Pakistan

Talks between US and Chinese officials continued into their second day in Geneva on Sunday, as both sides discussed how to de-escalate the trade war that threatens to inflict major damage on the world economy. Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in their first face-to-face meetings since the world’s two largest economies imposed tariffs well above 100 per cent on each other’s goods. Talks were still underway after 3-1/2 hours on Sunday on the outskirts of Geneva, following eight hours of discussions on Saturday. Bessent declined to comment to reporters at his hotel before setting off for the talks on Sunday. But White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said the Chinese were “very, very eager” to engage in discussions and rebalance trade relations with the United States. Hassett also told Fox News that more foreign trade deals could be coming with other countries as soon as this week. Overnight, US President Donald Trump gave ...

The Supreme Court of Pakistan is set to hear the appeal against Zahir Jaffer’s death sentence in the Noor Mukadam murder case on May 13, according to its latest cause list, it emerged on Sunday. Noor, 27, was found murdered at a residence in Islamabad’s upscale Sector F-7/4 on July 20, 2021. A first information report (FIR) was registered later the same day against Zahir Jaffer, who was arrested from the site of the murder. In February 2022, a district and sessions judge convicted Jaffer of murdering Mukadam, handing him the death penalty along with 25 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs200,000. His household staff, Iftikhar and Jameel — co-accused in the case — were each sentenced to 10 years in prison, while all other suspects, including Jaffer’s parents and TherapyWorks employees, were acquitted. According to the cause list available on the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s website, “the hearing on the appeal against Jaffer’s death sentence will be held on May 13.” Justice Hashim Kakar will head a th...

Pakistani mountaineer Sajid Ali Sadpara successfully summited Dhaulagiri the world’s seventh-highest peak at 8,167 meters on Saturday, without the use of supplemental oxygen or porter support.

Polish cyclist Paweł Małaszko, aiming to be the first person to cycle to the K2 base camp from Karachi, started the final leg of his journey on Sunday. Małaszko, Aged 46, is cycling to the base camp as part of his adventure to cycle across Pakistan — from the shores of the Arabian Sea to the K2 base camp, the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court provided a permit to the Polish cyclist to complete his adventure earlier this month. The legal battle between tour operators and GB tourism departments had stopped the issuance of mountaineering and trekking permits for foreigners. Talking to Dawn, the cyclist said he started his final adventure on Sunday morning from Skardu. “It is a challenging expedition, my goal is to cover this whole route on a bike. without additional support. If I succeed, I will be the first man in history to do so,” Małaszko said. Earlier, the Polish cyclist reached Skardu, travelling 3,250 kilometres from Karachi on a bicycle. “I am an athlete and an avid traveller, deeply engaged in challenging cy...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed gratitude to US President Donald Trump for his invaluable offer to play a greater role in bringing lasting peace to South Asia.

The Afghan government under the Taliban has called for “mutual respect and constructive engagement” with Pakistan and China, according to a statement issued by its interior ministry. The statement was issued after special envoys of Pakistan and China, Mohammad Sadiq and Yue Xiaoyong, met Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani in Kabul. The trilateral forum was established in 2017, with earlier meetings held in Beijing and the Afghan capital. “Minister of Interior Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani emphasised the importance of strengthening regional ties, stating that, from the Islamic Emirate’s perspective, the advancement of economic and political relations, as well as regional understanding, can be achieved through mutual respect and constructive engagement,” the Afghan interior ministry said. It added that the special envoys of China and Pakistan reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening good neighbourly relations and fostering cooperation with Afghanistan based on mutual engagement. They also agreed that ...

Renowned Pakistani climber Sajid Ali Sadpara on Saturday summited the world’s seventh highest peak — Dhaulagiri at 8,167 metres — without oxygen or porter support. On May 4, four Pakistani climbers began their expedition to climb Dhaulagiri, located in Nepal. Sadpara had reached the base camp of the peak on April 6 and had begun his rotation and climbed up to the Camp 3 and descended to the base camp. The feat, confirmed by the Alpine Club of Pakistan, marks Sadpara’s ninth 8,000m peak, all of which were climbed without bottled oxygen and were completely unsupported. View this post on Instagram In a statement, Seven Summit Treks said the team successfully reached the summit starting at 9:35am on Saturday, marking the first confirmed ascent of Dhaulagiri in the Spring 2025 season. The expedition team had previously fixed ropes up to 8,050m and launched their final summit push during a favourable weather window. The team began their summit push from Camp IV at 6:15pm on Friday, making relentless efforts to reac...

