WASHINGTON: The US House Foreign Affairs Committee has tasked its Subcommittee on the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia with conducting a hearing on the future of democracy in Pakistan, scheduled for March 20. The hearing will also delve into the dynamics of US-Pakistan relations following the Feb 8 general elections. Donald Lu, the Assistant Secretary of State for South …
ISLAMABAD: In view of the financial challenges being faced by the country, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday formed a committee to curtail government expenses. “The PM formed the committee to ensure austerity measures on the government side,” Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told Dawn. Members of the committee comprise federal secretaries of cabinet, finance and I&P divisions, as well as economists …
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday held the appeals of former prime minister Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi against conviction in the cipher case maintainable and invited the prosecution and defence counsel to advance arguments from Monday. An IHC division bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb resumed the hearing on the …
ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Wednesday accused the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) of conspiring against Pakistan by approaching the European Union (EU) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), against the country’s interests. “PTI spokespersons are getting instructions from [Adiala] jail to harm the country. But no one will be allowed to harm the economy,” Mr Tarar said while addressing his …
PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Thursday dismissed the Sunni Ittehad Council’s petition challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to reject the party allocation of reserved women and minority seats. In a 4-1 verdict earlier this month, the electoral watchdog ruled that the SIC was not entitled to claim quota for reserved seats “due to having non curable legal defects and …
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday registered a strong protest against the implementation of India’s controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), according to a report from state-run Radio Pakistan. On March 11, India had announced rules to implement a 2019 citizenship law that critics call anti-Muslim. The Modi government had not crafted implementation rules for the law after protests and sectarian violence broke out within weeks of the law’s enactment in December …
BEIJING: The Chinese foreign ministry urged South Korea on Tuesday to make the right choice, refrain from following others to hype up the South China Sea issue, following South Korean foreign ministry’s remarks regarding a recent incident during which Philippine vessels had trespassed into the waters off China’s Ren’ai Jiao (also known as Ren’ai Reef), and a spokesperson from the …
BEIJING: A cease-fire in Gaza has not materialized despite the arrival of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, with international concern over the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis ramping up. China on Tuesday called for an immediate cease-fire and ensuring access to humanitarian aid for the people in the region. Chinese analysts said the conflict will likely continue, and even …
BEIJING: China firmly opposes military ties between the United States and the Taiwan region and the U.S. arming of Taiwan and urges the U.S. to stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, Wang Wenbin, Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said on Tuesday at a regular press briefing in Beijing. Wang added if the United States is obsessed with suppressing China, it will only …
PESHAWAR: The Attorney General of Pakistan told the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday that only parties that have won at least one general seat can be allotted reserved seats. The ECP’s counsel seconded the AGP’s arguments. The arguments came as the high court heard the Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) plea challenging the allotment of additional reserved seats to various political parties …