the deadline for submission of nomination papers for local government elections in Islamabad by three days at the request of PTI. The new date for submission of nomination papers is December 30. In an application submitted to the ECP, Secretary Baldiat Committee Anjum Shahzad Tanoli requested the chief election commissioner to extend the deadline for the submission of nomination papers. “With due respect, this is to draw your kind attention towards the schedule of Local Body elections in Islamabad, wherein the last date for submission of nomination papers has been fixed as 27th December. It is humbly submitted that the Government has announced a local holiday on 26th December, which will significantly affect the smooth process of nomination paper submission,” he stated. “Islamabad comprises 125 Union Councils, and in each Union Council at least 9 councillors are required to submit their nomination papers. The announced holiday will create serious ad...

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has extended the deadline for submission of nomination papers for candidates contesting the upcoming local government elections in Islamabad.

President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will arrive in Islamabad today on a day-long official visit to Pakistan.

The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) offices in Islamabad will remain closed on Friday, December 26, due to a public holiday.

The PTI on Thursday approached the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) with a request for a three-day extension to the submission deadline for nomination papers in local body elections in Islamabad. According to the application, submitted to the ECP’s Diary Branchand available with Dawn, Baldiat Committee Secretary Anjum Shahzad Tanoli requested that the chief election commissioner extend the deadline to December 27. “With due respect, this is to draw your kind attention towards the schedule of local body elections in Islamabad, wherein the last date for submission of nomination papers has been fixed as 27th December,“ the application read. It noted that the government announced a local holiday on December 26, stating that it would significantly affect the process of filing nomination papers. “Islamabad comprises 125 union councils (UCs), and in each union council, at least nine councillors are required to submit their nomination papers,“ the application stated. “The announced holiday will create serious ad...

The Cabinet Division of the Government of Pakistan has officially notified a public holiday on December 26 within the jurisdiction of Islamabad, while withdrawing the earlier announced holiday scheduled for December 24.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday rejected the comparison between Islamabad‘s actions against the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and New Delhi’s unprovoked action against the country in May as “wrong and inappropriate”. The defence minister‘s remarks come a day after Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman questioned Pakistan’s objection to Indian attacks when the country also allegedly conducted cross-border strikes against terrorist targets in Afghanistan. Pakistan has either denied or not commented on striking targets inside Afghanistan. In a post on X, Asif also said that India, to date, has “not been able to provide evidence” of Pakistan’s involvement in the Pahalgam attack, despite Pakistan’s offer of “neutral investigations”. “The report issued by the United Nations also clarifies that the Indian aggression was illegal and unsubstantiated, and Pakistan’s response was fully justified,“ said the defence minister. He elaborated that the international community and the...

An additional district court in Islamabad awarded compensation amounting to Rs5.4 billion to the families of eight victims of the 2010 Airblue plane crash, which killed all 152 people aboard in the Margalla Hills. The court, headed by Rasool Bashir Mirjat, dismissed an appeal filed by Airblue, upheld the airline’s liability in the case, and imposed a penalty of Rs1 million on the airline for delaying the proceedings. Airblue Flight 202, which had taken off from Karachi in the morning, crashed into Islamabad’s Margalla Hills, killing all 152 people on board on July 28, 2010. According to a Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) investigation report, the crash was classified as a “Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT), in which the aircrew failed to display superior judgment and professional skills in a self-created unsafe environment. In their pursuit to land in inclement weather, they committed serious violations of procedures and breaches of flying discipline, which put the aircraft in an unsafe condition o...

A mild earthquake was felt on Saturday morning in Islamabad and several other parts of the country, prompting residents to step out of their homes as tremors shook the region.

Despite fear of rigging, the PTI decided on Wednesday to participate in the Islamabad local government elections, which will be held on February 15 across the federal capital. In line with party policy, workers who have remained loyal to the party and its ideology and have made sacrifices during the last three years will be given priority in nominations. The decision was made during a meeting chaired by PTI Islamabad Region President Aamir Mughal and attended by Regional Secretary and Chairman of the Local Government Committee Malik Aamir Ali Awan, ticket holder Advocate Shoaib Shaheen, Senator Fauzia Arshad, Senate ticket holder Syed Farzand Shah, ticket holder Ali Bukhari, and other senior office-bearers. After consultations, it was unanimously decided that PTI’s Islamabad wing would take part in the local government elections. However, participants feared that there could be “rigging,” as happened in the recent National Assembly elections in Haripur. Participants were also of the view that the government h...

The United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) continued celebrations of its newly opened building in Islamabad, unveiling a modern facility designed to expand educational access and support future generations of Pakistani scholars.

ISLAMABAD - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived in Islamabad on Monday for a two-day official visit to Pakistan.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived in Islamabad on Monday on a two-day official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. According to state broadcaster PTV News, the Indonesian president was received by PM Shehbaz and President Asif Ali Zardari upon his arrival at the Nur Khan airbase. In a post on X, the PM wrote that he was honoured to host the Indonesian president and noted that Islamabad and Jakarta “are bound together by a shared history, deep cultural affinity and a friendship rooted in mutual respect and solidarity“. “Looking forward to our meaningful engagements tomorrow as we work to further strengthen this enduring partnership,” he added. According to PTV News, children dressed in traditional attire presented flowers to Subianto upon his arrival. “On this occasion, the Indonesian president exchanged pleasantries with the president … and the prime minister,” the broadcaster reported. “Children holding the flags of both countries extended a warm welcome to the esteemed gues...