LAHORE: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab has issued its latest assessment of the devastation caused by the overflowing Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab rivers, outlining the scale of damage and the ongoing relief efforts. Relief Commissioner Nabeel Javed said more than 2,308 villages across Punjab had been inundated, affecting 1.516 million people. Of these, 481,000 had been evacuated to …
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday approved a change in the constitution of the 11th National Finance Commission (NFC) after Balochistan revised its nomination, a statement by the president’s secretariat said. The 11th NFC was constituted on August 22 to prepare a new award for sharing federal divisible resources between the Centre and the provinces. Chaired by Finance Minister …
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday announced that the federal government was preparing a comprehensive strategy with consultation of all federating units for the construction of water reservoirs and improved water management across the country, as devastating floods continued to wreak havoc. According to the PM Office, the prime minister said that water reservoirs would be built through consultation …
ISLAMABAD: Amid concerns from the main opposition party PTI that the government remains adamant to push forward with controversial legislation, including the 27th Constitutional Amendment , in the coming days, Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq met on Friday to discuss matters of national significance. Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari has summoned a session of …
ISLAMABAD: The members of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting on Friday expressed their concerns over the blackout of the opposition by the state-run media and non-payment of the advertisement dues to the newspapers and television channels. The committee headed by Pullain Baloch also took notice of the non-payment of salaries to the Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) …
ISLAMABAD: Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian offered his condolences to the people of Pakistan over the loss of lives and properties amid ongoing floods across various parts of Pakistan, Radio Pakistan reported. In a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday, the Iranian president offered assistance to the brotherly people of Pakistan at this difficult time. He also …
LAHORE: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has assured that all minority religious sites damaged during recent floods, including Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, will be restored to their original condition on priority, Radio Pakistan reported on Friday. During his visit to the flood-hit districts of Punjab, including Sialkot, Shakargarh, Narowal, and Kartarpur, the army chief met members …
ISLAMABAD: A high-level delegation from the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) reviewed the country’s progress during a visit on Aug 24-28, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Friday. CERN, one of the world’s largest and most respected centres for scientific research, was established in 1954 on the principle of “science for peace”, according to its website . Pakistan became …
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday said that Pakistan has agreed to consider establishing diplomatic relations with Armenia. “Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia, H.E. Ararat Mirzoyan@AraratMirzoyan and I held a cordial conversation on phone today, and agreed to consider establishing diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Armenia,” FM Dar posted on X. Meanwhile, Armenia’s …
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Thursday reassigned a long-running petition related to Dr Aafia Siddiqui, moving it from Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan to Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas as part of a new “Roster of Sitting” that takes effect from Sept 1, according to a court cause list. The transfer comes weeks after Justice Ejaz Ishaq issued sweeping …