Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Former chief of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Faiz Hameed‘s lawyer confirmed to Dawn on Monday that an appeal had been filed against the ex-spymaster’s sentencing by a military court. “Yes, we have appealed his sentencing,” Hameed’s lawyer, Mian Ali Ashfaq, told Dawn but did not share any details about the appeal. Hameed was sentenced to 14 years rigorous imprisonment by a military court on December 11 after being convicted on four counts related to violating secrecy laws, engaging in political activities, misuse of authority and causing harm to others. He had a 40-day window following his conviction and sentencing to appeal against the Field General Court Martial (FGCM) decision, according to Section 133B of the Pakistan Army Act. The appeal is first reviewed by a Court of Appeals, led by a major general or higher, as designated by the army chief. The chief then holds the authority to confirm, revise, or overturn the sentence. Historically, the military’s appellate process has stretched over s...

Dense fog once again enveloped the plains of Punjab, including Lahore, on the night between Sunday and Monday, paralysing routine life and severely disrupting road traffic across the province.

Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has called on Pakistanis to embrace the ideals and vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah to build an inclusive and prosperous nation.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has suspended six officials and initiated disciplinary proceedings after they were found unauthorisedly absent from their assigned monitoring duties at sugar mills, reaffirming its zero-tolerance policy toward misconduct and dereliction of duty.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (Met Office) has forecast a westerly wave approaching western parts of the country from tonight (29th December), strengthening on 30th December and affecting upper parts by 31st December.

Pakistan has called on the international community to take notice of recent vandalism during Christmas and violence against Muslims in India, urging steps to protect the fundamental rights of vulnerable communities.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan on Monday announced that an inquiry conducted into the chaos that marred the arrival of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to the provinicial legislature’s building over the weekend would be sent to the law enforcement agencies. During his three-day visit to Lahore over the weekend, the KP chief minister had given an address at the Punjab Assembly to opposition MPAs on Friday. However, the visit was marred by altercations between members of his entourage and security officials, while heated exchanges between PTI leaders and journalists were also witnessed. Addressing the incident at a press conference in Lahore today, Khan said that the report on the unrest was being sent to the law enforcement agencies, which would conduct an independent investigation into the incident. He said that he had informed the KP chief minister that a special permit was required to enter the assembly premises, and that in the absence of any other documentation, “at least...

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday halted the enforcement of eviction orders issued by deputy commissioners under the Punjab Property Ownership Law.

The Foreign Office (FO) said on Monday that the persecution of minorities in India was a matter of “deep concern” following incidents of vandalism reported in the neighbouring country ahead of Christmas. Last week, mobs armed with wooden sticks vandalised Christmas decorations at a shopping mall in central India, while right-wing groups disrupted school celebrations and burned holiday merchandise in the northeast, according to Indian media. The incidents occurred in the states of Chhattisgarh, Assam, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh ahead of the holiday. In a statement released on Monday, the FO said, “The persecution of minorities in India is a matter of deep concern. “Recent condemnable incidents of vandalism during Christmas, as well as state-sponsored campaigns targeting Muslims — including the demolition of their homes and repeated lynchings, notably the case of Muhammad Akhlaq, in which the state worked to shield the perpetrators from accountability — have deepened fear and alienation among Muslims,” it said. A...

Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Sherry Rehman on Monday strongly criticised India’s approval of the Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project on the Chenab River in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K), warning that the weaponisation of water is neither sane nor acceptable in the region.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in a weather advisory issued on Monday, asked authorities to ensure all necessary preparations and response measures ahead of an expected cold wave in the country. The NDMA said that a “westerly wave” is likely to approach the western parts of the country from December 29 (today), resulting in rain and snowfall in various areas from tonight till January 2. It said that the system was expected to grip “most upper and central parts of the country on Dec 31 and persist in the upper regions till the morning of Jan 2“. According to the NDMA, “snowfall may lead to road closures and slippery conditions in Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Murree, Galiyat, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Poonch and Haveli from the night of Dec 30 till the morning of Jan 2.” It also projected a likelihood of “landslides and avalanches in the hilly areas of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir during the same...

