Pakistan

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Friday imposed a complete ban on drone coverage of Muharram processions and gatherings, warning that strict legal action would be taken against anyone violating the order.

Supreme Court Justice Salahuddin Panhwar has recused himself from the Constitutional Bench reviewing petitions in the reserved seats case, following an objection raised by senior lawyer Hamid Khan.

Acting US Ambassador to Pakistan, Natalie Baker on Friday met with Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to discuss matters of mutual interest, including regional security, counterterrorism, and enhanced bilateral cooperation.

At least seven tourists drowned and eight others remain missing after sudden flooding in the Swat River swept away 18 people, including 10 members of a single family, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday.

A poliovirus case has been confirmed in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa’s Tank district, marking the seventh case from KP this year and bringing the total countrywide tally to 13, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) said in a press release on Friday. Pakistan is one of the last two countries in the world, alongside Afghanistan, where polio remains endemic. Despite global efforts to eradicate the virus, challenges such as security issues, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation have slowed progress. This year, Pakistan has undertaken three nationwide Polio campaigns so far — in February, April, and May. Polio eradication efforts in Pakistan routinely face security issues. According to the press release, the case was detected in an 18-month-old child from the Union Council Amakhel in KP’s Tank district. “With this latest detection, the total number of polio cases in Pakistan in 2025 has reached 13, including seven from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, four from Sindh, and one ...

Federal Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Khan Cheema held high-level discussions on Thursday with the World Bank leadership in Washington DC, and welcomed the strengthened collaboration with the global financial institution in strengthening the economy, according to statement by the ministry on Friday. In January, the World Bank pledged to provide $20bn to Pakistan under a 10-year country partnership framework (CPF) to support inclusive and sustainable development within the country. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had welcomed a $40 billion “investment” by the World Bank, stating that the inflow will open “a new chapter” in various sectors of the economy. In a meeting with WB Operations Managing Director Anna Bjerde and South Asia Regional Vice President Martin Raiser, the federal minister welcomed the strengthened collaboration between Pakistan and the Bank over the past year, the statement read. This enhanced engagement has culminated in the development of the new country partnership framework (CPF) 2026-2035,...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, in her message on Deafblind Day, paid tribute to individuals with dual sensory impairment, describing them as “truly special” and symbols of courage and dignity.

Gilgit - Former Director General of the Strategic Plans Division (SPD), Lt Gen (Retd) Mazhar Jamil, on Thursday called for the institution of robust Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) and a comprehensive Strategic Restraint Regime (SRR) between Pakistan and India for promoting regional stability.

Bulls regained control of the trading floor as shares at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) climbed nearly 1,600 points at the close of the first session on Friday, a day after the passage of the federal budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The KSE-100 index climbed 1581.77 points, or 1.3 per cent, to stand at 123,628.23 at the close of the first session, from the last close of 122,046.46 points. Awais Ashraf, director research at AKD Securities, said, “[The] passage of [the] federal budget with the absence of aggressive incremental revenue measures and slight relief for salaried and business is also well received by the investors.” The National Assembly on Thursday passed the federal budget for the FY25-26, with an outlay of Rs17.57 trillion, despite opposition calls for the budgetary proposals to be made public and for the passage to be delayed until public input had been sought. “The ceasefire between Iran and Israel has redirected investor focus toward improving macroeconomic fundamentals. Lower inflation ...

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has announced the commencement of advance registration for Hajj 2026, urging intending pilgrims to complete the mandatory process by July 9.

India has deported without trial to Bangladesh hundreds of people, officials from both sides said, drawing condemnation from activists and lawyers who call the recent expulsions illegal and based on ethnic profiling. New Delhi says the people deported are undocumented migrants. The Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has long taken a hardline stance on immigration — particularly those from neighbouring Muslim-majority Bangladesh — with top officials referring to them as “termites” and “infiltrators”. It has also sparked fear among India’s estimated 200 million Muslims, especially among speakers of Bengali, a widely spoken language in both eastern India and Bangladesh. “Muslims, particularly from the eastern part of the country, are terrified,” said veteran Indian rights activist Harsh Mander. “You have thrown millions into this existential fear.” Bangladesh, largely encircled by land by India, has seen relations with New Delhi turn icy since a mass uprising in 2024 toppled Dhaka’s gov...

Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Friday stressed the “indispensable” role of the civil bureaucracy within governance to probationary civil officers — as part of an initiative aimed at strengthening understanding between Pakistan’s civil and military leadership, according to the military’s media wing. In the wake of recent Indian aggression, Field Marshal Asim Munir has repeatedly appreciated the strategic foresight of the country’s political leadership, and vice versa. On June 18, Field Marshal Asim Munir met with US President Donald Trump in a high-level meeting — marking the first time a US president has hosted top Pakistani military leadership. Today’s engagement is part of a broader initiative to strengthen “institutional synergy and mutual understanding” between Pakistan’s civil and military leadership, according to a statement by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR). Field Marshal Asim Munir, while speaking to probationary officers of the 52nd common training program (CTP) of the Civil ...

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received a telephone call from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio Thursday evening and discussed bilateral and regional issues.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI)’s lawyer Thursday concluded his arguments in the review petitions filed against the Supreme Court judgment on PTI reserved seats.

Islamabad - Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has appreciated NAB’s historic record direct and indirect recovery amounting to Rs.

QUETTA - Balochistan Polio’s concerned officials on Thursday said that no polio case was reported in the province till now during 2025 owing to positive efforts of polio representative and workers.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke on Thursday with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif about recent developments in the Middle East, underlining a shared commitment to regional stability and non-proliferation amid renewed efforts to engage Iran. “Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif regarding events in the Middle East. Secretary Rubio emphasised that Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon,” US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. “The two leaders acknowledged the importance of working together to promote a durable peace between Israel and Iran and to maintain regional stability,” she added. The call highlights Washington’s growing engagement with Islamabad at a time when the Trump administration is reportedly exploring a new diplomatic initiative with Tehran, possibly “as early as next week”. Rubio’s statement that “Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon” will be interpreted in various ways in both Pa...

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, in a telephonic call on Thursday, directed the Transition Management Committee of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) to extend facilitation and briefing to the visiting delegation from Uzbekistan, emphasizing the potential for collaborative ventures in the.

ISLAMABAD - The National Assembly on Thursday approved the finance bill 2025-26 with a total outlay of Rs17.

ISLAMABAD - Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Yahya Afridi while emphasising the importance of synergy has urged bar representatives to sensitize their respective bar associations about developments in national judiciary and to proactively engage in the reform initiatives.