Pakistan

The federal government has fixed the retail price of sugar at Rs172 per kilogram in Islamabad amid a worsening sugar crisis in the capital and adjoining areas.

Five private companies on Friday proposed routes for the newly announced ferry service from Gwadar to the Gulf region, according to the maritime ministry. On July 1, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs announced an ambitious plan to expand Gwadar Port’s operational capacity by introducing additional shipp­ing lines and launching a ferry service connecting Pak­istan with Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The move is expected to provide an affordable, direct maritime link for passengers and cargo, particularly benefiting expatriate communities and cross-border traders. Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry chaired a meeting on the ferry service today to review the “technical and financial aspects of ferry operations”, a statement by his ministry said. “Five private companies presented their proposals,” the statement added. “The interest of the private sector in ferry service has increased,” Chaudhry said, adding that various routes were under consideration. “The ferry service will promote ...

Security forces successfully thwarted an infiltration attempt along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in North Waziristan, arresting five alleged suicide attackers on Wednesday evening.

Germany said on Friday it had deported 81 Afghan men convicted of crimes to their Taliban-controlled homeland, as Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government looks to signal a hard line on immigration. The interior ministry said a plane carrying the men took off Friday morning bound for Afghanistan, adding that all the deportees were under expulsion orders and were convicted by the criminal justice system. The government of Europe’s top economy was forging ahead with a “policy change”, said Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who was hosting several European counterparts for a migration meeting. “Deportations to Afghanistan must continue to be carried out safely in the future. There is no right of residence for serious criminals in our country.” Berlin has had only indirect contact with the Taliban authorities through third parties with Friday’s operation executed with the help of Qatar, said the German interior ministry. Germany had stopped deportations to Afghanistan and closed its embassy in Kabul following t...

Pakistan has strongly condemned Israel’s ongoing military aggression against Syria, calling it a dangerous violation of international law and a serious threat to regional and global peace.

A tragic accident claimed the lives of four members of the same family when a passenger jeep plunged into a ravine in Neelum Valley, Azad Kashmir, rescue officials confirmed on Friday.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his European counterparts on Friday that they have no grounds for reactivating UN sanctions after they threatened to do so in the coming months unless there is progress in nuclear talks. “If EU/E3 want to have a role, they should act responsibly and put aside the worn-out policies of threat and pressure, including the ‘snap-back’ for which they (have) absolutely no moral (or) legal grounds,” Araghchi said on X. He added that “any new round of talks is only possible when the other side is ready for a fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial nuclear deal.” The remarks came after Araghchi held a conference call with his British, French and German counterparts and European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. The European diplomats told Araghchi of “their determination to use the ‘snapback’ mechanism — which allows for the reimposition of all international sanctions against Iran — in the absence of concrete progress” towards a new deal on Iran’s nuclear programme “by...

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar held important meetings with Afghan and UAE officials to strengthen bilateral relations, enhance economic cooperation, and promote regional connectivity.

Lightning strikes during monsoon storms in eastern India this week killed at least 33 people and injured dozens, officials said on Friday. The deaths in Bihar occurred during fierce storms between Wednesday and Thursday, a state disaster management department statement said, with the victims mostly farmers and labourers working in the open. More heavy rain and lightning are forecast for parts of the state. Bihar state’s disaster management minister, Vijay Kumar Mandal, told AFP that officials in vulnerable districts had been directed to “create awareness to take precautionary steps following an alert on lightning”. The state government announced compensation of 4 million Indian rupees ($4,600) to the families of those killed by lightning. India’s eastern region, including Bihar, is prone to annual floods that kill dozens and displace hundreds of thousands of people during the peak monsoon season. South Asia’s annual monsoon season from June to September offers respite from the intense summer heat and is cruci...

QUETTA: Reko-Diq Mining Company (RDMC) has paid more than $17.5m in royalties to the Balochistan government, its officials said on Thursday. The details were shared during a media briefing on the Reko-Diq project’s progress. Communications Manager Samia Ali Shah said payments tallied as of June 2025 include $17.5m in royalties to the Balochistan government and nearly $3.8m to the federal government on account of employees and others parties’ income taxes collected by the company. Ms Shah explained that the Balochistan government holds a 25 per cent partnership in the project without making any direct investment. The overall venture is a 50-50 partnership between the government of Pakistan and RDMC. The briefing also highlighted the company’s efforts in local workforce development. Present at the event were trainees who had just returned to Pakistan after completing 18 months of training in Argentina, sponsored by the company. “The young talent going for training abroad comprises 14pc females,” Ms Shah said, a...

The Balochistan government has approved a 10% Ad Hoc Relief Allowance for all government employees from Basic Pay Scale (BPS) 1 to 22, effective from July 1, 2025, according to an official notification issued by the Treasury Department.

An anti-corruption court on Friday acquitted Senate Chairman and former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in the remaining 14 cases linked to the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) corruption scandal, bringing the total number of cleared charges against him to 26.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Friday released alarming statistics highlighting the widespread destruction caused by ongoing monsoon rains and resulting floods across Pakistan.

A 59-year-old milk supplier was killed when a dumper (loaded truck) ran over his motorcycle in Karachi’s Saudabad on Friday morning, police said. Saudabad Police Station House Officer (SHO) Ateeq Rehman told Dawn.com, “The victim, Basit Saeed, had left his home to supply milk on a motorbike when a dumper hit him. He sustained critical injuries and died on the spot.” The incident angered area residents who damaged the heavy vehicle and beat the errant driver, he said. “However, the police arrived on the spot, preventing the situation from deteriorating. The driver was arrested and the vehicle impounded. The body was taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for legal formalities.” Karachi has lately witnessed a rise in traffic accidents, especially involving heavy vehicles, including dumpers and water tankers, which killed nearly 500 people and injured 4,879 in 2024, according to hospital data. Earlier this month, at least four people lost their lives and another six were injured after their speeding car cra...

ISLAMABAD - The China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) has successfully completed excavation of the fifth tunnel on the relocated portion of the Karakoram Highway, also known as the China-Pakistan Friendship Highway.

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry warned marine pollution threatens the blue economy, harming biodiversity, fisheries, and tourism, while contributing to climate change, public health risks, and economic losses.

Investigators have ruled out poisoning in the death of model and actress Humaira Asghar, according to chemical examination reports received from the University of Karachi’s forensic laboratory.

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Law and Justice, Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, held a meeting with Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Pakistan, Rongvudhi Virabutr.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is grappling with internal discord ahead of the Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as several senior party workers and leaders have voiced strong dissatisfaction over the allocation of tickets.

ISLAMABAD - UN Women Pakistan yesterday launched the first event of its Digital Startup Roundtable Series in Islamabad with the support of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).