Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan reported two polio cases on Friday from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), bringing the total number of cases for the ongoing year to three. An official of the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication (NEOC) has confirmed two new cases of wild poliovirus — one in Bannu and another in North Waziristan. He added that access constraints in these areas continue to facilitate transmission of the virus, posing an ongoing risk to children’s health and well-being. “The two new cases were reported through the poliovirus surveillance network and confirmed by the WHO-accredited Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH).” he added. The first case of the year was reported from Sindh, while the detection of two cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has raised the polio tally to three. The official said that, with the sudden increase in heat, it seemed that the hi...

MIRANSHAH: An intense exchange of fire erupted on Friday between members of the Darpa Khel tribe and militants in Miranshah, the district headquarters of North Waziristan, following the killing of tribal elder Malik Saifullah Khan Dawar, police said. According to details, unidentified gunmen shot Saifullah outside his residence, triggering a fierce clash as armed tribesmen confronted the militants. Both sides reportedly used automatic weapons, and the exchange of fire continued for several hours. Sources said that a day earlier, suspected militants had allegedly occupied a local mosque, but Saifullah, along with other tribal elders, intervened and forced them to vacate the premises. On Friday morning, a large group of militants reportedly returned to the area, called Saifullah out of his house and opened fire on him, killing him on the spot, the sources added. During the clash, four local residents — identified as Yaqoob, Fazal Karim, Mujahid, and one unidentified person — were injured. The injured were shift...

Japanese police arrested a man for allegedly incinerating his dead wife at the zoo where he worked, officials and local media said Friday, following the discovery of human remains. Police arrested Tatsuya Suzuki on Thursday evening on suspicion that he “transported the victim’s body to a tourist facility” in the northern island of Hokkaido and “destroyed it through incineration there,” a local police official told AFP. The victim, 33-year-old Yui Suzuki, was identified by local media as his wife. Police have not said how she died. While held in voluntary police questioning, Suzuki said he used his zoo’s incinerator —meant to dispose of waste and dead animals —to burn the woman’s body “for a few hours,” local media reported. His confession sent police scouring the incinerator for her remains, whose partial discovery paved the way for Suzuki’s arrest, local media said. While alive, the wife once told her relatives that her husband was threatening to “burn you until no trace of you will be left”, public broadcas...

• Pakistani, Israeli, Cambodian leaders claim to have nominated US president; secrecy rules leave bids unconfirmed • 208 individuals, 79 organisations make up diverse list; winner to be announced on Oct 9, with award ceremony in December • Committee raises alarm over jailed Iranian laureate’s health OSLO: The Norwegian Nobel Committee is considering 287 candidates for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, with US President Donald Trump likely among those on the confidential list, the committee’s secretary said on Thursday. Of the nominations submitted by the Jan 31 deadline, 208 are for individuals and 79 are for organisations, said Kristian Berg Harpviken. He noted that the list features a significant number of new names compared to the previous year. “Since I am new in the job, one of the things that has to some extent surprised me is how much renewal there is from year to year on the list,” Harpviken, who has held the position since January 2025, said in an interview. Despite a rise in global conflicts and mounting ...

El Niño conditions are likely to develop during the 2026 monsoon season in South Asia, alongside higher-than-normal minimum and maximum temperatures across most of the region, according to a statement by Pakistan’s meteorological office on Friday. El Nino is a naturally occurring climate phenomenon that warms surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. It brings changes in winds, pressure and rainfall patterns. Conditions oscillate between El Nino and its opposite La Nina, with neutral conditions in between. The last El Nino contributed to making 2023 the second-hottest year on record and 2024 the all-time high. The climate outlook for the 2026 southwest monsoon season (June to September) was finalised during the 34th session of the South Asian Climate Outlook Forum (Sascof-34) held in Malé, Maldives on Tuesday. According to the spokesperson of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Anjum Nazir Zaighum, and a statement issued by the PMD, below normal rainfall is most likel...

ISLAMABAD: Reports of online violence against women journalists have doubled since 2020, with serious impacts on their health and well-being, according to a study published ahead of ‘World Press Freedom Day,’ which is marked annually on May 3. The report by UN Women and partners highlights how online violence targeting women in public life is becoming increasingly technologically sophisticated, invasive, and damaging in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). The survey findings indicate that these forms of abuse, which were considered relatively rare just a few years ago, now account for a significant portion of the broader ecosystem of online violence. Overall, 12 per cent of the women surveyed reported experiencing the non-consensual sharing of personal images, including sexually explicit or intimate image-based material, and 6pc reported being targeted by deepfakes or other manipulated imagery. “AI is making abuse easier and more damaging, and this is fueling the erosion of hard-won rights in a context m...

The Pakistan Meteorological Department on Friday issued its weather outlook for the next 24 hours, forecasting rain and thunderstorms in parts of the country.

International Labour Day was observed across the country on Friday with a renewed commitment to safeguarding workers’ rights, as rallies and demonstrations were organised by trade unions, labour organisations and civil society groups.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has launched the ‘Rehmat Card’ programme aimed at providing financial assistance to widows and orphaned children across the province, according to an announcement by the Pakistan Muslim League (N).

Foreign ministers from 12 countries, including Pakistan, on Thursday strongly condemned Israel’s reported assault on the Global Sumud Flotilla, describing the incident as a violation of international law.

Air travel between Pakistan and Iran has resumed after a suspension of around two months, with the first commercial flight arriving in Islamabad on Thursday, officials said.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday paid tribute to workers in Pakistan and across the world on the occasion of International Labour Day, acknowledging their vital role in driving national development and economic stability.

