Pakistan

Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem was named in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia list following his historic Olympic performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, it emerged on Monday. The entertainment and sports list, which was originally published last month, aims to “[spotlight] the next generation of talent — on court and the screen.” Nadeem, 28, changed Pakistan’s sporting trajectory when he won gold and broke the Olympic record with a massive 92.97m throw in Paris — which Forbes called a “stunning show” — winning Pakistan’s first individual gold medal and the first of any colour in more than 30 years. His Olympic feat got him more than Rs153 million in cash prize from Punjab and Sindh, in addition to several other rewards handed out by various government entities and companies. The government also named a road in Islamabad in Nadeem’s honour, while Pakistan Post issued a commemorative stamp on Independence Day to pay tribute. Nadeem retained his javelin supremacy when he took home gold at last month’s Asian Athletic Cha...

The central ceremony commemorating the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev Ji was held on Monday at Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Ali Zafar launched a scathing critique of the federal government during Monday’s Senate session, accusing it of crippling the economy through excessive taxation and flawed fiscal planning.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has paid tribute to Pakistan’s security forces for their successful operations against Indian-sponsored terrorists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Air India Chairman N Chandrasekaran on Monday told staff that last week’s plane crash that killed at least 271 people should be a catalyst to build a safer airline, urging employees to stay resolute amid any criticism. In a town hall held at the headquarters of the Tata Group-owned airline near New Delhi and attended by 700 staff, Chandrasekaran said the crash was the “most heartbreaking” crisis of his career, a spokesperson told Reuters. “I’ve seen a reasonable number of crises in my career, but this is the most heartbreaking one,” he said, according to a transcript provided by a Tata Group spokesperson. “We need to use this incident as an act of force to build a safer airline,” Chandrasekaran said. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with 242 people on board bound for Gatwick Airport south of London began losing height seconds after take-off in Ahmedabad on Thursday, and erupted in a huge fireball as it hit buildings below. All but one on board were declared dead in the world’s worst aviation disaster in a decade, ...

The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore has issued a three-page written verdict addressing the prosecution’s request to conduct polygraphic and photogrammetric tests on the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Federal Minister for Health Mustafa Kamal on Monday urged politicians, religious scholars, academia, civil society’s members, parents and media to use their influence with renewed determination by actively participating in the anti-polio campaign to help ensure a polio-free Pakistan in the near future.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) maintained its policy rate on Monday at 11 per cent, after many analysts cited inflation risks from rising global commodity prices amid Iran-Israel tensions. The central bank’s policy rate, after being slashed by 1,000bps from 22pc since June 2024 in seven intervals, was cut to 11pc last month. “The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to keep the policy rate unchanged at 11 per cent,” the SBP said in a statement. Several brokerages had initially expected a cut but revised their forecasts after the Israeli strikes sparked fears of a broader conflict. The MPC observed that global oil prices had “rebounded sharply, reflecting the evolving geopolitical situation in the Middle East and some ease in US-China trade tensions”. “Taking stock of these developments and potential risks, the committee assessed that the real interest rate remains adequately positive to stabilise inflation within the target range of 5–7pc,” the MPC stressed. The escalating hostilities after Israel’s atta...

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar Monday emphasized the importance of further expanding Pakistan-Japan bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of trade, investment, IT, and industrial cooperation.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday paid tribute to the security forces for killing five terrorists of Indian proxy, Fitna al Khawarij in two different operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif says a sustainable and modern Information and Computer System will be developed in the country which will help Pakistan emerge as a hub of the IT sector in the region.

Escalating tensions between Iran and Israel have severely impacted international flight operations across multiple countries, including Pakistan, Iraq, and Qatar, leading to widespread delays and cancellations.

In a calculated political maneuver aimed at derailing the federal budget's approval, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has urged the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to abstain from participating in the upcoming budget vote.

China’s nuclear arsenal has grown faster than that of any other country, reaching an estimated 600 warheads by early 2025, adding momentum to the global arms race and raising strategic concerns, an international security think tank said on Monday. The country’s nuclear stockpile has been expanding by roughly 100 warheads per year since 2023, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) said in its Sipri Yearbook 2025, warning that a new and dangerous nuclear arms race is taking shape amid a widespread weakening of arms control frameworks. According to the report, by January this year, China built or nearly completed around 350 new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) silos and could have at least as many ICBMs as either Russia or the United States by the turn of the decade. The report, however, said that even if China reaches 1,500 warheads by 2035, this would still represent only about a third of each of the current Russian and US stockpiles. Beijing said it follows a nuclear strategy th...

US President Donald Trump directed federal authorities to ramp up deportation efforts in Democratic-led cities on Sunday, doubling down on a politicised anti-immigration drive after major protests in Los Angeles. “We must expand efforts to detain and deport illegal aliens in America’s largest cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where millions upon millions of illegal aliens reside,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform. “These, and other such cities, are the core of the Democrat power centre,” he claimed, citing debunked right-wing conspiracy theories that undocumented immigrants are voting in US elections in significant numbers. Trump has made deporting undocumented immigrants a key priority for his second term, after successfully campaigning against an alleged “invasion” by criminals. Raids by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency in Los Angeles have sparked days of mainly peaceful protests, though they have seen sporadic violence at times. Trump has pounced on the violent ...

Security forces have eliminated five terrorists linked to an Indian proxy network in two separate intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to a statement from Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).

Mushaal Mullick, wife of jailed Kashmiri resistance leader Yasin Malik, has issued a compelling video statement, declaring that true peace cannot be achieved through power—it must be rooted in justice.

A committee formed In response to the evolving geopolitical situation following Israel’s recent attack on Iran and the resulting volatility in the international oil markets held its first meeting on Monday, wherein it expressed satisfaction that Pakistan currently holds adequate stocks of petroleum products. According to a Finance Division statement, the committee chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb conducted a detailed assessment of the global and domestic petroleum market situation and noted that there is no immediate risk of supply disruption. Nonetheless, the committee’s members emphasised the need for continued vigilance given the rapidly changing regional context. To ensure timely response and effective coordination, a working group will monitor developments on a daily basis, and the committee will meet weekly to review the situation and submit recommendations to the prime minister. The petroleum division has been designated to provide secretarial support and ensure effective implementation o...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, while addressing the 27th meeting of the provincial cabinet on Sunday, announced what she termed a “historic and unmatched” development package for the province under a zero-tax framework.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is set to announce its last monetary policy of the ongoing financial year 2024-25 today (Monday).