Islamabad | Pakistan

RAWALPINDI: In addition to 6,000 Punjab police personnel, 150 police personnel from the security division of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police have been assigned for Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) election duty, with a total of 2,000 personnel expected to be dispatched to the region. General elections in GB are scheduled for Sunday, with election campaigns already underway by major political parties. The 150 police personnel selected from the security division for GB election duty had been guarding high-profile buildings and installations in the federal capital, as well as performing sensitive security duties, such as escorting foreign delegations. They will leave for GB on Thursday amid tight security and will be back in Islamabad on June 9 (Tuesday). Of the 150 ICT police personnel, 30 personnel have been selected from the Special Protection Unit (SPU), five from the President’s House, 20 from the Prime Minister’s House, six from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), 10 from the Foreign Office (FO) guard duty an...

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday directed the Ministry of Interior and the Islamabad chief commissioner to provide pending documents for the delimitation of the capital’s local government within three days, warning that a 10-day deadline had already lapsed. The letter, seen by Dawn, was addressed to the secretary of the Ministry of Interior and the Islamabad chief commissioner. It was marked “IMMEDIATE” and issued under the signatures of Additional Director General (Local Government Elections) Chaudhry Nadeem Qasim, referring to a Commission meeting held on May 13, 2026, and stating that the required documents for delimitation and holding local government elections in the ICT were still awaited. The ECP has sought three sets of information: notification of the limits of town corporations, notification of the number of union councils in each town corporation, and authenticated and updated maps showing census charges, circles and blocks. The letter noted that a 10-day deadline earl...

• Diplomats see high chances of final agreement despite hiccups • Insist both sides want to avoid open-ended conflict • Nuclear issues likely to be handled in later negotiations • Ex-envoy Munir Akram says gaps are more about narrative than substance WASHINGTON: Islamabad remains a leading contender to host the formal signing ceremony of a possible US-Iran peace agreement if negotiators succeed in finalising a deal, diplomatic sources said. Diplomatic sources at the United Nations and in Washington told Dawn that prospects for a final agreement remained high despite delays in completing the draft. “Nine out of 10,” a senior diplomat said when asked to assess the likelihood of a final agreement being signed. “But I cannot say when it will happen.” Another senior diplomat said Islamabad’s role in facilitating the initial contacts between Washington and Tehran had strengthened its credentials as a possible host. “Iranians cannot come to Washington, and Americans cannot go to Tehran because the two countries do n...

PTI senior leader Asad Qaiser on Saturday claimed he was prevented from reaching the Islamabad airport, resulting in him missing his flight to Skardu in connection with the ongoing election campaign in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). The incident comes just a day after PTI MNA Junaid Akbar and his team were expelled from GB while they were campaigning for the upcoming elections on June 7. Qaiser, also the secretary general of Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP), accused the Punjab police of not letting him “enter the Islamabad airport and closing the entry routes of the airport”. “The Punjab police kept me under detention till the flight took off,” he wrote on X, decrying that not only did he miss his flight, but ordinary citizens were also inconvenienced. Qaiser termed the incident an instance of undue obstruction in the electoral process and political victimisation. He alleged that efforts were being made to influence the electoral process in GB and that PTI was being hindered from carrying out its election c...

ISLAMABAD: Justice Babar Sattar, who was transferred from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to the Peshawar High Court (PHC) last month, has decided to continue residing in the federal capital during his tenure at the provincial high court. Sources in the IHC told Dawn that Justice Sattar has formally conveyed to the court administration that he intends to retain his official residence in Islamabad’s F-6 sector. According to sources, the judge has written to the IHC administration seeking retention of the accommodation allotted to him. A senior IHC official explained that under the Presidential Order 1997, a judge is entitled to retain one official residence. Since Justice Sattar is not seeking separate official accommodation in Peshawar, he is eligible to keep the Islamabad residence, the official said. The judge had been transferred to Peshawar High Court Sources added that Justice Sattar may stay at the official rest house of the PHC during his service there. Under the applicable rules, a judge residing in a ...

A large-scale anti-encroachment operation is being planned in Islamabad, with authorities preparing to launch a coordinated drive across different parts of the federal capital, according to sources.

