London | Pakistan

London Zoo on Tuesday arranged a photocall for its annual stocktake in central London, where a pair of newcomer capybaras, a huddle of penguins and a pride of lions were among the animals counted by zoo staff. The photocall is a media-friendly photo opportunity that the zoo organises for journalists and photographers at the start of its yearly animal count. During this event, keepers pose with animals, so that news agencies can capture images illustrating the zoo’s annual stocktake — the formal process of counting every animal on site as part of its licensing and conservation reporting obligations. The annual stocktake itself is a complete headcount of the zoo’s animals — from mammals and birds to reptiles and invertebrates — required under the zoo’s zoological licence and used to update global conservation databases that help manage breeding programmes worldwide. Here are a few glimpses from the 2026 stocktake for all animal lovers, featuring lions, penguins, capybaras, and other species. A lion is pictured ...

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced on Tuesday that it was resuming direct flights to London in March 2026 after a six-year hiatus. In a statement, the PIA spokesperson said the national flag carrier was increasing its flights to the United Kingdom. He said the airline would operate four weekly flights from Islamabad to London from March 29, 2026. He said that the flights would be operated from Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 4. “The flights are being resumed after a long gap of six years,“ he added. The spokesperson further said that London was the airline’s “first-ever” international destination and remained one of its most important routes. He maintained that the national carrier was already operating three weekly flights to Manchester. In June 2020, the European Union Air Safety Agency had barred PIA from operating in EU countries over safety concerns after a flight from Lahore to Karachi crashed near Jinnah International Airport, killing around 100 passengers. The ban on flights followed the ...

LONDON: A demonstration outside the Bangladeshi High Commission in London on Saturday briefly turned tense when pro-Khalistan Sikh activists and a small group of Hindu protesters confronted each other, prompting police intervention. The Khalistan Movement wants an independent Sikh state carved out of India and dates back to India and Pakistan’s independence in 1947, when the idea was pushed forward in negotiations preceding the partition of the Punjab region between the two new countries. The protest was held in connection with reports of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. During the gathering, Paramjeet Singh Pamma, identified by organisers as a coordinator of the Khalistan Referendum campaign, was involved in a brief scuffle with an Indian Hindu protester. Metropolitan Police officers on duty intervened quickly, separating the individuals and dispersing the groups from close proximity to the mission building. No injuries were reported. Following the incident, pro-Khalistan Sikh protesters formed a cordo...

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced on Thursday that it will resume direct flights to London from March 2026, following the removal of a five-year ban on Pakistani airlines by UK authorities earlier this year.

Former Prime Minister and PML-N President Nawaz Sharif departed for London once again on Saturday.

The Foreign Office (FO) on Friday said it had “no information” about the prime minister’s coordinator on tourism, Sardar Yasir Ilyas, interacting with an Israeli ministry official in London. The spokesperson was asked about the incident after a video of the interaction began circulating on social media. It was filmed during the World Travel Market event in London, which took place from November 4 to 6, 2025. In the clip, Ilyas could be seen shaking hands with and conversing with an individual later identified as the Director General of Israel’s Ministry of Tourism, Michael Izhar-Kov. A translation of Israeli journalist Rai Kais’ X post in Hebrew said: “As you may recall, Pakistan was recently mentioned as one of the countries that may join the international force in Gaza.” However, London-based journalist Murtaza Ali Shah claimed in a post on X that “a group of individuals from Israel visited the Pakistan Pavilion unannounced and met the Pakistani delegation without introducing themselves.” Asked during a wee...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has arrived in London, where she is staying at Avenfield House.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met world record holder Pakistani-origin student Mahnoor Cheema during his recent visit to London.

NEW YORK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reached London after concluding a week-long trip to the United States, where he headed a delegation to the 80th session of the UN General Assembly and met US President Donald Trump, describing their discussion as “very encouraging”. The formal bilateral interaction between the two leaders was held at the Oval Office and was closed to the press. According to a statement issued from Pakistan, the leaders discussed regional security and cooperation on counter-terrorism, among other matters. Calls Trump talks ‘very encouraging’ During an interaction with the media in New Jersey, aired on Saturday, the prime minister said the US was ready to share “techniques” with Pakistan in the areas of artificial intelligence, information technology and agriculture. He added that the US was also open to investment opportunities in the country. At the airport, the PM along with the foreign minister and others was seen off by UN and US ambassadors. Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2025

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday departed from London for New York to participate in the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif concluded his official visit to Saudi Arabia and departed from Riyadh for London on Wednesday.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif departed for London on Monday, where he is expected to stay for around two weeks.

