Macau woman hospitalised after being startled by humanoid robot
A woman on an evening walk in Macau was briefly hospitalised after a humanoid robot startled her and left her feeling unwell, police told AFP on Wednesday. Police said they had received a call for assistance for the woman, who “was startled when she suddenly noticed a robot behind her while using her mobile phone”. Video widely shared online showed a woman angrily confronting a robot as it waved its metallic arms at her, while a crowd of curious onlookers gathered around. “With so many other things to do, why bother me? Are you crazy?” the woman yelled at the unperturbed bot in Cantonese, as she gestured agitatedly towards it. The woman did not suffer injuries and there had been no physical contact with the robot, but she required hospital treatment, police said in a statement. “She has since been discharged and has not pressed charges regarding the incident,” which took place earlier this month, the statement said. Social media videos showed officers leading a forlorn robot away, though police stressed they “did not seize” the bot. The robot was operated by a Macanese man in his 50s, who said he was conducting a test and intended to use it for promoting his business. Police said they reminded him to stay vigilant while operating the robot to “avoid causing danger or alarm” to passersby. The robot in the images resembled a humanoid model made by Chinese startup Unitree. Beijing has encouraged domestic firms to develop humanoids, in the hopes of leading the global robotics industry. These increasingly dexterous robots have proven themselves capable of performing choreographed dances, participating in races, and even able to land backflips. But fully automated robots are still a rare sight, with most impressive displays pre-programmed or remotely operated.
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US Judge orders restoration of Voice of America
WASHINGTON: A federal judge has ordered the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) to recall more than 1,000 Voice of America (VOA) journalists and staff by March 23 and restore the broadcaster’s operations. In a sweeping decision announced on Tuesday, US District Judge Royce C. Lamberth found that actions taken under the agency’s previous leadership to shut down large parts of VOA and its sister networks violated federal law and the agency’s statutory mandate. The ruling directs USAGM to return VOA and affiliated networks to the air and reinstate employees who had been dismissed or placed on leave. The dispute stems from restructuring measures carried out in 2025 under Kari Lake, an American political figure and former television news anchor who later became a prominent supporter of former...
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Iran vows revenge for killing of security chief Ali Larijani by Israel
Iran vowed on Wednesday a “decisive” retaliation for the death of its security chief Ali Larijani, firing off a wave of missiles at Israel which said it killed him in an air strike. A barrage of Iranian missiles killed two people near Israel’s commercial hub Tel Aviv, while Gulf nations intercepted rockets and drones headed for targets including US bases in the region. Iran will hold funerals on Wednesday for Larijani and another powerful figure killed Tuesday by Israel, Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij paramilitary force, according to the Fars and Tasnim news agencies. Larijani is the most prominent figure of the Islamic republic killed since Israel and the United States launched their attacks on Iran on February 28, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and igniting...
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Iran’s national security chief Ali Larijani, Basij commander Soleimani assassinated in US-Israeli strikes
Iran’s national security chief Ali Larijani and the commander of paramilitary force Basij, Gholamreza Soleimani, were assassinated in US-Israeli strikes on Tuesday. The confirmation of Larijani’s assassination came hours after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said he had been “eliminated last night”, along with the commander of Tehran’s Basij paramilitary force. “I have just been updated by the chief of staff that Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and the head of the Basij — Iran’s central repression apparatus — (Soleimani), were eliminated last night,” Katz said in a statement released by his ministry. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council later confirmed Larijani’s assassination, saying: “The pure souls of the martyrs embraced the purified soul of Go...
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‘Trust deficit’ delays analysis of artefacts
LARKANA: Despite a decision taken in January to send a cluster of coins dug out from Mohenjo Daro to a lab in Karachi in order to establish their age, the purported artefacts are still lying at the site. Trust deficit is cited as the reason, as a couple of officials concerned without mincing words had expressed their apprehension that the object might be stolen or damaged in the process. The coins — believed to be belonging to the era of Kushan Ruler Vasudeva-I (c. 200-225 AD) — weigh 5.55kgs and were found stuffed in an earthen pot (jar). The object was discovered on Nov 16, 2023 during the repair and restoration work in the ‘Divinity Street’ of Mohenjo Daro’s stupa in its western SD-area. On January 19, the Director General of Archives and Antiquities, Abdul Fatah Shaikh, had told med...
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TikTokers’ bail in gambling apps case extended
LAHORE: A sessions court on Tuesday extended the interim pre-arrest bail of TikTokers Rajab Butt and Nadeem Mubarak alias Naniwala in a case of promoting gambling apps on social media. Additional District and Sessions Judge Mansoor Ahmad Qureshi heard the bail petitions of the TikTokers, who appeared before the court on the expiry of their bail period. The judge summoned the complete investigation record of the case from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). The judge extended the bail of both Tiktokers till March 26. In September 2025, the NCCIA had booked the content creators for allegedly promoting online gambling apps on their social media accounts. BAIL: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday granted bail to three men arrested on charges of producing and selling substand...
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Massive crackdown on money launderers across the country
LAHORE: The Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with finance ministry, on Tuesday, announced launching a massive crackdown on money-laundering and hawala/hundi networks across the country. A joint working group comprising the officials of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will be formed to regularly review the progress made in this regard. A meeting held under the joint chairmanship of Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Federal Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday chalked out a framework to lay hand on those involved in illegal money transactions. FIA Director General Dr Usman Anwar, SBP governor and federal finance secretary were also present in the meeting. Joint working group comprising SBP, FIA officials to review pr...
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Pakistan-China trade through Khunjerab ‘in full swing’
GILGIT: Trade activity between Pakistan and China through the Khunjerab Pass is in full swing, with exports from Pakistan to China and Central Asian states increasing this year. However, local traders have expressed concerns over the non-implementation of the PM’s announcement regarding tax exemptions on imported items for local consumption. Pakistan Customs Collector Gilgit-Baltistan Shahid Jan told Dawn that 1,774 consignments imported from China through the Khunjerab Pass were cleared at Sost Dry Port up to March. He said Pakistan Customs collected Rs10.16 billion in revenue at Sost from these consignments. “This is a record revenue collection at Sost Dry Port, despite its closure for 70 days last year following a protest sit-in by GB traders, which blocked trade activities bet...
