Pakistan

PFVA warns blocked markets leave 2m tonne potato surplus at risk, seeks $30 DLTL relief

Health, urban infrastructure and flood recovery projects sent to ECNEC

ISLAMABAD: The upper house of Parliament descended into pandemonium on Friday after a resolution expressing concern over the health of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan and demanding that he be shifted to a hospital for medical examination was rejected through a voice vote. The development came a day after Barrister Salman Safdar submitted a report in the Supreme Court, which stated that the former premier had only 15 per cent vision in his right eye due to a delay in imparting treatment. The resolution, a copy of which is available with Dawn, was moved by PTI Senator Aon Abbas Buppi. It demanded that the ex-premier be moved to a “premier, high‑standard hospital for comprehensive medical examination and treatment”. It also demanded that Imran’s personal physicians and private medical team be granted immediate and regular access to evaluate his health and oversee his clinical care. It also sought to ensure Imran’s family had consistent access to him and was kept fully informed of his medical status and treat...

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Shafqat Ali Khan on Friday denied reports that the Gulf country has suspended the issuance of 96- and 48-hour transit visas for Pakistanis. “It’s not true,” he said in response to Dawn’s query about reports circulating on social media. The 96- and 48-hour transit visas are sponsored by the UAE-based airlines — Emirates and Etihad Airways — and must be processed and approved before entering the UAE, according to the information available on the government’s website. “If you are not eligible for a visa on arrival or a visa-free entry to the UAE, and intend to step out of the airport, then you need a pre-arranged transit visa,” the website says. Several users shared screenshots on social media that stated: “As per the latest information from USE immigration transit visas (96 Hours and 48 Hours Visa) for PAKISTAN nationals has been temporarily suspended. Hence, kindly do not apply for this 96 Hours and 48 Hours visa category.” Others, meanwhile, j...

15 members council expresses deepest sympathy and condolences to victims' families, government and people of Pakistan

This planner blends weekly structure with daily mindful actions, helping you move through Ramazan with balance, intention, and calm. Each day offers practical guidance alongside a gentle spiritual nudge. Image showing a bowl of dates. — Unsplash via The Daily Star Week 1: Adjusting the rhythm In a world where notifications never stop, and timelines dictate our moods, the first week of Ramazan is about consciously slowing down. Social media may be filled with elaborate iftar spreads and productivity checklists, but this week reminds us that Ramazan is not a performance. It is a personal reset. Step back from comparison, ease into the month gently, and focus on setting intentions rather than chasing perfection. Day 1 – Set the pace Plan sehri and iftar timings and aim for an early night. Begin the month with a sincere intention, reminding yourself why this month matters to you. Day 2 – Stock and simplify Buy fruits, dates, and vegetables that will sustain you through the week. Accept an invitation for iftar or ...

Britain’s ban on pro-Palestinian campaign group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation was ruled unlawful by London’s High Court on Friday, though the ban will temporarily remain in place and the government said it would appeal against the decision. Palestine Action was proscribed in July, having increasingly taken “direct action” against Israel-linked defence companies in Britain, often blocking entrances or spraying red paint. Britain argued the group’s actions amounted to terrorism, citing a 2024 raid on a factory of Israel’s largest defence firm Elbit Systems, in which prosecutors said activists caused around £1 million ($1.4 m) of damage and a police officer was hit with a sledgehammer. Ban followed break-in at air base Palestine Action was banned shortly after a June break-in at the Royal Air Force’s Brize Norton air base, in which activists damaged two planes, an action described by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as “disgraceful”. Lawyers representing Huda Ammori, who co-founded Palestine Action in ...

Dubai’s DP World named a new chairman and chief executive officer on Friday, replacing its former leader Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, after the Epstein files revealed frequent correspondence between him and the convicted sex offender. “DP World announced the appointment of His Excellency Essa Kazim as chairman of its Board of Directors and the appointment of Yuvraj Narayan as Group Chief Executive Officer,” the group said in a statement published by the Dubai media office. The statement did not mention Sulayem. Described by Jeffrey Epstein as one of his “most trusted friends”, Sulayem was group chairman and chief executive officer of DP World, one of the largest port operators on the globe. He is cited more than 9,400 times in the documents recently released by the US Department of Justice, which revealed close ties between the two men. They maintained regular correspondence from 2009 to 2018, exchanging messages on intimate matters, meetings, introductions and business opportunities. The correspondence suggests...

Short-term inflation in Pakistan, measured by the Sensitive Price Index (SPI) for the week ending on February 12, decreased 0.59 per cent, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. The SPI-based inflation has been on an upward trend for the past few weeks, mainly driven by a surge in prices of perishable products, pulses, and meat. Major decreases noted during this time period were in the prices of eggs (17.61pc), followed by tomatoes (12.02pc), chicken (6.34pc), onions (2.73pc), potatoes (2.49pc), salt powder (1.69pc), LPG (1.57pc), wheat flour (1.31pc), and sugar (1.12pc). Major increases were in the prices of bananas (7.62pc), garlic (4.35pc), pulse mash (2.69pc), chilies powder (1.68pc), mutton (0.80pc), beef (0.37pc), mustard oil (0.34pc), shirting (0.31pc), cigarettes (0.24pc), vegetable ghee 1Kg (0.08pc), and georgette (0.02pc). The year-on-year data show a 4.26pc increase. The major influences contirbuting to this annual trend were an increase in tomatoes (73.36pc), wheat flour ...

