Pakistan

UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan on Monday renewed its call for restraint, de-escalation and a return to diplomacy in the ongoing Middle East crisis, saying that dialogue and mediation remain the only sustainable path to resolving conflicts. Addressing the UN General Assembly during a debate on strengthening mediation in conflict prevention and resolution, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said Islamabad had consistently advocated diplomacy in the recent tensions involving Iran and the United States. “As a friendly neighbour of Iran, a brotherly partner of the Gulf countries, and a country with longstanding ties of amity with the United States, Pakistan continues to make sincere efforts to facilitate a durable solution for regional and global peace and stability,” he said. The Pakistani envoy used the occasion to press for a stronger role for mediation and preventive diplomacy in addressing international disputes before they escalate into crises. “Conflicts are...

SHIGAR/ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari addressed a public gathering in Shigar ahead of Gilgit-Baltistan elections on Monday.

ISLAMABAD - In a significant step towards strengthening professional capacity within Pakistan’s justice sector, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi Monday launched the E-Course for Law Professionals – 2026 at a ceremony held at the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has said that more than 30,000 kilometres of roads have been constructed, repaired or rehabilitated across the province under an ambitious programme aimed at modernising Punjab’s transport and road infrastructure.

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Health Mustafa Kamal on Monday chaired a review meeting in Islamabad to assess progress on an ongoing pilot project aimed at the elimination of Hepatitis C, officials said.

• Country records 128 attacks in May, compared to 101 in April • Civilian deaths up by 92pc; casualties of security personnel increase by 143pc • Six suicide attacks witnessed, compared with one each in March and April • Balochistan emerges as worst-affected province once again ISLAMABAD: After two consecutive months of improvement, Pakistan’s security situation deteriorated sharply in May 2026, driven primarily by escalating terrorist violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, according to the monthly security assessment released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS). The latest findings by PICSS suggest that militant and terror groups regained momentum during May after a brief period of relative decline, particularly in KP and Balochistan. The sharp increase in attacks, casualties, suicide bombings and kidnappings indicates that security challenges remain acute despite sustained counterterrorism efforts by the state. According to the report, the country witnessed 128 terro...

QUETTA: Police have registered a case against Opposition Leader in the National Assembly and PkMAP Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai, on charges of allegedly spreading hatred against state institutions and criticising the present government while addressing a public gathering. Other party leaders have also been named in the FIR. The charges relate to an allegedly provocative speech made against state institutions. The action was taken following a written complaint submitted by Abdul Wali Khan, son of Abdul Ghaffar Khan, a member of the Shinzai tribe and a resident of Gulistan Kari. According to the FIR registered at Gulistan Police Station, the complainant stated that, during a public meeting, Achakzai allegedly said that law and order in Balochistan continued to deteriorate and that the current government had completely failed to provide security to the public. He allegedly described the government as a “Form-47 fake government” and proposed the formation of an alternative force by recruiting people from variou...

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has ruled that a father cannot escape his continuing legal, moral and religious obligation to maintain his minor child through a private settlement, holding that a minor’s right to maintenance cannot be permanently waived or extinguished. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani dismissed a petition filed by Akhtar Hussain Awan against concurrent judgements of family and appellate courts. Those earlier judgements allowed a maintenance claim filed by a minor, Naseer Akhtar Awan, through his mother, Sadia Awan. The petitioner argued that an earlier maintenance suit was settled through a 2007 compromise, under which Rs60,000 was paid and parties agreed not to raise future claims. He contended a subsequent 2019 suit was barred by limitation and the principles of res judicata, a legal doctrine preventing a matter from being judged twice. Justice Kayani cites Islamic teachings to invalidate any private contracts waiving child maintenance Rejecting the contention, Justice Kayani ruled that agreemen...

• Only Rs1.13tr allocated to PSDP against Rs4.1tr requirement; minister terms shortfall ‘new circular debt crisis’ • Record Rs4.715tr development plan unveiled • APCC resolves to divert resources to ongoing projects ISLAMABAD: Under tight International Monetary Fund (IMF) oversight, the government has trimmed allocations for most sectors in the next federal development programme to create additional fiscal space for the PML-N’s trademark national highways, a new Rs87 billion share for coalition partners and a Rs70bn allocation for ruling party lawmakers’ schemes. Yet, the Annual Plan Coordination Committee, led by Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, on Monday unveiled a record national development programme of Rs4.715 trillion, made possible by an unprecedented 27pc hike in development allocations by state-owned entities and a 10pc rise in provincial allocations to an all-time high of Rs3.138tr. The overall Rs4.715tr deve­l­opment portfolio comprises the largest share of provincial annual developme...

Director General of the Pakistan Hajj Mission, Abdul Wahab Soomro, has been honored with the ‘Labbaytum Excellence Award’ for the second consecutive year, recognizing his exemplary leadership and outstanding services during Hajj 2026.

LAHORE: Former prime minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif will visit Gilgit-Baltistan on Tuesday to meet party ticket holders ahead of the June 7 elections. The GB Election Commission had announced that general elections in the region would be held on June 7 after a four-month delay. On Monday, Punjab Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb said on X that the PML-N president will visit GB on Tuesday for a one-day visit. During the visit, he will meet party leaders and ticket-holders. “He will also discuss the upcoming elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and matters related to the development and welfare of the people of the region,” she said. Nawaz has not been active in politics since the February 2024 general elections. However, he is serving as head of the Lahore Authority for Heritage Revival. The former prime minister often presides over its meetings and oversees measures for the protection of the city’s heritage. The PML-N supremo also acts as a political mentor to his daughter and Punjab Chief Ministe...

European Union (EU) top diplomat Kaja Kallas on Monday said the bloc sought stability in the region, adding that it was in everyone’s interest for the ongoing war in the Middle East to end and for the Strait of Hormuz to remain open. Kallas, who serves as vice-president of the European Commission and the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, is visiting Pakistan at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to participate in the 8th round of the EU-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue, which was held earlier today. In an interview on the Geo News programme ‘Capital Talk’, Kallas said, “This is in everybody’s interest that this war is stopped and the Strait of Hormuz is opened. We are paying a very high price. There are a lot of things dependent on the Strait of Hormuz.” During the appearance on the show, she commended Pakistan for being a mediator between the United States and Iran, bringing all the parties together, adding that, “Eventually, the [warring] parties ...

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