Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Friday reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm support for the Palestinian cause during a meeting with a delegation led by Dr Mahmoud Siddiqi Al-Habbash, Advisor on Religious Affairs to the President of Palestine, at Parliament House.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has expelled Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan along with 11 members of the provincial assembly on charges of serious violation of party discipline.

A blockbuster between India and Pakistan headlines the Asia Cup starting on Tuesday as they face off for the first time in cricket since their military conflict in May. Along with regional bragging rights, the T20 competition will serve as a build-up towards the T20 World Cup in February-March in India and Sri Lanka. The eight-team event in the United Arab Emirates begins when Afghanistan play minnows Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi. Arch-rivals India and Pakistan clash in Dubai on September 14, with Pakistan bowling great Wasim Akram saying players and fans from both teams should “remain disciplined and not cross the line”. The neighbours have not met on either side’s soil in a bilateral series since 2012 and only play each other in international tournaments on neutral ground as part of a compromise deal. The two Asian cricketing giants have been clubbed together in the same group and could potentially meet three times in the tournament, which concludes on September 28. There have been tensions in the build-up after ...

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Shehrbano Naqvi has been selected for the prestigious Asia Society 21 Next Generation Fellowship, becoming the first female police officer from Pakistan to receive this honor.

The Provincial Relief Commissioner has reported that the flood situation in Punjab remains critical, with more than 4.

The Provincial Rain and Flood Emergency Monitoring Cell has reported a significant rise in water inflows and outflows at major barrages across Sindh, warning of heightened flood risks in several areas.

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on Sunday solemnly observed Martyrs’ Day across all its bases nationwide, paying glowing tributes to the heroes who laid down their lives in defence of the country.

The Embassy of Pakistan in Brussels commemorated Defence Day with a dignified ceremony to pay tribute to the valiant armed forces who defended the motherland against external aggression and continue to safeguard its sovereignty with courage and resolve.

PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court Chief Justice SM Attique Shah has dismissed from service nine judicial officers, who were restored early this year, as they were found guilty of ‘misconduct, corruption, and inefficiency’ in a fresh inquiry against them. The dismissed judicial officers include four additional district and sessions judges Malik Amjid Rahim, Manzoor Qadir, Qaiser Rahim and Ms Riffat Aamir; four senior civil judges named Safeer Qaiser Malik, Adil Akbar Khan, Rashid Rauf Swati and Shah Hussain, and a civil judge Tasawar Hussain. The high court had initiated disciplinary proceedings under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2011 on charges of misconduct, corruption, and inefficiency against the said officers, according to a press release issued here on Friday. The inquiry into the charges was conducted by a PHC judge, who found the officers guilty and recommended the imposition of a major penalty. PHC CJ imposes major penalty after inquiry “Upon receipt of the...

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi has established the Overseas Litigants Facilitation Cell (OLFC) to provide overseas Pakistanis with timely and convenient access to justice.

KARACHI: The Sindh government and Pakistan Railways (PR) have agreed to collaborate on finalising the modalities for the revival of the long-delayed Karachi Circular Railway (KCR). During a meeting at the CM House on Friday, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah proposed to Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi that technical experts from both Sindh and PR should jointly work out the modalities of the project. According to a statement issued by the CM House, the chief minister stressed the urgent need to revive the KCR and expressed frustration over the project’s continued delays. The statement said that the KCR would serve an estimated 650,000 passengers daily and provide critical east–west and north–south connectivity across Karachi. However, it added, the updated feasibility still awaits approval from Chinese authorities as the project is set to be executed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The chief minister proposed to the minister a collaborative approach, suggesting that the Sindh government and...

World number one Aryna Sabalenka overpowered Amanda Anisimova to defend her US Open crown on Saturday, defeating her American rival in straight sets to clinch the fourth Grand Slam title of her career. Sabalenka ruthlessly attacked Anisimova’s shaky service game to complete a 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) victory on Arthur Ashe Stadium, which cements her status at the pinnacle of women’s tennis. The 27-year-old from Belarus had gone into Saturday’s final knowing it was her last chance to grab a Grand Slam crown in 2025 after agonising losses in the Australian and French Open finals. Sabalenka duly atoned for those defeats to end Anisimova’s hopes of a remarkable redemption just two months after her traumatic 6-0, 6-0 thrashing by Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final. “It’s crazy, all those tough lessons were worth it for this one,” said Sabalenka after becoming the first woman to successfully defend the US Open since Serena Williams in 2014. “I’m speechless right now.” Anisimova had won six of nine previous encounters against...

LAHORE: In view of the flood situation and anticipated rains, the leaves of all officers and staff of subordinate institutions of the Punjab Housing Department have been cancelled. A notification has been issued in this regard on the directions of Housing Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal. According to a spokesperson for the housing department, development authorities, horticulture agencies, and Wasa agencies would provide resources for relief operations in the affected districts. The notification said that development authorities and horticulture agencies would extend all possible support to the districts. Uninterrupted supply of clean drinking water in flood relief camps would be ensured, while officers had been directed to remain present in the relief camps of the affected districts round-the-clock. The spokesperson said that officers and employees of development authorities and horticulture agencies would work under Wasa’s disposal so that relief operation could be made faster and more effective. Published in ...