Pakistan’s benchmark stock exchange, KSE-100, closed in the red on Friday, down 908.91 points (0.5 per cent) from its previous close of 180,512.64 points. The top active stocks were led by K-Electric Limited, rising 4.02pc to Rs8.55 at a volume of 131,137,671, followed by Pakistan International Bulk Terminal, which rose 0.72pc to Rs19.53 at a volume of 34,704,501, and Worldcall Telecom Limited, which fell 1.21pc to Rs1.63 at a volume of 33,828,798. The top advancers were led by LSE Capital Limited, which rose to Rs2.30, a 25.68pc increase, followed by 786 Investments Limited, which rose to Rs16.25, a 10.02pc increase, and Apna Microfinance Bank Limited, which advanced to Rs21.74, a 10.02pc increase. The top decliners were led by Grays Leasing Limited, falling 9.65pc to Rs20.78, followed by Saritow Spinning Mills Limited, falling 9.57pc to Rs28.17, and Shahtaj Sugar Mills Limited, falling 9.10pc to Rs152.71. In company news, according to Topline Securities, Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) reported its 2QFY26 ...

Pakistan on Friday reiterated its call for Afghan territory to cease being used for terrorism against neighbouring states, as the United Nations Security Council unanimously renewed the mandate of the Monitoring Team supporting the 1988 Taliban Sanctions Committee for another 12 months.

A report by the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) released on Thursday found that women in Pakistan continued to be underrepresented in the media, although digital platforms offered greater space for their participation and visibility. The Pakistan National Report 2025 was released by the GMMP’s Pakistan partner, Uks Research Centre. It was based on the monitoring of the news landscape on May 6 last year — a day “marked by severe military and political tensions along the Line of Control with India” — which shaped the news content and the visibility of women across different platforms. “The data captures not just a single day’s news, but the outcome of decades of institutional and societal factors that shape women’s visibility in Pakistani media,” the report said, adding, “On a day that was dominated by overwhelming national security coverage, these findings show broader systemic trends.” According to the report, the monitoring was based on nine print newspapers, six television channels, the state-owned P...

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former finance minister Miftah Ismail have announced that their party, Awaam Pakistan, will participate in the sit-in planned by the opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) outside Parliament House on Friday.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday visited the under-construction Islamabad Model Jail and a hostel project at the National Police Academy to review development progress.

The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) said on Friday that the first day of Ramazan is “likely to fall” on February 19, 2026. The new moon is expected to be born on Feb 17, 2026, at 5:01pm, according to the statement by the space agency. “At the time of sunset on Feb 18, 2026, the age of the new moon will be approximately 25 hours and 48 minutes. The time duration between sunset and moonset is expected to be 59 minutes along the coastal areas of the country,” added the Suparco statement. “Consequently, the 1st of Ramazan may likely to fall on 19 Feb 2026.” However, the agency said the final announcement regarding the beginning of the Islamic holy month will be made by the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee, “which is the sole competent authority, based on credible witness testimonies from across the country”. Earlier this week, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) stated that there is a “fair chance” of sighting the new moon of Ramazan on the evening of February 18. “According to astronomica...

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Rana Sanaullah on Friday said that if it were proven that medical treatment had been deliberately withheld from incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, it would amount to criminal negligence and would be unjustifiable.

The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has issued its scientific forecast for the sighting of the new moon marking the beginning of Ramazan 1447 Hijri, indicating a strong likelihood of visibility on the evening of February 18.

Tremors were felt across several districts of Sindh and Balochistan on Friday after a moderate earthquake struck the region, causing panic among residents but no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

A 5.6-magnitude earthquake was recorded 86 kilometres northeast of Balochistan’s Khuzdar on Friday, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). According to PMD’s National Seismic Monitoring Centre, the earthquake struck at 6:30am at a depth of 13 km, 86km northeast of Khuzdar. It was preceded by another earthquake — magnitude 3.8 — that struck 75km southeast of Khuzdar at 5:52am at a depth of 33km. Tremors were felt in several districts of Sindh as well, APP reported, including Sukkur, Qambar, Shahdadkot, and Dadu, while Jhal Magsi, Jaffarabad and Nasirabad in Balochistan reported tremors as well. Last month, an earthquake of magnitude 5.8 jolted parts of Pakistan, including Gilgit-Baltistan, Peshawar and adjacent areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. A 5.8-magnitude earthquake jolted parts of the country in January. Tremors were felt in Islamabad and parts of KP. Pakistan falls on three major tectonic plates — the Arabian, Euro-Asian and Indian — which create five seismic zones under the country. The ...

Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court on Thursday observed that individuals accused of cutting trees should not be granted bail, as he heard a case related to smog and environmental pollution.