Pakistan

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Thursday inaugurated Pakistan’s first Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Education, named after former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The United States’ newly-appointed Syria envoy said he believed peace between Syria and Israel was achievable as he made his first trip to Damascus on Thursday, praising the rebel-led government and saying it was ready for dialogue. Thomas Barrack raised the American flag over the ambassador’s residence for the first time since the US embassy closed in 2012, underlining a rapid expansion of US ties with Damascus since President Donald Trump unexpectedly announced the lifting of sanctions and met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. “Syria and Israel are a solvable problem. But it starts with a dialogue,” Barrack told a small group of journalists in Damascus. “I’d say we need to start with just a non-aggression agreement, talk about boundaries and borders,” he said. Barrack also said that Syria would no longer be deemed a state sponsor of terrorism by the United States, saying the issue was “gone with the Assad regime being finished”, but that Congress had a six-month review period. “America’s intent and the preside...

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued its monsoon forecast, predicting higher-than-average rainfall in central and southern regions of the country, including northeastern Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Federal Finance Secretary Imdadullah Bosal has categorically denied reports of a change in the federal budget presentation date, confirming that the budget for fiscal year 2025–26 will be unveiled on June 10 as scheduled.

After a slow and chaotic start to the new US-backed aid system in Gaza, thousands of Palestinians have been arriving at distribution points, seeking desperately needed food despite scenes of disorder and fears of violence. The two hubs run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private group sponsored by the United States and endorsed by Israel, have been running since Tuesday, but the launch was marred by tumultuous scenes when thousands rushed the fences and forced private contractors providing security to retreat. An Israeli military official told Reuters that the GHF was now operating four aid distribution sites, three in the Rafah area in the south and one in the Netzarim area in central Gaza. GHF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on whether it was now distributing aid in Netzarim. Displaced Palestinians carrying relief supplies return from an aid distribution centre in the central Gaza Strip on May 29. — AFP The new system has been heavily criticised by the United Nation...

Adviser to the Finance Minister Khurram Schehzad on Thursday said that no decision has been made to postpone the federal budget for the fiscal year 2025-26, clarifying that the previously announced date of June 10 remains unchanged. Amid media reports claiming that the budget had once again been rescheduled due to the Eidul Azha holidays, Schehzad wrote on X today that no decision has been made to postpone or reschedule the budget. “As communicated earlier, the upcoming Federal Budget FY26 is on schedule to be announced on June 10, 2025,” he wrote. “Similarly, the upcoming Pakistan Economic Survey FY25 is scheduled to be announced on June 9, 2025.” Additionally, Finance Secretary Imdadullah Bosal told reporters that there was no change in the budget date. “The federal budget will be presented on June 10,” he told the media after exiting a committee meeting at the National Assembly. According to the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco), Eidul Azha is expected to fall on June 7, which means ...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday landed in Tajikistan as he continues his four-nation tour of friendly countries. Earlier this week, the PM and his delegation, including Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir, visited Turkiye, Iran and Azerbaijan, expressing gratitude for their support during a recent military escalation with India. Yesterday, the PM took part in a trilateral summit with Turkiye and Azerbaijan. He reiterated Pakistan’s willingness to hold talks with India on the Kashmir dispute and counterterrorism, stressing New Delhi wanted the same “in all sincerity”. According to state broadcaster PTV News, the PM arrived in the Tajik capital Dushanbe today for his two-day visit, being received by Tajik PM Kokhir Rasulzoda at the airport. “Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant Syed Tariq Fatemi also accompanied the prime minister,” PTV News reported. During his two-day visit, the PM is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Tajik P...

In a significant relief measure for educators, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Mubeen Arif announced that teachers across Pakistan will be eligible for an income tax rebate starting from the next fiscal year.

As political tensions in South Asia have simmered down, the US and India reaffirmed their “shared desire to maintain regional stability and peace,” according to a statement by the US State Department. The developments follow a recent military confrontation between India and Pakistan over New Delhi’s allegations against Islamabad, without evidence, about a deadly attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam. On the night of May 6-7, New Delhi launched a series of air strikes in Pakistan, resulting in civilian casualties. Islamabad responded by downing five Indian jets. After intercepting drones sent by India and tit-for-tat strikes on each other’s airbases, it took American intervention on May 10 for both sides to finally drop their guns as a ceasefire was reached. At the height of the conflict, US President Donald Trump warned Pakistan and India of “not doing any trade” if they did not stop fighting. A date prior, Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau met with Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in Washington, the U...

The World Bank has announced a landmark investment of $40 billion in Pakistan between 2026 and 2035 under its newly introduced 10-year Country Partnership Framework (CPF), marking a significant shift from its previous five-year strategy model.

