Pakistan

Rescue operation underway in Sikkim state where incident took place at a under-construction tunnel

ISLAMABAD: The government has imposed a complete ban on importing high-speed diesel (HSD) by private oil marketing companies (OMCs). Instead, only the state-owned Pakistan State Oil (PSO) will handle imports for the current fiscal year. This is part of the federal cabinet’s decisions, which also capped petrol import quantities by private OMCs based on their past sales. The decisions are premised on the Petroleum Division’s request in the wake of ‘prevailing market conditions and in order to minimise the impact of rising petroleum prices on consumers’. Under the decision, PSO would also enter a long-term supply contract with OQ Trading of Oman for petrol imports, in view of security of supplies needed in view of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The decisions have been conveyed to the Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) as fresh policy guidelines for fuel arrangements and a revised pricing mechanism for petroleum products. “HSD import to be allowed only through PSO for FY27,” the guidelines said. Govt cap...

THE newly elected Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly last week adopted a unanimous resolution asking the centre to grant the region provisional provincial status. This demand is not new and the House has previously issued a similar call. In fact, the demand cuts across party, regional and ethnic lines in GB. The resolution also calls for granting GB “constitutional and political rights”, while adding that until provisional provincial status is achieved, the region should be included in the NFC Award. Crucially, GB’s lawmakers have said the provisional status will be “without prejudice” to Pakistan’s position regarding the Kashmir dispute with India. This is an important caveat as some within the country are concerned that granting such status to GB could imperil Pakistan’s principled stand on Kashmir. This clarification should put such fears to rest. Equally important is the endorsement given to the GB Assembly’s demand by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, AJK chapter, considering the historic link between Kashmir ...

Scholars from different schools of thought pray together at Jamiatur Rasheed in Karachi.—Dawn ISLAMABAD: In a significant move to eradicate inter-sect strife in the country, clerics belonging to all four mainstream schools of thought offered prayers together at what was once considered one of the country’s most hardline seminaries. Briefing the media here on Monday, Pakistan Ulema Council chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Ashrafi said, “Offering prayers together symbolises growing tolerance in society, especially among religious circles”. Ashrafi also serves as Prime Minister’s Coordinator for the National Paigham-i-Aman Committee (NPAC), a group of senior clerics representing the country’s four mainstream schools of thought Shia, Barelvi, Deobandi and Ahle Hadith. The group members, led by Ashrafi, recently visited Jamiatur Rasheed in Karachi and offered collective prayers there. The move is being seen as a significant milestone in the national campaign against extremism, terrorism and sectarian violence, as cle...

US administration says move in response to discriminatory treatment of American-made cars, alcohol, dairy goods

SPAIN have won the FIFA World Cup for a second time but their Sunday victory over Argentina became more rewarding by bringing a much-needed smile to the harrowed Palestinian people in their undeterred fight against the genocidal occupation of their homeland. It might seem a curious alignment of obviously distant spaces between Europe’s Spain and Asia’s occupied Palestine. But then, everyone knows that sports have always been intertwined with their strange political connections. Sunday’s World Cup final represented a contemporary intertwining of sports and politics. What happened on the field was a stymied Argentina succumbing to a team that moved like a symphony. Off the field, we saw the politically motivated mistreatment of the Iranian team by the host country under President Donald Trump’s watch. Even here, though, the Iranians made their point with quiet grace. The perennially sanctioned country, facing daily bombardments from the US-led military, didn’t shirk from sending a team to the enemy country to s...

ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on Monday considered the confirmation of additional judges, the extension in tenure of constitutional benches of the Sindh High Court (SHC), and nominations to fill five vacant positions of additional judges in the provincial high courts as well as vacancies in the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The JCP, by a majority of its total membership, recommended a six-month extension in the term of Justice Khalid Hussain Shahani as an additional judge of the SHC. However, the commission did not confirm another additional judge of the high court, Justice Syed Fiaz ul Hassan Shah. The commission, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi in the Conference Room of the Supreme Court, made the decisions after due consideration of the relevant data forms, antecedents, and evaluation of the material placed before it. The commission held three separate meetings from 2pm to 5:30pm to consider different agenda items. Both Barrister Gohar A...

