Pakistan

Healthcare groups slammed the passage of US President Donald Trump’s tax-cut and spending bill on Thursday, warning that its sweeping healthcare provisions would inflict widespread harm on millions of Americans. The bill, when enacted, will overhaul the government’s Medicaid healthcare programme that covers around 71 million low-income Americans, introducing changes including mandatory work requirements that are expected to leave nearly 12 million people uninsured, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Republicans have said the legislation will lower taxes for Americans across the income spectrum and spur economic growth. According to the CBO, the bill would lower tax revenue by $4.5 trillion over 10 years and cut spending by $1.1tr. Much of those spending cuts come from Medicaid. Bobby Mukkamala, president of the American Medical Association, an influential US doctors’ group, warned that the Medicaid cuts would limit access to care by leaving millions without health insurance and make it harder...

ISLAMABAD - On the concluding day of the three-day Ministerial Conference of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a bilateral meeting was held between Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, and the Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation Andrey Sergeyevich Nikitin.

• Flash flood risk in northern areas from July 7-12 • Heavy rain forecast across all provinces, GB and AJK • Second monsoon spell expected to affect most Punjab districts • PDMA Balochistan warns of flash floods in 20 districts • Tourists advised to avoid high-risk areas; citizens urged to stay indoors RAWALPINDI / LAHORE / QUETTA: The National Emer­gencies Operation Centre (NEOC) of the National Disa­ster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued impact-based weather alerts ahead of predicted monsoon activity and a strong westerly wave expected to affect multiple regions of the country from July 6 to 10. Flash flood risks are also anticipated in northern areas from July 7 to 12. Isolated rain and thunderstorms are expected in Islamabad and across Punjab, including Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Mianwali, Sargodha, Khushab, Gujran­wala, Gujrat, Faisalabad, Lahore, Kasur and Okara from July 6 to 10. Widespread moderate to heavy rainfall is forecast across northern and central Punjab, while southern district...

Pakistani security forces successfully thwarted a major infiltration attempt along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, eliminating 30 Indian-sponsored terrorists in the Hassan Khel area of North Waziristan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed on Thursday.

The Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) has finalized a comprehensive traffic and diversion plan to ensure the safety of participants and smooth vehicular movement during the 8th Muharram procession on Friday.

PESHAWAR - Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Khan Gandapur visited CMH Peshawar to inquire after the security personnel injured in the recent suicide attack in North Waziristan.

Amid scorching temperatures and prolonged power outages, thermosensitive and expired medicines are reportedly being sold at local medical stores in Osta Muhammad, raising serious public health concerns.

• LG Minister Ghani chairs maiden session of steering committee for Greater Karachi Regional Plan 2047 • Says absence of master plan led to disorganised, haphazard urban growth • Mayor promises to include all relevant stakeholders in formation of new plan KARACHI: The maiden meeting of the steering committee tasked to develop the Greater Karachi Regional Plan 2047 was informed on Thursday that the new master plan of the country’s commercial capital would be ready within two years. Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani chaired the inaugural meeting of the high-powered body, which was also attended by Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, director generals of the Sindh Building Control Authority, Karachi Development Authority, Malir Development Authority and Lyari Development Authority, Additional Chief Secretary-Local Government Waseem Shamshad, Senior Member Board of Revenue Baqaullah Unar, Planning & Development Secretary Sajjad Abbasi, Project Director Muhammad Arshad Khan, representatives of the project’s con...

QUETTA - The 7th Muharram procession ended peacefully in the provincial capital Quetta on Thursday.

PM Shehbaz reaches Azerbaijan to represent Pakistan at 17th SCO Summit.

LAHORE - Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan on Thursday filed a formal disqualification reference with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against 26 opposition lawmakers accused of disrupting Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s speech during the last budget session.

LAHORE - The Lahore High Court issued its written verdict on Thursday, rejecting the bail petitions of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder in eight cases related to the May 9 violence.

ISLAMABAD - The British High Commission (BHC) yesterday organized a Climate Change Awareness and Mitigation training workshop at the Nawa-i-Waqt and The Nation offices in Islamabad.

A horrifying incident unfolded in Lahore’s Johar Town, where a pet lion attacked a family at a private farmhouse, leaving three people including two children seriously injured.

SC asks SCBA, PBC to provide email addresses, mobile numbers of all AORs, ASCs for their registration with CMS.

Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi on Thursday urged the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to abandon its rigid approach and engage in meaningful dialogue with the government.

ISLAMABAD - Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday met with prominent Ulema of all schools of thought, stressing their role in ensuring peace during Muharram.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Russia have agreed to enhance road and rail connectivity between their countries through Central Asia, in a bid to boost regional trade and economic cooperation.

LAHORE - The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday disposed of multiple petitions filed against a ban on vapes and electronic cigarettes, directing authorities not to take action against vape business owners until proper legislation is introduced.

• Justice Minallah admits judiciary at fault when appeals exceed reasonable timeframe • Regrets how petition by death row prisoner received first hearing seven years after it was filed • Criticises abysmal conditions in overcrowded prisons across the country ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed regret over the inordinate delays plaguing the country’s criminal justice system, warning that such inefficiencies are eroding public confidence in the judiciary and amount to a form of “unauthorised punishment”. In a detailed judgement, Justice Athar Minallah called for the urgent completion of appeal processes and said the abysmal conditions in overcrowded prisons across the country add to the unimaginable suffering of prisoners — especially those on death row. These conditions become “a form of unauthorised punishment not intended by the legislature”, he wrote. He emphasised that it was the constitutional duty of every organ of the state — the executive, the judiciary and the legislature — to take urg...