• Friday, March 29, 2024

Results for "imran khan"

Pakistan interior ministry ordered X blockade, court told

PAKISTAN’S communications authority has admitted in papers filed in the court that it was ordered by the interior ministry to shut down the social media platform X – now in its fifth week of outages. The newly-elected government has been evasive over the censorship of the micro-blogging site formerly known…

Charithra Chandran sparkles in first solo West End play

THERE was a sense of occasion at the Garrick Theatre in London last Sunday (17) when Charithra Chandran made her West End debut in a solo show, Instructions for a Teenage Armageddon. You had the feeling many young Asians had been drawn by the show’s lead, billed as “Bridgerton’s Charithra…

Imran Khan pushes for treason proceedings over ‘election theft’

PAKISTAN’S former prime minister, Imran Khan, has demanded high treason proceedings against officials whom he alleges stole his party’s mandate in the February general elections, enabling the rival Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to form a coalition government.   Khan’s remarks came as he addressed…

Pakistan cabinet tasked with ending economic crisis

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the key members of his cabinet, tasking them with leading the country out of a crippling economic crisis fuelled by debt, spiralling inflation and a feeble rupee. Pakistan's 19 new ministers took their oath of office Monday, after an election marred by allegations of…

IMF backs new Pakistan programme, urges poll row resolution

THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Friday it will support formulating a new economic programme for Pakistan if the country's new government seeks one, while encouraging the fair resolution of all electoral disputes. Cash-strapped Pakistan grappled with an uncertain February 8 election that delayed the formation of a coalition…

Modi congratulates new Pakistan Prime Minister Sharif

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday for his return to the premiership, a rare expression of goodwill between leaders of the two nuclear-armed rivals. Sharif was officially sworn in Monday as prime minister for a second time after a poll marred by claims of…

Imran’s supporters arrested for protests against poll rigging

More than 100 supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party have been arrested from different parts of Punjab province of Pakistan for staging rallies against alleged vote rigging, police said on Sunday (4). On the call of party founder Imran Khan, supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party…

Shehbaz Sharif elected Pakistan’s prime minister for second term

PAKISTAN's newly formed parliament elected Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday (3) as prime minister for a second time, three weeks after uncertain national elections caused delays in the formation of a coalition government. "Shehbaz Sharif is declared to have been elected the prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan," National…

US lawmakers want Biden to withhold ‘recognition’ of Pakistan’s new…

Citing "strong evidence" of election rigging in Pakistan, a group of influential lawmakers, including Muslim legislators, belonging to the ruling Democratic Party has urged US President Joe Biden to withhold "recognition" of a new government in Islamabad until a transparent and credible investigation is conducted. The February 8 general election,…

Maryam Nawaz takes over as first-ever woman chief minister in…

Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, made history by becoming the first-ever woman chief minister of Pakistan's most populous Punjab province, a development described by her party as a "giant leap" for the country. The 50-year-old senior vice president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)…

Shehbaz Sharif returns as Pakistan prime minister as PML-N, PPP…

TWO Pakistan parties have reached a power-sharing agreement that will return Shehbaz Sharif to the premiership, leaving out politicians loyal to jailed former leader Imran Khan despite winning the most seats in this month's vote. The army-backed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) said they had…

Pakistan’s majority parties struggle to form coalition government

Pakistan's two major parties are set to meet on Monday to try and bridge differences over forming a minority coalition government after an inconclusive election, a top party official said, underscoring its political and economic instability. Analysts say the nuclear-armed nation of 241 million, which has been grappling with an…

Protests erupt in Pakistan as Imran Khan supporters clash with…

SUPPORTERS of Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party have clashed with police in various cities across the country as they staged protests against alleged rigging in the general elections held on February 8. In Lahore, supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) gathered outside the Lahore Press Club and the…

Pakistan’s PML-N, PPP continue power sharing talks

A second round of talks between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan Peoples Party is expected to take place on Friday on the power-sharing formula between them for the formation of a coalition government, according to a media report. The Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari-led PPP has promised to back PML-N in…

