Pakistan

Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan on Wednesday approved large-scale new policies to ensure transparency and accountability in the National Highway Authority (NHA).

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that many countries were facing difficulties in maintaining the balance between demand and supply of essential commodities due to the global situation, but Pakistan was addressing the challenging situation “successfully and effectively,” the Prime Minister Office (PMO) said. According to a statement by the PMO, the prime minister made these remarks during a review meeting which was held to devise a comprehensive strategy to prevent the country from the financial and economic impacts arising from the regional conflict. PM Shehbaz commended the effective and timely measures taken by institutions to prevent any emergency situation regarding the demand and supply of essential goods. He appreciated the steps taken by relevant ministries and institutions through mutual coordination to address the financial and economic challenges and directed them to further enhance their cooperation. “After meeting domestic needs of food and essential items, progress is being made on...

Minister of Foreign Affairs of China Wang Yi conveyed his country’s appreciation and support to Pakistan’s active diplomatic role and efforts to end the conflict and promote peace in West Asia.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that the government was prioritising to provide technical and vocational training to the youth with international certifications in skills with high global demand.

A significant reduction of 35 per cent in combat-related fatalities was recorded across Pakistan during the month of March, coinciding with Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, according to monthly statistics released by a think tank. Data released by Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) showed that a total of 331 people were killed in March compared to 506 in February, marking a 35pc decline in overall combat-related deaths. PICSS also observed a decline in high-profile militant attacks, even as the overall number of attacks increased during the month. It noted that the reduction in human losses coincided with Pakistan’s cross-border military strikes under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, which began in the last week of February and targeted terrorist positions in Afghanistan. “The timing suggests these operations may have contributed to disrupting militant capacity and reducing the lethality of attacks,” the report noted. It added that in response to these strikes, groups including Teh...

Security forces killed 13 terrorists in two separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Wednesday. The military’s media wing said the engagement took place on March 30 and the terrorists belonged to “Indian Proxy Fitna al Khawarij”. Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. During the first intelligence-based operation (IBO) conducted in the Bara area of Khyber district, security forces killed 10 terrorists. “During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged khawarij location and after an intense fire exchange, 10 khawarij were sent to hell,” said the ISPR. In another IBO conducted in the Bannu district of the province, three terrorists were killed by security forces. “Sanitisation operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored kharji found in the area, as the relentless Counter Terrorism campaign under vision ‘Azm-e-Istehkam’ (as approved ...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday met a delegation led by VEON Group CEO Kaan Terzioğlu to discuss investment opportunities and cooperation in Pakistan’s digital sector.

The federal government, in coordination with provincial authorities, is working on a diesel subsidy plan aimed at supporting small farmers and easing agricultural costs amid rising fuel prices.

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Wednesday directed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to respond within 10 days to a petition seeking to prevent the mobilisation or activation of a “release force” for jailed PTI founder Imran Khan. Headed by FCC Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan, a three-judge bench also issued notices to respondents in the petition, namely the KP government, the PTI, the federal government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The proposed force was announced by CM Afridi in February after a days-long protest to secure a meeting with Imran failed to budge the government. It aims to continue the party’s struggle for the release of its founder, who has been imprisoned in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail since Aug 5, 2023. In the petition filed before the FCC, Advocate Ali Nawaz Kharal has contended that he was filing the plea in the public interest and seeking the court’s intervention to prevent the formation or mobilisation of any private force or militia in viol...

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has conveyed Beijing’s appreciation for Pakistan’s “active diplomatic role” and efforts towards ending the Middle East conflict, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Wednesday. Wang made the remarks during his meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Beijing on Tuesday, where the two sides had issued a five-point initiative for restoring peace in the Middle East. Referring to their discussions, the FO said in a statement, “The meeting was marked by traditional warmth and cordiality. Both dignitaries exchanged notes on the regional developments in West Asia as well as bilateral relations.” Dar briefed Wang in detail on Pakistan’s continued efforts towards the cessation of the Middle East conflict and resumption of dialogue, including its recent quadrilateral meeting in Islamabad with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt. According to the FO, both sides “reviewed the regional security environment and expressed deep concern over its seri...

Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban-led administration have resumed talks in China, which is mediating between the two sides in an effort to secure a durable ceasefire after weeks of heightened tensions, officials said on Wednesday.

