Pakistan

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), through its National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC), on Thursday issued a nationwide alert warning of an intense heatwave in several regions until May 5. The authority also forecast rain, windstorms and thunderstorms in parts of the country between April 24 and 29. The NDMA urged the authorities and citizens to activate response measures and take precautionary steps. The NDMA said the current weather pattern was consistent with its seasonal outlook issued three to four months earlier, and noted that a detailed assessment for the April to June period had already been shared. According to the advisory, Sindh, southern Punjab and parts of Balochistan were expected to face severe heatwave conditions. Major cities including Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan and Turbat were likely to remain under extreme heat. Further, central Punjab and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa may also see a sharp rise in temperatures. At t...

A US naval blockade of Iranian ports is likely to squeeze Iran’s oil output in the coming weeks but claims it will throw the Islamic republic into economic free fall remain premature, analysts say. After weeks of bombing and counter-strikes, focus has shifted to the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz, which ordinarily carries around a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas. In response to Iran’s blockade of the Strait since the start of the Middle East war, the US imposed a counter-blockade of the Islamic republic’s ports, a push to force its leaders into a compromise in peace talks. That bid, however, looks set to fail, at least in the short term. “If the blockade lasts for more than two or three months, it can cause more damage” to Iran, economic analyst and professor at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran, Saeed Laylaz, told AFP. “If Iran suffers any damage, the damage to the countries in the southern Persian Gulf will definitely be greater,” he added. There’s a limit on how long Iran can bide i...

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) Directorate General of Customs Valuation has increased the customs value for 62 models of older and used mobile phones, saying the move was aimed at aligning assessed values for duty and tax purposes with prevailing market rates, it emerged on Thursday. The development comes after senior FBR officials had assured a National Assembly parliamentary committee last week that mobile phone rates would be reduced in the upcoming budget. The directorate issued the revised benchmarks through the Valuation Ruling No. 2070 of 2026 on Thursday, replacing the earlier Ruling No. 2035 issued in January. Ahead of finalising the revised values, the Directorate also held a meeting with relevant stakeholders on April 13. The new valuation will apply to imports of old and used mobile phones in commercial quantities without packing or accessories. According to the data, the sharpest upward increase was recorded in Google Pixel and Samsung models, indicating that the new ruling signi...

A new patriotic anthem titled Watan ki Khatir has been unveiled, celebrating the bravery and sacrifices of fallen soldiers while capturing the spirit of national unity.

The Sindh Government has announced revised guidelines for fee collection in private schools for the 2026–27 academic session, aiming to bring greater transparency and uniformity to the system.

The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) on Thursday finalized its electoral strategy for the upcoming Gilgit-Baltistan elections and announced candidates for nine seats in the first phase.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), through its National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC), on Thursday issued a nationwide alert warning of an intense heatwave in several regions until May 5, along with forecasts of rain, windstorms, and thunderstorms in parts of the country between April 24 and 29.

Bangladesh recorded 194 child deaths due to measles in an outbreak that began last month, while the number of suspected child cases exceeded 28,000, the government data showed on Thursday. Between three and five children died from the disease every day for the past week. Five children died on Wednesday, including three in the capital Dhaka, and another five on Thursday. The government said it launched a robust nationwide vaccination programme since the outbreak began on March 15, the worst in the South Asian nation for decades. “Our target is to vaccinate 18 million children,” health department spokesman Zahid Raihan told AFP. “So far, we have covered a little over one-fourth of our target, and it may take another two weeks to see the impact of this vaccination programme.” Md Sajib and Afsin Meem lost their three-year-old son, their only child, on Tuesday, and a photograph of a relative carrying his tiny body along a road was shared extensively on news sites. “After noticing a rash on our son’s skin, we rushe...

