Pakistan | Pakistan

More than 25 million children across Pakistan are currently out of school, with 20 million of them having never attended school, according to a new report by the Pakistan Institute of Education (PIE).

Pakistan is preparing to return to the international debt markets next year by issuing dollar-denominated Eurobonds, ending a nearly five-year pause, Bloomberg reported.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has fined the Pakistan cricket team for maintaining a slow over rate during the opening One-Day International (ODI) against Sri Lanka, held on Tuesday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The foreign ministers of Iran and Russia have called for continued dialogue between Pakistan and Afghanistan to resolve their ongoing disputes on cross-border terrorism. Last week, a third round of talks between Islamabad and Kabul, which were taking place in Istanbul in the presence of mediators, broke down without any agreement, as negotiators failed to bridge deep differences over how to prevent cross-border terrorism. The talks had followed deadly border clashes between the two neighbours in October. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi spoke on the telephone on Wednesday, during which the two sides exchanged views on the latest bilateral and regional developments. In its statement on Telegram, the Russian foreign ministry said the two ministers “welcomed the agreement reached between Kabul and Islamabad, mediated by the authorities of Qatar and Türkiye, on a mutual ceasefire and an end to cross-border shootings along the Afghan-Pakistani frontier”. “The sides...

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday said Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir facilitated the talks with Sri Lanka, resulting in the latter’s cricket team deciding to stay in Pakistan for the ongoing matches. Sri Lanka’s cricket board said late last night that its team’s ongoing tour of Pakistan will proceed, averting a crisis-like situation after reports about some players returning home in the wake of Tuesday’s deadly suicide bombing in Islamabad. “Our field marshal himself spoke to their defence minister, secretary and convinced them and assured them fully of [providing] security,” Naqvi, also the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief, said while speaking on the Senate floor. View this post on Instagram He recalled that the Sri Lankan team yesterday “decided to return after the bomb blast occurred”. “Our interaction with them began […] their board, players and everyone decided with great bravery to stay here,” the PCB chairman added. “They had many concerns, but we tried to allay all of ...

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has highlighted mines and minerals in Pakistan as an important area of mutual interest between Pakistan and Canada and said that Canadian company Barrick Gold’s role in the Reko Diq project would be the harbinger of development in Pakistan and a success story of Pakistan-Canada economic.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday was dismissive of Afghanistan’s intent to reduce transit trade, saying the move would only “benefit” Pakistan. Relations between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban are at their lowest point in the four years since the group came to power. Border crossings bet­ween the two countries have remained closed since October 11 and trade has been at a standstill following ground fighting and Pakistani airstrikes across their 2,600-kilometre frontier that killed dozens on both sides in the worst fighting since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover of Kabul. “For us [it will have no impact], instead, I think it will be a relief for us because the amount of goods that are booked for Karachi Port from Afghanistan, ultimately, all end up in Pakistani markets,” said Asif while speaking on Geo News. The defence minister added that the goods imported from across the border had no consumption in Afghanistan and ended up disrupting Pakistan’s local markets. The minister also added, “When their trad...

Pakistan on Wednesday said that it continued to fully participate in good faith in the Neutral Expert proceedings, with its next phase scheduled to take place on November 17-21 in Vienna.

ISLAMABAD - In order to make justice delivery more transparent and citizen-centric, the Chief Justice of Pakistan chaired a high-level policy meeting Tuesday to steer progress on the automation and digitization of courts across Pakistan.

A counter-punching century by Salman Ali Agha and Haris Rauf’s fiery pace led Pakistan to a six-run win over Sri Lanka in the first One-day International at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday night. While Salman’s gritty knock carried Pakistan out of deep trouble for the hosts to post an above-par 299-run total, Haris bowled a red-hot spell (4-61) to restrict Sri Lanka despite the visitors looking dangerous early on. Sri Lanka had cruised to 75-0 in the first 10 overs as openers Pathum Nissanka and debutant Kamil Mishara punished the Pakistan pacers’ lack of discipline. Both batters were also handed a reprieve each as Salman dropped Nissanka in the slips off Shaheen while he was playing at six. Mishara, meanwhile, escaped a scare when Haris Rauf failed to hold on to a chance in the 10th over. In between, the Sri Lankan openers hit boundaries on regular intervals with the Pakistan bowlers struggling to maintain consistent line and length in the first powerplay. But two overs later, Haris Rauf removed bo...