The Sindh government has established a Public Complaint Cell at the Chief Minister Secretariat in Karachi in an effort to address citizens’ grievances more effectively.

Police in Spain said on Wednesday that they were investigating “Islamophobic and xenophobic” chants heard during the Spain-Egypt international football match in Barcelona. Egypt’s national anthem was jeered ahead of the 0-0 draw in Barcelona on Tuesday in a pre-World Cup friendly and authorities at the RCDE Stadium appealed to fans more than once over the public announcement system to refrain from making offensive comments. It was the latest in a string of similar incidents to overshadow Spanish football in recent years, with Real Madrid’s Brazilian attacker Vinicius Junior in particular repeatedly racially abused. “We are investigating yesterday’s Islamophobic and xenophobic chants at RCDE Stadium during the Spain-Egypt friendly match,” Catalonia’s regional police force, the Mossos d’Esquadra, wrote on X. The announcement came shortly after Spain’s Justice Minister Felix Bolanos condemned the incident, saying that “racist insults and chants embarrass us as a society”. “The far right will not leave any space ...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed investment opportunities and the promotion of the digital economy with Kaan Terzioglu, chief executive officer of VEON Group — a telecommunications and digital services company, state-run PTV said on X. During a meeting with the VEON Group CEO at PM House, the prime minister “emphasised the promotion of digital investment in Pakistan”, the broadcaster said. In the meeting, the prime minister outlined the successful auction of the 5G spectrum that was held last month, with 480 megahertz (MHz) sold for $507 million. The three bidders — Zong, Jazz and Ufone — had competed for the 2,600MHz band, a key frequency range for 5G services. Zong acquired 110MHz, Ufone 180MHz and Jazz 190MHz during the auction. During the meeting, PM Shehbaz also shared details of the government’s initiatives to digitise the economy by ensuring transparency and increasing youth participation in the IT sector, PTV added. Terzioglu lauded the investment opportunities in Pakistan and the government’s ...

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast rain and thunderstorms in Karachi and several districts of Sindh from April 2 to 4, as a westerly weather system approaches southwestern Balochistan.

A notable shift in overseas employment patterns has emerged, with a sharp rise in the number of Pakistanis heading to the United Arab Emirates in recent months.

Coach Graham Arnold challenged his players to “shock the world” after Iraq became the 48th and final team to qualify for the World Cup with a nerve-shredding 2-1 win over Bolivia in an intercontinental playoff in Mexico on Tuesday. Iraq, whose preparations were disrupted by the war in the Middle East, sealed their first appearance at the finals in 40 years and will play in Group I against France, Senegal and Norway. Goals from Ali Al-Hamadi and Aymen Hussein secured a famous win for Iraq, whose last appearance at the World Cup came at Mexico in 1986. “With everything going on in the Middle East at the moment it made it harder for the players,” said the Australian Arnold, who had initially sought to have the fixture postponed due to the disruption caused by the conflict. “Delighted for the players, very good boys, very happy for the 46 million Iraqis,” he added. “Hopefully, it will help change the perception of Iraq and the football in Iraq. Doing something in the World Cup nobody expects us to do. “Let’s shoc...

PESHAWAR: Renowned urologist Dr Asif Malik was seriously injured after unidentified assailants opened fire at him in the city’s University Town area last night, hospital and police officials said on Wednesday. Asif, a pioneer of kidney transplants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was shifted to Peshawar General Hospital (PGH) and was under treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU). A statement issued by city police stated that an investigation team recovered three empty bullet shells of a pistol from the spot near Asif’s home, adding that a case had been registered on the urologist’s behalf. “CCTV footage is being obtained, and teams have been assigned the task to arrest those behind the attack,” City Police spokesperson Alam Khan told Dawn. “Dr Asif Malik is stable,” the PGH, where he offers his services, confirmed in a statement on Facebook. “The matter is being handled by the relevant authorities, and we are fully cooperating with them,” the hospital said. It requested the public to respect the privacy of Dr Asif a...

Pakistan has received another petrol shipment as fuel supply lines show signs of stabilisation amid the ongoing Iran war.

ISLAMABAD - The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), through its Centre for Strategic Perspectives (CSP), in collaboration with the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Islamabad, hosted a roundtable discussion titled “Remembering Ambassador Sarvar Azimov: Diplomacy and Pakistan–Soviet Relations.