Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Over 270 students gathered in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi this week in preparation to travel to the United States to begin bachelor’s, master’s and PhD programmes at US universities, a statement issued by organisers said. “EducationUSA at the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) hosted these annual pre-departure orientations (PDOs) to prepare students for the educational and cultural journey ahead. Discussion topics included classroom and campus life, resources for international students, and adapting to new cultural experiences,” the statement read. Parents, school counsellors and alumni of US institutions also joined the discussions to help ensure the students’ successful transition. According to the Institute of International Education’s 2024 Open Doors report, nearly 11,000 Pakistanis were enrolled at US institutions last year—an all-time high for Pakistan and an 8.1 per cent increase over the previous year. “Pakistan is home to thousands of alumni of US colleges and unive...

LAHORE: The police reportedly thwarted a mob attack on a worship place of the Ahmadi community in Samanabad here on Friday. A strong contingent of force from several police stations responded to the emergency 15 call from the community when local residents were about to march towards their (Ahmadi) worship place. “Six SHOs, a DSP, a divisional SP and an SSP rushed to the site along with armed policemen on the direction of Lahore Operations DIG Faisal Kamran to rescue members of the Ahmadi community at any cost,” a police officer told Dawn. He said some women and children were also among the worshippers. As the mob tried to surround the worship place, the police launched a major operation and rescued women, children and other worshippers, shifted them to a secured area and increased security of the worship place. Police high-ups also engaged known local figures, including religious leaders, to maintain peace. An Ahmadi worshipper told Dawn his community had built a worship place on Poonch Road and got it regis...

Peshawar - In a landmark move toward climate action and sustainable development, the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has officially launched the province’s first Carbon Asset Inventory for its renewable energy portfolio.

ISLAMABAD - French Ambassador to Pakistan Nicolas Galey yesterday hosted a grand reception to mark the 236th anniversary of Bastille Day, a historic milestone that ignited the French Revolution and embodies the timeless values of liberty, equality, and fraternity.

Says economic development impossible without modernising outdated system Wants a committee to finalise actionable proposals for restructuring of ministries, institutions.

DG KHAN / ISLAMABAD/QUETTA - The bodies of nine people who were martyred by unidentified armed men in the Sur-Dakai area on the border between Balochistan’s Zhob and Loralai districts late Thursday night were received in Dera Ghazi KHAN on Friday morning.

Foreign minister says Indian leadership not ready to digest defeat in war against Pakistan Addressing ASEAN Regional Forum in Kuala Lumpur, Dar stresses collective commitment to build peaceful Asia-Pacific.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan yesterday said that India’s involvement in terrorism within Pakistan is undeniable and that it is now orchestrating acts of terrorism and massacres across the globe.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Manama, Bahrain, on Saturday for a one-day official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral security ties between Pakistan and Bahrain.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi undertook an official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to enhance bilateral cooperation in the areas of security, counter-narcotics, and immigration.

ISLAMABAD/BEIJING - Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Friday hailed Pakistan–China relations as more than just a strategic alliance, calling it a friendship rooted in shared mountains, rivers, and centuries of cultural exchange, and reaffirmed China as Pakistan’s “iron brother”—a.

BAJAUR - The funeral prayer of Maulana Khan Zeb, senior leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) and Secretary for Religious Affairs, was held in his native town of Nawagai, a day after he was shot and killed.

ISLAMABAD - Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Friday met Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at his residence.

KHYBER: Thousands of peace campaigners from the restive Tirah Valley and Bara tehsil of Khyber tribal district on Friday staged a rally, opposing an imminent military operation in Tirah and forcible displacement of the residents. Organised under the banner of Bara Siyasi Ittehad (BSI) at the Minara Jumaat Chowk, the peace rally, which later turned into an anti-military operation demonstration, was attended by thousands of people from all parts and corners of Bara and Tirah with parliamentarians, tribal elders, political parties’ representatives and civil society activists also in attendance. Amid vociferous sloganeering, the BSI president Hashim Khan Afridi declared that people of Tirah and Bara would not submit to any pressure regarding the start of a new military operation, forced displacement or formation of armed lashkars (peace committees). He called upon the government to reconsider its policy about Qabayal (residents of the seven merged districts) as it was a flawed policy and had thus failed. “The gov...

ISLAMABAD - President Asif Ali Zardari has stressed the need for promoting trade, investment and people-to-people contacts between Pakistan and Czech Republic.

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has expr­essed dissatisfaction over the federal government’s failure to submit a report in the case concerning the release, health and repatriation of Dr Aafia Siddiqui. Dr Siddiqui, a neuroscientist, has been imprisoned in the United States since 2008 after being convicted on charges of attempted murder of US personnel in Afghanistan. When the petition filed by her sister Dr Fawzia Siddiqui came up for hearing, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan grilled Additional Attorney General Rashid Hafeez over the delay in submission of the government’s response to the case. The court noted that the government had been asked in June to submit a response but it did not file it till date. “If the federal government’s report is not presented in my court, I will summon the entire cabinet. Why not initiate contempt of court proceedings against all ministers in the federal cabinet, including the prime minister?” he remarked. However, the additional attorney general requested for five mor...

ISLAMABAD - The District and Sessions Court of Islamabad on Friday reserved its decision on a plea filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi seeking acquittal in the May 9 unrest case.

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday accepted the acquittal appeal of an accused Sita Ram in murder case declaring that the police cannot refuse or delay the registration of first information report (FIR) of any incident as it could lead to injustice or loss of evidence.

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday declared the former employees of PTCL as fully entitled to the pension and directed the PTCL to prepare payment schedule within 90 days.

ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Friday hinted at initiating contempt of court proceedings against Prime Minister and members of the federal cabinet over the government’s failure to submit a report in the Dr Aafia Siddiqui case.