Pakistan

Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar on Wednesday announced a “massive” operation against dacoits in the Katcha areas of the province. Speaking to reporters in Sukkur, Lanjar said a meeting was held wherein it was decided that “we are definitely heading towards a massive operation”. “We will use whatever resources we have, with specific targets and take ruthless action against the infamous dacoits that you see on social media,” he added. Asked when the operation against the riverine dacoits was expected to begin, the minister replied, “You may consider that the operation has begun from today”. Lanjar said dacoits would be “given a chance” to surrender before the courts. “But the absconders or criminals who consider themselves big champions, strict action will be taken against them, there will be a fight, and they will get their just deserts,” he warned. As per the Surrender Policy for Dacoits in Katcha Area of Sukkur and Larkana Divisions, approved by the Sindh cabinet in October 2025, surrendering does no...

PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan met his wife Bushra Bibi at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail on Wednesday, sources said.

Former Senate chairman Raza Rabbani has called on the National Assembly (NA) speaker and Senate chairman to appoint opposition leaders in both houses of Parliament, saying that leaving the posts vacant “sidelines dissent”. The posts have been lying vacant since August last year, when then-opposition leaders in the NA and Senate — PTI’s Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz — were disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan following their conviction in cases related to riots on May 9, 2023. The PTI has nominated Pakhtun­khwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai as the opposition leader for the NA and Majlis Wahdat-i-Musl­imeen’s Allama Raja Nasir Abbas for the Senate slot, but their notification remains pending. Rabbani pointed out in a statement on Monday that “Parliament is incomplete”, adding that “this exposes a contradiction in our democracy”. “We talk of the supremacy of Parliament, yet less inclined to uphold this principle,” he added. Saying that the “political system is already strained by pola...

The federal government is ready to engage in political dialogue with the opposition, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said on Wednesday, adding that the initiative now rests with the opposition.

At least five people were killed and 27 others injured on Wednesday when a passenger bus plunged into a ravine in the Dhok Pathan area of Chakwal district, rescue officials said.

The case of a University of Lahore (UoL) female student who attempted suicide has taken a new turn with the arrest of a young man in connection with the incident, police said on Wednesday.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has said that if the daughters of Punjab stand firm, they can change the destiny of the province, adding that women of the province are second to none and capable of achieving anything through hard work and determination.

The PTI has pushed back against criticism of its party leadership and policies, terming such remarks “regrettable”. In a statement posted on the social media platform X late on Tuesday, the party referred to the military spokesperson’s latest press conference. It said that it was “regrettable” that the party, its leadership and an elected provincial government were subjected to such criticism. The PTI maintained that consistent criticism “not only escalates political temperatures but also raises questions about the balance of the state apparatus”. The party said that terming opposition to a military operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where it is in power, as support for terrorists was contrary to ground realities. It recalled that a peace jirga was organised by the provincial government on Nov 12, 2025, where participants “unanimously resolved that a military operation is not a sustainable solution to any problem, and a comprehensive, consensus-based, and inclusive national policy is indispensable for lasting p...

CHAKWAL: Five people were killed while 24 others were injured as a passenger bus carrying them fell into a ravine near Talagang, Rescue 1122 said on Wednesday. According to rescue officials, the incident occurred at around 2:15am early on Wednesday. Chakwal Rescue 1122 spokesperson Qazi Muhammad Akram said the passenger bus was on its way from Rawalpindi to Bahawalpur. As the motorway was closed due to fog, the driver opted for an alternative route and used the Talagang-Fatehjang Road, he said. When the bus was passing by Dhoke Pathan village located on the bank of the Sowaan River, the driver lost control on a winding patch of road, the Rescue 1122 spokesperson said. As a result, the bus plunged into a 100-foot-deep ravine, he said. Five passengers, including the bus driver, died at the spot while 24 others sustained injuries, he said. He said that Rescue 1122 officials rushed to the scene after the incident was reported. He added that 15 officials and five emergency vehicles took part in the rescue operatio...

The Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE), Islamabad, announced the results of the Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) Part I and Part II examinations on Wednesday at 11:00am.

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Venezuela’s interim government will deliver up to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States, and that the proceeds “will be controlled by me” as president. The development is a strong sign that the Venezuelan government is responding to Trump’s demand that they open up to US oil companies or risk more military intervention. Trump has said he wants interim President Delcy Rodriguez to give the US and private companies “total access” to Venezuela’s oil industry. Venezuela has millions of barrels of oil loaded on tankers and in storage tanks that it has been unable to ship due to a blockade on exports imposed by Trump since mid-December. The blockade was part of rising US pressure on the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro that culminated in US forces launching a “large-scale strike” in the country and kidnapping him this weekend. Top Venezuelan officials have accused the US of trying to steal the country’s vast oil reserves. Venezuela will be “tu...

Continuing efforts to enhance public service delivery, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has launched a new vehicle verification facility for the buying and selling of registered vehicles in Sindh.

The White House said on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump is discussing options for acquiring Greenland, including potential use of the military, in a revival of his ambition to control the strategic island despite European objections. Trump sees acquiring Greenland as a US national security priority necessary to “deter our adversaries in the Arctic region”, the White House said in a statement. “The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilising the US military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal,” the White House said. Greenland has repeatedly said it does not want to be part of the United States. Leaders from major European powers and Canada rallied behind the Arctic territory on Tuesday, saying it belongs to its people. A US military seizure of Greenland from a longtime ally, Denmark, would send shock waves through the Nato alliance and deepen the divide between Trump and European leaders. The strong ...

The National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) National Emergencies Operations Center (NEOC) has issued an alert warning of a severe cold wave affecting northern parts of the country and northern Balochistan.

The sisters of incarcerated PTI leader Imran Khan and party supporters ended their sit-in near Adiala jail late on Tuesday after being given assurances of a meeting with the ex-premier being arranged next week. In a video posted by Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) on the social media platform X, Imran’s sister Aleema said that Mahmood Khan Achakzai had informed them that a meeting would be arranged next week. Achakzai is the head of the TTAP opposition alliance and chairman of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party. “This is what he reassured us about, that a meeting will be arranged next week,” Aleema said, as she looked at Achakzai, who was standing next to her along with Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) leader Allama Raja Nasir. Achakzai and Nasir had arrived at the site of the protest earlier on Tuesday. “Achakzai sahib has said that because they are saying a meeting will be arranged next week, today we should disperse ourselves before the water cannons show up. That is his advice,” she said. Recently,...

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Tuesday inaugurated its first fully digital, paperless Basic Health Unit (BHU) in Gokina, Islamabad, marking a major step toward modernizing primary healthcare delivery through technology.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Tuesday that Pakistan was “ready” to confront aggression simultaneously on its eastern and western borders — a reference to India and Afghanistan. Pakistan’s recent relations with both India and Afghanistan have been characterised by significant strain and tension. Pakistan fought a four-day war with India in May 2025 and had a border skirmish with the Afghan Taliban regime in October of the same year. “Absolutely, we are ready, by the grace of God,“ said Asif on Geo News programme Capital Talk when asked if the country was prepared and capable of handling a war of aggression on its eastern and western borders. Asif said the country and its armed forces had demonstrated proof of this preparedness during the May 2025 conflict with India. “The way we gave them a crushing response is the strongest evidence that we were prepared and responded in time,” said the defence minister. He maintained that the world witnessed how “Modi was thrashed” and how, following the conflict, he...

KARACHI - Pakistan Navy, through National Hydrographic Office (NHO), is facilitating a Pakistan–China Joint Oceanographic Cruise being conducted by National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) in collaboration with China’s Second Institute of Oceanography (SIO).

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Tuesday, visited the residence of the leader of PML-N and senior politician Raja Zafar ul Haq to inquire after his health.

Islamabad - The federal government has announced not to increase gas prices for next six months.