Pakistan

LAHORE: Pakistan’s fragile economy, already reeling from the shock of rising oil and gas prices, has been further exacerbated by a lack of economic restructuring measures, five senior PTI leaders incarcerated in Kot Lakhpat Jail said on Tuesday. In an open letter shared by their counsel Rana Mudassar Umer, PTI leaders Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed and Omar Sarfraz Cheema said that Pakistan’s hard-earned macroeconomic stability, gained by “squeezing” ordinary citizens over the last three years, would wither away in the next three weeks if the Gulf conflict were to persist. It also said that uncertainty and the shock of rising oil and gas prices had scrapped the chances of a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Commenting on the country’s economic situation, the leaders said it was becoming increasingly difficult to meet the performance criteria agreed upon at the time of budget formulation for the current fiscal year. “Exports remain ...

Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran, Mudassir Ali Tipu, has expressed gratitude to the Iranian government for ensuring smooth transit trade between the two countries during challenging times.

A total of 5,615 Pakistani citizens have returned from Iran since the outbreak of the ongoing conflict on February 28, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said on Tuesday.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday rejected allegations by the Afghan Taliban regime that Pakistan targeted a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, describing the claim as “entirely baseless.

Another Pakistani national was killed due to “falling debris” following the interception of a ballistic missile in the United Arab Emirates, the country’s media office said on Tuesday. The development marks the third instance of a Pakistani national losing their life in an attack in the UAE during the ongoing war between Iran, the US, and Israel. The Abu Dhabi Media Office, in a statement on X, said that the authorities “responded to an incident involving falling debris in the Baniyas area, following the interception of a ballistic missile by air defence systems”. “The incident resulted in the death of a Pakistani national,” it said. The Pakistan Embassy in the UAE, in a statement on X, expressed sorrow at the death and said it was in “close coordination” with local authorities. The embassy said that it will extend “all possible support to the bereaved family,” and added that the embassy will “facilitate the repatriation process at the earliest possible time”. “In this hour of grief, we share in the family’s ...

KARACHI: Inhalational asphyxia/suffocation was the predominant cause of death in the tragic Gul Plaza fire that claimed at least 73 lives, according to Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed. The deadly inferno, which erupted on the night of January 17 at the mall, took nearly two days to be fully extinguished and left over 1,100 shops in ruins. Despite 10 days of hectic search efforts amid the rubble, at least eight people remained missing. Dr Syed submitted a reply to a questionnaire from the judicial commission probing the blaze, it emerged on Tuesday. Asked what the dominant cause of loss of life was, in her professional opinion, the police surgeon stated: “The predominant cause of loss of life was inhalational asphyxia/suffocation.” However, she added, polytrauma could not be ruled out in 66 others “due to fragmented remains”. Polytrauma is a medical condition involving multiple severe injuries. Detailing the findings, Dr Syed said, “Inhalational asphyxia was established as the primary medical cause of death in...

Multiple explosions staged by suspected suicide bombers rocked the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, killing at least 23 people and wounding more than 100 others, police said on Tuesday. The three blasts, which struck on Monday evening, came after an attack on a military post overnight Sunday to Monday, which authorities blamed on suspected militants. Combined with the attack on the military position the evening prior and a mosque bombing in December, the assaults have wrecked a peaceful stretch in the city, which had become a relative oasis of calm as Nigeria’s long-running insurgency was pushed to the rural hinterlands. Fighters from Boko Haram and rival group Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have recently stepped up attacks in northeastern Nigeria. Their 16-year campaign to establish their rule in the country has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced around two million. “Preliminary investigation reveals that the incidents were carried out by suspected suicide bombers,” police spoke...

BEIJING/PESHAWAR/ ISLAMABAD: Pakistani forces targeted the Afghan Taliban’s military installations in Kabul and Nangarhar on Monday night, the government said, as Islamabad pressed on with Operation Ghazab lil-Haq. The operation was launched on the night of February 26, following unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban from across the border. Security sources had reported the development late on Monday night, with Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirming the military action early on Tuesday. In a post on X, he said the armed forces “successfully carried out precision airstrikes” as part of Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, targeting “Afghan Taliban regime terrorism-sponsoring military installations in Kabul and Nangarhar”. “Technical support infrastructure and ammunition storage facilities at two locations in Kabul were effectively destroyed,” Tarar said, stressing that the “visible secondary detonations after the strikes clearly indicate the presence of large ammunition depots”. In the Afghan province of Nang...

The Punjab Home Department has issued comprehensive security directives to ensure public safety during Eidul Fitr celebrations across the province.

