Pakistan

Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) Chief Executive Officer Bilal Bin Saqib has unveiled the country’s first government-led Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. Saqib was recently appointed as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Crypto and Blockchain, with the status of a minister of state. He has been on a tour of the United States seeking investment in Pakistan’s crypto markets. He made the announcement about the reserve after delivering a keynote address before an elite audience, which included United States Vice President JD Vance, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr, at the Bitcoin Vegas 2025 in Las Vegas. “Pakistan is no longer defined by its past. It is being reborn as a forward-looking hub of digital innovation — powered by its youth, sharpened by necessity, and led by a new generation of tech statesmen,” said Saqib, in a statement issued by his office. “I’m not just here as a minister,” he said. “I’m here as the voice of a generation — a generation that is online, on-chain, and unstoppable.” In his keynote speech...

SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: The Joint Political Peace Alliance on Wednesday demanded transparent and impartial investigation into the alleged quadcopter strike in Karmazi Stop area of Birmal tehsil that injured several people. It termed the incident “regrettable and a cause of public unrest” and called for legal action against those responsible. In a statement, the JPPA leaders said public cooperation was vital for maintaining peace in the region and such incidents risked eroding the trust of local youth and civilians. They said that ensuring public safety and security was the foremost responsibility of the state and all relevant institutions should play a constructive role in that respect. The alliance leaders insisted that at times, extraordinary measures taken under the pretext of security could inadvertently affect innocent civilians. They urged law-enforcement agencies to adopt strategies that were both effective and community-friendly to restore peace and rebuild public confidence. The JPPA leaders announced they...

Two Pakistani children, previously denied life-saving medical treatment in India, have undergone successful heart surgeries at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) in Rawalpindi.

KHYBER: Consultations and deliberations started both in Bara and Tirah among various stakeholders after they were conveyed a message about possible military operation during an official meeting on May 27 (Tuesday). Held at Khyber House and chaired by Peshawar Commissioner Riaz Mehsud, the meeting was also attended by regional security officials, deputy commissioner of Khyber, DPO and elders from Tirah and Bara along with elected representatives. Sources told Dawn that commissioner conveyed to the participants of the meeting the government’s resolve about ‘decisive’ military operation against various terrorist groups presently holed up in some localities of Shalobar and Zakhakhel areas in Tirah valley. They said that the commissioner also told Tirah elders that residents of Landawar, Dray and Darpair in Shalobar and Zarra Pakha and Mazari Sar in Zakhakhel had to be temporarily displaced prior to start of operation after Eidul Azha to avoid collateral damage. MNA questions infiltration of terrorists into the va...

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, has called on the international community to take urgent action in response to the dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza, declaring it a war zone where civilian life has become unsustainable.

MUZAFFARABAD: The post-1989 migrants from across the Line of Control (LoC) issued a veiled warning to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government on Wednesday over the alleged non-fulfilment of their demands. At a meeting, members of the Refugees Working Committee — including heads of refugee camps and elected councillors — urged the government to fulfil their long-ignored demand for two reserved seats in the Legislative Assembly, one each for refugees from occupied Jammu and the occupied Valley, ahead of the general elections due next year. They also demanded an increase in the monthly subsistence allowance and allocation of funds for their resettlement in the 2025-26 budget. The participants strongly condemned what they called the persistent neglect of the 1989 refugees by successive AJK governments. “It is deeply unfortunate that even after three and a half decades, the condition of Kashmiri refugees remains unchanged,” read a joint communiqué issued after the meeting. According to the communiqué, over 9,5...

• Omar Ayub alleges Nawaz was initially unwilling to conduct nuclear tests • PTI stresses need for political unity, independent judiciary ISLAMABAD: A message shared via the official X (formerly Twitter) account of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday called on public to prepare for a countrywide protest movement. The post came a day after Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, had proposed a ‘give-and-take formula’ for Mr Khan’s release. Although Mr Khan does not have direct access to his social media account, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has not disclosed who manages his posts. The latest message, posted in Mr Khan’s name, urged the masses to get ready for a nationwide protest movement, to be launched soon. It also raised concerns about his treatment in Adiala Jail, alleging that he was being denied basic rights. “Under jail regulations, I am entitled to a 30-minute meeting with my wife, Bushra Bibi, once a week, but even that has not been allowed for several days,” the post quoted Mr Khan as say...

Billionaire Elon Musk on Wednesday announced he was leaving his role in the US government, which was intended to reduce federal spending, shortly after his first major break with US President Donald Trump over his signature spending bill. “As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President Donald Trump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” he wrote on his social media platform X. “The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government,” he added. The South African-born tech tycoon had said Trump’s bill would increase the deficit and undermine the work of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has fired tens of thousands of people. Musk — who was a constant presence at Trump’s side before pulling back to focus on his Space X and Tesla businesses — also complained that DOGE had become a “whipping boy” for dissatisfaction with the administration. “I was disappointed to see the massive spendin...

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Wednesday regretted ‘another inflammatory monologue’ delivered by Indian Prime Minister Modi, advising the Indian government to cleanse its conscience, desist issuing threats and return to the core principles of international order, including respect for sovereign rights of others and its treaty.

ISLAMABAD - Youm-e-Takbeer was celebrated with patriotic zeal across the country on Wednesday in remembrance of nuclear tests conducted by Pakistan on this day in 1998.

ISLAMABAD - Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), Chief of Army Staff (COAS), met with Colonel General Hasanov Zakir Asgar Oglu, Minister of Defence, Azerbaijan, in Lachin, Azerbaijan.

ISLAMABAD - Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, on Wednesday emphasized that modern national security goes beyond traditional defense and is now deeply linked to economic strength.

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr Musadik Malik on Wednesday said that India acted recklessly during the recent conflict, showing no restraint or responsibility, and put the entire region at serious risk.

ISLAMABAD - As part of the commemoration of Youm-e-Takbeer, the Arms Control and Disarmament Centre (ACDC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) on Wednesday hosted a seminar titled “The Future of Deterrence and Emerging Challenges”.

Islamabad - A high-level political delegation headed by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will arrive in New York on June 2 on an official visit aimed at projecting Pakistan’s narrative against India in a recent military clash between both countries in the aftermath of Pahalgam attack.

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has expressed strong displeasure over the recent surge in chicken prices across the province.

Deeply regrettable Dr AQ Khan was forced to apologise on national television: Sheikh Waqas Akram.

PESHAWAR - A high-level government delegation led by Advisor to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Barrister Saif visited Miran Shah, North Waziristan and Bannu and assess overall security situation on Wednesday.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni in Tehran Wednesday where both countries made several important decisions to help pilgrims and improve border cooperation.

Shehbaz says peace requires negotiations; Signals willingness to discuss trade; Showers praise on Field Marshal Munir