Pakistan

Sarfraz Bugti has directed authorities to provide desks in all functional government schools across the province, aiming to end the practice of students sitting on mats during classes.

Information Minister Ataullah Tarar on Thursday assured the Christian community of the government’s commitment towards the protection of the rights of religious minorities, state broadcaster PTV reported. The information minister, along with Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, met a delegation of the Christian community, during which they discussed the state of minority rights and the welfare and well-being of the Christian community. As per PTV, the delegation “commended the government’s continued commitment to protecting the rights of minority communities”, welcoming a recent legislation by the Punjab government — Child Marriage Restraint Act 2026. They also commended the government’s efforts to promote equal opportunities for religious minorities. During the meeting, the participants discussed resolution of issues faced by the Christian community, stressing the need for “effectively addressing the issues of the community through relevant law and policies”. According to the report, the meeting also reached an a...

ISLAMABAD - Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi called on Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and discussed the overall political situation, parliamentary affairs, and key issues facing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr.

Shehbaz Sharif says measures being taken to bring informal economy into tax net Directs timely completion of Pakistan Railways’ mega projects PM, Chinese Ambassador discuss evolving regional situation.

CHILAS - Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari addressed an election rally in Chilas Tehsil of Diamer district on Wednesday.

ISLAMABAD - Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Wednesday announced that his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party would stage a protest sit-in outside Parliament House on June 10 in an attempt to increase political pressure on the ruling alliance during the federal budget session.

ISLAMABAD - Leaders of major political and religious parties in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Wednesday unanimously adopted a comprehensive resolution at an All Parties Conference (APC) in Muzaffarabad, reaffirming support for the Kashmir freedom movement, democratic stability and constitutional governance while rejecting the June 9.

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday extended his heartiest felicitations to Mr Mette Frederiksen on becoming the Prime Minister of Denmark for the third consecutive term.

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday held separate meetings with Members of the National Assembly Malik Abrar Ahmed, Malik Suhail Khan, and Hafiz Mian Nauman.

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said that more than 832,000 farmers across the province had been issued Kissan Cards, describing the initiative as a major step towards improving farmers’ access to agricultural financing and reducing their dependence on traditional middlemen.

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the rising incidents of illegal organ trafficking and the illicit sale of kidneys, terming it a “highly serious and complex” issue that often implicates doctors, hospitals, and regulatory failures.

ISLAMABAD - Chief Justice of Pakistan held an interactive and consultative meeting with representatives of various bar associations at the Supreme Court on Wednesday as part of ongoing stakeholder engagement aimed at strengthening the justice sector.

NEW DELHI: India is likely to order more than $2 billion worth of military drones from domestic firms this year in its biggest such purchase, an industry body working with the government said, as global and regional conflicts boost demand. The plans are in advanced stages with deliveries expected over 18 to 24 months, for a jump in value from recent government orders worth 30 billion rupees ($313 million) for tactical-class drones, said Smit Shah, president of the body. “In the next phase, tactical drone procurements in India may exceed 200 billion rupees, or more than $2 billion,” said Shah, whose Drone Federation India represents more than 550 companies and works closely with the government. Shah said the new orders may follow a fast-track procurement route designed to meet urgent operational needs, with deliveries probably needed within 24 months. The country has 600 firms making drones, with more than 100 focused on defence applications Drones in spotlight India’s push follows clashes with arch-rival Paki...

QUETTA: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mehmood Khan Achakzai has petitioned the Balochistan High Court against the registration of a case against him in Cha­man over his recent contr­oversial speech, and term­­ed the issues facing the co­­untry ‘political in nature’. “The establishment of a true democratic society is essential for national progress,” said Achakzai, who is chairman of Pash­to­­onkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), while speaking to the media and lawyers at the BHC on Wednesday. He said that interference in the electoral process had weakened democratic institutions in the country, while those advocating for constitutional supremacy and democra­tic principles were often subjected to criticism. Highlighting the need for a system based on genuine public representation, he said Pakistan required a truly elected parliament, where key national decisions, particularly related to internal and foreign policy, were made independently in the broader interest of the state and its people. “We...