ISLAMABAD: PTI’s Islamabad wing held a protest in the federal capital on Friday despite Section 144 being in place, which restricts public gatherings. It is worth mentioning that Tehreek Tahaffuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) and PTI had given a call to hold countrywide protests against former prime minister Imran Khan’s imprisonment, rising inflation and other issues on Friday. The protest, held on Lehtrar Road near Taramri Chowk, was organised under the direction of PTI Islamabad President Aamir Mughal and led by General Secretary Malik Aamir Ali. PTI Islamabad Senior Vice President Raja Sajjad Dhanyal, Women’s Wing President Maimoona Kamal, Youth Wing President Murad Bukhari, Insaf Students Federation representatives and other leaders and activists participated in the protest. The protesters also demanded the release and proper medical treatment of the PTI founder and highlighted concerns over soaring inflation, deteriorating law and order, and the recent increase in petroleum product prices. Mughal, speaking to...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday lauded the “steadfast” Pakistan–China friendship, maintaining that Beijing has supported Islamabad in an “unwavering fashion unmatched in the annals of history”. The premier was addressing a ceremony in Islamabad to mark the 75th anniversary of Pakistan–China diplomatic relations. The prime minister began his speech by extending felicitations to the Chinese leadership and people on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan. “Seventy-five years ago, our founding fathers laid the foundation of our bilateral diplomatic relations,” he said, adding: “Pakistan was the first Muslim country to recognise China and one of the first countries in the world to do so.” “Through our mutual efforts and endeavours, and above all, sincerity of purpose, we have built a relationship that is second to none and very unique in the world,” he said. He said that throughout these 75 years, the Chinese leadership and people have stood with Pakistan like a “solid rock”. “Earthquakes, flood...

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Anti-Corruption Circle, Islamabad Zone, arrested nine people, including a well-known urologist and a private hospital employee, for their alleged involvement in illegal kidney transplantation and organ trafficking. According to FIA officials, the arrests were made during a raid at a prominent private hospital in Islamabad, where illegal kidney removal operations were allegedly being carried out. The doctor and hospital employee are described as key operatives in the network. The operation was carried out under the direction of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, FIA Director General Usman Anwar, and Director Islamabad Zone Syed Shahzad Nadeem Bukhari. Several others present at the scene, including alleged donors, recipients and hospital staff, were also taken into custody for questioning and shifted to the FIA office. Officials said the crackdown was part of an ongoing investigation into a wider network targeting poor people from underdeveloped districts of sout...

ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad sessions court sentenced Umar Hayat, the main accused in the Sana Yousaf murder case, to death on Tuesday after finding him guilty of killing the teenage TikTok influencer at her residence in June last year. Hayat was arrested a day after 17-year-old Yousaf was shot dead in her Islamabad house on June 2, 2025. On Monday, 23-year-old Hayat — son of a retired government official and a TikToker himself — retracted his earlier confessional statement admitting to Yousaf’s murder. Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka announced the verdict on Tuesday, handing Hayat the death sentence under Section 302(b) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) for committing qatl-i-amd (intentional murder) of Yousaf. The death sentence would be subject to confirmation by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) under Section 374 (sentence of death to be submitted by court of session) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The court also directed the convict to pay Rs2.5 million as compensation to th...

Islamabad and Baku are developing their ties under a trilateral framework involving Pakistan, Turkiye and Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev said on Sunday. The Azeri president met with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in Baku, where CM Maryam arrived on a three-day visit on Saturday to represent Pakistan at the 13th UN World Urban Forum (WUF13). “President Ilham Aliyev also emphasised that Azerbaijan-Pakistan relations are currently developing within a trilateral framework involving Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Pakistan,” read a statement issued by the Azeri president’s office on the meeting. During the meeting, the two sides “commended the development of fraternal relations and strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Pakistan”. “They discussed cooperation in political, economic, diplomatic, defence, and other fields, while also highlighting the importance of interregional cooperation and the strong potential for further expanding trade ties,” the statement said. It was also highlighted during the meeting...

Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar has said that investigations into alleged drug dealer “Pinky” have revealed links extending beyond Sindh, claiming she was also operating in Punjab and Islamabad, while investigators have reportedly identified names of her alleged clients.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Wednesday announced that a regional ambassadors conference will be held in Islamabad from May 14 to 18 under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Flydubai has suspended its flight operations from and to Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar till October 26 due to “operational reasons”, the airline’s flight inquiry in Pakistan said. However, flight operations from and to Karachi will continue as usual, the airline confirmed. Flydubai, a low-cost airline based in the United Arab Emirates, launched its operations in Islamabad and Lahore in July 2024, and commenced flights to Peshawar in May last year. According to aviation monitor Flightradar24, flydubai’s flights between Islamabad and Dubai (FZ353, FZ354), Lahore and Dubai (FZ359, FZ360), and Peshawar and Dubai (FZ375, FZ376) were cancelled since at least May 7. A statement on flydubai’s website, issued on March 31 — days after the Iran war began — says that the airline is “currently operating flights across its network with a reduced schedule”. It advised passengers to regularly check flight status and operational updates for the latest information before heading to the airport. While the statement did not men...

ISLAMABAD: Months after postponing local government polls in the federal capital for the fourth time, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has directed the interior ministry and Islamabad administration to immediately issue notifications on town corporations’ limits and union councils for polls, warning it would fix the matter for a hearing if there was no progress. Chairing a meeting, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said holding local government elections was a constitutional requirement under Article 140(A) of the Constitution, further noting that local governments were functioning in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan, but elections could not be held in Punjab and Islamabad due to changes in local government laws. The ECP also directed the interior secretary and chief commissioner to take up the matter immediately with the relevant standing committee and cabinet. “If no progress is made, the case will be fixed for hearing in the Election Commission,” it said. “If required, this...

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday vowed that illegal constructions would be “completely eradicated” from Islamabad. He made the remarks during a special meeting he and Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry were chairing, the interior ministry said on the social media platform X. “Land-grabbing mafia and illegal constructions will be completely eradicated from Islamabad,” the ministry quoted Naqvi as saying. He vowed, “Operation Clean-up would continue without any pressure until it achieves its final result.” For the past two months, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has been conducting anti-encroachment operations in Islamabad, with a special focus on katchi abadis (informal settlements), whose residents have strongly protested the actions. According to CDA’s rules, 34 societies/schemes were supposed to transfer amenity land in the name of the civic agency for further utilisation. However, despite the passage of years, CDA has failed to get the land. There are reports that many societ...

Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has announced a major protest demonstration in Islamabad on May 15 against rising inflation and the recent increase in petroleum prices.

Islamabad suicide attack plot foiled: Bugti

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said on Monday that a plot to coerce a girl into carrying out a terrorist attack in Islamabad had been thwarted by intelligence agencies. The girl, who was reportedly arrested before she could carry out a suicide bombing, will be released to her father under supervision instead of facing trial, he said. The chief minister, in a press conference alongside the suspect, emphatically denounced the perpetrators of exploitation against Baloch women and girls. He stressed that their actions had no connection at all to Baloch tradition or history. “We are faithful to our tradition,” he said, adding, “These people have no connection to Balochiyat, and the way they are using our women in this war is shameful. I am so ashamed that I cannot even tell the media the details.” According to details shared by Bugti, the girl’s name had initially appeared on social media as a missing person, but an investigation by intelligence agencies ascertained that she was allegedly training at a t...

ISLAMABAD: Flight operations at the Islamabad airport may be affected due to “operational reasons” from May 8-10, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) notified in a notice to airmen (Notam) on Friday. The Notam said flight arrivals and departures could be delayed because of “operational” reasons from 10:45am to 12:15pm on May 8 and between 8pm and 9:15pm on May 9 and 10. It further stated that flights arriving at the Islamabad airport had been asked to “bring sufficient holding fuel to cater to the delay”. The PAA had issued a similar Notam for the airport in the federal capital in March as well. It said flight operations at Islamabad airport would be suspended for two hours on March 17 due to “operational reasons”. The arriving aircraft were advised to “bring sufficient holding fuel to cater for delay” back then as well. PIA reinstates weekly flights from Muscat Separately, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced on Friday that it would reinstate flights from Oman to Islamabad, Lahore, and Multan, s...