Pakistan

Global technology giant Microsoft announced on Tuesday plans to invest $17.5 billion to help build India’s artificial intelligence infrastructure, with CEO Satya Nadella calling it “our largest investment ever in Asia”. Several global corporations have announced large investments this year in the South Asian nation, which is projected to have more than 900 million internet users by year’s end. “To support the country’s ambitions, Microsoft is committing US$17.5B (billion) – our largest investment ever in Asia – to help build the infrastructure, skills, and sovereign capabilities needed for India’s AI first future,” Nadella said in a post on X. Nadella made the announcement on social media after he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, thanking the leader for “an inspiring conversation on India’s AI opportunity”. In a statement, Microsoft said the investment would be spread over four years. “Together, Microsoft and India are poised to set new benchmarks and drive the country’s leap from digital public...

The United States will allow Nvidia’s H200 processors, its second-best artificial intelligence chips, to be exported to China and collect a 25 per cent fee on such sales, US President Donald Trump said on Monday. The decision appears to settle a US debate about whether Nvidia and rivals should maintain their global lead in AI chips by selling to China or withhold the exports, though Beijing has told companies not to use US technology, leaving it unclear whether Trump’s decision would lead to new sales. Nvidia shares rose 2pc in after-hours trading after Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, following a 3pc rise during the day on a report by Semafor. Trump said in his post that he had informed President Xi Jinping of China, where Nvidia’s chips are under government scrutiny, about the move and that he “responded positively.” He said the US Commerce Department was finalising details of the arrangement and the same approach would apply to other AI chip firms such as Advanced Micro Devices and Intel. Trump...

As militant attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa surge, the provincial police force has asked the government to grant a special allowance to its personnel, which would cost around Rs4.2 billion per month. Attacks on police personnel have increased by around 56 per cent during the current year. In this regard, the Central Police Office (CPO) moved a summary to KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. The summary stated that the provincial government prioritised the enhancement of police capacity and welfare in view of militancy and security challenges. “Due to the government’s focused efforts and effective administrative measures, not only has the law and order situation improved, but the government’s overall public image has also strengthened,” the summary read. The summary further stated that special financial incentives, such as a militancy allowance, were being provided to police personnel in view of the grave risks, operational responsibilities, and constant exposure to threats they face on a routine basis. It added tha...

ech transfer is rising, with enterprise patent industrialization climbing from 44.9% in 2020 to 53.3% in 2024

The United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) continued celebrations of its newly opened building in Islamabad, unveiling a modern facility designed to expand educational access and support future generations of Pakistani scholars.

Sufi Festival 2025 draws thousands of visitors, blending spirituality, art, and music to reclaim the city's cultural

Actor chooses stories that lift women's voices and impact their lives

.

Fresh clashes along the Thai-Cambodia border are being met with grim resignation by civilians, as they flock again to makeshift shelters still standing from the last bout of combat. Displaced children chased each other on the tarmac of Thailand’s Chang International Circuit race track, where hundreds of families were sheltering in vast silo-shaped tents. “I want the government to deal with this decisively so it stops for good,” said handyman Boonsong Boonpimay at the racecourse in Buriram city, 70 kilometres from the fraught frontier. “Otherwise we’ll have to keep living like this — unable to work and constantly on edge,” the 51-year-old told AFP. Thailand and Cambodia have a long-standing dispute over portions of their boundary dating back to their colonial-era demarcation. Residents rest inside a temple after they evacuated following clashes along the Cambodia-Thailand border, in Siem Reap province on December 9. — AFP Five days of combat in July killed dozens of people and displaced around 300,000 on both ...

Police stopped the sisters of the PTI founder at the Factory Checkpost on Tuesday as they attempted to visit him, prompting Aleema Khan to lead a sit-in alongside party workers.

The Punjab Assembly has received the Kite Flying Ordinance 2025, already been approved by the Governor, and has referred it to the relevant committee for two months.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) declared on Tuesday a petition seeking the verification of Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri’s degree maintainable and sought a reply from the judge on the matter within three days. The petition questioning the legitimacy of the LLB degree of the IHC judge and seeking a judicial determination on whether he lawfully held office as a high court judge was filed by lawyer Mian Daud. The court had reserved its decision on the maintainability of the plea in July last year. The case against Justice Jahangiri centres on a letter that began circulating last year on social media, purportedly from the University of Karachi’s controller of examinations, regarding the judge’s law degree. A two-member IHC bench, comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Azam Khan, issued the verdict today after hearing arguments on the matter. During the hearing, Ahmed Hassan Shah, who was representing the District Bar Association, contended that the matter should be referred to the Is...