Pakistan’s losers take all

PAKISTAN’S general election last Thursday (8) produced a surprise result. In the 266 seats contested in the National Assembly, independent candidates linked to Imran Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf have won 101 seats. They are comfortably ahead of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz Sharif), which took 75 seats, and the Pakistan People’s Party of…

Pakistan’s PML-N, PPP join forces, Shehbaz to be premier

Pakistan's two main political parties that joined forces to oust Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party founder Imran Khan as prime minister in 2022 have said they would form a new coalition to rule the country, after an election last week failed to produce a decisive winner. With the army-backed Pakistan Muslim…

Bilawal Bhutto withdraws from prime minister’s race

Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday withdrew from the race for the prime minister, saying that his party would support Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's candidate for the premier's slot without being part of the government. The decision of Bilawal came hours after Pakistan's former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif…

Pakistan political uncertainty continues

Pakistan's political stalemate after inconclusive elections last week showed no signs of ending on Tuesday as major parties struggle to cobble up alliances to pass the floor test. In the latest development, jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that independent members of parliament backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)…

IMF team may visit Pakistan after new government formation

A delegation of the IMF may visit cash-strapped Pakistan once a new federal government is formed, negotiations for which are ongoing between major political parties after the general elections threw a hung Parliament, a media report said on Monday. The International Monetary Fund's review mission might visit Islamabad by the…

Pakistan’s two largest parties wrangle over prime minister post

Pakistan's two largest political parties are wrangling over who will take the prime minister's job after inconclusive elections last week forced them to join forces to gain a majority in a parliament dominated by independents backed by Imran Khan.  The squabbling is likely to deepen concerns about the stability of…

Pakistan army chief tells politicians to show ‘maturity’ after fractured…

Pakistan's army chief told feuding politicians Saturday to show "maturity and unity" after an election failed to produce a clear winner, leaving the military's favoured party having to cobble together a coalition in order to rule. The country faces days of political horse-trading after a strong performance by independent candidates…

Pakistan polls: Imran Khan’s supporters emerge frontrunners

Supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan had the edge on Friday in Pakistan's election results from over 100 seats, after vote counts were hit by unusual delays that the government ascribed to a suspension of mobile phone services. A total of 265 seats were contested in Thursday's election…

Imran Khan asks supporters to wait by poll stations after…

Jailed former Pakistani premier Imran Khan urged his supporters on Wednesday to wait outside polling booths after casting their votes, as rival political parties held large rallies to mark the end of the election campaign period. Pakistan goes to the polls on Thursday (8) with the jailing of popular Khan,…

12 killed by blast near candidate’s office on eve of…

At least 12 people were killed and 25 wounded Wednesday (7) by a blast outside a poll candidate's office in southwestern Pakistan, officials said, on the eve of an election marred by violence and allegations of poll-rigging. The attack occurred near the office of an independent candidate in Pishin district,…

Concern over Pakistan poll panel app’s safety

As Pakistan goes to the polls on Thursday, concerns are being raised over the safety of the new app promoted by the election commission. The Election Commission of Pakistan’s Election Management System (EMS) app is meant to swiftly transmit and tabulate election results, but some officials feel the software can…

Imran Khan, wife jailed for 7 years over illegal marriage

FORMER Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Khan were sentenced to seven years in prison and fined last Saturday (3)  by a court that ruled their 2018 marriage broke the law, his party said. It was the third ruling against Khan this week and comes ahead of…

Pakistan seals plan to sell national airline

AHEAD of elections next week, Pakistan's caretaker administration is making binding plans for a new government to sell loss-making Pakistan International Airlines, according to the minister in charge of the process and other officials. In the past, elected governments have shied away from undertaking unpopular reforms, including the sale of…

Imran’s party leads in women representation for Pakistan elections

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, which is under the leadership of former Prime Minister Imran Khan has allocated 53 seats to women, the highest number of tickets given to female candidates by any major political party in Pakistan for the elections set to take place on February 8, the media reported…

Imran Khan’s party fights to stay visible

FORMER Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan is popular in his constituency and ancestral homeland of Mianwali, but the political posters that line the streets do not bear his face and flags do not fly his colours. A relentless crackdown widely attributed to Pakistan’s powerful military has seen him and his…

