Pakistan

KARACHI: It is disappointing that only two Urdu films will be released on Eidul Azha. They are: Love Guru directed by Nadeem Baig and Deemak helmed by Rafay Rashdi. Although half-a-dozen Pakistani films hit the cinema screens on Eidul Fitr (five Urdu and one Punjabi), they did not manage to create a splash in the placid waters of our local movie scene. It is abundantly clear now that the only way for the film exhibitors and cinema owners to do business is by virtue of big Hollywood releases. For example, prior to Eidul Azha, Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, the popular franchise starring Tom Cruise, did well at the box office. (It is difficult to ascertain the exact number that it has managed to attract because MI is still in theatres.) On Eidul Azha, too, a couple of major English language films — apart from a few Turkish projects dubbed in Urdu — will be there to compete with the Pakistani movies: Ballerina and Karate Kid: Legends. The former is a spin-off of the John Wick series and the latter a th...

Celebrities took to Instagram, sharing festive Eid ul Azha pictures with family

Tourist activity surges in country's northern regions

Hospitals at risk of becoming 'graveyards' within 48 hours if fuel shortage persists, warn Gazan health sources

ISLAMABAD: In a first-of-its-kind move, Engro Connect has acquired all 10,500 telecom towers owned and managed by Jazz. After obtaining approvals from relevant regulators, including the Competition Commission of Pakistan, and clearing all cases in the Islamabad High Court, the $560 million deal has materialised. Jazz, the largest telecom operator in the country, has become the first telecom to offload all of its telecom towers. Deodar, the cell-site tower management subsidiary of Jazz, has been sold to Engro Connect. However, Jazz will pay rent for all the cell sites installed at these towers to Engro Connect, a subsidiary of Engro Corp. Move to establish ‘cells’ of multiple telecom operators at a single tower The deal was one of the most significant private-sector infrastructure transactions in the country’s digital evolution. Jazz was currently using around 14,500 telecom towers; other tower companies, including Engro Enfrashare, the largest independent tower infrastructure company in Pakistan, and Edotco m...

KARACHI: The growing adoption of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in Pakistan is set to reshape the energy landscape — enabling a more decentralised and consumer-centric system, even as it poses significant challenges to the existing grid infrastructure. This was highlighted in a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), titled “Battery Storage and the Future of Pakistan’s Electricity Grid”. According to the report, the adoption of BESS is being driven by both off-grid and on-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) installations. Pakistan imported 27.6 gigawatts of solar PV modules between FY19 and FY24, with an additional 5.2GW imported in the first half of FY25. However, it is estimated that only half of the total imported capacity is currently installed across the country, and at least 11.5GW of this capacity exists off-grid. “It is unlikely that all rooftop and captive solar consumers will adopt battery storage systems because of the high upfront costs,” said the report. If al...

• Pin high hopes for a major relief in upcoming budget • Wheat growers alone suffer Rs2.2tr losses since May 2024 LAHORE: The Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) has issued a stark warning regarding an escalating agricultural crisis that has gripped the nation since May 2024, resulting in unprecedented financial losses for farmers and a severe downturn in the country’s vital agricultural sector. According to data compiled by the PKI, farmers have collectively sustained a staggering compound loss of approximately Rs2,200 billion in wheat alone between May 2024 and May 2025. This colossal figure represents a significant 23.15 per cent of the total crop sector’s contribution to GDP, which stood at Rs9,500 billion for FY24. The immense financial strain has severely curtailed farmers’ purchasing power, consequently hindering productivity across other critical crops. “The agricultural sector, the backbone of our economy, is teetering on the brink,” stated Khalid Mahmood Khokhar, President of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad. “The...

US Defense Secretary warns Marines may be deployed if unrest continues in California

Muslim world celebrates Eid under shadow on Israel's onslaught on Gaza

Olivia Rodrigo surprises fans with a duet alongside David Byrne at Governors Ball after a weather delay in the set.

Officials confirmed a minor was detained as inquiries intensify.

Greta Thunberg, 11 others expect Israeli interception as humanitarian aid vessel nears Gaza

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari held a meeting with envoys and diplomats from multiple nations at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Saturday. During the gathering, Eid-ul-Azha felicitations were shared between the president and the representatives of allied countries. President Zardari expressed gratitude to the ambassadors for attending the President House during Eid-ul-Adha and participating in the festivities. On […]

GAZA: Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israeli forces killed at least 36 Palestinians on Saturday, six of them in a shooting near a US-backed aid distribution centre. The Israeli military told AFP that troops had fired “warning shots” at individuals that it said were “advancing in a way that endangered the troops”. The shooting deaths […]

Players can now pre-download the forthcoming Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 3, to prepare essential files and resources ahead of time for a smooth entry into the new season once it launches and servers are operational. Following some steps, PlayStation 5 and Xbox users can conveniently complete this process and explore the latest features as soon […]

A prominent Fortnite leaker disclosed that updated versions of the characters Teknique, Omega, and The Visitor will be part of the Season 4 battle pass for Fortnite OG’s classic mode. After a long hiatus, Fortnite has returned to iOS devices in the U.S., creating fresh opportunities for mobile gamers previously shut out of the popular […]

Russia attacked the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv at night and in the evening with drones, missiles and guided bombs, killing at least four people and injuring more than 60, including a baby, local officials said on Saturday. One of Ukraine’s largest cities, Kharkiv is located just a few dozen kilometres from the Russian border and has been under constant Russian shelling during more than three years of war. “Kharkiv is currently experiencing the most powerful attack since the start of the full-scale war,” Terekhov said on the Telegram messenger early on Saturday. Dozens of explosions were heard in the city through the night and Russian troops were striking simultaneously with missiles, drones, and guided aerial bombs, he said. Multi-storey and private residential buildings, educational and infrastructure facilities were attacked, Terekhov noted. Kharkiv governor Oleh Syniehubov said that one of the city’s civilian industrial facilities was attacked by 40 drones, one missile and four bombs, causing a fire...

Former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Saturday called out India for its “excuses” to avoid any dialogue with Pakistan to resolve their outstanding issues after recent tensions between the two countries. Pakis­tan has launched a broad-based engagement campaign in the United States to present its perspective on the recent spike in tensions with India, and counter New Delhi’s growing lobbying presence there. As part of its global outreach, the team will also visit London and Brussels. The delegation comprises former foreign ministers Bilawal, Hina Rabbani Khar and Khurram Dastgir; Senators Sherry Rehman, Musadik Malik, Faisal Sabzwari and Bushra Anjum Butt; along with senior envoys Jalil Abbas Jilani and Teh­mina Janjua. Addressing a press conference in Washington after wrapping up engagements with US lawmakers and think tanks, the PPP chairman said Pakistan’s civil and military leadership were all on the same page against terrorism and believed that it was in the region’s interest to establish with ...

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday criticised India’s portrayal as a regional stabiliser, stating that the recent five-day military conflict had instead exposed it as a source of insecurity for South Asia and beyond.

WASHINGTON: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who is leading diplomatic delegation, said that Pakistan is a country desiring peace and is ready to engage in dialogue with India on all issues. Addressing a presser in Washington, the PPP chief said, “We are prepared to discuss all matters with India.” He said that […]