Pakistan

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed authorities to submit a report on the health and living conditions of all animals at Karachi Zoo, following Tuesday’s decision to transfer brown bear Rano to a sanctuary for medical care. The case of Rano, a female Himalayan brown bear who stirred public outcry over her ailing health in the zoo, has brought into sharp focus the neglect of animals kept in captivity in Karachi. Rano’s relocation was finally ordered on Tuesday by the SHC after a petition was submitted to recognise her deteriorating condition. During the continuation of the hearing of the case today, the SHC called for a further report on all animals kept in captivity at the zoo. The report is to include details on animals’ “physical and psychological health, living conditions, qualifications and training of zoo staff”, as well as alternative plans for animals if they are shifted from the zoo, according to lawyer Jibran Nasir, who was representing Rano’s case on behalf of the petitioner Jude Allen Pereira. ...

The recent floods have caused an estimated economic loss of Rs822 billion across Pakistan, according to an initial government assessment released on Friday, which paints a grim picture of the devastation to the country’s agriculture and infrastructure sectors.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari announced on Friday that the Punjab cabinet has approved a ban on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and forwarded a summary to the federal government recommending the party’s proscription.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment towards cooperation with the United States over matters of maritime security during a visit to the country, the military’s media wing said on Friday. The Pakistani and US Navy share a long-standing relationship. In September, the US Navy ship USS Wayne E. Meyer departed from Karachi on a two-day port call, strengthening the enduring maritime cooperation between the Pakistan Navy and the US Navy. According to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement, “Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, visited [the] United States of America as part of ongoing efforts to further strengthen bilateral maritime cooperation and defence engagements.” Over the course of the visit — which concluded last Friday — Admiral Ashraf met with the US Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Vice Admiral Yvette Davids, and Acting Vice Commandant of the US Coast Guard, Vice Admiral Thomas G. Allan Jr. “Matters of professional interest, regional ...

India has halved its purchases of Russian oil, a White House official said, but Indian sources said no immediate reduction had been seen, as President Donald Trump’s administration presses New Delhi and other nations to buy less Russian crude. Russian oil is a main irritant for Trump in prolonged trade talks with India — half of his 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods are in retaliation for those purchases. His administration says Moscow is using petroleum revenue to fund its war in Ukraine. The White House official told Reuters on Thursday that talks with an Indian delegation in Washington this week have been productive and that Indian refiners were already cutting Russian oil imports by 50%. But Indian industry sources said on Friday that New Delhi had not informed refiners of any request to cut Russian imports. Trump says Modi pledged to halt Russian oil purchases Refiners have already placed orders for November loading, including some cargoes for December arrival, so any cut could be visible in December o...

Four terrorists were killed after security forces foiled a suicide attack on a military camp in North Waziristan’s Mir Ali district, state-run PTV reported on Friday. “According to sources, a khawarij attempted to carry out a suicide attack against security forces in Mir Ali. One kharji rammed a vehicle loaded with explosives into the wall of the security forces’ camp after which three more khawarij tried to enter the camp,” the report said. “As a result of security forces’ timely and courageous action, the three khawarij were killed outside the camp. Security forces did not suffer any losses in the incident. In the last two days alone, 88 terrorists supported by the Afghan Taliban have been killed,” the report said. Khawarij is a term that the state uses to refer to terrorists. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi paid tribute to security forces for foiling the attack and praised their professionalism. “Salute to the brave soldiers who thwarted the evil intentions of Khawarij,” Naqvi said, according to ...

Pakistan security forces on Friday successfully foiled a suicide attack by Khawarij in Mir Ali, North Waziristan.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb met with China’s Deputy Finance Minister Liao Min in Washington and sought Beijing’s support for Pakistan’s membership in BRICS’ New Development Bank (NDB), the Ministry of Finance said on Friday. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the plenary meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB) in Washington, DC, where Aurangzeb had arrived on Sunday on a six-day trip from Oct 13 to 18. NDB — established in 2015 by the BRICS — is a multilateral development bank aimed at mobilising resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS, as per their website. In February, the Economic Coord­ination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet had approved Pakistan’s membership in the NDB. In a statement issued today, the ministry said, “Aurangzeb sought China’s support for Pakistan’s membership in the NDB and welcomed enhanced investment from Chinese enterprises in key sectors, including information and communication technology, agriculture, indu...

Japan’s former prime minister Tomiichi Murayama, best known for making a statement apologising over World War II, died Friday aged 101, officials said. Murayama issued the 1995 proclamation on the 50th anniversary of Japan’s surrender, expressing “deep remorse” over the country’s atrocities in Asia. The statement became a benchmark for Tokyo’s subsequent apologies over World War II. “Tomiichi Murayama, the father of Japanese politics, passed away today at 11:28am at a hospital in Oita City at the age of 101,” Mizuho Fukushima, head of the Social Democratic Party, seen as the successor to Murayama’s now-defunct Socialist Party, said on X. Hiroyuki Takano, the secretary general of the Social Democratic Party in Oita, Murayama’s hometown, told AFP he had been informed that the former premier died of old age. In the landmark statement in August 1995, Murayama said that “Japan … through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those o...

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has decided to outsource public schools across the province in phases to enhance the quality of education and reduce per-student costs.

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Health, Syed Mustafa Kamal, has reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to universal health coverage (UHC), regional solidarity, and multilateral cooperation.

In a significant development for Pakistan’s energy sector, Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) on Friday announced a new oil and gas discovery in Sindh.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf visited the United States, where he held meetings with senior officials from the US Navy, Coast Guard, and Department of State to discuss maritime cooperation, regional security, and defence engagement, underscoring the strength of Pak-US naval relations.

The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) International Holding Company (IHC) has finalized a deal to acquire an 85 percent stake in Pakistan’s First Women Bank Limited (FWBL), citing informed sources.

akistan and the Afghan Taliban are set to hold crucial talks in Doha on Friday under a Qatari initiative aimed at resolving ongoing border tensions between the two neighbours.

Islamabad - The government will ensure security and protection of citizens at all costs and no one will be allowed to spread chaos or unrest in the country under any circum-stances.

CM Maryam chairs extraordinary meeting to review law and order situation Govt imposes Section-144 across Punjab Recommends ban on TLPn All suspects to be tried in Anti-Terrorism Courts Leadership to be placed under Schedule-4 TLP’s properties, assets to be transferred to Auqaf dept Offices sealed in.

Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan wants permanent end to terrorism originating from Afghanistan Pak Armed Forces forcefully responded to Afghan aggression under leadership of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.

ISLAMABAD - Security forces have killed 34 Khwarij belonging to Indian proxy Fitna Al Khwarij in multi-ple counterterrorism operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) – key partners in the coalition government – yesterday agreed to move forward under a framework of “mutual respect, understanding, and give-and-take.