Imran, wife get 14 years jail in graft case

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan received a 14-year jail sentence on a graft charge on Wednesday (31), following a 10-year prison term issued the previous day, in verdicts that were handed down just a week before the country's national elections. Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were found guilty…

Imran Khan sentenced to 10 years in jail for leaking…

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan was handed a 10-year imprisonment sentence this Tuesday (30), a decision coming shortly before the country's forthcoming election, in which his party is notably hindered from competing effectively. Khan's sentence was handed down inside Adiala jail, where he has been confined for much of…

Pakistan police halt rally by Imran supporters, arrest dozens

Pakistan police detained at least two dozen supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan Sunday as they tried to rally in the country's biggest city ahead of elections next month. Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has been severely hamstrung ahead of the February 8 poll, with rallies banned, its…

Father kills son in Pakistan over election flag dispute

According to police reports, a father killed his son in Pakistan, following a dispute over which political party flag to display during the lead-up to the general election. The argument broke out when the son, who recently returned from working in Qatar, hoisted the flag of former prime minister Imran…

Imran Khan’s party says candidates kidnapped, harassed

The political party led by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan alleged on Friday (19) that Pakistani intelligence agencies are engaging in the overt abduction and harassment of candidates supported by the party in the run-up to the general elections scheduled for February 8. A spokesperson of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf…

Low-note campaigning begins in Pakistan polls

THE frontrunner party for Pakistan’s delayed elections began campaigning on Monday (15), after a weekend court decision effectively pushed the opposition party of ex-prime minister Imran Khan out of the race. Pakistan’s vote next month has been marred by claims of pre-poll rigging, with analysts saying that the army establishment…

Imran Khan’s party loses election symbol in Pakistan

The political party of Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Imran Khan faced a setback on Saturday (13) when the country's top court ruled against allowing the retention of its cricket bat symbol for the polls next month. The South Asian nation of more than 240 million people votes on February…

Military-backed Nawaz Sharif to launch campaign for a fourth term

Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, whose party is considered a front-runner to win general elections in February, will kick off his campaign next week, aides said, days after the Supreme Court cleared him to run for a fourth term. The campaign for the Feb 8 poll, delayed since November,…

Pakistan’s top court rules against lifetime bans from office

Pakistan's supreme court ruled on Monday (8) that lifetime bans from office are unconstitutional, clearing the final obstacle in former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's path to running for re-election in polls in four weeks. Pakistan will vote in elections on February 8, with rights groups warning the ballot will lack…

A year of elections

BILLIONS of voters across south Asia, the UK and the US will go to polls in the next 12 months in what will be a test of democracy, analysits have told Eastern Eye. In the UK, prime minister Rishi Sunak has to call a general election by January 28, 2025,…

Shakib bats for career in politics and cricket

TURNING his star sports power to politics, Bangladeshi cricketer Shakib Al Hasan is all but guaranteed to become a ruling party lawmaker with general elections on Sunday (7) being boycotted by the opposition. Better known as the leading allrounder of his era, the 36-year-old skipper has been on a whirlwind…

Rights watchdog warns of ‘pre-poll rigging’ ahead of Pakistan elections

A rights watchdog in Pakistan expressed concerns on Tuesday (2) regarding the fairness of the upcoming elections, pointing to allegations of "systematic dismemberment" and "pre-poll rigging" targeting the party of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. Nomination papers for Khan and the majority of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party candidates…

Imran Khan barred from 2024 national elections

According to party officials, the jailed former Pakistan prime minister, Imran Khan, and the majority of his supporters, were rejected candidacy for the February 8, 2024, national elections as nominations for the ballot closed on Sunday (31). Khan has been in prison since August, facing trial over a slew of…

Imran Khan granted bail but remains jailed

FORMER Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan was granted bail on Friday (22) in a case alleging he leaked state secrets, lawyers said, but he remained jailed on other charges ahead of an election due in February. Meanwhile his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party was barred from using the cricket bat symbol…

Survey warns of escalating tensions among Asian nuclear powers

TENSIONS among nuclear powers, mainly in Asia, carry the risk of escalating into major conventional wars, a new survey cautioned. Significant Asian conflicts, such as in Kashmir and Afghanistan, have seen reduced violence since a ceasefire began in February 2021, said the Armed Conflict Survey 2023 by the London-based geopolitics…

