Pakistan

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted widespread rainfall across the country from August 18 to 22, as monsoon activity is expected to intensify in the coming week.

Terrorists on Wednesday blew up a gas pipeline in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district, resulting in a suspension of gas supply to Punjab, police said. Lakki Marwat police spokesperson Aamir Khan told Dawn.com that the terrorists detonated explosives planted on the pipeline within the limits of the Bhana Manjiwala area of the district. “Officials have initiated a search operation in the area to locate the culprits,” he said. He added that the explosion resulted in a large crater at the site, leading to a complete halt of gas supply from the district to Punjab’s Mianwali region. Following the explosion, a large contingent of police and a bomb disposal squad arrived at the scene and began a search operation in the surrounding area. Police officials noted that the location had previously experienced three similar attacks on the main transmission gas pipeline. In July, a gas pipeline leading to Punjab was also blown up near the Wanda Amir area of Lakki Marwat, causing a similar suspension of supply. Later i...

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir on Wednesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s deep fraternal bonds with Azerbaijan and expressed the resolve to further strengthen bilateral relations, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

TAROUBA: An inspired Jayden Seales led the West Indies to a crushing 202-run victory over Pakistan in the third and deciding one-day international in Trinidad on Tuesday. The fast bowler blew away the Pakistan top order en route to figures of 6-18 as the tourists were bundled out for just 92 in a chase of 295 to win. The Windies had reached 294-6 in their 50 overs batting first, powered by captain Shai Hope’s brilliant unbeaten hundred. The Caribbean side sealed a much-needed first ODI series win against Pakistan since 1991, after being swept aside 3-0 and 5-0 in Test and T20 series, respectively, by Australia earlier in the summer. Pakistan’s reply got off to a horrendous start as Seales removed Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Rizwan inside the first three overs to reduce them to 8-3. Seales then trapped Babar Azam lbw for just nine to leave Pakistan’s hopes of a 2-1 series win in tatters. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie took two wickets through the middle overs, before Seales returned to remove ta...

The prosecution on Wednesday submitted all forensic reports in the anti-terrorism court hearing of the high-profile kidnapping and murder case of Karachi youth Mustafa Amir.

Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis broke his own pole vault world record with a clearance of 6.29 metres at the Hungarian Grand Prix meeting in Budapest on Tuesday, the 13th time he has set a new world mark as he continues to defy gravity. The double-Olympic champion maintained his tradition of improving on his previous record by one centimetre, with his second attempt at the Istvan Gyulai Memorial overhauling the mark he set in Stockholm in June. Duplantis had looked a little off his best form, missing his first attempt at 6.11 and, after Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis retired having failed twice at the same height, the Swede had the bar raised to make his usual world record attempt. The 25-year-old twice world champion was unsuccessful on his first try and while he rattled the bar slightly on his second effort, Duplantis looked up almost in disbelief to see he had again reached a new height in the discipline he dominates. “I love Hungary very much. The track is very good, I love the crowd, I would like to return, thank y...

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr Musadik Malik, has called for bold and fair global reforms to tackle the mounting plastic pollution crisis, while safeguarding Pakistan’s environment, economy, and public health.

Britain, France and Germany have told the United Nations they are ready to reimpose UN-mandated sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme if no diplomatic solution is found by the end of August, according to a joint letter obtained by AFP. The letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council says the three European powers are “committed to use all diplomatic tools at our disposal to ensure Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon” unless Tehran meets the deadline. The foreign ministers from the so-called E3 group threaten to use a “snapback mechanism” that was part of a 2015 international deal with Iran that eased UN Security Council sanctions. Under the deal, which terminates in October, any party to the accord can restore the sanctions. All three have stepped up warnings to Iran about its suspension of cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. That came after Israel launched a 12-day war with Iran in June, partly seeking to destroy its nucl...

In connection with Independence Day and the victory in Marka-e-Haq, Pakistan’s armed forces will hold a grand defence exhibition at Shakarparian Parade Ground on Thursday, August 14.

Severe flooding in the Hunza River has caused widespread destruction in the Gulmit area of Gojal, blocking the Karakoram Highway (KKH) for all vehicular traffic since Tuesday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to meet President Donald Trump during a visit to the United States next month to attend the UN General Assembly meeting, the Indian Express newspaper reported on Wednesday, citing sources. India’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. An Indian official familiar with the matter said a decision has not yet been taken, and that countries usually reserve slots for the General Debate at the assembly, which is why India’s “head of government” features in a provisional list of speakers on September 26. “The list will go through revisions,” the official said, adding that it had not yet been decided if Modi would be going to the assembly. The General Assembly kicks off on September 9, but the debate, the annual meeting of heads of state and government, will be held from September 23-29. Although the reason for the potential visit will be to attend the UN meeting in New York, a key objective will be to hold talks with Trump and iron out tra...

