Pakistan

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Monday forecast rainfall across the country, starting from April 1 (Wednesday). In a weather forecast, the PMD said that due to a “westerly wave” approaching the “southerwestern parts of Balochistan from April 1”, parts of the country will receive “widespread rain-wind/thunderstorm” in the coming days. It said that the westerly wave “is likely to persist” till April 4 (Saturday). Under the influence of the system, the PMD forecast rain-wind/thunderstorm (with isolated heavy falls/hailstorm) in parts of Balochistan from April 2 (evening) to April 4 with “occasional gaps”. These included Panjgur, Turbat, Kech, Awaran, Makran Coast (Gwadar, Pasni, Ormara), Lasbela, Khuzdar, Kharan, Chaghi, Dalbandin, Kalat, Sibi, Kohlu, Barkhan, Naseerabad, Quetta, Loralai, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saifullah, Noshki, Harnai, Zhob, Kalat and Mastung. For Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the PMD said that rain, thunderstorms, including snowfall over mountains, were expected in ...

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, on Monday, discussed in detail the overall national security situation.

A Pakistan International Airlines flight en route from Lahore to Karachi was forced to head back shortly after departure following a bird strike, officials confirmed.

Punjab Minister for School Education Rana Sikandar Hayat said on Monday that educational activities in the province would resume from April 1 (Wednesday), with classes taking place five days a week. He made the statement in a post on the social media platform X. Separately, in an official statement, the minister reiterated that schools in Punjab would reopen on April 1 and that classes would take place five days a week. He also said that the “hybrid system” would not work, adding that the classes would be in-person. “Students should come to school and study,” he said. On March 9, the provincial government had announced that educational institutions, including schools, colleges and universities, would remain closed from March 10 to March 31 amid the global fuel crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran. Meanwhile, the Punjab government on Monday also stated that a notification circulating on social media regarding classes four days a week was fake. In a post on X, the Punjab government shared a picture of ...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has stressed that protecting the environment from pollution is a shared obligation for all citizens.

Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s entertainment venture JioStar has terminated its broadcast deals in Bangladesh for the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament, saying its local partner defaulted on payments, according to a document seen by Reuters. Bangladesh in January banned IPL broadcasts after one of its teams, Kolkata Knight Riders, dropped Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman at the Indian cricket board’s instruction, just as tensions rose between the two countries following the killing of a Hindu man in Bangladesh. Though Bangladesh is reviewing the ban and had on Saturday said any further steps will depend on the opinion of its sports ministry, the termination by JioStar means there will be no local broadcaster for the IPL season, even if the country were to change its stance. “The agreement stands terminated with immediate effect,” JioStar said in a letter dated February 17 to Bangladesh broadcaster TSports, which had sublicensed the rights from JioStar for IPL seasons from 2023 to 2027. The ...

HYDERABAD: The Model Criminal Court of Dadu on Monday acquitted all eight accused in the triple murder case of an ex-PPP UC chairman and his two sons in the district’s Mehar town. The ex-UC chairman, Raees Karamullah Chandio and two sons, Mukhtiar and Qabil, were gunned down in an armed attack on their residence in Ahmed Colony on Jan 17, 2018. The attack was blamed on their PPP colleagues, MPA and Chandio tribe chieftain Sardar Chandio and his brother Burhan Chandio. Both the accused were members of the Sindh Assembly at the time of the offence. Mukhtiar’s daughter Umm-i-Rabab Chandio, who is a lawyer, has been pursuing the case along with other counsel. During today’s hearing, an additional session judge, Hassan Ali Kalwar, ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the case and acquitted the accused, extending them the benefit of the doubt. Other than the two MPAs, the accused included Sikandar Ali Chandio, Ali Gohar Chandio, Abdul Sattar Chandio, Zulfiqar alias Qadoo Chandio, Ghulam Murtaza Chandio, and A...

The government is undertaking efforts to provide relief to the lower and middle classes amid a fuel price hike triggered by the global fuel crisis due to the Iran war, Prime Minister Shehbaz said on Monday. Over the past few weeks, the government has rolled out a series of austerity measures to minimise fuel consumption and announced significant cuts in development spending and restrictions on non-essential expenditures. In a meeting chaired by the premier to review the impact of the Middle East war on petroleum stocks in Pakistan and public relief measures being taken, he was informed that the government was working in collaboration with the provincial government to “finalise the process of registration for motorcycle and rickshaw owners so they could benefit from the government’s schemes,” a statement via the Prime Minister’s House (PMO) said. On March 17, the government announced it was planning a subsidised fuel scheme for motorcyclists and rickshaw drivers to cushion the impact of a massive hike in oil p...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has assured that economically vulnerable segments of society will not be left unsupported during the ongoing Gulf crisis, emphasizing the government’s commitment to public relief and fiscal prudence.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar will embark on an official visit to China on March 31 at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) on Monday. The FO said that Pakistan and China enjoy an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, characterised by “close coordination and regular consultations” on regional development and international issues. “In this context, the upcoming visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to hold in-depth discussions on regional developments, as well as bilateral and global issues of mutual interest,” said the FO statement. It added that “FM Dar’s decision to undertake the visit, despite medical advice to rest following a hairline shoulder fracture sustained yesterday, reflects the importance Pakistan attaches to its relationship with China”. Earlier on Friday, Dar held a telephone call with Wang Yi, during which they exchanged views on the evolving regional situation and broad...

