Pakistan

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi “seems very nice” but expressed uncertainty over whether Pahlavi would be able to muster support within Iran to eventually take over. In an exclusive Reuters interview in the Oval Office, Trump said there was a chance Iran’s government could collapse and blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the stalemate in negotiations with Russia over the war in Ukraine. Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene in support of protesters in Iran. But he was reluctant on Wednesday to lend his full support to Pahlavi, the son of the late shah of Iran, who was ousted from power in 1979. “He seems very nice, but I don’t know how he’d play within his own country,” Trump said. “And we really aren’t up to that point yet. I don’t know whether or not his country would accept his leadership, and certainly if they would, that would be fine with me.” Trump’s comments went further in questioning Pahlavi’s ability to lead Iran, after he...

SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: The district administration and police on Thursday temporarily closed and evacuated Wana’s Rustam Bazaar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s South Waziristan, suspending commercial activities in the area as a precautionary measure after receiving credible information related to security threats. According to police officials, all shopkeepers and civilians present in the market were instructed to immediately leave the area, while business activities were completely halted as soon as information related to the potential threats was received. District Police Officer (DPO) South Waziristan Lower, Muhammad Tahir Shah, said that the law enforcement agencies had acted promptly upon receiving threat alerts. “Based on intelligence inputs regarding possible security risks, it was decided to temporarily shut down Wana Rustam Bazaar,” he stated, adding that adjoining areas were also cleared as part of the security plan. The DPO further said that additional contingents of police and security forces had been deployed...

Traders demand release of detained shopkeepers

Minister Mina Khan Afridi says student unions vital for nurturing democratic leadership

Inquiry at Nahaqi Hospital cites missing funds, bribe demand and breakdown of essential services

Orders transfer of plea challenging renaming of Arbab Niaz Stadium to another bench

Court issues notices on petition seeking regulation of protests and long marches

Maulana Fazl to outline party's future strategy at April 12 moot

Security forces have killed 13 terrorists in two separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media affairs wing said on Thursday. A statement by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the operations were conducted on January 13-14, during which “Indian Proxy Fitna-al-Khawarij” were killed. Fitna-al-Khawarij is a term designated for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban by the state. The ISPR statement said one of the intelligence-based operations was carried out in KP’s Bannu district on the reported presence of terrorists. “During the conduct of the operation, own troops effectively engaged the khawarij location and after an intense fire exchange, eight khawarij were sent to hell,” it added. ISPR further stated that another intelligence-based operation was conducted by security forces in KP’s Kurram district. “In the ensuing fire exchange, five khawarij were effectively neutralised,” it added. ISPR further stated that sanitisation operations were being conducted to “eliminate any other Indian-spons...

A 2-1 ruling by the 3rd US Circuit opens the door to Mahmoud Khalil’s re arrest after lawsuit dismissal

President Asif Ali Zardari, who is on a four-day visit to Bahrain, highlighted on Thursday that Pakistan’s strategic geographic connectivity, linking South Asia, Central Asia, China and the Middle East, complemented the Gulf country’s financial expertise and regulatory framework. He expressed these views while addressing a reception at the headquarters of Bahrain’s Economic Development Board (EDB), which is an investment promotion agency, a statement by the President’s Office said. In his address, the president underscored Pakistan’s commitment to expanding economic cooperation, investment partnerships and institutional linkages with Bahrain, the statement said. He “noted that the Economic Development Board plays a central role in shaping Bahrain’s economic strategy, attracting foreign investment and supporting diversification across key sectors”. The president further observed that the board’s close coordination with government institutions and the private sector had helped Bahrain strengthen competitiveness...

A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Thursday revoked the bail of lawyer and activist Imaan Mazari and her husband, Advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, in a case related to controversial social media posts, directing law enforcement authorities to arrest them and present them before the court.

The Punjab Home Department has directed authorities to take strict action against kite flying and related activities across the province, reiterating that the ban on kite manufacturing and flying remains in place.

The Punjab Prisons Department has transferred Adiala Jail Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum, according to an official notification.

