Pakistan

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Residents slam RCB for failing to provide sufficient water despite dams being full

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Biennial contest recognises young painters with cash prizes and exhibit opportunities

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Residents of Jhanda Chichi report fear, worsening sanitary conditions

PTI senior leader Asad Qaiser on Sunday addressed rumours of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, stating that the party would approach the legal fraternity regarding the potential legislation. After passing the 26th Constitutional Amendment last year, the government had been planning to table another amendment, colloquially known as the 27th Amendment, aimed at reforming local governments and “addressing issues skipped in previous legislation”. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad today, the PTI leader and former National Assembly speaker stated that there is “new drama” surrounding the legislation. “In this case, we will approach the lawyers’ community regarding this legislation,” Qaiser said. “We will begin by meeting with the Islamabad Bar this month.” Referring to a “schedule of activities” for this month, Qaiser said that the PTI will also arrange an engagement with foreign diplomats and embassies, as well as a seminar. The PTI leader also assailed the manner in which the country is being governed, ...

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser on Sunday announced the launch of a lawyers’ movement against the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, calling it a direct threat to democracy and provincial autonomy.

Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, speaking to the Pakistani community during his visit to the United States, praised overseas Pakistanis as a symbol of “brain gain” rather than “brain drain,” calling them a source of pride and honour for the nation.

What is a man to do if he fails to find a home in the land he migrated to with all the hope of finding one? Muhammad, 62, who closed his eyes for the last time on May 6, 2025, still held on to the hope of ‘belonging’ somewhere. Born and raised in the heart of Dhaka, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), he was not even 10 when he migrated to Pakistan with his elder brother post-1971. Later, his entire family joined him in the refugee camps, where his mother and six siblings spent seven precious years of their life, struggling to survive. As a child, Muhammad accepted his fate, believing this was the course his life would take and that he would have to live it as long as he remained alive. But that was not the end for him. After seven brutal years of labour and violence — all kinds of violence he would later recount to his children — he did make it out of the camps. Not only did he escape but, within five years, he also earned a diploma in sketching from the Karachi School of Arts and landed a job at one of the city...

ISLAMABAD – Pakistani security officials have rejected Indian media reports framing Field Marshal Asim Munir’s recent interaction with the Pakistani diaspora in the United States as jingoistic, saying the portrayal is misleading and politically motivated.

No loss of life was reported after a bomb blast on a railway track in Balochistan’s Mastung district derailed six bogies of the Jaffar Express, an official said on Sunday. With a rise in terrorist attacks over the past few years, Balochistan has seen a series of incidents where militants blow up train tracks, targeting the province’s transport infrastructure. Muhammad Kashif, public relations officer of the Pakistan Railways’ Quetta division, told Dawn.com: “A bomb attached to the railway track exploded loudly, derailing six bogies of the train. Fortunately, there was no loss of life.” The incident occurred near the Spezand station in Mastung’s Dasht tehsil, when the train was heading from Quetta to Peshawar City station with 350 passengers on board. “Security forces and rescue teams rushed to the site as soon as they were alerted about the incident, and began a search operation after cordoning off the area,” Kashif said. “Four bogies of the Jaffar Express had been placed back on the track, while efforts were...

Two siblings were killed and their father injured in a road accident involving a dumper on Karachi’s Rashid Minhas Road near Lucky One Mall early Sunday, sparking mob violence and protests that disrupted traffic on key city routes, officials said. In recent months, Karachi has witnessed a rise in traffic accidents, especially involving heavy vehicles, including dumpers and water tankers, which killed nearly 500 people and injured 4,879 in 2024, according to hospital data. Central Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Zeeshan Shafiq Siddiqi said that around 3:15am, a dumper truck hit a motorcycle carrying a family, killing Mahnoor, 22, and her 14-year-old brother Ahmed Raza, and injuring their 48-year-old father, Shakir. Following the incident, transporters staged a protest by blocking Rashid Minhas Road and the Superhighway near Sohrab Goth, causing traffic jams. Both inbound and outbound roads on Rashid Minhas Road from Sohrab Goth towards Gulshan-i-Iqbal were closed, while traffic on Al-Asif Square towards ...