ISLAMABAD: The government has projected additional power generation capacity needs of 62,660 to 70,720 megawatt (MW) till 2035 to support the country’s economic growth of 3.5 per cent (low) to 6.4pc (high). This is part of the revised Indicative Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP) 2025-35 and the Transmission System Expansion Plan (TSEP) 2025-35 prepared by the Independent System and Market Operator (ISMO) — a power division entity — in consultation with all the relevant stakeholders, including the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra). The two plans cover the entire power network, including those of distribution companies and K-Electric. A distinguishing feature of the revised IGCEP is the consideration of Least Cost Violation (LCV) for Diamer-Bhasha, and ACWA solar power plants. The plan also considers the impact of solarisation on the end-consumer tariff, the inclusion of strategic power plants using LCV, the induction of a significant quantum of net metering (8,120 MW), and the consi...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expressed displeasure at the lack of functional early weather warning systems for protection against climate risks in Gilgit-Baltistan and ordered an inquiry into the matter. He issued the directive while chairing a review meeting on pre-monsoon strategy and climate preparedness. During the meeting, the premier expressed displeasure at the non-functional early warning system, particularly against glacial lake outburst floods (Glofs) in GB. Glofs refer to the sudden release of water and debris from a glacial lake, leading to the loss of lives, property, and livelihoods in mountain communities. Over 7.1 million people in GB and KP are vulnerable to the phenomenon, according to the Ministry of Climate Change. PM Shehbaz ordered an inquiry into the system’s “non-functionality” and the “ineffective performance of relevant institutions, despite being given clear instructions last year”. He asserted that “incompetence and poor performance will not be tolerated,” m...

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday met with Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, Jiang Zaidong, during a courtesy call paid on him, where the regional situation in the Middle East and Pakistan’s peace efforts also came under discussion.

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX)’s benchmark index KSE-100 continued its bearish momentum on Thursday, losing over 2,400 points. KSE-100 declined by 2,405.93 points or 1.4 per cent to close at 169,173.37 points from the previous close of 171,579.30 points. The bourse rose to an intraday high of 171,561.74 points shortly after opening and declined to an intraday low of 168,416.02 points at 1:27pm. “Bears returned to centre stage as tensions flared around the Strait of Hormuz, where reports of blockades and vessel seizures rattled global sentiment. Meanwhile, Islamabad continues to await Iranian and American officials for expected peace talks, keeping uncertainty elevated,” Topline Securities said. “Amid the risk-off mood, the benchmark index plunged to an intraday low of 3,163 points before settling at 169,173 — down 2,405 points (-1.40%) — as broad-based selling gripped the market,” it said. It said that trading activity stayed relatively subdued, with volumes clocking in at 1,321 million shares and turnover...

KARACHI: Three station house officers (SHOs) were suspended on Thursday after an alleged drone incident in Sindh’s Khairpur district resulted in four deaths. A statement issued by the office of Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar said “four civilians were killed in a drone attack in Saeed Khan Lakho village”. Both Lanjar and Sindh Inspector General (IG) Javed Alam Odho also took strict notice of the incident and sought a report from the Sukkur deputy inspector general (DIG). IG Odho also issued directives for the suspension of the Kandhra, Patni and Saleh Pat SHOs in Sukkur, ordering “strict legal and departmental action” against them. Subsequently, an order issued by the Sindh Police Department stated that Kandhra SHO Shoukat Ali Arain, Patni SHO Imran Khan Bhayo and Saleh Pat SHO Allauddin Phulpoto have been placed under suspension and “closed to ‘B’ Company PHQ/Garden Karachi”. “During the period of suspension, they will draw their pay and allowances as admissible under the rules,” the police order said...

The Punjab cabinet has approved a significant increase in domicile fees while transitioning the issuance system to a fully digital platform, aiming to improve efficiency and transparency.

