Pakistan

LAHORE: Lady luck was smiling brightly on young Hasan Nawaz here at the Gaddafi Stadium Saturday night. It was a genuine thriller as in-form Quetta Gladiators looked to upstage table toppers Islamabad United on a track which had everything for all. Medium-pacer Moha­mmad Shahzad was given the ball to bowl the final over with Gladiators needing 15 to win. Shahzad off his own bowling dropped Hasan who top edged a short ball. The very next ball, captain Salman Ali Agha floored a difficult chance in the slip as the batters took two runs. The 22-year-old Hasan lifted the pacer for a six over long-off before wicket-keeper Andries Gous in confusion failed to gather the ball while running towards third man, giving Hasan yet another life as the batters added two more. Hasan — who made a superb 64 not out off 41 balls with four sixes and two fours — had the last laugh on the penultimate ball as the right-hander smashed a slightly short delivery for a six over backward square leg giving Gladiators a memorable win beside...

KARACHI: The ongoing water crisis caused by the rupture of an 84-inch main water supply line in the University of Karachi is likely to persist as the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation is still struggling to complete the repair work on Saturday. While KWSC Chief Operating Officer Asadullah Khan had on Thursday said that the repair work would be completed by Saturday night, a water utility spokesman said that the repair work was still in progress and would be completed by Sunday (today). The leakage in the main supply line wreaked havoc on Karachi University and nearby housing societies. It also caused an acute water shortage in several areas of the metropolis. Officials said that the city required over 1,200 million gallons of water daily and it was getting 400 MGD, out of a regular supply of 650MGD, due to the repair work on the Siphon No 19. The KWSC spokesman said that the water would be released to the Siphon No 19 after the completion of the repair work. The water pumped from the Dhabeji Pumping Stat...

KARACHI: The milk and tea leaves used by almost every tea shop and stall across the city have been found to be alarmingly contaminated with harmful chemicals and substances, the Sindh Food Authority (SFD) officials have said. “100 per cent of samples of tea leaves and 90 per cent of milk samples collected in different areas have been found adulterated and contaminated with chemicals and added colours,” the officials added. Speaking to Dawn on Saturday, they said that the SFA had recently inspected as many as 127 tea shops and stalls in different parts of Karachi to collect samples of the two major ingredients of the aromatic beverage prepared by boiling water, milk, sugar and cured leaves. Their analysis showed that all of them were using contaminated and adulterated tea leaves, while only 10 per cent were using pure milk, they added. Food Authority says milk was adulterated with detergent, carbonates, salt and water They said that 80 per cent samples of the milk collected from 127 tea shops were found adulte...

QUETTA: Gunmen on Saturday freed 10 prisoners, including two convicts and took five police officials captive after they erected a roadblock near Mangocher on the Quetta-Karachi highway and intercepted the vehicle transporting prisoners to Quetta from Gadani jail. The authorities were using a private van to transport prisoners; the driver and the vehicle were released by the gunmen. Officials said that a police team was shifting 10 prisoners to Quetta and the central jail in Mach from Gadani jail. When the wagon reached the Mangocher area of the Kalat district in late evening, the armed men were blocking the national highway and inspecting every vehicle, including buses and trucks. After they came across the prison van, they freed the prisoners and kidnapped five police personnel, who were guarding the van, along with their official weapons. Two police personnel dressed in plainclothes, however, remained safe. The prisoners included one condemned prisoner who was awarded a death sentence and another was awarde...

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s spokesperson Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif on Saturday briefed the minister of the political section and acting deputy head of the mission at the US Embassy Zach Harkenrider on what he called politically-motivated cases against political prisoners, including founder of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Imran Khan. An official statement issued here said that Mr Saif met deputy head of the US Embassy in Islamabad where both sides discussed the tense situation between Pakistan and India following the ‘false flag’ operation in Pahalgam. The discussions also covered regional peace, law and order, and the political climate at both national and provincial levels, the statement said, adding that Mr Saif strongly condemned India’s baseless allegations post-Pahalgam and highlighted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s war-mongering behaviour. The statement said that the KP government’s spokesperson briefed the US diplomat on ‘politically-motivated’ and ‘fabricated’ cases against poli...

Pakistan has officially banned Indian-flagged cargo vessels from entering its ports in response to escalating tensions with India following the recent Pahalgam incident.

• Waqas claims pro-PTI YouTube channels, X accounts being restricted • GB lawmakers call for RTI law in region ISLAMABAD: The opposition party, PTI, has accused the government of harassing journalists and viewing the freedom of expression as a “threat”. In a statement issued on World Press Freedom Day, the party claimed dozens of journalists have been harassed, abducted or targeted with false cases over the past year. “Incidents like the martyrdom of renowned journalist Arshad Sharif stand as clear examples of the choking of independent journalism,” the PTI said, while referring to the journalist killed in Kenya in 2022 before the incumbent government came into power. “In addition, prominent journalists such as Kashif Abbasi, Arif Hameed Bhatti, Habib Akram, Paras Jahanzeb and many others “who dared to speak the truth” have been deprived of their livelihoods,” said the PTI information secretary, Sheikh Waqas Akram, in an apparent reference to news anchors taken off air during the past few months. Mr Akram exp...

