Pakistan

Maryam Nawaz is set to formally inaugurate the newly renamed “Marka-e-Haq Square” in Rawalpindi on Sunday, as authorities finalised extensive security arrangements for the ceremony.

Sana stood outside the gates of the police station with her young son, clutching her hand as she trembled from fear of what people would say if she went inside. The 26-year-old had been subjected to four years of physical, emotional and financial violence at home, and now her husband was threatening to leak their private videos. What held her back was not fear of her abuser but a sentence she had heard her whole life: Sharif larkiyaan thaney nahi jaati. Good girls don’t go to police stations. At our gate, Sana was not just dealing with her husband’s violence but also battling a deeper, more systemic violence in the shape of a belief system that decided how far she was allowed to seek justice. This story is not an isolated one. I often hear it as a Sub-Divisional Police Officer serving with the Sindh Police. Each complainant who happens to be a woman or her family apologises to me: “We come from a respectable family. We have never stepped inside a police station.” This disclaimer signals that the act of going ...

MIRANSHAH: A large-scale security operation against militants continued for the third consecutive day in the Shewa tehsil and adjoining areas of North Waziristan, with reports claiming that seven militants, including two key commanders, were killed during search and clearance operations. According to sources, several militant hideouts were destroyed during the operation, while security forces intensified actions in multiple localities of the region. In the Dorwazanda area of Shewa tehsil, the Alam Khel Market was reportedly almost completely demolished during the operation. Local residents claimed that militants had allegedly been using the market as hideouts and movement routes. Meanwhile, in the Anarkhel area, an alleged militant hideout and a residential compound were also destroyed with explosive material. Sources added that security forces had taken control of several important buildings and installations during the operation, including the Governor Model School, which militants were allegedly using for ...

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) said on Sunday that consumers may face internet disruptions due to maintenance work on a submarine cable between May 11 and 18. In a post on X, PTCL said: “A maintenance activity is planned on one of our submarine cables to repair a fault by the International Cable Consortium,” adding that the work will begin on May 11 and may continue until May 18. “During this period, customers may face internet service degradation during evening hours,” PTCL said. The state-owned telecom giant manages three undersea optical fibre cable networks that provide international internet connectivity to Pakistan. Internet users in Pakistan often face disruptions due to persistent submarine cable faults. According to a report by Top10VPN.com, Pakistan led the world in financial losses from outages and shutdowns of internet and social media apps in 2o23.

THE Sindh government’s 28-point list of restrictions imposed on Aurat March Karachi is a distressing example of familiar double standards: women are celebrated in speeches and choreographed photo opportunities, only for the state to recoil the moment they demand their rights. The organisers sought permission to march peacefully for women’s rights. What they received, instead, was a document dripping with authoritarian anxiety. The message could not have been clearer: women may gather, but only if they remain politically harmless. Rather than facilitating peaceful assembly, the administration chose to police slogans, speech and even clothing. The vague and sweeping conditions betray insecurity. Why does a march calling attention to gender violence and economic inequality provoke such discomfort in official circles? Why are women demanding bodily autonomy and constitutional rights treated as a threat? Secure governments do not fear placards, nor do they attempt to dictate what citizens may wear while exercising...

Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday telephoned Muhammad Sohail Afridi and strongly condemned the terrorist attack on a police post in Bannu that claimed the lives of police personnel.

Murad Ali Shah on Sunday directed authorities to accelerate construction work on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line project and adjoining roads during his visit to various sections of the under-construction corridor in Karachi.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said he and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani reaffirmed their “shared commitment” to support “constructive dialogue” in the Middle East. In a post on X, PM Shehbaz said he was “delighted to receive a telephone call from my brother […] earlier today”. “We exchanged views on the evolving regional situation and reaffirmed our shared commitment to support all ongoing efforts aimed at promoting lasting peace, stability, and constructive dialogue across the region,” the premier added. The prime minister said he conveyed his “sincere appreciation to my dear brother”, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, “for his wise leadership and for Qatar’s continued support for Pakistan’s sincere efforts to advance regional peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy”. PM Shehbaz further said he looked forward to the Qatari emir’s visit to “Pakistan very soon”. In its statement on the phone call, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) sa...

