RAWALPINDI: Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad on Friday said he has received complaints and letters — many verbally — of interference in judicial matters by “institutions”. Addressing an event in Rawalpindi, Justice Ahmad asserted, “I have full faith that this interference of the establishment in the judiciary will come to its end very soon.” He explained …
ISLAMABAD: A local court in Islamabad on Thursday acquitted former prime minister Imran Khan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and others in a case registered with the Industrial Area police station in connection with the ‘Azadi March’. Judicial Magistrate Malik Imran ordered their acquittal for want of evidence. The police registered the FIR against Mr Khan, Mr Qureshi, Sheikh …
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission has challenged the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) decision to appoint six tribunals to settle election disputes in Punjab. In a petition moved before the Supreme Court on Thursday, the electoral watchdog also questioned whether the ECP or LHC has the final say in the appointment of tribunals. On May 29, while hearing petitions filed by PTI-backed independent candidates …
LAHORE: Amid massive in-house protests by the opposition, the Punjab government led by PML-N presented its annual budget of Rs5.45 trillion for the fiscal year 2024-25, though the Rs630 billion surplus budget reveals no plans to tax the agriculture and real estate sectors properly, despite ongoing pressure from the IMF. Currently, income from agriculture is being taxed by the province at …
ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Thursday finally constituted 40 standing committees, including the powerful Public Accounts Committee (PAC), after more than a three-month delay. According to an official announcement of the National Assembly Secretariat, the speaker has finalised the members’ names of the committees in pursuance of the motion adopted in the National Assembly on May 17. A …
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday invited JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to become part of the ruling coalition led by the PML-N, as he visited the residence of his former ally to inquire about his well-being. The premier also proposed the formation of a committee to address the prevailing political issues and asked the Maulana to join it. …
LAHORE: Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Usman Anwar on Thursday told the Lahore High Court (LHC) that an investigation had been launched into the alleged threats to a judge of an anti-terrorism court (ATC) of Sargodha and his harassment by the intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The IGP and other police officials appeared before the court following a notice issued on …
BEIJING: China is the world’s largest cherry market, and Pakistan has reached a significant milestone by exporting its first shipment of fresh cherries to China. Utilizing a reefer container, Pakistan aims to export 260 tonnes of fresh cherries to China in reefer containers by the end of June. This achievement is a result of a phytosanitary agreement signed between China …
BEIJING: China on Thursday denounced the U.S.’s new sanctions on over 300 entities and individuals, including dozens of Chinese enterprises, which the U.S. side claimed helped Russia sustain military production to combat Ukraine. “China firmly opposes any illegal unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction. The normal economic and trade exchanges between China and Russia should not be interfered with, nor should …
BEIJING: Song Tao, a senior Taiwan affairs official, on Thursday called on the United States to work with China to maintain cross-Straits peace and stability, oppose “Taiwan independence” and support China’s reunification. Song, head of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the …