KARACHI: YouTuber Rajab Butt was physically assaulted at a sessions court in Karachi on Monday during the hearing of a case registered against him for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. Butt appeared before the sessions court (Central) upon the expiry of his interim bail, which was granted to him on December 20. The hearing, however, was marred by violence and chaos as Butt was attacked. Butt‘s counsel, Mian Ali Ashfaq, alleged in a post on social media platform X that his client had been attacked by “some lawyers” at Karachi City Courts’ premises during the hearing of a case. He said the attack was carried out in his presence, in which Butt was injured. “[They] continued to beat him despite being repeatedly asked to stop,” Ashfaq said, terming “such conduct by the lawyers unprofessional”. He added, “Taking the law into their hands is weakening the reputation of lawyers in the country.” Ashfaq further stated that if “lawyers will become a party [in cases] every other day and continue to attack private li...

Senator Sherry Rehman on Monday said that the “weaponisation of water was neither sane nor acceptable” after Indian media reported that New Delhi had approved a hydel power project on the Chenab River. In a post on the social media platform X, the PPP leader said, “In flagrant violation of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), India has just given approval to the Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project on the Chenab River in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K). “As per the IWT, which cannot be unilaterally revoked, as recent UN rapporteurs have confirmed, Pakistan has control over the waters of the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers, while the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers fall under India’s control,” she said. “Following the illegal suspension of the treaty, India has decided to fast-track several disputed hydroelectric projects in the Indus Basin. These projects include Sawalkot, Ratle, Bursar, Pakal Dul, Kwar, Kiru, and Kirthai-1 and 2. Dulhasti Stage-II is considered part of this strategy,” she said. ...

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited the Shaheen Chowk Underpass early Monday and directed authorities to open it for traffic by December 31.

Bondi Beach shooting hero Ahmed al Ahmed recalled the moment he ran towards one of the attackers and wrestled the gun from him, saying in an interview published Monday with a US outlet he wanted to protect “innocent people”. Father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram are accused of targeting a Hanukkah event on Sydney’s Bondi Beach on December 14, killing 15 people and wounding dozens in what authorities have described as an anti-Semitic terrorist attack. Despite the tragedy, tales of heroism emerged of those who tried to stop the two gunmen during their deadly rampage. Among them was Ahmed al Ahmed, a fruit seller, who went viral for ducking between parked cars as the shooting unfolded and then wresting a gun from one of the assailants. “My target was just to take the gun from him, and to stop him from killing a human being’s life and not killing innocent people,” he told CBS News in an interview that airs on Monday. “I know I saved lots, but I feel sorry for the lost.” Ahmed was shot several times in the shoulde...

The year 2025 emerged as a landmark period for Pakistan’s international diplomacy, with the country gaining heightened visibility and engagement on the global stage through extensive foreign visits, high-level meetings, and growing international interest.

China’s military moved army, naval, air force and artillery units around Taiwan on Monday for its “Justice Mission 2025” drills, as the island vowed to defend democracy and mobilised troops to rehearse repelling a potential Chinese attack. The Eastern Theatre Command announced the drills will involve live-fire exercises on Tuesday, in a statement containing a graphic demarcating five zones surrounding the island that will be under sea and air space restrictions for 10 hours from 8am (5am PKT). This marks China’s sixth major round of war games since 2022 after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the democratically governed island, and follows a rise in Chinese rhetoric over Beijing’s territorial claims after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo. The exercises began 11 days after the United States announced $11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, the largest ever weapons package for the island, drawing a prote...

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has issued a New Year alert, warning the public to remain vigilant against online scams and fraudulent activities.

Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfraz Bugti has been named the new chief of the Bugti tribes under the traditional tribal system.

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtun­khwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Sunday asked the provincial government to support the military operations in the province as the security situation had significantly deteriorated due to militancy. Speaking at the National Press Club, he said the KP government should support security operations, as “without stability, development projects could not move forward”. Insecurity has a negative impact on the social and economic conditions of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said, adding that “sustained peace was essential for businesses and investment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa”. Mr Kundi blamed Afghanistan for the rise in terrorism and alleged the involvement of Afghan nationals in the attacks in Pakistan. He said those Afghans who did not have documents to stay in Pakistan were “illegal”. The governor said no foreign national could reside in Pakistan without valid documents and the same policy applied to the undocumented Afghans too. He added that those wishing to study or work must en...