Pakistan

Senior lawyer Hamid Khan has approached the Supreme Court on behalf of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, challenging the transfer of judges from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to other high courts.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has fixed a petition for hearing that seeks access to Bushra Bibi, the wife of PTI founder Imran Khan.

The Ruet-e-Hilal Research Council has forecast that Eidul Azha is likely to be observed on May 27, 2026, subject to moon sighting conditions.

The federal government has reinstated an 18 per cent sales tax on imported sugar, withdrawing a concession introduced last year to stabilise domestic supply, according to an official notification.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday launched the “PM Apna Ghar Programme” under which housing loans of Rs10 million will be given on easy instalments. The scheme will be implemented in the federal capital, all four provinces, as well as Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing the launch ceremony in Islamabad, PM Shehbaz said a total of 500,000 housing units will be constructed under the programme, supported by a total allocation of Rs3.2 trillion. The loans are to be returned in 20 years, he said. During the first 10 years, the markup on the loan will be 5 per cent, while in the next 10 years it will be charged at the market rate at the time. The premier said that for the first year, the government has set a target to fund 50,000 houses for which an amount of Rs321 billion had been earmarked. Under the scheme, a maximum of 10 marla housing units will be allowed to be built. PM Shehbaz said he would personally review the programme’s progress on a monthly basis to address any sh...

The federal government has decided to introduce key reforms to improve the passport issuance system and enhance public convenience.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday formally launched the “Prime Minister Apna Ghar Scheme” and distributed bank cheques among individuals who qualified for housing loans.

The commissioning ceremony of the first Hangor-class submarine, PNS/M Hangor, was held in Sanya, China, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday.

ISLAMABAD: A day after the government notified the transfer of three Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges to other high courts, the Lahore Bar Association (LBA) moved the Supreme Court on Thursday to challenge the constitutionality of the 27th Constitutional Amendment under which these transfers were made. On Tuesday, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) approved the transfer of three judges from the IHC to other courts in a move that drew sharp criticism from lawyers’ bodies for lacking transparency and uniform criteria. Senior counsel Hamid Khan approached the SC, instead of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), on behalf of LBA President Irfan Hayat Bajwa, seeking a declaration that the recent transfer of three judges from the IHC to other high courts is unconstitutional and of no legal effect. The bar association also requested the SC to declare the omission and repeal of Article 184(3) of the Constitution — an inherent jurisdiction of the SC for the enforcement of fundamental rights but now repealed ...

ISLAMABAD: Counsel for former prime minister Imran Khan on Thursday urged the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to consider his client’s release on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, citing prolonged solitary confinement and an eye infection. Defence counsel Salman Safdar’s request came as the IHC took up appeals filed by Imran and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, against their conviction in the £190 million corruption reference. During the hearing, Safdar requested the court to suspend the sentence, arguing that the case had remained pending for over 16 months and had already faced 17 hearings in the appeal. Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar questioned whether the petitioner was willing to settle the matter conclusively through a final decision on the appeal, observing that suspension of sentence could be decided without a final relief, but the appeal itself should be concluded expeditiously. Safdar maintained that despite the passage of over a year, the defence had not received any relief. He highlighted th...

The commissioning ceremony of the first Hangor-class attack submarine, PNS Hangor, was held in China’s Sanya city, with President Asif Ali Zardari and the naval chief attending the event. President Zardari, who is on a visit to China, participated as the chief guest, while Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf was also present, according to a press release by the Pakistan Navy. President Zardari described the commissioning of Hangor as a historic milestone in the navy’s modernisation, affirming Pakistan’s resolve to maintain a “robust, balanced and credible defence posture”. He affirmed that Pakistan was fully capable of defending its sovereignty, protecting its maritime interests and ensuring the security of its economic lifelines. “The advanced submarine strengthens Pakistan’s maritime defence, protects economic lifelines and reflects strategic partnership with China,” a statement by the Presidency said. The submarine class, named after the PNS Hangor, is a diesel-electric attack submarine with air...

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) announced on Thursday that admissions for the 2025–2026 academic session have been closed, and students admitted after April 15 will not be registered. A notification issued by the council said all recognised medical and dental colleges have been directed not to grant admissions after the closing date. PMDC further clarified that any admission granted beyond the stipulated deadline would constitute a violation of the PMDC Act, 2022, and the relevant regulations governing undergraduate medical and dental education. Consequently, such students will not be issued registration numbers, rendering their admissions invalid. The directive has been issued with the approval of the competent authority and is binding on all institutions and admitting universities across the country. The council also urged all stakeholders to ensure strict compliance with the regulations to maintain transparency, merit, and standardisation in medical and dental education. On April ...