The Sindh Workers Welfare Board (WWB) on Sunday decided to extend its upcoming electric bikes scheme beyond women to industrial workers from minority communities. The move coincides with the National Minorities Day, which is celebrated on August 11 every year. It commemorates the historic speech by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, made on Aug 11, 1947, where he emphasised equal rights for all citizens regardless of religion. According to a statement, Sindh Labour Secretary Rafique Qureshi underscored the symbolic significance of this step, noting that “the white stripe in Pakistan’s flag represented minorities and their equal rights”. Religious freedom remains a challenge in Pakistan, with recurring incidents of mob attacks, forced conversions and blasphemy cases, as noted by the European Union’s Sebastien Lorion. Just last month, State Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Kesoo Mal Kheal Das acknowledged that religious minorities in the country face administrative and governance...

In a significant move to boost regional connectivity, Iran Air has launched its first-ever flight service linking Quetta, Zahedan, and Mashhad.

National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Sunday emphasised that the supremacy of Parliament, adherence to the Constitution, rule of law, and continuity of the democratic process are vital to Pakistan’s integrity, development, and prosperity.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday met with Ikram Ullah, a student from 2022 flood-hit area of Balochistan and expressed his pleasure at his educational strides owing to his hard work.

Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) on Sunday dismissed “incorrect and misleading” media reports about an eight-day closure of Islamabad International Airport, clarifying the exact date and time of the planned shutdown. A statement by PAA Spokesperson Saifullah Khan said, “According to the Notams issued, due to air activities ahead of Independence Day on August 14, arrival and departure flights will be suspended for only two hours on specific days and times.” From August 6-9 and August 11-14, the airport will be shut from 11am-1pm PST. On August 9 and 11, the airport will also be shut from 8-10pm. “Apart from these brief interruptions, all flights at the airport will continue as usual,” the statement said, advising passengers to contact their airline for the latest information on their schedule. The government has said that this year’s Independence Day would be celebrated under the banner of “Marka-i-Haq” (Battle of Truth) — the period of conflict with India in May — to demonstrate the nation’s resilience, prog...

More than 600 pilgrims in Iraq were briefly hospitalised with respiratory problems after inhaling chlorine as a result of a leak at a water treatment station, authorities said on Sunday. The incident took place overnight on the route between the two Shia holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, located in the centre and south of Iraq, respectively. This year, several million Shia Muslim pilgrims are expected to make their way to Karbala, which houses the shrines of the revered Imam Husain and his brother Abbas. There, they will mark the Arbaeen — the 40-day period of mourning during which the community commemorate the death of Husain, grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In a brief statement, Iraq’s health ministry said that “621 cases of asphyxia have been recorded following a chlorine gas leak in Karbala”. “All have received the necessary care and left the hospital in good health,” it said. Security forces charged with protecting pilgrims meanwhile said the incident had been caused by “a chlorine leak from a water...

China’s former defence attache in South Asia Cheng Xizhong on Sunday spurned India’s much-delayed claim that it had shot down six Pakistani aircraft during the May conflict, terming it “self-amusement”. Having faced international coverage of its own craft being downed by Pakistan and scathing criticism from the opposition, India’s Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh — three months after the conflict — claimed yesterday that his country had shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and one other military aircraft during those clashes. While Pakistan had already denied that India downed any of its aircraft, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif swiftly rubbished Singh’s “belated assertions” yesterday. Commenting on the matter today, Cheng said India’s allegations lacked strong evidence and have been “widely questioned by the international community, being considered groundless”, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported. Singh’s remarks were “comical, implausible and unconvincing”. “We may call it self-amusement,” he said i...