Pakistan

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PECTAA to conduct exams, private schools excluded from the system

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'Bright Tribes' package to boost education, health, infrastructure, and job creation

Locals demand promised roads as Duber Dam sit-in continues

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A group of former PTI leaders and others on Wednesday proposed that the government and the opposition hold talks to reduce tensions and suggested that political prisoners be released as part of “confidence-building measures.” They made proposals in a formal statement issued at the conclusion of Wednesday’s conference in Islamabad, organised under the banner of the recently formed National Dialogue Committee (NDC). Ex-PTI leaders — including Fawad Chaudhry, former Sindh governor Imran Ismail, Dr Shahzad Waseem, and Mahmood Moulvi — are leading the initiative. “The meeting agreed to the proposal to initiate a fruitful negotiation process and declared that, in this regard, the government and the opposition should form separate committees comprising their respective representatives, between which the dialogue process should be initiated,” the statement read. The NDC proposed that President Asif Ali Zardari, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif represent the ruling coalition in the talks...

January can be weird. One minute you’re enjoying fireworks, the next you’re staring at your inbox, wondering how you forgot your email password over the holiday break. The glitter fades fast, and suddenly it’s back to deadlines, group chats and figuring out if you’re supposed to feel different now. The new year often arrives with the pressure to improve: Cue the “new year, new me” captions and ambitious planners that still smell like a Kinokuniya display table. But let’s be honest: Not everyone is in the mood for reinventing themselves. Maybe you’re in the mood for just a little glow-up, or maybe you’re just trying to get through your to-do list without spiralling. Either way, here’s a mix of tools and tricks to help you ease into the year, whether you’re looking for fresh ideas, familiar favorites or just a little structure to soften the return to real life. Don’t know where to start? Try a brain dump Before you dive into your to-do list, consider starting with a brain dump. Think of it as emptying the menta...

A district and sessions court in Islamabad has declared former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur an absconder and directed authorities to arrest him after he repeatedly failed to appear before the court.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced on Wednesday that a dedicated protection unit is being set up in Islamabad to strengthen the security of Chinese nationals in Pakistan.

The United Nations on Wednesday said decades-long discrimination and segregation of Palestinians by Israel in the West Bank were intensifying, and called on the country to end its “apartheid system”. In a new report, slammed by Israel, the UN rights office said “systematic discrimination” against Palestinians across the occupied Palestinian territories had “drastically deteriorated” in recent years. “There is a systematic asphyxiation of the rights of Palestinians in the West Bank,” UN rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement. “Whether accessing water, school, rushing to hospital, visiting family or friends, or harvesting olives — every aspect of life for Palestinians in the West Bank is controlled and curtailed by Israel’s discriminatory laws, policies and practices,” he added. “This is a particularly severe form of racial discrimination and segregation that resembles the kind of apartheid system we have seen before.” A number of independent experts affiliated with the UN have described the situation in ...

At least four civilians were killed in coalition strikes in Yemen on Wednesday, two hospital sources told AFP, as the force raided the home province of a separatist leader who was kicked out of the presidency. More than 15 airstrikes hit Dhale, the home governorate of Aidaros Alzubidi, whose Southern Transitional Council (STC) grabbed swathes of territory last month before seeing the advance rolled back by the coalition and forces. “The initial toll from the strikes on the province of al-Dhale is four civilian deaths and six wounded,” medical sources at the Al-Nasr and Al-Tadamon hospitals in al-Dhale told AFP. The coalition said it had given Aidaros Alzubidi a 48-hour ultimatum to come to Riyadh for discussions, after Southern Transitional Council (STC) grabbed swathes of territory last month. But he failed to board the flight carrying his delegation, and the coalition struck his home province of al-Dhale after accusing him of mobilising “large forces” there. Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), wh...

KARACHI: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on Wednesday arrested journalist Muhammad Aslam Shah on charges of “defamation through social media”. The agency registered an FIR against Shah on December 29, 2025, under Section 20 (offences against the dignity of a natural person) and Section 24 (cyberstalking) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025. Shah has done extensive coverage of Karachi’s water issues. In the FIR, a copy of which is available with Dawn, Tabish Raza Husnain, the complainant, alleged that Shah was “doing defamation propaganda against me and my senior Col. Anjum in different Facebook WhatsApp groups and make false and baseless allegations on me”. He also alleged that Shah used “abusive language which caused me significant distress and damage to my reputation”. In the FIR, the NCCIA said that the complainant had submitted screenshots of the alleged content. It further noted that during the inquiry, the agency issued multiple notices to the accused, “dir...

