Pakistan

The United Kingdom has expressed full solidarity with Pakistan in the wake of the devastation caused by massive floods and the ongoing monsoon season.

The European Union (EU) has appointed veteran diplomat Raimundas Karoblis as its new Ambassador to Pakistan, marking what officials described as a renewed phase in EU-Pakistan relations.

RAWALPINDI - An elegant and illustrious ceremony to pay homage and tribute to the resilient nation and valiant Armed Forces on 60th Defence Day of Pakistan was organized by the Fauji Foundation at Foundation University Islamabad (FUI) here yesterday.

The European Union (EU) has appointed a new ambassador to Pakistan, a statement from the EU said on Friday. Incoming ambassador Raimundas Karoblis presented his credentials to President Asif Ali Zardari on September 10, according to the Foreign Office. He will be replacing the outgoing envoy, Dr Riina Kionka. “With over 30 years of experience in diplomacy, international trade, and security, he (Karoblis) previously served as Ambassador of the European Union to Tajikistan from 2022 to 2025,” the statement read. “Ambassador Karoblis had a distinguished career in Lithuania’s diplomatic service, holding senior positions, including Deputy Minister responsible for EU affairs, foreign trade, and sanctions, as well as Lithuania’s Permanent Representative to the European Union from 2010 to 2015.” Karoblis also served as the minister of national defence from 2016 to 2020, according to the statement. The incoming ambassador holds a law degree from Vilnius University and is fluent in Lithuanian and English, but also spea...

ISLAMABAD - The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Thursday issued a high alert for flash floods in Balochistan.

Pakistan and Israel engaged in a heated debate at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday, with Islamabad condemning Tel Aviv’s recent attack in Qatar targeting Hamas leaders as “illegal, unprovoked, and a threat to regional stability”. The sharp exchange took place at an emergency UNSC meeting convened under the agenda item ‘Situation in the Middle East’. The session had been requested by Algeria, Pakistan, and Somalia and was supported by France and the United Kingdom. Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, opened his address at the UNSC with a strong condemnation of Israel’s strike, calling it a “brazen and illegal assault” and a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty. “The brazen and illegal assault is not an isolated incident, rather it is part of a broader and consistent pattern of aggression and violation of international law by Israel that undermines regional peace and stability.” Ahmad further highlighted that the “Israeli strikes targeted a residentia...

DOHA/ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday assured the Qatari leadership of Pakistan’s full solidarity and support in the face of unjustified provocation by Israel.

Mass evacuations underway in parts of Sindh Multan, Muzaffargarh, Liaquatpur, Rahim Yar Khan at risk as India continues to release high volumes of water 70pc of Alipur submerged, causing widespread devastation 2,000 houses are under water in Lodhran.

ISLAMABAD - At least 19 terrorists were killed by security forces during multiple intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Pakistan has been removed from the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (Wada) watchlist, a spokesperson of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) said on Friday. The country was placed on Wada’s watchlist in September 2024 over outstanding non-conformities to the agency’s updated anti-doping code. According to the spokesperson, WADA confirmed that the compliance procedure against Pakistan’s Anti-Doping Organisation (Adop) was closed after all pending corrective actions were completed. “A follow-up confirmation from Wada in September reiterated that Pakistan was no longer under enhanced monitoring, ending speculation over possible sanctions,” the statement said. PSB Deputy Director General (DG) Shahid Islam was informed of the decision by Wada via email, the PSB spokesperson told Dawn.com. The statement also said that corrective measures were put under PSB DG Yasir Pirzada’s leadership, including policy alignment and procedural reforms, ensuring that Pakistan met the stringent global standards in time. “This is not just a bur...

France will deploy three Rafale fighter jets to help Poland protect its airspace after this week’s drone incursions into its airspace, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday on X. “The security of the European continent is our top priority. We will not give in to Russia’s increasing intimidation,” he said. A French military official said the warplanes had already been deployed to Poland prior to Tuesday’s incursions. On Tuesday, Poland said it had scrambled aircraft alongside allies to shoot down “hostile objects” violating its airspace during a Russian attack on neighbouring Ukraine, a first for a NATO country during the war. The incursion came as Russia unleashed a barrage of strikes across Ukraine, including in the western city of Lviv, around 50 miles (80 kilometres) from the Polish border. Responding to the accusation, Russia’s foreign ministry claimed that its drones had carried out a major attack on military facilities in western Ukraine but stressed that there were no plans to hit any targe...

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has postponed the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) 2025 in view of the severe flooding across the country.

The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore on Friday summoned the prosecution’s record on bail petitions filed by former foreign minister and PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi in three May 9 cases.

ISLAMABAD - Ambassador of Pakistan to France Mumtaz Zahra Baloch visited the International Village of Gastronomy Paris at the invitation of its President and Founder Anne-Laure Descombin.

ISLAMABAD - A high-level defense delegation led by Commander Iraqi Air Force Lieutenant General Staff Pilot Mohanad Ghalib Mohammed Radi Al-Asadi called on Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu in Islamabad on Thursday.

Pakistan on Friday called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to move beyond verbal condemnation and hold Israel accountable for what it termed “illegal and unprovoked aggression” against Qatar.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Thursday issued a high alert for flash floods in Balochistan, warning of heavy rains in several districts over the next 24 to 48 hours.

The 60th martyrdom anniversary of Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed, Nishan-e-Haider, is being observed today with tributes paid to his courage and sacrifice during the 1965 war.

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on Thursday warned that Washington may take action against foreigners “praising, rationalising, or making light” of the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, adding he had directed consular officials to take appropriate action. “In light of yesterday’s horrific assassination of a leading political figure, I want to underscore that foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country,” Landau said in a post on social media platform X. “I have been disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalising, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action.” Landau did not elaborate on what such action would mean. Some users replied to Landau’s post with screenshots of accounts and posts, though it was unclear if the accounts they flagged were US visa holders. The State Department’s number two then replied to some of those comments, saying he would direct consular offici...

Apple will roll out a hypertension detection feature on its smartwatch next week after receiving US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance on Thursday, Bloomberg News reported. Apple and the FDA did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. The company unveiled a blood pressure monitor in its latest Apple Watch at the September 9 event, where it also introduced a refreshed iPhone lineup, including a slimmer iPhone Air. The feature, pending regulatory approval, will not detect every case of high blood pressure, but could alert about a million people, Apple said. Available in 150 countries, the tool will use data from the watch’s optical heart sensor to track how a user’s blood vessels respond to heartbeats over 30 days, the report said, citing Apple. The feature will be available on the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, Series 11, and its more expensive Ultra 2 and Ultra 3 smartwatches, Bloomberg News said.