Pakistan

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Bank van looted, medic missing, security supplies hijacked

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ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday launched the Prime Minister’s Hepatitis C Elimination Programme, aiming to end the disease by 2030, according to a press release issued by the ministry. “Pakistan and the WHO today launched the Prime Minister’s Hepatitis C Elimination Programme in Islamabad with the goal of reaching 1.6 million people in the area over the next 6 months, and over 164 million across the country in subsequent phases.” “The main goal is to eliminate Hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030, as agreed upon by the World Health Assembly,” the press release said. Speaking at an event in Islamabad, Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said that Rs67 billion had been allocated to combat one of Pakistan’s most serious public health challenges, the statement said. “A complete three to six-month treatment course will be provided free of cost under the programme,” the statement quoted Kamal as saying. He highlighted the alarming burden of hepatitis...

LAHORE: The Punjab chief minister’s office has refused a lawyer’s requests, made under the right to information law, for details of vehicles in incumbent provincial chief executive Maryam Nawaz’s use, her foreign visits and a luxury plane acquired by the Punjab government. The right to information (RTI) in Pakistan is enshrined as a fundamental right under Article 19-A of the Constitution, designed to empower citizens with access to government-held information. Lawyer Abdullah Malik had submitted two applications with the Public Information Commission (PIC) in July last year and in February this year. In his letter in July 2025, he sought the following details: Expenditure under the heads of fuel, maintenance of vehicles and tours, including international visits Total number of vehicles and their make, model and cast Expenditure on helicopter or aircraft used by the CM and its total mileage of travel Total number of social media team members at the CM House, along with their salaries Whether the CM got the ap...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday announced that the provincial government would provide free land to citizens who do not own property as part of its housing welfare initiatives.

Britain’s anti-immigrant party Reform UK said on Wednesday it was talking to the parliamentary watchdog, following a report that its leader, Nigel Farage, was being investigated over a 5 million pound ($6.75m) gift which he did not declare. After the BBC reported that Reform was being investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over the donation, Reform, the biggest winner in local elections last week, confirmed it was discussing it but said no rules had been broken. “He (Farage) has always been clear that this was a personal, unconditional gift and no rules were broken,” a spokesman for the party said. “We look forward to this being put to bed once and for all.” Farage has said he accepted the donation from the Thailand-based billionaire and crypto investor Christopher Harborne to pay for his personal security before he announced his candidacy in the 2024 national election that brought him into parliament. He said it was not a political donation, but rival political parties in April accused ...

Cambridge International Education (CIE) on Wednesday confirmed the leak of an AS-level Mathematics exam paper held on May 12, and announced the postponement of another Mathematics paper scheduled for Friday, May 15. Amid recent reports of Cambridge exam paper leaks, students who appeared for an AS-level Mathematics paper on Tuesday made fresh claims that the paper they received was identical to a solved paper they had come across on social media just a day earlier. “We can confirm that Cambridge International AS-Level Mathematics Paper 52 (9709), taken in our administrative zones 3 and 4 on May 12, was shared prematurely against our strict regulations,” said a statement issued by the board on Wednesday. “We investigate such incidents promptly and thoroughly and we are now working to understand the extent of the leak and determine next steps.” The statement said that “as an additional security and identification measure”, and upon discussions with “key stakeholders” in the country, the board was postponing the...

LAHORE: Heavy rain and hailstorms lashed several parts of the provincial capital on Wednesday, inundating low-lying areas and disrupting the flow of traffic on major thoroughfares. On Sunday, the Pakistan Meteorological Department predicted rain in the upper parts of the country, including Lahore, from May 10 to May 12. According to Lahore Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) data recorded at 6:35pm, Lakshmi Chowk received the highest rainfall in the city, with 95 millimetres. It was followed by Pani Wala Talab (79mm), Saggian (53.2mm), Gulshan-e-Ravi (45.8mm), Jail Road (44mm), Tajpura (41.2mm), Chowk Nakhuda (40.2mm), Samanabad (37.4mm), WASA Head Office, Gulberg (34.4mm), Airport (33.9mm), Iqbal Town (25.6mm), Upper Mall (26mm), Farrukhabad (20mm), Shadi Pura (11.2mm), Johar Town (8.4mm), Mughalpura (7mm), and Nishter Town (5.8mm). The average rainfall recorded across the Lahore region was 34mm, while rain had stopped in all reported areas at the time of reporting. The Provincial Disaster Management Authorit...

