Wednesday | Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has announced that the party will hold protests all over the country on Wednesday and Friday against the “martyrdom” of prominent cleric Maulana Idrees. The renowned cleric and former Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) MPA was killed on Tuesday after unidentified assailants opened fire on him, police said. “Full and peaceful protests will be held tomorrow (Wednesday) and on Friday against the martyrdom of Sheikh Idrees”, said JUI-F spokesperson Aslam Ghouri in a statement. He said the provincial and district organisations would arrange protest demonstrations at all four provincial headquarters and across districts. Terming the death of Maulana Idrees an irreparable loss, Ghouri said they were exhausted by carrying the bodies of senior scholars. “How long will the state continue to test us?” Ghouri asked, alleging that the federal and provincial governments have failed to maintain law and order. He asked public to participate in the protests and register their protes...

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court will be working with the minimal staff at its principal seat in Islamabad on Wednesday, while no judicial work will be conducted at the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) in the capital for a second consecutive day. The developments come as extraordinary security measures have been put in place for the anticipated second round of US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad, expected to be held this week. The measures also include restricted entry to the high-security Red Zone, where both the courts are located. The SC issued a notification on Tuesday, stating that the chief justice of Pakistan “shall function with minimal specified officers/ officials on April 22”. “However, the remaining officers/ officials shall work from home and shall remain in contact with their immediate supervising officers by keeping themselves connected through cell phone,” it added. The notification also said that “no adverse order shall be passed in case of non-appearance of any party or advocate in any case of Is...

Indian exporters are bracing for a sharp decline in orders from the United States after trade talks collapsed and Washington confirmed that steep new tariffs on the South Asian nation’s goods would take effect from Wednesday, escalating tension between the strategic partners. An additional 25 per cent duty announced by President Donald Trump, confirmed in a notice by the Homeland Security Department, takes total tariffs to as much as 50pc, among Washington’s highest, in retaliation for New Delhi’s increased buying of Russian oil. “The government has no hope for any immediate relief or delay in US tariffs,” said a commerce ministry official, who sought anonymity for lack of authorisation to speak to the media. Exporters hit by tariffs would receive financial assistance and be encouraged to diversify to alternative markets such as China, Latin America and the Middle East, the official added. However, the commerce ministry did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on the latest notice. The new duti...

Russia and Ukraine will hold new peace talks on Wednesday as a follow-up to two rounds in Istanbul that made little progress on ending their war, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced. “Today, I discussed with [Ukrainian Security Council chief] Rustem Umerov the preparations for the exchange and another meeting in Turkey with the Russian side. Umerov reported that the meeting is scheduled for Wednesday,” Zelensky said in his daily address on Monday. He added that more details would be released on Tuesday. The rival sides met in Istanbul on May 16 and June 2 amid US pressure to agree on a ceasefire. Despite the urging of US President Donald Trump, no breakthrough was made. Ukrainian and Russian negotiators have so far only agreed to hold prisoner exchanges. And Russia has since launched intense air attacks on Ukraine and seized more frontline territory. Russia has demanded that Ukraine give up four regions, on top of Crimea, which it annexed in 2014. The Kremlin also insists that Ukraine give up any idea of j...