Kim Su-jin and her husband have set aside their doubts and embraced parenthood, joining a small but notable wave of South Korean couples having children despite the country’s steep demographic decline. South Korea has one of the world’s lowest birth rates, and the government has spent billions of dollars trying to encourage citizens to have more babies and cushion the worst impacts of a shrinking population. The Asian nation is still nowhere near reversing the trend, but a modest baby bump has come after years of consistently low statistics — even as experts disagree on the underlying causes. Kim, 32, a freelance music industry worker, gave birth to her daughter in January last year despite earlier financial concerns during her four-year marriage. She shook off worries over housing, schooling and work “because we believed that having (a baby) would bring us happiness”, she told AFP. This picture taken on April 30, 2026 shows a man pushing a stroller as he visits a baby fair in Seoul. — AFP South Korea’s ferti...

Israel deported on Sunday two foreign activists seized from a Gaza-bound flotilla, in what a rights group representing them described as a “punitive attack” on a civilian mission. Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish national of Palestinian origin, and Brazilian Thiago Avila were among dozens of activists aboard a flotilla intercepted by the Israeli navy in international waters off the coast of Greece on April 30. The pair were seized by Israeli forces and brought to Israel for questioning, while the others were taken to the Greek island of Crete and released. “Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Avila, from the provocation flotilla, were deported today from Israel” following an investigation, the Israeli foreign ministry posted on X on Sunday. Israel would “not allow any breach” of the blockade on Gaza, it added. Spain, Brazil and the United Nations had all called for the men’s swift release. On Wednesday, an Israeli court rejected an appeal contesting the pair’s detention. “From their abduction in international waters to thei...

KARACHI: Gas supply was disrupted in major parts of the city on Saturday evening after the Red Line construction work damaged a high-pressure gas pipeline near Jail Chowrangi. A spokesperson for the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) said that a12-inch diameter high-pressure pipeline was hit during excavation for the bus rapid transit (BRT) project. The spokesperson said as a result the gas supply to Saddar, Garden, Jamshed Road, PIB Colony, Lyari, Lines Area and adjacent localities was immediately suspended. She said that the SSGC teams reached the site and cordoned off the damaged section of the supply line with safety barriers to prevent further risk. Residents in affected areas reported complete disconnection of gas at 7pm, adversely impacting mainly households, who relied on piped gas during peak cooking hours in the evening. The spokesperson said that repair work was being carried out on an emergency basis. “Gas supply will be restored gradually once repair work is completed,” she added. The spokesperson t...

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) and the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Saturday criticised the government over rising fuel prices and high petroleum levies, saying the measures had increased hardships for the public and affected fuel retailers. Under an official notification effective from May 9, the government has imposed a petroleum levy of Rs117.41 per litre on petrol and Rs42.60 per litre on high-speed diesel sold through retail outlets. The levy on premium fuel grades, including 97 RON and 95 RON petrol, or the high-octane blending component (HOBC), has been fixed at more than Rs305.37 per litre. The government is also charging a petroleum levy of Rs20.36 per litre on kerosene, Rs15.84 per litre on light diesel oil, and Rs77 per litre on furnace oil, equivalent to Rs82,077 per tonne. PPDA Vice Chairman Raja Waseem Shehzad criticised the government for increasing indirect taxes inst­ead of providing relief to the public amid rising inflation. He said the heavy levies ...

Islamabad - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said Marka-e-Haq is a day to bow in gratitude before Allah Almighty for His countless blessings upon us.

ISLAMABAD - Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Mohsin Naqvi met his Bangladeshi counterpart Salahuddin Ahmed in Dhaka on Saturday, where both sides signed a landmark agreement aimed at strengthening cooperation against drug trafficking and narcotics abuse.

ISLAMABAD - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has noted that Pakistan’s strong program implementation under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement has continued, which has supported macroeconomic stability and the rebuilding of fiscal and foreign exchange buffers.

