Rawalpindi | Pakistan

Maryam Nawaz is set to formally inaugurate the newly renamed “Marka-e-Haq Square” in Rawalpindi on Sunday, as authorities finalised extensive security arrangements for the ceremony.

A shocking double murder in Rawalpindi has sparked outrage after two young men were allegedly abducted and brutally killed over a minor financial dispute involving just Rs1,300.

Mild to moderate earthquake tremors were felt in Islamabad and Rawalpindi on Monday, causing brief panic among residents, though no loss of life or property was reported.

Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hassan Waqar Cheema refuted on Tuesday a notification that claimed a local holiday had been announced in the garrison city for April 22 (Wednesday). “This notification circulating on social media is fake,” the DC said on X, sharing a photo of the order, which stated that he had declared a “local holiday in the territorial jurisdiction of Rawalpindi on April 22”. Dismissing it, the DC urged the public “to rely only on official sources for authentic information”. On Sunday, Islamabad DC Irfan Nawaz Memon also dismissed as fake a notification announcing that all public and private offices in the federal capital and Rawalpindi would remain closed from April 20 until further notice. The developments take place as authorities take several measures in anticipation of hosting US-Iran talks in Islamabad. In Rawalpindi, some roads have been closed, and many universities and schools have also been shut while others remain open.

• Some roads, markets closed, transport suspended • Many varsities start online classes and others remain open RAWALPINDI: The residents of Rawalpindi are in a state of confusion as some roads have been closed while others remain open, many universities and schools have been shut while others continue to operate. Moreover, both goods and public transport are off the roads. These disruptions come as the second round of US-Iran peace talks has yet to begin in Islamabad, prompting the government to implement heightened security measures in this regard. The roads around Nur Khan Airbase and the area between Rawalpindi and Islamabad were closed. Markets in Raja Bazaar, Saddar and other areas were opened, but those in residential streets around the old airport as well on Murree Road from Shamsabad to Faizabad were closed.‎ Moreover, the Metro Bus Service between Rawalpindi and Islamabad and the electric buses remained suspended while the district administration directed to also suspend all public and goods transpor...

Rawalpindi police on Saturday denied reports regarding the closure of markets across the city until further notice, terming them baseless. A statement posted on the social media platform X quoted City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Khalid Mahmood Hamdani as saying that no directives had been issued by Rawalpindi police regarding the closure of markets. He said that all markets and businesses were open as usual till 8pm as per the government’s policy. He added that effective security arrangements were being ensured in view of the “movement of foreign delegations”. He said police teams were actively conducting search, sweep, and combing operations in different parts of the city to maintain law and order. He said police were working day and night to ensure foolproof security at all times. Separately, Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema also shared visuals regarding reports of hotels and markets being closed until further notice. “This news is fake and not issued by the district administration. The publ...

Heightened diplomatic activity in Islamabad has prompted authorities in Rawalpindi to enforce a comprehensive security plan, with sweeping restrictions coming into force from midnight.

The Rawalpindi Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education on Thursday postponed the matric examinations scheduled to be held on April 10 (Friday) — when the federal capital will be abuzz with diplomatic activity during talks between the US and Iran. In a statement, it said that the exams at 64 examination centres across the city had been postponed. However, it said that exams in other districts of Rawalpindi Division would continue as per the schedule announced. According to a statement issued by the Rawalpindi BISE, the postponed exams included compulsory Urdu and geography. A new date for the postponed papers would be announced later, and the candidates would be duly informed, the statement said. The district authorities of the twin cities have declared two local holidays in Islamabad and Rawalpindi on April 9 (today) and April 10 (Friday) to ensure security for the scheduled peace talks between Iran and the United States. Due to the sensitivity and importance of the talks, comprehensive security measure...

Matriculation examinations set for tomorrow in Islamabad and Rawalpindi have been deferred, with revised dates to be announced in due course.

District administrations of Islamabad and Rawalpindi have announced local holidays in the twin cities on April 9 (Thursday) and 10 (Friday). In a post on the social media platform X, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner (DC) Irfan Nawaz Memon said, “Local Holidays Announced in Islamabad – 9th & 10th April.” He also shared the notification by the office of the Islamabad district magistrate. However, he added, essential services will remain operational. According to the official, these included the Capital Development Authority, the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration, Islamabad police, the Islamabad Electric Supply Company, the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd and hospitals. “Citizens are advised to plan their activities accordingly. Thank you,” he said. Separately, a notification issued by Rawalpindi DC Hassan Waqar announced a local holiday in the territorial jurisdiction of Rawalpindi on April 9 and 10. “However, all emergency dealing departments/ institutions/ authorities shall remain operational,” the notif...

