Pakistan

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has asked Taliban authorities to lift restrictions on Afghan female aid workers, allowing them to travel without male guardians and help women struggling to access care after a powerful earthquake killed 2,200 people in eastern Afghanistan. “A very big issue now is the increasing paucity of female staff in these places,” Dr Mukta Sharma, the deputy representative of WHO’s Afghanistan office, told Reuters. She estimated around 90 per cent of medical staff in the area were male, and the remaining 10pc were often midwives and nurses, rather than doctors, who could treat severe wounds. This was hampering care as women were uncomfortable or afraid to interact with male staff and travel alone to receive care. The September 1 magnitude-6 quake and its aftershocks injured more than 3,600 people and left thousands homeless in a country already dealing with severe aid cuts and a slew of humanitarian crises since the Taliban took over in 2021 as foreign forces left. The Afghan health ...

The Indus River’s water flow at Guddu Barrage has crossed 400,000 cusecs, with rising levels also being reported at Sukkur and Kotri barrages, submerging several parts of the katcha area, officials confirmed on Monday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu arrives in Pakistan today (Monday) on a two-day official visit, accompanied by a high-level 13-member delegation, including the Kazakh minister of transport.

The Workers Welfare Board Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has suspended 15 principals of Working Folks Grammar and Higher Secondary Schools across the province following poor academic performance in the recent matriculation examinations.

Pakistan Navy Day is being observed today to pay tribute to the valiant heroes of the 1965 war who, through Operation Somnath, struck a decisive blow against a much larger adversary and defended the motherland with unmatched courage.

The Flood Forecasting Division has reported a dangerous surge in water flow across Punjab’s major rivers, with several points now facing very high to extremely high flood levels.

ISLAMABAD: While five judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) have finalised their objections to what they described as the “hasty” approval of new court rules without “meaningful” consultation, the IHC administration has claimed that all judges had been duly involved in the rule-making process months before the full court meeting was convened. The High Court Establishment (Appointment and Conditions of Service) Rules-2025 were passed at the recent full court meeting of the IHC by a narrow margin, with six of the 11 judges voting in favour. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz — the five senior judges who opposed the move and demanded certain amendments — would file their dissenting notes. The newly promulgated rules substantially enhanced the authority of the chief justice, empowering him to nominate any judge to the powerful administration committee, while simultaneously eliminating the inclusion ...

Marking Air Force Day, Zardari, Shehbaz pay tributes to PAF for decisive role in military confrontation with India in May this year PAF chief says ‘We owe our heroes an eternal debt of gratitude for their supreme sacrifices’.

NDMA, Punjab and Sindh flood authorities warn of extremely heavy rainfall in southern Punjab, Sindh cities including Karachi n India releases water in Sutlej Five drown as Rescue 1122 boat capsizes in Multan amid flood evacuation CM Murad says Sindh prepared to tackle 800,000 cusecs water President Zardari asks authorities.

ISLAMABAD: As the month of Rabiul Awwal graces the calendar, commemorating the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), a growing number of residents in the capital are turning to digital platforms to mark the occasion. Across the capital, from upscale sectors to suburban communities, residents are hosting online Mahafil-i-Milad, streaming live naat sessions, and attending digital Seerat conferences. Prominent platforms such as Zoom, Facebook Live, YouTube, and WhatsApp have become key tools for organising and participating in these spiritual events. University students are actively conducting online naat competitions, Seerat quizzes, and live Q&A sessions with scholars — playing a proactive role in combining religious expression with modern technology. Anam, a media student at International Islamic University Islamabad, said social media gave people the chance to make religious content more accessible, especially to younger audience. Many mosques in Islamabad are also adapting the trend. Some ...

LAHORE - Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervez Malik called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday and briefed him on the overall situation of the energy sector in the wake of the ongoing floods.

ISLAMABAD - President Asif Ali Zardari has given his approval to the National Institute of Health (Reorganization) Amendment Bill 2025.

ISLAMABAD -- Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Naveed Ashraf has said that while discharging the cardinal responsibility of ensuring robust defence of maritime frontiers, Pakistan Navy remains committed to advancing nation’s maritime sector.

ISLAMABAD - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu will undertake an official visit to Pakistan from today.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday paid rich tribute to the Pakistan Navy on the occasion of Navy Day (September 8), calling Operation Dwarka during the 1965 war a shining chapter of naval history.

BAHAWALNAGAR: The Maroot police on Sunday booked two youths for raping and looting a transgender. Police sources told Dawn that the transperson, who made a living by dancing at wedding functions, was at her home in Allama Iqbal Town, Maroot, on Sept 9 when two young men, residents of Chak 314-HR, reached there to invite her to dance at a wedding function. Meanwhile, one youth forcibly raped the transgender person while the other kept watch. When people reached the spot after hearing the transperson’s screams, the duo took the victim’s wallet containing cash and documents and her mobile phone and fled. A police spokesperson said the suspects had been arrested. FRATRICIDE: A youth, along with his two cousins, was booked for shooting his elder brother to death over a domestic issue at Chishtian on Sunday. The FIR registered with Saddar police stated that Ali Waqas, a resident of village Mari Shoq Shah, along with his cousins, Imtiaz and Qasim, argued with his elder brother, Zaffar Iqbal, over some domestic matte...

The metropolis witnessed widespread rainfall on Monday, bringing relief from the heat as dark clouds, cool breezes, and light showers covered different parts of the city.

QUETTA: Six opposition political parties have announced a complete wheel-jam and shutter-down strike across Balochistan on Monday (today) to protest against the suicide bombing that targeted a BNP-Mengal public meeting at Shahwani Stadium on Sept 2. Sardar Akhtar Mengal, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, former National Party senator Mir Kabir Muhammad Shahi, and ANP leader Asghar Achakzai remained unhurt in the suicide attack as they had left the venue just a few minutes before the blast. Traders, transporters, and businesses pledge support to opposition alliance Leaders of six opposition parties — Balochistan National Party (BNP-Mengal), Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Tehreek Tahaffuz-i-Aain-i-Pakistan, Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, and National Party — strongly condemned the tragic incident in a meeting and announced a complete shutter-down and wheel-jam strike throughout the province. They declared that during the strike highways, intercity roads, and routes leading to Quetta airport ...

Carlos Alcaraz beat Jannik Sinner in four sets on Sunday to win the US Open and reassert his dominance of an era-defining rivalry in a final delayed by the visit of United States President Donald Trump. The 22-year-old Alcaraz won 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to capture his second US Open crown and sixth Grand Slam title, avenging his lone defeat in a major final by Sinner at Wimbledon in July. “It’s a great feeling. I’m working really hard just to lift this trophy. It’s my second one but it’s still a dream come true,” said Alcaraz. Alcaraz will reclaim the world number one ranking from Sinner, returning to top spot on Monday for the first time since September 2023 after ending the Italian’s 27-match winning run at hard-court Grand Slams. “It was one of the first goals that I had, to recover the number one (ranking),” said Alcaraz, who also defeated Sinner in an epic French Open final in June. Alcaraz has now won seven of the past eight meetings and is 10-5 overall against Sinner. “I tried my best today. I couldn’t do ...

A speeding trailer collided with a car on Monday near Sidhuja on the National Highway, leaving seven members of the same family dead, police officials confirmed.