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Fresh inspection belies earlier findings on train accident
• Officials who examined Shalimar Express at Rohri had reported faulty brakes in nine carriages• Eyebrows raised as drivers blamed for failure to stop train in time LAHORE: A train “is seen as safe for operation” when more than 80 per cent of its braking system is functional, a spokesperson for the Pakistan Railways (PR) said on Tuesday. In a statement regarding the Shalimar Express, which suffered an accident over the weekend, the department seemingly contradicted its own officials’ earlier report, who had found that nine carriages of the train that collided with a goods train near Naushahro Feroze on Sunday, had faulty brake cylinders. The initial inspection carried out by the officials at Rohri station found that 10, out of a total of 18 carriages of the Shalimar Express, were operat...
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Unable to meet Imran, Aleema denies blocking PTI leaders’ access to him
ISLAMABAD/Lahore: Rejecting media reports that she is opposing meetings between Imran Khan and party leaders, Aleema Khan on Tuesday questioned how she could stop such meetings when she herself has been unable to meet her brother. “People across Pakistan are demanding the release of Imran Khan. The whole world is raising the same demand. Just wait and see — people will come out of their homes and secure his release. Moreover, as the global situation changes, I am hopeful he will be released,” Ms Khan said while talking to media persons outside Adiala jail. “We are waiting here to find out whether we will be allowed to meet Imran. I believe we will not be granted permission, as they want to hide his health condition and what has been done to him. We had requested the chief justice to all...
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New particle discovered by Large Hadron Collider
PARIS: The Large Hadron Collider has discovered a new particle, the 80th identified so far by the world’s most powerful particle smasher, Europe’s CERN physics laboratory announced on Tuesday. The new particle has been named “Xi-cc-plus”. The Large Hadron Collider is a 27-kilometre-long proton-smashing ring running about 100 metres below France and Switzerland. The latest discovery comes as CERN plans to build an even bigger particle smasher, the Future Circular Collider, to continue probing the mysteries of the universe. Scientists hope the particle, which is similar to a proton but four times heavier, will reveal more about the strange behaviour of quantum mechanics. All the matter around us, including the protons and neutrons that make up the nucleus of atoms, are made of baryons. T...
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British Muslims warned against fake Haj booking platform
LONDON: UK police have warned Muslims to remain vigilant against fraudulent websites impersonating the official Haj booking platform following a rise in pilgrimage-related scams, the news platform Hyphen said in an investigation. Data obtained through a freedom of information request shows aspiring pilgrims reported losses of £195,752 in 2025, a 30 per cent increase from £150,000 in 2024. The City of London Police recorded 34 Haj-related fraud reports last year, with the highest individual loss amounting to £64,000. The actual financial damage is believed to be far higher. The Council of British Hajjis has estimated that as few as three per cent of victims report such crimes, suggesting total losses could reach millions of pounds. Police said fraud patterns have shifted in recent years....
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UN says 36,000 Palestinians displaced in occupied West Bank in one year
GENEVA: The United Nations urged Israel on Tuesday to halt immediately its dramatic settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, raising concerns of “ethnic cleansing” with over 36,000 Palestinians displaced in a single year. A fresh report from the United Nations rights office, looking at the 12 months up to Oct 31 last year, warned that Israel’s accelerating expansion of unlawful settlements and annexation of large parts of the occupied West Bank was driving “unprecedented” displacement. “The displacement of more than 36,000 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank represented the mass expulsion of Palestinians on a scale previously unseen, amounting to unlawful transfer that is prohibited under international humanitarian law,” the report said. Alongside “the extensive displacement ...
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Ali Larijani — Iran’s ultimate backroom powerbroker
Veteran Iranian politician Ali Larijani was one of the most powerful figures in the Islamic republic, an architect of its security policy, and a close adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei until the supreme leader’s assassination in an airstrike last month. Larijani, 67, was assassinated by a US-Israeli air attack as he was visiting his daughter in the eastern outskirts of a Tehran suburb, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency said on Tuesday. The scion of a leading clerical family with brothers who rose to high positions after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Larijani was seen as canny and pragmatic but always fiercely determined to uphold Iran’s theocratic system of government. A Revolutionary Guard Corps commander during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, he became head of Iran’s national bro...
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Iran’s national security chief Larijani, Basij commander Soleimani assassinated in US-Israeli strikes
Iran’s national security chief Ali Larijani and the commander of paramilitary force Basij, Gholamreza Soleimani, were assassinated in US-Israeli strikes on Tuesday. The confirmation of Larijani’s assassination came hours after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Larijani had been “eliminated last night”, along with the commander of Tehran’s Basij paramilitary force. “I have just been updated by the chief of staff that Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and the head of the Basij — Iran’s central repression apparatus — (Soleimani), were eliminated last night,” Katz said in a statement released by his ministry. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council later confirmed Larijani’s assassination, saying: “The pure souls of the martyrs embraced the purified soul...
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Trump blasts ‘foolish’ Nato on Iran, says US needs no help after allies rebuff call for help on Hormuz
US President Donald Trump lashed out Tuesday at “foolish” Nato over Iran, saying the United States needs no help after allies rebuffed his calls to join efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said most US allies had rejected his push to escort ships through the crucial waterway, with French President Emmanuel Macron saying his country would “never” do so until the situation was calmer. “I think Nato is making a very foolish mistake,” Trump told reporters as he hosted Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin in the Oval Office. “I’ve long said that I wonder whether or not Nato would ever be there for us. So this was a great test.” But Trump insisted that Washington was ready to go it alone against Iran, saying that even Nato allies had agreed that Tehran needed to be confronted over it...
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KP govt announces three-day Eid holiday from March 19-21
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government announced on Tuesday a three-day Eid holiday in the province. A press release issued by the KP government said: “It is notified for general information that March 19, 20 and 21 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) shall be public holidays on the occasion of Eidul Fitr across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.” Meanwhile, the Sindh government also announced a two-day holiday for Eidul Fitr on March 20 and 21. “The government of Sindh hereby declares March 20 and 21, 2026 (Friday and Saturday) as public holidays on the occasion of Eidul Fitr 2026 (Shawal 1447 AH) throughout the province of Sindh for all government offices, autonomous bodies, semi-autonomous bodies, corporations and local councils under the administrative control of the Sindh government, except essential servic...
