Pakistan

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Business activity continues uninterrupted; all major commercial centres remain open

Folktale's theatrical adaptation celebrates Mian Muhammad Bakhsh's legacy

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PHC rejects bail plea of assistant food controller in wheat embezzlement scandal

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United States President Donald Trump said on Friday that five jets were shot down during the recent India-Pakistan conflict that began after a deadly attack in India-occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam, with the situation calming after a ceasefire in May. Trump, who made his remarks at a dinner with some Republican US lawmakers at the White House, did not specify which side’s jets he was referring to. Pakistan had said it downed six Indian planes after the latter carried out deadly attacks in Punjab and Azad Kashmir, while New Delhi had claimed it had downed “a few planes”. “Something I’m very proud of [is that] we stopped a lot of wars. A lot of wars. And these were serious, serious wars; would have been going on,” Trump said. “You had India-Pakistan that was going, and in fact, planes were being shot out of the air. Five, five, four or five, but I think five jets were shot down actually,” Trump said while talking about the India-Pakistan hostilities, without elaborating or providing further detail. “It was getting ...

Nine terrorists were killed and three security officers injured in an exchange of fire during an operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu district, police said on Saturday. Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities over the past year, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022. Earlier, a statement by KP Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zulfiqar Hameed said that security forces and police carried out a joint operation in Hangu’s Zargari Shinawari area. “Nine terrorists killed in Hangu operation, District Police Officer (DPO) Khalid Khan is undergoing treatment at the Kohat Combined Military Hospital,” a statement issued later by Kohat Regional Police Officer DIG Abbas Majeed read. “The operation is continuing successfully and full action is being taken against the terrorists,” the statement added. It further read that DPO Khan was out of danger now. Federal Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi tele...

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Pakistan men’s three-match T20 International series against Bangladesh will begin on Sunday with the remaining two games to be staged on May 22 and 24 at Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Saturday. Last month, Pakistan had whitewashed Bangladesh in a home three-match T20I series at the Gaddafi Stadium. Litton Das-led Bangladesh will take the field on the back of an away 2-1 T20I series triumph over Sri Lanka last week. Pakistan are visiting Bangladesh for the first time since December 2021 as they arrived in the country on Wednesday, after taking part in an extensive training camp in Karachi, the PCB said. “Pakistan and Bangladesh will lock horns in a three-match T20I series beginning on Sunday, May 20,” the press release issued on Saturday said. “Salman Ali Agha, who has so far led Pakistan in 12 T20Is, will marshal the side in fourth T20I series,” it added. The pace duo of Ahmed Daniyal and Mohammad Salman Mirza are the two uncapped players in Pakistan’s squad ...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has praised the significant contributions of overseas Pakistanis, calling their role in the country’s development "unforgettable.

A glitch in Malaysia’s self-service border control machines hit tens of thousands of travellers, the immigration department estimated on Saturday, causing delays at the capital’s airport and land crossings. Among major gateways affected since Friday afternoon are Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s two main terminals, as well as southern land crossings with Singapore. “It should be more than tens of thousands of travellers who have to wait longer at the manual counters to clear immigration,” estimated Zakaria Shaaban, the director-general of Malaysia’s Immigration Department. Zakaria was unable to give a precise number of people affected when asked by AFP. “We don’t have many manual counters over in Johor because we have converted most of them into autogates,” Zakaria said, referring to the southern state that neighbours Singapore. Malaysian daily The Star said that the breakdown has been described as the “worst ever”, involving over 200 machines and affecting only foreign passport holders. Singapore’s Immig...

In a deeply moving display of compassion and humanity, the family of 14-year-old Jawad Khan from Rustam village, Mardan, chose to donate his organs after he was declared brain dead at Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC).

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar is set to visit the United States next week, where he will represent Pakistan in key United Nations Security Council (UNSC) events in New York and engage in high-level meetings in Washington.

Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Saturday announced the establishment of an aquaculture park in Karachi’s Korangi Fish Harbour to bolster Pakistan’s blue economy. The government aims to develop the maritime sector and tap the economic potential of the country’s over 1000-kilometre-long coastline. Under the recently launched “Maritime at 100“ Vision, the country aims to grow the sector into a $100 billion economic force by 2047. Chaudhry announced the establishment of a “state-of-the-art” aquaculture park at the Korangi harbour at an estimated cost of Rs3bn, according to a press release issued by the ministry. The development came as Chaudhry chaired a high-level meeting on the development of a blue economy. The meeting was attended by Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) Chairman Noorul Haq Baloch, as well as representatives from the Korangi Fisheries Harbour Authority (KoFHA), the Marine Fisheries Department (MFD), and the Balochistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The estimated annu...

The spillways of Rawal Dam will be opened at 6:00 AM on Sunday (July 20) after the reservoir’s water level surged to 1,748 feet following continuous rainfall in the federal capital.

Fighter jets of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) won top awards in two categories at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) 2025 in the United Kingdom, state-run PTV reported on Saturday. RIAT, which runs from July 18 to 20, is one of the world’s largest military airshows, has been running for over 50 years and powers the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, according to its website. On Thursday, a PAF contingent comprising “state-of-the-art JF-17 Thunder Block-III fighter aircraft and the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, landed at the Royal Air Force Base Fairford in the UK to participate in the prestigious” RIAT 2025, a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. The JF-17 Block-III was awarded the “Spirit of the Meet Trophy” for its “striking livery and the incredible journey from Pakistan with non-stop air-to-air refuelling,” PTV reported. According to ISPR’s press release earlier this week, the JF-17 Thunder Block-III fighters executed successful Air-to-Air Refuelling operations en rout...

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will visit the United States next week to attend high-level events of the UN Security Council (UNSC) and “certain” other engagements in Washington, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Saturday. Earlier this month, Pakistan assumed presidency of the UNSC, marking the country’s eighth term on the 15-member body and its first presidency since 2013. Islamabad began its current two-year term as a non-permanent member in January 2025 and will serve through the end of 2026. Dar will visit the US to “attend the high-level signature events of Pakistan’s UN Security Council (UNSC) Presidency in New York, as well as for certain engagements in Washington”, the FO said in a statement. The statement, which did not specify the dates of Dar’s visit, mentioned at least four UNSC-affiliated events that he will attend. His expected engagements in Washington, the hub of the White House, come amid ongoing trade talks between the countries. To express Pakistan’s “strong commitment a...