Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday chaired a brief meeting of the federal cabinet, during which decisions taken in the Cabinet Committee on Legislation (CCL) meetings held on December 3 and December 30 were formally ratified.

KARACHI: Heavy vehicles’ reign of terror continued in the metropolis on Thursday as a female motorcyclist was killed after being hit by a trailer. In recent months, the city has witnessed a rise in traffic accidents, especially involving heavy vehicles such as dumper trucks and water tankers. Quaidabad’s Station House Officer (SHO) Mohammad Ali Shah told Dawn that the driver of a 10-wheeler hit the 20-year-old female motorcyclist on the main Mehran Highway near MN Textile in Landhi. “She suffered critical injuries and died on the spot,” Shah said. “The driver managed to escape from the spot, leaving behind the heavy vehicle that was impounded by the police,” he said. The body was moved to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) for legal formalities. Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Edhi Foundation said that a 60-year-old man was killed when a trailer truck hit him in Defence Phase 1 near the Akhtar Colony signal on Thursday night. The statement added that since January 1, three people had been killed in...

The Frontier Works Organization (FWO) has successfully cleared the Khunjerab Pass, the most critical land route connecting Pakistan with China, located at an elevation of 15,397 feet.

Restoration and renovation work has begun on the 150-year-old historic building of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on the orders of Chief Justice Aalia Neelum.

The Foreign Office (FO) on Friday reiterated that Pakistan regarded Taiwan as an inalienable part of China. The statement from FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi came in response to media queries seeking Pakistan’s response to “developments in the Taiwan Strait”. “Pakistan and China are iron-clad friends and all-weather strategic cooperative partners. We reiterate our consistent support to China on all matters of its core interests, including Taiwan,“ he said. “We will continue to adhere to the One-China principle and regard Taiwan as an inalienable part of China,” he said. The FO spokesperson had made similar remarks during yesterday’s weekly press briefing in response to a question regarding the sale of arms to Taiwan by the United States. China claims Taiwan as its own territory, while Taiwan rejects China’s claims. Although the statement released by the FO on Friday did not make a specific mention of the exact developments it was referring to, it comes after China completed military drills around Taiwan that i...

The Balochistan government has launched a Pink Bus Service for women and female students at the start of the new year, aimed at providing safe and reliable public transport in the provincial capital.

Pakistan on Friday reaffirmed its firm commitment to the One-China principle, stating that it regards Taiwan as an inalienable part of China.

Adverse weather conditions, including dense fog and poor visibility, caused widespread disruption to air travel across Pakistan on Friday, leading to the cancellation of two flights, the diversion of one international flight and delays to around 70 others, aviation officials said.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved a major initiative to promote aquaculture in the province, with a particular focus on shrimp farming, officials said on Friday.

Investigators raced on Friday to identify the victims of a fire that ripped through a bar in the Swiss Alps town of Crans-Montana, turning a New Year’s celebration into one of the country’s worst tragedies. It is not yet clear what set off the blaze at Le Constellation, killing around 40 people and injuring about 115 others, many seriously. Bystanders described scenes of panic and chaos as people tried to break the windows to escape and others, covered in burns, poured into the street. Swiss police warned it could take days or even weeks to identify everyone who perished, leaving an agonising wait for family and friends. “We’ve tried to reach our friends. We took loads of photos and posted them on Instagram, Facebook, all possible social networks to try to find them,” said Eleonore, 17. “But there’s nothing. No response.” “Even the parents don’t know,” she added. The exact number of people who were at the bar when it went up in flames remains unclear, and police have not specified how many are still missing. ...

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan on Friday expressed concern over the roughing up of YouTuber Rajab Butt during a court appearance in Karachi earlier this week. On Monday, Butt was physically assaulted at the Karachi City Court premises during the hearing of his bail plea in a case registered against him for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. Butt’s lawyer, Mian Ali Ashfaq, said on X that “a few lawyers launched a life-threatening attack on him within the court premises” and registered a case against them. A video of the incident in question had showed Butt, clad in a shirt with the neckline torn open, attempting to move through a crowd surrounding him. “The HRCP expresses grave concern over the reported physical assault on YouTuber Rajab Butt within the Karachi city court premises and the alleged involvement of members of the legal fraternity,” the HRCP said in a statement today on social media platform X. “Violence, intimidation and vigilantism — particularly inside courts — undermine the rule o...

