ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari, in a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi, has underlined the need enhancing the “exchange of information to overcome the security challenges” being faced by both countries. An official statement released by the President’s House on Thursday night said that the two held a telephonic conversation and exchanged greetings on the occasion of …

WASHINGTON: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Thursday said that Pakistan is in discussions with the Fund on a potential follow-up programme to the previous nine-month $3 billion stand-by arrangement (SBA), adding that important issues remained to be solved. Georgieva told an event at the Atlantic Council think tank, that Pakistan was successfully completing its existing programme …

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Tuesday ordered the start of air ambulance service within four months to save the lives of critically ill or injured people in remote areas of the province. He also directed authorities to take steps to make matters relating to the health insurance programme Sehat Card Plus more transparent. “Air ambulance …

PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court on Tuesday sought reply within a fortnight from speaker of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly to plea of some opposition members elected on seats reserved for women and non-Muslims seeking implementation of the court’s order directing him (speaker) to take oath from them. A bench consisting of Justice Syed Mohammad Attique Shah and Justice Fazal Subhan issued …

ISLAMABAD: The district and sessions judge (DSJ) on Tuesday adjourned hearing on the appeals against the conviction of former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi in a case related to contracting Nikkah during the latter’s Iddat period. The counsel for the complainant Khawar Fareed Manika remained absent. Judge Shahrukh Arjumand resumed hearing on the appeals. Barrister Chaudhry …

ISLAMABAD: Drawing a parallel between current developments in Pakistan with the circumstances leading to the 1971 Dhaka tragedy, PTI founding chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday warned that the present situation could result in economic collapse, reminding the powers that be that countries and institutions could not survive without stable economy. Sharing Mr Khan’s message during a presser …

BEIJING: China stands ready to strengthen bilateral communication with Russia and enhance multilateral strategic coordination in BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday in Beijing.  Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, Xi said China and Russia have …

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Monday informed the Supreme Court that 20 persons who were arrested and jailed for their involvement in the May 9 violence have been released so that they could celebrate Eidul Fitr with their family, after they served major part of their sentence while the remaining period of their punishment was remitted by Chief of the …

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and PML-N’s Syedal Khan Nasir on Tuesday were elected unopposed as the Senate chairman and deputy chairman, respectively. The two were elected during a session which also saw 41 newly elected senators being sworn in as members of the Upper House of Parliament amid a noisy protest by the PTI, which had boycotted …

ISLAMABAD: The Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee on Tuesday announced that Eidul Fitr would fall on Wednesday (April 10) as the Shawwal moon was sighted. The announcement came after a meeting of the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee at the Federal Secreta­riat’s Kohsar Block in Islamabad, while meetings of zonal and district Ruet-i-Hilal committees were held at their respective headquarters concurrently. The meeting was …