Pakistani and Afghan forces exchanged fire in the Bajaur sector of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday, said security sources. They added that Pakistan’s security forces “retaliated vigorously” after Afghan Taliban fighters opened fire with “small and large weapons” along different areas of the border district. Security sources further said retaliatory fire by Pakistani forces silenced the enemy’s guns and “Afghan posts from which Pakistan was being fired at were also destroyed”. According to local security officials, Pakistan “did not target any civilian population, but only targeted those posts from which continuous firing was being done”. The For­eign Office (FO) on Thur­sday said that the temporary pause in Operation Ghazab lil-Haq against the Afghan Taliban over Eidul Fitr had concluded, and the operation will continue “until its objectives are achieved”. FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi made these remarks while responding to questions during his weekly press briefing regarding whether the pause had been extended....

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday expressed his gratitude towards the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt after a quadrilateral meeting to discuss the situation in the Middle East, appreciating their confidence in Pakistan’s efforts for peace. The meeting, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, brought together foreign ministers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt as part of a coordinated regional push to de-escalate the conflict between the United States and Iran that has now completed its first month, raising fears of wider spillover and disruption to global energy supplies. “It was a pleasure to receive His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan this evening,” PM Shehbaz said in a post on X early on Monday morning. According to the statement, he reaffirmed Pakistan’s “unwavering solidarity” with the Kingdom and appreciated Saudi Arabia’s “remarkable restraint in these challenging times”. He recognised Saudi Arabia’s leadership role in the Muslim Ummah ...

Lahore Qalandars batter Fakhar Zaman has been charged with ball-tampering in Sunday’s Pakistan Super League (PSL) match against Karachi Kings, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement. The incident occurred in the final over with Karachi needing 14 runs to win. Fakhar, Lahore captain Shaheen Afridi and fast bowler Haris Rauf were involved in a brief discussion, during which Fakhar and Rauf passed the ball between them. The umpire then approached Rauf and asked to see the ball. Following consultations with the square-leg umpire, the officials awarded five penalty runs to Karachi and ordered the ball to be changed. The penalty proved costly as Karachi went on to chase down a target of 129 with three balls to spare, Abbas Afridi hitting a four and a six to seal a four-wicket victory. “Fakhar denied the charge levelled against him during a disciplinary hearing led by the match referee Roshan Mahanama,” the PCB said. “Another hearing is set to take place within the next 48 hours after which the match r...

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is set to visit Beijing today, following reported progress in regional diplomacy after a four-nation meeting held in Islamabad.

Peshawar - Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Suhail Khan Afridi met with a delegation of leaders and tribal elders from Khyber district on Sunday to address pressing public concerns, security issues, and regional development strategies.

Israel said the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem would regain access to Christianity’s holiest site after the decision to block him from entering the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday triggered international condemnation. Israeli police prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa from entering the church, citing security concerns as Israel enforces a ban on gatherings in synagogues, churches and mosques during the ongoing war with Iran, which has brought missile strikes near holy sites. After widespread backlash, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday the Latin Patriarch would get “full and immediate access”. Members of the clergy attend a prayer service in the Church of All Nations held by Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, to mark Palm Sunday in Jerusalem on March 29, 2026. —AFP The Latin Patriarchate said in a statement that Pizzaballa and the Custos of the Holy Land, Father Francesco Ielpo, were travelling privately without a ceremonial procession when officers at the...

Educational institutions across Punjab will reopen from April 1, operating five days a week, provincial Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat announced.

The National Assembly is set to convene today (Monday) at 5:00 pm with a 16-point agenda, featuring key legislative business and policy discussions.

A sudden and intense fire broke out at a private superstore on Zamzama Street in Karachi’s Clifton area on Monday, triggering panic as shoppers and nearby residents rushed to safety.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar suffered a “hairline fracture” in his shoulder after slipping and falling while welcoming Egypt’s foreign minister in Islamabad, his son Ali Dar said late on Sunday. In a post on X, Ali Dar said his father continued to fulfill his “official duties” despite the injury. “Ishaq Dar sahib, despite sustaining an injury during the reception of the Egyptian Foreign Minister today, completed all highly important meetings throughout the day on painkillers, Alhamdulillah, in the best possible manner,” he wrote. He added that around 9pm, following the conclusion of official engagements, a medical examination was carried out at the family’s insistence. “His X-rays are overall fine. There is a hairline fracture in the shoulder. In the coming few days, his pain will be managed through medications and other precautionary measures. Thank you all for your messages, prayers, and kind wishes,” Ali Dar said. The incident occurred on Sunday, during a four-country meeting focuse...