Pakistan

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has accused Texas Governor Greg Abbott of promoting “anti-Muslim hysteria” and advancing policies that serve the interests of Israel rather than Texans after the group was designated as a terrorist organisation in the American state. “Greg Abbott is an Israel First politician who has spent months stoking anti-Muslim hysteria to smear American Muslims critical of the Israeli government. Although we are flattered by his obsession with our civil rights group, his defamatory proclamation has no basis in fact or law,” CAIR, the largest Muslim civil liberties organisation in the United States, said in a statement. It came after Abbott designated the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as “foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organisations”. “Unlike Mr Abbott — who unleashed violence against Texas students protesting the Gaza genocide to satisfy his AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) donors — our civil rights organisation is an independent voice that ans...

The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of the India-0ccupied Kashmir on Thursday raided the office of the region’s oldest English news agency, Kashmir Times, as part of the SIA’s action against media networks that are allegedly “aiding separatist narratives”, Indian media reported. A statement issued by Kashmir Times editors Prabodh Jamwal and Anuradha Basin said that “coordinated crackdown on the Kashmir Times [is] yet another attempt to silence us”. According to The Indian Express, the raid was carried out following the registration of a first information report (FIR) alleging the “organisation’s involvement in anti-national activities and attempts to spread disaffection against the country”. As per “official sources, the FIR mentions alleged activities and communications that are under scrutiny for ‘potential threats to the sovereignty and integrity of India’”, the news agency said. During the raid, SIA officials went through “documents, digital equipment and other material as part of the investigation,” add...

The top leadership of the federal coalition partner Muttahida Qaumi Movement–Pakistan (MQM-P) pointed out on Thursday that constitutional provisions require the creation of new provinces after certain conditions are met, as politicking heats up ahead of a possible 28th constitutional amendment. The party claimed on Monday that its proposed constitutional amendment, aimed at empowering local governments, would now be advanced as the 28th amendment, marking what the party called a “national, not merely Karachi-centric” reform initiative which would materialise in the coming months. Speaking to reporters in Chiniot earlier, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah had also said that the 28th amendment, dealing with “public issues such as local bodies, population, the National Finance Commission … health-related issues”, could be introduced if there was political consensus. The top leadership of MQM-P addressed a press conference in Karachi today, flanked by Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori,...

Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi on Thursday underscored that delivering timely justice is not only a constitutional duty but also a moral imperative.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has clarified that if proceedings in an earlier suit are already underway, any subsequent suit filed on the same cause of action may be dismissed under Order II Rule 2 of the Civil Procedure Code (CPC).

The Punjab Environment Protection Agency, in collaboration with the Punjab Safe City Authority, has launched a major crackdown across Lahore targeting vehicles operating without mandatory Green Stickers.

In a major move to modernize judicial proceedings and ensure timely justice, the Lahore High Court has launched a video link facility across district and ex-cadre courts in Punjab.

IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja arrived in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Wednesday to oversee business-to-business agreements with Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) member countries and strengthen regional collaboration, the IT ministry said.

The F-35 fighter jets the United States plans to sell Saudi Arabia will be less advanced than those operated by Israel, in line with a US law that guarantees Israel’s military edge in the region, US officials and defence experts said on Wednesday. US President Donald Trump announced the sale this week, but officials said the Saudi aircraft will lack the superior features of Israel’s fleet, which include advanced weapons systems and electronic warfare equipment. Israel enjoys unique permissions to modify its F-35s, including the ability to integrate its own weapons systems and add radar-jamming capabilities and other upgrades that do not require US approval. Still, the Israeli Air Force opposed the planned sale, warning in a position paper to political leaders that it would undermine Israel’s air superiority in the region, The Times of Israel reported on Tuesday. Even if Saudi Arabia gets the jets, it is unlikely to receive the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), next-generation air-to-air missiles...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan Armed Forces delivered a “strong slap” to India during a four-day conflict and expressed confidence that Pakistan would soon achieve victory in the economic arena as well.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued a notice to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi over code of conduct breach during a public rally in NA-18 Haripur.

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Yahya Afridi has convened the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) meeting on December 2.

Amid rumours of two new city names being decided for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Thursday that the decision will be made after December 15. PSL confirmed last week that two new franchise teams would be named from among Hyderabad, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gilgit, Muzaffarabad and Sialkot. The list was finalised after the valuation reports for the two new teams were received by PCB. “The PCB refutes news circulating in the media regarding the finalisation of the two city names for the new HBL PSL franchises. “The PCB would like to clarify that, as per the process, the successful bidders will have the right to choose a team name from any of the city/team names (…) in the manner set forth in the bid documents,” the board said in a statement today. “The PCB is pleased to note and welcomes the growing interest in acquisition of team franchise rights for two new teams for future editions of the HBL PSL.” The board noted that the public advertisement for te...

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken strict notice of a controversial speech delivered at a rally in Havelian and has summoned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and by-election candidate Shahbaz Omar Ayub for violating the Elections Act 2017 and the code of conduct.

The district administration of Haripur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has announced a three-day school holiday ahead of the upcoming NA-18 by-election.

Acting President Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday said that the government was taking all possible measures for a better future for children, including legislation, institutional reforms, and significant steps at the policy level.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday took notice of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s “irresponsible” comments regarding the upcoming by-election for NA-18 in Haripur. Addressing a public gathering in Abbottabad’s Havelian yesterday, Afridi had issued a stern warning to those attempting to manipulate or change the result of the by-election scheduled for November 23 (Sunday). In a press release, the ECP said it had taken notice of the KP CM’s remarks, wherein he “threatened the district administration, police and staff deployed for the election, and incited the public present at the rally and the people in general”. “Not only has the provincial chief executive’s irresponsible behaviour made holding a peaceful by-election in NA-18 Haripur difficult, it has also put the lives of the district administration, police, staff posted on election duties, and the voters in danger.” The electoral watchdog has issued notices to CM Afridi and Shehrnaz Omar Ayub — PTI leader Omar Ayub’s wife...

Railways Minister Muhammad Hanif Abbasi has said that the tree plantation drive launched in collaboration with the Punjab government is a vital step towards developing eco-friendly railways and creating a green, pollution-free Punjab.

Denmark’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Sandra Jensen Landi, has called the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) a major security threat in Central and South Asia, warning that the group continues to receive support from Afghanistan’s de facto authorities.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Thursday that it had approved loans totalling $330 million to Pakistan for the country’s Second Power Transmission Strengthening Project. The ADB press release said the project was one of the government’s “top priority investments to expand the national transmission network and enable the evacuation of low-cost renewable and hydropower to major load centres”. The bank said a new 500 kilovolt transmission line of approximately 290 kilometres would be constructed under the project, in addition to upgrading “critical grid infrastructure” feeding Islamabad and Faisalabad. “These investments will address long-standing constraints in Pakistan’s north–south power corridor, enabling the transfer of up to 3,200 megawatts of clean energy from hydropower plants in the north of the country. This will help reduce reliance on imported fuels, improve energy security, and support Pakistan’s transition to a more affordable and sustainable energy mix,” the ADB said. ADB said that the in...