Local Pakistan

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday disposed of a petition challenging the Punjab government’s plan to hold a 10-day Basant festival in 2027 after the petitioner’s counsel withdrew the plea following objections from the court over its maintainability. Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry heard the petition filed by citizen Shahid…

Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry on Friday urged intending pilgrims to ensure they pay the second instalment of their Hajj 2027 dues before Oct. 20, stressing that people must pay on time to avoid cancelation of their Hajj applications. Pakistan allowed pilgrims to make payments for Hajj pilgrimage in instalments in…

Aspecial Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi has deferred its verdict for the fourth time in a case registered against Aleema Khan and 10 other accused in connection with the November 26 protests. ATC Rawalpindi Judge Amjad Ali Shah conducted the hearing today, while Aleema Khan’s counsel, Faisal Malik, appeared before…

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the bail application of Shah Rukh, an accused in a case involving the alleged sexual abuse of a five-year-old boy. Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar observed that leniency could not be shown towards accused persons in such cases, remarking that what had happened was not…

SYLHET: Bangladesh is battling to contain the world’s worst measles outbreak, a crisis exacerbated by weak data, inadequate outreach and vaccination gaps that experts say offers a warning to other nations about the deadly risk of falling immunisation rates. Bangladesh, whose routine vaccination programme faltered in 2025, reported 202,000 suspected…

LinkedIn has announced several new creator monetization features. Most notably, the platform now lets creators earn revenue through pre-roll video ads on their content. In addition, creators can offer paid one-on-one consultations through a feature called Advice Sessions. The pre-roll ad program lets marketers place ads alongside topically relevant creator…

Amazon announced two new AI devices under its Bee brand earlier this week. The Bee Frontier, a next-generation wearable, costs $74.99 (approximately Rs. 21,000). The Bee Eclipse, a phone attachment, starts at $99.99 (approximately Rs. 28,000). In short, both devices record conversations and turn them into AI-powered summaries, to-dos, and…

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned further hearing of a case concerning taxes imposed on telecommunications services for an indefinite period.

BAGHDAD: Iraq has lost around USD60 billion during the Middle East war, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said on Thursday, with Iran blockading a waterway that is crucial to global energy flows. OPEC member Iraq was producing about four million barrels of oil per day before the conflict, exporting about 3.5…

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Friday criticised Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for what she described as his support for those backing terrorism, saying she had not expected such a stance from a senior politician who had himself been a victim of terrorist violence.

HOUSTON: Brent touched USD110 a barrel for the first time since May on Friday on worries that escalating tensions in the Middle East could further tighten supplies, while investors assessed how much diesel Russia could supply to the global market. Brent crude futures settled USD3.94, or 3.7 percent, higher at…

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Friday approved a motion authorizing Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq to constitute a parliamentary committee, in consultation with the chairman Senate, to recommend electoral reforms aimed at ensuring free, fair and transparent elections in the country. Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry moved…

ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday reduced the price of petrol by Rs3.93 per litre for next three days effective from October 17. However, the price of High Speed Diesel (HSD) has been kept unchanged for the period. According to an official notification, the price of petrol declined to Rs386.30 per…

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik has called for stronger Pakistan-Germany cooperation in green startups, sustainable innovation and research, saying the two countries could take their longstanding relationship to new heights through climate-friendly initiatives.

WASHINGTON: Democratic candidates have outraised Republican rivals by huge margins in key US congressional races, new campaign finance filings show, even as tech billionaire Elon Musk pumped record sums into efforts to keep President Donald Trump’s party in power. The figures emerged after candidates and political groups submitted their third-quarter…

ISLAMABAD: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) is initiating regulatory action over material discrepancies in the IPO prospectus of SE Fruits and Vegetable Limited, which was based on information provided in the company’s audited financial statements. SECP suspended further proceedings subsequent to the book building process to protect…

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has implemented a comprehensive framework for conducting tax audits, income tax assessments and related income tax and sales tax recovery proceedings against the taxpayers through the National Faceless Centre (NFC) with the help of artificial intelligence from October 15, 2026. According to SRO…

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has been named to head the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) in 2027, marking the country’s first return to the position since 1953, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said on Friday. Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan…

NEW DELHI: Police detained India’s ‘cockroach’ movement founder Abhijeet Dipke, student leaders and supporters on Friday as hundreds poured into central Delhi, waving the national flag and demanding the resignation of India’s election chief. The youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), opposition groups and student organisations have held near-daily protests this…

ISLAMABAD: The Petroleum Division has submitted a set of measures to improve the LPG supply position in the market. One of these measures is the disposal of locally produced LPG through a transparent and competitive process, while ensuring the availability of the product in far-flung and hilly areas in accordance…

LAHORE: The Punjab agriculture department has advised farmers to ensure timely sowing of chickpea to achieve higher per-acre yields, with the recommended planting period varying according to the agro-climatic conditions of different regions. According to a department spokesperson, the suitable sowing period in Gujrat, Narowal, Jhelum and Rawalpindi is from…

