Pakistan

• International Stabilisation Force ‘won’t fight Hamas’; Indonesia says it is preparing to deploy 20,000 troops for health, construction-related tasks • Muslim bloc foreign ministers back UNRWA amid talk of ‘terror designation’ WASHINGTON: International troops could be deployed in the Gaza Strip as early as next month to form a UN-authorised stabilisation force, two US officials told Reuters, but it remains unclear how Hamas will be disarmed. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) would not fight Hamas. They said lots of countries had expressed interest in contributing and US officials are currently working out the size of the ISF, composition, housing, training and rules of engagement. An American two-star general is being considered to lead the ISF but no decisions have been made, the officials said. Deployment of the force is a key part of the next phase of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan. Under the first phase, a fragile ceasefire in...

• Calls for lasting ceasefire, humanitarian access and reconstruction in Gaza • Meets Iranian president; cites mutual support during external aggression • Holds informal interactions with Putin and Erdogan, Tajik and Kyrgyz presidents ISLAMABAD: Turkish Pre­sident Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed Ankara’s readiness to contribute to a mechanism established to maintain stability amid ‘extended ceasefire’ between Pakistan and Afghanistan, after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at an international forum on Friday urged the global community to press the Afghan Taliban to honour their international obligations and curb terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil. President Erdogan made the offer during a meeting with PM Shehbaz on the sidelines of the international forum held in Turkmenistan, where the premier also held meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon and Kyrgyzstan Pres­ident Sadyr Japarov. Addressing the event dedicated to the...

• IBCC notifies new policy after unanimous approval by all boards • Single Secondary School Certificate proposal still under review ISLAMABAD: The Inter-Board Coordination Commission (IBCC) on Friday notified a new policy allowing students with an arts background in matric to enroll in pre-medical and pre-engineering groups (FSc) at the intermediate level. The notification, issued by the IBCC, which is the main coordinator for all education boards, stated that arts students could register in these groups starting from the first annual examinations of 2026. “Consequent upon the recommendation of the Sub-Committee and response received from Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PM&DC), Higher Education Commission (HEC), National Curriculum Council (NCC) and Provincial Curriculum Authorities, the IBCC Forum [meeting of all boards] in its 183rd meeting held on Dec 4-5, 2025 has unanimously resolved that the students who have passed the SSC (Arts Group) may be allowed to register f...

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has held that a husband cannot be prosecuted for rape of his wife unless the pronouncement of divorce takes legal effect in accordance with the mandatory requirements of the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance (MFLO) 1961. Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh issued the ruling on a petition filed by Jameel Ahmad seeking the quashing of an FIR registered at Police Station City Liaqatpur under Section 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which prescribes punishment for rape. The complainant had alleged that the petitioner lured her into cohabitation and later married her on April 22, 2024. She claimed she later discovered he was already married and, upon her protest, he divorced her on Oct 14, 2024. According to the FIR, three days later — on Oct 17 — the petitioner and a co-suspect allegedly entered her home at night, where the petitioner raped her at gunpoint. The petitioner, however, denied the allegation of a live-in relationship and contended that the FIR was fabricated as retaliation for the divo...

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United Nations’ special rapporteur warned on Friday that PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan is being held in conditions that could amount to inhuman or degrading treatment. In September, his legal team approached the rapporteur to urge the Pakistani government to cease the alleged mistreatment of the couple. Prime Minister’s Aide Rana Ihsan Afzal, however, dismissed the concerns of the UN rapporteur and said Imran was being kept “according to prison rules and the jail manual”. “His children have access and he should schedule [a call] and put in the appropriate request. There is no issue or obstacle from the government of Pakistan,” said the premier’s aide. He added that the PTI founder is being provided facilities “greater than his rights” as a B-class prisoner. “He has the facilities of exercise available, good food is available and ample space is also available.” The UN official, Alice Jill Edwards, urged Pakistan to take immediate and effective action to address reports of the 73-year-old’s i...

THE crisp December air was festive at the KHA Hockey Complex as blue skies played canvas to clouds clouds imitating no less than an artist’s work. The view above contrasted smoothly with the expanse of the deep blue of the astroturf of the venue, located in the midst of the sprawling Gulshan-e-Iqbal. As buses honked relentlessly at the ever-bustling Nipa after having swished dust off the perpetually under-construction University Road, hockey took centre stage on the other side of the wall. It was the day when the gold medal winners for the national sport at the National Games were to be decided. View this post on Instagram There were no surprises; it were heavyweights Wapda and Army who added to their already stacked medals table to take the honours in the women’s and men’s finals respectively. Each achievement was celebrated with maximum zeal, as the announcer shouted his heart out even for the silver medal winners Punjab and Navy. The screams got louder as Wapda and Army received their gold medals. It was a...

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Asks Afghan regime to address Pak security concerns; Reiterates Pakistan's call for peaceful dispute resolution

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Says right to privacy necessitates shielding people from encroachment into private domains

Condemn Israel for storming agency's headquarters in East Jerusalem

MoU signed with Binance on tokenising up to $2b in assets

Pakistan’s international stalwarts led the charge as weightlifter Hanzala Dastagir Butt demolished the field to bag gold by a long shot, while badminton star Mahoor Shahzad won the women’s singles for the third time as the competitions drew to a close at the National Games on Friday. Wapda’s Hanzala made each lift look effortless as a delighted crowd mostly comprised of team-mates and enthusiasts of the sport looked on at the YMCA Scouts Auditorium. He lifted 157kg in the snatch and 193kg in the clean and jerk to post a massive 350kg total in the men’s 110kg category. The 23-year-old is already eyeing next year’s Commonwealth Games, where his older brother Nooh Dastigir Butt clinched the +109kg title in record-breaking fashion at the 2022 edition. “I take inspiration from him that one day I’ll also win a medal for Pakistan at that stage, and set a new record,” Hanzala told Dawn. Hanzala’s gold was one of four on the men’s side in addition to one silver and bronze medal each to clinch the trophy. Wapda’s Hanza...

Pakistan’s badminton queen, Mahoor Shahzad, lived up to her star billing with a gritty comeback victory to claim her third National Games gold on Friday, headlining a day of intense finals at the Nazimabad Sports Club, Karachi, that saw Wapda’s dominance challenged and a dramatic men’s singles decided by a contentious call. The sparse crowd inside the complex was treated to high drama, beginning with the marquee women’s singles where the event’s poster girl, Wapda’s Mahoor, faced a stern test from Army’s left-handed dynamo, Alja Tariq. Mahoor, initially off-rhythm, trailed 7-3 in the first game before her veteran composure surfaced. Forcing errors and winning a breathtaking rally to level at 9-9, she edged a tight opener. The second game was a fiercer battle. Alja, pumped and precise with her drops and smashes, surged to a 9-4 lead and held an 11-8 advantage at the mid-game break. Facing a possible decider, the champion shifted gears. She methodically reeled in the deficit, drawing level at 14-14 before racin...

ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Friday warned the finance authorities saying that non-payment of pension to former Auditor General of Pakistan Akhtar Buland Rana despite a clear court order could lead to contempt proceedings and the freezing of government accounts.

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan has acquitted Amjad Ali, who had been serving a life sentence in a murder case, after converting his jail petition into an appeal.

PESHAWAR - Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Friday chaired a provincial cabinet meeting where key decisions were taken regarding the province’s financial rights, governance reforms, and development planning.