Pakistan

Iran and the United States agreed to halt recent hostilities in the Gulf and renew talks regarding their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, a US official said on Sunday, raising hopes of saving an interim peace deal that was under pressure from days of tit-for-tat strikes. The exchanges have underscored the fragility of a Pakistan-brokered agreement to end the conflict that has killed thousands and snarled the flow of oil shipments through the vital Strait of Hormuz. “Technical talks are slated to continue on all areas of the memorandum of understanding (MoU). Both sides will stand down for now and vessels can move freely,” the official said, referring to the 14-point agreement that was signed on June 18 under which the strait would be reopened for traffic. Iran has not immediately commented on the US statement. Axios, which first reported the cessation of hostilities, citing a senior US official, said talks would resume on Tuesday in Qatar. A return to diplomacy would follow several days of strikes and count...

BANNU: A police constable was martyred after unidentified assailants opened fire on him near Lora Bridge in Bannu on Monday. Police identified the deceased as Umar Niaz Khan, who was on his way to report for duty. He was posted at the Bannu Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Bungalow. Local sources also said that unidentified armed assailants forced the police constable off a rickshaw before opening fire on him and killing him on the spot. Following the attack, the police and the peace committee cordoned off the area. They launched a search operation to trace the attackers, and efforts were underway to apprehend those responsible. Later, the funeral prayers for the fallen police officer were offered at the Police Lines, where fellow officers and officials paid tribute to his sacrifice. Bannu district has witnessed repeated security incidents in recent months, with both civilians and local security forces coming under attack. Violence has included attacks on police and jirga members, prompting targeted o...

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast mainly hot and dry weather across most parts of the country today, with high humidity expected to make conditions feel even hotter, particularly in the plains.

Australia and Vanuatu signed a sweeping economic and security agreement on Monday that bars the establishment of any foreign military base in the Pacific nation. Vanuatu is at the centre of strategic rivalry between China and US allies in the South Pacific, and Australia has expressed concern that Beijing is seeking a permanent security presence in the region. The agreement commits Australia to $345 million in support for Vanuatu, whose largest external creditor is China, and it stops a foreign military power establishing a base there. “What this does is to provide certainty for Australia that there will be no foreign military base,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters after signing the deal in Canberra with his Vanuatu counterpart Jotham Napat. “We have concluded a balanced agreement that will protect our collective and individual security and our sovereignty,” he said. China’s navy has made repeated port calls to Vanuatu. Beijing also funded the expansion of a wharf in Luganville, once the larges...

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has dismissed a complaint against Islamabad High Court (IHC) Judge Muhammad Asif, closing proceedings over allegations that he used his office to influence a hit-and-run case involving his underage son. On December 2 last year, a black sports utility vehicle (SUV), driven at high speed, allegedly by Justice Asif’s son, struck two girls travelling on a scooter near the Pakistan National Council of Arts in Islamabad. Both girls were killed in the incident. The judge’s son was remanded in police custody after the incident. A judicial magistrate ordered his release on December 6, 2025 after the victims’ families pardoned him in court, in accordance with provisions relating to qisas (retribution) and diyat (blood money) under the Pakistan Penal Code. The SJC — which is the constitutional body empowered to inquire into the conduct of superior court judges and recommend removal to the president if misconduct is proved — took up the matter in its meeting on May 14 and sub...

KARACHI: An injured suspect arrested following the recent attack on a Pakistan Rangers Sindh camp in Karachi has claimed that he is a member of the banned Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA) and alleged that the group received training and logistical support in Afghanistan, according to information released after his interrogation.

One of the attackers involved in the incident at the Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) Camp in Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar has detailed how the attack was carried out and revealed that he was trained in Afghanistan, according to security sources. The attack was carried out on Saturday night, following which three security personnel were martyred during an exchange of fire with the terrorists, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday. ISPR said in a statement that the attack was carried out by terrorists “belonging to Indian proxy, Jamaatul Ahrar (JuA)”, adding that three terrorists were killed in retaliatory action while one was arrested. Later, security sources said the arrested terrorist had identified himself as Usman Ali and revealed that he had come to Pakistan from Jalalabad in Afghanistan. They added that Ali identified the three other attackers as Abdul Hadi, Janaan and Umar Farooq. Moreover, the sources said, he admitted that he belonged to JuA, whose commander in Afghanistan he identified as Ahr...

