Pakistan

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Sanam Javed, a senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was released from Kot Lakhpat Jail on Tuesday after securing bail from the Lahore High Court.

The ruling coalition was handed its two-thirds majority in the National Assembly on Wednesday with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) distributing the reserved seats to the PML-N, PPP and the opposition Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) following the Supreme Court’s verdict. Last week, the Constit­utional Bench overturned the Supreme Court’s earlier judgement in the reserved seats case — effectively taking away reserved seats from the PTI and handing them to their rival parties in the national and provincial legislatures. The decision, handed down by a majority of seven judges, supersedes the July 12, 2024 majority judgement by eight judges, which had declared the PTI eligible for reserved seats for women and non-Muslims in the assemblies. The Constitutional Bench’s decision effectively meant the PTI was no longer a parliamentary party. Acting on the court’s verdict, the ECP issued an order today withdrawing its July 24 and 29 notifications from last year that had declared returned candidates against g...

Ukraine appealed to the United States for clarity on Wednesday after it was caught off guard by a White House announcement that Washington was halting some arms shipments to the war-battered country. The Ukrainian defence ministry, which is deeply dependent on US arms, said it had not been notified about the reduction in aid announced one day earlier. Moscow revelled in the decision, saying it could bring the end of the war closer. Any slowdown in US support could harm Kyiv’s ability to fend off escalating Russian aerial bombardments or frontline gains. Kyiv has long feared halts to US aid after Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, having criticised the tens of billions of dollars in support and weapons sent by his predecessor, Joe Biden. “It will [be] even more scary, even more painful, and even more civilians will suffer,” Kyiv resident Yevgenia Prysiazhna told AFP, referring to an uptick in overnight drone and missile attacks on Ukraine. “I really hope that this is a temporary decision,” th...

At least five people, including an assistant commissioner, were killed and 11 others injured on Wednesday as a government vehicle was targeted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district. Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022. The country ranked second in the Global Terrorism Index 2025. Bajaur District Police Officer (DPO) Waqas Rafique told Dawn.com that five people, including two policemen and a civilian, were killed in an explosion targeting the vehicle on Nawagai Road in Khar tehsil’s Sadiqabad area. The deceased include Nawagai Assistant Commissioner (AC) Faisal Ismail, Tehsildar Abdul Wakil, Subedar Noor Hakim, and police constable Rashid, according to the DPO. “The blast was so intense that the vehicle targeted was completely destroyed,” he said, adding that 11 people were injured in the blast and immediately transported to Khar District Headquarters...

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Wednesday said that the party was standing together and presenting a “message of unity” amid rumours of rifts while warning the federal government against toppling the party’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administration. Background briefings revealed a complete lack of trust among PTI leaders, with doubts about each other’s sincerity and intentions, particularly regarding messages from party founder Imran Khan, who has been behind bars since August 2023. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad and flanked by senior PTI leaders, the party chairman outlined the issues discussed in a high-level meeting and maintained that the PTI would continue efforts to try and free Imran. “We discussed the aftermath of the reserved seat ruling, which was the first time that the party formed a strategy together,” Gohar said. “It is our decision that we will stand up together for Imran Khan. We have no personal conflict, we are and will remain united and a message of unity needed to be sent in ...

The Sheikhupura Police arrested a security guard of the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) on Wednesday after the Power Division suspended him for dragging an elderly customer out of the distribution company’s premises. Footage of the incident, making the rounds on social media since July 1, showed a Lesco guard dragging an elderly woman along the ground by her arm while removing her from the premises. According to a Power Division statement issued today, the incident of misbehaviour took place on June 30. “The security guard was suspended immediately [and] a first information report was filed. The security guard is now in police custody,” the statement added. “Breaking the law and humiliating the public will not be tolerated,” the Power Division warned, highlighting that it took strict action against the guard’s misconduct. The statement added that action was being taken to dismiss the security guard from his job and that the Power Division ordered an inquiry report to be furnished within three days. Ord...

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has introduced a new policy allowing overseas Pakistanis to register their mobile phones without paying tax for a period of 120 days during each visit to Pakistan.

The Foreign Office (FO) said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the 17th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) in Baku, Azerbaijan from July 3-4. In a statement today, the FO said the prime minister will “share Pakistan’s perspective on key regional and global challenges, reaffirm Pakistan’s commitment to the ECO Vision 2025, and advocate for enhanced intra-regional trade, transport connectivity, energy cooperation, and sustainable development”. He will also hold bilateral meetings with other ECO leaders on the sidelines of the summit to discuss matters of mutual interest, the statement added. The theme of the summit is ‘New ECO Vision for a Sustainable and Climate Resilient Future’. The 16th ECO summit was held from November 9, 2023, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and attended by then-caretaker prime minister Anwarul Haq Kakar. According to a statement by ECO, the summit will convene ECO heads of states/governments, ministers, observers, special guests from non-ECO countries...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday made a surprize visit to inspect a field hospital near Murree.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday applauded the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for achieving a historic 42% increase in federal tax revenues during the fiscal year 2024-25, the highest surge in the past decade.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will undertake a two-day official visit to Azerbaijan to participate in the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), scheduled for July 3 and 4.

Former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday again extended an olive branch to India, asking the neighbouring country forge a partnership to pursue peace and jointly combat terrorism. “Pakistan is ready to forge a historic, phenomenal partnership with India to jointly combat terror,” he said while addressing an international conference on ‘Pakistan Fighting War for the World against Terrorism’ at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute. “Not as adversaries playing a zero sum game but as neighbours who share a moral and civilisational obligation to save a billion souls from the plague of extremism. “All it requires is from India’s leadership is to step down from the high horse heading in the abyss and pursue peace with Pakistan.” Bilawal also called on the Indian leadership to resolve all outstanding dispute including the Kashmir and the water crisis. “Let us resolve Kashmir in accordance with the aspirations of the people. Let us end the weaponisation of water. And instead, build peace as might...

Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Khan Kundi Wednesday, called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and briefed him on the tragic incident of River Swat in which a number of tourists lost their lives.

The National Disaster Management Authority said on Wednesday that flash floods and heavy rain across the country have killed 64 people and injured 117 in a week. The highest toll was in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 23 dead, including 10 children, the authority said. Fourteen of the victims were swept away in a flash flood in the Swat Valley last week. Flash floods and homes collapsing in heavy rain killed 21 others in Punjab, including 11 children, the authority said. In Sindh, 15 people were killed, while five people died in Balochistan. Separately, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast a significant intensification of monsoon activity across the country beginning from the evening of July 5, with widespread rain, thunderstorms and the possibility of flash floods and urban flooding in several regions. According to the Met Office, moist monsoon currents were continuously penetrating the country and would likely strengthen over the weekend. A westerly wave was also expected to approach the upper part...

The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony on Wednesday announced that the mandatory registration process for Hajj 2026 is currently in progress and will continue until July 9, 2025.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has notified the names of returned candidates against the reserved seats for women and non-Muslims in the National Assembly, Khyber Pakhtunkwha, Punjab and Sindh assemblies.

In a rare move, police in Haveli, Kahuta (Azad Jammu and Kashmir) on Wednesday arrested Sessions Judge Raja Imtiaz Ahmad for contempt of court after he unlawfully granted bail to a known narcotics trafficker, defying a clear directive from the Supreme Court of AJK.

Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan has reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong commitment to enhancing trade through rail, road, and air routes.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will lead the Pakistan delegation at the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), which is being held in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan, on July 3-4.