Pakistan politics: Imran Khan uses AI-crafted speech to call for…

PAKISTAN'S jailed former prime minister, Imran Khan, used an audio clip generated by artificial intelligence (AI) to address supporters in the first event of its kind in the politics of the south Asian nation, though marred by internet disruptions. The audio, played over a photograph of Khan during an internet…

Pakistan’s top court allows military trials of Imran Khan backers

PAKISTAN'S Supreme Court on Wednesday (13) provisionally approved military court trials of over 100 supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan on charges of attacking army installations. A six-member panel of the top court overturned an October 23 order by a three-member Supreme Court panel that had declared military trials…

Campaign aims to ‘secure legacy of Windrush story’

A NETWORK and website have been launched to “deepen public conversation about race in Britain and press for future change”. Dozens of race and equality campaigners, community organisations and politicians gathered in parliament last Thursday (7) at an event to acknowledge the efforts of the 75th Windrush anniversary this year.…

Imran Khan challenges 5-year election ban in court

Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister, Imran Khan has lodged a challenge against his five-year disqualification in a Pakistani court on Thursday (7), ahead of the general elections due in February 2024. Khan, 71, has been in jail since August 5, when he was arrested after a conviction in the Toshakhana…

Pakistan court rejects Imran Khan’s request to withdraw appeal

AN Islamabad court on Wednesday (6) rejected former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's request to withdraw a key appeal so he could move it to a different court in Lahore, his lawyer said. Khan appealed last year in the Islamabad High Court against the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) finding…

Imran Khan’s party elects new chairman

FORMER Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan, currently in jail facing myriad charges, was replaced last Saturday (2) as head of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party he founded, officials said. A video showing barrister Gohar Khan announcing his nomination was released by the PTI last week and he was named as…

Pakistan politics: Imran Khan names successor for party election

JAILED former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan's party said on Wednesday (29) that he had named one of his lawyers as his temporary stand-in to contest the position of party head. Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party released a video showing barrister Gohar Khan announcing his nomination. "I will fill in…

Former adviser to Imran Khan victim of acid attack in…

An adviser to former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan revealed that he was subjected to an acid attack near his residence in the UK. Mirza Shahzad Akbar clarified that while the chemical did not affect his eyes, it caused injuries elsewhere on his body. Authorities are currently investigating the incident,…

Imran sent to 14-day judicial remand in corruption case

An accountability court in Pakistan on Monday (27) ordered a 14-day judicial remand for Imran Khan in a corruption case, denying the anti-graft body's plea to extend the jailed former prime minister's physical remand. Judge Muhammad Bashir of the Islamabad Accountability Court presided over the hearing of the Al-Qadir Trust…

Jemima Khan wishes son on the launch of his marketing…

British screenwriter and producer Jemima Khan is one proud mother as his son Kasim Khan has announced the launch of his own marketing platform. The young businessman, born to Jemima and well-known Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, has officially unveiled his venture, Mifu Marketing, along with the launch of the company’s…

Imran Khan’s party directed to hold leadership poll

PAKISTAN'S election commission on Thursday (23) ordered jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party to hold leadership polls to retain its voting symbol in next year's general election. Since being ousted in 2022, Khan has been tangled in a slew of legal cases he says are designed to stop him…

Imran Khan summoned for public trial by Pakistan court

A Pakistani court on Thursday (23), issued an order for the authorities to present former prime minister Imran Khan for trial on November 28 regarding charges of leaking state secrets, his lawyer said. This appearance would mark his first public appearance since he was jailed in August. The former cricket…

Families split by war

BORIS JOHNSON’S sister, Rachel Johnson, who has a weekend slot on LBC, spent an hour last Sunday (22) discussing how families can be split by politics. She revealed that when Boris came to dinner, Brexit was off the menu. Boris’s siblings didn’t agree with him. One man rang LBC to…

Pakistan court stops military trials of Imran Khan’s supporters

PAKISTAN'S top court has ruled that military trials of civilians are unconstitutional, a relief for dozens on trial for ransacking military installations during protests in May after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan. The government had said it would use military courts to try the suspects, sparking fears…

