Pakistan

KARACHI: Two sisters were subjected to a sexual assault in their home in North Karachi, police and doctors said on Tuesday. Police Surgeon Summaiya Syed told Dawn that both the girls, aged 15 and 8, were brought to the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) by their maternal and paternal uncles at 5:30pm. She said that the girls were examined at the health facility and “findings are strongly suggestive of sexual violence”. Evidentiary samples had been collected for serology and DNA profiling and cross matching, she said, adding that both sisters bore marks of “severe physical violence”. The condition of the eight-year-old was serious, she said. Dr Summaiya said the relatives had on May 25 brought the girls to a government hospital in New Karachi with complaint of sexual harassment and torture. Central SSP Zeeshan Shafiq Siddiqi said that their father had died four years ago and their mother had married another man and was living with him with her four children. He said that a few days ago the girls’ mother...

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity as the nation marked the 27th anniversary of its nuclear tests, observed as Youm-e-Takbeer.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan yesterday condemned the recent comments made by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing his rhetoric as “hate-driven” and “reckless,” and warning of its dangerous implications for regional peace and stability.

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration has ordered a halt to new student visa interviews as it considers requiring foreign students to undergo social media vetting as part of their application to study in the United States, Politico reported on Tuesday, citing a diplomatic cable. Last week, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revoked Harvard’s ability to enroll foreign nationals, throwing the future of thousands of students and the lucrative income stream they provide into doubt. She had threatened last month to block international students at the school unless it turned over records on visa holders’ “illegal and violent activities.” But a judge quickly suspended the move after the university sued to “stop the government’s arbitrary, capricious, unlawful, and unconstitutional action.” There will be an injunction hearing on Thursday, a court filing showed. Harvard President Alan Garber said in a statement that the attempted foreign students ban “imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars acro...

ISLAMABAD - Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of Pakistan, visited General Staff Headquarters, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.

QUETTA - A policeman deployed on security duty for a polio vaccination team was martyred when unidentified gunmen opened fire in the Killi Muhammad Hassani area of Nushki, Balochistan on Tuesday.

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Thursday inaugurated the country’s largest and most advanced model cattle market in Shahpur Kanjran, terming it a “major step towards modernising the livestock trade and ensuring better facilities for both traders and animals”.

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday ordered sweeping reforms and stricter enforcement of traffic laws across the province, including a tenfold increase in fines for traffic violations, to enhance road safety and discipline on roads.

ISLAMABAD: In a major policy departure, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Tuesday approved K-Electric’s request to incorporate unrecovered bills into its consumer tariff — starting with a recovery shortfall of 6.75 per cent in 2023-24, gradually declining to 3.5pc by 2029-30. Nepra set K-Electric’s base tariff at Rs40 per unit for the fiscal year 2023-24, which is almost 40pc higher than even the national average tariff of about Rs28 per unit in 2025-26 for the 10 public sector power distribution companies (Discos). The delta between the Discos’ average and K-Electric’s tariff is transferred to the taxpayers through the federal budget in the form of tariff differential subsidy. In a detailed determination, the regulator changed K-Electric’s tariff mechanism based on 100pc recovery of bills and instead allowed recovery losses in the tariff, starting from 6.75pc in FY24 and gradually declining to 3.5pc by F30. Nepra sets utility’s base rate at Rs40 per unit, 40pc higher than national a...

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court’s constitutional bench on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges’ transfer and seniority case until May 29.

ISLAMABAD - Mrs Anar Akylbekovna, the Chairman of the Board/Rector of Astana Medical University, Kazakhstan, called on Prof Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Tuesday.

• Three die in Azad Kashmir due to ‘cloud-burst’; two each killed in KP, Punjab • Babusar Top receives heavy snow; authorities say extreme conditions likely to persist through May 31 ISLAMABAD: Seven people were killed and over two dozen others sustained injuries on Tuesday as severe rain and windstorms swept through parts of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). This is the second time in a week that a storm of such intensity wreaked havoc in many parts of the country, damaging crops, properties, and other infrastructure. At least 19 people were killed and over 90 others injured as powerful windstorms and heavy rains had battered many areas in Islamabad, Punjab and KP on Saturday. On Tuesday, two people were killed and around 20 injured after a thunderstorm swept through various parts of Punjab. The storm, accompanied by heavy rainfall, strong winds, and hail, caused widespread destruction. According to Rescue 1122, a passenger van overturned due to rain and dust storm on Ghazi...

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court Constitutional Bench Tuesday questioned, why Hamid Raza, who is chairman of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), has contested the general elections as an independent candidate.

LAHORE - A division bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of bail petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder in connection with eight cases stemming from the May 9 riots.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan yesterday condemned in the strongest possible terms the latest provocative actions by Israeli occupying power as well as illegal settlers that aim to undermine the religious, historical and legal status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Islamabad - The Zil Hajj 1446 Hijri Crescent has not been sighted in Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD - A powerful windstorm accompanied by rain swept across various parts of the country, including the federal capital, on Tuesday afternoon, causing widespread disruption and raising safety concerns among citizens.

ISLAMABAD - As the nation observes the 27th anniversary of Youm-e-Takbeer on Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed Pakistan’s nuclear journey and called for renewed unity and determination to transform the country into an economic power.

ISLAMABAD - President, Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday emphasised that becoming a nuclear power was not merely a demonstration of the country’s technological advancement—it was a calculated decision to ensure peace through strength, to maintain the strategic balance in South Asia, and to protect the nation against any.

ISLAMABAD - The National Skills University Islamabad (NSU), Pakistan’s first public-sector university in the federal setup focused solely on technical and vocational training, has taken a bold and inspiring step by establishing the Skills Fellow Endowment Fund.