• Govt and mining company conducting formal review of procurement plans for project • Minister hints at gas tariff relief for domestic consumers from July 1 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Barrick Mining Corporation are working on upgrading the security requirements of the multi-billion dollar Reko Diq Copper-Gold Project in view of the prevailing situation, resulting in increased security costs. A team of Barrick Gold is currently in Pakistan to discuss security upgrades, confirmed Ahmad Hayat Lak, chief executive officer of the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), one of the key Reko Diq partners. He told journalists that the Reko Diq project agreement had provisions for security arrangements and that the partners were discussing possible upgrades. He said both sides were conducting a formal review of security arrangements and procurement plans for the project. Lak added that the review, as required under the agreement, would suggest whether security upgrades and additional funding were needed, while st...

• Criticises practice of frequent strike calls; terms them ‘illegal’ and violative of litigants’ rights • Dismisses Peshawar bar appeal; holds that everyone has right to counsel of choice ISLAMABAD: In a landmark judgement on an appeal filed by the Peshawar High Court Bar Association, the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Wednesday ruled that bar associations and bar councils cannot suspend a lawyer’s licence solely for representing a client or appearing in court during a strike. Authored by Justice Aamer Farooq, the 20-page judgement also criticised the practice of frequent strike calls by bar associations and bar councils, observing that such strikes were not only illegal but also violated the constitutional right of access to justice of litigants and their counsel. “When a strike call is made, the lawyer bodies restrict lawyers from appearing before the courts. Consequently, a litigant, on that day, is deprived of his legal practitioner’s representation, and proceedings in his case are adjourned withou...

• Proposals seek integration of crime data at national level, interprovincial intelligence sharing, CTD for GB • Interior ministry seeks input from all provincial police chiefs ahead of key meeting • FIA DG underscores need for uniform mechanism across provinces, notes ‘serious disconnect’ between different agencies LAHORE: The federal government has sought input from all police departments on a new internal security policy for the next five years, which aims to centralise police operations, improve interprovincial intelligence sharing, integrate crime data, and choke terror financing, among other measures. The National Internal Security Policy 2026-30, which will be discussed at an ‘extraordinary meeting’ of the National Police Management Board (NPMB) later this month, will include inputs from all provincial IGPs as well as the police chiefs of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. The interior ministry shared a set of proposals, furnished by some retired and serving police officers, with the police c...

KARACHI: Repres­entatives of exporters are confident that a proposal under consideration in Washington to impose 10 per cent additional duties on imports would not hurt Pakistan’s exports. The US Trade Representative (USTR) has proposed to the Trump administration to slap 10pc additional duties on imports from Pakistan, Canada, Bangladesh, Ecuador, Indonesia, Mexico, Argentina, Taiwan, Britain and the European Union. Exporters said the buyers in the US have to pay the duties making the Pakistani products costly after reaching the American market. Javed Bilwani, an exporter who is a former president of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce, said Pakistan was already facing 16.5pc tax on export of textile products to the US, while an additional 10pc duty was imposed after the US Supreme Court struck down the new tariff regime to change the world trade order. Importers in the United States had approached the Supreme Court against President Trump’s new tariff regime, which jolted the global market since the tariffs on ...

The Republican-led US House of Representatives approved a resolution on Wednesday to block President Donald Trump from continuing the war against Iran, reflecting growing concern among members of his party about the three-month-old conflict. The House voted 215 to 208, as four Republicans voted with Democrats in favor of the war powers resolution, which directs Trump to withdraw US troops from Iran unless Congress declares war or authorises the use of military force. The move marked the first time the Republican-controlled House had approved a measure seeking to force Trump to wind down military operations against Tehran since the war began three months ago. It was the latest setback for Trump in Congress despite his party’s slim majorities in both the House and Senate. For now, the vote is largely symbolic, as legislation must pass the Senate as well as the House to become effective, and there is debate over whether war powers resolutions would be constitutional even if they are approved by Congress. The vot...