Pakistan

German conservative leader Friedrich Merz was elected chancellor by parliament on Tuesday in a second round of voting after a humiliating and unprecedented defeat on the first attempt, getting his coalition government off to a weak start. Merz, 69, who led his conservatives to a federal election victory in February and has signed a coalition deal with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), won 325 votes, nine more than needed for an absolute majority, in the secret ballot. He had secured just 310 votes in the first round of voting, meaning at least 18 coalition lawmakers failed to back him. After the vote, he headed to the nearby Bellevue Palace to be formally nominated by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Later, he will return to the historic Reichstag building in the heart of Berlin to take the oath of office to become Germany’s 10th chancellor since the end of World War Two. Merz is under heavy pressure to show German leadership after the implosion last November of outgoing SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s t...

As the constitutional bench (CB) of the Supreme Court on Monday took up a set of review pleas against the top court’s ruling that had declared the PTI eligible for reserved seats, two judges declared the petitions as inadmissible. In its July 12, 2024 short order, eight out of 13 judges ruled that 39 out of a list of 80 MNAs were and are the returned candidates of the PTI, setting it to emerge as the single largest party in the National Assembly. However, the ruling had not been implemented by the National Assembly, while the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had raised some objections. The review petitions against the SC order had been filed by the PML-N, the PPP and the ECP. As the full-strength 13-member CB led by Justice Aminuddin Khan took up the review pleas today, Justices Ayesha A. Malik and Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi objected to them, declaring the applications as inadmissible. The other 10 members of the bench were Justices Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Musarrat Hil...

Federal Minister for Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir Affairs, Amir Muqam, on Tuesday called India’s allegations against Pakistan an “excuse” to further oppress the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Seven soldiers were martyred in a blast from an improvised explosive device planted by “Indian proxy” terrorists in Balochistan’s Kacchi district, the military’s media wing said on Tuesday. A press release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said: “On May 6, 2025, terrorists belonging to Indian proxy, so-called ‘Baloch Liberation Army’, targeted security forces’ vehicle with an improvised explosive device in general area Mach.” It said the following seven soldiers were subsequently martyred in the attack: Subedar Umar Farooq, 42, resident of Karachi; Naik Asif Khan, 28, resident of Karak district; Naik Mashkoor Ali, 28, resident of Orakzai district; Sepoy Tariq Nawaz, 26, resident of Lakki Marwat district; Sepoy Wajid Ahmed Faiz, 28, resident of Bagh district; Sepoy Muhammad Asim, 22, resident of Karak district and Sepoy Muhammad Kashif Khan, 28, resident of Kohat district. “Nefarious designs of India and its proxies operating on Pakistani soil will be defeated by the valiant security forces, LEAs...

PPP’s Syed Waqar Mehdi won the by-election held for the vacant general seat of the Senate from the province of Sindh in Karachi on Tuesday, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported. The ruling PPP and the opposition Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) had nominated Waqar Mehdi and Nighat Mirza, respectively. The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) did not field any candidate and on Monday it announced boycotting the polling process as well. In the by-election held at the Sindh Assembly, Mehdi secured 111 votes, while MQM-P’s Nighat Mirza received 36, and two were rejected, said the returning officer, Provincial Election Commissioner Sindh Ejaz Anwar Chauhan. The polling was conducted from 9am to 4pm without any break. A total of 149 votes were cast during the scheduled polling time. The general Senate seat from Sindh province fell vacant after the death of PPP’s Senator Taj Haider on April 8 in Karachi. He was elected a senator on a PPP ticket from a Senate general seat in Sindh in March 2021 for a period o...

Seven brave sons of soil on Tuesday embraced martyrdom when terrorists belonging to an Indian proxy, so-called ‘Baloch Liberation Army’, targeted their vehicle with an improvised explosive device in the general area of Mach, Kachhi District.

India and the United Kingdom concluded on Tuesday a long-coveted free trade pact, in a landmark deal that represents London’s most significant post-Brexit agreement that was finalised in the shadow of US President Donald Trump’s tariff increases. The deal, between the world’s fifth and sixth largest economies, has been concluded after three years of stop-start negotiations and aims to increase bilateral trade by a further 25.5 billion pounds ($34bn) by 2040 with liberal market access and eased trade restrictions. “These landmark agreements will further deepen our comprehensive strategic partnership, and catalyse trade, investment, growth, job creation, and innovation in both our economies,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X. The deal lowers tariffs on goods such as whisky, advanced manufacturing parts and food products such as lamb, salmon, chocolates and biscuits. It also agrees to quotas on both sides for auto imports. Both countries are also seeking bilateral deals with the United States to rem...

A policeman was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the limits of the Mandan police station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district on Tuesday morning. Khanzala Quraishi, spokesperson for the Bannu regional police officer, told Dawn.com: “Police Constable Khanzeb was on his way to duty on a motorcycle when he was intercepted and targeted by unidentified assailants near the Asghar fuel station in the limits of Mandan police station.” He added that the policeman was killed on the spot by the intense firing and the body was moved to the District Headquarters Hospital Bannu after a heavy police contingent soon reached the spot. A statement from the police said that Bannu District Police Officer (DPO) Saleem Abbas Kulachi also visited the incident site later in the day, inspecting the scene in detail and issuing strict instructions for the arrest of the culprits. The statement said the DPO himself, along with other police personnel, was present in the area for the operation to arrest the suspects. “We will not ...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the headquarters of Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), where he was briefed in detail on the evolving national and regional security landscape following the recent Pahalgam attack.

In a significant move towards sustainable urban transport, the Punjab government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, has approved the installation of a solar power system for e-charging stations.

A 13-member constitutional bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, has accepted review petitions challenging its earlier verdict on the allocation of reserved seats, and has issued notices to all concerned parties.

Following the Pahalgam false flag attack, in a commendable step, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir took responsibility for the treatment of two Pakistani children who were sent back from India.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani during his visit to Doha on Tuesday where the two leaders held important discussions on strengthening bilateral relations and addressing regional security concerns.

Lawmakers across party lines in the National Assembly on Tuesday unanimously vowed a strong and decisive response to any aggression from India, asserting Pakistan's resolve to defend its sovereignty amid escalating tensions following the Pahalgam incident.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Group in New York has called on India to halt its “hostile rhetoric and aggressive actions,” warning that such behavior poses a threat to regional and global peace and security.

Railway Minister Muhammad Hanif Abbasi on Tuesday said that Pakistan is prepared for war if India disrupts its water supply, stressing a strong stance on the water dispute.

ISLAMABAD - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday appealed to the global community to stand with Pakistan in its pursuit of peace and economic progress, and to help thwart any efforts by regional spoilers to disrupt this momentum.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Monday offered Azerbaijan investment opportunities in its untapped carbon trading sector during a meeting between Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik and Ambassador Khazar Farhadov to boost bilateral cooperation in environmental and economic areas.

ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court on Monday directed the Secretary of the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (NEECA) to appear next week with original board meeting records in a case challenging an allegedly unlawful director-level appointment.

Pakistan Railways Opens Luxury Saloon Coaches to Public at Discounted Rates News Story:Pakistan Railways has announced that its luxury saloon coaches—previously reserved for top government officials—are now available for public booking at reduced rates.