ISLAMABAD: The political affairs committee reiterated its commitment to further strengthen coordination, ensure timely execution of development projects, and support the prime minister’s agenda for good governance, economic stability, and national cohesion. It discussed the ongoing political eng­agement strategy and measures to improve coordination among parliamentarians, federating units, and government ministries. The decision was made during a meeting chaired by …

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Saturday said that social media influencer Sana Yousuf’s killer should receive an exemplary punishment and that this should be a “test case” so that no such crime occurs in the future. Islamabad Police arrested Umar Hayat, the main suspect in the 17-year-old’s murder, on June 3, nearly a day after she was gunned down …

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has issued a 15-day freezing order on properties across the country, including those owned by property tycoon Malik Riaz’s son and his company, Bahria Town Pvt Ltd, in a reference against the influential magnate and others, it emerged on Saturday The development adds on to NAB’s previous actions against Riaz, who is also an …

ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) on Saturday advised all oil marketing companies (OMCs) to ensure the maintenance of their mandatory 20-day stock levels amid the impact of the Iran-Israel conflict on global oil supply. In a statement issued today, the authority’s spokesperson said: “Ogra has confirmed that the country currently holds sufficient stocks of petroleum products to …

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police killed a terrorist and injured two others belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group on Saturday in Dera Ismail Khan as they attempted to attack the police. A statement issued from the police said the TTP terrorists targeted a police party near the Malang area within the jurisdiction of Hathala Police Station as they …

LAHORE: The Punjab government has imposed Section 144 across the province from Muharram 1 to 10 to ensure peace and religious harmony. Section 144 is a legal provision of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) that empowers district administrations to prohibit an assembly of four or more people in an area for a limited period. A Punjab Home Department order …

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court’s order in the reserved seats case amended the Constitution as it altered the constitutional deadline of three days for independent lawmakers to join a political party, Justice Musarrat Hilali has remarked. The court’s order on July 12, 2024 — more than five months after the general elections on Feb 8 — allowed 41 PTI-backed independent lawmakers …

ISLAMABAD: Like every year, the National Assembly on Friday once again echoed with the familiar demand for creating new provinces in the country during the general debate on the federal budget. Taking part in the debate on the budget for the next fiscal year, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf forcefully demanded carving out Hazara province in Khyber …

ISLAMABAD: The government has signed term sheets with 18 commercial banks for a Rs1.275 trillion Islamic finance facility to help pay off the mounting debt in its power sector, Power Minister Awais Leghari said on Friday. The government, which owns or controls much of the power infrastructure, is grappling with ballooning circular debt, unpaid bills and subsidies that have choked …

WASHINGTON: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir has stressed the “immense potential for a broader, multidimensional relationship built upon mutual respect” with the United States, the military’s media wing said on Friday. COAS Munir is on a five-day official visit to the US, where he met with President Donald Trump over luncheon, becoming the first serving army …