Imran Khan ‘indicted in official secrets case’

A PAKISTANI court indicted former prime minister Imran Khan and his deputy in an Official Secrets Acts case on Monday (23), his party said, in another blow for the jailed former cricket star ahead of a general election expected in January. The charge is related to a classified cable sent…

Nawaz Sharif arrives home in political comeback bid

THREE-TIME Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif ended four years of self-imposed exile on Saturday (21), launching his political comeback at a rally attended by thousands of rapturous supporters ahead of elections due next year. Fireworks marked his arrival at the event in a park in his power base of Lahore,…

Pakistan court grants Imran Khan permission to speak with sons…

A special court in Pakistan granted permission to the jailed former prime minister, Imran Khan on Wednesday (18) to have a phone conversation with his two sons. Sulaiman Khan and Qasim Khan reside in the UK with their mother Jemima, Imran Khan's ex-wife whom he divorced in 2004. Special Court…

Jailed Imran Khan ‘stronger and fitter than ever before’

FORMER Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan said he is “stronger and fitter than ever” since being jailed two months ago, according to a statement released by his family last Thursday (12). Khan was convicted of graft in August and jailed for three years, with the election commission subsequently banning him…

Pakistan Supreme Court upholds law curtailing chief justice’s powers

PAKISTAN’S Supreme Court has upheld a controversial law seeking to curtail the powers of the chief justice but barred its retrospective application. The law upheld by the majority of judges, including the sitting chief justice, deprived the chief justice of forming benches for different cases as the new law provided…

Relief and concern over Pakistan’s January polls

THE Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) last Thursday (21) announced a general election for January, almost three months later than scheduled, removing political uncertainty over the timing to help salvage a falling economy. Elections were due to be held in November, but were delayed due to fresh demarcation of constituencies…

Cipher case: Imran Khan’s judicial remand extended by 14 days

A SPECIAL court in Pakistan on Tuesday (26) extended the judicial remand of former prime minister Imran Khan for another 14 days in the Cipher case. Khan, also the chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, was arrested last month after a case was filed against him for allegedly violating…

Shehbaz confirms Nawaz Sharif’s unaltered plan to return home

Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed that there have been no alterations in party supremo Nawaz Sharif's intention to return to Pakistan next month. Shehbaz Sharif said that his elder brother is scheduled to present an 'agenda of progress' on October 21, the media…

Pakistan sets national election for January

PAKISTAN has announced a general election for January, almost three months later than scheduled, removing political uncertainty over the timing to help salvage a falling economy. Elections in the politically and economically troubled south Asian nation were due to be held in November but were delayed due to fresh demarcation…

Pakistan’s top court starts live broadcast of proceedings

PROCEEDINGS from Pakistan’s Supreme Court were broadcast live on Monday (18) by state television for the first time, giving an unprecedented view into the workings of an institution that has historically had a huge impact on the country’s politics. The move marks the beginning of the tenure of new Chief…

Pakistan caretaker government ‘appears to favour Imran Khan’s foes’

PAKISTAN'S election commission has questioned the neutrality of the country's caretaker government tasked with holding national elections, saying it appears to be aligned with the opponents of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. The caretaker government, which took over last month on the five year expiry of parliament, is meant…

Pakistan president Alvi proposes November 6 for general elections

President Arif Alvi of Pakistan unilaterally put forth November 6 as the proposed date for the general elections on Wednesday (13). This proposal was conveyed through a letter addressed to the chief election commissioner, amidst an ongoing controversy surrounding the polling dates in the financially challenged nation. In his letter…

India vs Pakistan: Cricketers bonhomie ease the edge

VIRAT KOHLI walked up to Haris Rauf and they hugged each other and exchanged a few words and laughter. Perhaps, they were having a bit of a joke about those two sixes on a starry Melbourne night last year. It wasn't a mere put on. There was a touching genuineness…

Imran Khan remanded in jail over leaked documents

FORMER Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan was on Wednesday (30) remanded in jail over a leaked documents case, extending his detention despite the suspension of his prison term for graft a day earlier. Khan has been tangled in a slew of legal cases he says are politically motivated since being…

