Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court’s verdict granting bail to former prime minister and PTI Patron-in-Chief Imran Khan in eight cases linked to the May 9 riots, terming the judgment a milestone for justice and a ray of hope.

India’s Supreme Court modified its order on stray dogs on Friday, directing that those picked up from streets in and around Delhi be released after sterilisation and immunisation, after a storm of protests from animal lovers. Earlier this month, the court ruled that all stray dogs in Delhi and its suburbs be moved to shelters following a surge in dog bites and cases of rabies. Critics of the ruling had said it could not be implemented because there were not enough shelters. Many animal lovers took to the streets to protest against the order. Animal rights activists signed online petitions asking the court to revoke its decision. The court ruling also drew criticism from politicians and celebrities. India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi called it a “step back from decades of humane, science-backed policy”. On Friday, the court said that dogs picked up in the past few weeks in Delhi and its suburbs would be released after sterilisation and immunisation, barring those showing aggressive behaviour or signs of ra...

Lahore police have confirmed the arrest of Shahrez Khan, son of Aleema Khan, in connection with cases linked to the May 9 incidents.

ISLAMABAD - Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday said that under the initiative of Youth ki URAAN, one million young people across the country are being engaged to form the URAAN Youth Force, a network of social entrepreneurs dedicated to achieving national goals.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony announced on Friday that the Central, Zonal, and District Ruet-e-Hilal Committees will convene on Sunday, August 24, to sight the moon of Rabi-ul-Awwal 1447 AH (2025).

RAWALPINDI - Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, NI (M), who is on an official visit to Uzbekistan, called on President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Minister of Defence Major General Shukhrat Kholmukhamedov and Secretary National Security Council Lieutenant General Victor.

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Thursday visited the headquarters and production plant of Morinaga, the world-renowned Japanese company in the milk and dairy products industry, and reviewed its various departments including research and development.

Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori has approved the Provincial Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill 2025 under Article 116, making it effective immediately.

The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has issued additional gas bills worth billions of rupees to industries, covering consumption from as far back as 2015, ARY News reported.

ISLAMABAD - The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination on Thursday expressed concern over cartelization in the pharmaceutical sector, causing unprecedented drug price hikes.

ISLAMABAD - Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday held an important meeting with US Acting Ambassador in Islamabad Natalie Baker to discuss bilateral cooperation.

LAHORE: The Lahore police arrested on Thursday another nephew of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Imran Khan in a ‘May 9 case.’ A senior officer of investigation police said Shahrez Khan, son of Aleema Khan, was wanted in the 2023 violence which erupted following the arrest of Imran Khan. Rejecting police claim, PTI Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja said Shahrez had nothing to do with politics. Shahrez’ father Suhail Khan said his son was doing business and now he was preparing to go abroad to participate in a world triathlon championship. Earlier, Salman Raja said plainclothes men attacked the residence of Aleema Khan and abducted her son Shahrez. “Aleema Bibi’s home in Lahore has been attacked by men in plainclothes and her son Shahrez abducted,” tweeted Mr Raja. He also alleged that the intruders harassed Aleema Khan’s family members and even thrashed staff. PTI lawyer Rana Mudassar told Dawn.com that Shahrez was “kidnapped” from his home in Lahore. “People dressed in plainclothes entered the house and to...

ISLAMABAD - A local court on Thursday approved the post-arrest bail applications of 63 arrested activists of PTI and ordered for their release.

ISLAMABAD - A local court on Thursday adjourned hearing of the Tosha Khana II case against PTI founder and Bushra Bibi till August 26.

A Japanese city will urge all smartphone users to limit screen time to two hours a day outside work or school under a proposed ordinance that includes no penalties. The limit — which will be recommended for all residents in central Japan’s Toyoake City — will not be binding and there will be no penalties incurred for higher usage, according to the draft ordinance. The proposal aims “to prevent excessive use of devices causing physical and mental health issues… including sleep problems”, mayor Masafumi Koki said in a statement on Friday. The draft urges elementary school students to avoid smartphones after 9:00pm, and junior high students and older are advised not to use them after 10:00pm. The move prompted an online backlash, with many calling the plan unrealistic. “I understand their intention, but the two-hour limit is impossible,” one user wrote on social media platform X. “In two hours, I cannot even read a book or watch a movie (on my smartphone),” wrote another. Others said smartphone use should be a d...

ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank will provide a $410 million financing package to help develop Pakistan’s Reko Diq copper mine, one of the world’s largest untapped deposits, which will be operated by Barrick Gold , two sources told Reuters on Thursday. Islamabad hopes the project will serve as a springboard to draw more foreign interest to its mineral sector, particularly to exploit rare earth deposits. Pakistan has already attracted interest from the Trump administration and offered future concessions to US companies. The loans and a financing guarantee will support development of Reko Diq, which is expected to produce copper and gold from 2028 and generate about $70 billion in free cash flow over its lifespan. The financing is composed of two loans totalling $300m to Barrick and a $110m financing guarantee for the Government of Pakistan, both sources said ahead of the official announcement. The $6.6bn project in Balochistan is 50pc owned by Barrick with the other half held by the federal and provincial...

Electricity consumers across Pakistan, including Karachi, are expected to get relief in their bills as a request has been filed to reduce the power tariff by Rs1.

ISLAMABAD - Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal visited the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and inaugurated the newly developed MDCAT question bank on Thursday.

PESHAWAR: With the death toll from last week’s flash floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reaching 393, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Thursday issued an advisory for widespread rains in the province from August 22 to 26. A PDMA report issued here said that the tally of deaths from last Friday’s catastrophic rains and flash floods had gone up to 393, with Buner, the most affected district, reporting 234 fatalities as well as injury to 128 people. Also, 42 people were killed and 20 injured in Swabi district, while Shangla district has recorded 36 deaths, Mansehra 25, Bajaur 22 and Swat 20. The PDMA report said that the Pakistan Meteorological Department had forecast the start of widespread rains in the province’s central and upper parts from August 22. Most 234 fatalities reported in Buner district It said that widespread downpour, along with wind and thunderstorms, were very likely in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Kolai-Palas, Malakand, Buner, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar, Abbottabad,...

KOT ADDU: Villagers carrying their children on their shoulders wade through floodwaters in Ehsan Pur village.—AFP • Fresh spell of torrential rains forecast across the country • PDMA issues high-alert warning for Punjab • Tarbela Dam is at maximum capacity; Mangla Dam is 74pc full LAHORE / RAWALPINDI: Thousands of families in south Punjab have been displaced as floods caused by overflowing Indus and Chenab rivers have destroyed homes, crops and farmland. Districts including Layyah, Taunsa Sharif, Kot Addu, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur and Multan are among the worst affected. In Multan, floodwaters entered several villages, destroying crops and mango orchards. In Kot Adu, residents of Ehsanpur and Hinjrai union councils were forced to evac­uate along with their livestock. “Houses are surrounded by water, crops have vanished and land is eroding,” a rescue official told Dawn on condition of anonymity, adding that his team had evacuated over 150 people and their cattle by boat. In Layyah, floodwaters w...