Author: Admin

LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday received a telephone call from Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, who conveyed his condolences and solidarity with the people of Pakistan over the devastation caused by ongoing floods in various parts of the country. Expressing sympathy with the bereaved families who have lost loved ones and property in the calamity, Pezeshkian assured that Iran stood by Pakistan in this difficult time and offered any assistance his country could extend to the flood-affected population. Shehbaz thanked Pezeshkian for his thoughtful gesture and Iran’s expression of support.

ISLAMABAD: Flooding in Pakistan from water flowing downstream from India was made worse by New Delhi’s suspension of a river-sharing treaty and the collapse of the gates on an Indian barrage, Pakistani officials said on Friday. Torrential monsoon rains ravaged neighboring adversaries India and Pakistan this week, with further heavy downpours forecast for this weekend. On Friday, in eastern Pakistan, flood waters hit the outskirts of the country’s second biggest city, Lahore, and threatened to submerge the major town of Jhang, in the worst flooding in almost 40 years in that part of the country. The nations share rivers that…

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi held a follow-up meeting on Friday with the US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker, during which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties. The meeting covered a wide range of issues, including Pakistan-US relations, mutual security concerns, and matters about Pakistanis wanted in the US. Both parties agreed to expand collaboration in border security, counter-narcotics operations, coast guard capabilities, and forensic sciences. Baker expressed her condolences over the loss of lives and property caused by the recent floods in K-P and Punjab.

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting on Friday commended Asim Khichi, managing director of the APP, for exposing a major financial scandal involving billions of rupees within the organization. The meeting, chaired by MNA Pullain Baloch paid glowing tribute to MD APP's integrity and principled stance as a whistleblower, acknowledging his role in uncovering a deeply entrenched network of corruption. Baloch emphasized that the accountability process must not be unnecessarily prolonged and assured the committee's full support in bringing to justice those responsible for looting public funds.

ISLAMABAD: PTI MNA Junaid Akbar has announced his resignation as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) following the instructions of party founder Imran Khan. “When Khan says end it, for me the matter is finished,” Akbar said in a statement on Friday. Akbar said he never sought positions for personal benefit, valued his self-respect over titles, and would neither bow to generals nor act out of greed. Refusing to engage in “boot-polishing” for anyone, he said he lacked the resources to run media campaigns unlike others. He decried his comparison with former PAC chairman Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. Nisar,…

The story of South Asia's great rivers is one of geography, history, and shared destiny. China, Pakistan, and India may be divided by borders and politics, but they are inextricably linked by a common water system—the Indus basin. Although dozens of rivers traverse the region, they ultimately belong to three major systems, with the Indus reigning supreme. Originating near Lake Manasarovar in Tibet, the Indus cuts a dramatic course through the Himalayas, flowing into Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) before entering Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B). From Skardu and Bisham, it moves into Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), where the mighty Tarbela Dam harnesses…

KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has issued new rules and regulations for online businesses and released a draft amendment to the Income Tax Rules, 2002 aimed at bringing the digital economy into the tax net. The FBR’s statutory regulatory order (SRO) states that every entity engaged in online business will be required to submit monthly financial reports. Such entities will submit financial details through Form A1 and Form A2 on a monthly basis. As per the SRO, details of online businesses will include their National Tax Number (NTN) and monthly bank account statements. Online businesses will also be…

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel was told on Friday that the IMF has advised the government to restrict funds for new development projects to 10% and prioritize only high-importance schemes. The Senate Standing Committee on Planning and Development, chaired by Quratulain Marri, was briefed on the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and IMF recommendations. The committee was informed that this year, just two percent of funds were allocated for new projects, while 344 schemes worth Rs2.518 trillion were either completed or closed. The overall burden of pending projects has been reduced by Rs2.16 trillion. The National Highway Authority (NHA) also presented…

KARACHI: The top cop of the city, AIG Javed Alam Odho, said that the dilapidated condition of roads is one of the major causes of traffic accidents in the metropolis. He lamented that the condition of Karachi’s roads deteriorates further after rainfall, compounding the problem. Odho clarified that the perception of police leniency towards the Heavy Transport Association is unfounded. He added that his force not only issues challans for violations by heavy vehicles but also registers cases and impounds vehicles where necessary.

HYDERABAD: The floodwaters began to submerge dozens of riverine villages in Sindh by Friday in the districts of Sukkur and Larkana divisions. The Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro has anticipated discharge of between 700,000 cusecs to 800,000 cusecs flood in the Indus river, which is high enough to inundate riverine villages in the province. Talking to the media at Guddu barrage in Kashmore-Kandhkot district on Friday, he said that the provincial government has prepared to cope with a high flood. He, nevertheless, expressed hope that the torrent will pass through safely without affecting any areas outside the riverbed in…