GILGIT: A Polish cyclist, granted permission by the Gilgit-Baltis­tan Chief Court to cycle up to the K2 basecamp, will start his journey within the next few days. Paweł Małaszko arrived in Gilgit on Saturday as part of his adventure to cycle across Pakistan — from the shores of the Arabian Sea to the K2 Base Camp. However, his adventure was stalled as the required permit to go to the popular tourist destination couldn’t be issued due to an ongoing legal battle. On Friday, the GB Chief Court ordered the government to issue the trekking permit to Mr Małaszko. Last year, the GB government hiked permit fees for mountaineering and trekking expeditions by 300 per cent under the GB Finance Act, 2024. The region’s tour operators challenged the decision in court, which issued a stay order, effectively suspending the issuance of new permits. Mr Małaszko had filed an appeal in the GB Chief Court for the trekking permit, according to Asghar Ali Porik, a tour operator. View this post on Instagram An official of the GB tou...

Pakistan will strike any Indian structure built to divert water: Kh Asif PM says Pakistan will cooperate fully with neutral international probe into Pahalgam incident Shehbaz Sharif says India yet to respond to Pakistan’s offer to have a credible, transparent investigation Dar discusses regional security situation with.

Islamabad - Following the failure of the Pahalgam False Flag Operation, Indian media has aired yet another fabri-cated and baseless report.

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif formally launched the ‘Apni Zameen, Apna Ghar’ programme by pressing its e-portal button here on Saturday.

ISLAMABAD - Noted religious and political leader, Senator Prof Sajid Mir, head of Jamiat Ahle Hadith Pakistan Saturday passed away at 86 following a heart attack.

ISLAMABAD - Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday called for an action plan to align the National Police Bureau with modern requirements.

Islamabad - Five Khawarij were killed and two apprehended during three separate operations conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on April 30 and May 1.

FAISALABAD - Senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Adviser to Prime Minister (PM) on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah said that the Pak Abdali missile has the potential to deliver a decisive response to any Indian aggression.

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry will hold an important background briefing on the national security for representatives of all political parties on Sunday (tomorrow).

• Experts diverge on anticipated rate cut quantum, businesses demand substantial reduction to revive economy • Some see status quo after tomorrow’s meeting as war-like situation expected to hike food prices KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: Despite a long-term decline in inflation and real interest rates above 11 per cent, opinions on the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) likely decision on the policy rate are divided, with trade and industry sectors advocating for a significant cut. Researchers conducted polls to gauge market sentiment, but the 0.3pc inflation in April has caused division among those who were confident there would be no change in the interest rate. The SBP’s Monetary Policy Committee will meet on Monday to set the key interest rate for the next two months. The central bank had delivered a surprise by leaving its policy rate unchanged in the last review, disappointing the business community, which was demanding a substantial cut of at least 500bps. Many experts were expecting a slight cut of up to 50bps. Howev...

Islamabad - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday directed all relevant departments to expedite efforts for early and efficient finalization of project for solarizing tubewells in Balochistan.

LONDON: A large pro-Pakistan demonstration was held on Saturday outside the Indian High Commission in Aldwych, London, under the aegis of Pakistan Muslim League-N’s UK chapter. The protest came in the wake of the deadly April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Occupied Kashmir, which left 26 people dead and reignited tensions between India and Pakistan. India has accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack, an allegation Islamabad has firmly denied, instead calling for an independent and impartial investigation into the incident. Waving Pakistan flags and placards, demonstrators chanted slogans including, “Gen Asim Munir Zindabad”, “Pakistan Zindabad”, “Kashmir belongs to Pakistan” and “We condemn Indian terrorism”. The protesters also denounced India Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Hindutva ideology, with chants of “Modi is terrorist” and “Down with Hindutva ideology” echoing through the streets. PML-N UK President Ahsan Dar addressed the protesters, saying:“ This huge show is a reflection of the sentiment Pakist...

DHAKA: Thousands of activists of Bangladeshi religious parties rallied in Dhaka on Saturday, one of their biggest public shows of strength in years. Religious groups have gained strength after the toppling of the iron-fisted regime of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, opposing attempts at reforms they say are un-Islamic. Hefazat-i-Islam — an influential group made up of multiple political parties, Muslim organisations and religious schools — issued a string of demands at Saturday’s rally, including the abolishment of a government women’s commission seeking equality. “Men and women can never be equal: the Holy Quran outlines specific codes of life for both genders,” said Mohammad Shihab Ud­din, 53, leader of a women’s mad­­rassa, a religious school. “There is no way we can go beyond that.” No date has been set for elections, but caretaker leader Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize winner who heads the interim government, has promised polls will be held by June 2026 at the latest. Muhammad Umar Faruq, 30, another...