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Lahore-bound PIA flight from Fujerah lands in Karachi due to ‘snag’, will be ‘dispatched to original destination shortly’
The Pakistan International Airlines said in a post on X on Tuesday night that its flight PK178, which was travelling from Fujerah in the United Arab Emirates to Lahore, had landed in Karachi due to a “snag”. “PIA flight 178 (Fujerah-Lahore) is safe and sound and has landed at Karachi. During the flight, it developed a cabin pressure-related snag, and as per procedure, it reduced altitude to 10,000 feet,” the post said. PIA said “our team of engineers are working diligently to remove the fault, and the flight will be dispatched to its original destination, i.e., Lahore, shortly”. The ongoing war in the Middle East, which began with the US and Israel launching attacks on Iran on February 28, has sent the global aviation industry into a tailspin, forcing the widespread cancellation of flig...
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KP govt announces three-day Eid holiday
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government announced on Tuesday a three-day Eid holiday in the province. A press release issued by the KP government said: “It is notified for general information that March 19, 20 and 21 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) shall be public holidays on the occasion of Eidul Fitr across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.” The federal government has already declared March 20 and 21 as public holidays for offices on the occasion of Eidul Fitr. “The prime minister has been pleased to declare March 20 and 21, 2026 (Friday and Saturday) as public holidays on the occasion of Eidul Fitr, both for offices observing five- and six-day work weeks,” a notification issued by the Cabinet Division said on Sunday. The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) has forecast that E...
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Dar stresses dialogue, diplomacy for achieving regional peace in meeting with Iranian ambassador
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday stressed that dialogue and diplomacy remained the only viable path to resolving issues and achieving lasting peace and stability in the region. Dar made the remarks during a meeting with Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghaddam, according to the Foreign Office (FO). In a post on X, the FO said, the ambassador expressed gratitude for the “strong moral support extended by the people of Pakistan during this challenging time”. “The DPM/FM conveyed his condolences over the loss of precious lives in the conflict and expressed hope for an early resolution. He underscored that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path to resolving issues and achieving lasting peace and stability in the region,” it said...
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Gilani directs austerity measures for Senate aimed at saving Rs700m
Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani directed on Tuesday the implementation of “wide-ranging austerity measures”, projecting a reduction of more than 50 per cent in the Senate Secretariat’s remaining budgetary utilisation for the current fiscal year, which is believed to translate into savings of around Rs700-750 million. A statement issued by the Senate Secretariat said that Gilani presided over a high-level meeting at the secretariat today to review the austerity measures and discuss their implementation in light of the country’s economic situation. The austerity measures for the secretariat align with a broader initiative taken by the government to deal with a global fuel crunch resulting from the ongoing Middle East conflict. The discussion during the meeting focused on “significant c...
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PM Shehbaz approves restructuring of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday approved the restructuring of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) under a plan that envisions aligning the national agenda with export targets and food security goals. The premier’s approval came during a meeting chaired by him and convened to discuss PARC-related matters in Islamabad, a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. It added that PM Shehbaz directed the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to chalk out a comprehensive roadmap for the implementation of the reorganisation plan, including a timeline. He directed that the PARC should be developed in line with research being carried out on agriculture by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), the statement said, further quoti...
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Govt calls off Pakistan Day parade, associated events amid austerity measures
The government on Tuesday said it will not hold the Pakistan Day parade and other ceremonial events on March 23 in light of the ongoing Gulf oil crisis and the resulting austerity measures announced by the government. Pakistan Day — observed on March 23 every year — commemorates the passing of the Lahore Resolution on March 23, 1940, when the All-India Muslim League demanded a separate nation for the Muslims of the British Indian Empire. A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) stated that in the backdrop of the ongoing Gulf oil crisis and the consequent austerity measures announced by the government, it was decided that the Pakistan Day parade and associated ceremonial events shall not be held on March 23. “The day shall, however, be commemorated with dignity and reverence th...
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Unmanned aerial vehicle fell in Rawalpindi early Tuesday morning: security sources
Security sources said that an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fell on a house in Chaklala area of Rawalpindi early Tuesday morning. They said that no loss of life was reported in the incident. However, they said that the house had sustained some damage. Last week, four people were injured after a “few rudimentary” drones launched by the Afghan Taliban were intercepted in various cities of Pakistan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. The development came amid Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, which was launched on the night of February 26, following unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban from across the border. The ISPR said the drones were intercepted through “soft and hard kills” and did not reach their intended targets. “However, the debris from these drones resulted in injuries ...
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China to provide humanitarian assistance to Iran, Mideast nations
China said on Tuesday it will provide humanitarian assistance to Middle Eastern countries, including Iran and Lebanon, targeted in US and Israeli strikes in the conflict now in its third week. China’s foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the war had caused “grave humanitarian catastrophes” in Iran and other Middle Eastern nations. “China has decided to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Iran, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq. It is hoped this will help alleviate the humanitarian plight faced by the local populations,” Lin told a press conference, without providing further details. “China will continue to make every effort to promote peace and stop the war … and to prevent further spreading of the humanitarian crisis,” he added. China has sought to mediate in the war, with its spec...
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Chairperson says BISP not responsible for cash disbursement after deaths at payment point in Rahim Yar Khan
Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Chairperson Rubina Khalid on Tuesday said that the programme was not responsible for the process of disbursement of cash, saying that it had been “outsourced” to banks. The statement comes a day after at least seven women were killed and more than 75 were injured during a roof collapse when hundreds of women gathered at a retail shop in Rahim Yar Khan’s Tibba area to collect BISP handouts. Speaking to the media during a visit to Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Rahim Yar Khan on Tuesday, Khalid maintained that BISP was not responsible for disbursing cash handouts. “We don’t have any mechanism for disbursement, so when you outsource something, the responsibility falls on the banks,” she said. Khalid termed it unfortunate that the programme — an initiative ...
