Pakistan

Pakistan faces a critical water security challenge due to population growth, climate change, upstream water demands, and historical mismanagement.

An Islamabad court indicted accused Umar Hayat in the murder case of 17-year-old social media influencer Sana Yousaf on Saturday. The accused pled not guilty to murdering Yousaf, who was shot dead at her house in June. During the hearing, Additional District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Afzal Majoka enquired whether Hayat had killed Sana. “I did not commit any such crime,” the accused replied. The judge then asked him whether he was falsely accused in the case. “Is this all a lie?” the judge remarked. He also pointed out that Hayat had also been accused of snatching Yousaf’s mobile phone. At that, the accused maintained that all allegations levelled against him were “based on falsehood”. The court then adjourned the hearing until September 25. Islamabad police had arrested Hayat on June 3, a day after Yousaf was killed at her house in Islamabad. Preceding his arrest, a first information report (FIR) of the murder was registered at Islamabad’s Sumbal police station against an unidentified man on the complaint o...

A cyberattack on a provider of check-in and boarding systems has disrupted operations at several major European airports, including London’s Heathrow — the continent’s busiest — causing flight delays and cancellations on Saturday. Collins Aerospace, which provides systems for several airlines at airports globally, is experiencing a technical issue that may cause delays for departing passengers, Heathrow Airport said, having warned of delays. Brussels Airport and Berlin Airport were also affected by the attack, they said in separate statements. RTX, Collins Aerospace’s parent company, said it had become aware of a “cyber-related disruption” to its software at selected airports, without naming them. Electronic check-in affected “The impact is limited to electronic customer check-in and baggage drop and can be mitigated with manual check-in operations,” RTX said in an e-mailed statement, adding that it was working to fix the issue as quickly as possible. The attack has rendered automated systems inoperable, allo...

Sindh’s Rain and Flood Emergency Monitoring Cell reported on Saturday that water levels are receding at Guddu and Sukkur barrages, bringing some relief to flood-affected areas.

Following the landmark defence agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, both nations have stepped up efforts to expand bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would meet US counterpart Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly next week as Russia intensified attacks across his country. Russia carried out one of its largest aerial attacks overnight, firing 40 missiles and some 580 drones at Ukraine in a barrage that killed at least three people and wounded dozens, Zelensky said on Saturday. Zelensky said he would hold “a meeting with the President of the United States”, adding he would discuss security guarantees for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia during the talks with Trump. Ukraine has insisted on Western-backed security guarantees to prevent future Russian attacks. Russian President Vladimir Putin has meanwhile warned that any Western troops in Ukraine would be unacceptable and legitimate targets. A US-led push for a quick end to the war has stalled and Russia effectively ruled out a meeting between Putin and Zelensky — something that Kyiv says is the only way towards peace. “We expect san...

Sikh devotees from across Pakistan and abroad have begun gathering at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, for three-day rituals marking the 486th death anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has revealed that a number of Arab countries are interested in signing defence agreements with Pakistan following the landmark security pact inked with Saudi Arabia earlier this week.

LONDON: US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he had personally requested that London Mayor Sadiq Khan be excluded from the state banquet held by King Charles at Windsor Castle during his second state visit to the United Kingdom. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on his return flight to Washington, Trump branded Khan as “one of the worst mayors in the world”, accusing him of failing on crime and immigration. “I asked that he not be there. He wanted to be there, as I understand. I didn’t want him,” the president said. The mayor did not attend the banquet and was not expecting an invitation, according to British media. A source close to Sadiq Khan dismissed Mr Trump’s remarks, saying his “politics is one of fear and division”. He claimed London remains “a global success story” that attracts record numbers of Americans. Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2025

SWAT: Residents of Swat on Friday announced that there would be no place for terrorists in the valley, warning that if the provincial government and police failed to expel terrorists present in the border areas of Swat and Dir, they would confront the terrorists on their own. The announcement was made during a large public gathering held by the Swat Qaumi Jirga at Matta Chowk here under the slogan Swat Aman Pasoon (Swat Peace March). Speakers included MNA Dr Amjad Ali, Swat City Mayor Shahid Ali Khan and elders Rahmat Ali Khan, Sher Badar Khan, Bahadar Sher Afghan, Ayoub Asharey, Sher Shah Khan and Mukhtar Yousafzai, Provincial minister Fazal Hakim Khan Yousafzai, PTI MNA Dr Amjad Ali Khan, MPAs Ali Shah Khan, Sultan Rom Khan and Mohammad Naeem Khan, and chairman of the Kabal tehsil council Saeed Khan were also in attendance. Thousands of people from all walks of life showed up, filling the adjoining roads of Matta Chowk. Many participants climbed rooftops to listen to the speeches due to a lack of space. Sco...

RAHIM YAR KHAN: In a joint operation of the police and the country’s premier intelligence agency, the 11 kidnapped passengers from the Sukkur-Multan Motorway (M-5) have been safely recovered from the notorious Indhar dacoit gang in the early hours of Friday. According to police spokesperson Zeeshan Randhawa, the police were continuously chasing the dacoits after they kidnapped several people from the motorway a few days ago. He said that after a tip-off, action was taken against the kidnappers and all of the hostages were safely recovered. As per details, on the night between Sept 4 and Sept 5, the Katcha area dacoits kidnapped 11 people from different vehicles on the Sukkur-Multan Motorway near Nawazabad in Sadiqabad tehsil. The bandits fired at vehicles on the motorway between 1 and 2am to force them to stop at the Azampur Rest Area and the Guddu Interchange. In the attack, crew of a passenger bus was reportedly injured and shifted to the emergency ward of the Sheikh Zayed Medical College Hospital (SZMCH) i...

RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi police have arrested a man accused of performing black magic after digging up the grave of a seven-year-old girl in a graveyard in Dhamial. The accused was presented before a court, which granted four days’ physical remand on Friday for further investigation. The remand was approved on the police’s request after the court expressed satisfaction that more inquiry was required in the sensitive case. A police spokesman said a shroud was found near the grave of the girl in the last week of August. Following the discovery, Dhamial police launched an investigation and arrested the suspect accused of desecrating the grave. According to initial findings, the suspect dug up the grave for witchcraft purposes and then attempted to cover it again. Police immediately responded to the information and had the grave exhumed. No direct evidence of desecration of the body was initially observed. However, forensic reports are awaited for a conclusive determination. Samples were collected during the exhuma...

Inspector General of Sindh Police Ghulam Nabi Memon has ordered an inquiry against four deputy superintendents of police (DSPs) on serious allegations of misconduct, including land grabbing, extortion, and links with criminal mafias.

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration is seeking congressional approval to sell Israel $6.4 billion in support equipment and weapons, including attack helicopters and troop carriers. The Wall Street Journal reported the potential helicopter and vehicle sales on Friday. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The news of the proposed sale came days before world leaders were set to gather in New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly next week, while the UN Security Council is also due to hold a high-level meeting on Gaza. The planned package includes a deal worth $3.8bn for 30 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and $1.9bn for 3,250 infantry assault vehicles for the Israeli army. Another $750 million worth of support parts for armoured personnel carriers and power supplies are also working its way through the sale process. The Republican president’s full-throated support for Israel’s military contrasts with growing wariness about Israel’s assault on Gaza among Democrats. O...

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom was informed on Thursday that the proposed merger between Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) and Telenor Pakistan is expected to be finalised within two weeks. Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) Chairman Dr Kabir Ahmed Sidhu told the committee that the case had been under review for 18 months due to its complex nature. He added that untimely responses from PTCL management partly caused delays. Committee Chairperson Senator Palwasha Khan raised concerns about appointments to the boards of PTCL and its subsidiary Ufone, noting that while PTCL board details were available online, Ufone’s board composition was missing from its website. She said the names had also not been shared in previous meetings. Senator Kamran Murtaza questioned the perks and privileges enjoyed by board members, including reports of $5,000 allowances and foreign trips. “This is public information and should be disclosed,” Senator Khan remarked. Stolen data Meanwhile,...

ISLAMABAD - Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Secretary Media, Ali Shahzad, has been promoted to Grade 19.

• Khawaja Asif first suggests nuclear capabilities may be extended to KSA; later retracts, says nuclear weapons ‘not on the radar’ • FO adopts cautious approach; cites ‘evolving doctrine’ but offers no specifics • Dar hints other states also interested in defence deals ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s conflicting statements about Pakistan’s new defence agreement with Saudi Arabia have intensified speculation about the pact’s nuclear dimension. During an appearance on a TV talk show on Thursday night, Mr Asif had suggested that Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities could be made available to Riyadh under the new framework. “What we have, and the capabilities we possess, will be made available to (Saudi Arabia) according to this agreement,” he said, stressing that Pakistan has always acted as a responsible nuclear state. The remarks were interpreted as the first explicit signal that Pakistan might extend its nuclear deterrence to the kingdom, particularly as Mr Asif was present at the signing ceremony in Ri...

• GCC leaders vow tighter intel sharing under Unified Military Command • Plan missile early warning system; joint drills GULF Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have pledged sweeping steps to bolster collective defence, including plans to increase intelligence sharing, develop new missile warning systems, and hold joint defence drills, after Israel launched a deadly strike on Doha earlier this month. Following an emergency Arab-Islamic summit, where leaders expressed alarm about Israel’s attacks across the Middle East, GCC officials met in Doha to discuss military intelligence unification, UAE-based The National reported. The GCC — a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern nations: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates — has agreed to expand intelligence sharing through Unified Military Command. The six-member bloc said they would fast-track the creation of a regional early-warning system to counter ballistic missiles and share the “air situation” with all aff...

ISLAMABAD - Federal Health Minister Syed Mus­tafa Kamal appealed to the public to trust ‘Cervical Cancer Vaccine’, not­ing Pakistan’s inclusion among 151 countries providing it, despite receiv­ing a limited supply and revealed that officials are vaccinating their own children to encourage protection.

• Envisions sworn affidavits disowning relatives linked to militancy • Non-compliant individuals to be treated as abettors, facilitators QUETTA: The Balochistan government has directed families to immediately report if any of their relatives go missing or join non-state or militant groups, warning that strict legal action will be taken against those who fail to comply. According to an official notification issued by the Home Department, families are required to provide such information within seven days and submit sworn declarations disowning relatives involved in militancy, or else face action under anti-terrorism laws. The notification stated that citizens, parents and guardians must inform the nearest police station and FC/army unit within one week if a family member goes missing or is found to have joined any non-state or militant group. It further directed that details of individuals already missing must also be submitted within seven days under Sections 118 and 202 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), read...