Pakistan

The Sindh government on Thursday constituted a high-level committee to “ensure the execution of the inquiry report” of the Gul Plaza inferno, which claimed the lives of more than 70 people in January. The deadly fire erupted on the night of Jan 17 and took nearly two days to be fully extinguished, leaving the ground-plus-three-storey building of Gul Plaza in ruins, with some of its sections collapsed. Subsequently, a one-member judicial commission was formed to probe the incident, and it handed over its report to the Sindh government on Tuesday. A statement issued by the Sindh Home Department said the decision to form a committee for the report’s implementation was taken during a meeting of the provincial cabinet’s sub-committee, where the report was reviewed. “This decision follows significant progress made after the investigation into the unfortunate fire incident at Gul Plaza Shopping Centre, Karachi,” the statement read. The commission, headed by Justice Agha Faisal of the Sindh High Court, identified the...

The project will transform the area into a modern walking street

Scheme aims to uplift 850,000 individuals including farmers in Hazara Division

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Heavy rains, inflation push deadline to end of May

Oncologist Dr Sana Zeeshan urges women to prioritise regular check-ups

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam held a phone call with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday, in which he sought Pakistan’s support for bringing an immediate end to Israeli attacks on his country, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The statement said that during the call, PM Shehbaz strongly condemned Israel’s ongoing aggression against Lebanon and expressed condolences over the loss of thousands of precious lives in these hostilities. “The prime minister said that Pakistan was engaged in sincere efforts for regional peace and it was in this spirit that the peace talks between Iran and the US were being convened,” it said. “While thanking PM Shehbaz for his peace efforts, the prime minister of Lebanon sought Pakistan’s support for bringing an immediate end to the attacks targeting Lebanon and its people,” the statement said, adding that both leaders agreed to remain in contact. PM Shehbaz also posted on X about the phone call, saying, “Grateful to Prime Minister Nawaf Salam who expressed...

ISLAMABAD: The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) on Thursday warned citizens of additional fees and penalties for those who delay obtaining or renewing their identity documents. In a press release, the authority said that identity documents were issued for a specified time and it was every the responsibility of every adult citizen to ensure the timely renewal of their identity documents, particularly CNICs, before their expiry. “Failing this, essential services linked to these documents, including bank accounts, mobile phone SIMs, and other verification-based services may be adversely affected or suspended,” it said. “Furthermore, citizens whose identity cards have expired may not be able to avail themselves of various government and welfare programmes, such as the Benazir Income Support Programme, government subsidy schemes, including the recently announced fuel subsidy scheme, as well as transactions like property and vehicle transfers,” it added. “This results in unnecessary hardship for...

A resolution has been introduced in the Punjab Assembly proposing the nomination of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Field Marshal Asim Munir for the Nobel Peace Prize.

A key opposition Indian politician has threatened legal action against the election commission after millions of people were struck off electoral rolls, the latest flashpoint over a contentious voter clean-up drive. A sweeping voter registration overhaul — known as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) — meant to remove ineligible voters but which critics say is skewed against marginalised and minority communities, kicked off last year in several states and territories. Many of these regions voted on Thursday to elect local governments, with two other states slated to go to polls later this month. That includes West Bengal, a state with roughly 100 million people led by Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress party, where it has run into furious opposition. West Bengal is also a crucial election battleground, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has never governed. Voting was under way in Assam and Kerala, along with the federally administered territory of Puducherry, while West ...

Security has been beefed up in the Red Zone in the federal capital and local holidays have been declared in the twin cities as Pakistan is gearing up to host talks between the United States and Iran. Due to the sensitivity and importance of the talks, comprehensive security measures have been put in place, involving all law enforcement agencies and security forces. VVIP protocol under the Blue Book will be extended to the delegations during their movement, stay and meetings. Police, paramilitary troops and other security forces will perform duties under strict guidelines outlined in the Blue Book and other applicable standard operating procedures. Separate routes are also being prepared for the movement of the delegations. Journalists gather in front of shipping containers after authorities blocked roads in the Red Zone area in Islamabad on April 9, 2026. — AFP A bus is seen on a deserted street after authorities blocked roads in the Red Zone area in Islamabad on April 9, 2026. — AFP Security personnel inspec...

