ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and president of the Awaam Pakistan party Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday said those in power were “suppressing democracy and dismantling the judicial system” as he addressed a moot organised by the opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan. After talks between the government and the opposition collapsed in January, the PTI made another push to establish a …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Uzbekistan agreed on Wednesday to expand bilateral trade to $2 billion as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent. The development comes days after a similar agreement to boost investments to $2bn was reached with Azerbaijan during the premier’s official visit there, which he concluded yesterday as he departed for Tashkent on …

ISLAMABAD: The extension in the service of former army chief, retired Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, was mentioned in the Supreme Court on Tuesday as a precedent of the court directing administrative functions. The seven-judge constitutional bench resumed the hearing on a set of petitions challenging the court’s Oct 23, 2023 order of nullifying the military trial of civilians involved in …

ISLAMABAD: PTI leaders who are holding official positions in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government will have to relinquish their party positions in a bid to reorganise the party in the province. The decision was anno­u­nced by the PTI secretary general, Salman Akram Raja, on Tuesday after meeting the jailed PTI founder Imran Khan. While talking to reporters outside the Adiala Jail, …

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar strongly rebutted Indian media reports alleging a terror threat to foreign guests attending the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan. Speaking in an interview on a private news channel on Monday, he stated that Pakistan was hosting the event “peacefully and very ably,” dismissing claims made by Indian outlets. Earlier, it was reported that Pakistan’s …

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday referenced former army chief General (Retd.) Qamar Javed Bajwa’s service extension while hearing a case on military trials for civilians, reigniting debate over past legal precedents. A seven-member constitutional bench, led by Justice Aminuddin Khan, heard an intra-court appeal challenging military courts’ jurisdiction over civilians. During the proceedings, Bajwa’s tenure extension was …

ISLAMABAD: A nine-member International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission, led by Nathan Porter, is set to arrive in Pakistan on March 3 to conduct a crucial economic review. The talks will continue until March 15 and will play a key role in shaping the country’s 2025-26 fiscal policies. According to finance ministry sources, the negotiations will be held in two phases—technical-level …

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed his frustration over the national cricket team’s poor performance in the ICC Champions Trophy, Aleema Khan quoted him as saying on Tuesday, as he highlighted that appointing individuals based on recommendations instead of merit would lead to the downfall of cricket in the country. After a meeting with …

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Uzbekistan on Tuesday on a two-day official visit to enhance bilateral relations with the Central Asian country. Pakistan and Uzbekistan have strengthened ties through trade and economic cooperation. A $1 billion trade deal was signed in 2023, and plans for further collaboration, including a roadmap for industrial cooperation, show the two sides’ commitment …

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with Russia’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Albert P. Khorev, on Tuesday in Islamabad, where both agreed to activate antiterrorism dialogue between their countries. Pakistan and Russia witnessed a couple of bilateral exchanges last year, including Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s visit to Islamabad in October for the 23rd summit of the Shanghai Coope­r­ation Organisation. “There was …