Author: Admin

.Field Marshal Asim Munir addressing participants of 17th National Workshop Balochistan at the GHQ. Photo: Screengrab ISPR RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has underscored the importance of multinational engagements in enhancing collective preparedness and adapting to the evolving character of modern warfare. Addressing the closing ceremony of the 9th International Pakistan Army Team Spirit (PATS) Competition in Kharian, Field Marshal Asim reaffirmed the army’s enduring soldierly attributes of “character, courage and competence”, demonstrated by Pakistani soldiers in the fight against terrorism. PATS concluded on Monday, according to the ISPR, which…

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. Photo: File ISLAMABAD: JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Tuesday warned the government and its coalition partners, saying he would not accept or obey any legislation that contradicts the Quran and Sunnah, even if such laws are passed by a parliamentary majority. Addressing a gathering in Islamabad, the JUI-F emir said that obedience to laws based on disobedience to the Creator was neither permissible nor binding. “Our position is very clear,” he said, adding that imprisonment or even execution did not deter him. “Jail is a very minor thing, and hanging is also a very…

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s ranking on the global corruption index has slightly slipped to 136 out of 182 countries, according to Transparency International (TI), which also listed Islamabad among nations considered dangerous for journalists investigating corruption. Despite the drop in ranking, Pakistan’s score on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) improved marginally from 27 to 28 in 2025. However, the country remains grouped with nations perceived as highly corrupt, such as Bolivia and Iraq. The score is well below Pakistan’s recent best of 33 in 2018. TI’s annual flagship report comes days after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) claimed recoveries of Rs11.5 trillion…

.Ramazan Nigehban Package. Photo: APP MUZAFFARGARH: The Punjab government has launched the Ramazan Nigehban Package in Kot Addu to provide financial relief to deserving families during the month. Assistant Commissioner Roman Khalil said the programme had been implemented successfully last year and the number of beneficiary families had been increased now. As a result, the number of Nigehban Cards has been enhanced. The official said 19,000 cards have arrived here in the first phase, while more would be provided in the coming days. To ensure transparency, the cards will be delivered to the doorsteps of 19,000 deserving families across the…

.Pakistan Air Force’s Mirage aircraft. PHOTO: FILE RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) demonstrated its expanding combat readiness and growing global aerospace footprint this week, staging the technologically intensive Exercise Golden Eagle’ at home while simultaneously showcasing its flagship aircraft at the World Defence Show 2026 in Saudi Arabia, the ISPR said on Tuesday. Conducted in the Southern Air Command’s area of responsibility, Exercise Golden Eagle was designed to validate operational agility through synchronised employment of the PAF’s complete combat potential, using a Two-Force construct focused on AI-enabled, net-centric warfare. The exercise integrated indigenous niche, disruptive and smart technologies in…

Pakistan is experiencing a sharp drop in temperatures as rain and snow continue to affect various parts of the country. In Lahore, skies remained overcast and chilly winds made the weather colder than usual. The Meteorological Department recorded the city's current temperature at 14°C. In the federal capital, light drizzles were reported across sectors G-7, G-8, H-8, Kashmir Chowk, Bara Kahu, Bani Gala, and Park Road. Snowfall resumed over most upper and central areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, intensifying the cold.

.President Asif Ali Zardari. PHOTO: AFP/FILE ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday welcomed an invitation from Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and stressed the need to follow up on outcomes of the Uzbek leader’s recent state visit to Pakistan, the President’s Secretariat said. The president received Ambassador Alisher Tukhtaev at Aiwan-e-Sadr, where the envoy handed over a letter from President Mirziyoyev. In the letter, Mirziyoyev thanked President Zardari, the government, and the people of Pakistan for the hospitality extended during his visit and for conferring the Nishan-e-Pakistan, an honorary professorship, and a doctorate.

. ISLAMABAD: With Pakistan’s population expanding faster than jobs, services and health capacity, a parliamentary panel on Tuesday flagged population growth as a mounting national risk. The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, chaired by Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti, expressed concerns over the strain unchecked population growth is placing on jobs, public services and health indicators. The panel also revisited long-standing disputes around the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT), vacant teaching posts and the allocation of development funds. The committee considered the Private Member’s Bill titled “The National Population and Reproductive Health Bill, 2026”, reviewed issues relating…

.Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Interfaith Harmony Maulana Tahir Ashrafi addressing a press conference. PHOTO: APP RAWALPINDI: Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Religious Harmony Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi on Tuesday said terrorists had no connection with Islam and urged the nation to unite against extremism. Speaking at the ‘Paigham-e-Pakistan Conference’ in Rawalpindi, the PM’s aide condemned attacks on mosques, places of worship, women and children as acts of cowardice. Ashrafi noted that the recent terror attack on the worshippers at Islamabad’s Taralai mosque had united the nation, with victims showing courage and resilience.

. LAHORE: A petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking criminal proceedings against responsible officers over six deaths and injuries to 124 citizens during the Basant celebrations. The petition, submitted by Judicial Activism Panel head Azhar Siddique, states that according to the Punjab Home Department’s official data, six people lost their lives and 124 others were injured, contradicting the government’s claims of a “safe Basant.” The petitioner argued that the Basant has become a deadly threat rather than a celebration, with dozens of children injured after falling from rooftops or while climbing electricity poles.