Pakistan has started resuming flight operations after the recent ceasefire in the Middle East, with air traffic gradually returning to normal at major airports across the country.

Pakistan and Ethiopia have agreed to explore the establishment of a trilateral maritime alliance, potentially involving Djibouti, aimed at enhancing trade connectivity between Asia and Africa.

WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s mediation that helped bring about a temporary US–Iran ceasefire has drawn global attention, with Islamabad’s envoy to Washington reiterating that the breakthrough was the result of “an intense diplomatic effort that was in progress over the past few weeks.” In an interview with CNN, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Rizwan Saeed Sheikh said Islamabad’s role was underpinned by trust from all sides, careful consultations, and a commitment to discretion. The interview on Wednesday came as Washington announced dispatching a high‑level negotiating team led by Vice President J.D. Vance to Islamabad to begin formal talks on ending hostilities following the ceasefire announced early Wednesday. China’s quiet but crucial role While Ambassador Sheikh did not map out specific country roles in detail, he acknowledged Beijing’s constructive stance. “China, from the very start, has also been mentioning the exercise of restraint and affording space for diplomacy to both sides,” he told CNN — a comment th...

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reached a staff-level pact with Sri Lanka, which will unlock financing of about $700 million once approved, the lender said on Thursday, calling for reforms, including in fuel levies, to ensure stability and growth. The deal comes as the island nation recovers from its worst economic crisis in decades, which led to a foreign debt default in 2022 and a $2.9-billion IMF bailout programme. Sri Lanka’s economic reforms have supported the recovery, but it has been significantly exposed to the Iran war and needs to “build back better” after Cyclone Ditwah, the IMF added. The Middle East conflict caused a surge in energy prices, disrupted a key air hub for tourists, and affected Sri Lankans working in the region, said Evan Papageorgiou, the IMF’s mission chief for Sri Lanka. “The staff-level agreement will go before the IMF executive board at the end of May or early April,” he added. Sri Lanka will need to raise power tariffs further and carefully manage its finances to navigate...

The Rawalpindi Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education on Thursday postponed the matric examinations scheduled to be held on April 10 (Friday) — when the federal capital will be abuzz with diplomatic activity during talks between the US and Iran. In a statement, it said that the exams at 64 examination centres across the city had been postponed. However, it said that exams in other districts of Rawalpindi Division would continue as per the schedule announced. According to a statement issued by the Rawalpindi BISE, the postponed exams included compulsory Urdu and geography. A new date for the postponed papers would be announced later, and the candidates would be duly informed, the statement said. The district authorities of the twin cities have declared two local holidays in Islamabad and Rawalpindi on April 9 (today) and April 10 (Friday) to ensure security for the scheduled peace talks between Iran and the United States. Due to the sensitivity and importance of the talks, comprehensive security measure...

Matriculation examinations set for tomorrow in Islamabad and Rawalpindi have been deferred, with revised dates to be announced in due course.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister (DPM/FM), Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Thursday spoke with Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East and the wider region.

Just minutes before a self-imposed deadline — an unprecedented threat to wipe out “a whole civilisation” — was set to expire, US President Donald Trump announced early Wednesday a two-week ceasefire halting the US-Israeli war on Iran, which has engulfed the Middle East. The development, anxiously awaited by much of the world, followed a long night of back-channel diplomacy spearheaded by Pakistan. Now, with a fragile ceasefire barely holding and tensions still flaring, Islamabad is set to host talks between the warring parties this Saturday. In an earlier post on Truth Social, Trump said the US had received a 10-point proposal from Iran, which he described as “a workable basis on which to negotiate”. On the other hand, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi mentioned a 15-point US proposal that negotiators said could end the conflict. But neither of the proposals have been formally unveiled as yet. Versions of both have been leaked and published online, and they seem to be poles apart, making the upcoming neg...