Pakistan

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has imposed a total fine of Rs60 million on the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) and the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) over abnormal increases in fuel costs and system inefficiencies recorded in January 2024.

Pakistan has dismissed claims circulating on social media regarding the removal of barbed wire along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, terming them “fabricated” and part of a broader misinformation campaign amid ongoing cross-border tensions.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has initiated steps to bring income generated through social media platforms into the tax net, introducing a formal mechanism to recover taxes from digital earnings.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast widespread rain, windstorms, and thunderstorms across large parts of the country over the next 24 hours, warning of isolated heavy downpours and hailstorms in several regions.

ISLAMABAD - The Nation mourns the loss of one of its most dedicated and veteran journalists, Shahbaz Khan (commonly known as Shahbaz Bhatti), who passed away at a local hospital on Wednesday (April 1, 2026) after a protracted illness.

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to promoting the rights, education and social inclusion of persons with autism, as the country joined the international community in observing World Autism Awareness Day under this year’s theme “Autism and Humanity: Every Life Has.

Four astronauts blasted off from Florida on Wednesday on Nasa’s Artemis II mission, a high-stakes voyage around the moon that marks the United States’ boldest step yet toward returning humans to the lunar surface later this decade in a race with China. Nasa’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, topped with its Orion crew capsule, roared to life just before sunset at the agency’s Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying its debut crew — three US astronauts and a Canadian astronaut — into Earth orbit. The 32-story-tall space vehicle thundered into clear skies, trailing a towering column of thick, white vapour. Nasa Administrator Jared Isaacman said the launch was an opening act for subsequent missions that would include construction of a moon base to support the “enduring presence we’re trying to create on the surface”. If the mission proceeds as planned, the crew consisting of Nasa astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, plus Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will...

Islamabad - Exercise SEA GUARDIAN IV, conducted from 25 March to 1 April 2026 between the Pakistan Navy and PLA (N), aimed to enhance interoperability and maritime cooperation.

A view of the charred Gul Plaza structure.—Fahim Siddiqi /White Star KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday ordered the authorities to demolish the fire-hit structure of Gul Plaza to pave the way for its reconstruction. The CM asked the director general of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) to submit a detailed plan for the reconstruction of the building, where a devastating fire killed dozens on Jan 17. He issued these directives while chairing a meeting to review the progress of compensation disbursement to victims’ families and the provision of financial assistance to traders affected by the tragic fire. According to a press statement, the CM told SBCA chief Muzammil Halepoto that he wanted work on the plaza to start at the earliest. CM asks SBCA chief to submit reconstruction plan; reviews compensation disbursement to victims’ heirs, traders He also instructed the Karachi commissioner to inform the judicial commission investigating the fire incident before beginning the demoliti...

LONDON: Britain will this week hold a meeting of about 35 countries to discuss how to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz which has been crippled by the Middle East war, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Wednesday. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will host the discussions, Starmer told reporters during a Downing Street press conference, without specifying the day of the talks. The meeting will “assess all viable diplomatic and political measures that we can take to restore freedom of navigation, guarantee the safety of trapped ships and seafarers and resume the movement of vital commodities”, Starmer said. “Following that meeting, we will also convene our military planners to look at how we can marshal our capabilities and make the strait accessible and safe after the fighting has stopped,” he added. Starmer says Britain must focus on closer ties with Europe to undo some ‘deep damage’ done by Brexit The discussions will include countries which recently signed a statement saying they were read...

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal said on Wednesday Pakistan will surpass Indonesia in population growth within the next five years. “Pakistan is currently the fifth most populous cou­ntry in the world, and at the current growth rate, it is projected to surpass Indo­nesia in next five ye­ars. The rapidly increasing population has become a serious national challe­nge, placing imm­ense pressure on healthcare, education, infrastructure, and employment sectors,” the minister said while chairing a meeting to review the growing population challenge and its implications for the country’s health system and national resources. He said the country’s population is increasing by around 6.2 million people annually, which exceeds the total population of some countries such as New Zealand. He noted that unchecked population growth was straining national infrastructure and undermining effective planning. “If we fail to control population growth, our vision for sustainable development will remain unach...

• Over 30 districts face flood-like situation as severe weather persists • Lightning kills 12-year-old girl; flash floods damage infrastructure, cause widespread communication disruptions • Rescuers save 15 from stranded van; major highways cut off • Authorities ban travel; Met Office warns of severe flooding through April 3 QUETTA: A fresh spell of heavy, intermittent rain accompanied by strong winds, thunder and hail has pummelled more than 30 districts across Balochistan over the past 24 hours, triggering flash floods that have caused widespread disruption, infrastructure damage and at least one fatality. Widespread heavy rainfall was reported on Wed­n­esday in Quetta, Khuz­dar, Kalat, Surab, Lasbela, Hub, Kech, Gwadar, Qila Saifullah, Qila Abdullah, Zhob, Harnai, Loralai, Kohlu, Awaran, Kharan, Mastung, Sherani, Ziarat and other areas, creating flood-like conditions in many localities. Low-lying areas have been submerged, flash flo­ods have damaged emb­a­n­kments, and residents are facing severe hardships...

Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian has released an open letter, addressing the American people, calling on them to question the motives of the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran. Below is the full text of his letter. “In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful “To the people of the United States of America, and to all those who, amid a flood of distortions and manufactured narratives, continue to seek the truth and aspire to a better life: “Iran — by this very name, character, and identity — is one of the oldest continuous civilisations in human history. Despite its historical and geographical advantages at various times, Iran has never, in its modern history, chosen the path of aggression, expansion, colonialism, or domination. Even after enduring occupation, invasion, and sustained pressure from global powers — and despite possessing military superiority over many of its neighbours — Iran has never initiated a war. Yet it has resolutely and bravely repelled those who have attacked it. “The Iranian people...

With President Donald Trump present, US Supreme Court justices signalled skepticism on Wednesday toward the legality of his directive to restrict birthright citizenship in the US, part of his hardline immigration approach that would upend the long-held understanding of a key constitutional provision. In his historic visit to the top US judicial body, Trump, wearing a red tie and dark suit, sat in the front row of the public gallery of the ornate courtroom after arriving by motorcade from the White House. The Republican president then left midway through the proceedings, not long after the Justice Department lawyer arguing for his administration completed his presentation. Most of the nine justices, conservatives and liberals alike, grilled the lawyer with questions about the legal validity of Trump’s executive order and its practical implications. The court has a 6-3 conservative majority. The justices heard more than two hours of arguments in the administration’s appeal of a lower court’s decision that block...

ISLAMABAD - The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training (MoFE&PT) has signed an MoU with the National Institute of Psychology (NIP), a Center of Excellence at Quaid-i-Azam University, that aims to introduce remedial therapy services across all institutions under the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE).

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday took notice of a reported power outage incident in the emergency operation theatre of Services Hospital Lahore, where a surgical procedure was allegedly conducted using mobile phone light.

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday visited the residence of Federal Minister for Power, Awais Ahmed Leghari to offer condolences on the passing of his mother-in-law.

ISLAMABAD - The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) Wednesday sought reply from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on the constitution of the planned ‘release force’ for Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI)’s founder Imran Khan, who is in Adiala Jail.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday visited the residence of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazal) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Islamabad, where the two leaders held a detailed discussion on the country’s political situation and matters of mutual interest.

Landmark climate accord will unlock green investment, clean energy and international carbon finance for Pakistan.