Pakistan

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has said the ML-1 railway project will be a major milestone in the development of the province’s southern districts.

LAHORE: A Lahore High Court (LHC) division bench on Wednesday dismissed appeals filed by the two men convicted in the 2020 Sialkot-Lahore Motorway gang rape case against their sentences. An anti-terrorism court had handed down death sentences besides life imprisonment and multiple jail terms to the two convicts, Abid Ali alias Malhi and Shafqat Ali alias Bagga, on March 20, 2021. They challenged their convictions on March 25, 2021. The appeals contended that several infirmities created doubts about the prosecution’s version of the events and the trial court’s judgement was harsh and against the settled principles of law. A two-judge bench, comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Tariq Mehmood Bajwa, issued the verdict on their appeals today after the prosecution concluded its arguments. In his final arguments, the state prosecutor contended that the prosecution had overwhelming evidence against the convicts and requested the court to uphold their sentences. He said there was no flaw in the trial...

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Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC) has categorically rejected reports circulating on social media regarding an alleged security breach of its database, describing the claims as baseless and misleading.

Severe tropical storm Jangmi ripped across Japan on Wednesday, with fierce winds and torrential rain disrupting transport and businesses, and knocking out power for tens of thousands of homes. The storm’s centre lay about 150 kilometres south of Tokyo as of early Wednesday afternoon, moving northeast with maximum sustained winds of up to 25 metres per second, Japan’s Meteorological Agency said. The storm is set to pass very close to the Pacific side of eastern Japan and heightened vigilance is needed, the agency added. At least 15 people have sustained minor injuries, according to authorities. The storm, with a central pressure of 985 hectopascals, has cut power to nearly 60,000 households so far, and authorities have been receiving reports of flooding, fallen trees and debris, and landslides across a wide stretch of regions, government spokesperson Minoru Kihara said during a regular press briefing. “If you sense any danger, please do not hesitate to take early action to protect your lives,” Kihara said. Eva...

The US Trade Representative has proposed new duties targeting 60 economies, including Pakistan and India, for alleged failures to act against forced labour, as the Trump administration seeks to rebuild its tariff agenda following legal setbacks. The proposed tariffs range from 10 per cent to 12.5pc, according to a government filing, and they will undergo a public comment period before a final decision is made. The move comes months after Washington launched investigations into trading partners, including China, the European Union (EU) and Japan. The probes looked into whether they took action against the import of goods made with forced labour, and if this impacted US commerce. On Tuesday, the USTR said that 54 of the economies “failed to impose and effectively enforce a forced labour import prohibition”. This group includes China, Vietnam, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and India. Six other economies — Canada, Ecuador, the EU, Indonesia, Mexico and Pakistan — were deemed not to have effectively enforced such pro...

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Wednesday filed a petition with the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking permission to meet former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan ahead of the provincial budget for the next fiscal year. Speaking to reporters at the IHC alongside KP Finance Adviser Muzammil Aslam, the chief minister said a meeting with the PTI founder was essential as the provincial budget had been prepared and required his final approval. He maintained that the people of KP had given their mandate to the PTI founder, adding that consultation with him on the budget was necessary. CM Afridi said the province was being deprived of its due share of resources and alleged that KP was being punished for supporting the PTI founder. He criticised the federal government’s development allocations, claiming the province had been ignored in the previous federal budget and development programme. The chief minister also expressed concern over the country’s economic situation, saying pri...

KARACHI: A Karachi court on Wednesday directed authorities to produce alleged drug baroness Anmol alias Pinky in court when required, adding that she did not need to appear in person at the current stage in proceedings. The order was issued in cases registered against Anmol at Karachi’s Garden police station and on an application seeking the appearance of the suspected cocaine dealer before the court via video link due to security concerns. The application was filed by the senior superintendent of the Central Prison for Women on Monday, when Anmol was scheduled to appear in person before the court in two cases, including those relating to the possession of drugs and an illegal weapon. “Since there is no need [for the] physical appearance of the accused at the challan stage due to security risk[s], […] the jail superintendent shall be directed to produce custody whenever the court requires,” Judicial Magistrate (South) Sitara Kainat stated in the order, seen by Dawn. In the application filed on Monday, the jai...

RAWALPINDI: In addition to 6,000 Punjab police personnel, 150 police personnel from the security division of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police have been assigned for Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) election duty, with a total of 2,000 personnel expected to be dispatched to the region. General elections in GB are scheduled for Sunday, with election campaigns already underway by major political parties. The 150 police personnel selected from the security division for GB election duty had been guarding high-profile buildings and installations in the federal capital, as well as performing sensitive security duties, such as escorting foreign delegations. They will leave for GB on Thursday amid tight security and will be back in Islamabad on June 9 (Tuesday). Of the 150 ICT police personnel, 30 personnel have been selected from the Special Protection Unit (SPU), five from the President’s House, 20 from the Prime Minister’s House, six from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), 10 from the Foreign Office (FO) guard duty an...

