Pakistan

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Declares that parliament is meant for legislation, not protest

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Shehzad was struck by speeding mini-truck

Gaps in national labour data pose employment challenges

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Locals say warnings about weak embankment went unheeded

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United States President Donald Trump’s administration has revoked the foreign terrorist organisation designation for Al-Nusrah Front, also known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, according to a State Department memo filed on Monday, a major step as Washington moves to ease sanctions on Syria. The memo dated June 23 was signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and was published in a preview of the Federal Register before official publication on Tuesday. The move comes a week after Trump signed an executive order terminating a US sanctions programme on Syria, to help end the country’s isolation from the international financial system and build on Washington’s pledge to help it rebuild after a devastating civil war. “In consultation with the attorney general and the secretary of the Treasury, I hereby revoke the designation of Al-Nusrah Front, also known as Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (and other aliases) as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation,” Rubio wrote in the memo. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, was previously Al-Qaeda’s Syr...

Preparations are in full swing for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s anticipated visit to China at the end of August 2025, with a strong focus on enhancing economic collaboration.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan on Monday defended his recent move to seek the disqualification of 26 PTI MPAs for their “unparliamentary conduct”, saying he was fulfilling his responsibility to uphold the Constitution. On June 27, the speaker ordered the suspension of 26 opposition MPAs for 15 sittings of the provincial legislature after their protests disrupted Chief Mi­­nister Maryam Nawaz’s speech and caused chaos in the house. Days later, he filed a disqualification reference with the Election Com­mission of Pakistan against them. Out of those MPAs, 17 were listed as belonging to the Sunni Ittehad Council, which PTI-affiliated candidates joined last year after their party was deprived of its election symbol. At least eight others, however, were stated as PTI MPAs. Addressing a press conference in Lahore today, Malik stressed that his responsibility was to uphold the Constitution and he did not discriminate against any party. “I am someone who brings things into my domain. I will accept ...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is set to embark on an official visit to Japan from August 15 to 22, aiming to promote investment and strengthen economic cooperation between Punjab and Japan.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Monday dismissed Indian claims of Pakistan receiving external support in Operation Bunyanum Marsoos during the recent tensions with India, terming them “irresponsible and factually incorrect”. The military confrontation between India and Pakistan came as the former blamed Islamabad for the April 22 Pahalgam attack without evidence. On the night of May 6-7, New Delhi launched a series of air strikes on Pakistan, resulting in civilian casualties. Both sides then exchanged missiles, which stretched over the week. It took a US-brokered ceasefire for both sides to finally drop their guns. Reuters reported that the deputy chief of India’s army alleged last week that China gave Islamabad “live inputs” on key Indian positions during the conflict. India fought two adversaries during the conflict, with Pakistan being the “front face” while China provided “all possible support”, Lieutenant General Rahul Singh had said at a defence industry event in New Delhi. “...

Two men were shot dead while a third one was injured over ‘honour’ in Karachi’s Manghopir area on Monday, police said. ‘Honour’ killings refer to the murder of individuals, predominantly women and girls, by family members who believe the victim has brought “dishonour” upon the family. Data from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) shows that in 2024, ‘honour’ killings continued to be a serious issue across Pakistan, with particularly high figures in Sindh and Punjab. From January to November, a total of 346 people fell victim to ‘honour’ crimes in the country. Manghopir police SHO Imran Ahmed Khan told Dawn.com, “The victim was in a relationship with a woman from their native town in Balochistan’s Bolan district.” Khan added that the couple had arrived in Karachi about four days ago and were living with the man’s relatives near Gulshan Chowk in Mohammed Khan Colony. He said as per the initial probe, the woman’s brother and other relatives traced the couple and shot the man along with his maternal un...

Three cops were injured in an attack on a highway police vehicle in Balochistan’s Nasirabad District on Monday, an official said. Pakistan is ranked second in the Global Terrorism Index 2025. Terrorists in Balochistan, previously engaged in a low-level insurgency, have recently intensified their attacks. The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) emerged as a key perpetrator of terrorist violence in Pakistan in 2024. “Three personnel were injured in a blast targeting a patrolling vehicle of the highway police in Nasirabad’s Rabbi area,” Highway Police’s Senior Superintendent of Police Khadim Husain said. He added that the incident took place when the highway police team was patrolling the area as per routine. Citing preliminary reports, Husain said the blast was conducted through a remote-controlled device. The injured were immediately taken to a hospital in the Dera Murad Jamali town, located 12km from Rabbi, the SSP added. “The police have initiated an investigation,” SSP Husain said. In June, Pakistan wi...

PTI leaders on Monday rejected the proposed revival of the jirga system in the merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying that making such decisions was the prerogative of the provincial government. Earlier in the month, a meeting of top federal and provincial government officials discussed and stressed the need to revive the jirga system in the merged districts. A jirga is a traditional form of conflict resolution, primarily found in Pashtun societies of Afghanistan and Pakistan, where a council of male elders gathers to settle disputes based on local customs and traditions The meeting discussed ways to promote an effective alternative justice system in tribal districts. Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad along with other party leaders, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said: “In none of the committee meetings was reviving the jirga system discussed for the tribal areas, and after the 18th Amendment, that right was with the provincial government. “After the 25th Amendment, when the tribal ar...

The Foreign Office (FO) on Monday announced that Sweden has resumed visa services in Islamabad and Pakistani nationals will be able to apply for a Schengen visa from today onwards Sweden in April 2023 indefinitely closed its embassy in Islamabad, citing the security situation as the reason. As a result, the Migration Section was unable to handle requests, nor could any documents be sent to consulates, Gerry´s, or applicants’ addresses. “We understand that this will cause inconvenience; however, the safety of our applicants and staff members are of highest priority,” a notice placed on the embassy’s website had read at the time. The embassy reopened in April this year, according to its website. According to the FO, the Swedish and Pakistani foreign ministries held bilateral consultations in Stockholm on July 2, where the decision to resume visa services was announced by the Swedish side. “Effective July 7, 2025, Pakistani nationals can apply for a Schengen visa from within Pakistan for visits to Sweden of up t...