ISLAMABAD: The Global Water Organisation (GWO) has officially launched its operations from its headquarters in Riyadh, with founding member states, including Pakistan, signing its charter. The newly established organisation — formed under the leadership of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman and the patronage of the Saudi environment minister — aims to enhance international collaboration to address the growing …

QUETTA: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that people who were “misled” by terrorists in Balochistan must be brought back on board, stressing the need for resolving issues through dialogue. The security situation in Balochistan has worsened in recent months, as militants, long involved in a low-level insurgency, have stepped up the frequency and intensity of their attacks. The …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday said India was violating its international human rights obligations by its “deliberate incitement” against Muslims in its own territory. The statement comes amid heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries in the wake of their recent military confrontation, sparked by New Delhi’s allegations levelled without evidence against Islamabad over a deadly attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam. …

ISLAMABAD: Hours after Pakistan decided to enhance ties with Afghanistan yesterday, the Afghan foreign ministry welcomed the decision and announced upgrading the status of its chargé d’affaires in Islamabad to ambassador. Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to upgrade their diplomatic relations by exchanging envoys earlier this month — a key step towards normalising ties after years of strained relations due to …

LAHORE: Punjab’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Saturday said it foiled a “major terror plot” by arresting 34 terrorists of banned organisations during 415 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) across the province. The CTD regularly carries out operations across the province to prevent and investigate terrorism-related activities and gather intelligence. Operating under the provincial police department, the Punjab CTD plays a key role …

LAHORE: The Punjab government on Saturday said that Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) will be in place to prevent disturbance of public peace and danger to human life from June 5 to June 11. A notification issued by the provincial government today said that it was reported that during Eidul Azha, random people burned the heads …

ISLAMABAD: Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail of the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench on Friday issued a 36-page dissenting note challenging the majority verdict that upheld the trial of civilians in military courts and raising questions about the use of military courts for civilian cases. “Nowhere in the world, courts martial try terrorism-related cases,” said Justice Mandokhail, a member of the seven-judge …

GILGIT: Local traders involved in Pakistan-China trade via Khunjerab Pass launched an indefinite protest sit-in on Friday, blocking the Karakoram Highway (KKH) at Pissan in Nagar, stranding thousands of local and international travellers on both sides of the route. The protest call was issued by the Pak-China Traders Action Committee, an alliance comprising the Gilgit-Baltistan Importers and Exporters Association, the …

ISLAMABAD: Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan once again expressed willingness to hold direct talks with the country’s powerful stakeholders on Thursday, saying he was ready for a “give and take” only in the interest of Pakistan. Speaking to party leaders at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, the PTI founder, while emphasising that he wasn’t seeking any …

ISLAMABAD: Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Thursday that the political crises in the country were created either by one pillar of the state or the other, as he called for all sides to work for making the country economically strong. Addressing an event in connection with Youm-e-Takbeer — the anniversary of Pakistan’s nuclear blasts — at the Islamabad High …