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PM Shehbaz congratulates Kazakhstan president on successful constitutional referendum
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday congratulated Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the success of a “historic constitutional referendum”, according to a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). On Monday, Kazakhstan voted 87.15 per cent in favour of adopting a new constitution, the Central Election Commission said. The new constitution streamlines the country’s Parliament and recreates the office of vice president, which was abolished in 1996. It gives the president the right to appoint the vice president, as well as a host of other key officials. In a statement on Tuesday, the PMO said that during a “warm and cordial call” with the Kazakhstan president, PM Shehbaz congratulated him on the success of the “historic constitutional referendum”. Furthermore, the pri...
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Intelligence Bureau to submit report on implementation of govt’s austerity measures
ISLAMABAD: The Intelligence Bureau (IB) will submit a report on the implementation of the government’s austerity measures, it emerged on Tuesday. On March 10, the government announced a host of austerity measures in view of the global oil crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran, which has hiked local fuel prices. In a daily meeting held to review the implementation of the austerity measures as well as the fuel situation, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was briefed that implementation of his directives was being ensured. The meeting was told that IB would submit a “monitoring report on the implementation of all measures”, said a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Sources had told Dawn that the premier had tasked the IB to carry out a third-party audit of austerity meas...
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Missile debris kills 3rd Pakistani in UAE amid Iran war
Another Pakistani national was killed due to “falling debris” following the interception of a ballistic missile in the United Arab Emirates, the country’s media office said on Tuesday. The development marks the third instance of a Pakistani national losing their life in an attack in the UAE during the ongoing war between Iran, the US, and Israel. The Abu Dhabi Media Office, in a statement on X, said that the authorities “responded to an incident involving falling debris in the Baniyas area, following the interception of a ballistic missile by air defence systems”. “The incident resulted in the death of a Pakistani national,” it said. The Pakistan Embassy in the UAE, in a statement on X, expressed sorrow at the death and said it was in “close coordination” with local authorities. The emb...
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Jailed PTI leaders criticise lack of economic restructuring measures amid Gulf conflict
LAHORE: Pakistan’s fragile economy, already reeling from the shock of rising oil and gas prices, has been further exacerbated by a lack of economic restructuring measures, five senior PTI leaders incarcerated in Kot Lakhpat Jail said on Tuesday. In an open letter shared by their counsel Rana Mudassar Umer, PTI leaders Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed and Omar Sarfraz Cheema said that Pakistan’s hard-earned macroeconomic stability, gained by “squeezing” ordinary citizens over the last three years, would wither away in the next three weeks if the Gulf conflict were to persist. It also said that uncertainty and the shock of rising oil and gas prices had scrapped the chances of a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). C...
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Suffocation main cause of death in tragic Gul Plaza fire, says police surgeon
KARACHI: Inhalational asphyxia/suffocation was the predominant cause of death in the tragic Gul Plaza fire that claimed at least 73 lives, according to Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed. The deadly inferno, which erupted on the night of January 17 at the mall, took nearly two days to be fully extinguished and left over 1,100 shops in ruins. Despite 10 days of hectic search efforts amid the rubble, at least eight people remained missing. Dr Syed submitted a reply to a questionnaire from the judicial commission probing the blaze, it emerged on Tuesday. Asked what the dominant cause of loss of life was, in her professional opinion, the police surgeon stated: “The predominant cause of loss of life was inhalational asphyxia/suffocation.” However, she added, polytrauma could not be ruled out in...
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Nigeria suicide attacks kill 23, wound more than 100
Multiple explosions staged by suspected suicide bombers rocked the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, killing at least 23 people and wounding more than 100 others, police said on Tuesday. The three blasts, which struck on Monday evening, came after an attack on a military post overnight Sunday to Monday, which authorities blamed on suspected militants. Combined with the attack on the military position the evening prior and a mosque bombing in December, the assaults have wrecked a peaceful stretch in the city, which had become a relative oasis of calm as Nigeria’s long-running insurgency was pushed to the rural hinterlands. Fighters from Boko Haram and rival group Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have recently stepped up attacks in northeastern Nigeria. Their 16-year camp...
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Third Pakistani dies from ‘falling debris’ after interception in UAE amid Iran war
Another Pakistani national was killed due to “falling debris” following the interception of a ballistic missile in the United Arab Emirates, the country’s media office said on Tuesday. The development marks the third instance of a Pakistani national losing their life in an attack in the UAE during the ongoing war between Iran, the US, and Israel. The Abu Dhabi Media Office, in a statement on X, said that the authorities in Abu Dhabi “responded to an incident involving falling debris in the Baniyas area, following the interception of a ballistic missile by air defence systems. The incident resulted in the death of a Pakistani national”. Meanwhile, the UAE’s Ministry of Defence said its air defences were “responding to incoming missiles and drone attacks originating from Iran”. The minist...
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Pakistani forces strike Afghan Taliban’s military installations in Kabul, Nangarhar: info minister
BEIJING/PESHAWAR/ ISLAMABAD: Pakistani forces targeted the Afghan Taliban’s military installations in Kabul and Nangarhar on Monday night, the government said, as Islamabad pressed on with Operation Ghazab lil-Haq. The operation was launched on the night of February 26, following unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban from across the border. Security sources had reported the development late on Monday night, with Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirming the military action early on Tuesday. In a post on X, he said the armed forces “successfully carried out precision airstrikes” as part of Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, targeting “Afghan Taliban regime terrorism-sponsoring military installations in Kabul and Nangarhar”. “Technical support infrastructure and ammunition storage faciliti...
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UN marks Islamophobia day with alarm over rising hate, discrimination against Muslims
UNITED NATIONS: This year, the International Day to Combat Islamophobia did not pass unnoticed—largely due to mounting tensions in the Middle East and their ripple effects across the globe. Pakistan, which spearheaded the 2022 UN resolution establishing the observance, underscored that anti-Muslim hatred is intensifying worldwide, with political rhetoric, digital platforms, and mainstream discourse amplifying the problem. The observance comes amid heightened global instability, particularly the ongoing conflict involving Iran, which analysts say has contributed to a fresh surge in Islamophobic narratives. Reports indicate a spike in online hate speech and dehumanising rhetoric targeting Muslims, feeding a broader climate of intolerance that the UN and allied nations have increasingly ca...
