Pakistan

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday reiterated his government’s strong commitment to revitalizing Pakistan’s agriculture sector through sustainable reforms aimed at boosting productivity and supporting farmers.

Nasa retiree turned private astronaut Peggy Whitson was launched on the fifth flight to orbit of her career early on Wednesday, joined by crewmates from India, Poland and Hungary heading for their countries’ first visit to the International Space Station (ISS). The astronaut team lifted off from Nasa’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, at about 2:30am EDT (11:30am PKT), beginning the latest mission organized by Texas-based startup Axiom Space in partnership with Elon Musk’s rocket venture SpaceX. The four-member crew was carried aloft on a towering SpaceX launch vehicle consisting of a Crew Dragon capsule perched atop a two-stage Falcon 9 rocket. Live video showed the towering spacecraft streaking into the night sky over Florida’s Atlantic coast trailed by a brilliant yellowish plume of fiery exhaust. Cameras inside the crew compartment beamed footage of the four astronauts strapped into their pressurized cabin, seated calmly side by side in helmeted white-and-black flight suits as their spacec...

The federal capital and surrounding areas experienced rainfall on Wednesday morning as the monsoon season officially began across the country.

Punjab is predicted to receive 25 per cent more monsoon rains this year, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General Irfan Ali Kathia said on Wednesday. Separately, Karachi is expected to receive rainfall on June 27 (Friday), the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said — potentially ending an ongoing wave of extreme heat and humid weather. The PMD has already forecast monsoon rain across the country from Wednesday, June 25. Monsoon rains fall across the region from June to September, offering respite from the summer heat and are crucial to replenishing water supplies. Monsoon rains have commenced in Punjab and first spell will continue till July 1, the PDMA said in a statement, adding that rainfall with strong winds and thunderstorms are predicted in most districts of the province. Relief Commissioner Punjab Nabeel Javed has instructed commissioners and deputy commissioners across the province to remain alert. He said all relevant departments including Rescue 1122 and WASA are on al...

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday ordered a reduction in the duration of the LLB program from five years to four, as part of broader legal education reforms.

Pakistan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a $350 million agreement for the Women Inclusive Finance Sector Programme, aimed at enhancing women's participation in economic activities through increased access to finance and employment opportunities.

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has approved a reduction of Rs1.

ENGLAND opener Ben Duckett plays a shot during the first Test against India at Headingley on Tuesday.—Reuters LEEDS: A superb century from Ben Duckett helped steer England to a sensational five-wicket win in the first Test against India after a thrilling day five on Tuesday, the hosts reaching a target of 371 — the 10th highest successful run chase in Test history. Having turned the match on its head at Headingley after India had been 430-3 in their first innings, England appeared to be cruising to a dramatic win as openers Duckett and Zak Crawley eased their side to lunch on 117-0 in their second innings. Duckett continued his imperious form with another four through the covers to reach his sixth Test hundred, before Crawley fell for 65, their 188-run partnership the second-highest England opening fourth-innings stand in Tests. Two wickets in two balls — Duckett and Harry Brook — dragged India back into the enthralling contest and when Ben Stokes fell for 33 attempting an ambitious reverse sweep, England’s h...

US airstrikes did not destroy Iran’s nuclear capability and only set it back by a few months, according to a preliminary US intelligence assessment, as a shaky ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump took hold between Iran and Israel. Earlier on Tuesday, both Iran and Israel signaled that the air war between the two nations had ended, at least for now, after Trump publicly scolded them for violating a ceasefire he announced at 5am GMT (10am PKT). As the two countries lifted civilian restrictions after 12 days of war — which the US joined with an attack on Iran’s uranium-enrichment facilities — each sought to claim victory. Trump said over the weekend that the US deployment of 30,000-pound bombs had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear programme. But that claim appeared to be contradicted by an initial assessment by one of his administration’s intelligence agencies, according to three people familiar with the matter. One of the sources said Iran’s enriched uranium stocks had not been eliminated, and the countr...

Four people were killed and as many injured after an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded on Wednesday in the Pewar area of Parachinar in Upper Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. DPO Habibullah said police teams reached the site of the explosion in Sharamkhel, Pewar, and launched an investigation. He confirmed that four people were killed and four others were injured in the explosion. The medical superintendent of DHQ Parachinar Hospital Mir Hassan Jan identified the victims as Nawab Ali, Amir Hussain, Hidayat Hussain, and Manzar Ali. He added the injured namely, Muhammad Konain, Shafaat Hussain, and Hassan Ghulam were provided first aid and have been taken to Peshawar for further treatment. Speaking to media, an injured victim Hassan Ghulam said they were heading towards a hill to collect firewood when the explosion occurred on the roadside. “The incident is very unfortunate. The terrorists should be caught and punished,” he said. Besides his four companions, two horses were also killed in the expl...

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan was called on by Secretary General of the International Road Transport Union (IRU), Umberto de Pretto.

