Pakistan

  • NA session adjourned due to lack of quorum 
    The Nation - National - 06:32 May 20, 2026
    ISLAMABAD - The opposition on private members day blocked the legislative business by disrupting the National Assembly session, taking advantage of lack of required quorum in the House.
  • Bangladesh civil servants delegation visits FCC, discusses judicial reforms
    The Nation - National - 06:31 May 20, 2026
    ISLAMABAD - A high-level delegation of senior civil servants from Bangladesh visited the Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan on Tuesday and held detailed discussions on constitutional governance, judicial reforms, and institutional cooperation with Chief Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan and other judges of the court.
  • Pak, Russia agree to deepen coordination on international security issues
    The Nation - National - 06:31 May 20, 2026
    ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Russia yesterday agreed to deepen coordination on international security issues.
    Tags: Russia
  • IHC objects to missing SC order in Imaan-Hadi case
    The Nation - National - 06:30 May 20, 2026
    ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday raised objections over the non-submission of certified copies of Supreme Court orders during the hearing of miscellaneous petitions seeking early hearing of appeals filed by convicted human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband Hadi Ali Chattha in the controversial social media.
  • Punjab govt bans activities 'injurious to public health, peace' ahead of Eidul Azha
    Dawn - 06:28 May 20, 2026
    Ahead of Eidul Azha, the Punjab government has prohibited several activities “injurious to public health” and that also disturb public peace under Section 144 from May 27 to June 2. A notification issued by the Punjab Home Department, dated May 19, said that during Eidul Azha, people sit by the roadside and roast the heads and feet of sacrificial animals, which caused “unhealthy smoke” and an unpleasant smell. It said that people also throw the entrails of sacrificial animals by the roadside and or in drains, which resulted in unsanitary conditions and the blockage of the sewerage system. It stated that citizens also swim and bathe in canals, ponds, lakes, river banks, and distributaries during Eidul Azha holidays, which may endanger their lives. It further stated that cattle sellers illegally set up points for the sale of sacrificial animals within populated areas, which hindered traffic and contributed to the spread of diseases. The Home Department said that the aforementioned activities “are not only injur...
  • Bangladesh beat Pakistan by 78 runs to clinch Test series 2-0
    Dawn - 06:28 May 20, 2026
    Spinner Taijul Islam took six wickets to lead Bangladesh to a 78-run win over Pakistan in the second Test and clinch a famous 2-0 series win on Wednesday. Pakistan, who started the fifth day on 316-7 while chasing a record 437, were bowled out for 328 in the first session in Sylhet after Mohammad Rizwan hit a valiant 94. It was Bangladesh’s first Test series win at home against Pakistan and a second successive sweep after their 2-0 triumph on Pakistani soil in 2024. Wicketkeeper Rizwan kept Pakistan in the hunt for an unlikely win with a 166-ball stay after the visitors had slumped to 162-5 on day four. Rizwan put on an eighth-wicket partnership of 54 with overnight partner Sajid Khan, who made 28. Taijul broke through to dismiss Sajid for his 18th Test five-wicket haul and Shoriful Islam had Rizwan caught in the next over to end Pakistan’s resistance. Taijul took the final wicket of Khurram Shahzad to return figures of 6-120 and trigger Bangladesh celebrations. The left-arm spinner also took 3-67 during Paki...
  • President Zardari’s China visit deepens strategic, economic & cultural cooperation
    The Nation - National - 06:27 May 20, 2026
    ISLAMABAD - May 19:President Asif Ali Zardari’s official visit to China from April 25 to May 1 marked a major step forward in Pakistan-China relations, with the two countries signing five Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and one agreement spanning defence, agriculture, healthcare, industrial cooperation and technology sectors.
    Tags: China
  • PM orders FC deployment to protect Balochistan’s mineral resources
    The Nation - National - 06:08 May 20, 2026
    QUETTA - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed authorities to deploy the Frontier Corps (FC) in Balochistan’s Rakhshan Division to establish a dedicated security corridor aimed at protecting the province’s mineral resources and related economic activities.
  • Govt seeks investors for privatisation of three major power distribution companies
    The Nation - National - 06:05 May 20, 2026
    ISLAMABAD - The federal government through the Privatisation Commission has formally invited Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from local and international investors for the privatisation of three major electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) including Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO), Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO), and.
  • Security forces kill 22 terrorists in North Waziristan
    The Nation - National - 05:58 May 20, 2026
    Islamabad - Security Forces eliminated 22 khwarij terrorists belonging to Indian sponsored Fitna al Khwarij in intelligence-based operation in general area Shewa in North Waziristan district.
  • Govt helping deserving families build homes under Punjab’s urban housing scheme: CM
    The Nation - National - 05:25 May 20, 2026
    LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday inaugurated the Punjab Pavilion at the World Urban Forum being held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
  • Bilawal spends busy day in Lahore
    The Nation - National - 05:24 May 20, 2026
    Lahore - Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari spent a busy day in the provincial capital on Tuesday.
    Tags: Lahore
  • Mere confession not enough for conviction, rules top court
    The Nation - National - 05:21 May 20, 2026
    ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday ruled that a confession which is not voluntary, truthful, and recorded strictly in accordance with the law cannot serve as the basis for convicting an accused person, particularly when the statement has later been retracted and lacks independent corroboration.
