Pakistan

LARKANA: President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday directed the government to prioritise public relief, minimise the burden of petroleum prices and ease economic pressure on citizens during a high-level meeting at Bhutto House, according to the press release. The meeting was attended by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, along with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Faryal Talpur and Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah. According to officials, the participants reviewed the overall law and order situation, the country’s economic outlook, and developments in the energy sector, including petroleum product pricing. The interior minister briefed the president on ongoing counterterrorism operations and border security. The meeting also discussed tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as a detailed overview of broader regional security challenges. The finance and petroleum ministers...

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday sent a congratulatory message to President Asif Ali Zardari on the occasion of Pakistan Day, saying he is ready to work with the president to build an even closer Sino-Pak community with a shared future in the new era. President Xi highlighted the start of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan this year, as well as the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Pakistan. He expressed hope that both sides would carry forward their traditional friendship, enhance strategic communication and alignment of development strategies, and move forward together on their respective paths to modernisation. He lauded the Pakistani government on steadfastly safeguarding national sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national dignity, overcoming various risks and challenges, and advancing national development, as well as making contributions to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity. As a close friend, China is sincerely pleased with Pakistan’s development...

MUMBAI: The fundamentals of the Indian economy are strong and the country has adequate availability of petroleum, fertilisers and coal to weather trade and energy disruptions caused by the US-Israel war on Iran, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told parliament’s lower house on Monday. The conflict, which began last month, has disrupted sectors from air travel to shipping and gas supplies, including by the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which serves as a conduit for 40 per cent of India’s crude oil imports. His statements comes as the Indian rupee fell to a record low of 93.84 against the US Dollar, eclipsing its previous low of 93.7350 hit on Friday. The rupee, among the currencies most exposed to sustained oil price increases, has weakened about 3pc on the back of the escalating conflict, stoking worries over sustained disruption of energy supplies, threatening the outlook for Asia’s third-largest economy. Modi told the Lower House of Parliament that India has sufficient petroleum availability, wit...

The world faces an energy crisis worse than both 1970s oil shocks combined if the Middle East war drags on, the head of the International Energy Agency warned on Monday, as Israel launched fresh strikes on Tehran and threatened weeks more fighting. As the war grinds into its fourth week, United States President Donald Trump threatened to “obliterate” Iranian power plants if Iran failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours — setting an effective deadline of 23:44 GMT on Monday (4:44am PKT on Tuesday). Tehran has retaliated against US-Israeli assaults by throttling traffic in the vital waterway, conduit for a fifth of global crude oil, hitting energy sites and US embassies across the Gulf as well as firing missiles and drones at Israel. The Islamic republic issued a firm response to the new ultimatum, with powerful parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf vowing vital infrastructure across the region will be “irreversibly destroyed” if Trump acts on his threat. In a stark warning over what lies ahe...

KARACHI: A police officer who sustained bullet wounds during a ‘poorly planned’ raid on the house of the main suspect in the Mustafa Amir murder case succumbed to his injuries on Monday. Deputy Inspector General Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that Deputy Superintendent Police Ahsan Zulfiqar was injured during a raid jointly carried out by the Anti-Violent Crime Cell and the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) to arrest the main accused, Armaghan Qureshi, at his home located on Khayaban-i-Momin in DHA on Feb 8, 2025. He recalled that DSP Zulfiqar was shot and injured in firing allegedly carried out by the accused, Armaghan. “The injured DSP Ahsan Zulfiqar had been fighting for his life for several months,” said the DIG. Police sources told Dawn that the operation was poorly planned by senior police officers. Local police were not informed beforehand and arrived to assist when the firing started. The wounded officer had been receiving treatment at a private hospital. His condition deteriorated as an infection sp...

Four ambulances belonging to a Jewish community organisation in north London were set ablaze overnight in what British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called “a deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack”. The London Fire Brigade, which sent six fire engines and 40 firefighters to the scene, said multiple cylinders on the vehicles exploded, causing windows to shatter in an adjacent apartment block. No injuries were reported. The SITE Intelligence website said an Iran-aligned multinational militant collective called Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand had claimed responsibility for the attack near a synagogue in Golders Green. It said the group had been behind similar fires in Belgium, Greece and the Netherlands. Starmer condemns antisemitism Starmer described the incident as deeply shocking. “My thoughts are with the Jewish community who are waking up this morning to this horrific news,” he said on X. “Antisemitism has no place in our society.” Israel’s embassy in Britain said antisemitism was rampant ...

