Pakistan

• 159 patients admitted to three city hospitals this year • Majority of them contracted the incurable virus due to ‘unsafe healthcare practices’ • Alarm raised over lack of basic infection control protocols in hospitals KARACHI: Three hospitals in Karachi have recorded a dramatic increase in the number of paediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases over the last nine months and their numbers continue to grow, it emerged on Friday. According to sources, 10 HIV positive children were admitted to the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital and Research Centre (SIDH&RC) in 2024 and their number rose to over 70 in 2025. This year, 30 children with HIV positive status were admitted to the hospital. At the Indus Hospital, 144 HIV positive patients were reported in 2024, whose number rose to 176 in 2025. In the first quarter of this year, 69 HIV patients have been reported at the facility. “There has been an alarming surge in paediatrics cases registered at our hospital. Since August 2025 till date, 72 children le...

WASHINGTON: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Friday that while he has discussed with International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials the impact of the Iran conflict on Pakistan’s economy, “our focus is on getting an early approval for the next tranche” of the IMF package and that a team of the global lender will visit Pakistan next month for consultations on the upcoming review. Talking to Dawn after his news conference at the Pakistan Embassy, the minister reiterated that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz was “a very good development”, which would ease pressure on global oil supplies, bring down oil prices everywhere and benefit Pakistan as well. Had the conflict persisted, it would have adversely affected everything “from economic growth to inflation”, he said, adding: “We hope the situation will improve, but hope is not a strategy, and that’s why we had planned for everything.” Aurangzeb said he also discussed the possible consequences of the Iran crisis with the IMF, which has established facil...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday announced a reduction of Rs32.12 per litre in diesel prices while keeping petrol rates unchanged for the week ending April 24, passing on the impact of easing global prices following the ceasefire announced by the United States and Iran. The last-minute reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the resulting 12-13 per cent decline in global prices were not taken into account before the prime minister approved the diesel price cut through a written statement. The sharp fall, which came soon after the agreement between the US and Iran, along with further expected reductions in the coming days, is likely to be reflected in domestic prices next week. Accordingly, the ex-depot price of high-speed diesel (HSD) has been fixed at Rs353.42 per litre, down from Rs385.54, marking a decline of 8.3pc. Diesel prices have dropped significantly from their peak of Rs520.35 on April 10. HSD is considered the most inflationary fuel due to its widespread use in freight transportatio...

MUZAFFARABAD: As many as 125 people, including women and children, were safely rescued from Mangla Dam on Thursday night after a sudden thunderstorm disrupted their return journey from Ramkot Fort, an official said on Friday. According to Mirpur SSP Khurram Iqbal, the group had travelled to Ramkot Fort for a day-long outing on a locally desi­gned floating transport platform. The platform, operated with the help of boats, has a capacity of around 100 passengers. Ramkot Fort is a 16th-century fortified structure featuring around 440 stairs to reach the top, offering panoramic views of Mangla Lake, which surrounds it on three sides. The group, comprising employees of a life insurance company and their families from Mirpur and adjoining districts, had taken nearly three hours to reach the historic site. They were returning around 8pm when a severe thunderstorm, accompanied by torrential rain and strong winds, struck the area. The SSP said the adverse weather caused the floating platform to lose stability and drif...

KARACHI: After three years, the US dollar slipped below Rs279 on Friday in the inter-bank market, reflecting a sign of exchange rate stability. According to data issued by the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan, the buying rate in the inter-bank market on Friday was Rs278.95, against Rs279 a day earlier. The US dollar was traded between Rs277-278 in March 2023 in the interbank market. However, before this appreciation of the rupee, the country was on the verge of default but recovered after the IMF programme and support from China. Atif Ahmed, a currency dealer, said that since Jan 16, the rupee had kept appreciating against the dollar and had reached this level. “For more than a year, currency dealers have not been working on ready transactions but have been doing swaps only, as the State Bank has strict rules for dollar trading,” he added. The stable exchange rate played a key role in the stabilisation of the economy despite poor growth and very high inflation during this period. Inflation has come ...