An annual survey released by Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) on Tuesday showed that the police is perceived as the most corrupt government sector in Pakistan, followed by the tender and procurement sector, and then the judiciary. According to a press release issued by TIP, the National Corruption Perception Survey aims to gauge the perception of the public on important governance issues. This year’s survey showed that 24 per cent of 4,000 people (1,000 from each province) surveyed believed police to be the most corrupt sector, with the highest level of perception of corruption in Punjab at 34pc, followed by 22pc in Balochistan, 21pc in Sindh, and 20pc in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Screengrab from the Transparency International 2025 National Corruption Perception Survey shows results of this year’s survey. The department has consistently ranked the most corrupt in previous surveys conducted by TIP. Screengrab from the Transparency International 2025 National Corruption Perception Survey showing results from...

The latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) projections for Pakistan suggest that the immediate risk of economic free fall has eased but the country remains locked into a narrow stabilisation path marked by weak growth, heavy debt and limited relief for households. Projections by the Fund, released early on Tuesday alongside the statement announcing a fresh disbursement of around $1.2 billion to Pakistan, showed that the country’s economic growth was projected to inch up from 2.6 per cent in FY2024 to 3.2pc by FY2026, a pace that barely matches population growth in the country of 240.5 million people. With a per capita income of $1,677, this trajectory points more to economic containment than recovery. Pakistan’s population also continues to grow at a high pace, with mid-2025 official figures citing 2.55pc, while World Bank data points to 1.8–1.9pc. Though slightly lower than past peaks, the rate remains a significant development challenge. Pakistan, however, appears to have made the most striking turnaround...

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has officially scheduled the local government elections in Islamabad for 15 February, with polling to be held from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari on Tuesday said that she was not in favour of a ban on political parties or the imposition of governor’s rule in a province, but stressed that the PTI’s “recent actions” were “pushing” authorities in that direction. Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Bokhari, in response to a two-part question regarding the possibility of a ban on PTI and the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, said, “As a political worker, I do not support that any party should be banned or that governor’s rule should be imposed.” But, she continued, “considering the state of affairs, the PTI is pushing us to go in that direction.” “On the one hand, KP remains most afflicted by terrorism, the police their remain understaffed; they do not yet have a Crimes Control Department (CCD), and police do not have the necessary equipment,” she said. The minister stressed that the PTI’s rhetoric was putting “Pakistan at stake, and if they do not stop, we will not be left with any other opti...

Pakistan and Indonesia on Tuesday signed seven Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation across a wide range of sectors, during a ceremony witnessed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.

Air quality across several districts of Punjab deteriorated sharply on Tuesday, with dense smog pushing pollution levels into the “extremely unhealthy” category, authorities and health officials said.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday announced the schedule for local government elections in the Islamabad Capital Territory. The term of the local government expired in February 2021, but elections could not be held and were further delayed due to “new legislation.” In a notification also posted to social media, the ECP called on voters in the ICT to elect their representatives to the general seats of union councils. It set Dec 19 as the date for public notice inviting nomination papers to be issued by the returning officers (ROs), while Dec 22-27 (excluding Quaid-i-Azam Day on Dec 25) as the dates for filing of nomination papers with the ROs by the candidates. The names of the nominated candidates will be published on Dec 29, and the nomination papers will be scrutinised by the ROs from Dec 30 to Jan 3, 2026. From Jan 5-8, appeals may be filed against the decisions of the ROs to accept or reject the nominations. These appeals will be decided by the Appellate Authority from Jan 9-13, and the...

The governor of the US state of Florida, Ron DeSantis, on Monday designated Muslim advocacy group Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood foreign terrorist organisations. The move comes after Texas Governor Greg Abbott last month designated the CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organisations. Since then, US President Donald Trump has also issued an executive order directing agencies to initiate the formal process for designating certain chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organisations. According to Fox News, Florida’s designation of the CAIR is at the state level. It doesn’t carry the legal force of a federal foreign terrorist organisation listing, which only the US State Department can issue. In a post on X, the Florida governor said, “Florida is designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the CAIR as foreign terrorist organisations. “Florida agencies are hereby directed to undertake all lawful measures to prevent unlawful ...