Pakistan

.

.

Evacuations continue across riverine regions as Guddu expects 700,000 peak flow

.

Mayor inaugurates expansion of free treatment to female patients

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed on Saturday to continue responding to terrorism in the country with “full force” after 19 soldiers were martyred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, state-run Radio Pakistan reported. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) earlier said that 12 soldiers were martyred while security forces killed 13 terrorists during an intense fire exchange in KP’s South Waziristan district. It added that the 13 terrorists were among 35 “khwarij belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij” killed in two separate engagements from September 10 to 13. It later said seven more soldiers were martyred and 10 more terrorists were killed on Thursday in Lower Dir. The state uses the term Fitna al Khwarij to refer to terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). It has also designated Balochistan-based groups as Fitna-al-Hindustan to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan. Radio Pakistan reported that PM Shehbaz and Chief of Army Staff Field Marsha...

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expressed deep condolences on Saturday for the loss of life caused by devastating floods in the country and said its upcoming Extended Fund Facility (EFF) review mission will evaluate whether the government’s fiscal policies and emergency provisions can effectively address the crisis, a senior official of the Washington-based lender said. “The mission will assess whether the FY26 budget, its spending allocations and emergency provisions remain sufficiently agile to address the spending needs necessitated by the floods,” said Mahir Binici, the IMF’s resident representative in Pakistan. The flash floods have killed 972 people so far, according to the National Disaster Management Authority. The floods have destroyed crops, livestock and homes across Punjab and are now pushing into Sindh, threatening fresh food inflation and deeper hardship. The State Bank of Pakistan is expected to keep its key rate at 11 per cent on Monday, a Reuters poll showed, as policymakers weigh infla...

More drones to join flood relief, heavy-lift units prove useful in Multan

Rafts used for evacuation from submerged villages

.

.

Accused include DBA secretary candidate; complainant alleges scam

.

.

Babar is accused of robberies, carjacking and targeting schoolgirls

Accused would lure citizens to Cambodia, then kidnap and torture them

.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was confirmed on Saturday to attend a summit of Arab and Muslim leaders in Qatar to denounce Israel’s attack on Hamas officials in Doha and to show solidarity with the Gulf state. Qatar said earlier today it would hold the emergency moot in light of the recent developments in the region. Foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said Monday’s meeting would consider “a draft resolution on the Israeli attack on the state of Qatar” to be drafted on Sunday at a ministerial meeting. Israel targeted Hamas leaders on Tuesday in strikes on the Qatari capital, killing five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer. The attack drew widespread international condemnation, including from Gulf monarchies allied with the United States, Israel’s main backer. Al-Ansari was quoted as saying by the official QNA news agency that the summit reflected “broad Arab and Islamic solidarity with the State of Qatar in the face of Israel’s cowardly aggression … and the categorical rejection of Israel’s st...

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has issued a clarification on its recent circular regarding security arrangements for retired judges.

A Pakistan-India cricket match is always a blockbuster, but emotions will run even higher in Sunday’s Asia Cup clash between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who engaged in a four-day military conflict earlier this year. Even before the clashes in May, which nearly escalated into a full-blown war, bilateral cricket ties were suspended. The arch-rivals now play each other only in multi-team tournaments. Political relations have deteriorated further since the clashes, with several former Indian players urging the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to boycott what will be the first meeting between the teams since the recent hostilities. While the threat of a boycott is over, sparks may fly with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha and his Indian counterpart Suryakumar Yadav ruling out dialling down aggression in the much-anticipated Group A fixture. While reigning T20 world champions India are the firm favourites to retain their title, Pakistan are on a high, having convincingly beaten Afghanistan to win the ...