Pakistan

Mishal Yousafzai has been elected to the Senate from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, securing 86 votes in a by-election held to fill the seat vacated by former PTI Senator Dr Sania Nishtar.

The provincial ombudsman for protection against harassment of women at workplaces on Thursday ordered the removal of K-Electric (KE) Chief Executive Officer Moonis Alvi after finding him guilty of workplace harassment. Alvi, along with other KE employees, was accused of workplace harassment by the company’s former chief marketing and communication officer, Mahreen Aziz Khan, said the order issued by provincial ombudsman Justice (R) Shahnawaz Tariq. In her application, Khan had accused Alvi, Chief People Officer Rizwan Dallia, Chief of Security Col (R) Wahid Asghar, and Member of the Board of Directors and Chairman Board HR Committee Khalid Rafi, of “causing harassment, intimidation and mental agony”. The ombudsman’s order said that Alvi had “committed harassment, created a hostile environment and caused mental agony at the workplace to [Khan] and her team”. Consequently, Alvi was penalised under Section 4(4)(ii)(c) of the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010, and ordered removed f...

Pakistan successfully launched a remote sensing satellite from a launch centre in China on Thursday that aims to strengthen Pakistan’s agricultural monitoring and disaster management, among other capabilities, according to a Foreign Office statement. Pakistan has held strong bilateral relations with China which has supported it through many investments and development projects such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), termed as a “lifeline” for the country’s economy. “In a major milestone for space exploration and technological progress, Pakistan today successfully launched its Remote Sensing Satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre (XSLC) in China,” a statement by the foreign ministry said. The satellite was launched by Pakistan’s national space agency, the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco), in collaboration with the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) and Microsat China, according to the ministry. According to the statement, the satellit...

A special anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faisalabad on Thursday sentenced several senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Omar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, and Zartaj Gul, to 10 years in prison over their involvement in the May 9, 2023, riots.

United States President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the sweeping tariffs he has imposed on nations around the world were making the country “great and rich again”, as governments raced to strike deals with Washington less than 24 hours before an August 1 deadline. “Tariffs are making America great and rich again,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform. “One year ago, America was a dead country, now it is the ‘hottest’ country anywhere in the world,” he added. A day earlier, the US president imposed new tariffs to punish or favour several major trading partners — the latest round of sweeping measures that have roiled markets around the world. South Korea squeezed in at the last moment, securing agreement on a 15 per cent tariff for exports to the US — significantly below the 25pc that Trump had earlier threatened to introduce. But Trump also announced crippling 50pc tariffs on Brazil and a 25pc levy on Indian exports, while warning Canada it would face trade repercussions for planning to recognise a Pal...

Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kiyani Thursday praised the strengthening of the bilateral partnership between Pakistan and the United States, describing it as a historic trade deal that will not only boost exports but also mark a diplomatic triumph for the Pakistani government.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has stated that the party will soon decide whether to boycott the assemblies or launch a protest movement in response to recent court verdicts against its leadership.

Experts have welcomed the announcement of a trade deal struck between the US and Pakistan on Wednesday night that includes a partnership in developing oil reserves in the country. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb is currently in Washington for negotiations on a tariff deal and also began meetings with senior US officials yesterday. United States President Donald Trump said early on Thursday that his administration has struck a trade deal with Pakistan that includes joint development of the country’s “massive” oil reserves. “We are in the process of choosing the oil company that will lead this partnership. Who knows, maybe they’ll be selling oil to India someday!” Trump said on social media. A post by US President Donald Trump on Truth Social in which he announced that a trade deal between Pakistan and the US had been reached, on July 31, 2025. — realDonaldTrump via Truth Social Additional details of the agreement were not immediately available; however, local experts welcome the development with a positive...

PML-N Senator Irfanul Haque Siddiqui has strongly denied rumours that party chief and ex-PM Nawaz Sharif intends to run for president or is making a political comeback. His statement comes amid speculations earlier that President Asif Ali Zardari would resign from his post. However, the news was rejected across the political spectrum. Speaking on Dawn News programme ‘Doosra Rukh’ on Wednesday night, Siddiqui categorically denied any such developments, saying, “Nawaz Sharif has neither expressed a desire to become president, nor has there been a discussion about it. “There is no truth to speculation that Nawaz Sharif is trying to change the system to become president himself. These are baseless, table stories.” He added that there was a time when it was inconceivable that Zardari would become the president, but the decision was made due to the situation, timing and political climate. Siddiqui had earlier also denied reports of Zardari’s resignation. Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Geo Pakistan’, he said: “Repo...

Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, said on Thursday that Pakistan’s first National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy would pave the way for the country’s entry into a new digital era.

Sindh Rangers branch and Malir Police on Thursday carried out a joint operation and arrested six suspects for allegedly stealing goods from cargo trucks and kidnapping truck drivers on the outskirts of Karachi, according to a statement from Sindh Rangers. Per the statement, Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) and Police, acting on sensitive intelligence information, conducted a joint operation in the Korangi area of Karachi. “During the operation, six suspects involved in international drug trafficking were arrested,” the statement said. “Among them was Irfan alias Irfanullah, an Afghan national and a key member of the network. This year, he had been using intercity buses and trucks to transport drugs to various parts of the country.” It said that for the past several months, the suspects had robbed trucks transporting cargo from Karachi to other parts of Pakistan, kidnapped drivers, and moved them to an undisclosed location. “After stealing the items from the loaded trucks, they would leave the vehicles in an isolated ...

Authorities in Gilgit-Baltistan have issued a fresh alert amid forecasts of heavy rainfall, warning of potential glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), landslides, and flash floods in the mountainous region.

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has issued arrest warrants for former president Dr.

At least three people died and another three were injured in separate roof collapse incidents due to heavy rains across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, rescue officials said on Thursday. Monsoon rains, which fall across the region from June to September every year, continue to lash many parts of the country. Starting in late June, Monsoon rains have wreaked havoc across the country in the past month by triggering deadly floods, landslides and displacement, particularly in vulnerable, poorly drained, or densely populated areas. In Lakki Marwat’s Sarai Naurang tehsil, three people were reported dead, including two women and a 15-year-old boy, when the roof of a room in their house collapsed amid heavy rain, according to a Rescue 1122 statement. The Rescue 1122 team has cleared the debris and recovered the bodies of the deceased from the site of the incident, which were transferred to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Sarai Naurang, said the statement. Meanwhile, in a separate incident in Bannu, at least two others — includin...

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former finance minister Hammad Azhar has decided to approach the Peshawar High Court (PHC) for protective bail in connection with more than 50 cases registered against him across multiple cities.

Pakistan’s pharmaceutical sector continues to gain global recognition, bolstered by the efforts of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).

In a major milestone for Pakistan’s space ambitions, the country has successfully launched a state-of-the-art remote sensing satellite developed by the Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO).

KARACHI: Pakistan faces another challenging year of external debt servicing in FY26, requiring significant rollovers to manage repayments totalling $25.9 billion, including $22bn in principal and $4bn in interest. According to a report by Topline Securities, the country will need to arrange a net financing of $10bn, comprising $6bn in principal and $4bn in interest, after accounting for expected rollovers and refinancing. In a briefing to analysts and researchers after announcing a status quo in the monetary policy on Wednesday, State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmed said foreign exchange reserves are projected to reach $15.5bn by December 2025 and $17.5bn by June 2026. Any proceeds from international bond issuances, such as Eurobonds or Sukuk, would be over and above this target. The governor added that Pakistan is due to repay $1.8bn in FY26 on account of two maturing Eurobonds — one of $800 million and the other of $1bn. Islamabad must arrange $10bn net external financing in FY26; SBP says total repayments reach...

LARKANA: Police rescued a woman and her two minor children on Wednesday who allegedly attempted suicide along with them by jumping into the Rice Canal. An official at the Civil Lines police station identified the woman as Farida Chandio, resident of Rasool Abad locality, and the children as three-year-old Usman and two-year-old Sadaf. When she jumped into the canal, policemen present on the spot rescued and shifted her to the women’s police station. Later, police produced her in the court of the fourth additional and sessions judge. Farida told the court that five years ago, she was married to Shahid Hussain Chandio. She said her husband was of a suspicious nature and used to abuse her physically over false accusations, putting her and children’s lives at risk. She requested for protection. The woman refused to return to her husband or go with her brothers and instead wished to stay at a shelter home (Darul Aman) for some time. She was shifted to Darul Aman after the court passed an order. Published in Dawn, ...

ISLAMABAD - The Federal government has allocated more than Rs13.