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain on Friday said the government is taking various measures to increase wheat yield to 3.5 tons per hectare and is strengthening cooperation with private partners to support national food security objectives. The minister said this during a meeting…

LAHORE: Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmad Khan has assured the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) that its concerns and proposals regarding regulatory enforcement, taxation, industrial development and investment facilitation will be taken up with the relevant authorities. “Effective legislation requires consultation with stakeholders and that excessive regulation can…

LAHORE: The Punjab government introduced a biometric verification system on Friday for the registration and issuance of birth, death, and marriage certificates at union councils. This initiative aims to curb fraudulent registrations and ensure transparency in the process. Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique inaugurated the new Civil Registration Management…

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting of the Cabinet committee to review the stocks and prices of essential commodities. The committee, which met here on Friday, reviewed the stock position, supply arrangements and prices of essential commodities. The DPM/FM was apprised that…

LAHORE: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has asked the political leaders to set aside their differences and work together to address Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s security challenges. “What Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) requires right now is peace, stability and collective efforts, but not political confrontation,” Naqvi said while talking to media informally, here Friday.…

KARACHI: Uncoordinated digging and pickaxing remains one of the leading causes of unplanned power outages in Karachi, with K-Electric (KE) reporting 1,935 incidents in FY26 alone, says KE. In some cases, restoration extended beyond 24 hours due to the complex nature of repairing damaged underground cables. Out of the total,…

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister (DPM/FM) Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Friday chaired a meeting to review developments and key priorities in the civil aviation sector. The meeting focused on evaluating operational frameworks, infrastructure upgrades and measures to enhance air connectivity, with a specific focus on developing and…

LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Friday inaugurated four development projects worth Rs5.61 billion in Sahiwal and laid the foundation stone for 10 model agriculture malls across the province. The inaugurated projects include the Maryam Nawaz Sports Arena, the beautification and renovation of Model Saddar Bazaar, a Model…

LAHORE: A 20-member delegation of Chinese investors called on Punjab Minister for Industries and commerce Chaudhry Shafay Hussain on Friday and expressed keen interest in establishing electric bus and truck manufacturing plants, investing in information technology and tourism, and setting up a China pavilion in the province to showcase Chinese…

KARACHI: The country’s current account deficit widened by 16 percent in the first quarter of this fiscal year, mainly due to a higher goods import bill. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reported on Friday that Pakistan posted a current account deficit of USD 874 million during July-Sep of FY27…

WASHINGTON: The US budget deficit rose by USD217 billion to nearly USD2 trillion in the 2026 fiscal year, fuelled in part by tariff refunds and record spending to service the nation’s more than USD40 trillion in debt, marking the largest budget shortfall in five years, Treasury Department figures showed on…

ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Index-based inflation for the week ended on October 16, 2026 recorded a slight reduction of 0.04 percent owing to a reduction in the prices of tomatoes that fell by 23.05percent, onions by 4.90percent, and bananas by 2.59percent. The SPI data released here on Friday by the…

KARACHI: The Inland Revenue Service Officers Association (IRSOA) has expressed serious concern over reports that further structural reforms are being considered within the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), saying several major reform initiatives are still being implemented. The IRSOA said it fully supports meaningful reform but argued that institutional changes…

ISLAMABAD: Several political leaders met Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at Zardari House on Friday to discuss public issues, local challenges and the prevailing political situation in their respective areas. Former Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) prime minister and member of the AJK Legislative Assembly Faisal Mumtaz…

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) held that a trivial or less serious offence should not have such severe consequences as to automatically disqualify a person for induction in government service. “A crime is obviously a crime, but a criminal has to be considered with reference to his bent of…

LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Friday criticised Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for what she described as his support for those backing terrorism, saying she had not expected such a stance from a senior politician who had himself been a victim of terrorism. In a…

RAWALPINDI: Human rights activist and lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari, her husband, advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, on Friday challenged the jail trial before the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in a case registered against the couple involving alleged violation of a security protocol and assaulting police personnel. The defence counsel, Riasat Ali Azad,…

ISLAMABAD: Only four of nine detained Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNAs were brought to Parliament on Friday to attend the ongoing National Assembly session, leaving five elected representatives absent from the proceedings despite a request for their production. The four lawmakers, Sanaullah Mastikhel, Dawar Kundi, Mian Ghous Muhammad and Muhammad Jamal…

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders on Friday expressed serious concern over rising terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), urging the provincial setup to prioritise public safety, restore peace and fulfil its responsibilities towards the people. Addressing a press conference at Parliament House on Friday, PPP Central Spokesperson Shazia Marri, Senator…

LAHORE: The Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, has said that skilled workers going abroad would be provided assistance, including tickets. She said the government was empowering youth through AI tools and had trained 500,000 young people under the skills development programme over the last two years. She directed…

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Board of Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh on Friday attended the Malaysia–Pakistan Business Engagement 2026: Strengthening Trade, Investment and Business Linkages as Guest of Honour at the High Commission of Malaysia, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation, expanding bilateral trade and promoting investment partnerships between the…