Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, and parliamentarians from across the political spectrum on Monday signed a landmark joint declaration on gender, breastfeeding, and nutrition in Pakistan, pledging coordinated action to protect child health, empower mothers, and remove systemic.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) lawmaker Abdul Qadir Gilani, a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from Multan, fell victim to a high-value street crime in Spain when unidentified thieves snatched his expensive gold-plated wristwatch in the city of Barcelona.

ISLAMABAD: Various religious groups joined hands on Monday to protest against the demolition of a mosque in the capital. The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) along with other groups held a protest at the site of the demolished Madni mosque near Rawal Dam Chowk. The protesters also uprooted the saplings planted by the CDA on the place. The mosque had been demolished late Saturday night. The JUI-F Member of National Assembly, Naeema Kishwar, also submitted a resolution condemning the demolition of Madni mosque. Addressing the protesters, JUI-F Islamabad chapter Emir Mufti Owais Aziz announced that legal proceedings would be initiated against the demolition of the mosque. He said the government was planning to raze 50 mosques in Islamabad and vowed to resist the move. He said the religious groups have unanimously agreed to get an FIR registered against Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and other officials under blasphemy laws. “If the police refuse to register the case, we will consider them enemies of Islam,” Muf...

PESHAWAR: Around 55,000 people have been displaced from different areas of Mamund tehsil in Bajaur tribal district due to the military operation, while 400,000 residents remain hostage to the suddenly-imposed curfew, local lawmaker Nisar Baz told the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday. During a debate on the law and order situation in the province with Speaker Babar Saleem Swati chairing the session, Mr Baz of the opposition Awami National Party insisted that the people displaced from his district due to a military operation against terrorismfaced multiple problems due to the government’s failure to cater for them. He said that neither the provincial government nor the federal government had made any arrangements to meet the needs of displaced residents. Mr Baz urged authorities to lift curfew to enable people to shift to safety. Opposition demands end to curfew to help residents move to safety “Almost the entire population is literally hostage to the curfew, which halted their migration. It’s astonishing ...

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan yesterday rejected the “immature remarks” made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs on the remarks attributed to Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Field Martial Asim Munir.

ISLAMABAD - President Asif Ali Zardari has said that Pakistan’s minority communities are an essential and respected part of society, and that their rights, freedoms, and safety are fully protected under the Constitution of Pakistan.

Light rain and drizzle in various parts of Lahore on Tuesday brought a welcome change in weather, easing the recent spell of humidity.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Asad Qaiser’s public apology from the nation over the decision of his party’s then government to extend the tenure of former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa has gained significant political and public attraction.

LAHORE - An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Monday sentenced senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, and Omar Sarfraz Cheema to 10 years in prison in two high-profile cases linked to the May 9 violence.

TOBA TEK SINGH: Faisalabad’s Lyallpur division Crime Control Department (CCD) police claimed to have arrested a paedophile serial rapist on Monday, who allegedly raped several minor boys and girls, recorded their videos and blackmailed them. According to CCD sources, the suspect ‘M’, a refrigerator mechanic residing in Kot Khan Muhammad locality on Satiana Road, had allegedly been raping minor boys and girls at gunpoint. The sources say the suspect would also record videos while raping children through secret cameras and later blackmail the victims. More than two dozen pornographic videos of eight to 12-year-old children were recovered from his mobile phones, besides other objectionable and obscene videos. The sources say that around a year ago, the suspect was caught red-handed raping a child, after which he fled to Multan. However, he returned to Faisalabad after six months and again raped an eight-year-old girl and made her pornographic videos. According to sources, the suspect had also allegedly electrocu...

WASHINGTON: The 50 per cent tariff imposed by the Trump administration on Indian goods, including basmati rice, has reshaped trade flows in the United States, providing Pakistan an opportunity to expand its share in the American aromatic rice market. Pakistan’s basmati rice exports have witnessed steady growth in recent years. According to the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), the country exported approximately 772,725 tonnes of basmati rice in FY24, generating $876.9m — up from 595,120 tonnes worth $650.4m in the previous fiscal year. The average export price per tonne also increased from $1,092.93 to $1,134.86. Data from Volza’s Global Trade platform shows that between November 2023 and October 2024, the United States accounted for 24pc of Pakistan’s total basmati exports through 1,519 shipments. Italy and the United Kingdom followed with shares of 14pc (908 shipments) and 11pc (716 shipments), respectively. Together, these three markets consumed nearly 49pc of Pakistan’s basmati rice exports. ...

LAHORE - The killing of innocent children, women and other civilians in Gaza is a great tragedy of this century.

ISLAMABAD - Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Federal Education Farah Naz Akbar stated that Pakistan is more than just a nation on map; it is an idea, a mission, and a divine blessing, and its sovereignty will always be fiercely protected.

KARACHI: A judicial magistrate was on Monday informed that a dumper driver booked and arrested for killing two siblings in an accident on Rashid Minhas Road a day before did not possess a heavy transport vehicle (HTV) licence. The investigating officer of the case brought the suspect before Judicial Magistrate (Central) Farman Ali Tager and sought his custody for 14 days for interrogation. He informed the court that as per initial inquiry the suspect did not possess a licence to drive a heavy vehicle. He said he only had the licence to drive light transport vehicles (LTV) and that too had expired in 2016. The IO asked for more time to get information regarding the owner of the dumper — involved in the accident — as well as need to verify the documents of the suspect. After hearing the IO, the court remanded him in police custody for two days and directed him to submit a progress report at the next hearing. Body formed to probe arson attacks A high-powered committee was formed to investigate arson attacks, whe...

GADANI: Gadani Jetty pink tide has caused widespread concern among marine scientists, environmentalists, and local communities, following the Balochistan coast, surprisingly turned pink from blue, ARY News reported. Not only did the colour turn pink, but also dead fish sightings and bad odour were observed. An on-site investigation was conducted on the directives of President […]

ISLAMABAD: Obtaining a national ID card in Pakistan is an obligation for every Pakistani to mark themselves as a responsible citizen. Every Pakistani aged 18 or above is eligible to apply for a Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC), which is essential for availing services such as banking, passport issuance, or voting. CNIC is issued by […]

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday called for the ending of dual citizenship of bureaucrats. Speaking on ARY News’ program Khabar, Khawaja Asif stated that bureaucrats should be required to declare their assets annually, urging that their dual citizenship should be ended, along with halting the allocation of government plots to them. Asif remarked, […]

Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has become engaged to model and influencer Georgina Rodriguez, marking a new chapter in their relationship. After an eight-year relationship, the soccer star has finally popped the question to Rodriguez. Georgina Rodriguez confirmed the engagement in an Instagram post on Monday by sharing a picture of the ring. “Yes I […]

AUSTIN: As a result of disastrous floods that flowed through the Texas Hill Country in July, an impressive paleontological discovery has emerged: dinosaur footprints discovered in Travis County, that is estimated to be over 110 million years old. The floods, which claimed at least 135 lives, removed layers of sediment and debris by force of […]

GAZA: The heartbreaking final will of Al Jazeera journalist Anas Jamal Al Sharif went viral on social media Monday, as he entrusted the world with the plight of Palestine, urging: “Do not forget Gaza.” Al Sharif, 28, was among a group of four Al Jazeera journalists and an assistant who were killed in an Israeli […]