BAHWALNAGAR: As many as 17 people were booked by the Shehar Farid police in Chishtian on Friday for attempting to break a temporary protective dyke in the Kamiraan village which is surrounded by floodwater. According to the FIR, seven residents of Kamiraan village, along with 10 unknown persons, were breaking the temporary protective dyke around the village with heavy machinery and tractors at 7pm on September 4. When the locals intervened, they beat them up, fired in the air and threatened to kill them. However, the men fled when a large police contingent arrived at the scene after being informed by the local residents. It is pertinent to mention here that many temporary protective dykes built by locals at various places in the 160 kilometer-long Sutlej belt in Bahawalnagar have broken. Due to this, thousands of acres of land have been submerged and dozens of villages of Minchinabad, Bahawalnagar and Chishtian have been affected by the river and they have been cut-off from the cities. On Thursday night, anot...

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel on Friday observed that the prolonged delay in the construction of 104 new lodges has not only multiplied the cost but also created avoidable financial burdens on the public exchequer. The subcommittee of the Senate House Committee headed by Senator Nasir Mehmood met on Friday. The participants stressed that there was no justification for further delay. Senators Danesh Kumar, Hidayatullah Khan and Poonjo Bheel also attended the meeting. The committee noted with concern that although the project was approved as far back as 2009 to meet the growing accommodation needs of parliamentarians, it has remained plagued by repeated delays. CDA says work stalled several times due to lack of funds and political gatherings near site CDA officials said work stalled several times due to lack of funds and political disruptions near the site. In 2015, the contractor demanded a steep cost escalation, leading to prolonged litigation. The committee was told that in 2025 a revised PC-I was approve...

RAWALPINDI: The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Anti-Corruption Circle Islamabad have arrested six suspects, including a government official, for being involved in corruption, bribery and fraud. A spokesman for the FIA said in a statement one of the suspects was posted as Deputy Director at FGEHF. Other suspects are beneficiaries of funds obtained through corruption and fraud, said the spokesman. According to the initial investigation, the suspects are involved in forgery and fraud by abusing their authority. They were involved in forgery and corruption in the supplementary award of built-up properties (BUPs) of sub-sectors of Mouza Thala Sayedan G-14. The accused allegedly illegally showed private individuals as co-owners of 5 BUPs, along with the BUPs given to the original owners. Private individuals received funds based on false information. The FIA said that the accused committed the forgery with the connivance of government officials. The aforementioned fraud caused a loss of millions of rupees to t...

At least one person was killed in a bomb blast while a cricket match was being played in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district on Saturday, according to the police. Bajaur District Police Officer Waqas Rafique confirmed the incident to Dawn.com in Khar tehsil’s Kausar Cricket Ground and said the blast was carried out through an improvised explosive device. “It appears to be a targeted attack,” he added. Last Saturday, two people, including a police official, were wounded after terrorists attacked a police station in the district’s Laghari area of Lowi Mamund tehsil through a quadcopter. Sources said police constable Mohammad Habib and civilian Najeeb Khan were injured in the attack, which also damaged a vehicle parked on the premises. Israr Khan, a public relations officer of the district police, had told Dawn that the injured were immediately shifted to the district headquarters hospital in Khar. He also said terrorists launched another attack on the police station through a quadcopter but it missed the targe...

Five people drowned as a boat capsized in the Chenab River in the Jalalpur Pirwala area of Punjab’s Multan district on Saturday amid a flood evacuation, according to officials. Multan Deputy Commissioner (DC) Wasim Hamid Sindhu and City Police Officer (CPO) Sadiq Ali Dogar later reached the site for an inspection and were briefed by officials present there. “The causes of the boat accident are being carefully examined. Initially, five deaths, including children on board the boat, have been confirmed,” DC Sindhu was quoted as saying in a statement. A statement from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) also put the toll at five. He ordered the rescue authorities to immediately intensify the search operation. “Rescue operations are being carried out to search for more people on board the boat,” Sindhu said. Meanwhile, CPO Dogar said police teams were providing full support to Rescue 1122 and the initial reasons for the boat accident included the darkness and flooded routes. The initial report from...

Donald Trump will become the first sitting United States president to attend the US Open in a quarter-century on Sunday, as he joins the legions of fans in New York to catch a highly anticipated showdown between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Republican Trump has attended numerous sports events to meet with his supporters, but he may not receive the warmest welcome at the US Open in deeply Democratic New York City. He was once a fixture of the tournament before taking office and in 2015 was booed by some tennis fans not long after launching his presidential campaign. Ticketholders can expect extraordinary security measures at the sprawling Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre in Trump’s home borough, Queens, where the final tennis major of 2025 is on track for a fourth straight year of record-setting attendances. While the pricey playground for tennis fanatics and designer-clad social media influencers regularly brings in an array of A-listers, the tournament has not seen a sitting US president since Bi...

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Saturday sounded the alarm over the risk of urban flooding in Islamabad and northern Punjab, expected within the next 2 to 6 hours due to torrential rains.