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif have paid tribute to the national heroes and to the martyrs and ghazis who sacrificed for the creation and stability of Pakistan, according to Radio Pakistan. In their messages on Pakistan Day, they said undoubtedly, with the blessing of freedom, Pakistan stands as a testament to the wisdom, determination, perseverance, and sacrifices of our ancestors. The President and Prime Minister said the entire nation stands resolute in upholding its proud traditions and remains ever ready to face any challenge. “Despite numerous challenges, the government has steered Pakistan’s economy towards sustainable growth,” PM Shehbaz said, emphasising that sustainable peace in South Asia is linked to the just resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir issue. He added that “Pakistan will continue to extend moral, political, and diplomatic support to its brothers and sisters in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir”. President Zardari, reflecting on t...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Monday urged the nation to renew its commitment to securing a dignified place for Pakistan in the global community, as the country marked Pakistan Day.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Monday underscored the need for national unity in the face of rising regional tensions, urging citizens to stand firmly with Pakistan.

Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Monday inaugurated the “Ehsaas Shajar Campaign” by planting a sapling at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House, marking the start of a large-scale afforestation drive in the province.

A plane carrying dozens of people collided with a fire truck early on Monday on a runway at New York’s LaGuardia airport, killing the pilot and co-pilot and forcing a halt to flights, authorities and United States media reported. AFP pictures showed the heavily damaged nose and cockpit section of the Air Canada Express plane, which had arrived from Montreal, on the tarmac flanked by emergency vehicles with their lights flashing. The pilot and co-pilot were killed in the collision, US media including CNN and NBC reported. Another 13 people, including 11 passengers and two first responders, were taken to the hospital with injuries, according to broadcaster ABC. The aircraft operated by Jazz Aviation, a regional partner of Air Canada, struck a firefighting vehicle on Runway 4 at around 11:40pm on Sunday night (8:40am PKT on Monday) as it responded to a separate incident, New York’s port authority said. A preliminary passenger list showed the 76 people onboard included four crew members, Jazz Aviation said in a s...

ISLAMABAD: In another step towards tightening austerity measures, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday imposed a complete ban on the use of high-octane fuel in government vehicles, shortly after the announcement of a Rs200 increase in the levy on high-octane fuel. The decision comes amid government efforts to manage the economic impact of rising global oil prices following the US-Israel war on Iran, which has triggered a fuel crisis. According to an announcement by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the premier directed relevant authorities to take action against government officials who used high-octane in their official vehicles. “If necessary, the officials will have to bear the cost of high-octane fuel from their own pocket,” the announcement quoted PM Shehbaz as saying. He stressed the need for maximum conservation of fuel in view of global oil crisis due to the US-Israel war on Iran, and Iran’s subsequent attacks on United States air bases and other facilities in Gulf States, including their oil refi...

Pakistan Day was observed across the country on Monday with traditional zeal and patriotic fervour, though ceremonies remained simple in line with austerity measures announced by the government amid a global oil crisis.

The amount of heat trapped by the Earth reached record levels in 2025, with the consequences of such warming feared to last for thousands of years, the United Nations warned Monday. The 11 hottest years ever recorded were all between 2015 and 2025, the UN World Meteorological Organisation weather and climate agency confirmed in its flagship State of the Global Climate annual report. Last year was the second or third hottest year on record, at about 1.43 Celsius above the 1850-1900 average, the WMO said. “The global climate is in a state of emergency. Planet Earth is being pushed beyond its limits. Every key climate indicator is flashing red,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. “Humanity has just endured the 11 hottest years on record. When history repeats itself 11 times, it is no longer a coincidence. It is a call to act.” For the first time, the WMO climate report includes the planet’s energy imbalance: the rate at which energy enters and leaves the Earth system. Under a stable climate, incoming en...