Pakistan court suspends Imran Khan’s graft sentence, says party

A Pakistan high court on Tuesday suspended former prime minister Imran Khan's prison sentence for a graft conviction, a spokesman for his party told AFP, but it was unclear if he would be immediately released. A spokesman for Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party said Islamabad High Court had overturned a lower-court…

Imran Khan grilled in jail, admits losing diplomatic cable

JAILED former prime minister Imran Khan admitted “misplacing” a confidential diplomatic cable as he was interrogated by Pakistan's top investigative agency. Khan, 70, sentenced to a three-year jail term earlier this month in a corruption case, was grilled at the Attock prison for wrongful use of the classified document, according…

Pakistan’s anti-terrorism court ‘okays Imran Khan’s arrest’

AN anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has approved the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan in a case related to violence at an army building in Lahore, broadcaster Ary News reported on Wednesday (23), citing sources. Khan is currently jailed after a graft conviction. Wednesday's ruling relates to violence that…

Pakistan president hits back in draft bills row

THE president of Pakistan, Arif Alvi, said last Sunday (20) he had refused to sign into law two bills that would give authorities more power to prosecute people for acts against the state and military, a move the law ministry said was unconstitutional.  The bills have already been passed by…

Court to hear Imran’s appeal in Toshakhana case on Tuesday

A petition filed by imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan against his conviction and sentence in the Toshakhana corruption case will be considered by a two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday (22). Judge Humayun Dilawar of the Islamabad-based sessions court on August 5 found the 70-year-old chairman…

Pakistan court to hear Imran Khan’s plea against conviction

A PAKISTANI high court will next week take up a plea from former prime minister Imran Khan for the suspension of a three-year prison sentence on corruption charges, his lawyer said on Wednesday (16). Khan was jailed this month after his conviction for corruption and then barred from politics for…

Highs and lows of India at 76

INDIA on Tuesday (15) completed 76 years as an independent country.  The historian, Ramachandra Guha, provided a report card in a long article in the Sunday Times (13), headed, “Can India be the next superpower?”   Guha, known to be a critic of the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, whose Bharatiya…

Pakistan’s caretaker prime minister sworn-in

ANWAAR-UL-HAQ KAKAR, a little-known politician who is believed to be close to the military, was sworn in as Pakistan's caretaker prime minister on Monday (14) to oversee national elections as the country navigates political and economic crises. Kakar, from the southwestern province of Balochistan, will name a cabinet and head…

Woking murder: Trio police looking for was ‘known to victim’

A 10-YEAR-OLD girl, found dead in a Woking suburb last week, has been locally named as Sara, daughter of a taxi driver originally from Pakistan, media reports said. However, the girl was not formally identified till Monday (14). Police officers who responded to a “call for concern” found the body…

Pakistan president Alvi calls for national unity on 76th Independence…

Pakistan's president Arif Alvi issued an appeal on Monday (14) to political leaders, urging them to set aside their discord and animosity. The plea came as the financially strained nation marked its 76th Independence Day anniversary. Addressing a flag hoisting ceremony held at the Convention Centre, the president also expressed…

Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar becomes Pakistan’s new caretaker prime minister

PAKISTANI prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and opposition leader Raja Riaz agreed to name Senator Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar as caretaker premier to oversee elections, the prime minister's office said. Kakar, 52, a little-known politician from the southwestern province of Balochistan, will name a cabinet and head a government to steer the nation…

Shehbaz Sharif announces return of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif…

The outgoing prime minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, has announced that his brother and former premier, Nawaz Sharif, is set to make his return to Pakistan in the upcoming month. Nawaz Sharif's return aims to address his pending court cases and to spearhead the party's efforts for the forthcoming general…

Pakistan parliament dissolved to pave way for national vote without…

PAKISTAN'S president ordered parliament dissolved on late Wednesday, opening the door to a caretaker government that will usher in elections in which the country's most popular politician, Imran Khan, has been sidelined. The country has been in political turmoil since the former international cricket star was booted from power in…

Pakistan parliament to dissolve to set stage for election

PAKISTAN prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said he would advise the president to dissolve parliament late on Wednesday (9), setting the stage for a national election as the country grapples with political and economic crises. The parliament's five-year term is due to expire on August 12, but this move would dissolve…