ISLAMABAD: Months after postponing local government polls in the federal capital for the fourth time, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has directed the interior ministry and Islamabad administration to immediately issue notifications on town corporations’ limits and union councils for polls, warning it would fix the matter for a hearing if there was no progress. Chairing a meeting, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said holding local government elections was a constitutional requirement under Article 140(A) of the Constitution, further noting that local governments were functioning in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan, but elections could not be held in Punjab and Islamabad due to changes in local government laws. The ECP also directed the interior secretary and chief commissioner to take up the matter immediately with the relevant standing committee and cabinet. “If no progress is made, the case will be fixed for hearing in the Election Commission,” it said. “If required, this...

In the Strait of Hormuz, US warships menace Iran’s oil tankers, while in Washington, President Donald Trump demands “complete victory.” But in Tucson, they’re getting ready to welcome the Iranian football team as if nothing were amiss. The city, an oasis of civilisation in the Arizona desert, is set to be the base camp for “Team Melli” when the world’s biggest sporting spectacle opens in the US, Mexico and Canada next month. “We’re just excited to host them here, and we’re going to give them a positive experience,” Sarah Hanna, director of the Kino Sports Complex, where the team will train, told AFP. Grass is being watered and cut to FIFA-regulation height to ensure that players don’t get any surprises when they take to the field in Los Angeles and Seattle, the venues for their group-stage games. Hotel rooms and meeting spaces are locked in, and security is tight. “Right now, I’m probably averaging about 12 to 20 meetings regarding this training facility a week,” said Hanna. “From our concessionaire for food ...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding education, skills development, employment, and business opportunities for young people across Pakistan.

The Iranian rial (IRR) continues to attract steady demand in Pakistan’s informal currency markets as of Wednesday, May 13, 2026, with traders reporting sustained buyer activity across major cities including Karachi, Lahore, and Quetta.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Wednesday launched the IBI Pakistan Digital Economy Headquarters here, describing it as a powerful symbol of the enduring Pakistan-China partnership and a new chapter of digital collaboration.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to undertake a three-day visit to China, starting May 23, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Tuesday. DPM Dar made the announcement while addressing the launch ceremony of the IBI Pakistan Digital Economy Centre in Islamabad. He said that the premier would undertake an official visit to China from May 23 to 26. Dar added that premier was also set to attend a B2B forum on May 24 during the visit. Earlier this month, President Asif Ali Zardari completed a five-day visit to China, which was aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation across key economic sectors. He also oversaw the signing of multiple memoranda of understanding (MoUs). Pakistan and China share a longstanding strategic partnership with ties that span various sectors, including trade, energy, defence, and infrastructure. The two countries are also set to mark the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations on May 21. The visit comes at a time when Pakistan has remained engaged in f...

A high-level meeting chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry reviewed major environmental and development initiatives in Islamabad, with a focus on protecting Rawal Dam and improving urban infrastructure.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) and per capita income increased in dollar terms at a modest pace, indicating a recovery in the country’s overall output compared to the previous year, the government said on Wednesday. It was revealed that the country’s economy is expected to grow by 3.70 per cent in the current fiscal year, a revision from earlier projections of 4pc, suggesting that Pakistan will fall short of its GDP target. The provisional growth rates in agriculture, industry and services in FY26 are 2.89pc, 3.51pc and 4.09pc, respectively. The 117th meeting of the National Accounts Committee (NAC) was held in the federal capital on Wednesday at the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics Headquarters, Statistics House. The secretary of the Ministry of Planning and Development chaired the meeting. The committee approved the quarterly GDP growth rates for Q1 (revised), Q2 (revised), and Q3 (provisional) during FY 2025-26 and annual growth rates for 2023-24 (final), 2024-25 (revised) and 2025-26 (pro...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed that the commercial banks take steps to ensure the access of women entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to easy loans, besides assisting them in exporting their products.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday acknowledged that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was standing firmly with the Centre in combatting terrorism, hailing that they were on the “same page”. He made the remarks on the floor of the National Assembly while responding to an emotionally charged speech by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Noor Alam Khan, who had criticised both the federal and provincial governments for rising terrorism in the province. “We did not have the KP government’s cooperation for a very long time, [but] now we have [it]. They are standing firmly with the Centre and the armed forces against terrorism. There is no doubt,” Asif declared. “It is a good thing that we are all on the same page,” he added. The defence minister said, “I agree with them that a solution to this issue is needed, but it is not the centre’s responsibility; it is partially, but all provinces have to contribute to this with their resources.” Asif also strongly responded to suggestions that Islamabad hold a dial...