Pakistan

Moscow blames US-Israel strikes for deepening Middle East conflict and energy shock

Mali, Niger and Afghanistan observed the occasion on Thursday, while Mideast, and Southeast Asia celebrated on Friday

• Marriage hall owners urge govt to reconsider decision; call restrictions ‘impractical, distressing and likely to cause confusion’ • Considering ground realities, it would be difficult for authorities to enforce ‘complete implementation’, remarks opposition leader Khurshidi KARACHI: The Sindh government’s decision to limit wedding guests to 200 has sparked fears, leaving many in a dilemma and unsure whether to invite or attend functions. The provincial government, as part of its “austerity” drive in the wake of the Middle East war, took a host of measures, including limiting number of guests at wedding ceremonies or any other party to 200 with one-dish serving. Families who had already sent invitations to their loved ones months in advance are now worried about financial implications of reducing the number of guests, having already booked venues and caterers. The Karachi Marriage Hall Owners Association (KMHOA) expressed grave concern over the government’s decision and said it was not practical to implement ...

KARACHI: Digital payments have changed the landscape of banking transactions in the country as 92 per cent retail transactions were carried out through this mode during the second quarter of FY26, according to the State Bank of Pakistan. The central bank released its report on payment systems for the October-December 2025 quarter on Thursday. Out of the 3.4 billion retail transactions carried out during the period, 92pc were conducted through digital channels. The percentage for the same period during October-December 2024 was 88pc. The number of retail transactions went up by eight per cent from the previous quarter, while its value rose by seven per cent, reaching Rs167 trillion. The number of payments through the digital channel reached 3.1bn, amounting to Rs64tr, reflecting the growing adoption of digital payment methods across the economy. App-based payments Mobile app-based payments continued to dominate the digital landscape, with 2.6bn transactions conducted through apps offered by branchless banking ...

Three Indian refining sources say they will buy Iranian oil, awaiting govt directions and clarity from Washington

QUETTA: Balochistan Inspector General of Police Muhammad Tahir has congratulated provincial police personnel for arresting 497 proclaimed offenders over the 40-day special campaign launched against criminals wanted by police for cases of murder, attempted murder, robberies and kidnapping for ransom. He announced cash rewards and CC-1 certificates for police officers from Kachhi, Hub, Quetta, Sibi and Kohlu and Ziarat districts. Presiding over a meeting on Thursday to review law and order situation in the province, the IGP expressed satisfaction over the performance of police personnel. He said that last year only 587 proclaimed offenders were arrested, while in 2026, during the special campaign launched on Jan 26, 497 proclaimed offenders were arrested till March 18, which reflects the dedication and coordinated efforts of the police force. The IGP also announced cash awards for the districts that showed good performance during the campaign. Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2026

Calls ​for an ​end to ⁠Iran's closure of Strait of Hormuz, suggesting UN could ​help protect waterway

PMD says western weather system affecting large parts of Pakistan

Airstrikes intensify in Lebanon amid widening regional conflict

Iran FM Araghchi says Starmer endangering British lives by allowing US to use UK airbases

Energy analysts say ​admin efforts to control ⁠prices will not have a meaningful impact until the Strait is open

Calls on BRICS bloc of major emerging ​economies to play independent role in halting aggression ‌against ⁠Iran

Iran’s supreme leader, Mojataba Khamenei, denied on Friday Tehran’s role in recent attacks in Turkiye and Oman, claiming that it was a “false flag tactic” by Israel instead. “I should also remark that the attacks against Turkiye and Oman – both of which have good relations with us — targeting certain locations in these countries, were in no way carried out by the armed forces of the Islamic republic or the other forces of the Resistance Front. “This is a ploy by the Zionist enemy (Israel), employing the false flag tactic to create discord between the Islamic republic and its neighbours, and it may also occur in some other countries,” Khamenei said in a statement published on his Telegram channel and official Iranian media on the occasion of Nowruz, the Persian New Year. This is Mojtaba’s second message since becoming Iran’s supreme leader following the assassination of his father and the previous supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Ali Khamenei was assassinated on February 28, when the US and Israel launc...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday that he had rejected recommendations for further increasing petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) prices, adding that, however, he had instructed relevant ministries to devise a mechanism to ensure that the “relief” was restricted to only the deserving and needy. He said this during an address to the nation, delivered on the eve of Eidul Fitr. The premier began his address by extending Eid greetings to the nation. He also referred to a global fuel crisis resulting from the US-Israeli war on Iran, which began on February 28. The government announced unprecedented austerity measures last week to cope with the crisis and also hiked petroleum products’ prices earlier this month. PM Shehbaz said in view of the present situation, the festival demanded humanity, national unity and collective responsibility. “And I believe the joy of Eid in its true sense is sharing it with those in need,” he added. The premier said the world was facing an “extraordinary challenge” today, add...

On the twenty-first day of the US-Israeli war on Iran, a sombre Nowruz and Eidul Fitr eve set the domestic mood in Iran, as fresh military developments and a shifting coalition posture pointed to an imminent widening of the war. Across Iran, the Persian New Year arrived without usual festivities associated with it. Celebrations were scaled down, with war, blackouts and economic strain shaping public sentiment. Markets remained open but subdued, and even among diaspora communities, observances lacked the usual fervour. ‘Rare moral boost’ Against this backdrop, a reported Iranian air defence success provided a rare morale boost. Iranian systems are said to have damaged a US F-35 during a combat mission, forcing it to make an emergency landing at Al-Dhafra Airbase in the United Arab Emirates. While the operational impact appears limited, the symbolic value of hitting a stealth fifth-generation aircraft would be considerable. The Iranian media is projecting it as evidence that advanced US platforms can be challen...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday discussed the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East in phone calls with leaders from several countries, with all calling for de-escalation in the region. The ongoing war, launched by the US and Israel against Iran, has expanded across the Middle East with Tehran targeting US bases and assets in other countries in the region, including Azerbaijan, and Tel Aviv targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on the social media platform X that the premier held a telephone conversation with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev “to exchange greetings on the auspicious occasion of Eidul Fitr”. “The two leaders also discussed the ongoing hostilities in Iran and the Gulf region,” the statement said. “The prime minister reiterated [his] strong condemnation of the attacks against Azerbaijan and expressed full solidarity and support with the brotherly people of Azerbaijan in these challenging times.” It added that both leaders called for an immediate de-esc...

The sighting of the Shawwal crescent in Pakistan has confirmed that Eid al-Fitr will be observed nationwide on Saturday, marking the conclusion of the holy month of Ramazan.

President Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz and armed forces extend heartfelt greetings to the nation

For Lebanese Muslims, there was little to celebrate on Friday during Eidul Fitr as a displacement crisis prompted by Israeli strikes and fears for the future cast a dark shadow over the end of Ramazan. Eid this year has been dampened by fallout from the war that began with the US and Israel launching strikes on Iran. With fighting going on between Hezbollah and Israel as well, Lebanon has also been dragged into the regional conflict. A displaced child from Beirut’s southern suburbs looks on from inside a van on the day worshippers attend Eid prayers to mark the end of Ramazan, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli war on Iran, in Beirut, Lebanon, March 20, 2026. — Reuters Israel’s strikes across Lebanon’s south, east and its capital Beirut have killed more than 1,000 people and the Israeli military’s evacuation orders have forced more than a million people to flee their homes. In downtown Beirut, displaced Lebanese tried to shield themselves from bouts of heavy rain on Frida...