Pakistan

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said the Federal Budget provides relief for the salaried class, reduces taxes for the corporate sector, supports the construction industry, and offers financing for small businesses.

Egyptian authorities have detained more than 200 pro-Palestinian activists in Cairo ahead of an international march with the stated aim of breaking Israel’s blockade on Gaza, organisers said Thursday. As part of the Global March to Gaza, thousands of activists planned to travel to Egypt’s Rafah border crossing with the Palestinian territory on Friday to demand the entry of humanitarian aid. On Thursday, the march’s spokesperson Saif Abukeshek told AFP: “Over 200 participants were detained at Cairo airport or questioned at hotels across Cairo.” He added that those detained included nationals from the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Morocco, and Algeria. Abukeshek said that plainclothes police entered hotels in Cairo on Wednesday with lists of names, questioned activists and in some cases confiscated mobile phones and searched personal belongings. “After interrogations, some were arrested and others were released,” he added. At Cairo airport, some detainees were held for long hours wit...

The Islamabad High Court on Thursday restrained the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from “harassing” former senator and prominent human rights defender Farhatullah Babar. FIA Anti-Corruption Circle (ACC) opened an inquiry against Babar in March over alleged “corruption, tax evasion and illicit asset accumulation”. Babar appeared before the FIA in Islamabad on March 28 to respond to the notice over a complaint filed by a citizen named Touseef Abbas in Rawalpindi. The senator, who is the head of PPP’s Human Rights Cell, filed a writ petition through lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha with the Ministry of Interior and FIA as respondents, urging the court to quash an anti-corruption inquiry filed against him and restrain the agency from harassing or arresting him. Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas heard the case today on a petition filed by Babar under Article 199 of the Constitution, one that grants high courts the power to issue writs to enforce fundament rights. The petitioner’s counsel told the court that B...

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday organized a colorful Mango Festival here, bringing together members of the diplomatic corps and their families in a celebration of Pakistan’s national fruit.

A 'Minerals Complex' has been established for mineral exploration with the support of Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).

A Pakistani parliamentary delegation led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has arrived in Brussels, following successful diplomatic engagements in Washington, New York, and London.

At least three people have lost their lives in Bahawalpur due to an ongoing intense heatwave sweeping across much of Pakistan.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday urged parents and employers to make joint efforts to eliminate child labour, as the country observed World Day Against Child Labour. Over 12.5 million children in Pakistan are involved in child labour, according to the Child Rights Movement (CRM) National Secretariat. One in four households in Pakistan employed a child for domestic work, often in hazardous conditions, as per the International Labour Organisation (ILO). According to a provincial survey, working children accounted for 11.1 per cent of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s child population. According to a statement from the President’s House, President Zardari, in his message, called for efforts to protect children from exploitation, expressing hope for a future where children could “learn, play, and grow in a safe and dignified environment”. Stressing the need for collective action by governments, the president urged employers to “strictly follow child labour laws and ensure that their wor...

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has officially released the updated curriculum for the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT) 2025, with the exam tentatively scheduled for the last week of September or the first Sunday of October.

Pakistan Railways is taking significant strides toward modernization with its Carriage Factory in Islamabad now fully equipped with state-of-the-art facilities.

Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal has asserted that Pakistan is undergoing a national turnaround and progressing swiftly on the economic front.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in Abu Dhabi on one-day official visit to United Arab Emirates.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari has announced that the provincial government will present a completely tax-free budget for the fiscal year 2025–26, with special relief measures aimed at the salaried segment of the population.

The federal government has announced a major electrification initiative for the fiscal year 2025–26, aiming to bring electricity to 15,352 villages across Pakistan, according to budget documents.

Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi reaffirmed Pakistan Railways’ commitment to enhancing passenger services during his visit to the Quetta Railway Station on Wednesday.

Police arrested a suspect with an extensive criminal record in Punjab’s Lodhran district, while two other suspected dacoits escaped during an exchange of fire, police officials said on Thursday. A first information report (FIR) was filed against the suspect at the City Kahror Pakka Police Station on the behalf of the state under sections 324 (attempt to murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) for “deliberately attacking police officers with the intention to kill and assisting his accomplices escape”. The suspect was arrested in an injured condition by the Crime Control Department (CCD), the FIR said. It added that the police team was present at Allah Warai chowk when they received a tip-off that three armed persons were present at Khudai Phatak area. “Police immediately formed teams and conducted a raid, when the suspects suddenly opened...

Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has taken a landmark step in child protection by launching Pakistan’s first Virtual Centre for Child Safety under the Safe City Authority in Punjab.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has warned of grave consequences if India attempts to block Pakistan’s water supply.

Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday declared that Pakistan is undergoing a significant national turnaround, with key economic indicators reflecting rapid progress.

A relentless heatwave continues to grip parts of Pakistan, with the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) reporting felt temperatures as high as 50°C and heat intensity peaking at an extreme 60°C in Lahore on Thursday.