Pakistan

The United States’ Defence Department on Friday released a second batch of previously classified files on alleged UFO sightings, including references to people reporting unexplained green orbs, discs and fireballs. At the order of US President Donald Trump, the first batch was made public on May 8. He is the latest president to release US government reports on unidentified flying objects, a disclosure process that began in the late 1970s. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the documents, photos and videos of what are officially known as “unidentified anomalous phenomena” had long fueled speculation. “It’s time the American people see it for themselves,” he said in a statement. One of the 222 files released on Friday contains 116 pages of documentation relating to a series of reported sightings and investigations in a top-secret facility in Sandia, New Mexico, from 1948 to 1950. “This file contains 209 sightings of ‘green orbs’, ‘discs’, and ‘fireballs’ reported near the military base,” the Defence Department...

Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Andrabi on Friday officially announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would be undertaking a visit to China from May 23-26. During his weekly press briefing, he said, “At the invitation of the People’s Republic of China, PM Shehbaz will undertake an official visit to China from May 23 to 26.” He said that the premier’s visit assumed special significance as the two countries were also commemorating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties. “The visit will provide an opportunity to reaffirm the abiding strength of the Pakistan-China all-weather strategic partnership and advance a shared vision of building an even closer Pakistan-China community of a shared future,” he said. Andrabi said that during the visit, the premier would hold meetings with the Chinese leadership, including President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang. “The two sides will review bilateral relations, and cooperation in political, economic and strategic domains,” he said. “Th...

Some parts of India are grappling with power cuts as record-breaking heat has pushed electricity demand to an all-time high in excess of 270 gigawatts, spurring a government call for consumers to limit use. An El Niño weather pattern is bringing above-average summer temperatures across the subcontinent in May, with nighttime outages running from 40 minutes to an hour in the manufacturing and infotech hub of Chennai, residents said. “South Chennai has seen frequent power cuts over the past two days, with outages at short intervals,” said R. Hari, a resident of the southern city, who complained that they made it difficult to work from home. India’s peak power deficit late on Thursday evening was about 2.57 gigawatts, said national regulator Grid-India. “Although we are prepared to supply electricity as required, due to the intense summer, let us all try to use electricity wisely and judiciously,” the power ministry said in a statement on Friday. Shortages are chronic during the evening hours as supply then reli...

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), Pakistan’s leading integrated information and communication technology (ICT) company, has entered a strategic partnership with Mercantile Pakistan, the authorised distributor & service provider of Apple products in Pakistan.

New Zealand activist Mousa Taher, who was part of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud humanitarian aid flotilla, which was attacked and intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters, said he was subjected to humiliating treatment and torture after being detained. Activists from the flotilla spoke to Anadolu after arriving at Istanbul Airport aboard three Turkish Airlines flights. Taher said that after previously being detained by Israeli forces in Greece, he travelled first to Istanbul and then to Marmaris before once again setting sail toward Gaza. “The Israeli occupation forces really tortured me this time,” he said. Pointing to injuries on his face and leg, Taher said Israeli soldiers recognised him and addressed him by name because it was his second attempt to join the flotilla. He said that when Israeli forces intercepted the boat he had joined for the second time, they forced him and another activist to strip on board, while other passengers were not subjected to the same treatment. New Zealand activist...

Lucky Motors is betting fuel-price shocks and rooftop solar adoption will speed up electric vehicle demand, as it launches EVs with Chinese state-owned automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) and plans local assembly as early as the year-end, its CEO told Reuters. The launch comes as local consumers face their sharpest fuel price increases in years, with prices double those of four years ago, as the US-Iran conflict disrupts supply through the Strait of Hormuz. “Every crisis has an opportunity. This crisis has actually helped Pakistani consumers transition fast from conventional fuel vehicles to new energy vehicles,” said Muhammad Faisal, CEO of Lucky Motors. Under an agreement with GAC, Lucky Motors began displaying four Aion and Hyptec models from GAC across Pakistan this week and plans to begin local manufacturing of its partner’s EVs as soon as December 2026, he said. GAC is Lucky Motors’ third automotive brand after Kia and Peugeot, which are both assembled at its Karachi plant. It is a subsidiary of ...

KARACHI: Alleged drug queenpin Anmol alias Pinky was sent to jail on a 14-day judicial remand on Friday in multiple narcotics cases and a murder case. Anmol was arrested earlier this month in Karachi in connection with two cases pertaining to the possession of narcotics and an unlicenced weapon. She had already been booked in multiple criminal cases prior to her arrest, taking the number of cases active against her to over a dozen. On Friday, Anmol was brought to the Judicial Complex at Central Jail amid high security. She was presented before the judicial magistrates concerned upon the completion of her physical remands in cases registered at the Baghdadi, Specialised Investigation Unit (SIU/CIA), Gizri and Darakhshan police stations. Friday marked the completion of Anmol’s physical remands in a narcotics case and a murder case, as well as separate remands in 10 “old” drug cases. In all the cases, the prosecution requested further custody of the suspect. However, she was sent to jail on judicial remand in al...

Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu has held a series of high-level engagements during his official visit to Turkiye, focusing on strengthening defence cooperation and expanding collaboration in aerospace and emerging technologies.

Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan was accorded a grand reception upon his arrival at Gilgit Airport, where senior civil and military officials warmly welcomed him.

A severe heatwave is expected to affect several districts of Sindh from May 25 to 31, with temperatures likely to rise four to six degrees Celsius above normal levels, the Pakistan Meteorological Department said on Friday.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will undertake an official visit to China from May 23 to 26 at the invitation of the Chinese government, the Foreign Office said on Friday.

The Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has issued an important update for vehicle owners, including motorcyclists, regarding pending petrol subsidy payments under the Fuel Subsidy Scheme.

A Karachi court on Friday sent alleged drug trafficker Anmol alias Pinky to jail on a 14-day judicial remand in multiple narcotics cases and a murder case.

The State Bank of Pakistan (State Bank of Pakistan) has announced a three-day closure on account of Eid ul Adha 2026, with banking operations to remain suspended from May 26 to May 28.

Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City at the end of the season after a decade in charge, the club announced on Friday, bringing an end to one of the most successful eras in English football and one of the most influential managerial reigns of all time. Guardiola, who took charge of City in 2016, has won six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, five League Cups and the Champions League, but his side have not won the league in two years. “Don’t ask me the reasons I’m leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside, I know it’s my time,” Guardiola said in a statement. “Nothing is eternal, if it was, I would be here. Eternal will be the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City. “We worked. We suffered. We fought. And we did things our own way. Our way.” Although City sealed the domestic cup double, Guardiola saw his dreams of a seventh Premier League crown dashed when they drew 1-1 at Bournemouth on Tuesday to hand Arsenal the title. News of the Spaniard’s impending departure was...

Prince Rahim al-Hussaini Aga Khan V reached Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday where he is expected to attend public gatherings and address different ceremonies. Prince Rahim arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday for a week-long visit — his first to the country since being named the spiritual leader of the Ismaili community last year. State broadcasters PTV News and Radio Pakistan reported that he was welcomed by caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Yar Muhammad and other senior civil and military officials at the airport in Gilgit. Meanwhile, banners and messages welcoming Prince Rahim were put up at different spots in the city, PTV News reported. @dawn.today Prince Rahim Aga Khan arrived in Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday. Prior to his arrival, preparations in GB reached a fever pitch, prompting a large-scale mobilisation of federal and regional resources, officials said. Officials anticipate large gatherings in the Passu Cones area of Hunza; Gilgit City, Gahkuch Bala, and Taus Yasin. The administration is considering hol...

Turkiye has revoked the operational licence for Istanbul Bilgi University, effectively forcing it to close, according to a decision published in the Official Gazette on Friday, after the university was seized by the state in a criminal investigation last year. President Tayyip Erdogan signed off on the decree to revoke the licence of Istanbul Bilgi, which has more than 20,000 students from both Turkiye and abroad, with some of its researchers renowned in their fields. The closure was effective immediately. As grounds for the move, the edict cites a law allowing for the closure of a private institution if “the expected level of education and training… is insufficient”. Turkiye’s Council of Higher Education (YOK) promised to take “the necessary measures” to ensure the students at the social sciences university, who were due to sit end-of-year exams in June, “suffer no harm”. YOK did not say whether the students would be taken in by other institutions in the coming weeks, nor how they would be able to complete t...

President Asif Ali Zardari has approved several important bills and government summaries, including environmental and legal reforms.

The Sindh Assembly on Thursday approved several important bills related to health, education, security and workers’ welfare during a session chaired by Deputy Speaker Anthony Naveed.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said that Pakistan was taking measures on a priority basis to increase foreign investment in the country, according to a statement by the Prime Minister’s House (PMO). He made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation from Qatar’s Taameer Group, led by its founder Mohammad Al Ali, the PMO said in a statement. “Qatar is a longstanding friend of Pakistan that has always stood by the country in difficult times,” PM Shehbaz was quoted as saying. “We are taking measures on a priority basis to increase foreign investment. Obstacles hindering investment have been removed under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC),” he said. The premier further said that Pakistan had vast potential for investment in tourism and hospitality, as well as the real estate and construction sectors. He directed the authorities concerned to “provide facilitation and support to the group” on investment in the country. The statement went on to say that the company’s founder briefed the...