Pakistan

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi had a meeting on Friday to discuss national issues, including the prevailing political situation, national security, and major infrastructure projects.

ISLAMABAD - Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday paid rich tribute to the professionalism and bravery of Pakistan’s armed forces, commending their decisive and effective response to Indian aggression, which he described as a golden chapter in the country’s military history.

A new methane-powered rocket developed by China’s LandSpace Technology launched six satellites into orbit on Saturday, doubling down on a cheap, cleaner fuel that the private startup hopes will help it develop reusable rockets. The Zhuque-2E Y2 carrier rocket blasted off at 12:12pm (09:12am PKT) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China, marking the fifth flight for the Zhuque-2 series, according to a company statement. Beijing-based LandSpace became the world’s first company to launch a methane-liquid oxygen rocket in July 2023, ahead of US rivals including Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. Interest has grown in recent years in launching carrier vehicles fuelled by methane, which is deemed less polluting, safer and cheaper than more commonly used hydrocarbon fuels and a suitable propellant in a reusable rocket. LandSpace has increased the rocket’s payload, reflecting increasing demand in China’s expanding commercial space industry amid growing competition to form a constellati...

ISLAMABAD - British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said yesterday that peace and security were cornerstones of the UK-Pakistan relationship.

ISLAMABAD - Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi Friday emphasized that the independence and safety of judges, particularly of the District Judiciary is essential for the fair and effective delivery of justice.

Siddiqui urges opposition benches to respect political leadership.

The federal government is set to present the budget for the fiscal year 2025–26, with an estimated outlay of around Rs20 trillion, in Parliament on June 2, official sources confirmed.

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has accorded approval to a gradual but significant reduction in import tariffs for the promotion of exports and investments in the country.

MIRPUR (AJK) - Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul has warned the Modi-led Indian fascist government of serious consequences if it continued with its jingoistic policy or attempted to commit any misadventure again.

Rawalpindi - People from all walks of life here on Friday observed Youm-e-Tashakur to mark the successful defence of the homeland by the armed forces against uncalled for aggression of India.

ISLAMABAD - As per the directives of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training (MoFE&PT) observed Youm-e-Tashakur with patriotic fervor across all educational institutions under the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), PEIRA, Special Education, and Non-Formal Education.

UNITED NATIONS: A senior Pakistani diplomat told the UN Security Council on Thursday that the “acute” matter of missing persons during armed conflicts was persisting like a “silent crisis”. Absence of such individuals from their loved ones was a wound that never healed, he underscored. “The issue of missing persons is particularly acute in conflict zones and occupied territories from Palestine to occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, said during a discussion. The debate was held in the 15-member Council on the implementation of its Resolution 2474, which addresses the critical issue. “They are fathers who never returned home, mothers separated from their children, young boys who disappeared in the dead of night, and daughters whose fates are sealed in silence,” he said, adding, “Their absence is a wound that never heals, leaving families trapped in an endless cycle of hope and despair.” Envoy calls it ‘a wound that never heals’ The Pakista...

NEW DELHI: With India finding itself friendless in the conflict with Pakistan, it has started taking revenge on countries who helped Islamabad in the recent military flare-up, reports said on Friday. The bizarre spectacle of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s supporters resorting to criticism and trolling of US President Donald Trump after he re-hyphenated the India-Pakistan saga as a bilateral issue he could help resolve, the anger turned on Turkiye and Azerbaijan. Regarding Turkiye, the Adani group-operated Mumbai and Ahmedabad airports have ended the ground handling concession agreements with Çelebi, an Istanbul-headquartered airport ground handling major. Air India is lobbying with the government to cancel the wet lease arrangement the Indigo Airlines has with its Turkish counterpart. While the move against Turkish Airlines is being considered, the two airports have ordered Çelebi to immediately hand over all its ground handling facilities in order to ensure uninterrupted operations at the airports, The India...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has offered India to sit for a comprehensive dialogue to settle contentious issues including Kashmir and joi­ntly fight terrorism, remi­nding New Delhi that the neighbouring countries fought three wars in the past and gained nothing but miseries of the people. “After settling disputes like Kashmir and water distribution, we can talk on trade and counter-terrorism as Pakistan is the worst affected country by terrorism which lost 90,000 lives and over $150 billion economic losses,” PM Shehbaz said while addressing a ceremony here on Friday. The ceremony, marking the Youm-i-Tashakur (Thanks­giving Day), was held at Pakistan Monument and attended by PM Shehbaz, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) Gen Sahir Mirza, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Syed Asif Munir, Air Chief Marshal Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar, Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf, federal cabinet members, diplomats, the families of martyrs, sports personalities and showbiz celebrities, as the natio...

• FO says Islamabad’s restrained response reinforces deterrence, warns Pakistan will have no choice but to respond if India resumes hostilities • Insists govt remains committed to ceasefire • Indian defence minister signals aggressive stance, calls strikes a ‘trailer’ • Jaishankar reiterates any talks will be strictly bilateral ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday rejected India’s claim that recent military strikes had established a “new norm” in their tense bilateral relations, insisting that respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity remains the only acceptable standard in inter-state ties. The remarks by Foreign Office spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan came amid a fragile ceasefire agreed upon on May 10, following India’s Operation Sindoor (vermilion, a traditional symbol of marriage worn by Hindu women) and Pakistani response codenamed Operation Bunyanum Marsoos (Iron Wall). Pakistan condemned the strikes as a violation of its sovereignty. “While India propagates the notion of establishing a ‘new normal’ in bila...

• Citizenship amendment bill deferred, two others introduced • MNA flags delay in ADB-funded bridges on Kalam Road ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Friday passed nine bills, including a money bill that had been blocked by the opposition a day earlier. Only one bill — aimed at amending the Pakistan Citizenship Act, 1951 [The Pakistan Citizenship (Amend­ment) Bill, 2024] (Section 4) — was deferred. Meanwhile, two new bills were introduced by suspending the rules and were also passed. These were related to child marriages and trade organisations. Later, the proceedings of the lower house of parliament were adjourned until Monday. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb moved a bill to amend the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 [The Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2024], commonly referred to as the ‘money bill’, which had been blocked by the opposition on Thursday. The treasury benches later managed to get the bill passed by a majority vote. The Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2024 is already in effect, having originally been...

Peshawar Zalmi will face Karachi Kings at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday

He signed a new one-year deal with the club

LA 2028 will see cricket returning to the Olympics for the first time

They were previously dropped for the T20I series against New Zealand