Pakistan

Severe flooding in the Hunza River has caused widespread destruction in the Gulmit area of Gojal, blocking the Karakoram Highway (KKH) for all vehicular traffic since Tuesday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to meet President Donald Trump during a visit to the United States next month to attend the UN General Assembly meeting, the Indian Express newspaper reported on Wednesday, citing sources. India’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. An Indian official familiar with the matter said a decision has not yet been taken, and that countries usually reserve slots for the General Debate at the assembly, which is why India’s “head of government” features in a provisional list of speakers on September 26. “The list will go through revisions,” the official said, adding that it had not yet been decided if Modi would be going to the assembly. The General Assembly kicks off on September 9, but the debate, the annual meeting of heads of state and government, will be held from September 23-29. Although the reason for the potential visit will be to attend the UN meeting in New York, a key objective will be to hold talks with Trump and iron out tra...

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Tuesday turned the tables on the protesting clerics, claiming that religious elements were spreading rumours about demolition of more mosques in the federal capital. The state minister said land on which Madani Mosque and madressah were built had been cleared in the presence of their management. The minister categorically refuted the reports circulating on social media that the government was planning to demolish another 50 mosques in the middle of the night. Responding to the religious parties’ protest on Monday over the demolition of Madani Mosque, he said action was taken after seeking consent of the head of the madressah. State minister says Madani Mosque demolished after seeking consent of seminary head “We had filmed the entire operation because it was anticipated that such a situation can develop,” he told the National Assembly while responding to a point of order raised by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) MNA Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri ov...

The National Assembly (NA) is set to decide on vacating the seat of opposition lawmaker Sheikh Waqas Akram during its session scheduled for Wednesday.

The three-day celebrations of the 982nd annual Urs of the great Sufi saint Hazrat Data Ali Hajveri (RA) began in Lahore on Wednesday under tight security arrangements.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s exporters are poised to gain a significant competitive advantage in the US market after the government successfully negotiated a reduction in reciprocal tariffs — from 29pc to 19pc — the lowest rate in the region. An official statement issued by the Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday noted that the reduced tariff will create new opportunities for Pakistani exporters to expand their footprint in the US. The development was discussed during a high-level meeting on US reciprocal tariffs, chaired by Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan. The meeting was attended by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Commerce Rana Ihsaan Afzal, Secretary Commerce Jawad Paul, senior officials from the Commerce and Industries Divisions, and more than 30 leading exporters and SMEs from key sectors including apparel, textiles, rice, salt, surgical instruments, sports goods, electronics, food and agriculture, and leather. Commerce M...

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Tuesday informed provincial cabinet that security forces were conducting targeted operation in Bajaur tribal district after failure of negotiations between a local jirga and terrorists. An official statement issued here said that Mr Gandapur chaired the meeting of cabinet and talked about law and order situation and condemned anti-state elements attempting to destabilise the country. He said that terrorism was unequivocally unacceptable as it impacted all people equally. He said that provincial government adopted a proactive strategy and established jirgas to build public trust and enlist community support in the fight against terrorism. He said that proliferation of terrorism would not be tolerated and writ of government would be upheld without compromise. The chief minister said that operations and forced displacement of civilians were not his government’s policy. He confirmed that no authorisation was given for such actions. He said that Section 144 was im...

LAHORE: Police claimed on Tuesday to have busted a gang involved in looting citizens through online taxi apps and arrested its four members. As per a handout, the gang had been operating by using fake ride-hailing apps to target passengers. According to details, a citizen was robbed of valuables worth millions of rupees after booking a ride on Jail Road, Lahore. The driver fled with the victim’s belongings. The victim quickly contacted Police Helpline 15. A virtual patrolling officer at Punjab Safe Cities Authority immediately traced the suspects’ vehicle using advanced surveillance cameras and AI-powered tracking systems. The data was shared with Lahore police, who swiftly apprehended the suspects. Upon arrest, police recovered vehicles, luxury items, weapons, and more than 200 SIM cards from the gang. Initial investigations revealed that the gang had been defrauding citizens by posing as drivers through fake taxi apps. Authorities have urged the public to use only authentic and reliable platforms when booki...

TOBA TEK SINGH: An alleged serial rapist and blackmailer of children, who was arrested on Monday, was killed in an “encounter” with Faisalabad’s Lyallpur Division Crime Control Department team on Tuesday. According to police, suspect Mohsin Yasin, a refrigerator mechanic, residing in Kot Khan Muhammad locality, would rape minor boys and girls, record their pornographic videos and blackmail them. He was arrested on Monday. The police claimed that the suspect escaped from their custody. The CCD teams chased the suspect, who entered a house located on Satiana Road, from where he and his accomplices opened fire on the policemen. A crossfire took place between the criminals and the CCD teams, following which Mohsin was found lying injured in the house, allegedly in the firing by his accomplices, who fled. The police said the suspect was shifted to the Allied Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Meanwhile, as per the police, a suspected cattle thief was allegedly killed in an encounter with a CCD tea...

• 47 killed while trying to infiltrate from Afghanistan, three neutralised in subsequent operation; PM, president laud forces • Nine personnel martyred in ambush near Iran border; attack on police station repulsed • FO welcomes US decision to declare BLA, Majeed Brigade as foreign terrorist groups • Police vehicles targeted in Sibi, Quetta QUETTA: Security forces have gunned down 50 terrorists over the past four days, as they foiled an attempt by militants to cross over from Afghanistan into Balochistan’s Zhob district, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement on Tuesday. In the Sambaza area of Zhob district, 47 terrorists were killed following “successful engagements by security forces” from Aug 7 to 9, it said. In the same area along the Pak-Afghan border, three more “Indian-sponsored” terror­ists were killed during a “saniti­sation operation” on the night of Aug 10-11, it said, adding that arms and ammunitions were seized from their possession. The statement referred to these militants as...

Senator Sherry Rehman on Wednesday called for strict accountability over reported losses of Rs.

Islamabad: PM Shehbaz Sharif addresses a ceremony.

Joint statement issued after US-Pakistan Counterterrorism Dialogue in Islamabad underscores critical importance of developing effective approaches to BLA, ISIS-K, TTP Islamabad welcomes Washington’s move to blacklist BLA, Majeed Brigade.

HYDERABAD - Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday said that after designation of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Majeed Brigade as terrorist outfits attempts are afoot to secure an identical declaration from the United Nations.

PESHAWAR - The Peshawar High Court (PHC) yesterday barred the Senate chairman and National Assembly speaker from appointing leaders of opposition in their respective Houses.

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb Tuesday met with the Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, at the Supreme Court.

ISLAMABAD - Senate Chairman Muhammad Yousaf Raza Gillani on Tuesday praised young people worldwide, especially in Pakistan, calling them the “bright future of the nation.

ISLAMABAD - Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday said that Pakistan has achieved significant economic milestones, marking a robust turnaround in the macroeconomic framework - a foundation for long-term growth.

ISLAMABAD - First Lady Ms Aseefa Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday called for united action — involving government institutions, health professionals, media, and communities — to raise awareness to combat breast cancer, the most common cancer among women in Pakistan and the highest in prevalence in Asia.

PDMA warns of possible flooding in rivers due to upper-area rains.