ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States on Saturday decided to take joint action against fraudulent visa networks under comprehensive standard operating procedures (SOPs). The decision came during a meeting between US Charge de’ Affaires Natalie Baker and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. According to a handout by the interior ministry, a detailed discussion was held on Pakistan–US relations and increasing cooperation …
ISLAMABAD: A sessions court on Saturday sentenced lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her spouse Hadi Ali Chattha to a total of 17 years in prison on multiple charges in a case pertaining to social media posts. The lawyer couple were already on judicial remand at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail after they were arrested in Islamabad in connection with a separate case …
ISLAMABAD: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday thanked his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar for his “strong support” and Pakistan’s position at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) amid the prevailing tense situation between Washington and Tehran. On Friday, the UNHRC adopted a resolution — with 25 votes in favour, seven against and 14 abstentions — to extend the …
KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Saturday urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to constitute a high-level inquiry commission to hold those accountable whose negligence led to the Gul Plaza inferno. The deadly inferno, which erupted on the night of January 17 at the mall and took nearly two days to be fully extinguished, has claimed at least 71 lives …
KARACHI: The death toll of Karachi’s Gul Plaza blaze crossed 70 on Friday as rescuers found more remains from the rubble of the gutted shopping centre. Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed issued an updated list of 71 deceased. Of the 16 identified so far, nine were identified through DNA tests, which have been performed for 49 samples. The deadly inferno, …
ISLAMABAD: PTI MNA Asad Qaiser, while speaking in the National Assembly on Thursday, raised objections to the bill ensuring the secrecy of lawmakers’ assets passed a day earlier, saying parliamentarians were not above ordinary citizens. He announced PTI’s dissociation from the bill and sought its withdrawal. Under Section 137 of the Elections Act, all members of parliament and provincial assemblies …
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Friday approved a comprehensive package worth Rs21.53 billion, including a Rs13bn grant-in-aid for rehabilitating and improving Town Municipal Corporations’ (TMCs) road infrastructure in Karachi. According to a press release by the CM’s office, the initiative aims to ease traffic congestion, improve public safety, and boost economic activity in the provincial capital. The …
ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday again defended its decision to join the Board of Peace led by US President Donald Trump, with Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal saying that Pakistan being at the “centre stage” along with its brother Muslim countries to contribute towards peace in Gaza and Palestine was a “diplomatic win”. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was among the leaders …
KHYBER: With hundreds of displaced families stranded on the road due to prolonged registration process, the Khyber district administration on Thursday suspended the evacuation of more families from Tirah valley due to heavy snowfall that began in early hours of the day. A note issued by Khyber House in Peshawar asked Tirah families to refrain from travelling to Bara until …
ISLAMABAD: Amid an outcry by the opposition in the National Assembly, the government on Thursday defended its decision to join the Board of Peace led by US President Donald Trump, saying it was taken in the interest of the Palestinian people. Originally meant to oversee peace in Gaza after Israel’s two-year war on the Palestinian enclave, the Board of Peace’s …