Pakistan

'Ringleader' held in crackdown on city's synthetic drug network, with links to educational institutions

Two activists who participated in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla were brought to Israel for questioning, the foreign ministry said on Saturday, after the vessels were intercepted by Israeli forces this week. Saif Abu Keshek, from Spain, and Thiago Avila, a Brazilian, were in Israel and would “be transferred for questioning by law enforcement authorities”, the ministry said on X, adding that the two activists were affiliated with an organisation sanctioned by the US Treasury. The ministry said the activists were affiliated with the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), a group Washington has accused of “clandestinely acting on behalf of Hamas”. In January, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on the group, which it said was involved in organising Gaza-bound civilian flotillas that aimed to break Israel’s sea blockade on the Palestinian territory. Israel’s foreign ministry said Abu Keshek was a leading member of PCPA and Avila, also linked to the organisation, was “suspected of illegal activity”. “Both wil...

Highlights agriculture, IT, textiles, real estate, oil and gas sector among others

Virtual meeting focuses on AI-driven threats, REITs reform to formalise real estate investment

Multi-sector delegation of importers to arrive in third week of May

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Saturday advised the public to take precautionary measures as the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said that heatwave conditions would continue to prevail in the province’s central and upper parts till tomorrow (Sunday). In a heatwave alert, the PMD said, “Hot or very hot and dry weather likely to prevail over most parts of the province. However, heatwave conditions [to] continue to prevail in the central and upper parts of the province till tomorrow.” The PMD said that under its influence, the daytime maximum temperatures were likely to be 3-5 degrees Celsius above normal in Jamshoro, Dadu, Shaheed Benazirabad, Kashmore, Ghotki, Sanghar, Khairpur, Naushahro Feroze, Jacobabad, Larkana and Sukkur districts. The Met department also predicted dust thunderstorm/gusty winds in Jacobabad, Larkana, Kashmore, Shikarpur, Sukkur and Ghotki districts for Saturday and Sunday. “Avoid exposure to direct sunlight during the daytime and remain hydrated,” the department said, adv...

The Foreign Office (FO) on Saturday slammed a social media post by British Special Representative for Afghanistan Richard Lindsay regarding developments along the Pak-Afghan border, saying that the remarks were “devoid of a deeper understanding of the situation”. Early on Friday, Lindsay had shared a post by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on the social media platform X, which said it had documented “tens of civilians killed or injured” in strikes in eastern Afghanistan, including a university. “Concerned by further violence along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, including strikes in Kunar. All steps must be taken to protect civilians and avoid further escalation. I continue to urge dialogue and restraint, including in meetings in Afghanistan this week,” Lindsay said. It is worth mentioning that earlier this week, the information ministry had rubbished reports by the Afghan media alleging Pakistan carried out attacks targeting a university and residential areas in the neighbouring country’s K...

KARACHI: A judicial magistrate on Saturday granted bail to a serving police officer’s son, who was arrested in Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA) following a heated argument with officials for having a police number plate on a private luxury vehicle. A video of the man, identified as the son of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nasim Ara Panhwar, arguing with policemen had gone viral on social media. He was released from custody late on Friday night on personal surety, police sources said. A first information report (FIR) was registered against the suspect by the Defence police on Friday on the complaint of Sub-Inspector Shazan Shakeel. It invoked sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty), 186 (obstructing a public servant), 170 (personating a public servant) and 171 (wearing garb or carrying a token used by a public servant with fraudulent intent) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). On Saturday, the suspect appeared before the court of Judicial...

The suspect charged with storming a security checkpoint and firing a shotgun near the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday mocked security measures at the Washington Hilton that allowed him to get close to United States President Donald Trump. “I expected security cameras at every bend, bugged hotel rooms, armed agents every 10 feet, metal detectors out the wazoo,” the hotel guest identified by law enforcement as Cole Allen, 31, said in a manifesto ahead of the attack. “What I got,” he added, “is nothing”. Allen’s attack heightened a decades-old problem for the hotel industry: how to tighten security while maintaining a sense of warmth and hospitality. Some new security firms are offering AI-powered monitoring solutions, but hotels have been slow to adopt anything that could spike costs and infringe on the privacy of guests. “Security is going to continue to improve with technology in identifying strange behaviour. But at the end of the day, it’s a hospitality business where customers ha...

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, while chairing a meeting on energy sector reforms on Saturday, directed the authorities concerned to formulate a comprehensive strategy to stabilise electricity tariffs.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while chairing a meeting on energy sector reforms on Saturday, directed the authorities concerned to formulate a comprehensive strategy to stabilise electricity tariffs. During the meeting, the prime minister stressed the need to provide relief to both industrial and domestic electricity consumers and instructed officials concerned to take concrete measures in this regard. He also called for significant improvements in the power transmission system to reduce line losses. Highlighting the importance of modernisation, the premier stressed the use of advanced technology in the energy sector and ordered the promotion of renewable energy projects to address the country’s energy shortfall. He further underscored the need to enhance digital facilities to make electricity bill payments more convenient for consumers. PM Shehbaz also directed to continue strict measures against electricity theft and reiterated that an uninterrupted energy supply was essential for promoting industrial grow...

