Pakistan

A special meeting chaired by Maryam Nawaz Sharif reviewed progress on Punjab’s public transport initiatives, with a focus on expanding electric mobility across the province.

BANNU: Three polio workers abducted by militants on Wednesday have been safely recovered through coordinated efforts by the police and local jirga elders, police said. Under the leadership of the Bannu district police officer (DPO), the police initiated immediate action following the incident. A comprehensive strategy was adopted by taking local jirga elders into confidence. Due to the successful mediation by the jirga and the professional competence of the police, the abducted workers were safely recovered. Bannu DPO Yasir Afridi, while confirming the development, told Dawn that “with a lot of efforts, they have been recovered”. The three polio workers were abducted by unidentified militants in the Jhandu Khel area on Wednesday during the ongoing anti-polio campaign, sparking serious concern in the area. Earlier this week, a police constable was martyred and four others were injured in an attack on a law enforcement party en route to provide security for polio teams in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu district. Th...

Ali Pervaiz Malik has inaugurated commercial production from the Baragzai X-01 well in the Nashpa Block, located in Kohat.

An anti-terrorism court on Thursday extended the interim bail of Fawad Chaudhry in five cases linked to the May 9 violent incidents.

Murtaza Wahab has announced the formation of a vigilance squad aimed at protecting the city’s infrastructure and taking legal action against those involved in damaging public property.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after he reached Jeddah on Wednesday alongside a high-level delegation on an official visit to the kingdom, the PM Office’s (PMO) said in a statement. The statement added that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was also present at the meeting. Dar separately posted on X that the meeting was “marked by warmth, brotherhood, and a shared vision for a stronger Pakistan–Saudi Arabia partnership”. “The prime minister reaffirmed our deep-rooted ties, built on faith, trust, and mutual respect, and explored avenues to further enhance cooperation across all sectors,” he added. Dar further stated, “Saudi Arabia holds a special place in the hearts of Pakistanis, and we remain committed to strengthening this historic and fraternal relationship for generations to come.” Earlier, a post on the PMO’s X account said the premier was received by the Deputy Governor of the Makkah Region, Prince Saud bin Mushaal bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Ar...

Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir reached Tehran on Wednesday and held a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other officials, according to a post on the Iranian government’s X account. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) described the visit as part of “ongoing mediation efforts” for de-escalation between Iran and the US. ISPR said that CDF Munir had arrived in the Iranian capital alongside a formal delegation and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. Later, Araghchi posted on X: “Delighted to welcome Field Marshal Munir to Iran. Expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s gracious hosting of the dialogue, emphasising that it reflects our deep and great bilateral relationship. Our commitment to promoting peace and stability in the region remains strong—and shared.” The development came hours after Iran said that exchanges with the United States via Pakistan had continued following negotiations in Islamabad over the weekend that yielded no result. “Since Sunday, w...

LAHORE - Punjab Chief MInister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has granted in-principle approval to expand the model village initiative, directing authorities to transform 7,500 villages in Phase II and to present clear timelines along with “before and after” comparative videos of each project.

Islamabad - Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Pakistan, Mr Alisher Tukhtaev called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Wednesday.

ISLAMABAD - The top election regulatory body with the gap of five years has decided to hold local government elections in 42 cantonment boards across the country by August 8.

ISLAMABAD - Pressure on Israel over its military campaign in Lebanon intensified on Tuesday, as Italy suspended defense ties, Spain issued a blunt legal rebuke, and China called for respect for Lebanese sovereignty.

Islamabad - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Saudi Arabia on the first leg of his four-day three-nation tour on Wednesday.

BAJAUR: Two children and a woman were killed while three others were injured when mortar shells fired from across the Afghan border hit a house in the Kitkot village of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district on Wednesday night, security sources said. The sources held the Afghan Taliban responsible for the firing, terming it an act of unprovoked aggression. They said the Afghan Taliban had been trying to get a formation of Fitna al Khawarij to infiltrate into Pakistan during the past few days. But the attempts were foiled due to timely action by the army, the sources said, adding that the Afghan Taliban then resorted to targeting the civilian population in Pakistan. Fitna al Khawarij is a term that the state has designated for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP). According to security sources, the gun position from where the mortar shells were fired had been destroyed in retaliatory action by the army. They said that all posts of the Afghan Taliban near Bajaur were being targeted in the retaliatory action, during...

Pakistan is considering buying liquefied natural gas (LNG) on the spot market to offset supply disruptions caused by the Iran war, but would favour government-to-government deals to avoid having to pay steep premiums, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik has told Reuters. Qatar’s force majeure forced Pakistan to make costly spot purchases or find alternative fuels ahead of summer demand. Spot LNG cargoes have surged to $20 to $30 per mmBtu amid the Middle East conflict, Malik says, adding that purchases would depend on whether prices are acceptable to the power sector, including under existing government-to-government arrangements with Azerbaijan’s Socar. Pakistan has also been routing some crude supplies via Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, with Malik saying insurance costs on that route were lower than routes crossing or near Hormuz. Pakistan imports nearly all of its oil, much of it via the Strait of Hormuz, and remains exposed to supply shocks despite cutting its LNG re...

President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday directed that all possible efforts be made to minimise loadshedding across the country, according to a statement issued by the President’s Secretariat. He issued the directive while chairing a meeting on water resource management at Aiwan-i-Sadr, the statement said, adding that the president also addressed the issue of energy shortfalls linked to the regional situation. President Zardari “stressed that any load management should be carried out strictly in a transparent and declared manner, in line with prior public announcements, so that citizens are fully informed and disruption is reduced”, the statement added. The president’s directive came a day after the government announced more than two hours of daily loadshedding during peak hours in a bid to prevent a sharp increase in electricity tariffs. The move is linked to the suspension of liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports following the force majeure declared by Qatar due to attacks on its gas field amid the US-Israel w...

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued on Wednesday the schedule for the delimitation of union councils in Punjab, taking a significant step towards holding long-delayed local government elections in the province. Delimitation is the legal prerequisite for holding local government polls. Once the final list of constituencies is published, the ECP will be in a position to announce the election schedule for Punjab’s local bodies. The ECP laid out a seven-step timeline to complete the delimitation exercise by August 10 in a notification issued under Article 222(b) of the Constitution and relevant sections of the Elections Act 2017, Punjab Local Government Act 2025, and Delimitation Rules 2026. According to the schedule, all administrative arrangements for the delimitation of union councils are to be completed by April 16. The preliminary list of constituencies is to be prepared from April 20 to May 21, and it will be published on May 25. Objections over delimitation can be filed from May 26 ...

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8-16 hours of load shedding nationwide

CDF Field Marshal Munir holds discussions with Iranian leadership in Tehran PM, Saudi crown prince discuss region

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