Pakistan

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday said that a decision on sending Pakistani troops for the Gaza peace force was still being finalised and “it is in process”. A cornerstone of the US-brokered Gaza Peace Agreement is the establishment of the International Stabilisation Force (ISF), composed mainly of troops from Muslim-majority countries. According to officials close to the discussions, an announcement is expected soon from the federal government regarding the decision. Officials familiar with the deliberations, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said discussions within the government and military establishment were at an “advanced stage”. According to them, the tone of internal consultations suggests that Islamabad is inclined to take part in the mission. Questioned whether any such move was in the offing or not in an interview on Geo News show ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, Asif said: “This thing has to be finalised [and] it is in process. The government will take a dec...

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday said that an agreement was about to be reached with Afghanistan, but Afghan negotiators backpedaled after contacting Kabul during the negotiations. A second round of talks between the two sides had begun on Saturday in Istanbul. The Qatar talks had come after days of fighting along the Pak-Afghan border and strikes by Islamabad on Gul Bahadur group camps in Afghanistan. The agreement reached in Doha extended an initial 48-hour truce and resulted in a temporary ceasefire, as well as a commitment to reconvene in Istanbul to work on mechanisms for lasting peace and stability between the two countries. Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada ke Saath’, the defence minister stated that negotiators had backpedaled on an agreement “four or five times” after receiving instructions from Kabul. “Whenever we got close to an agreement — either in the last four days or last week — when negotiators reported to Kabul, then there was intervention and the agreement was wit...

The United Nations’ migration agency on Tuesday said that 18 people were killed when a wooden vessel carrying dozens of migrants capsized off the coast of Libya on Tuesday, while 64 people — including 12 Pakistanis — were rescued. The vessel “capsized only a few hours into its journey due to high waves”, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said in a statement, adding that the accident had occurred off the coast of Surman, Libya. “Among the survivors are 29 Sudanese men, one Sudanese woman, and one Sudanese child; 18 Bangladeshi men; 12 Pakistani men; and three Somali men,” it said. No information was yet available about the nationalities of those who died. “This latest shipwreck is a stark reminder of the grave dangers faced by people undertaking perilous sea journeys in search of safety and opportunity,” the IOM said. It said the central Mediterranean route from northern Africa across to Europe remained “one of the world’s deadliest migration corridors”. The agency said its Missing Migrants Pr...

The Sindh government has introduced a new e-challan system that aims to improve the city’s traffic while minimising the traffic police’s interaction with the public. Under the new system inaugurated recently, at least 5,500 challans have already been issued to traffic rule violators throughout the city. Here is what you need to know about the system. What is the e-challan system? Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Admin Karachi Traffic Police Kashif explained that the system has been introduced as part of the Karachi Safe City Project. A total of 1,076 cameras have been installed on main thoroughfares in the first phase. When phase 2 and 3 of the initiative are completed, up to 12,000 cameras will have been installed in all areas of Karachi as well as on toll plazas. Once a challan is initiated, it will be sent via Pakistan Post to an address linked to the number plate issued by the Sindh Excise and Taxation Department. While the total time to pay off the challan is 21 days, if it is paid within 14 days, t...

ISLAMABAD - Lt Gen (R) Nazir Ahmed Butt is trying to flip the script on the National Accountability Bureau, and the numbers he’s putting up are hard to ignore.

ISLAMABAD - General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, NI, NI (M), Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), while on an official visit to Bangladesh, called on General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Chief of Army Staff of Bangladesh Army, at Army Headquarters, Dhaka, a statement from ISPR said yesterday.

Baku, Islamabad - Chairman Senate Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, arrived in Baku today to attend the International Parliamentary Conference dedicated to the 30th Anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

ISLAMABAD - The matter of appointing the leader of opposition in the national assembly, slot vacant for the last two months, has become controversial after the nomination of PkMAP chief Mehmood Achakzai by the opposition.

RAWALPINDI - Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi here on Tuesday once again returned without holding a meeting with incarcerated Imran Khan, founder of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), despite having directions from Islamabad High Court (IHC).

ISLAMABAD - The latest scandal engulfing the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has exposed the entrenched institutional corruption, poor oversight and a lack of resolve of a state institution to tackle the growing threat of online crime.

Peshawar - Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Tuesday said that the province is rich in valuable mineral resources, and if the mining and gemstone industry is developed on modern lines, it can play a vital role in strengthening both the provincial and national economy.

Peshawar - Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi welcomed the inclusion of 94 lawyers from the Justice Lawyers Forum into the Insaf Lawyers Forum, terming it a positive step toward strengthening the movement for the rule of law.

Karachi - Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, at the launch of the Sindh Job Portal (SJP), said that in line with Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s slogan, “Benazir Aaie hae - Rozgar laie hae,” (Benazir has come – she has brought employment), the provincial government has expanded testing options to make.

Peshawar - Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi welcomed the inclusion of 94 lawyers from the Justice Lawyers Forum into the Insaf Lawyers Forum, terming it a positive step toward strengthening the movement for the rule of law.

Peshawar - Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Tuesday emphasized the need to establish a regional campus of the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) in Dera Ismail Khan to promote higher education opportunities in the southern districts of the province.

Pakistan’s brittle batting line-up imploded once again as South Africa romped to a comprehensive 55-run victory in the first Twenty20 International at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday night, bowling the hosts out for a paltry 139 in 18.1 overs while chasing 195. Corbin Bosch, the 30-year-old seamer, produced a masterclass in death bowling to finish with career-best figures of 4-14, while left-arm spinner George Linde chipped in with 3-31 as Pakistan lost their last seven wickets for just 58 runs after a sedate powerplay. Openers Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub, promoted to set the tone, managed a cautious 31 before Lizaad Williams shattered Farhan’s stumps with a nip-backer for 24 off 19 balls. The dismissal brought Babar Azam to the crease for his much-anticipated T20I comeback, but the former skipper lasted just two deliveries, chipping a short-of-length ball from Bosch straight to cover for a golden duck. Skipper Salman Ali Agha’s wretched night continued when he was trapped plumb in front by Bosch...

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