The Met Office has forecast snowfall and rain in the country’s northern areas from Friday (tomorrow) and has also predicted showers in parts of Sindh, including Karachi, and Balochistan from January 21 to 23. The Pakistan Meteorological Department’s (PMD) forecast issued on Thursday said: “A shallow westerly wave is likely to approach upper parts of the country from January 16 and may persist till January 19.” It added that the weather system was expected to strengthen from January 20 and grip most parts of the country from January 21. The PMD said that rain and thunderstorm was expected in various parts of Sindh, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Dadu, Jacobabad, Naushahro Feroze, Kashmore, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad, Mirpurkhas and Ghotki on January 22 and 23 with “occasional gaps”. It also predicted the same for multiple areas of Balochistan, including Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saifullah, Noushki, Harnai, Zhob, Kalat, Barkhan, Sibi, Loralai, Musakhel, Turbat, Gwadar, Jiwani, Lasbell...

Police in Khairpur Tamiwali tehsil have reported that the main suspect in the desecration of a teenage girl’s grave was killed during a late-night police operation, allegedly after being shot by his own accomplices.

Pakistan on Thursday expressed hope that the United States would “soon” resume immigrant visa processing, adding that it viewed the recent suspension as part of an internal review. The US on Wednesday announced the suspension of immigrant visa processing for Pakistan and 74 other countries, effective January 21, citing concerns that immigrants from these nations often rely on public welfare programmes. In its statement, the State Department had said the “freeze will remain active until the US can ensure that new immigrants will not extract wealth from the American people”. Responding to a query about the move despite Pakistan’s improved relations with Washington in recent months, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi acknowledged coming across the “reports”. “Basically, it was a brief statement by the US State Department on their social media account about the internal review of processing immigrant visas that they are in the process of,” he said. “We are in touch with the US authorities to a...

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Thursday removed director Najmul Islam following protests from players ahead of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) matches over his comments against the country’s cricketers, The Daily Star reported. The first BPL match scheduled for 1pm local time today was delayed as players from Chattogram Royals and Noakhali Express did not show up at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium for the game, according to The Daily Star. Islam was handed a show-cause notice by the BCB a few hours before the match was set to begin. However, the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) had called for a nationwide boycott on all forms of cricket unless Islam tenders his resignation. In a media release today, the BCB said the decision to remove Islam was taken by president Aminul Islam Bulbul “following a review of recent developments and in the best interest of the organisation”, and that it would come into effect immediately, The Daily Star reported. “The decision has been taken ...

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi landed in Karachi on Thursday for a brief visit, just days after concluding his mobilisation drive in the city. CM Afridi boarded a flight from Islamabad to Karachi earlier in the day, according to his focal person for digital media Yar Muhammad Khan Niazi. Late in the afternoon, the PTI said on X that the KP CM had arrived in Karachi to offer condolences to the family of Bilal Mehsud, a party worker who the PTI said died in a “tragic accident that took place during the rally in Karachi”. It said CM Afridi would directly head to Mehsud’s family residence in Sohrab Goth from the Karachi airport, where he would meet the worker’s relatives and convey his sympathies. The PTI said party leaders and workers accorded a warm welcome to the KP chief minister, and raised slogans in favour of ex-premier Imran Khan. Shortly after 11am, the chief minister’s X account said he had departed for Karachi on a one-day visit. An accompanying video showed Afridi arriving at the airp...

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on Thursday recommended the confirmation of 11 additional judges for the Lahore High Court (LHC) out of a total list of 13. Presided over by Chief Justice of Pakis­tan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, the JCP met at the Supreme Court (SC), a press release issued by the SC said. After due consideration of the relevant data forms, ant­ecedents and evaluation material placed before it, the JCP, by a majority, recommended the confirmation of 11 additional judges of the LHC as permanent judges. These were Justices Hassan Nawaz Makhdoom, Malik Waqar Haider Awan, Sardar Akbar Ali, Syed Ahsan Raza Kazmi, Malik Javid Iqbal Wains, Muhammad Jawad Zafar, Khalid Ishaq, Malik Muhammad Awais Khalid, Chaudhry Sultan Mahmood, Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh, and a female judge, Abher Gul Khan. The JCP, by a majority, recommended the extension of Additional Judge Tariq Mahmood Bajwa for another six months. Additional Judge Raja Ghazanfar Ali Khan was “not confirmed”, the press release added. This week, the JC...