A Sri Lankan court on Thursday sentenced two former ministers from the government of deposed president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to decades in prison in a landmark corruption case. Ex-sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and former trade minister Anil Fernando were found guilty by the Colombo High Court of misappropriating 53 million Sri Lankan rupees ($177,000) of state funds. The pair were also fined $2,000 for using government money to donate board games — including 14,000 carrom boards and 11,000 draughts sets — in an attempt to boost the failed 2015 re-election bid of Gotabaya’s elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa. Aluthgamage was sentenced to 20 years in jail. Fernando was sentenced to 25 years. Aluthgamage is now the most senior member of a Rajapaksa-led cabinet to be successfully prosecuted for corruption. The cases against both men were initiated six years ago, when the Rajapaksa brothers were out of power, but the case had been making slow headway until a new government took office last year. Aluthgamage ...

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has departed for Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, after completing his three-day official visit to Azerbaijan.

The Sindh Home Department has issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the collection of sacrificial animal hides and related activities ahead of Eid ul Adha 2025.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday dismissed media reports suggesting that Aliya Hamza Malik has been removed from her position as the party’s Punjab president.

A cop was martyred and four others were injured as a result of gunfire between the public, police and terrorists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district, the police said on Thursday. Speaking to Dawn.com, spokesperson to the regional police officer, Khanzala Quraishi, said, “The members of the peace committee, along with police personnel, were patrolling the area when they were attacked by terrorists at around 12:30am.” He said that police personnel, Murtaza Jan, embraced martyrdom, while four others, including a school teacher and a police constable, were injured in the attack. “The incident took place within the limits of the Hoyed Police Station,” he said, adding that the “terrorists fled the scene due to the quick response from the police”. He continued: “The injured and the deceased were moved to a hospital. The school teacher is in critical condition.” KP Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed was also on a visit to the region for reviewing the security situation, he said. The spokesperson added tha...

Harvard University has been flooded with requests from foreign students to transfer to other institutions as US President Donald Trump’s administration seeks to ban it from hosting international scholars, a staff member said on Wednesday. “Too many international students to count have inquired about the possibility of transferring to another institution,” Maureen Martin, director of immigration services, wrote in a court filing. Trump has upended the United States’ reputation among foreign students, who number around one million, as he presses a campaign against US universities he sees as obstructing his “Make America Great Again” populist agenda. He has blocked Harvard from hosting international scholars in a manoeuvre being challenged legally, targeted non-citizen campus activists for deportation, and most recently suspended student visa processing across the board. The president’s crackdown has prompted “profound fear, concern, and confusion” among students and staff at the elite university, which has been...

President Asif Ali Zardari has emphasized the need for inclusive consultation with all segments of society to find long-term solutions to public problems.

Senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shaukat Yousafzai has urged the party’s top leadership to reconnect with disheartened workers and clearly outline the party’s strategy—particularly concerning efforts to secure the release of former Prime Minister and PTI founder Imran Khan.

Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) Chief Executive Officer Bilal Bin Saqib has unveiled the country’s first government-led Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. Saqib was recently appointed as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Crypto and Blockchain, with the status of a minister of state. He has been on a tour of the United States seeking investment in Pakistan’s crypto markets. He made the announcement about the reserve after delivering a keynote address before an elite audience, which included United States Vice President JD Vance, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr, at the Bitcoin Vegas 2025 in Las Vegas. “Pakistan is no longer defined by its past. It is being reborn as a forward-looking hub of digital innovation — powered by its youth, sharpened by necessity, and led by a new generation of tech statesmen,” said Saqib, in a statement issued by his office. “I’m not just here as a minister,” he said. “I’m here as the voice of a generation — a generation that is online, on-chain, and unstoppable.” In his keynote speech...

SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: The Joint Political Peace Alliance on Wednesday demanded transparent and impartial investigation into the alleged quadcopter strike in Karmazi Stop area of Birmal tehsil that injured several people. It termed the incident “regrettable and a cause of public unrest” and called for legal action against those responsible. In a statement, the JPPA leaders said public cooperation was vital for maintaining peace in the region and such incidents risked eroding the trust of local youth and civilians. They said that ensuring public safety and security was the foremost responsibility of the state and all relevant institutions should play a constructive role in that respect. The alliance leaders insisted that at times, extraordinary measures taken under the pretext of security could inadvertently affect innocent civilians. They urged law-enforcement agencies to adopt strategies that were both effective and community-friendly to restore peace and rebuild public confidence. The JPPA leaders announced they...