The Commissioner of Karachi has enforced Section 144 across the city for one month to prevent the establishment of illegal animal markets and roadside livestock sales ahead of Eid ul Adha.

Colleges and universities across Punjab will reopen tomorrow, with the examinations to be held as per schedule from Monday onwards, the provincial government has said.

Trump crafting path ahead on Kashmir issue could be ‘huge legacy’ for him: Sherry RehmanPPP Senator Sherry Rehman has said that if US President Donald Trump manages to solve the Kashmir dispute, it would be a “huge legacy” for him.

Pakistan has welcomed US President Donald Trump’s expression of support for efforts to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, terming it a key issue with far-reaching consequences for regional and global peace.

An overcrowded bus carrying dozens of Buddhist pilgrims plummeted into a precipice in Sri Lanka on Sunday, killing at least 21 and injuring 24, a senior transport official said. The island nation’s winding roads are among the most dangerous in the world, and the crash off a cliffside road on Sunday was among the deadliest recorded in Sri Lanka in decades. The roof and side panels of the bus were sheared off, and more than half the seats were ripped from the floor of the vehicle, which landed wheels up into a tea plantation, photos of the wreckage showed. The state-owned bus was carrying around 70 passengers — about 20 more than its capacity — through the central hilly region of Kotmale when the driver lost control and it veered off the road before dawn, police said. “We are trying to establish whether it was a mechanical failure or if the driver fell asleep at the wheel,” a local police official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to media. Deputy Transport Mini...

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday congratulated the nation on befitting response to India’s aggression.

Overseas Pakistanis on Sunday expressed heartfelt gratitude to the nation and extended their appreciation to the armed forces for their bravery and successful operation against Indian aggression, showcasing unity and patriotism across the globe.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited the Jinnah Square Murree Road underpass project site and directed that the project be completed in full by the end of May.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has declared the observance of Youm-e-Tashakkur (Day of Gratitude) in recognition of Pakistan’s resolute response to Indian aggression and the successful execution of Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos.

Talks between top US and Chinese officials resumed for a second day on Sunday, after US President Donald Trump voiced optimism over the negotiations aimed at de-escalating trade tensions sparked by his aggressive tariff rollout. In a Truth Social post following the first day of talks in Geneva on Saturday, Trump praised the “very good” discussions and deemed them “a total reset negotiated in a friendly, but constructive, manner”. Earlier, the Chinese state news agency Xinhua also described the talks in Switzerland as “an important step in promoting the resolution of the issue”. The second day of closed-door meetings between US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng resumed shortly after 10am (1pm PKT) on Sunday. As of Saturday, the talks were taking place at the residence of the Swiss ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, a discrete villa with sky-blue shutters near a large park on the left bank of Lake Geneva. “These talks reflect that t...

US President Donald Trump has said he would work with Pakistan and India to see if a solution could be reached to the Kashmir dispute, just a day after his country mediated a ceasefire between the South Asian neighbours.

KARACHI: The local auto industry and its suppliers are facing uncertainty ahead of the FY26 budget as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is reportedly pressuring the government to rationalise auto tariffs and permit the commercial import of used cars. The IMF believes the auto sector is highly protective, and there is a need to rationalise tariffs to improve competitiveness and efficiency to benefit consumers. There are over 40 per cent taxes and duties on locally produced vehicles. On May 6, auto assemblers and part vendors met Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAMP) Haroon Akhtar Khan in Islamabad and conveyed their concerns that the local industry would collapse if commercial imports of used cars are allowed and tariffs on CBU are lowered below a certain threshold. The SAPM assured them that the government did not intend to jeopardise the industry and the investments. On the contrary, the ministry will protect the local industry and try to achieve balanced tariffs with industry consultation. The old ...

A policeman was martyred in an exchange of fire after attackers threw a hand grenade near a masjid in Gwadar, according to police. According to Gwadar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Zia Mandokhail, a residential quarter of people belonging to Punjab was targeted with a hand grenade near Bilal Mosque located on Syed Hashmi Avenue. The attackers fired in the air and fled the scene. As the attackers attempted to flee, the police constable present at the scene took immediate action and chased one of the attackers. The timely police action led to one attacker, Shah Jahan, being killed, while the other, Shahzad, was seriously injured. In the exchange of fire, however, policeman Muhammad Khamari was martyred. Three others were also injured in the attack, according to SSP Mandokhail. Militant violence and security operations intensified in the country in March 2025, with the number of militant attacks surpassing 100 for the first time since November 2014, according to data released by the Pakistan Institute fo...