Security sources said that an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fell on a house in Chaklala area of Rawalpindi early Tuesday morning. They said that no loss of life was reported in the incident. However, they said that the house had sustained some damage. Last week, four people were injured after a “few rudimentary” drones launched by the Afghan Taliban were intercepted in various cities of Pakistan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. The development came amid Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, which was launched on the night of February 26, following unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban from across the border. The ISPR said the drones were intercepted through “soft and hard kills” and did not reach their intended targets. “However, the debris from these drones resulted in injuries to two children in Quetta and a civilian each in Kohat and Rawalpindi,” the military’s media affairs wing said. The military spokesperson had also stated in late February that Afghan forces attempted to use “rudimentary drones”...

ISLAMABAD - Panic gripped the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and flight operations at Islamabad International Airport saw a brief suspension after Air Defence forces intercepted and destroyed two drones in Islamabad on Friday.

Thunderstorms lashed the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi on Wednesday, bringing both heavy and light showers that cooled down the atmosphere and created pleasant weather conditions.

RAWALPINDI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Saturday sentenced 47 proclaimed offenders, including prominent PTI leaders Hammad Azhar, Omar Ayub and Zartaj Gul, to 10 years in prison in the May 9 GHQ attack case. District and Sessions Judge Amjad Ali Shah, who presided over ATC No. 1, penned a 16-page detailed judgment, which is available with Dawn. The convicts included Senator Shibli Faraz, Murad Saeed, Shahbaz Gill, Zulfi Bukhari, as well as ex-MNAs Kanwal Shauzab, Rai Hassan Nawaz, Muhammad Ahmed Chattha and Sheikh Rashid Shafique. The court imposed a fine of Rs500,000 each and ordered the confiscation of their property in favour of the state. Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9, 2023, triggered widespread riots across Pakistan, during which government buildings and military installations — including the GHQ in Rawalpindi — were stormed and vandalised. Following the unrest, a crackdown was launched against the PTI, with dozens of terrorism cases lodged against its leaders and supporters. Several of...

Pakistan Super League franchise (PSL) Multan Sultans on Monday was sold to Walee Technologies for a record Rs2.45 billion ahead of the tournament’s 11th edition. At the auction in Lahore, show host Fakhr-i-Alam informed bidders that the winning bid would also cover the annual fee to maintain ownership of the team for the next 10 years. Speaking at the auction ceremony, the new owner of the team announced that they would be changing the name to Rawalpindi. “Are you ready for a surprise? We will be going for Rawalpindi!” announced the company’s chief executive officer, Ahsan Tahir. Speaking at the ceremony, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi congratulated Walee Technologies on their successful bid and expressed gratitude to former board chairman Najam Sethi for his vision for the Multan Sultans franchise. “Multan Sultans was created by Najam Sethi sahib; we are so pleased he is with us today,” Naqvi said, inviting Sethi onto the stage. In his remarks, Sethi said, “I’m obviously delighted to be h...

A five-year-old boy was critically injured and his one-year-old brother also hurt after a metal kite string slashed their necks in Gulistan Colony, Rawalpindi, in a disturbing incident linked to illegal kite flying.

Rawalpindi to mark festival in phases with cantonment events today, tomorrow and celebrations across city on Feb 12–13

Four young girls sustained serious burn injuries in a house fire in Rawalpindi’s Niazi Town area on Wednesday, according to rescue officials.

RAWALPINDI - Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ, COAS & CDF, on Thursday attended the Christmas celebrations at Christ Church in Rawalpindi, joining the Christian community in commemorating the joyous occasion.

PTI founder Imran Khan‘s sisters — Aleema Khan, Noreen Khan Niazi and Uzma Khan — ended their sit-in and left Rawalpindi’s Factory Naka on Tuesday night, hours after they were again barred from moving towards Adiala jail in a bid to meet the incarcerated ex-premier. Over the past several weeks, the PTI founder has been denied meetings in prison with his family, party members and lawyers, prompting them to stage sit-ins near or outside the prison complex every Tuesday and Thursday — the court-mandated days for visiting Imran. At times, police also used water cannons and baton charges to disperse them. A Dawn correspondent said that the PTI founder’s sisters left Factory Naka at around 9:30pm and moved towards Gorakhpur on foot, before heading home. Meanwhile, traffic resumed on the thoroughfare as soon as the 6-hour sit-in ended. Half an hour before that, the Saddar police station house officer arrived at the protest site and began negotiations with PTI’s Shaukat Basra and Meena Khan Afridi. After initial talk...