Police have submitted details of bank accounts allegedly linked to the facilitators of Anmol alias Pinky in a narcotics case before a court, as investigators continue to examine the financial network associated with the alleged drug trade.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday approved the extension in closing timings for businesses with immediate effect. According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division and shared by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on X, the decision was taken in light of “longer daylight hours and rising temperatures in summer”. The notification stated that markets, shopping malls, bazaars, departmental stores, grocery shops, general stores and kiryana shops will close at 9m throughout the week. Marriage halls, marquees and all other commercial venues where festive events are held will close at 10pm throughout the week. Meanwhile, restaurants, cafes, eateries, food outlets, and standalone fruit and vegetable shops will close at 11pm; takeaway and home delivery will be exempt. In addition, pharmacies, medical supply stores, laboratories, clinics, hospitals, bakeries, tandoors, milk and dairy shops, fuel pumps, electric vehicle charging stations, gyms, sports facilities, information technology...

Gulf hostilities flared again on Wednesday, with a missile attack damaging Kuwait’s airport and the US military carrying out strikes near the Strait of Hormuz, as diplomacy between Washington and Tehran showed little progress. The latest flare-up, which sent oil prices up more than 1 per cent, comes with the conflict stalemated in a shaky ceasefire and the Strait of Hormuz largely closed, more than three months after initial US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Flights at Kuwait International Airport were suspended and diverted elsewhere until further notice, the state news agency said, citing aviation authorities, after an Iranian drone and missile attack on its T1 building. The attack caused injuries and severely damaged some airport facilities, it added, but gave no further details. Ministry of defence spokesman Brigadier General Saud Abdulaziz Al-Atwan described the attack as “criminal Iranian aggression which resulted in significant material damage to the building and injuries”. Earlier, the US Central Comman...

The presentation of the federal budget for the next fiscal year (FY2026-27) has been pushed to June 10, according to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry. His remarks come after several media outlets reported on Tuesday that the budget would not be presented on June 5, for which sessions of both houses of Parliament were summoned. Asked about the reason for postponing the budget presentation during Samaa TV’s ‘Nadeem Malik Live’ programme on Tuesday night, Chaudhry said, “The initial proposal for the budget was June 5, [but] now, the budget will be released on June 10, God willing.” Asked for a confirmation, the minister reiterated that the new date for the budget announcement was June 10 (Wednesday). Elaborating on the reason for the delay, Chaudhry stressed that one of the two main steps in the budget process was “convincing the allies” in the ruling coalition. However, he played down the impression of any rifts between the PML-N and the PPP, terming the latter’s chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Za...

LAHORE: An 18-year-old alleged gang rape victim girl died during a critical procedure carried out at a government hospital following multiple abortion-related complications. The girl (a domestic helper) was allegedly subjected to gang rape by the son and driver of her employer in Model Town. As per the FIR and the video statement of the girl, she was sexually assaulted multiple times by the two suspects some months back and her employer kept the matter hushed up to avoid police action. However, the issue came to the limelight when the girl died of multiple abortion complications. According to police, the victim had accused the married son of the house owner and her driver of gang rape. Murder sections invoked in FIR filed against two suspects and domestic help’s employer The girl said she was initially taken to a private clinic in Raiwind due to the complications caused by the pills. During the illegal abortion procedure, the doctors diagnosed her with a 4 to 5 months foetal death (miscarriage), declaring it ...

Nawaz Sharif says PML-N asks public for votes based on its performance Criticises lack of infrastructure development in Gilgit-Baltistan Bilawal condemns killing of Khamenei, US attacks on schoolgirls in Skardu rally Claims PPP to solve problems of people of GB if gets heavy majority.

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed all ministries to ensure meaningful expert consultation for modern technologies’ integration across various sectors of the economy.

Islamabad - The Foreign Ministers of the group of eight Arab-Islamic states have condemned in the strongest terms the continued incursions by extremist Israeli settlers, into Al-Aqsa Mosque, Al-Haram Al-Sharif, under the protection of the Israeli forces, as well as the raising of the Israeli flag within its courtyards.

Islamabad - Former Prime Minister and Senate Chairman Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani held an informal discussion with HE Kaja Kallas, first female Prime Minister of Astonia and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, during a luncheon hosted in her honour.

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday expressed gratitude after the province’s Virtual Centre for Child Safety (VCCS) “Mera Pyara” project was declared a Global Champion by the United Nations-backed World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Awards 2026.

MULTAN - Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad said that peace and stability were indispensable for country’s security and national progress, urging religious scholars and preachers to promote unity and avoid hatred speeches during Muharram-ul-Haram.