Brent crude futures fall 96 cents, or 1.1%, to $88.26 per barrel

THE preparation of the Strategic Trade Policy (STP) for 2026-31 is an opportunity not merely to set fresh export targets but also rethink our export strategy in the light of lessons of the past decade. Any new policy’s credibility depends on fixing structural weaknesses that have repeatedly undermined implementation. First, policies alone don’t produce results. Pakistan has prepared numerous strategies over the past three decade, but most have fallen short because governance has been weak and institutions ineffective. Good governance is the foundation on which sound economic policies rest. It improves resource allocation, boosts competitiveness, raises productivity, reduces transaction costs and enables efficient functioning of markets. Unless accompanied by governance reforms, the new STP is unlikely to deliver outcomes different from its predecessors. The new policy should begin with an honest assessment of the previous two STPs. STP 2015-20 envisaged exports of $35 billion by 2020, but actual exports amoun...

Actor says education has reduced prejudice in cities, but many minorities still struggle elsewhere

• Iranian foreign minister meets Pakistan’s new envoy, discusses ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation • Interior Minister Eskander Momeni lands in Islamabad, will hold talks on US conflict with Pakistani leaders today ISLAMABAD: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday identified peace and security as the two key objectives for strengthening relations with Pakistan. He made the remarks while speaking to Pakistan’s newly appointed ambassador, Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran after receiving copies of his credentials. The meeting came as fresh diplomatic efforts were underway to halt the latest round of hostilities between the United States and Iran after an earlier Islamabad-mediated understanding collapsed because of differing interpretations of the memorandum agreed by the two sides, particularly regarding arrangements linked to the Strait of Hormuz. Following the presentation of his letters of credence, Siddiqui and Araghchi discussed bilateral relations, regio...

Warns that any attempt to suppress the peaceful protest could turn the movement into an anti-government campaign

• Adiala admin given three weeks to furnish data • Salman Akram Raja claims PTI founder kept in solitary confinement, suffering from eye ailment ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Adiala jail administration to submit within three weeks a report detailing the meetings between incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan and his family members, lawyers, and friends. The order was passed by a three-member bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar while hearing a set of contempt of court petitions filed by PTI’s Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and others challenging the Oct 23, 2025 Islamabad High Court (IHC) order. The IHC had rejected a contempt petition to seek enforcement of the high court’s directives on visitation rights enjoyed by the PTI founder. During the hearing, the bench ord­e­red the Adiala administration to furnish the report containing complete details of meetings between the PTI founder and the visitors during his almost three-year-long stay in jail. At the outset of the hearing, Islam...

• Will prevent use of virtual currency for money laundering, terror financing • Director calls for squads to curb crypto use in cybercrime, drug trade • Over 300 human trafficking cases registered in two years ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has established a cryptocurrency investigation unit housed in its newly operational National Com­m­and and Control Centre (NC3) to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing through virtual currency transactions. FIA Counter-Terrorism Wing Director Dr Muhammad Athar Waheed told Dawn that while the newly established Pakistan Virt­ual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) was the dedicated authority responsible for regulating digital assets, the cryptocurrency investigation unit would probe the possible use of digital assets in crimes. The official suggested that the National Cyber Crime Investi­gation Agency (NCCIA) and Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) should also establish similar units to tackle the use of cryptocurrency for cybercrimes and drug-related b...

Cockroach Janta Party drops parliament march plan, demands education minister's resignation over exam leaks

Actor's 'stay humble' message draws criticism over symbolism

GILGIT: Eight members of a Pakistani expedition team successfully summited Broad Peak (8,051m), while eight women climbers reached the summit of Khosar Gang, a 6,040-metre peak in the Shigar Valley, in separate achievements announced on Monday. According to a statement issued by Karakoram Expeditions, the Broad Peak team included Argentina’s Juan Pablo Toro and Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig, Rizwan Dad, Waqar Ali, Mansoor Karim, Nawaz Ali Khan, Mirza Ali and Zaman Karim. The statement said the lead rope-fixing team reached the summit via a new direct variation, bypassing Section V and the long ridge above Camp IV. After analysing the route, expedition leader Mirza Ali led the team from Camp III at 2am on Sunday and they reached the summit at 10pm. Meanwhile, the Alpine Club of Pakistan said its Second Women’s Khosar Gang Expedition successfully summited Khosar Gang. The climbers were Zeba Batool and Bibi Afzoon from Gilgit-Baltistan, Haiqa Ghazi and Ammara Sharif from Islamabad, Maria Khan from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Bi...

Talk about potential to enhance country's domestic refining capacity, reduce reliance on imported petroleum products

Alarm sirens in Bahrain sound off during new Iranian barrage

Youth-led protesters answer call of Cockroach Janta Party to demand accountability and sweeping reforms after exam sca