Pakistan

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Birth certificate no longer mandatory under special scheme

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Sunday inaugurated Phase-III of the CM Green Tractor Programme and formally launched the balloting process, reiterating her government’s commitment to strengthening the province’s agricultural backbone.

Islamabad - The Supreme Court of Pakistan has reiterated that suspension does not amount to removal, dismissal, or termination from service, ruling that a suspended employee of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is entitled to full salary and benefits.

ISLAMABAD - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar yesterday held a telephonic conversation with Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dr Khalil ur Rehman, congratulating him on his recent appointment and reaffirming Islamabad’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.

Karachi - The chairman of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, on Sunday described a resolution tabled in the Sindh Assembly against creating any new province as unconstitutional, immoral, undemocratic, and hostile to Pakistan, calling it a direct challenge to the federation.

70 terrorists killed in selective strikes on seven terrorist camps Camps of FAK and Islamic State Khorasan province were targeted n Government urges interim Afghan authorities to prevent use of their soil for attacks against Pakistan.

South Africa ended India’s 12-match winning streak at the T20 World Cup with a crushing 76-run win in Ahmedabad on Sunday in the opening Group 1 Super Eights match. After a counter-attacking 63 by David Miller and some late hitting from Tristan Stubbs took South Africa to 187-7, the defending champions were all out for 111 in 18.5 overs, failing badly in their first chase of the tournament. Left-arm quick Marco Jansen finished with 4-22, while left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj took 3-24 as the South African bowlers exposed India’s fragile batting line-up. “Great performance. Very different type of wicket to what we’ve had here, so great to see the boys assess that pretty early and adapt their skills to execute their plans,” said South Africa captain Aiden Markram. “We’re really pumped for the bowling group. They’ve been working hard, started the comp a bit tough, but the way they rocked up tonight was a great effort.” Hot favourites to defend their crown on home soil, India will need to win their two remaining ...

A senior Hamas official told AFP on Sunday that the group was in the final phase of selecting a new leader, with two prominent figures competing for the position. Hamas recently completed the formation of a new Shura Council of more than 80 members, a consultative body largely composed of religious scholars, as well as a new 18-member political bureau, the official said. Since Tel Aviv’s war on Gaza began on October 7, 2023, in response to Hamas’ attack on Israel, Israeli forces have killed several Hamas leaders, including two former chiefs. The country has also killed more than 70,000 Palestinians. “The movement has completed its internal elections in the three regions and has reached the final stage of selecting the head of the political bureau,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak publicly. He said the race for the group’s leadership was now between Khaled Meshaal and Khalil al-Hayya. A second Hamas source confirmed the development, while a third source s...

Ramazan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is a time when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, focusing on prayer, charity and deepening their connection with the Almighty. Homes and mosques come alive with pre-dawn meals (sehri) and the evening ritual of breaking the fast. Across Pakistan, communal iftars bring people together, as neighbours, friends and even strangers share meals to end the day’s fast. Held in mosques, community centres and public spaces, these gatherings are about more than just food, as they nurture unity, strengthen bonds, and foster a sense of togetherness. They also create spaces for conversation, understanding and generosity, embodying the spirit of the holy month. Photographs from cities across Pakistan capture these quiet, meaningful moments: prayers in reflection, the preparation of iftar, the laughter and chatter around shared tables, and the calm anticipation as the sun sets. Together, they paint a picture of Ramazan as a time of patience, gratitude, humility and spiritual re...

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Police have arrested 588 professional beggars this year as part of an ongoing drive against organised begging networks, registering cases under the Prevention of Beggary Act. Under the special directions of Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, police have continued comprehensive operations against professional beggars and their facilitators in the federal capital, according to a press release. Acting on these instructions, legal action is also being taken against professional beggars who harass citizens on roads, intersections, markets, and commercial areas. “Facilitators and contractors who provide transportation and logistical support to beggars are being identified through Safe City surveillance cameras and human intelligence,” the release said. “During the ongoing year, police arrested 588 professional beggars and registered cases against them under the Islamabad Prevention of Beggary Act.” Additionally, legal action is also being taken against parents who...

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Domestic capital formation must precede sustainable foreign inflows

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SHABQADAR: Four people, including a father and son, were killed and several others injured when gunfire broke out during taraweeh prayers at a mosque in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Charsadda district on Sunday, police and local sources said. According to local sources, the firing occurred during prayers at the Aldadkhel Mosque in the Battagram area of Shabqadar tehsil, Charsadda district, and started in front of worshippers inside the mosque. The incident reportedly stemmed from a dispute between two parties, sources said. Those killed from the first party were identified as Parvez, son of Mehrdal, and Inayat, son of Jan Muhammad, while from the second party, Ayaz, son of Torsam, and Zakir Ayaz, residents of Aldadkhel in the Battagram area of Shabqadar tehsil, were killed. After receiving information about the incident, Rescue 1122 Shabqadar sent ambulances to the scene and transported the deceased and injured to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Shabqadar, a statement from the rescue team said. Meanwhile, police said a...

Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan killed “more than 80 terrorists,” security sources said on Sunday, in a retaliatory operation against groups responsible for recent suicide bombings in Pakistan. Pakistan struck seven “terrorist camps and hideouts belonging to Pakistani Taliban of [Fitna al Khwarij] and its affiliates and [the Islamic State-Khorasan Province] at the border region of Pakistan-Afghanistan border,” the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced in a post early Sunday on the social media platform X. Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Security sources said late Sunday evening that, “Last night, Pakistan’s intelligence-based airstrikes destroyed seven centres of Fitna al-Khawarij TTP in three provinces of Nangarhar, Paktika and Khost, in which more than eighty Khawarij have been confirmed killed, while more are expected.” They added that the centres targeted included “New Centre No. 1 and New Centre No. 2 in ...