Pakistan

Health department's 'apathy' blamed for stalling project

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Three-day permission in Lahore contrasts with arrests and jail terms in other cities

Residents mark New Year quietly, with shared stories, warm meals and heartfelt prayers

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In an age of constant notifications, fleeting conversations, and shrinking attention spans, relationships, too, have begun to mirror the pace of the digital world. Friendships that once relied on time, patience and shared presence now compete with algorithms, busy schedules and the quiet expectation of instant understanding. As young people move through early adulthood, many find themselves drifting away from friends not through conflict, but through neglect, exhaustion or emotional distance. Today, the slow fading of friendships has become common, often leaving behind feelings of loneliness, guilt and unanswered questions that rarely find space in public conversations about mental health. Counselling psychologist at Happy Minds, Arpita Subba, offers insights into how ending or drifting away from friendships in early adulthood can affect young people’s emotional well-being. Why does the loss or distancing of friendships in early adulthood feel painful for young people? Early adulthood is a period of explorati...

The Sindh government on Wednesday appointed Karachi police chief Javed Akhtar Odho as the acting inspector general of police (IGP) Sindh. The change in command comes after incumbent IGP Ghulam Nabi Memon relinquished charge today after attaining the age of superannuation. According to a notification issued by Chief Secretary Sindh Asif Hyder Shah, “Mr. Allah Bux alias Javed Akhtar Odho, an officer of Police Service of Pakistan (BS-21), Additional Inspector General of Police, Karachi Range, is assigned the additional charge of the post of Inspector General of Police, Sindh, in addition to his own duties, until further orders.” .A snap of the notification issued by the chief secretary of SIndh on Dec 31, 2025. - SGA&D Sindh Karachi police chief Odho, who took charge as additional inspector general of Karachi last year, has assumed the additional charge of IGP Sindh on the same day that his predecessor relinquished his position, said a police spokesperson. Meanwhile, in his farewell message, the outgoing IGP sai...

Pakistan on Wednesday expressed “complete solidarity” with Saudi Arabia amid a resurgence of violence in Yemen, according to a statement from the Foreign Office (FO). “Pakistan expresses complete solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and reaffirms its commitment to the security of the Kingdom,” said a statement by the FO. Islamabad also reiterated its support for the “unity and territorial integrity” of Yemen, along with all efforts to establish “lasting peace and stability” in the country. “In this regard, Pakistan strongly opposes unilateral steps by any Yemeni party that may further escalate the situation, undermine peace efforts, and threaten the peace and stability of Yemen as well as that of the region,” the statement read, adding that Islamabad welcomes regional efforts for de-escalating the situation. “Pakistan maintains its firm support for the resolution of [the] Yemen issue through dialogue and diplomacy and hopes that Yemen’s people and regional powers work together towards [an] inclusive an...

Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Wednesday warned that any violation of the country’s integrity will be met with a “firm and decisive” response. The CDF made these remarks during the 18th National Workshop on Balochistan at General Headquarters (GHQ), where he highlighted the continued efforts of Indian sponsored proxies to “propagate violence and disrupt development”, according to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The statement added that the field marshal reaffirmed that these groups’ plans would be thwarted through “stern actions” by the security forces to rid the province of terrorism and unrest. “Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace and stability, the COAS & CDF also emphasised that any violation of Pakistan’s territorial integrity, whether direct or indirect, will be met with a firm and decisive response,” the statement read. “[The] Pakistan Armed Forces remain committed to protect the lives and well-being of ...

Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan on Wednesday announced that the Karachi–Quetta–Chaman Highway (N-25) will be completed within two years and constructed in line with international standards, reaffirming the government’s commitment to improving connectivity and infrastructure development in Balochistan.

Authorities have finalised a traffic plan for Karachi for New Year‘s Eve while security arrangements have also been made in different cities, including Sindh’s provincial capital, for 2025’s last night. According to the traffic plan issued by the Karachi Traffic Police, the stretch of Seaview Road between two eateries, McDonald’s and Clock Tower, will be open for only one-way traffic. Vehicles will be barred from moving towards McDonald’s from Clock Tower. Commuters will be diverted towards Khayaban-i-Ittehad Road or Do Darya instead, according to the traffic plan. The traffic police also announced that “heavy vehicles, including water tankers, dumpers, trailers and trucks, will only be allowed to enter the city after 2am”. Traffic managemetn plan issued by the office of DIG Traffic Polcie, Karachi. — Karachi Traffic Police Moreover, heavy vehicles such as water tankers, dumpers and trucks will only be allowed to enter the city after 2am, a statement issued by the Karachi Traffic Police deputy inspector gener...

Students of Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (CUVAS), Bahawalpur, had an engaging and insightful experience on Wednesday during a study visit organized under the supervision of the Pakistan Army.

Speaker of the National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar shook hands in Dhaka on Wednesday, marking the first high-level contact between Pakistani and Indian officials since the military conflict in May of this year. Relations between Islamabad and New Delhi reached their lowest point this year following an attack in Pahalagam, in Indian-occupied Kashmir. India blamed Pakistan, while Islamabad denied any connection and offered — and continues to offer — an independent probe. A press release from the NA Secretariat stated that during Sadiq’s visit to Dhaka for former Bangladeshi prime minister Khaleda Zia’s funeral, Jaishankar approached him for a handshake. “Indian External Minister Dr S Jaishankar approached the Speaker [of the] National Assembly and shaked hands,” the press release read. “During this interaction, Dr S Jaishankar introduced himself to the speaker and told the speaker that he had recognised him [sic].” The press release added that since the Pahalgam atta...

Bangladesh bade farewell on Wednesday to former prime minister Khaleda Zia in a state funeral drawing vast crowds, mourning a towering leader whose career defined politics for decades. Khaleda, the first woman to serve as prime minister in the South Asian nation of 170 million people, died on Tuesday aged 80. Flags were flown at half-mast, and thousands of security officers lined the streets as her body was carried through the streets of the capital Dhaka in a vehicle in the colours of the national flag. Large crowds had gathered outside parliament — many waving national flags or those of Khaleda’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) — where the funeral prayers were held at around 3pm local time, according to Dhaka-based Daily Star. Khaleda was laid to rest alongside her late husband, Ziaur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1981 during his time as president. The burial took place at around 4:30pm local time, Daily Star reported. Seventy-year-old retired government official Minhaz Uddin, who was attending Khaleda...

KARACHI: Double-decker buses were introduced in Karachi on Wednesday, with Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon saying that they would be available to the public from January 1 (Thursday). “Today marks the beginning of double-decker bus [services] in the city. They will be available to the public from tomorrow, and today, they will be tested [on the city’s road],” Memon, who also has the transport portfolio, said while speaking to the media at the inauguration of the bus service in Karachi. Memon inaugurated the bus service along with Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah. View this post on Instagram The development comes more than a year after the Sindh government announced the initiative in October 2024 for the city of over 23 million that has faced mobility issues for long. Memon recalled that the Sindh government had promised to introduce double-decker buses in Karachi by December 2025, pointing out that today was December 31. He further said the Sindh government aimed to provide tr...

First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari has urged citizens to celebrate the New Year responsibly, warning against the dangers of aerial firing.

Karachi police have announced a zero-tolerance policy against aerial firing on New Year’s Eve, warning that those involved will be arrested.