Pakistan

Posts from multiple users on social media platforms since July 9 alleged that a newly announced ferry service set to be launched from Gwadar to Gulf countries costs between Rs25,000 to Rs30,000. However, the maritime ministry said the fares have yet to be decided and the matter is still under negotiation. On July 1, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs announced an ambitious plan to expand Gwadar Port’s operational capacity by introducing additional shipp­ing lines and launching a ferry service connecting Pak­istan with Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The move is expected to provide an affordable, direct maritime link for passengers and cargo, particularly benefiting expatriate communities and cross-border traders. On July 9, an online news portal, focused on developments about Kuwait and the Middle East, said in a post on Facebook that the fares of a ferry service between Gwadar and Gulf countries would be Rs25,000 to Rs35,000. The post was captioned: “Pakistan has announced the imminent launch of a direct l...

Vehari - Director General Agriculture Pest Warning and Quality Control of Pesticides Punjab (APW&QCP) Dr Amir Rasool visited various villages in Burewala and Vehari to inspect cotton crops, terming their condition satisfactory.

Vehari - Deputy Commissioner Vehari Imrana Touqeer has stepped up district administration efforts by inspecting Vehari-Multan Road and PEERA office construction, chairing a meeting on illegal activities, and issuing new official rates for daily essentials.

ISLAMABAD: In a bid to preempt countrywide unrest, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday constituted a high-level committee to hold consultations with traders on budgetary measures aimed at documenting the economy. The multi-stakeholder committee will conduct a 30-day consultation process to develop a consensual and actionable proposal, which will be submitted to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the federal cabinet. According to sources present at the meeting, officials from various ministries clarified that the new tax amendments are primarily intended to curb large-scale sales tax fraud. The committee will only consider trader concerns that are deemed genuine and substantiated, the officials added. Traders were firmly told that the government remains committed to documenting the economy and discouraging cash-based transactions. Several trade associations have already called for strike actions in protest against the new measures. Committee tasked with addressing concerns over tax reforms and docume...

Law enforcement and representatives from online delivery services have agreed to intensify efforts to curb the growing use of online delivery networks for illegal drug distribution, a top Karachi police official said on Wednesday. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South, Syed Asad Raza, told Dawn.com that he held a meeting with the representatives of popular food delivery and ride-hailing services to address the misuse of rider services for drug delivery. “Delivery companies informed the police that certain individuals had been caught using counterfeit uniforms, helmets, and branded delivery bags to pose as legitimate riders while carrying out unlawful activities, such as delivering illicit drugs,” the DIG said. To counter this, he said, the stakeholders agreed to tighten security protocols, including rider screening, background verification, and stricter registration procedures. “Briefings for riders will also be conducted more regularly to ensure compliance with legal and safety standards,” DIG Raza said. The ...

A crucial meeting of the federal cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is set to take place today to deliberate on a six-point agenda addressing significant national matters.

Rawalpindi - The Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench has upheld the conviction of a doctor in a kidney transplant case.

ISLAMABAD - A special ceremony was held at the Embassy of Türkiye in Islamabad to commemorate July 15, 2016 as Democracy and National Unity Day.

Islamabad - Shifa International Hospital, in partnership with the Federal Directorate of Immunization (FDI), hosted a workshop on Tuesday focused on advancing HPV vaccination to eliminate cervical cancer in Pakistan.

In a major development for Pakistan’s aviation sector, the United Kingdom has officially lifted its long-standing ban on Pakistani airlines, a move confirmed by British High Commissioner Jane Marriott and welcomed as a positive step in UK-Pakistan relations.

ISLAMABAD - The Ministry of Religious Affairs has invited applications from companies seeking registration as Zaireen Group Organisers under a new centralised policy framework for pilgrimages to Iran and Iraq, with an application deadline of 10 August.

ISLAMABAD - Chairman Senate of Pakistan and Founding Chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers Conference (ISC), Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, held a crucial meeting with ISC Secretary General, Mr.

In a fresh development in the mysterious death case of actress and model Humaira Asghar, police have uncovered that she had been using two separate Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs), raising questions about her identity and personal history.

ISLAMABAD - An impressive and well-attended reception was held here on Tuesday to mark the 98th anniver­sary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

ISLAMABAD - The United Kingdom on Tuesday introduced eVisas for most Pakistani nationals travelling to the UK on study or work-related visas, eliminating the need for physical visa stickers in passports.

Unknown individuals blew up a key gas pipeline from the Betni oil field to Punjab on Wednesday, using explosives in the Wanda Amir area, causing a major disruption in the gas supply.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Japan on Tuesday signed a ¥379 million grant agreement in Islamabad to fund higher educa­tion for young civil officers under the 2025 Human Resource Development Scholarship Programme.

GENEVA: The UN warned on Tuesday that mass displacement in the West Bank had hit levels not seen since the start of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territory nearly 60 years ago. The United Nations said an Israeli military operation launched in the north of the occupied territory in January had displaced tens of thousands of people, raising concerns about possible “ethnic cleansing”. The military operation “has been the longest since … the second Intifada”, in the early 2000s, said Juliette Touma, spokeswoman for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. “It is impacting several refugee camps in the area, and it is causing the largest population displacement of the Palestinians in the West Bank since 1967,” she told reporters in Geneva via video from Jordan, referring to the six-day Arab-Israeli war that led to Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. The UN rights office meanwhile warned that mass forced displacement by an occupation force could amount to “ethnic cleansing”. Since Israel’s military launche...

LOWER DIR: The court of additional sessions judge in Samarbagh on Monday sentenced three men, including head of a seminary and his son, to life imprisonment in the rape and murder case of a seven-year-old girl in Jandol area. The convicted men include Maulana Ziaul Haq Haidari, his son Abu Bakar, and their bodyguard Sanaullah. The court handed down life terms, as well as additional sentences of 25 years, three years and two years, respectively, and imposed a fine of Rs500,000 on the convicts. The verdict comes more than a year after the tragic incident that sent shockwaves across the region. According to police and prosecution the girl had been living at an orphanage-cum-seminary in the Mandizo area of Jandol when she was reportedly assaulted and murdered. District prosecution office, led by DPP Rafiullah, pursued the case vigorously, while assistant public prosecutor Ubaidullah argued it in court. The FIR was registered at Munda police station on May 23, 2024, under sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape), and 201...

Torrential monsoon rains have caused widespread disruption across Lahore and several cities in Punjab since early Monday, claiming at least 10 lives and injuring 92 people in weather-related incidents.