The United States Air Force has awarded a $488 million contract to Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation to deliver engineering and technical support for F-16 radar systems under its Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme, with Pakistan included among the recipient nations.

PESHAWAR: A tribal gathering convened by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday decided that a jirga will be formed to hold talks with the federal government and other stakeholders on drone attacks in the province. In the past few days, CM Afridi has condemned “persistent drone attacks” in KP, even hinting at introducing legislation to criminalise collateral damage in such incidents. On Saturday, a “loya (grand) jirga” was held at CM House, where tribal elders had been invited to decide the future course of action. According to a statement issued by CM House, all participants of the loya jirga demanded “negotiations with stakeholders”, and therefore, it was decided to give talks “another chance”. It was decided that a smaller jirga will be formed, which will hold talks with the federal government and other stakeholders. “If negotiations fail, a march towards Islamabad will be undertaken, and there will be no return until peace is secured,” the statement read. The CM House statement furthe...

Nato said on Saturday it was working with the United States to understand Washington’s decision to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany as a rift in transatlantic ties deepens over the Middle East war. The Pentagon’s announcement of the troop withdrawal follows a spat between US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said on Monday that Iran was “humiliating” Washington at the negotiating table. Trump fired back by saying that Merz “doesn’t know what he’s talking about”. It also came as Trump announced that tariffs on cars and trucks from the European Union will increase to 25 per cent next week over accusations that the bloc did not comply with a trade deal signed last summer. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said on Friday the withdrawal of around 5,000 troops from Germany was expected “to be completed over the next six to twelve months”. “This decision follows a thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on...

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Religious Affairs on Saturday said that Saudi Arabia had reversed its decision to set the minimum age for Haj pilgrims at 15. Earlier in the day, the ministry, in a letter, had said that Saudi Arabia had set the minimum age for pilgrims at 15. It had said that the restrictions would be effective from 12am on May 3, 2026 (Monday). “The government of Saudi Arabia has assured that all affected pilgrims will receive a full refund of the deposited amount,” the ministry had assured the public. Subsequently, in a statement reiterating the new directives, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) had said, “No pilgrim under the age of 15 years will be allowed to board Hajj flights, and such visas shall be treated as cancelled under this policy.” However, hours later, the religious affairs ministry issued a new letter to officials, which stated the kingdom had “reversed its decision regarding the under-15-year age restriction for Haj”. It said that its previous instructions “may be deemed withdr...

LAKKI MARWAT: Unknown terrorists attacked the house of a police official with explosives in the Shadikhel area of the Lakki Marwat district, police said on Saturday. A police official said that terrorists affiliated with Fitna-al-Khawarij had planted an improvised explosive device (IED) at the house of Constable Tehsil Khan. Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The police official said the explosion caused significant damage to the structure, including its bedrooms, veranda and washrooms. No casualties were reported as the occupants were away, staying with relatives at the time of the incident, the official added. He further said a heavy police contingent reached the site after the blast and launched a search operation in the area. A day earlier, a policeman was martyred during an intense exchange of fire with militants after an attack on a police post in the remote Shadikhel area of the district. According to officials, the attack...

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Saturday rejected a plea by the Balochistan government to grant lifetime facilities to retired chief secretaries and their widows. Justice Aamer Farooq, who headed the FCC two-judge bench, observed that the Balochistan government notification was over and above the pensionary benefits granted to chief secretaries. The judgment explained that the Rules of Business do not empower the provincial government to issue such directions by way of notification, especially when there was no legal backing. The FCC ruling came on an appeal filed by Balochistan’s chief secretary against the May 29, 2023, Balochistan High Court (BHC) judgment, which had also struck down Notification No. 13-25(5)/2019/SO-1(S&GAD) extending lifetime facilities to retired chief secretaries and their widows. The controversy arose from a notification challenged before the BHC by Bayazid Khan Kharooti, which the court accepted. The high court held that such benefits could not be granted without...

Significant changes have emerged in the seniority list of judges at the Islamabad High Court following the transfer of three judges, resulting in a reshuffle within the judicial hierarchy.

MANDI BAHAUDDIN: Police in Punjab’s Hafizabad district said on Saturday they have arrested one of the suspects for the alleged rape and kidnapping of a 13-year-old girl. The arrested suspect was named in a first information report (FIR) registered by the Jalalpur Bhattian police on April 30 on the complaint of the victim’s mother. The FIR also nominated two unidentified suspects. Constable Waqar Yousuf, a spokesperson for Hafizabad Police, told Dawn that the prime suspect was arrested last night in the district’s Tahli Goraya village. Yousuf further said that the girl’s medical examination had been conducted, which provided evidence of sexual assault. The policeman added that the detained man was being interrogated in order to arrest the other two suspects. The FIR, a copy of which is available with Dawn, invoked sections 375-A (rape) and 365-B (kidnapping, abducting or inducing a woman to compel for marriage etc) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). In her complaint, the mother said she found her daughter cryin...

A solemn ceremony was held at Mazar-e-Iqbal to commemorate the first anniversary of the Marka-e-Haq victory, where participants paid rich tribute to Allama Muhammad Iqbal and highlighted his philosophy of Khudi and the Two-Nation Theory.