Pakistan

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has paid tribute to former prime minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed on her death anniversary being observed on December 27, 2025.

The 18th death anniversary of former prime minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed is being observed today, with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) holding commemorative events across the country.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast rain in the city, which, if it occurs, will be the first shower of the winter season.

LAHORE: The Punjab government has announced helmet exemption for Sikh community in respect of turban, an important practice of their religion. The Sikhs were finding it hard to follow the traffic regulation of wearing helmets and a Sikh man had approached Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz with a request for exemption. The CM made the announcement the other day while addressing the minority community. A clip of her speech was shared on the PML-N’s X account. “The Sikh community’s turban is their identity and their religious belief. With this respect in mind, the traffic department has, for the first time, been instructed to grant Sikh citizens an exemption from wearing helmets,” said the CM in her speech to the minority communities. She said Punjab had made minorities a crown of its head. Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2025

• US judge grants order barring any action without hearing • Ahmed sues Rubio, Bondi A FEDERAL judge on Thursday temporarily barred the US government from detaining or deporting a British social media campaigner Imran Ahmed, blocking the Trump administration’s attempt to revoke the residency of a critic accused of pressuring social media platforms to censor Americans. According to BBC, US District Judge Vernon S Broderick granted a temporary restraining order sought by Center for Countering Digital Hate’s Founder Mr Ahmed. The ruling prohibits federal officials from detaining Ahmed, a US permanent resident, without a hearing while his legal challenge proceeds. A complaint was filed by Mr Ahmed on Wednesday against Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Attorney General Pamela Bondi regarding the decision to sanction him. The lawsuit challenges a State Department move to block the visas of Ahmed and four others over accusations that they sought to “coerce” technology companies into restricting free speech. “I will...

ISLAMABAD: Former Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Tariq Meh­mood Jahangiri is set to challenge his removal from office before the Fed­eral Constitutional Court (FCC) next week, sources close to the development told Dawn on Friday. His legal team has finalised a constitutional petition to contest the IHC’s December 18 verdict that declared his appointment unlawful on the basis of an allegedly invalid LL.B. degree, the sources said. A division bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Azam Khan had issued a short order directing the law ministry to de-notify Justice Jahangiri. President Asif Ali Zardari subsequently approved the de-notification on the advice of the prime minister, and Justice Jahangiri’s name was removed from the IHC website. Sources indicate the upcoming petition will argue that the IHC verdict was premature and violated principles of judicial propriety. A key contention will be that the Sindh High Court (SHC) had already suspended the Karachi Unive...

• Sohail Afridi’s entourage arrived in city around 4:30pm; PTI workers complain of harassment, arrests en route • Engagements at Punjab Assembly marred by altercations, confrontations with journalists • Govt provides ‘foolproof security’; Azma ‘welcomes’ chief minister to Punjab LAHORE: Although Khy­ber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi managed to reach Liberty Roundabout on Friday night, he was unable to deliver a planned speech at the venue as a heavy contingent of police had blocked all roads leading to area by setting up pickets. Videos posted by PTI on social media showed a large number of party supporters, including Imran Khan’s sisters, Aleema Khan and Noreen Khan Niazi, present near Liberty Chowk. The chief minister, who was due to launch the PTI’s street movement from Lahore, had earlier spent the day greeting and addressing PTI supporters, who met him at different points en route to Lahore. His convoy eventually entered Lahore around 4:30pm, from where he made a bee-line for the Punjab Assemb...

The Foreign Office (FO) on Friday summoned the United Kingdom’s acting high commissioner in connection with a protest outside the Pakistani consulate in Bradford, where “provocative” statements were made against Pakistan’s civil and military leadership. FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said that the acting UK high commissioner was summoned and issued a démarche. “The demarche was issued after provocative statements were made against Pakistan’s civil and military leadership from British soil,” the FO spokesperson said. The FO urged the UK to “hold responsible elements accountable in accordance with the law”. Earlier, two ministers of state from the PML-N said that the Pakistan government had written a letter to the UK authorities, seeking action over “inciteful” statements, particularly in reference to a video that was circulating on social media. Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry and Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani confirmed that development to Geo News, with the latter particularly...

Islamabad rolls out red carpet for al-Nahyan; Two countries discuss economic cooperation

FO urges action against 'provocative statements'

LHC overturns DC-led committee orders

Justice remains elusive for Pakistan's former PM

LAHORE: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who arrived in Lahore earlier today with PTI leaders and workers, led a rally at Liberty Chowk in the provincial capital. Afridi arrived in Lahore to spearhead PTI‘s plans to launch a street movement and to meet the party’s local leadership. As of 11:43pm, PTI workers and supporters were participating in the rally, with the KP CM joining them in sloganeering. The PTI posted a video showing CM Afridi amid a crowd of supporters raising his fist and chanting slogans. At 10:18pm, the PTI’s Lahore chapter posted a video on X showing CM Afridi leaning out of a car and sloganeering, while supporters showered his vehicle with flowers. KP Minister for Higher Education and Local Government Meena Khan Afridi could also be seen chanting slogans. Another video posted at 10:37 showed the KP CM mingling with crowds of supporters chanting slogans. PTI founder Imran Khan’s sisters, Aleema Khan and Noreen Khan Niazi are also present at Liberty Chowk. PTI Secretary Genera...

ISLAMABAD - Renowned Urdu and Punjabi poet Munir Niazi was remembered on his 19th death anniversary on Friday, as media and literary circles paid tribute to his timeless poetry and lasting contribution to literature.

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has said that artificial intelligence presents a historic opportunity to transform Pakistan’s youth bulge into a skilled technological powerhouse, enable local businesses to compete globally, and convert governance into transparent, data-driven engines of.

LARKANA - First Lady and MNA Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari visited the Bhutto family’s graveyard in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh and laid wreaths at the graves of her mother Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, her maternal grandfather Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Begum Nusrat Bhutto, Shaheed Mir Murtaza Bhutto and Shaheed Shahnawaz Bhutto and.

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal Friday clarified that a brief disruption occurred during a live broadcast a day earlier was due to someone nearby having an argument and unaware that he was live on air.

PESHAWAR - Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi, in his message on the martyrdom anniversary of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto on Friday, said that December 27 is a tragic yet resolute day in Pakistan’s history.

ISLAMABAD - Chief Justice of Pakistan and Chairman Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP) Justice Yahya Afridi Friday chaired a high-level review meeting to advance initiatives aimed at strengthening judicial infrastructure and enhancing public facilitation, with particular focus on underserved and remote districts of Khyber.

ISLAMABAD - As there is no dull day in country’s politics, the federal capital is abuzz with rumours of im-position of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and government’s failed at-tempt to convince the opposition PTI party for talks.