ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court Justice Babar Sattar has issued contempt notices to the director generals (DG) of the Federal Investigation Agency and Intelligence Bureau, and members and chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority for filing “collusive applications” seeking his recusal from a case pertaining to audio leaks. The development came as the court heard a case in connection with the petitions filed last …

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on the young people in the new era to strive to write their youthful chapter of shouldering responsibility for Chinese modernization. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in his messages for Chinese youth ahead of China’s …

BEIJING: China’s Foreign Ministry refuted the US’ recent negative statements and actions toward China on Monday. Experts noted that the actions of the US showed that its confrontational mentality toward China remains unchanged, and urged the US to honor its words and show real sincerity in improving China-US relations. Wrapping up his three-day visit to China, US Secretary of State …

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari approved the appointment of the governors for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Balochistan on Saturday. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had nominated two senior party leaders a day ago for the posts of the KP and Punjab governors as part of a deal reached with the PML-N before joining the coalition government. In Balochistan, Jaffar Khan Mandokhail, president of …

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Friday issued bailable arrest warrants for 14 suspects, who are on bail, for skipping trial proceedings of two cases related to May 9 riots. Judge Arshad Javed ordered the police to ensure the appearance of nine suspects in the Jinnah House attack case, and five others in Askari Tower case, on May 15. The …

LAHORE: As the Punjab government refuses to take responsibility for the ongoing wheat crisis, ruling PML-N founder Nawaz Sharif has summoned Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at Jati Umra residence to discuss the issue. Meanwhile, the provincial government is exploring more ways and means to compensate the wheat growers, instead of revising upward its grain procurement target and announcing a date for …

UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has urged the UN General Assembly and the Security Council to address India’s new strategy of conducting cross-border assassinations. During a General Assembly debate on the “Culture of Peace” on Thursday evening, Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram highlighted that India was also targeting Muslims, Christians, and other minorities within its borders. He stressed that India’s extraterritorial state …

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday approved retirement notification of former judge of Islamabad High Court Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, restoring his benefits and reputation that was marred due to his dismissal from service seven years ago. According to the Presidency, the president approved the notification with effect from June 30, 2021. “In the light of the Supreme Court …

ISLAMABAD: PTI’s founding chairman Imran Khan has linked any potential dialogue with the return of his party’s “stolen mandate” and the release of “innocent imprisoned workers”. In his message from Adiala Jail, Mr Khan also urged the judges hearing his and his wife’s cases to expedite their rulings instead of delaying them unnecessarily. Mr Khan reiterated that he was “always …

ISLAMABAD/BEIJING: In a historic first, a Pakistani satellite will orbit the moon as part of China’s Chang’e-6 lunar mission, which was launched from Hainan, China, on Friday. The mission, which aims to explore the moon’s “dark side”, will employ lunar research payloads from multiple countries, including Pakistan’s iCube Qamar satellite. The Institute of Space Technology (IST) on Tuesday said Pakistan’s “historic” …