WASHINGTON: Fresh efforts are under way in both the House and the Senate to rein in President Donald Trump’s authority to wage war against Iran, as Democratic leaders renewed their push to force a vote on ending US involvement in hostilities not authorised by Congress. In the House, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced that Democrats would soon introduce another war powers resolution aimed at stopping what he repeatedly described as a “reckless war of choice”. “I would focus right now on stopping this reckless war of choice and we will bring another war powers resolution to do just that,” Mr Jeffries said. “I expect strong Democratic support for that resolution, including among some who previously may have voted against it earlier in this war. And all we need is a few Republicans to join us. So, we can stand up for the American people who are overwhelmingly opposed to Donald Trump’s reckless war of choice.” Early March resolution defeated by a narrow margin, with at least four Democrats voting against it...

The Armed Forces on Sunday extended heartfelt congratulations to the nation on the 86th anniversary of Pakistan Day, reaffirming their commitment to national security, democratic values and the country’s continued progress.

RAWALPINDI: The Armed Forces of Pakistan reaffirmed their commitment to defence, internal security and national sovereignty on the occasion of Pakistan Day, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Monday. Pakistan Day — observed on March 23 every year — commemorates the passing of the Lahore Resolution on March 23, 1940, when the All-India Muslim League demanded a separate nation for the Muslims of the British Indian Empire. A press release by the military’s media wing said that the army remained “united and unwavering” in its resolve to eradicate threats to Pakistan’s security in the face of ongoing terrorist threats. The armed forces remain committed to protecting national sovereignty, and maintaining internal security against “all forms of aggression and terrorism”, the statement added. According to the statement, Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir, Chief of Naval Staff Naveed Ashraf and Chief of Air Staff Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu extended their...

PESHAWAR: Robbers broke into a National Bank branch on the eve of Eidul Fitr, exploiting a lack of overnight security to steal more than one million rupees in cash and jewellery worth Rs210 million, police said. The incident occurred on Friday night at a National Bank branch on Kohat Road. The robbers entered the facility from an open area at the back, using cutters and other tools to break in. Police said that with no guard on duty due to a “no security shift policy at night”, the robbers were able to steal Rs1.37m in cash from the registers. “They broke lockers and stole around 400 tolas of gold from safety lockers,” a police official said, adding that a gas cylinder was also used to cut through steel. The total value of the stolen jewellery was estimated at Rs 210m. Police pore over CCTV for clues, launch raids in different districts Peshawar police spokesperson Alam Khan said a special investigation team has been formed to probe the robbery. Raids were being carried out in the districts of Khyber, Kohat, ...

AFTER a joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia island in the Indian Ocean was targeted by two long-range missiles, there are conflicting claims about who fired the projectiles, which reportedly had a range of 4000km and were successfully intercepted. Reports indicate that one missile failed mid-flight, while the other was intercepted by a US warship before reaching the island. According to an Al Jazeera report, the incident happened just hours before UK ministers were to assemble in London to discuss the Iran war. At the meeting, the UK agreed to let the US use its military bases for collective self-defence, it reported. The UK condemned what it described as “reckless” Iranian actions after missiles, while Iran denied carrying out the attack. However, a senior Iranian official told Al Jazeera that Tehran was not responsible for the alleged missile launch. Earlier this month, Iran’s foreign minister said that Tehran kept its missile range under 2000km because it did not want the world to perceive them as a ...

• IDF ordered to destroy all bridges over Litani River • Key Qasmiyeh bridge near Tyre damaged in strikes • Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemns attacks, calling them a ‘prelude to a ground invasion’ BEIRUT: The Israeli military on Sunday announced it was expanding its ground campaign in Lebanon, warning of a lengthy operation, after Beirut condemned what it called Israel’s flagrant violations of Lebanese sovereignty. Israel struck a main bridge linking Lebanon’s south to the rest of the country on Sunday after ordering its military to destroy all crossings over the Litani River and to step up the demolition of homes near the southern border. The destruction of bridges and homes marks a significant escalation in Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon. International law generally prohibits militaries from attacking civilian infrastructure, and the United Nations human rights chief has criticised Israel’s actions in Lebanon, particularly its use of widespread evacuation orders that have displaced more than a ...