Pakistan

As Christmas approaches, people around the globe have been preparing for the holiday season by buying decorations and food, praying, and presenting gifts to one another. This Christmas Eve featured multiple events celebrating the upcoming holiday, with the erection of giant Christmas trees, parades in cultural attire, and gatherings in cities around the world. People visit St. Anthony’s Church, decorated on Christmas Eve, in Lahore on December 24. — AFP An ice skating rink and Christmas tree are set up at the LA Live Plaza at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, the US on December 23. — Reuters Vendors sit in front of their shop selling Christmas decorations in Hanoi, Vietnam on December 24. — AFP A cyclist passes near a giant Christmas in Abidjan, in Cote d’Ivoire on December 23, ahead of Christmas. — AFP A four-year-old elephant named Samu is fed a Christmas tree with fruits and vegetables at Budapest Zoo and Botanic Garden in Budapest, Hungary on December 23. — AFP Young women take a selfie in ...

Russia plans to put a nuclear power plant on the moon in the next decade to supply its lunar space programme and a joint Russian-Chinese research station, as major powers rush to explore the earth’s only natural satellite. Ever since Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to go into space in 1961, Russia has prided itself as a leading power in space exploration, but in recent decades it has fallen behind the United States and, increasingly, China. Russia’s ambitions suffered a massive blow in August 2023 when its unmanned Luna-25 mission smashed into the surface of the moon while attempting to land, and Elon Musk has revolutionised the launch of space vehicles - once a Russian speciality. Is that a nuclear reactor on the moon? Russia’s state space corporation, Roscosmos, said in a statement that it planned to build a lunar power plant by 2036 and signed a contract with the Lavochkin Association aerospace company to do it. Roscosmos did not say explicitly that the plant would be nuclear but it sa...

PESHAWAR: At least four children were injured in the Gondalabad area of Kurram district on Wednesday after a quadcopter attack, said official sources. For months, militants in the region have used quadcopters to drop explosives on security forces and the current year has seen an increase in such attacks. In today’s attack, a quadcopter released its explosive payload over a residential area. As a result, three boys and a girl sustained injuries, confirmed official sources. The injured minors were shifted to a nearby medical facility for medical treatment. Security sources condemned the attack, calling it “an act of violence against innocent civilians and children”. “Such incidents reflect a deliberate targeting of non-combatants and have nothing to do with religion or humanitarian values,” they added. An investigation into the incident is underway, while security in the area has been tightened following the attack. Last week, two women and two teenagers were injured in a quadcopter attack in the Janikhel area ...

The military’s top brass on Wednesday vowed that no malicious interest, political or otherwise, aimed at undermining national unity would be tolerated, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. These remarks were made at the 273rd Corps Commanders’ Conference, which was convened at General Headquarters (GHQ) Rawalpindi and chaired by Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir. “The forum categorically rejected the nexus between terrorism, crime, and vested political interests,” the ISPR’s statement read. “It resolved that no malicious interest, political or otherwise, aimed at undermining national unity, security and stability would be tolerated, nor would anyone be allowed to create divisions between the Armed Forces and the people of Pakistan.” Paying tribute to security personnel martyred in counter-terrorism operations and civilians who “laid down their lives in recent terrorist incidents”, the forum noted that Pakistan’s gradual progress towards sta...

A United Nations (UN) expert on Wednesday warned that Bushra Bibi, the wife of former prime minister Imran Khan, is being “detained in circumstances that could pose a serious risk to her physical and mental integrity”. Bushra is serving a seven-year sentence in the £190 million corruption case. She was recently sen­tenced to 17 years’ imprisonment in the Toshakhana 2 case, which revolved around the purchase of an expensive jewelry set gifted to Imran by the Saudi crown prince during his May 2021 visit. “The state has an obligation to protect Mrs. Khan’s health and ensure conditions of detention compatible with human dignity,” Alice Jills Edwards, the UN Special Rapporteur, said in a statement issued on Wednesday. Earlier in May, the Adiala prison administration submitted a detailed report to the Islamabad High Court (IHC), stating that Bushra was receiving a range of special facilities at the prison, with accommodation provided to her under the Pakistan Prison Rules 1978, including medical care, private lodgi...

Motherhood begins with immense joy, but soon, physical and mental exhaustion step in. The body feels unfamiliar, and the mind rides an emotional roller coaster. In the middle of sleepless nights and feeding schedules, self-care quietly fades away. The “baby blues” often step in, leaving many mothers feeling fragile and overwhelmed. Yet, recovery is not a luxury but a necessity. And that’s where post-pregnancy yoga steps in. It serves as a gentle bridge between healing the body and calming the mind. From hormonal fluctuations to weakened core and pelvic muscles, after childbirth, a woman’s body undergoes dramatic changes. Back pain, fatigue, anxiety, and mood swings are common complaints. In today’s fast-paced world, many mothers feel pressured to “get back in shape” quickly, but healing takes time, and the body deserves patience. Yoga offers far more than physical exercise, as it is a complete system of self-recovery. Gentle asanas strengthen the pelvic floor, back, and abdominal muscles. Breathing practices ...