Inside the gynaecology clinic of Karachi’s largest public hospital, the air felt several degrees hotter. It was only 9:30am on a Friday in late February, and the windowless waiting room was already packed with women jostling for a place to sit, calling nurses for help, and scuffling for an ultrasound. Asiya, 21, was pregnant with her third child. The baby was due in May, when the mercury often crosses 38 degrees Celsius, and humidity soars past 70 per cent, making the heat unbearable. As temperatures rose in the room, Asiya felt nauseated and dizzy. “The heat exhausts me,” she said. “My body feels like lead, I’m barely able to stomach food. I am afraid that my child might be born sick.” Asiya lives in Lyari, one of Karachi’s most densely populated neighbourhoods, with narrow alleys and little to no green space. Inside her home, ventilation is poor and cooling scant. Intense summer heat in her neighbourhood is compounded by power outages that last up to 12 hours a day, shutting down fans and other appliances t...

Mir Sarfraz Bugti on Thursday inaugurated a new research facility aimed at addressing rising trends of violence and extremist behaviour in society.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) made fresh commitments worth $3.672bn to Pakistan in 2025, up 22pc from $2.995bn the previous year, as it ventured into new areas such as the mineral sector. In its Annual Report 2025, released on Thursday, the Manila-based lending agency also reported new financial support commitments of $1.485bn to the public sector for the year, a one-third increase from $1.113bn in 2024. Most of these loan commitments were made on ordinary commercial terms. “In Pakistan, a policy-based guarantee is helping to mitigate credit risk for commercial bank lending to smaller enterprises and to mobilise commercial financing of $1bn,” the bank said, adding that under ADB’s approach to supporting critical minerals-to-manufacturing value chains, it approved an innovative financing package for a copper-gold mine in Pakistan to strengthen the global copper supply chain. The bank will also provide advisory support to Pakistan to prepare road maps for digital skills development, in addition to investing ...

ISLAMABAD: The first global assessment examining all Unesco-designated World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves, and Global Geoparks reveals that every 1ºC of global warming avoided could halve the number of sites exposed to major disruption by the end of the century, it emerged on Thursday. In its assessment, titled “People and nature in Unesco-designated sites: Global and local contributions”, Unesco said that by failing to act now, pressures will intensify and natural systems in more than one in four sites could reach critical tipping points by 2050, potentially undermining both ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. Scaling up integrated management, restoration, inclusive governance, and targeted policies, alongside increased investment, was termed essential to sustain and expand these proven approaches and strengthen their resilience, Unesco said. The report further stated that securing the future of Unesco-designated sites requires investment commensurate with their global signifi­cance. Ma...

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Wednesday opposed a proposed park project that the government plans to set up at the foothills of the Margalla Hills on 1,000 kanal. A press release issued by the Interior Ministry stated that a new park would be established at the foothills of the Margallas. According to the press release, the decision to develop the park was made in a meeting on CDA issues chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. Reacting to the proposal, General Secretary PPP Human Rights Cell Malaika Raza issued a statement and strongly opposed the plan. “The proposed Margalla Park plan amounts to ecological terrorism, an assault on Islamabad’s geography, environment and social fabric with long-term repercussions,” she said. Pakistan is already facing a climate crisis. Islamabad, once celebrated as one of the most beautiful capitals in the world due to its greenery and hills, is under urgent threat as tree felling accelerates and natural beauty erodes, she added. “More than 29,000 trees ha...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed that transport in the country be gradually shifted to electric vehicles. The premier chaired a meeting on energy security, where he stressed that “energy security had become an important aspect of the country’s overall future planning,” according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Taking note of the global energy crisis in the wake of the Iran war, PM Shehbaz said that due to the government’s “timely steps, an energy crisis has been averted”. The prime minister told the meeting that to secure the country’s future energy needs, “work was underway to maintain strategic crude oil reserves”. As part of the energy security plan, the premier further stated that modes of transportation in the country should be gradually shifted to electric vehicles, “for energy conservation and sustainable development”. He instructed that electric buses and motorcycles should be purchased for government use. The premier also directed the expedited establishment of...