He insists the incident didn’t affect him even “one percent”

ISLAMABAD - The Ambassador of Ethiopia to Pakistan, Dr.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Bangladeshi counterpart Dr Khalilur Rahman exchanged views on regional developments, said a post shared on X by Pakistan’s top diplomat on Friday.

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved free Google certification courses for more than 100,000 students across the province, waiving fees that typically range from $400 to $1,000, as part of a broader push to equip youth with modern digital skills.

ISLAMABAD - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar yesterday held a series of high-level bilateral meetings with foreign counterparts on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF), reinforcing Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach and engagement on regional and global developments.

Islamabad - Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Friday approved a significant reduction in diesel prices, in a move aimed at providing immediate relief to the public amid ongoing economic pressures.

Govt welcomes LHC verdict on ending free electricity units for power sector employees LAHORE/ ISLAMABAD - The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday upheld the government’s policy of monetising free electricity units for officers of power distribution companies, dismissing a petition challenging the move.

ANTALYA /ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, with both leaders reaffirming support for Pakistan’s efforts to advance peace in the Middle East.

ISLAMABAD - Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Friday met British High Commissioner Jane Marriott, where both sides discussed the evolving regional situation and avenues for enhanced bilateral cooperation.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday emphasised the importance of “effectively utilising the current window of opportunity to advance durable and lasting regional peace” amid the ongoing war in the Middle East. In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said that the premier met Erdogan on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. The premier arrived in Turkiye on Thursday on the last leg of his tri-nation tour. “During the warm and cordial meeting, President Erdogan welcomed the Prime Minister to Türkiye and thanked him for his participation in the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum,” the statement said. According to the PMO, the premier thanked Erdogan for his warm invitation and the traditional Turkish hospitality extended to him and his delegation during his stay in Antalya. He also congratulated the Turkish president on the success of the forum, which he said had transformed into an important global event. “The two leaders exchanged views on recent region...

Myanmar has reduced the sentence of imprisoned ex-leader Aung San Suu Kyi, her lawyer told Reuters on Friday, as part of an amnesty by a new president who ousted her government in a coup five years ago. Suu Kyi, 80, was serving a 27-year sentence for a litany of charges her allies said were politically motivated to keep her at bay, ranging from incitement and corruption to election fraud and violating a state secrets law. The sentence has been cut by one-sixth, but it remains unclear whether the Nobel Peace Prize winner will be allowed to serve the rest of her sentence under house arrest, the lawyer said. Suu Kyi, who had dismissed the charges against her as “absurd”, has not been seen in public since the end of her marathon trials, and her whereabouts have been unknown. Earlier, state media reported that President Min Aung Hlaing approved an amnesty for 4,335 prisoners, the third such move in the past six months. Amnesties typically take place in Myanmar each year to mark Independence Day in January and the ...

The government on Friday reduced the price of diesel by Rs32.12, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The statement said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had decided to provide relief to the nation and approved a reduction of Rs32.12 in the price of diesel. “After the approval, the price of diesel has decreased from Rs385.54 to Rs353.43,” the statement said. “The effects of the reduction in oil prices will be conveyed to the public as soon as possible,” the premier was quoted as saying. The statement did not make any mention of the price of petrol, which was set at Rs366.58 per litre last week. Petrol is mostly used in private transport, small vehicles, rickshaws and two-wheelers and has a direct bearing on the budget of the middle and lower-middle class. High-speed diesel is mainly used in the heavy transport sector and for large generators. After the US-Israeli war on Iran began, the government had initially hiked petrol and diesel prices by Rs55 per litre on March 6 and a...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved a significant reduction in diesel prices, offering relief to consumers amid fluctuating global oil rates.

• Araghchi announces vital trade chokepoint open to all commercial vessels • Trump sees deal 'soon' to end war •

Shehbaz, Erdogan reaffirm resolve to strengthen strategic partnership