Across much of India, an energy crunch caused by the Iran war has prompted long queues for cooking gas cylinders. That’s not a problem for Gauri Devi. On a stove with blue flames, she flips a chapati flatbread, burning biogas produced from cow dung — an alternative fuel helping ease pressure on supplies. This photograph taken on April 24, 2026 shows villager Gauri Devi cooking using biogas at her residence in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district. —AFP “It cooks everything,” the 25-year-old said in her courtyard kitchen in Nekpur, a village in Uttar Pradesh, about 90 kilometres (55 miles) from New Delhi. “If the pressure goes down, we let it rest for half an hour and it works again.” India consumes more than 30 million tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) annually, importing over half its needs. The government insists there is no shortage of cooking gas, but supply delays, panic buying and black marketeers have created long queues for cylinders. This photograph taken on April 24, 2026 shows people waiting w...

President Donald Trump faces a critical legal deadline on Friday that could determine the future of US military operations against Iran, even as his administration signals it may rely on a controversial legal interpretation to bypass congressional approval. Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, a US president must terminate military action within 60 days of notifying Congress unless lawmakers authorise the operation. The Trump administration formally notified Congress on March 2 following joint US-Israeli strikes launched on February 28, setting up a May 1 deadline. But administration officials now argue that the deadline may not apply, claiming that a ceasefire with Iran — in place since April 7 — effectively ended “hostilities” under the law. A senior official told reporters the conflict had “terminated” for War Powers purposes, allowing the White House to continue operations without seeking congressional approval. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth reinforced that position during congressional testimony ...

PESHAWAR: A police constable was martyred on Friday when militants targeted an armoured police vehicle with a rocket and sniper attack at Kingar Jan Bahadar, within the jurisdiction of Mandan Police Station near the Fatah Khel police post in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district. The attack occurred while the vehicle was on a routine patrol. According to the police, the assault was sudden, causing severe damage to the vehicle and leaving driver, a constable, critically injured. He later succumbed to his injuries. A civilian present at the scene was also injured and was taken to the District Headquarters Hospital, where he is currently receiving medical treatment. Hospital sources confirmed that the injured civilian is out of danger. Following the incident, police and security agencies cordoned off the area and launched a large-scale search and combing operation. Police officials stated that all available resources are being utilised to arrest the militants, while security in the area has been placed on high ale...

ISLAMABAD - The Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan has declared Section 4C of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, constitutional, upholding the imposition of super tax and setting aside contrary judgments of the Islamabad High Court.

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tele­communication Company Limited (PTCL) said on Thursday that its managing shareholder ‘e&’ (formerly Etisalat) remains closely engaged with it, with a shared focus on delivering long-term value and advancing Pakistan’s digital ecosystem. Referring to a Dawn report, titled ‘Emirati telecom giant mulling exit’, published on Apr 30, regarding a potential change in e&’s investment position in Pakistan, the company said it was not aware of the sources referenced in the reports. “PTCL’s shareholders remain fully committed to the company’s long-term strategy and growth trajectory. This is reflected in key strategic initiatives, including the acquisition of Telenor Pakistan and Orion Towers, Ufone’s 5G spectrum acquisition, and the continued expansion of the company’s fibre network across the country,” it said in a statement. When contacted for response prior to the publication of the report, PTCL had simply stated that a long-term business plan had recently been approved by its board, and ...

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday upheld the Capital Development Authority (CDA) decision, canceling lease of iconic skyscraper One Constitution Avenue owing to the multi-billion rupees default. IHC Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Sarfraz Dogar announced the decision on the appeals filed by M/s BNP (Private) Limited and the occupants of flats in the skyscraper. The court in February this year had reserved its verdict in the high-profile case concerning the cancellation of the lease of Grand Hyatt building located in the Red Zone near Constitution Avenue. Counsel for the CDA Kashif Ali Malik advanced arguments on behalf of the civic agency. IHC in February this year had reserved the verdict in the high-profile case The case pertains to the controversial five-star hotel project, which was awarded to BNP Group nearly two decades ago. However, instead of functioning as a five-star hotel, it was converted into residential apartments and commercial areas. Apartments in the building were also repor...

• Rs6.59 rise in petrol, Rs19.39 hike in diesel prices implemented with IMF concurrence • PM extends fuel subsidy for motorcyclists, transport sector by a month • Pakistan on track to meet Rs1.47tr petroleum levy target • May face $10-68bn fallout from ME crisis, NA panel told ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday raised petrol and diesel prices while simultaneously extending fuel subsidies for motorcyclists and the transport sector, seeking to cushion the impact of rising global oil costs on vulnerable consumers. With the concurrence of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Shehbaz Sharif government has increased the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs6.51 and Rs19.39 per litre, respectively, with immediate effect for the week ending May 8. During a virtual meeting on Thursday, the IMF was informed that Pakistan was well placed to achieve its petroleum levy target of Rs1.468 trillion, as collections over 10 months had already exceeded the target for 11 months. The two sides agreed to keep the primary bala...

Pakistan and 10 other countries condemned on Friday in “strongest terms” the Israeli assault on the Global Sumud Flotilla, which they said was as a peaceful civilian humanitarian initiative aimed at drawing the attention of the international community to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. A joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Turkiye, Brazil, Jordan, Spain, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Colombia, Maldives, South Africa and Libya said the Israeli attacks against the vessels and the unlawful detention of humanitarian activists in international waters constituted “flagrant violations of international law and international humanitarian law”. “The ministers are deeply concerned about the safety of the civilian activists and urge the Israeli authorities to take the necessary measures to ensure their immediate release. “The ministers also call on the international community to fulfil their moral and legal obligations to uphold international law, protect civilians, and ensure accountability for th...