ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has condemned the unprovoked Israeli assault on Iran, calling it an “unacceptable violation of international law” after Tehran’s nuclear and military facilities were targeted early morning on Friday that resulted in the deaths of Iranian nuclear scientists and the military’s top officials. President Asif Ali Zardari President Asif Ali Zardari, in a statement issued by the Presidency on …
ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday distanced himself from the massive hike in the salaries of senior parliamentarians including himself, saying he was not consulted before the raise was approved. The government recently approved a fivefold increase in the salaries of the Senate chairman and National Assembly speaker, taking it to Rs1.3 million a month. A May 29 …
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed all relevant authorities to provide every possible assistance for the safe return and protection of Pakistani Zaireen currently in Iran following Israel’s deadly strikes. Israel launched widescale strikes against Iran earlier today, saying it targeted nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders and that this was the start of a “prolonged …
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday reviewed preparations for the upcoming 12th session of the Pakistan-UAE Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) to be held in Abu Dhabi, a statement from the Foreign Office said. The 12th session of Pak-UAE JMC is being held following a hiatus of 13 years after it was scheduled in October 2024. …
ISLAMABAD: Amid a downward revision in federal development spending, which may fall further by the end of this month, the Ministry of Finance told a parliamentary panel on Thursday that armed forces officers had been granted a special relief allowance at 50 per cent of their basic salary, while junior commissioned officers and soldiers would get 20pc allowance in the …
ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Thursday proposed shifting the “regressive” population-based formula for distributing divisible pool resources under the National Finance Commission (NFC) award to criteria based on climate adaptation and other performance indicators. Speaking at a news briefing, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the current NFC criteria were regressive as population, being the overwhelming consideration, had been made an …
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday thanked the leadership of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for its “constructive role” in helping defuse tensions during the recent conflict between Pakistan and India. During a meeting with UAE President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, PM Shehbaz appreciated the Gulf state’s consistent efforts in promoting peace, …
ISLAMABAD: The PTI has criticised the government for “destroying” the agriculture sector and called upon farmers to prepare for a “decisive” protest movement for their rights. These remarks were made by PTI leaders at a farmers’ convention held on Wednesday, a day after the federal budget was announced. The government announced several measures in the budget to support the farming …
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Thursday restrained the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from “harassing” former senator and prominent human rights defender Farhatullah Babar. FIA Anti-Corruption Circle (ACC) opened an inquiry against Babar in March over alleged “corruption, tax evasion and illicit asset accumulation”. Babar appeared before the FIA in Islamabad on March 28 to respond to the notice over …
ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) is expected to meet next week to consider an extension in the term of the constitutional benches of the Supreme Court. The meeting on June 19 will be chaired by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi. Under the 26th Amendment, a seven-judge constitutional bench was formed on November 5, 2024, for a period of 60 …