ISLAMABAD: US President Joe Biden, in a first letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday, stressed that the “enduring partnership” between the United States and Pakistan was “critical to ensuring the security of our people — and people around the world”. According to the US Embassy in Islamabad, the letter said: “The enduring partnership between our nations remains critical …
ISLAMABAD: In a first, the foreign minister has been included in the Council of Common Interests (CCI) while the finance minister has been excluded, it emerged on Friday. According to a notification from the CCI Secretariat, dated March 25, President Asif Ali Zardari constituted the council on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s advice with effect March 21. The newly constituted council …
ISLAMABAD: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) will boycott the upcoming by-elections of national and provincial assemblies and instead launch protest movement from Balochistan on April 25 against ‘massive rigging’ in the Feb 8 general elections, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced on Wednesday. “The letter of the six judges of the Islamabad High Court to the Chief Justice of Pakistan has confirmed my …
LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Wednesday granted post-arrest bail to PTI’s former MNA Aalia Hamza and social media activist Sanam Javed in a case of Shadman police station attack during the May 9 riots. Judge Arshad Javed allowed the bail to the women after hearing concluding arguments of their lawyers. Advocate Naseeruddin Nayyar argued on behalf of Ms Hamza saying the …
QUETTA: A Levies Risaldar was martyred, and three other soldiers were seriously injured in an exchange of fire with an alleged criminal gang, also involved in terrorism in Pishin district on Wednesday. Security forces launched an operation after the firing incident and arrested two dozen suspects, including proclaimed offenders, and recovered stolen items, including motorcycles and illegal arms. Officials said …
LAHORE: The Punjab government has so far not succeeded in persuading Aitchison College Principal Michael A Thompson to change his decision to quit the post as he has not withdrawn his resignation, contrary to the official claim. Though Mr Thompson had resigned from his office, Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman granted him 28-day ex-Pakistan leave with the hope he may retract his …
LAHORE / KARACHI: All seven candidates vying for the upper house of parliament on general seats from Punjab were elected unopposed following the withdrawal of nominations by five other candidates, apparently following a behind-the-scenes understanding among the country’s three major parties — the PML-N, PPP and PTI. The development came on Wednesday, which was the last day for the withdrawal …
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday once again blamed Afghanistan for not making any progress to root out terrorism and called for further tightening of border controls to mitigate the threat. “In view of the increase in terrorist incidents, there is a need for a fundamental change in the border situation. The source of terrorism in Pakistan is in …
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) said on Thursday that there was no doubt that Tuesday’s suicide attack in Bisham — which claimed the lives of six people including five Chinese nationals — was “orchestrated by the enemies of Pak-China friendship”. The five Chinese engineers — and their Pakistani driver — were killed in the suicide bombing on Tuesday while travelling between Islamabad …
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday conditionally allowed military courts to pronounce reserved verdicts in cases pertaining to civilians held for their alleged involvement in the May 9 riots. It directed that judgements be announced in cases in which the nominated suspects could be released before Eid. The court issued the directives as it heard a set of intra-court appeals …