Page 51 - Pakistan

5.8-magnitude earthquake jolts Pakistan, tremors felt in Delhi NCR

Delhi earthquake: After Afghanistan, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake has shaken Pakistan. Tremors felt in many Northern regions of India, including Delhi NCR

Visa aims for 10-fold rise in Pakistani businesses using digital payments

Visa is investing in building digital payment infrastructure in the country, aiming to make digital payments less costly and more manageable

BSF trooper injured as Pakistan violates ceasefire along border in Jammu

A Border Security Force (BSF) personnel was injured when Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing on Indian posts in violation of a ceasefire agreement along the border here on Wednesday, officials said. The BSF troops also retaliated but the casualties on the Pakistani side were not known immediately, they said. At about 2.35 am, an incident of unprovoked firing in the Akhnoor area from across the border happened and which was befittingly responded by the BSF. One BSF personnel sustained injuries in Pakistani firing, a spokesperson of the border guarding force said. He said the troops are on high alert and keeping a strict vigil all along the International Border and Line of Control. The ceasefire violation between the two countries has been very rare ever since India and Pakistan renewed the ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021. Last year, a BSF jawan was killed in Pakistan Rangers firing in the Ramgarh sector, the first loss of life on the Indian side in more than thre

Why has a Dutch court convicted and sentenced two Pakistanis in absentia?

The convicted individuals are believed to be residing in Pakistan, which does not have an extradition agreement with the Netherlands

Karachi sees surge in street crime, reports 5,960 incidents in Aug: Report

The report also highlights that motorcycles are a common target, with 656 stolen and 3,385 reportedly taken from various parts of the city this year so far

6 injured in explosion targeting polio workers in Pak's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

At least six people, including three policemen, were injured in a bomb explosion that targeted a vehicle carrying workers associated with the Pakistan Polio Programme in the country's restive northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, authorities said on Monday. The explosion resulted in injuries to three frontline polio workers and three policemen in South Waziristan district's Wana town. The injured were immediately shifted to a hospital and their condition is stated to be stable. Police contingents rushed to the explosion site and launched a combing operation to arrest the accused. Authorities in Pakistan last week reported its first polio case in the capital Islamabad in the last 16 years, a setback to the national efforts aimed at eradicating the crippling virus from the country. The country came close to achieving zero poliovirus cases in 2021 when only one infection was reported. So far this year, 12 cases have been reported from Balochistan, three from Sindh, and one from .

8 Afghan Taliban soldiers killed in border clash with Pak forces, 16 hurt

At least eight Afghan Taliban soldiers, including two key commanders, have been killed in a fierce clash with the Pakistani security forces in the border region near the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The exchange, which was reported in the Khurram border district of the province over the weekend, also injured 16 Afghan Taliban soldiers. The Afghan side attacked a Pakistani checkpost with heavy weapons in the Palosin area on the Pak-Afghan border on Saturday morning, the Dawn newspaper reported, quoting sources. We have reports about heavy losses on the other [Afghan] side. So far, eight Afghan Taliban have been killed, and 16 others have sustained injuries in retaliatory firing by the Pakistani forces, sources said, adding that two key' commanders were also killed. There was no official word on the incident from the Pakistan military's media wing - the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). This is not the first time Afghan troops have opened fire on Pakistani security for

Will not compromise with govt, says ex-Pak PM Imran after 400 days in jail

The government ministers say Khan's freedom is linked with his unconditional apology for the riots in which the PTI workers allegedly attacked state and military installations

Pakistan PM declares education emergency on International Literacy Day

Pakistan on Sunday declared an education emergency on International Literacy Day to educate around 26 million out-of-school children in the country. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the measure and urged the private sector and civil organisations to join hands with the government, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported. The 72-year-old Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader reaffirmed his commitment to advancing the education agenda, striving for a more informed and sustainable nation. We have declared an educational emergency across the country, launched an enrolment campaign for students and initiated midday meals for children in schools, he stated. He said that literacy is a fundamental human and constitutional right that guarantees the future of our country and added that literacy was not merely the ability to read and write but rather a gateway to empowerment, economic opportunities and active participation in society. To reduce the dropout rate and .

Parl security breach chargesheet: Accused wanted to discredit democracy

The December 13, 2023 Parliament security breach accused wanted to discredit India's democracy, gain instant global fame, usurp power and achieve "richness and glory" by targeting the "very symbol of democracy", according to the chargesheet filed in the court by Delhi Police. The accused first met on social media and planned their move for nearly two years before executing it last year on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack. According to the chargesheet, a source said, their first in-person meeting was held in February, 2022 at Mysuru. Citing from the chargesheet, sources told PTI, that in total they held five meetings in Mysuru, Gurugram and Delhi to decided finalise their plan and arrive at a modus operandi. The chargesheet, spread over 1,000 pages, was filed before the Patiala House Court in June and the court took its cognisance last month. A supplementary was filed in July. The chargesheet mentioned that the group of young people, led by Manoranjan D, a resident of .

