Pakistan

Heavy monsoon rains and glacier melting have triggered a rise in water levels across rivers in Punjab, while flash floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have claimed 307 lives over the past 48 hours, disaster management authorities reported on Saturday.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Saturday reported that cloud bursts and flash floods over the past 48 hours have claimed 307 lives and injured 23 people across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

• House unanimously passes resolution reaffirming commitment to sovereignty • Internet service across Balochistan to stay suspended until 31st, lawmakers told • PML-N legislator accuses govt of ‘copying’ his bill ISLAMABAD: Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar has assured the Senate that the release of an official advertisement on Independence Day, without a portrait of the country’s founder Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, would be investigated. “It is not in our notice. If it has happened, this is heart-afflicting for all,” he told the upper house of parliament on Friday. He assured that an inquiry would be conducted to ascertain how it happened and the house will be formally informed about the progress. The government had come under fire from political and social circles over the official advertisement issued by the Ministry of Information, which omitted images of the Quaid-i-Azam and national poet-philosopher Allama Iqbal. The advertisement, published in major national newspapers and aired on television channe...

ISLAMABAD: The Large-Scale Manufacturing (LSM) sector recorded a contraction of 0.74 per cent in the outgoing FY25 compared to the previous fiscal year, falling short of the growth target of 3.5pc, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on Friday. The LSM, which contributes around 8pc to the national GDP, had contracted by 0.03pc in FY24, following a growth of 0.92pc in the preceding year. In June 2025, LSM posted a 4.14pc year-on-year (YoY) growth, the fourth consecutive month of positive growth, mainly due to a reduction in the key interest rate to 11pc earlier in the fiscal year. However, on a month-on-month (MoM) basis, LSM showed a decline of 3.67pc in June. The food sector, a significant component of LSM, declined by 1.83pc YoY in FY25. However, wheat and rice milling experienced a 6.38pc rise, while starch production rose 0.59pc. Vegetable ghee production dropped by 0.94pc, cooking oil by 0.33pc, and tea by 2.76pc. Food, steel and energy weigh, while automobiles and textiles sh...

The District and Sessions Court Islamabad on Saturday approved the bail applications of nine Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers arrested in connection with the August 5 protest case.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar will pay an official visit to the United Kingdom from August 17 to 19, 2025.

The Government of Pakistan has officially opened Letters of Credit (LCs) to import 85,000 metric tons of sugar under a government-to-government agreement, in a bid to address domestic shortages and stabilise prices.

ISLAMABAD: Specialised committees set up by the prime minister to promote a cashless economy have outlined ambitious national targets for the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), aimed at accelerating the growth of digital financial services and fintech adoption across the country. Under the PM’s Cashless Economy initiative, key goals include raising the number of active digital merchants to 2 million by the end of 2025-26, increasing mobile and internet banking users from the current 95 million to 120m within a year, and doubling annual digital payment transactions to 15 billion. According to finance ministry sources, another primary target is routing 100pc of overseas remittances through bank accounts or mobile wallets, up from the current 80pc. This move seeks to eliminate cash payouts and boost transparency in remittance flows. Following the directives of the committee chaired by the prime minister, the SBP is expected to play a pivotal role in expanding mobile banking services to all segments of society. 2m dig...

RAWALPINDI: A mother of three was allegedly tortured to death by her husband due to some domestic issues, police said on Friday. An FIR has been filed against her husband and children for murder and concealing evidence of the crime. Ghulam Akhtar, a resident of Kot Adu (District Muzaffargarh), lodged an FIR with the Dhamial police stating that his daughter Samina had married Amir Abbas of her own choice about 19 years ago and was settled in Malik Colony, Girja Road, Dhamial. The couple had three children — Mohammad Zaman, 17, Shan Haider, 15, and Maryam Rani, 12. He said that on Wednesday morning, an announcement was made in their native town that the funeral of his daughter would be held at 8am in a local graveyard without his family being informed about her death. Mr Akhtar said he along with his brothers Ghulam Rasool and Abdul Rehman, sister Kalsoom Bibi and others reached Amir Abbas’s home. He said his sister, Kalsoom Bibi and other women had seen torture marks on the body of Samina. He said he contacted...

PESHAWAR: Adviser to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister on housing Dr Amjad Ali on Friday urged authorities in Charsadda and Nowshera districts to take necessary measures to prevent damage to public life and property due to flash floods. During a provincial assembly’s session presided over by Deputy Speaker Suriya Bibi here, Dr Ali said that floods in Malakand and Hazara divisions claimed several lives and destroyed buildings. He said that the chief minister would be approached with a request for declaring emergency in both divisions to help out the calamity-hit residents. The aide to the CM warned that floodwaters would soon reach Charsadda and Nowshera. He asked authorities to take all necessary steps to prevent loss of public life and property to the natural disaster. Dr Amjad Ali calls for measures to prevent damage to public life, property Special assistant of the chief minister for population Liaquat Ali Khan claimed that when Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf founder Imran Khan was the prime minister, neithe...

LAHORE - The Punjab Government has selected SSP Akhtar Farooq for Sitara-i-Imtiaz in recognition of his excellent performance against terrorists, miscreants, and criminal elements.

The Local Government Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has established a special control room at the Directorate General to monitor the ongoing floods and emergency developments caused by heavy rains across the province.

ISLAMABAD - Twenty Pakistani students were awarded fully funded scholarships to have advance studies in ecology and green development in China.

Five crew members die as helicopter on a rescue mission crashes PM Shehbaz gets briefing on damage caused by cloudbursts, flash floods Directs NDMA to expedite rescue and relief efforts in KP Stranded individuals, tourists must be promptly relocated to safe locations: PM Survivor in Buner says floods.

ISLAMABAD/UNITED NATIONS - Pakistan on Friday strongly condemned and rejected recent statements made by the Israeli Occupying power, alluding to the creation of so-called “Greater Israel,” and its designs aimed at the forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday launched a Special Economic Zone to be set up by a Chinese textile group, with a $100 million investment over five years, projected to yield $400 million in exports.

ISLAMABAD - Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Friday said that counterterrorism dialogue between the United States and Pakistan would help in formulating a joint action plan to eliminate the menace of terrorism.

MITHI: Tharparkar — rendered parched by delayed or erratic rains — is now on the brink of famine, the local farming and herder communities say. The situation poses a serious threat to the local population that depends on earning from their crops. The threat of famine looms large as a long dry spell has destroyed crops; and locals have already consumed or disposed of their produce during the period. Livestock is the second source of income for many families but, at present, no fodder is available for millions of animals being reared in the region. For Tharparkar’s farming and herding communities, rainfall in mid-June and mid-August periods is necessary. The timely rainfall is their lifeline. Adequate amount of rain soaks the soil deep enough enabling the farming community to cultivate crops like guar, bajra, sesame, watermelon etc, besides growing fodder on grazing pastures. Growers, herders fear erratic or inadequate rainfall in coming days may invite natural calamity This year, clouds have reached the region...

The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday (August 16) announced a one-day mourning to honour the five crew members of its MI-171 helicopter who embraced martyrdom in a crash during a relief mission.

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif chaired a special meeting on Friday to review the progress on clean drinking water projects, water filtration plants, and other major development projects in the province.