Usman Khawaja said on Friday he will retire from international cricket after the fifth and final Ashes clash against England, leaving a legacy as Australia’s first Muslim Test cricketer while lashing out at perceived “racial stereotyping” during his 15-year career. The 39-year-old will pad up for the last time, should he be selected, when the Test gets under way in Sydney on Sunday, ending months of speculation about his future. It would be an 88th Test for the classy left-hander, culminating a career where it began after making his debut at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2011, also against England. “The number one emotion is contentment. I’m very lucky to have played so many games for Australia the way I have,” Khawaja said. “I hope I have inspired people along the way. “I’m a proud Muslim coloured boy from Pakistan who was told that he would never play for the Australian cricket team. Look at me now, and you can do the same.” Khawaja immigrated to Australia from Islamabad as a child, battling the odds to beco...

Canada’s transport regulator has asked Air India to investigate an incident of a pilot reporting for duty under the influence of alcohol and failing two breathalyser tests, a person familiar with the matter said. The tests were conducted by Canadian police at Vancouver International Airport, after the pilot was asked to leave the aircraft, the person said. The incident was labelled as a “serious matter” by Transport Canada in a letter to Air India, and authorities are likely to pursue enforcement action, the person added. The person requested anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media. Transport Canada did not respond to an emailed request for comment outside regular working hours. In a statement, Air India confirmed the flight from Vancouver to Delhi on December 23 experienced a last-minute delay due to the incident, adding that an alternate pilot was brought in to operate the flight. “The pilot has been taken off flying duties during the process of enquiry. Air India maintains a zero-tolerance...

The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) is set to launch a pilot project to provide services for the reprint of lost Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) and CNIC renewal through selected e-Sahulat franchises.

President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday approved the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Amendment Bill 2025, giving it the status of an Act of Parliament.

Dense fog enveloped the plain areas of Punjab and Sindh during the night between Thursday and Friday, severely disrupting routine life and bringing road traffic to a halt due to extremely low visibility.

• Pak Institute for Peace Studies report counts 699 terrorist attacks in outgoing year • Burden of violence fell on security personnel, constituting over 42pc of fatalities ISLAMABAD: Despite record militant deaths, Pakistan saw a sharp escalation in militant violence in 2025, with terrorist attacks rising by 34 per cent and terrorism-related fatalities increasing by 21 per cent year on year. As many as 699 terrorist attacks were recorded countrywide during the year. This violence claimed at least 1,034 lives and left 1,366 injured, underscoring a rising trajectory of militancy that has persisted since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021. These are the findings of the “Pakistan Security Report 2025,” released by the Islamabad-based Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) on Thursday. Besides rising border violence and militant resurgence, evolving militant tactics from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Balochistan fuel a widening security challenge, the report says. The burden of this violence fell disproportion...

• FO says Islamabad advocating peace and diplomacy between allied Gulf states • Confirms Pakistan-India prisoner, nuclear list exchanges amid strained ties • Asks India to share details of Dulhasti-II project under Indus treaty ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office said on Thursday that Pakistan was seeking a diplomatic resolution of the dispute between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates over Yemen, underscoring Islamabad’s push for dialogue as tensions persisted between two of its closest Gulf partners. The comments, which were the most categorical since the start of the Saudi-UAE row about Pakis­tan’s role in defusing tensions, came during the weekly media briefing by FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi, who said Islamabad was actively engaging both Riyadh and Abu Dhabi to encourage restraint and diplomacy. “We have been advocating peace and diplomacy to reach a solution. So, this is part of our exchanges that is taking place between our leadership and the leadership in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi,” Mr Andrabi said. Tens...

ISLAMABAD: Mismanagement at a musical concert organised as part of New Year celebrations at a private housing society turned violent when people were allegedly denied entry despite holding valid tickets. Police sources said tickets for the musical night were sold at Rs5,000 for families and Rs2,000 for individuals. However, tickets were allegedly sold beyond the venue’s capacity and adequate arrangements for spectators were not made. As a result, the area reserved for spectators became overcrowded. A large number of ticket-holders also gathered outside the venue in an attempt to gain entry. Security guards of the housing society stopped the gathering and did not allow them to enter the concert venue, prompting protests by the ticket-holders. It has yet to be established how the protest turned violent and which side took the first step in disrupting law and order. A police contingent was deployed at the venue for security and crowd control, but it reportedly remained a silent spectator until the situation wors...

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Thursday said that “confidence-building measures” between the five major players in the country would improve the political situation. The PTI earlier said that it will not engage in negotiations with the federal government. Party Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said the stance was taken following the instructions of party founder Imran Khan. “Two of them are my leaders, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif. The third is President Asif Ali Zardari, the fourth is [incarcerated PTI leader] Imran Khan, and everyone knows who the fifth is,” Sanaullah said while speaking on Geo News Capital Talk on Thursday. He said the efforts at the level of leaders like him and PTI’s chief whip in the National Assembly, Malik Amir Dogar, would continue, but until confidence among the top leaders is established, the political situation would not see a breakthrough. Sanaullah added that confidence-building measures would be possible only when socia...