PESHAWAR: Police arrested two armed suspects, one in an injured condition, after a patrolling party came under fire in the Tor Dhand area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Karak district. The district police officer’s (DPO) spokesman, Shaukatullah, said that the attack took place within the limits of the City police station, while the police party was on routine patrol duty. “When the cops signalled two suspects travelling on a motorcycle to stop, they instead opened fire in a bid to escape,” he said. According to the spokesperson, the law enforcers returned the attack, triggering a gun battle. The official said that DPO Imran Khan also dispatched reinforcements when he learned about the attack on the police party. “When the exchange of fire stopped, police launched a search and clearance operation and captured two suspects, one in injured condition, and disarmed them,” he said. He added that the police seized arms and ammunition from them and took the injured suspect to a nearby hospital. The DPO, along with Superinte...

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called for King Charles to “return” the prized Koh-i-Noor diamond, which the British Empire took from the Indian subcontinent in the 1800s, on the third day of the monarch’s state visit on Wednesday. Before greeting Charles and Queen Camilla at a 9/11 memorial event, Mamdani was asked what he would discuss with the king if he had the chance. “If I was to speak to the king, separately from that, I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond,” the leftist mayor said, adding that his focus would be honoring those killed in the terror attacks. It’s unclear whether Mamdani followed through and brought up the contentious subject with Charles when the two met. The monarch was seen laughing with Mamdani and having a brief conversation after they shook hands. Housed in the Tower of London, the massive 106 carat stone is the star of Britain’s crown jewels, adorning the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The ownership of the jewel has been contested over the c...

White supremacist killer Brenton Tarrant lost on Thursday an appeal seeking to overturn his conviction and sentence for shooting dead 51 people at two New Zealand mosques in 2019, court documents showed. The 35-year-old admitted to carrying out New Zealand’s deadliest modern day mass shooting before being sentenced to life in prison in August 2020. He appealed to the Court of Appeal in February, saying “torturous and inhumane” detention conditions during his trial made him incapable of making rational decisions when he pleaded guilty. “I did not have the mind frame or mental health required to be making informed decisions at that time,” Tarrant said at the time. The panel of three judges said the court “does not accept Mr Tarrant’s evidence about his mental state.” “There were inconsistencies in Mr Tarrant’s own evidence, and his evidence is at odds with the detailed observations of prison authorities and the assessments of mental health professionals at the time of him entering his pleas.” The judges found T...

• Insiders say move is part of wider internal review, not country-specific, as evidenced by UAE’s decision to quit Opec bloc • PTCL says it is not aware of any change in shareholders’ plan ISLAMABAD: A leading business group from the Middle East is said to be in the process of reviewing its exposure to Pakistan’s telecom sector, as part of a broader portfolio optimisation exercise that could potentially lead to its exit from the Pakistan Telecom­muni­cation Company Ltd (PTCL). Background discussions with sources in the diplomatic and financial sectors suggest that Etisalat’s plans are still at the preliminary assessment stage, with no final decision taken as yet. Insiders say the UAE-based telecom giant had indicated that the review is driven by a combination of global macroeconomic uncertainty, regional geopolitical tensions, and evolving capital allocation strategies among sovereign-linked investors. “This is part of a wider internal review being undertaken by Gulf investors across multiple jurisdictions. I...

The Cambridge International Education (CIE) said on Wednesday it was “aware of news about a reported paper leak of a question paper”, as several users on social media expressed ire. “We investigate such reports thoroughly and will provide more information to centres, if required, during or after the end of timetabled exams for the June 2026 series,” the CIE said in its official statement. The CIE, part of Cambridge University Press and Assessment, offers internationally recognised exams to over scores of schools in 160-plus countries. In Pakistan, O Levels (grades 9–10) cover a broad subject range, while A and AS Levels (grades 11–12) are more specialised and advanced, providing pathways to higher education in Pakistan and abroad. According to reports, the leaked paper was of AS mathematics. As reports circulated on social media, irked users pointed out the high examination fees and that Cambridge question papers had leaked in the previous years as well. In June last year, question papers of three AS and A Le...

Oil prices shot higher Wednesday on concerns of an extended blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, while Wall Street stocks mostly slid as investors awaited a US Fed rate decision and a slew of tech firm earnings. Both main oil contracts jumped nearly six per cent after President Donald Trump warned Tehran on Wednesday that it should “get smart soon” and capitulate to Washington’s demands for tight controls on its nuclear programme, as a US naval blockade turned the screws on Iran’s economy. Meanwhile, the United States could extend its naval blockade of Iran for months more, oil executives were told in a meeting with Trump, an administration official said. Analysts warned that such a move would prompt Iran to maintain its own blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, leaving the vital oil shipping route at a near standstill. The US Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged later in the day, with markets closely watching its guidance on inflation as energy costs soar. The dollar drifted higher ag...

PESHAWAR - Afghan Taliban regime once again on Wednesday targeted civilian population in Angoor Adda area of South Waziristan by firing mortars across the border.

ISLAMABAD - Interpol has issued red notices against property tycoon and Bahria Town owner Malik Riaz and his son Ali Riaz in corruption cases but there are slim chances of bringing them back into the country as no extradition treaty exists between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, it emerged on Wednesday.