ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis lodged 28,000 applications for international protection in the European Union Plus countries between October 2023 and October this year, the EU’s Agency for Asylum (EUAA) said in a Pakistan-specific report released on Wednesday. The monthly figures have followed a downward trend since reaching a peak in October last year, when Pakistanis lodged around 3,400 applications. The number for …
ISLAMABAD: The jail reforms subcommittee informed Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi on Wednesday that its members were denied a meeting with former prime minister Imran Khan during their visit to Adiala jail. Khadija Shah, a member of the subcommittee and a renowned fashion designer, shared their experiences in a letter to the CJP regarding Tuesday’s visit to the …
ISLAMABAD: The opposition leader of the National Assembly and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Omar Ayub staged a walkout from the National Assembly on Wednesday, demanding the release of the party’s imprisoned leaders, including founding chairman Imran Khan, and a halt to alleged threats against party members. As the session began, Deputy Speaker Syed Mir Ghulam Mustafa Shah announced the assembly …
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed authorities to take decisive action against human trafficking, which he said tarnishes Pakistan’s global image, and demanded a report on cases involving Pakistani citizens over the past year. Chairing a meeting on the deaths of Pakistani nationals in a recent boat capsize near Greece, the prime minister expressed dismay over recurring tragedies and the …
ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja on Wednesday said the government did not “deny user challenges” resulting from slow internet speeds, claiming improvements in the tech sector, as lawmakers of ally PPP criticised measures resulting in internet issues. In recent months, users have experienced sluggish speeds, difficulty downloading media on WhatsApp, and intermittent connectivity issues. Digital analysts …
ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said on Wednesday he was “ready to play his role” in facilitating talks between the government and the opposition — mainly the PTI — with his “office and residence open 24 hours”. Sadiq’s statement comes a day after senior PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah said in the lower house of the parliament that the …
RIYADH: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday visited a college in Riyadh where he praised advancements in higher education and discussed collaboration in the field, while also meeting officials at the Saudi directorate of passports to review facilities, Radio Pakistan reported. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have recently strengthened bilateral cooperation by signing more than 30 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and …
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly witnessed relative civility on Tuesday, as lawmakers from the ruling PML-N and opposition PTI agreed on the need for dialogue to settle their issues, though neither side seemed willing to take the first step. The tone was set by a comment from Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who, responding to PTI lawmaker Sher Afzal Marwat’s reconciliatory note, …
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has warned that he would ask overseas Pakistanis to halt remittances if the government fails to meet his demands, including the release of incarcerated party workers and the formation of judicial commissions to investigate the May 9 riots and the Nov 26 crackdown on PTI workers in Islamabad, his sister Aleema Khan said …
ISLAMABAD: The trial of former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse, Bushra Bibi, in the £190m corruption reference is nearing conclusion as the prosecution has completed final arguments. The defence would start its rejoinder today (Wednesday). Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana presided over the hearing inside the Adiala Jail on Tuesday as Mr Khan and his spouse appeared …