  • Pakistan reaffirms commitment to Gandhara Heritage at 3rd international Buddhist conference
    The Nation - National - 05:14 May 20, 2026
    ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi Tuesday declared Pakistan a proud custodian of one of humanity’s most significant Buddhist civilizations, stressing that the preservation of Gandhara heritage is not merely a national responsibility but a global obligation.
  • Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub ruled out of upcoming ODI series against Australia
    Dawn - 05:06 May 20, 2026
    Opening batters Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub have been ruled out of the upcoming one-day international (ODI) series against Australia, scheduled to begin on May 30, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Wednesday. According to a press release issued by the cricket board, both players are “currently recovering from injuries and have been advised to continue their rehabilitation programmes under the supervision of the PCB medical panel”. “Consequently, they have been ruled out of selection for the ODI series,” it added. The cricket board wished both players a speedy recovery and said it looked forward to seeing them return to competitive cricket at the earliest opportunity. It added that further updates regarding the squad and player fitness would be shared in due course. The Australian men’s cricket team is scheduled to tour Pakistan for a three-match ODI series. According to the schedule announced, the visitors will arrive in Islamabad on May 23 and face the Green Shirts in the first ODI at the Rawalpindi Cr...
  • ‘Why don’t you take questions, Mr Modi?’
    Dawn - 02:55 May 20, 2026
    INDIAN PM Narendra Modi’s penchant for not taking questions during interactions with the press did not go down well with journalists in Norway, who wanted to quiz the visiting dignitary. Mr Modi is on a six-day, five-nation tour, and landed in Oslo on Monday to attend the third India-Nordic Summit. According to The Hindustan Times, the episode unfolded at a joint press statement by PM Modi and his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Støre. As the two leaders were leaving the venue after their briefing, which did not include a Q&A, a voice rang out across the room: “Prime Minister Modi, why don’t you take some questions from the freest press in the world?” The voice belonged to Helle Lyng, a journalist with the local newspaper Dagsavisen, who was part of the media contingent covering the visit. “Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, would not take my question, I was not expecting him to,” she subsequently posted on X. She later also attended the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) briefing on PM Modi’s Norway vi...
    Tags: Modi
  • Pakistan can buy Russian oil
    Dawn - 02:13 May 20, 2026
    WASHINGTON: Pakistan is among the countries that could benefit from a new United States temporary licence allowing selected energy-importing nations to access Russian oil, diplomatic sources told Dawn. The US has introduced a 30-day general licence issued by the US Department of the Treasury to ease immediate supply pressures in global crude markets and provide relief to energy-vulnerable countries. Diplomatic sources said the arrangement may also apply to Pakistan, though they cautioned that Islamabad might not be able to fully take advantage of the concession due to limited technical capacity. US offers 30-day relief to energy-vulnerable countries They noted that Pakistan has not previously imported Russian crude at scale and may lack the refining infrastructure required to process such shipments. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on a social media post released on Monday that his department is issuing a temporary 30-day general licence to “provide the most vulnerable nations with the ability to temp...
  • Nigeria says joint strikes with US kill 175 IS fighters
    Dawn - 18:48 May 19, 2026
    Nigeria’s military on Tuesday said that joint airstrikes with the United States had killed 175 Islamic State (IS) fighters in the country’s northeast, including the militant group’s global second-in-command. The remote region has been gripped by an extremist insurgency since 2009, first by Boko Haram, then its offshoot and rival, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). According to the United Nations, more than 40,000 people have been killed and two million others displaced. US and Nigerian forces killed Abu Bilal al-Minuki, an IS leader described as the “most active terrorist” in the world, at a remote village in the northeast last weekend. The Nigerian military said on Tuesday that 175 IS militants had so far been “eliminated from the battlefield”. “The joint strikes have resulted in the destruction of ISIS checkpoints, weapons caches, logistical hubs, military equipment and financial networks used to sustain terrorist operations,” it added. As director of global operations for IS, al-Minuki provide...
    Tags: Nigeria
  • Driver of vehicle involved in fatal hit-and-run on Karachi’s Sea View road remains at large
    Dawn - 18:19 May 19, 2026
    KARACHI: An individual involved in a fatal hit-and-run incident on a major Karachi thoroughfare remains on the run days after his vehicle hit another, killing one person and injuring two teenagers. On Thursday, a video of the incident went viral on social media. It showed a speeding double-cabin vehicle ploughing into a small car on Karachi’s Abdul Sattar Edhi Avenue in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) area. The double-cabin vehicle hit the other car with such force that it spun around multiple times before coming to a stop on the side of the busy road. The speeding vehicle did not stop, and the individual fled the scene. South Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that Darakhshan police had lodged a first information report (FIR) against the absconding driver of the speeding SUV, and further legal proceedings were underway. According to the FIR, seen by Dawn, at around 12:05am on May 14, 2026, a speeding Revo vehicle collided with a car at the crossing of main Sea View road and...
  • Pakistan, Japan vow to further strengthen cooperation in petroleum sector
    The Nation - National - 18:12 May 19, 2026
    Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik met with the Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, Akamatsu Shuichi, during his visit to the Geoscience Advanced Research Laboratories (GARL) of the Geological Survey of Pakistan on Tuesday.