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Wednesday that the government was fully satisfied with the privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), terming the Rs135 billion deal a historic milestone with major symbolic importance for the country’s economic and aviation reforms.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is expected to be run by a new owner from April next year, subject to approvals, and receive fresh capital under a deal to privatise the flag carrier, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation Muhammad Ali said on Wednesday. A consortium headed by the Arif Habib Corporation emerged as the top bidder in a live-televised auction for a 75 per cent stake in PIA on Tuesday, marking a breakthrough for the government’s long-delayed privatisation of the carrier. The Arif Habib consortium offered Rs135 billion, surpassing a government reserve price of Rs100bn, in a sharp turnaround from last year’s failed sale attempt. Muhammad Ali, the privatisation adviser to the prime minister, told Reuters in an online interview that the state expects a new owner to be running the airline by April, subject to approvals. The process now moves to final approvals by the Privatisation Commission board and the cabinet, expected within days, with contract signing likely within two weeks and fin...

The President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will arrive in Pakistan for an official visit on December 26 (Friday), according to a statement from the Foreign Office (FO) issued on Wednesday. This will be the second time the Emirati president will visit Pakistan this year, having met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Rahim Yar Khan in January. However, Friday’s trip, according to the FO, will be his first official visit as president. According to the statement, President Al-Nahyan will review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations with PM Shehbaz and the pair will “exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest”. “The visit will provide an important opportunity to further strengthen the longstanding brotherly relations between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates,” the FO said. The FO added that the visit reflects the depth of bilateral relations between both nations and their shared commitment to bolster collaboration in key areas, including ...

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday chaired a review meeting on the recommendations of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Energy and granted in-principle approval for the formulation of a comprehensive National Energy Plan in consultation with relevant federal ministries and provincial governments.

The nation will observe the 149th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, on Thursday with national zeal and fervour.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday chaired a meeting of a private-sector working group formed to propose reforms related to ports for boosting business activity and accelerating economic growth.

The Committee on National Dialogue (CND), comprising a group of former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, has welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s invitation for dialogue, terming it a positive initiative.

BANNU: Bannu Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Sajjad Khan said on Wednesday that 27 cops were martyred in 134 terrorist attacks targeting personnel in the district in 2025. He made the remarks while addressing a press briefing at his office, where he gave a detailed breakdown of the overall law and order situation in the district and operations carried out against terrorist elements. According to the DIG, Bannu police conducted comprehensive, well-organised and result-oriented operations against militants. He said the data showed that during 2025, a total of 134 terrorist attacks targeted police stations, police posts, checkpoints, police mobiles and police parties. In these attacks, 27 police personnel were martyred, while 79 sustained injuries. In retaliatory action by police, 53 terrorists were killed and 163 were injured, he said. The DIG said that Bannu police carried out 168 intelligence-based operations across the district, resulting in the arrest of 105 terrorists and the elimination of 65 terrorists. O...

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday adjourned the hearing on petitions challenging the Local Government Act 2025 after seeking further arguments from all parties.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of a code of conduct violation case against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and Shahnaz Umar Ayub until January 13.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said that the government was satisfied with the sale of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), adding that it had great “symbolic value”. He expressed these views on Geo News programme ‘Geo Pakistan’ when asked whether the government was satisfied with the process. “Yes, the government is satisfied. This is the first biggest transaction of our privatisation process. This transaction has a great symbolic value,“ he said, recalling that previously First Women Bank had also been privatised but that transaction was not as big. A consortium led by the Arif Habib group won the auction for a controlling stake in Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Ltd (PIACL) on Tuesday with a bid of Rs135 billion after a competitive, televised process, marking the country’s first major privatisation in nearly two decades. The sale is a central plank of the government’s plan to offload loss-making state-owned enterprises and a key condition under Pakistan’s $7bn International Mo...

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Wednesday that Pakistan had reached a critical turning point, with macroeconomic stability, sustained reforms, and policy continuity restoring confidence and steering the economy toward export-led, long-term growth. In an interview with USA Today, the minister said this was opening new horizons for domestic and global investors, and positioning the country for sustainable, long-term economic growth. He said this transition was enabled by macroeconomic stabilisation, easing inflation and improved external balances, with the government driving export-led, productivity-based growth through structural reforms, sustaining reform momentum despite challenges, and actively encouraging global investment in emerging opportunities across agriculture, minerals, technology and climate resilience. He noted that, for the first time in several years, Pakistan had achieved both a primary fiscal surplus and a current account surplus, signalling a decisive shift away from the cycle of...

The daytime movement of heavy traffic vehicles has been banned in Karachi for two months, it emerged on Wednesday. The development comes as the city has recently witnessed a steep increase in traffic accidents, with many resulting from collisions with heavy vehicles such as dumper trucks and water tankers. A notification issued on Tuesday by Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi, a copy of which is available with Dawn, said that the deputy inspector general of the Karachi Traffic Police had requested the imposition of a ban on the movement of heavy vehicles during the daytime “in order to resolve traffic congestion issues due to the influx of heavy vehicular traffic and to prevent road traffic accidents”. The notification added that in the interest of protecting human lives and ensuring the smooth flow of traffic, there were sufficient grounds to proceed under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) to regulate the movement of heavy traffic within the city. As a result, the Karachi commissioner imp...

India’s space agency launched its heaviest ever payload on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling the deployment “a significant stride” for the space sector. The LVM3-M6 rocket launched the US-built AST SpaceMobile communications satellite into low-Earth orbit. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said it was the “heaviest payload to be launched from Indian soil”. The launch is a boost for India’s ambitious low-cost space programme, with plans for an uncrewed orbital mission and human spaceflight in the coming years. The satellite, weighing 6,100 kilogrammes (13,448 pounds), was launched on a modified version of a rocket that India plans to use for its future space missions. India is vying for a larger slice of the booming commercial satellite business as phone, internet and other companies seek expanded and more high-end communications. Modi said the launch marked “a proud milestone in India’s space journey”. “It strengthens India’s heavy-lift launch capability and reinforces our growi...