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International Day to Combat Islamophobia highlights rise in anti-Muslim hate
UNITED NATIONS: This year, the International Day to Combat Islamophobia did not pass unnoticed—largely due to mounting tensions in the Middle East and their ripple effects across the globe. Pakistan, which spearheaded the 2022 UN resolution establishing the observance, underscored that anti-Muslim hatred is intensifying worldwide, with political rhetoric, digital platforms, and mainstream discourse amplifying the problem. The observance comes amid heightened global instability, particularly the ongoing conflict involving Iran, which analysts say has contributed to a fresh surge in Islamophobic narratives. Reports indicate a spike in online hate speech and dehumanising rhetoric targeting Muslims, feeding a broader climate of intolerance that the UN and allied nations have increasingly ca...
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Gul Plaza built in violation of approved building plan, Sindh Building Control Authority tells commission
• In his reply, authority’s chief denies regulatory lapse that contributed to Jan 17 deadly fire• Says three-storey shopping mall regularised under an amnesty scheme over two decades ago KARACHI: The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has conceded that the Gul Plaza building was constructed in violation of the approved building plan but distanced itself from any regulatory oversight, saying the shopping mall’s revised plan was regularised under an amnesty scheme introduced in 2001-2002. Filing his reply / statement in response to a questionnaire from the single-judge judicial commission headed by Justice Aga Faisal, SBCA Director General Muzammil Hussain Halepoto denied any regulatory lapse that contributed to the Jan 17 deadly fire and stated that the regularisation/completion cer...
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Punjab to buy 10 vehicles for superior court judges
LAHORE: The Punjab cabinet on Monday approved the purchase of 10 vehicles for the superior judiciary, besides making a decision to contribute to the prime minister’s austerity fund. The cabinet committee and the Services and General Administration Department’s transport wing had recommended the procurement of at least 108 new luxury vehicles for cabinet members and bureaucrats for Rs1.14 billion during the current financial year. However, the cabinet approved the purchase of only 10 vehicles for the higher judiciary. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz while ministers and officials joined it remotely as part of the government’s austerity drive. The Punjab government also announced that provincial cabinet members, special assistants, and parliamentary secretaries would...
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60pc of Shalimar Express coaches ‘didn’t have brakes’: Pakistan Railway
• Inspection in Sukkur finds fault with 10 of train’s 18 carriages• Initial inquiry blames driver and assistant for Naushahro Feroze accident despite defects LAHORE: An initial inspection carried out by Pakistan Railways officials has found that 10 of the total 18 passenger coaches of the 27-Up Shalimar Express were operating as “dummy” coaches, including nine — nearly 60 per cent — that were being run without brakes and required urgent maintenance. Contrary to the examination of the rake of the Shalimar Express, which met with an accident after hitting a stationary freight train from behind at the loop line of Lakha Road Railway Station in Naushahro Feroze district on Sunday afternoon, a very initial inquiry has surprisingly held the driver and his assistant responsible for the acciden...
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Federal Constitutional Court snubs judges on premature circulation of verdicts
• Reserved rulings should be announced within 90 days, bench holds• Judgement harks back to ‘premature uploading’ of two IHC judges’ verdict in Tyrian White case ISLAMABAD: At least two judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) are likely to come under scrutiny after the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) termed the circulation of incomplete or unannounced judgements a grave judicial misconduct and an offence, warning that such actions could undermine the integrity of the judicial process. However, at the same time, the constitutional court also censured inordinate delays in announcing reserved judgements. In the specific case reviewed by the bench, the Sindh High Court had taken 10 months to deliver a judgement that the FCC noted “cast a reflection on the bench” for failing to administe...
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Subsidised fuel scheme on the cards for bikes, rickshaws
• Senate panel told ample petrol, diesel available; import of lower-quality fuel okayed; price hike ‘did not benefit’ OMCs• Officials tell panel no LNG supply from Qatar since March 2, gas will not be available after April 14• Petrol committee briefed March fuel requirements fully secured, coverage available up to mid-April ISLAMABAD: The federal government has planned a subsidised fuel scheme for motorcyclists and rickshaw drivers to cushion the impact of a massive hike in oil prices, following a similar move by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. “The government is working on a package to provide relief to (owners of) motorcycles and rickshaws,” said newly appointed petroleum secretary, Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh, while testifying before the Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum on Monday. ...
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PM orders salaries for govt employees before Eid
• Premier tasks Intelligence Bureau to monitor compliance with fuel austerity measures• Pakistan Railways ordered to increase number of freight trains to shift cargo traffic away from roads ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday ordered the release of salaries for government employees before Eid, while reiterating that his government was taking all possible measures for immediate economic relief as well as long-term stability. The PM was chairing a meeting to review the enforcement of austerity and relief measures and the conservation and management of petroleum reserves in the wake of the emerging situation in the region due to the Iran war. A statement issued by the PM’s Office said that economic stability and relief remained among the government’s top priorities and it wa...
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PTI files disqualification plea against Abro, again
ISLAMABAD: PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has filed a reference with the Senate secretariat seeking disqualification of Senator Saifullah Abro for voting in favour of the 27th Amendment against the party line. Informed sources told Dawn that the Senate chairman has been urged to forward the plea for disqualification of Mr Abro to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). “In terms of Article 63A of the Constitution…in my capacity as the Chairman of Tehreek-i-Insaf, I hereby submit this declaration that Senator Saifullah Abro has defected from the party (PTI). The declaration is being submitted for onward reference to the Chief Election Commission for laying the same before the Election Commission in accordance with the said Article 63A,” the reference said. It added that Senator...
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Rebuttal on purchase of luxury vehicle for Yousaf Raza Gilani from Senate budget leaves questions unanswered
A rebuttal by the Senate Secretariat on reports of the purchase of a luxury vehicle for Senate Chairperson Yousaf Raza Gilani further confused the matter on Monday, essentially confirming the purchase and reiterating the details reported in this connection. The rebuttal was issued after it was reported that a vehicle worth Rs90 million was bought for Gilani from the Senate’s budget. The reports also quoted Gilani as explaining that the car was ordered in May last year, “using savings from the Senate’s budget of the previous year”. These details were also confirmed in the Senate’s rebuttal, which, however, did not mention the cost of the car. The rebuttal said: “The attention of the Senate Secretariat has been drawn to certain media reports regarding the purchase of a vehicle (Land Cruis...