United States President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that China can continue to purchase Iranian oil after Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire, a move that the White House clarified did not indicate a relaxation of US sanctions. “China can now continue to purchase oil from Iran. Hopefully, they will be purchasing plenty from the US, also,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social, just days after he ordered US bombings of three Iranian nuclear sites. Trump was drawing attention to no attempts by Iran so far to close the Strait of Hormuz to oil tankers, as a closure would have been hard for China, the world’s top importer of Iranian oil, a senior White House official told Reuters. “The president continues to call on China and all countries to import our state-of-the-art oil rather than import Iranian oil in violation of US sanctions,” the official said. After the ceasefire announcement, Trump’s comments on China were another bearish signal for oil prices, which fell nearly 6 per cent on Tuesday. Any relaxation o...

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab said the first spell of monsoon rains has begun and it will continue until July 1.

LAHORE: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has issued directions for a crackdown on those involved in spreading hateful content on social media. Presiding over a meeting to review arrangements regarding Muharram here on Tuesday, the CM sought an emergency plan from the administration. “Those found involved in spreading hateful content on social media should be arrested forthwith,” the CM said and directed the authorities to ensure a complete ban on displaying banners, posters and wall-chalking throughout the province. She also directed to arrest of those violating the ban on flying drones during Muharram. She asked the ministers, commissioners, deputy commissioners, RPOs and DPOs to personally oversee the security arrangements for Muharram. The CM sought the strict implementation of the code of conduct and a zero-tolerance policy. She asked the officer to launch mock drills of security arrangements and install sabeels for processions and gatherings of Muharram. She also directed to provide refreshing drinks, lemon w...

Peshawar - Advisor to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Information and Public Relations, Barrister Saif, met with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in a significant meeting focused on political developments and the provincial budget.

KARACHI: The Indian aggression against Pakistan has not hurt, strangely enough, the inflow of foreign investment into treasury bills, while outflows from the equity market has been much higher than inflows during the same period. The State Bank’s latest update for May shows that foreign inflows in T-bills during the month (up to May 23 of FY25) reached $73.6 million. This was strange since India attacked Pakistan on May 6. It is believed that foreign investment quickly leaves a country during an international crisis. The war did not hurt inflows in t-bills, but outflows from the equity market reflected its negative impact. The State Bank data for May shows that while inflows in T-bills were $73.5m, outflows amounted to $66m. The highest inflow of $50 million came from UAE, while Britain received the biggest outflow of $62m But figures for foreign investment in equity market show that during May, inflows were $38.7m and outflows totaled $64.6m. Although the situation has remained calm in Pakistan so far despit...

Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old state lawmaker and self-described democratic socialist, was poised on Tuesday to win New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary in a surprising upset over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. In brief remarks to supporters, Cuomo, 67, who had been seeking a political comeback four years after resigning amid sexual harassment allegations, said he had called Mamdani to congratulate him. “Tonight is his night,” Cuomo said while conceding the race to Mamdani. Mamdani, who entered the campaign as a virtual unknown, was ahead of Cuomo 43.5 per cent to 36.4pc with nearly 95pc of ballot scanners reporting, according to the city’s elections board. Nine other Democratic candidates trailed far behind. The outcome will not be final until next week, due to New York’s ranked-choice system that allows citizens to pick up to five candidates in order of preference. But Mamdani’s lead in Tuesday’s preliminary results appeared too large for Cuomo, or any other candidate, to overcome, particularly...

KOHAT: At least 10,000 personnel of army, police and other agencies would perform security duty during Muharram in Kohat division with the restive Kurram district to be handed over to the army. This was decided at a meeting of the Kohat divisional jirga presided over by General Officer Commanding of the Army’s 9th Division Maj-Gen Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti. The handing over of Kurram to army was because the district has witnessed worst sectarian killings in the past. Held at the Kohat Police Club, the jirga was also attended by chief secretary Shahab Ali Shah, IGP Zulfiqar Hameed, regional police officer Abbas Majeed Marwat, divisional commissioner Syed Mutasim Billah Shah, deputy commissioners, and district police officers of Kohat, Hangu, Orakzai, Karak, Kuram districts, and prominent elders of the Shia and Sunni sects. Jirga also decides to deploy 10,000 personnel across Kohat division Provincial law minister Afab Alam Advocate, MNAs Shehryar Afridi, Hameed Hussain, and Yousaf Khan, MPAs Shafi Jan, Aurangzeb Ora...

• Gandapur says any delay could have led to ‘governor’s rule’ • Salman Akram Raja ‘blindsided’; Saif claims Imran okayed budget from Adiala PESHAWAR: The midnight passage of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa budget has exposed deep divisions within the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), with Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur claiming that any delay could have paved the way for the imposition of governor’s rule in the province. The KP Assembly approved the budget around midnight on Monday, bulldozing cut motions on demands for grants, prompting opposition lawmakers to boycott the proceedings. On Tuesday, PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja expressed his surprise at the move. “Passing of the KP budget yesterday has come as a complete surprise to me. On June 22, the Political Committee of the PTI endorsed the decision of the KP parliamentary party to pass the budget, if no meeting with (Imran) Khan Sb is allowed, by the latest date possible to prevent financial chaos,” he wrote on X. Mr Raja said that a meeting...

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif applauded Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his delegation for their successful diplomatic tour to the United States and Europe and exposing recent India’s propaganda against Pakistan.