LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari on Friday defended an eyebrow-raising 60-page newspaper supplement published in most national dailies by the Maryam Nawaz administration, dismissing criticism from the PTI as “propaganda”. The supplement, published on Feb 26, highlighted the “achievements” of the Punjab government in its first year under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s leadership. However, it sparked widespread debate, particularly …

RAWALPINDI: Security personnel killed six terrorists in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district, the military’s media wing said in a statement on Friday. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces conducted the operation in the Ghulam Khan Kalay area on the reported presence of terrorists. “During the conduct of [the] operation, own troops effectively …

ISLAMABAD: The moon marking the beginning of Ramadan 1446 Hijri has been sighted in Pakistan after the completion of 30 days of Sha’ban,. Following the moon sighting, special Taraweeh prayers will be held in mosques across the country after Isha, while worshippers prepare for the first pre-dawn meal (Sehri). The first fast of the holy month will be observed nationwide …

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday launched a Rs20 billion Ramazan package for four million deserving families — about 20m people — across the country. The premier last month said that the government would unveil the Ramazan relief package without the Utility Stores Corporation’s (USC) role to prevent corruption and the distribution of low-quality commodities to the people. …

PESHAWAR: Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani — son of Maulana Samiul Haq and chief of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-S) — was among six people who perished in a suicide attack at the Darul Uloom Haqqani in Nowshera district, on Friday. The suicide bomber detonated explosives strapped to his body after the Friday congregation, leaving another 18 people …

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet expanded on Thursday as new ministers and advisers were sworn in during a ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr. President Asif Ali Zardari administered the oath, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani in attendance. A total of 12 federal ministers, 9 ministers of state, and 3 advisers were inducted into the cabinet. Those sworn …

ISLAMABAD: The government and the United Arab Emirates on Thursday signed five accords to boost bilateral cooperation in different fields on the occasion of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s first official visit to Pakistan. Pakistan and the UAE share close diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties. The UAE is one of Pakistan’s largest trading …

ISLAMABAD: The opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz-i-Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) on Thursday went ahead with holding its second and final day of its grand conference in Islamabad despite facing hurdles in securing a venue. The moot kicked off at Islamabad’s Legend Hotel yesterday, with the TTAP accusing the government of pressuring the hotel administration to revoke permission for the event’s second day. However, Rana …

ISLAMABAD: Proper legal procedures must be followed before transferring the accused to military authorities even if the May 9 attacks on army installations were considered serious offences, Advocate Faisal Siddiqui argued before the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench on Wednesday. The counsel argued that the transfer of civilians accused in connection with the May 9 events to military authorities violated Section …

At China Central Television Station’s 2025 Spring Festival Gala, 16 humanoid robots named “Fuxi” from Unitree Robotics performed Yangko folk dance on the stage, dressed in northeastern Chinese style floral cotton-padded jackets and twirling handkerchiefs. They soon went viral on social media. This innovative performance, titled YangBOT, seamlessly blended traditional folk culture with cutting-edge technology, offering a vivid snapshot of …