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Trump upset as key US partners shun call for Hormuz warship escorts
Several US allies rebuffed Donald Trump’s call on Monday to send warships to escort shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, drawing criticism from the US president, who accused Western partners of ingratitude after decades of support. The US-Israeli war on Iran is in its third week with no end in sight, largely shutting the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20pc of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flow, raising energy prices and fears of inflation. Israel said on Monday it had drawn up detailed plans for at least three more weeks of war as it pounded sites across Iran overnight, while Iranian drone attacks temporarily shut Dubai airport and hit a key oil facility in the United Arab Emirates. A number of US partners, including Germany, Spain and Italy, said they had no immediate pl...
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Pakistani forces strike Afghan Taliban’s military installations in Kabul, Nangarhar: security sources
BEIJING/PESHAWAR/ ISLAMABAD: Pakistani forces targeted the Afghan Taliban’s military installations on Monday night, security sources said, as Islamabad presses on with Operation Ghazab lil-Haq. The operation was launched on the night of February 26, following unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban from across the border. Security sources said that during the strikes on Monday night, Pakistani forces destroyed the technical support infrastructure and ammunition storage at two locations in Kabul. In the Afghan province of Nangarhar, the sources said, Pakistani forces Afghan Taliban’s military installations at four spots. Logistics, ammunition and technical infrastructure adjacent to these installations were also destroyed, the sources added. They further said a drone assembly workshop, “...
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‘When you burn our hearts, you do not stop us’: Iranian families weep as war dead are buried in Tehran cemetery
As gravediggers prepared new burial plots for those killed in the US-Israeli attack on Iran, Marzia Razaei wept for her son Arfan Shamei, who died in a blast at a military training camp days before he was due home on leave. The war that began on February 28 with a blitz of air strikes on Tehran and other cities has killed more than 1,300 Iranians so far, according to Iranian officials, and plunged the Middle East into crisis. Marzia Rezaei reacts while standing near the grave of her son, Erfan, who was killed in strikes, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, at Behesht-e Zahra cemetery, in Tehran, Iran, March 16, 2026. — Reuters Tears streamed down Razaei’s face and she stared vacantly, hugging a large portrait of Shamei, 23, her voice breaking with grief as she recalled her last co...
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UNSC adopts resolution to renew Afghan mission for three months; all 15 members, including Pakistan, vote in favour
WASHINGTON: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for three months, with all 15 members — including Pakistan — voting in favour. The mandate will now run from March 16 to June 17, marking a departure from UNAMA’s customary one-year renewal amid differences among council members over the duration of the extension. Explaining its vote, Islamabad said it supported the extension because UNAMA played a vital role in promoting “peace, security and stability in Afghanistan,” warning that the country faces an “exponential rise in the threat of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan.” Ambassador Usman Jadoon, Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, sta...
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Let Imran’s sons see him as soon as possible: Jemima appeals to PM Shehbaz
Jemima Goldsmith, the former spouse of PTI founder Imran Khan, made a “direct appeal” to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday to allow her sons, Kasim Khan and Suleiman Khan, to meet their incarcerated father. Kasim and his older brother Suleiman live in London with their mother and will have to travel to Pakistan to meet Imran, who is imprisoned at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail. Jemima said in a post on X: “My sons Sulaiman and Kasim Khan applied for visas in January (again… ) to allow them to visit their father, Imran Khan, in Pakistan. The Pakistan consulate states that online visa processing normally takes 7–10 working days. It has now been 60 days.” She said the delay in the issuance of visas was despite Defence Minister Khawaja Asif publicly “promising that they (Kasim and Suleiman)...
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FO dismisses reports Pakistan declined China’s request for dialogue with Afghan Taliban
BEIJING/PESHAWAR/ ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) on Monday dismissed reports that Pakistan had declined China’s push for talks with the Afghan Taliban, saying that “any unnecessary speculation or fabrication of facts in this regard is unwarranted”. The statement from the FO spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, came in response to queries about media reports that claimed Pakistan had declined China’s offer. “Pakistan and China remain trusted partners and close friends, and both maintain regular and close communication on all issues of mutual concern and shared interest. “Therefore, any unnecessary speculation or fabrication of facts in this regard is unwarranted,” he said. Earlier on Monday, China reiterated its offer to continue efforts to ease ongoing border tensions between Pakistan and A...
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Current account posts surplus of $479m in Feb
KARACHI: The country’s current account has recorded a surplus of $479 million in February, leading to a substantial decrease in the current account deficit for the ongoing fiscal year. According to details shared by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Monday, the country’s current account has posted a surplus in the first two months of the calendar year 2026, after recording a deficit of $244m in December 2025. In the first two quarters of FY26, the current account was in deficit against a $1.9 billion surplus recorded in FY25. The current account deficit — which has been a long-standing issue facing Pakistan’s economy — has been addressed by a significant reduction in imports, which has resulted in a surplus. But, low imports have affected the gross domestic product (GDP) growth as it ...
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March fuel requirements ‘fully secured’, coverage available up to mid-April, committee told
ISLAMABAD: A committee tasked with monitoring petrol prices was informed on Monday that Pakistan was “adequately positioned in terms of fuel availability”, with March requirements fully secured and, based on current cargo planning and supply arrangements, coverage was available up to mid-April. The development comes after the government announced a Rs55 per litre hike in the prices of both petrol and high-speed diesel to deal with the fuel crunch resulting from the ongoing Middle East conflict. According to a finance ministry statement, the committee was briefed today on the national inventory of crude oil and refined petroleum products, ongoing import arrangements, and supply chain logistics. The committee was informed that the country “remains adequately positioned in terms of fuel av...
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Lahore court approves closure of NAB investigation against Maryam, Nawaz in Chaudhry Sugar Mills case
LAHORE: An accountability court on Monday approved the closure of the investigation by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case against Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and her father, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. The case pertains to alleged money laundering and income beyond means via “dubious” business transactions of the Chaudhry Sugar Mills, of which Maryam was a major shareholder. Judge Rana Arif announced the decision to close the investigation on a plea filed by NAB-Lahore. Last week, the court sought arguments from the counsel for Maryam and Nawaz on an application submitted by the anti-graft body for the closure of the investigation in the case. Judge Arif observed that the NAB’s move to close the Chaudhry Sugar Mills investigation was...