UNITED NATIONS: This year, the International Day to Combat Islamophobia did not pass unnoticed — largely due to mounting tensions in the Middle East and their ripple effects across the globe. Pakistan, which spearheaded the 2022 UN resolution establishing the observance, underscored that anti-Muslim hatred is intensifying worldwide, with political rhetoric, digital platforms, and mainstream discourse amplifying the problem. The observance comes amid heightened global instability, particularly the ongoing conflict involving Iran, which analysts say has contributed to a fresh surge in Islamophobic narratives. Reports indicate a spike in online hate speech and dehumanising rhetoric targeting Muslims, feeding a broader climate of intolerance that the UN and allied nations have increasingly called attention to. Observed annually on March 15, the International Day commemorates the victims of the Christchurch mosque attacks, in which 51 worshippers were killed. It was designated by the United Nations General Assembl...

Murad Ali Shah has in principle approved a Rs100 billion master plan to transform Civil Hospital Karachi, marking a significant step towards upgrading healthcare infrastructure in the provincial capital.

Azma Bukhari has said that Maryam Nawaz is serving the people of Punjab with dedication and care, likening her leadership to that of a “caring mother.

Shehbaz Sharif has announced a major relief package for federal government employees ahead of Eid ul-Fitr, directing that their salaries be disbursed before the holidays.

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have reportedly resumed direct communication in recent days, Axios reported, citing a US official and a source familiar with the matter. Both officials had previously managed negotiations between Washington and Tehran before Israel and the United States launched an attack on Iran. Axios noted that it is unclear how substantive the messages exchanged were, but the contacts mark the first known direct communication between the parties since the conflict began. According to the US official and the source, Araghchi sent text messages to Witkoff focused on ending the war. However, Drop Site News reported on Monday that Witkoff had sent messages to Araghchi, quoting Iranian officials who said the foreign minister was ignoring the White House envoy’s messages. The US official told Axios that it was Araghchi who was attempting to engage, but the US “is not talking” to Iran. Neither source provided details...

Muslims across Pakistan, along with the wider Islamic world, observed Shab-e-Qadr (Lailat-ul-Qadr) with deep religious devotion on the night between Monday and Tuesday.

Islamabad - President Asif Ali Zardari has extended warm congratulations to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the people of Kazakhstan on the successful holding of the constitutional referendum.

LAHORE - The Punjab cabinet on Monday approved a series of development initiatives and welfare measures across the province during a meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

LAHORE: The Punjab cabinet on Monday approved the purchase of 10 vehicles for the superior judiciary, besides making a decision to contribute to the prime minister’s austerity fund. The cabinet committee and the Services and General Administration Department’s transport wing had recommended the procurement of at least 108 new luxury vehicles for cabinet members and bureaucrats for Rs1.14 billion during the current financial year. However, the cabinet approved the purchase of only 10 vehicles for the higher judiciary. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz while ministers and officials joined it remotely as part of the government’s austerity drive. The Punjab government also announced that provincial cabinet members, special assistants, and parliamentary secretaries would donate two months’ salaries to the PM’s austerity fund. “The Punjab Assembly will also participate in the austerity campaign, with members voluntarily donating two months’ salaries and 25 per cent of their allowances to the fu...

• Senate panel told ample petrol, diesel available; import of lower-quality fuel okayed; price hike ‘did not benefit’ OMCs • Officials tell panel no LNG supply from Qatar since March 2, gas will not be available after April 14 • Petrol committee briefed March fuel requirements fully secured, coverage available up to mid-April ISLAMABAD: The federal government has planned a subsidised fuel scheme for motorcyclists and rickshaw drivers to cushion the impact of a massive hike in oil prices, following a similar move by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. “The government is working on a package to provide relief to (owners of) motorcycles and rickshaws,” said newly appointed petr­oleum secretary, Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh, while testifying before the Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum on Monday. He claimed that the government had taken measures which would “provide relief to the people”. On Sunday, the government increased the price of kerosene oil by Rs40 per litre and approved Rs23 billion for oil marketing compani...

• Premier tasks Intelligence Bureau to monitor compliance with fuel austerity measures • Pakistan Railways ordered to increase number of freight trains to shift cargo traffic away from roads ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday ordered the release of salaries for government employees before Eid, while reiterating that his government was taking all possible measures for immediate economic relief as well as long-term stability. The PM was chairing a meeting to review the enforcement of austerity and relief measures and the conservation and management of petroleum reserves in the wake of the emerging situation in the region due to the Iran war. A statement issued by the PM’s Office said that economic stability and relief remained among the government’s top priorities and it was prepared to face any situation arising from the ongoing global tensions. During the meeting, he said consultations were being held regarding additional measures to provide relief to the public, adding that an adequate quanti...