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday said attacks on terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan could not be ruled out after today’s incidents in Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. At least 12 people were killed and 36 were injured in a suicide blast in the federal capital. The incident occurred as international events were being hosted in the capital, including the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference and the 6th Margalla Dialogue, while a cricket match between the Green shirts and Sri Lanka was also being held in Pindi. Meanwhile, a clearance operation by security forces continues in Cadet College Wana in South Waziristan against terrorists hiding inside the educational institute. When asked during an interview on Geo News show ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’ if Pakistan would respond after today’s attacks and statements from the leadership linking them to Afghanistan, Asif said: “God willing”, adding that attacks on terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan “could not be ruled out” and could definitely happen....

When 23 children died in India’s Madhya Pradesh after consuming contaminated cough syrup in early September, the news barely registered across the border. In Pakistan — where self-medication is rampant and syrup bottles are household staples — the tragedy strikes dangerously close to home. Many in Pakistan remain unaware that those sweet, over-the-counter syrups can be fatal. In the recent Indian case, the children — all under six — died of kidney failure after consuming syrup laced with diethylene glycol (DEG), a toxic solvent found at 500 times the permissible limit. Investigations revealed the manufacturer, Sresan, had sourced industrial-grade propylene glycol from local chemical and paint dealers instead of certified pharmaceutical suppliers. With no qualified chemist overseeing production, the syrup went untested — and deadly. This isn’t the first such incident. In 2022, Indian-made syrups caused the deaths of at least 70 children in The Gambia and 18 in Uzbekistan. Between December 2019 and January 2020...

Afghan officials on Tuesday warned that any attack from Pakistan would be met with an immediate response, cautioning that Islamabad could be directly targeted if Afghan territory is struck.

In order to make justice delivery more transparent and citizen-centric, the Chief Justice of Pakistan chaired a high-level policy meeting Tuesday to steer progress on the automation and digitization of courts across Pakistan.

Gold prices in Pakistan surged sharply, with the per tola rate rising by Rs5,900 to reach Rs435,762, according to the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Association.

Pakistan has cautioned the United Nations that the unchecked movement of illegal arms within Afghanistan — many of them modern weapons now being used by anti-Pakistan militant groups — poses a serious threat to regional peace and stability.

Islamabad has warned that the acquisition of abandoned weapons by terrorist groups based in Afghanistan not only threatens peace and security in Pakistan but also in the region. Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, made the remarks while addressing the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) open debate on small arms late on Monday, according to a press release by the mission. In his remarks, Ambassador Iftikhar said, “Pakistan is seriously concerned about the presence of stockpiles of sophisticated arms and ammunition in Afghanistan, as noted in the findings of the secretary general’s reports.” The report states that transnational criminal dynamics were observed in Afghanistan, where possible arms and ammunition transfer to neighbouring states in breach of the arms embargo and unofficial markets for weapons have emerged, further escalating the threat to regional security. The envoy said Pakistan had “credible information of attempts to smuggle these arms to neig...

Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq welcomed the Qatari parliamentary delegation led by Speaker Hassan bin Abdullah Al-Ghanim, who is visiting Pakistan to participate in the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference in Islamabad.

Former Pakistan One-day International captain Mohammad Rizwan voluntarily decided to take a step back and let Shaheen Shah Afridi take charge as his successor when the country’s cricket board was mulling the decision, the latter revealed on Monday. Shaheen was appointed in the role last month in what seemed like an abrupt development with Rizwan being stripped off captaincy despite spending only five ODI series and an ICC Champions Trophy campaign in charge. While the wicket-keeper-batter had a disastrous show at the Champions Trophy, he led Pakistan to series wins in Australia and South Africa last year and against the West Indies this year. According to multiple media reports, Rizwan was at loggerheads with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) when he was removed as captain – reportedly turning down the central contract. Shaheen, however, seems to have cleared the air, stating in the press conference on the eve of Pakistan’s three-match ODI series opener against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi, that he had a discussion...

ISLAMABAD: Calling the proposed 27th Constitutional Amen­dment a “9/11 on Pakistan”, Tehreek Tahaffuz-i-Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai announced a nationwide protest, arguing the measure would “shatter the foundation of the country”. Mr Achakzai said the peaceful protest would be held under the slogan of a Habib Jalib ghazal: “Aise Dastoor Ko, Subh-i-BeNoor Ko, Me Nahi Manta, Mai Nahi Janta”. Speaking at a news conference at the National Press Club, he anno­unced two additional slogans: “death for dictatorship and democracy live long” and “free the prisoners”. Mr Achakzai described himself as a “true patriotic” who has taken the oath to protect the country five times, noting that the current National Ass­embly speaker, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, administered two of those oaths. Opposition alliance announces nationwide protests; plans to observe ‘Black Day’ He recalled an exchange from 1993 with then-speaker Gohar Ayub Khan. “I spoke to the speaker that he has taken an oath of protecting the Const...