Pakistan

QUETTA - Balochistan Polio’s concerned officials on Thursday said that no polio case was reported in the province till now during 2025 owing to positive efforts of polio representative and workers.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke on Thursday with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif about recent developments in the Middle East, underlining a shared commitment to regional stability and non-proliferation amid renewed efforts to engage Iran. “Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif regarding events in the Middle East. Secretary Rubio emphasised that Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon,” US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. “The two leaders acknowledged the importance of working together to promote a durable peace between Israel and Iran and to maintain regional stability,” she added. The call highlights Washington’s growing engagement with Islamabad at a time when the Trump administration is reportedly exploring a new diplomatic initiative with Tehran, possibly “as early as next week”. Rubio’s statement that “Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon” will be interpreted in various ways in both Pa...

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, in a telephonic call on Thursday, directed the Transition Management Committee of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) to extend facilitation and briefing to the visiting delegation from Uzbekistan, emphasizing the potential for collaborative ventures in the.

ISLAMABAD - The National Assembly on Thursday approved the finance bill 2025-26 with a total outlay of Rs17.

ISLAMABAD - Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Yahya Afridi while emphasising the importance of synergy has urged bar representatives to sensitize their respective bar associations about developments in national judiciary and to proactively engage in the reform initiatives.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told his Chinese counterpart that the two countries should seek a “permanent solution” to their decades-old border dispute, India’s defence ministry said on Friday. Singh met China’s Dong Jun on the sidelines of the meeting of the defence ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Qingdao on Thursday and stressed on solving issues between the two countries through a structured roadmap, the ministry said in a statement. The world’s two most populous nations — both nuclear powers — share a 3,800-km, largely undemarcated and disputed border in the Himalayas and have gone to war over it. Although the frontier has been mostly peaceful in recent decades, a deadly clash between their troops in 2020 resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers. The clash led to a four-year military standoff with both armies deploying tens of thousands of troops in the mountains until they reached a pact in October to step back, leading to a thaw in ties. During h...

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr Musadik Malik, on Thursday said that India destabilized the region by launching a war against Pakistan without presenting any evidence.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir has stressed the importance of inter-institutional cohesion, mutual respect, and a unified national purpose to advance Pakistan’s strategic and developmental goals.

Heavy rainfall in Karachi late Thursday night triggered massive power outages across the city, with more than 340 K-Electric feeders tripping due to the downpour, disrupting electricity in several areas.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif have extended heartfelt greetings to the nation and the Muslim Ummah on the advent of the new Islamic year 1447 Hijri.

Japan executed a man on Friday who killed nine people after contacting them on social media, the first use of capital punishment in the country in nearly three years. Takahiro Shiraishi had been sentenced to death for his 2017 strangling and dismembering of eight women and one man in his apartment in Zama city in Kanagawa near Tokyo. He was dubbed the “Twitter killer” as he contacted victims via the social media platform. Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki, who authorised Shiraishi’s hanging, said he made the decision after careful examination, taking into account the convict’s “extremely selfish” motive for crimes that “caused great shock andunrest to society.” It followed the execution in July 2022 of a man who went on a stabbing rampage in Tokyo’s shopping district Akihabara in 2008. It was also the first time a death penalty was carried out since Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s government was inaugurated last October. In September last year, a Japanese court acquitted Iwao Hakamada, who had spent the world’s...

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei • In first appearance since truce with Israel, supreme leader hails ‘slap’ on the face of America • Hegseth insists strikes on N-facilities were successful • Iran’s legislature clears bill to suspend cooperation with IAEA TEHRAN / WASHIN­GTON: Even after Iran’s supreme leader accused President Donald Trump of exaggerating the impact of US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Washington continued to insist on the success of its actions, claiming that there was no evidence Tehran had been able to move any of its highly enriched uranium. In his first public appearance since a ceasefire in the war with Israel took hold, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hailed what he termed a “victory” over Israel, vowing never to yield to US pressure and insisting that the US had been dealt a humiliating “slap”. “The American president exaggerated events in unusual ways, and it turned out that he needed this exaggeration,” Khamenei said, rejecting US claims Iran’s nuclear programme had been set back by decades. The str...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif greets PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari in the National Assembly during the final budget session.—APP • Bilawal supports budget, highlights increased funding for BISP, tax relief • Opposition objects to FBR’s arrest powers, says ‘most corrupt’ body turned into police force ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday passed the federal budget for the upcoming fiscal year, with an outlay of Rs17.57 trillion, despite opposition calls for the budgetary proposals to be made public and for the passage to be delayed until public input had been sought. The House passed the Finance Bill for 2025 with certain amendments, incorporating around half of the suggestions put forward by the finance committees of both houses of parliament. All amendments proposed by the opposition were rejected. Speaking to lawmakers, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari explained why his party was supporting the federal budget. He highlighted an increase of 20 per cent in the allocation for the Bena...

LAHORE: At least 10 persons were killed as heavy rain drenched cities across Punjab on Thursday, according to rescue officials and the provincial disaster management authority. Some districts in south Punjab were also hit by a strong windstorm. The weather brought much-needed relief after weeks of sweltering heat where temperatures increased to record levels. Rescue 1122 said it provided emergency services to 46 people in the last 24 hours, out of which 39 were hospitalised. Seven died in these emergencies. The most number of emergencies, eight, were reported in Okara, four in Multan, two each in Fai­sal­abad, Mandi Baha­uddin, Jhang and Chiniot and one each in Lahore, Kasur, Jhelum, Sahiwal, Murree, Muzaffar­garh, Baha­wal­nagar and Khanewal. Two persons each died in Jhelum and Muzaffargarh and one each in Okara, Bahawalnagar and Khanewal. According to details, a 5-year-old girl, identified as Dua Fatima, died when a bamboo roof collapsed in Basti Riazabad in Okara. Two persons were also injured. In Jhelum, ...

Dera Ghazi Khan - A decisive and comprehensive crackdown has been launched across Dera Ghazi Khan Division to eliminate quackery and ensure the delivery of quality healthcare services to the public.

Vehari - In a decisive move to maintain peace and sectarian harmony during Muharram, Deputy Commissioner Vehari Imrana Touqeer has imposed a two-month entry ban on four clerics and enforced a speech ban on three provocative speakers across the district.

Vehari - A graceful farewell ceremony was held at Police Lines Vehari under the direction of DPO Muhammad Afzal to honour retiring DSP Headquarters Muhammad Ajmal Saeed.

BAHAWALPUR - On the instructions of District Police Officer Muhammad Hassan Iqbal, Bahawalpur Police held a flag march across the city yesterday regarding law and order in view of Muharram, a clear message to mischievous elements, any illegal activity will be dealt with iron hands, DPO Muhammad Hassan Iqbal.

USD 2.5m needed to ensure Green shirts' participation in Pro League

The changes for white-ball formats will take effect from July 2