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry on Tuesday turned the tables on the protesting clerics, claiming that religious elements were spreading rumours about demolition of more mosques in the federal capital. The state minister said land on which Madani Mosque and madressah were built had been cleared in the presence of their management. The minister categorically refuted the reports circulating on social media that the government was planning to demolish another 50 mosques in the middle of the night. Responding to the religious parties’ protest on Monday over the demolition of Madani Mosque, he said action was taken after seeking consent of the head of the madressah. State minister says Madani Mosque demolished after seeking consent of seminary head “We had filmed the entire operation because it was anticipated that such a situation can develop,” he told the National Assembly while responding to a point of order raised by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) MNA Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri ov...

The National Assembly (NA) is set to decide on vacating the seat of opposition lawmaker Sheikh Waqas Akram during its session scheduled for Wednesday.

The three-day celebrations of the 982nd annual Urs of the great Sufi saint Hazrat Data Ali Hajveri (RA) began in Lahore on Wednesday under tight security arrangements.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s exporters are poised to gain a significant competitive advantage in the US market after the government successfully negotiated a reduction in reciprocal tariffs — from 29pc to 19pc — the lowest rate in the region. An official statement issued by the Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday noted that the reduced tariff will create new opportunities for Pakistani exporters to expand their footprint in the US. The development was discussed during a high-level meeting on US reciprocal tariffs, chaired by Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan. The meeting was attended by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Commerce Rana Ihsaan Afzal, Secretary Commerce Jawad Paul, senior officials from the Commerce and Industries Divisions, and more than 30 leading exporters and SMEs from key sectors including apparel, textiles, rice, salt, surgical instruments, sports goods, electronics, food and agriculture, and leather. Commerce M...

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Tuesday informed provincial cabinet that security forces were conducting targeted operation in Bajaur tribal district after failure of negotiations between a local jirga and terrorists. An official statement issued here said that Mr Gandapur chaired the meeting of cabinet and talked about law and order situation and condemned anti-state elements attempting to destabilise the country. He said that terrorism was unequivocally unacceptable as it impacted all people equally. He said that provincial government adopted a proactive strategy and established jirgas to build public trust and enlist community support in the fight against terrorism. He said that proliferation of terrorism would not be tolerated and writ of government would be upheld without compromise. The chief minister said that operations and forced displacement of civilians were not his government’s policy. He confirmed that no authorisation was given for such actions. He said that Section 144 was im...

LAHORE: Police claimed on Tuesday to have busted a gang involved in looting citizens through online taxi apps and arrested its four members. As per a handout, the gang had been operating by using fake ride-hailing apps to target passengers. According to details, a citizen was robbed of valuables worth millions of rupees after booking a ride on Jail Road, Lahore. The driver fled with the victim’s belongings. The victim quickly contacted Police Helpline 15. A virtual patrolling officer at Punjab Safe Cities Authority immediately traced the suspects’ vehicle using advanced surveillance cameras and AI-powered tracking systems. The data was shared with Lahore police, who swiftly apprehended the suspects. Upon arrest, police recovered vehicles, luxury items, weapons, and more than 200 SIM cards from the gang. Initial investigations revealed that the gang had been defrauding citizens by posing as drivers through fake taxi apps. Authorities have urged the public to use only authentic and reliable platforms when booki...

TOBA TEK SINGH: An alleged serial rapist and blackmailer of children, who was arrested on Monday, was killed in an “encounter” with Faisalabad’s Lyallpur Division Crime Control Department team on Tuesday. According to police, suspect Mohsin Yasin, a refrigerator mechanic, residing in Kot Khan Muhammad locality, would rape minor boys and girls, record their pornographic videos and blackmail them. He was arrested on Monday. The police claimed that the suspect escaped from their custody. The CCD teams chased the suspect, who entered a house located on Satiana Road, from where he and his accomplices opened fire on the policemen. A crossfire took place between the criminals and the CCD teams, following which Mohsin was found lying injured in the house, allegedly in the firing by his accomplices, who fled. The police said the suspect was shifted to the Allied Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Meanwhile, as per the police, a suspected cattle thief was allegedly killed in an encounter with a CCD tea...

• 47 killed while trying to infiltrate from Afghanistan, three neutralised in subsequent operation; PM, president laud forces • Nine personnel martyred in ambush near Iran border; attack on police station repulsed • FO welcomes US decision to declare BLA, Majeed Brigade as foreign terrorist groups • Police vehicles targeted in Sibi, Quetta QUETTA: Security forces have gunned down 50 terrorists over the past four days, as they foiled an attempt by militants to cross over from Afghanistan into Balochistan’s Zhob district, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement on Tuesday. In the Sambaza area of Zhob district, 47 terrorists were killed following “successful engagements by security forces” from Aug 7 to 9, it said. In the same area along the Pak-Afghan border, three more “Indian-sponsored” terror­ists were killed during a “saniti­sation operation” on the night of Aug 10-11, it said, adding that arms and ammunitions were seized from their possession. The statement referred to these militants as...

Senator Sherry Rehman on Wednesday called for strict accountability over reported losses of Rs.