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Sunday night that Pakistan’s security forces had carried out a “well planned intelligence based ground operation” along the Pakistan-Afghan border followed by calibrated strikes in the border region against the hideouts and safe havens of terrorists belonging to Jamaatul Ahrar and Fitna al Khawarij, killing twenty-nine khawarij”. Fitna al Khawarij is the term used by the state to designate members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The kinetic action, the minister said, came in the wake of “recent multiple terrorist incidents inside Pakistan against the innocent people of Khyber Pakthunkhwa, Balochistan and Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) Camp, Karachi.” On Saturday night, terrorists attacked a local headquarter of the Pakistan Rangers Sindh in Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar area, during which three security personnel were martyred, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The ISPR said in a statement that the attack was carried out by terrorists...

ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will Monday (today) conduct hearing on petitions against the solitary confinement of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi along with objections from the Registrar’s Office.

The Ministry of Interior on Sunday issued a directive to immediately arrest any Afghan national “found residing in Pakistan without a valid visa” from July 10, 2026. In a notification addressing the chief secretaries of all provinces, as well as those of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and the chief commissioner of Islamabad Capital Territory, the ministry said that the directive referred to the decisions taken during a review meeting on the Illegal Foreigners’ Repatriation Plan (IFRP) on June 1, 2026. It said that during the meeting, “all provincial governments, special area governments and the ICT Administration were directed to expedite the repatriation/deportation of Afghan nationals, including visa overstay cases, and to ensure strict implementation of the IFRP”. “With effect from July 10, 2026, any Afghan national found residing in Pakistan without a valid visa shall be arrested immediately,” the notification said. It added that the necessary directions might, therefore, be issued to all de...

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RAWALPINDI - Police have arrested a two-member gang involved in motorcycle theft and incidents of burglary and recovered a stolen motorcycle and Rs 8,000 in cash from their possession here on Sunday.

ISLAMABAD - Every year, students across Pakistan contest elections, organize events, and represent their classmates through student councils.

RAWALPINDI - Rawalpindi Police have implemented effective security arrangements for churches across the district.

RAWALPINDI - Deputy Commissioner (DC) Murree, Agha Zaheer Abbas Shirazi, visited Kashmir Point to review cleanliness, basic facilities and arrangements for tourists.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Saturday suspended with “immediate effect” Geo News’ licence for 15 days over airing a special transmission that the body said was “liable to hurt the religious sentiments of viewers”. In an order addressed to the chief executive officer of Independent Media Corporation (IMC) on June 28, Pemra said the licence issued to IMC for “Geo News was suspended for a period of 15 days with immediate effect from the issuance.” Issued under Section 30 of the Pemra Ordinance 2002, the order citing the authority’s monitoring wing said that the broadcast of Geo News’ special transmission “constitutes a serious regulatory concern” due to religious, cultural and social sensitivities. Pemra noted in its order that the aired content was inconsistent with the obligations of a licensee under sections 20(b), (c), (d) and (f) of the Pemra Ordinance. Section 20(b) mandates a licensee to ensure the preservation of “national, cultural, social and religious values and the pr...

RAWALPINDI - Pakistan will need at least 1.

One of the attackers of the Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) Camp in Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar has detailed how the attack was carried out and revealed that he was trained in Afghanistan, according to security sources. The attack was carried out on Saturday night, following which three security personnel were martyred during an exchange of fire with the terrorists, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday. The ISPR said in a statement that the attack was carried out by terrorists “belonging to Indian proxy, Jamaatul Ahrar (JuA)”, adding that three terrorists were killed in retaliatory action while one was arrested. Later, security sources said the arrested terrorist had identified himself as Usman Ali and revealed that he had come to Pakistan from Jalalabad in Afghanistan. They added that Ali identified the three other attackers as Abdul Hadi, Janaan and Umar Farooq. Moreover, the sources said, he admitted that he belonged to Jamaatul Ahrar, whose commander in Afghanistan he identified as Ahrar Mou...

MUZAFFARGARH - Regional Police Officer Dera Ghazi Khan Muhammad Azhar Akram and Commissioner Ashfaq Ahmed Chaudhry remained in the field on Youm-e-Ashur to supervise security and administrative arrangements across the region.

FAISALABAD - A Community Health Inspector has withdrawn a harassment case registered at Samanabad Police Station, with sources claiming inadequate institutional support led to the decision.