More than 100,000 people massed on Saturday in central London for a march and rally organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, as anti-racism campaigners held a smaller counter-protest. Huge crowds, many draped in English and British flags, gathered through the morning just south of Westminster for what Robinson, a veteran of UK far-right organising, has branded the country’s “biggest free speech festival”. His latest ‘Unite the Kingdom’ event saw attendees march over Westminster Bridge before rallying near Downing Street for speeches by far-right figures from across Europe and North America. “The silent majority will be silent no longer,” Robinson told the crowd. “Today is the spark of a cultural revolution.” Supporters of British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, wave Union Jack, St George’s cross and Welsh flags as they walk through central London during a ‘Free speech’ march, on September 13. — AFP UK police said an estimated 110,000 people attended, noting ...

British rock band Coldplay is set to perform in a record-breaking 10 concerts at London’s Wembley Stadium. Click here to read more Lifestyle stories Anticipation for their upcoming performances at England’s national football stadium has been building since Chris Martin teased the end of the band. The upcoming dates are part of Coldplay’s ‘Music of […]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is due in London to meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday, to take stock ahead of US President Donald Trump’s key talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. Zelensky, who was in Germany on Wednesday, has been working with European leaders to press Trump not to allow Putin to carve up Ukraine’s territory at the Alaska summit. He is due to meet Starmer at 9:30am local time (1:30pm PKT) at the British premier’s official residence, 10 Downing Street. On Wednesday, Trump joined a Germany-hosted virtual meeting with European leaders, including Zelensky, who sought to set red lines ahead of the summit on ending the war in Ukraine. Zelensky said he warned Trump that the Russian leader was “bluffing” about his desire to end the war. Trump later threatened “severe consequences” if Putin does not agree to peace in Ukraine and while he did not specify what the consequences could be, he has warned of economic sanctions if his meeting on Friday pro...

London: Police in London arrested at least 365 people Saturday for supporting Palestine Action, at the latest and largest protest backing the group since the government banned it last month under anti-terror laws. The Metropolitan Police said it made the hundreds of arrests, thought to be one of the highest ever at a single protest […]

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain was discharged from a London hospital in the early hours of Saturday after being admitted for a second time in a month, a party leader said. The MQM founder was last hospitalised in London on July 10 due to “severe illness”. After undergoing multiple tests and blood transfusions, he was discharged on July 23. Hussain was allowed to leave the hospital at 12:30am GMT (5:30am PKT) today after being treated in its emergency ward for nine hours and undergoing various tests, London-based senior MQM leader Mustafa Azizabadi said on X. “After various tests, doctors diagnosed him with severe flu and a chest infection. The doctors prescribed antibiotics and other medications for Mr Altaf Hussain and advised him to take complete rest,” Azizabadi said. Detailing Hussain’s hospital stay, Azizabadi noted the MQM founder “underwent a blood test, [electrocardiography], chest X-ray, and monitoring of oxygen levels”. “Hussain has expressed his gratitude to all the workers an...

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain was hospitalised again in London on Friday after falling ill. In a post on the party’s X account, it said: “The health of MQM founder and leader Altaf Hussain has deteriorated again, after which he has been taken to a local hospital. According to details released by the MQM Central Information Department, on Friday, Altaf Hussain’s health worsened again. “Immediate medical attention was sought, and an ambulance was called. The doctor promptly dispatched a medical emergency team. The emergency team initially examined Altaf Hussain at his residence, after which he was shifted to a local hospital for further examination and treatment.” The MQM Coordination Committee appealed to all workers and the public to pray for his recovery. MQM London-based senior party leader Mustafa Azizabadi also confirmed the development on a post on X. Hussain was hospitalised in London last month due to “severe illness”, where he underwent multiple tests. Previously known as the Mo...

A year ago to the day, Arshad Nadeem stunned the world with a monstrous javelin throw that propelled him to global stardom and salvaged Pakistan’s plummeting sports glory with its first individual gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The javelin star sweetened the deal when his 92.97m throw shattered the Olympic record — not once, but twice, to the delight of a roaring crowd at Paris’ Stade de France. But a year on from the historic triumph, Arshad is undergoing physiotherapy in London following surgery on his calf muscle. The two upcoming Diamond League championships he was set to compete at this month have been scrapped from his sports calendar as he recovers in time for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September. But there is no disappointment from Arshad or his coach Salman Butt, who doubles as his mentor, manager, and much more. “Things are looking good for Tokyo,” he told Dawn.com in a call from London. “We’re hoping to accomplish a lot there.” A gold medal at the World Championships will...

London’s police force said on Saturday that officers had arrested 41 people who had expressed support for the banned group Palestine Action at a protest outside parliament. British lawmakers proscribed the group under anti-terrorism legislation earlier this month after some of its members broke into a Royal Air Force base and damaged planes in protest against Britain’s support for […]