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As India seeks Hormuz safe passage, Tehran asks for return of seized tankers, sources say
Iran has asked India to release three tankers seized in February as part of talks seeking the safe passage of Indian‑flagged or India‑bound vessels out of the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz, three sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Indian authorities seized the three Iran‑linked tankers near Indian waters, alleging they had concealed or altered their identities and were involved in illegal ship‑to‑ship transfers at sea. Tehran has also sought supplies of certain medicines and medical equipment, according to one of the sources, an Iranian official. Iran’s ambassador to New Delhi met Indian foreign ministry officials on Monday to discuss the issue, the source said. The sources declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. India’s foreign ministry, the Irani...
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Pakistan maintains ‘comfortable’ level of fuel stocks for March, committee told
ISLAMABAD: The country maintains a “comfortable” level of fuel stocks for March, a meeting of a committee tasked with monitoring petrol prices was informed on Monday, the Finance Ministry said. The development comes as the government announced a Rs55 per litre hike in the prices of both petrol and high-speed diesel amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, which has resulted in a fuel crunch. As per a press release by the ministry, the committee met at the Finance Division in Islamabad today, under the chairmanship of the Finance Minister Muhammad Auragzeb, as part of its “daily review” of the energy sector amid tensions in the Middle East. The committee was briefed on the “national inventory of crude oil and refined petroleum products, “ongoing import arrangements, and supply chain logist...
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Rain, thunderstorm expected in Karachi, other parts of Sindh from March 18-19: Met Office
KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Monday forecast rain and thunderstorms in Karachi and other parts of Sindh from March 18 to 19. In an advisory issued today, PMD said “a westerly wave” was likely to enter the western parts of the country from tomorrow (Tuesday). It said that under its influence, the metropolis will have “partly cloudy weather” with the chance of “thunderstorm/rain” on March 18 and 19. PMD, in its advisory, said that rain and thunderstorms with strong winds and isolated hailstorms are likely in Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Matiari. Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allah Yar, Umerkot, Tharparker, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Nosheroferoz, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Dadu on Wednesday and Thursday. While Larkana, Qamber Shahdad Kot, Shikarpur, Jacoba...
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At least 7 dead in roof collapse at Rahim Yar Khan shop
RAHIM YAR KHAN: At least seven women died and several others were injured on Monday when the roof of a shop collapsed in Rahim Yar Khan’s Chak 123-P Tibba locality. A statement issued by the district administration said the incident occurred at 10:39am when beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) had gathered at the grocery store that housed a retailer for BISP payments. The statement confirmed that seven women lost their lives in the incident and several others had been injured. The death toll was also confirmed by Rescue 1122, which said 75 people had been injured in the incident. The district administration’s statement quoted Divisional Commissioner Musarrat Jabeen as stating that an investigation was being conducted, and if it was found that the roof collapsed d...
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Hamas holds talks with Trump-led board as Iran war strains Gaza plan: sources
The envoys from US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” have met representatives of Hamas in Cairo in an effort to safeguard the Gaza ceasefire, under serious strain since the United States and Israel began bombing Iran, three sources told Reuters. The weekend meeting is the first publicly reported since the start of the Iran war between Hamas and the board, a new international body personally headed by Trump, which has been tasked with overseeing post-war Gaza. Following the meeting, Israel announced on Sunday that it would soon reopen the sole crossing for pedestrians between Gaza and Egypt, shut since the Iran bombing campaign began. One of the sources said he believed the Israeli announcement was a direct result of the meeting between Hamas and the board. Prior to the war in Ir...
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War Diary Day 17: Middle East conflict hits decisive inflection point
The US-Israel war against Iran entered a decisive inflection point on Monday, the 17th day of fighting, as persistent restricted movement through the Strait of Hormuz and Israel’s large ground assault in southern Lebanon erased any remaining notion that the conflict would be a short one. What was initially framed in Washington and Tel Aviv as a rapid coercive campaign to force regime change in Tehran is increasingly showing the contours of what some strategists are already describing as a potential strategic defeat for the US in terms of its inability to restore the pre-war regional order despite its overwhelming military force. Trump’s diplomatic push yields little US President Donald Trump has since yesterday pressed allies and partners, including Nato members and Asian economies depe...
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At least 6 dead in roof collapse at Rahim Yar Khan shop
RAHIM YAR KHAN: At least six women died and several others were injured on Monday when the roof of a shop collapsed in Rahim Yar Khan’s Chak 123-P Tibba locality, police said. District police spokesperson Zeeshan Randhawa confirmed to Dawn that six women had died in the incident. The deceased also included some beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), who had gathered there as the grocery store housed a retailer for BISP payments. In a statement, BISP said “women beneficiaries of the BISP were present along with other women at a payment point of a private bank” when the incident occurred. “According to initial reports, so far, six women have died while multiple were injured due to the said shop’s roof collapsing,” it added. It is unclear whether all six victims were...
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At least five killed in Rahim Yar Khan roof collapse
RAHIM YAR KHAN: At least five women were killed and several others were injured when the roof of a shop collapsed during the distribution of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) payments in Punjab’s Rahim Yar Khan district, officials from the district administration and the BISP said. District administration spokesperson, Mohammad Ateeq Khan, while speaking to Dawn said reports suggest more than 200 people were gathered near local shop in the Chak 123-P Tibba locality when the incident occurred. The roof, built with substandard material, could not bear the load of the women and collapsed. Rescue 1122 officials started relief activities and shifted the injured to Sheikh Zayed Medical College Hospital (SZMCH), where an emergency was declared by the district administration. BISP Rahim Y...