Massive Islamabad protests demand reversal of decision risking 11,000 jobs

The agitation began in response to the government's announcement to close down the USC, a move that could potentially jeopardise the livelihoods of over 11,000 employees

Major terror attack foiled in Pak's Punjab, over 30 terrorists arrested

Law enforcement agencies have arrested 33 terrorists of various banned groups including Al-Qaeda and 133 Brigade, and foiled a major terror plot in Punjab province of Pakistan, police said on Saturday. Punjab police have registered 32 cases against the terrorists and shifted them to an unknown location, according to the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab police, which conducted 475 intelligence-based operations in different districts of the province this week. At least 475 suspected persons were interrogated, the CTD said in a statement and added, The terror plot in Punjab was foiled by arresting 33 terrorists belonging to banned outfits during operations in different areas of Punjab. Terrorists from Al-Qaeda, 133 Brigade, Sipah Sahaba Pakistan, Lashkar Jhangvi, and Tehreek Jafaria Pakistan were arrested with weapons, explosives, and other prohibited materials. Explosives, two hand grenades, two IED bombs, 26 detonators, safety fuse wire, four pistols, bullets, and banned

Massive deposit of petroleum, natural gas found in Pakistani waters

A substantial deposit of petroleum and natural gas has been discovered in Pakistan's territorial waters, a cache so large its exploitation could change the country's destiny, according to a media report. A three-year survey was undertaken in collaboration with a friendly country to verify the presence of the oil and gas reserves, DawnNewsTV quoted a senior security official as saying on Friday. The geographic survey has allowed Pakistan to identify the location of the deposits, and the relevant departments have informed the government of the resources found in Pakistani waters. Terming it an effort to benefit from what he called the blue water economy', the official said that proposals for bidding and exploration were being studied, meaning that the exploration work can be started in the near future. However, he said the work of digging wells and actually getting oil out could take several years. But the blue water economy' can yield more than just oil and gas; there are several o

Pak SC rules in favour of govt to reinstate changes in anti-corruption laws

In a major relief to the Shehbaz Sharif-led government, Pakistan's Supreme Court in an unanimous decision on Friday reinstated the changes in the country's anti-corruption laws that had benefited several leading politicians, including the prime minister and his elder brother Nawaz Sharif. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa pronounced the verdict reserved by a five-member bench on June 6 after hearing intra-court appeals (ICAs) filed by the federal government and other parties. The apex court overturned a previous ruling that nullified amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws, granting intra-court appeals filed by the federal government and other affected parties. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws were amended in May 2023 by the previous government led by Shehbaz Sharif. The law was criticised by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party led by Imran Khan as it led to the withdrawal of corruption cases against leading politicians like Asif Ali ...

Pakistan hasn't learned lessons from 2022 deadly floods, say experts

Millions of people in Pakistan continue to live along the path of floodwaters, showing neither people nor the government have learned any lessons from the 2022 devastating floods that killed 1,737 people, experts said Thursday, as an aid group said half of the victims among 300 people killed by rains since July this year are children. Heavy rainfall is currently drenching those areas that had been badly hit by the deluges two years ago. The charity Save the Children said in a statement that floods and heavy rains have killed more than 150 children in Pakistan since the start of the monsoon season, making up more than half of all deaths in rain-affected areas. The group said that 200 children have also been injured in Pakistan because of rains, which have also displaced thousands of people. Save the Children also said that people affected by floods were living in a relief camp in Sanghar, a district in the southern Sindh province, which was massively hit by floods two years ago. The

Pakistan finance minister urges traders to pay taxes to stabilise economy

Pakistan Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday requested traders to pay their share of taxes to increase revenue collection and stabilise the cash-strapped country's economy on a long-term basis. Aurangzeb was addressing a press conference in Islamabad, days after the traders held a countrywide strike against the new tax scheme to bring over 3.5 million retailers into the tax net. The traders have refused to accept the Tajir Dost Scheme introduced by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), which imposes a fixed tax on traders and wholesalers. Aurangzeb said Pakistan increased its tax revenue by 29 per cent last year, but it was still at 8.8 per cent tax-to-GDP. This is not sustainable at all. No country is sustainable at this level, so we need to increase it to 15 per cent, he said. He said there was no room left to avoid taxes as the current situation, where the salaried class and the manufacturing industry were already contributing more than their fair share, cannot ...

Pakistan inflation ceases further in Aug providing room for more rate cuts

Pakistan's central bank has slashed rates by a cumulative 250 basis points in the last two meetings and is scheduled to hold the next review on Sept 12

WATCH: Thrift store looted on launch day in Karachi amid economic crisis

The incident occurred as cash-strapped Pakistan grapples with a severe economic crisis, making it the slowest-growing economy in South Asia

Mpox concerns grow in Pakistan as fifth case reported in Peshawar

Dr Saleem emphasised the importance of vigilance, particularly among travellers from the Gulf, with Saudi Arabia identified as a potential point of exposure

Pak reviews hydro, nuclear power projects amid energy overcapacity concerns

Pakistan is conducting a review of existing and upcoming power projects, including hydropower and nuclear plants, in response to concerns over energy overcapacity and pricing, which have led to financial strain, including high capacity payments to IPPs for unused power, media reports said on Saturday. Maintaining that the review is aimed at assessing the viability and efficiency of these power projects as the country faces surplus energy production, the need to optimise power generation was stressed to align with current demand and ensure economic sustainability, newspaper The News International said. The development comes amid reports that Pakistan government has reportedly disbursed approximately Rs1 trillion in capacity payments to 26 independent power producers (IPPs) using gas, regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG), and residual furnace oil-based (RFO) over the past decade, starting from 2015, as per a report by the Business Recorder. The News International quoted Minister fo