Bangladesh cricket said on Wednesday it was in talks with the International Cricket Council (ICC) for a “practical” solution to its request to move its T20 World Cup matches out of India. India forced Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman to quit the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Saturday, prompting anger in Dhaka. With ties tense between the two countries, Bangladesh wants the ICC to shift their World Cup games from India to co-hosts Sri Lanka, citing security concerns. The World Cup begins on February 7 and Bangladesh are scheduled to play their four group matches in India. Senior Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official Nazmul Abedeen Fahim told AFP today that talks were ongoing with the ICC “regarding security issues”. A BCB statement said it would “continue constructive engagement with the ICC and relevant event authorities”, seeking an “affable and practical solution that ensures the smooth and successful participation of the team”. The BCB said it was “firmly committed to placing the highest priorit...

ISLAMABAD: Lawyer and rights activist Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, submitted an application in an Islamabad court on Wednesday seeking to summon the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) director general (DG ISPR) as a witness in a case registered against them over their social media posts. In the case, registered with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (Peca), Mazari and Chattha have been accused of inciting divisions on linguistic grounds through social media posts and creating the impression that the armed forces were engaged in terrorism within the country. On Wednesday, the two submitted a written application to Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka during the hearing of the case, referring to a press conference addressed by the military spokesperson on January 6. The application said the press briefing was broadcast “on all national media, and the content is readily available onl...

A Lahore Election Tribunal has dismissed the election petition filed by Dr Yasmin Rashid challenging Nawaz Sharif’s victory in the NA-130 constituency, declaring it non-maintainable due to failure to meet legal requirements.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday that a special protection unit was being set up in Islamabad for the security of Chinese nationals. According to a press release issued by the interior ministry, Naqvi made the remarks as he met China’s Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong in Beijing. The two met at the headquarters of China’s Ministry of Public Security, where Naqvi received a warm welcome, the interior ministry said. During the meeting, the leaders agreed to develop a joint and rapid response system against terrorism, including expanding training programs aimed at enhancing police capacity, it added. Xiaohong lauded Pakistan’s efforts in countering terrorism and strengthening internal security, the statement said. “We appreciate Pakistan’s sacrifices in the fight against terrorism,” he was quoted as saying. During the meeting, “both ministers agreed on a joint strategy for training and enhancing the professional skills of police and security personnel”. They also vowed to maintain “an ex...

• Minister confirms gas circular debt over Rs3 trillion, says no increase in tariff for six months • Ali Pervaiz Malik deflects questions by NA panel about proposed use of petroleum levy for gas sector ISLAMABAD: The government plans on increasing tax rates on petroleum products to contain more than Rs3 trillion circular debt in the gas sector instead of changing the gas tariff as determined by the Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra). While testifying before the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Petroleum, Petr­o­leum Minister Ali Per­vaiz Malik on Tuesday said the government was not increasing the gas tariff from January 1 on the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The meeting was presided over by Syed Mustafa Mahmood, MNA. The minister confirmed that the gas circular debt was over Rs3 trillion, including late payment surcharge. Mr Malik, however, deflected repeated questions from lawmakers about proposals for increasing the petroleum levy by Rs5 per litre on petrol and diesel to cover t...

• The Hindu report says lobbying firm headed by former Trump aide Jason Miller led engagement with US officials on New Delhi’s behalf • Former diplomats say use of lobbyists is normal, but important meetings are usually set up directly by diplomats NEW DELHI: Although the government of Narendra Modi has persistently denied that the US played any role in mediating an end to the four-day India-Pakistan conflict following the Pahalgam incident, a report in The Hindu details how a lobbying firm engaged by New Delhi made hectic calls to approach US officials on May 10, and beyond. Although a filing with the Department of Justice under the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) — including 60 entries made in December 2025 — did not divulge whether the calls on May 10 were made before or after the ceasefire, “they indicate close interaction on the day”, The Hindu wrote. It said the embassy approached White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Ricky Gill at the National Securit...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved the initiation of negotiations between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), sources said on Wednesday.