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At least five killed in roof collapse during disbursement in Rahim Yar Khan
RAHIM YAR KHAN: At least five women were killed and several others were injured when the roof of a shop collapsed during the distribution of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) payments in Punjab’s Rahim Yar Khan district, officials from the district administration and the BISP said. District administration spokesperson, Mohammad Ateeq Khan, while speaking to Dawn said reports suggest more than 200 people were gathered near local shop in the Chak 123-P Tibba locality when the incident occurred. The roof, built with substandard material, could not bear the load of the women and collapsed. Rescue 1122 officials started relief activities and shifted the injured to Sheikh Zayed Medical College Hospital (SZMCH), where an emergency was declared by the district administration. BISP Rahim Y...
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Tehran thanks Islamabad for extending ‘strong solidarity’ with Iranian govt, people facing US-Israeli aggression
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday thanked the government and people of Pakistan for extending their “strong solidarity and support” with Iran and its people who he said were facing aggression from the United States and Israel. In a post in Urdu on X, Araghchi said: “On this blessed, divine, and spiritual day and hour, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the government and people of Pakistan for their strong expression of solidarity and support with the people and government of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the face of the aggression by America and the Zionist regime.” Araghchi added that Iran stood with “steadfastness and perseverance in defence of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, with complete reliance on Allah Almighty”. His post comes amid an ongoing Middle ...
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Petrol reserves sufficient for 27 days, diesel for 21: petroleum secretary tells Senate committee
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has sufficient petrol reserves for 27 days and diesel reserves for 21 days, Petroleum Secretary Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh said on Monday while addressing a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum. The standing committee, chaired by Senator Manzoor Ahmed, was meeting after the government announced a Rs55 per litre hike in the prices of both petrol and high-speed diesel in response to tensions in the Middle East. The secretary added that jet fuel (JP1) reserves were available for 14 days, crude oil reserves for 11 days and liquefied natural gas (LNG) reserves for nine days. Additionally, he informed the committee that the import of oil of quality below Euro 5 standard had now been allowed. Sheikh said that 70 per cent of Pakistan’s petrol comes from the Middle ...
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KSE-100 plunges over 4,000 points amid oil price surge
Pakistan’s benchmark KSE-100 index slipped 4,687.50 points to close in the red on Monday, marking a turbulent start to the week as selling pressure returned to the market. The index shed 3.05 per cent from its previous close of 153,866.16 points. During the session, the benchmark touched an intraday high of 153,943.69 points and fell to a low of 148,747.72 points, reflecting persistent downward pressure throughout the day. The sharp decline follows the index’s seventh consecutive week of losses, with geopolitical uncertainty and weak investor sentiment continuing to weigh on Pakistani equities. Analysts at Topline Securities noted that the market remained under pressure for most of the trading session, with the index largely trading in negative territory as investors adopted a cautious ...
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At least five killed in roof collapse during BISP disbursement in Rahim Yar Khan
RAHIM YAR KHAN: At least five women were killed and more than thirty were injured when the roof of a shop collapsed during the distribution of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) payments in Punjab’s Rahim Yar Khan district. Reports said that more than 200 women were present at the site — a local shop in the Chak 123-P Tibba locality of the district. More to follow
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China ready to continue efforts to ease Pak-Afghan tensions, says ‘most urgent task’ to avoid escalation
BEIJING/PESHAWAR: China on Monday reiterated its offer to continue efforts to ease ongoing border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. “The most urgent task is to avoid the expansion of the war and return the two countries to the negotiating table as soon as possible,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said. “China is willing to continue to make efforts to achieve reconciliation and ease relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” he said, adding that Beijing has been mediating between both sides in recent days. The remarks come days after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi in a phone call that disputes between Islamabad and Kabul should be resolved through dialogue and consultation, not force. There has been a resurgence in terror...
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KSE-100 drops over 4,300 points as volatility continues
Pakistan’s benchmark KSE-100 index slipped 4,360.66 points by 1:10pm on Monday, marking a turbulent start to the week as selling pressure returned to the market. The index shed 2.83 per cent from its previous close of 153,866.16 points. So far in the session, it has touched an intraday high of 153,943.69 points and an intraday low of 149,385.39 points. The sharp decline comes after the index recorded its seventh consecutive week of losses, with geopolitical uncertainty and weak investor sentiment continuing to weigh on Pakistani equities. Two key factors affecting the market last week were the absence of positive economic developments and the ongoing delay in finalising a Staff-Level Agreement (SLA) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for Pakistan’s third review of its $7 billion...
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Man arrested for allegedly killing wife, 5 children for ‘honour’ in Punjab’s Sargodha
MANDI BAHAUDDIN: Sargodha police on Monday said they arrested two individuals, including a man who allegedly murdered his wife and five children for so-called ‘honour’ before attempting to take his own life. The tragic incident was reported from Chak 25 South area of Punjab’s Sargodha district. Sargodha District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Sohaib Ashraf confirmed to Dawn that the primary suspect, as well as another man nominated in the case, was in their custody. The DPO added that the primary suspect, who was the slain woman’s husband, was in a stable condition. A first information report (FIR) was registered at Bhagtanwala Police Station on the complaint of the woman’s brother in the early hours of Monday. It invoked sections 302 (Punishment of qatl-i-amd), 311 (Ta’zir after waiver ...
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Trump seeks global backing to reopen Strait of Hormuz
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has escalated his campaign to enlist international support in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the future of NATO could be at risk if European and Asian allies fail to assist. “If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response, I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO,” Trump declared in an interview with the Financial Times on Sunday. Trump also said that he could delay his summit with China’s President Xi Jinping later this month as he pressed Beijing to help unblock the crucial waterway. In the same interview, he repeated an earlier appeal that countries dependent on Gulf oil should bear shared responsibility for ensuring the free flow of energy through the strategically vital waterway. “It’s only appropriate that people...
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Education, health fees among key concerns
China to legislate on preschool education
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Beijing, Moscow drill for potential missile warfare
China and Russia kicked off their second joint computer-assisted anti-missile drill on Monday, a move experts said could deter potential missile threats amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
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Memorial Day a time to 'remember', 'inspire'
A memorial service to mark the 80th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre committed during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) brought together hundreds of activists and members of the Chinese and other Asian communities on Sunday in San Francisco.
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More military technologies targeted for civilian sector to boost economy
China will strengthen innovation by developing high-tech industries with military technologies to boost military-civil integration, a move that aims to cultivate new growth drivers and boost the economy, said a recent State Council guideline.
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