GWADAR: Amid rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic importance of Gwadar Port has significantly increased due to its shorter access routes to Iran and Central Asia, along with investor-friendly incentives such as tax exemptions, free storage facilities, and modern infrastructure. This was stated by Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) Chairman Noorul Haq Baloch during a meeting with members of the All Pakistan Shipping Association (APSA) in Karachi. He said the port is increasingly being viewed as a safe alternative trade gateway for the region. He said Gwadar has the potential to become the future hub of regional trade and logistics because of its low operational costs, modern facilities, and shorter trade routes. He added that the Gabd-Rimdan border route has emerged as an effective multi-modal corridor for promoting trade with Iran and Central Asia. Mr Baloch briefed the APSA members on the prevailing regional situation, the strategic significance of Gwadar Port, and issues related to transit and tr...

ISLAMABAD: After a three-day heat wave in northern parts of the country, the Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast rain in the upper regions from Sunday evening (today) to May 12. The Met Office stated that dust storms, thunderstorms and rain are likely in the upper parts, with occasional gaps, from May 10 to May 12. According to the department, a fresh westerly wave is likely to approach the northwestern parts of the country today and persist in the upper regions until the night of May 12. Under the influence of this weather system, dust storms, thunderstorms and rain are expected across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, specifically in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Shangla, Buner, Kohistan, Malakand, Battagram, Mans­ehra, Abbottabad, Balakot, Haripur, Swabi, Mardan, Nowshera, Charsadda, Peshawar, Bajaur, Mohmand, Orakzai, Khyber, Kohat, Kurram, Hangu and Karak. Westerly wave to bring widespread relief from today; landslide warnings issued; south remains in grip of heat Similar weather is expected in Punjab and the...

In the early 2020s, the Belgian political theorist Anton Jäger coined the term “hyperpolitics”. He noticed that, in this day and age, politics seemed to be everywhere and in everything but was not catalysing any real change. At least not the way politics used to in the 20th century. The last century was an era of mass political activity (‘mass politics’) driven by large political parties, unions and macro-ideologies. According to Jäger, until the 1980s, political life was anchored by “thick institutions” that acted as a bridge between the individual and the state. But by the 1990s, “post-politics” had set in and replaced mass politics. In the era of post-politics, the polity became increasingly consumerist in nature and governance was left in the hands of technocrats. Conflict was suppressed and political parties became hollow after delegating important economic and social tasks to ‘experts’ serving the interests of large banks and multinational corporations. Then, from the early 2010s, a sudden return of pol...

KARACHI: Amid the ongoing Middle East conflict since Feb 28, Pakistan’s auto sector is witnessing fresh developments, with a leading tractor assembler exploring electric bike production and new vehicle models planned by Chery Master Pakistan and Pak Suzuki Motor Company Ltd. In a stock filing, Millat Tractors Ltd (MTL), responding to market reports about its entry into the electric bike segment, said one of its group companies was evaluating the feasibility of EV bike production in Pakistan. It said the matter remained at a preliminary stage. Sharp increases in petrol prices have boosted demand for electric scooters and bikes, leading to market shortages and the emergence of “on money” on some models. Social media reports claimed EV bike assemblers had received an overwhelming response from consumers, with some companies reportedly selling more than 15,000 units in April, while others sold around 5,000 units. Assemblers eye expansion as shortages trigger premiums However, bike sector expert Mohammad Sabir She...

• Rules abscondence alone cannot be treated as proof of guilt • Acquits murder convict after 20 years ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court acquitted a murder convict who had been sentenced to life imprisonment, while citing the well-recognised principle that it is better to err in acquittal than in conviction. “This principle is also deeply rooted in Islamic jurisprudence, which more than fourteen centuries ago laid down the salutary maxim that it is better to acquit ten guilty persons than to convict one innocent individual,” observed Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim, a member of a two-judge bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Hashim Kakar. The court had taken up an appeal filed by Muhammad Iqbal, challenging the June 18, 2025 decision of the Sindh High Court (SHC), which had upheld his sentence. In his eight-page judgement, Justice Ibrahim observed that reasonable doubt in the mind of a prudent person was sufficient to entitle an accused to the benefit of doubt as a matter of right and not grace. “This manifestation also find...