Pakistan’s thriving textile sector shrinks as global demand slows

A SLOWDOWN in in global consumption and a rise in energy costs following the outbreak of war in Ukraine have compounded problems for Pakistan’s industrial manufacturing sector. The textile sector, which accounts for about 60 per cent of Pakistan’s exports, has been hit by the critical state of the country’s…

Pakistan’s ruling coalition, army can expect ‘desired result’ in polls:…

IMRAN KHAN’S conviction and his three-year jail term in a corruption case have cleared a “major hurdle” in holding general elections in Pakistan, and will help the ruling party and the powerful military to get the “desired results” in the polls, some analysts and political leaders believe. Political analyst Hasan…

Using ‘cancel culture’ as a tactic in politics

EVERYONE knows that the easiest way to win an election is to “encourage” the opposition candidate to stand down. In Pakistan, Imran Khan has been cancelled by the army. He should have known those who live by the army die by the army. He has been given a three-year jail…

Imran Khan is third former prime minister banned from public…

PAKISTAN'S former prime minister Imran Khan became the third former premier barred from public office since 2012 after the country's election commission on Tuesday (8) banned him for five years. The ban followed Khan's conviction in a graft case on Saturday (5). The law says such a conviction disqualifies an…

Imran Khan barred from Pakistan politics for five years

FORMER Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan, who has been convicted and jailed on graft charges, was barred from politics for five years on Tuesday (8), an official order said. The order by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), seen by Reuters and confirmed by a senior officer, said Khan was…

Imran Khan’s jail term clears path for imminent general elections

Imran Khan's conviction and his three-year jail term in a corruption case have cleared a "major hurdle" in holding general elections in Pakistan and will help the ruling PML-N and the powerful military establishment to get the "desired results" in the polls, some analysts and political leaders believe. Political analyst…

Explainer: What are the future prospects of Imran Khan after…

In a recent blow to the political trajectory of Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan, who has been found guilty in a corruption case, he has been sentenced to three years in prison. The 70-year-old former cricket icon, now a prominent opposition figure, confronts an arduous legal struggle as he…

Imran Khan’s lawyers initiate legal proceedings against jail sentence

Lawyers representing former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan, on Monday (7) were making efforts to initiate legal proceedings against his three-year sentence on corruption charges. This sentence has effectively disqualified him from participating in national elections. The ex-international cricket icon had been arrested at his residence on Saturday (5) and…

Imran Khan gets three-year prison sentence in graft case

Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, has been sentenced to three years in prison by a court on Saturday (05) in a corruption case. The case alleges that Khan profited from the sale of costly state gifts during his time in power. The verdict was delivered by Additional…

Pakistan police comb site after deadly blast

PAKISTAN police on Monday (31) combed through the bloody wreckage of a suicide blast that killed at least 45 people at an Islamist party's political gathering ahead of elections due later this year. Around 400 members of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F) party - a key government coalition partner led by…

Pakistan’s Supreme Court rejects Imran Khan’s plea to halt trial

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Wednesday (26) dismissed a plea by former prime minister Imran Khan, in which he sought to halt his trial on charges of unlawfully selling state gifts. Khan had expressed concerns over the merits of the trial and alleged bias from the judge presiding over the case.…

Pakistan Election Commission issues non-bailable warrant for Imran Khan

Pakistan's election commission issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for former prime minister Imran Khan, Geo news reported on Monday (24), the latest in a series of legal hurdles facing the cricketer-turned-politician. Khan was arrested in May by Pakistani authorities in connection with a corruption case, which sparked deadly unrest across…

Ishaq Dar put forward as leader of Pakistan’s caretaker government

ONE of the main parties in Pakistan's ruling coalition has proposed that finance minister Ishaq Dar lead the incoming caretaker government, party sources said, a move aimed at helping with continuity of economic reforms under an IMF deal. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) put forward Dar's name to its coalition…

Pakistan’s Imran Khan to face charges of exposing official secrets:…

PAKISTAN will open criminal proceedings against former prime minister Imran Khan on charges of exposing official secrets, interior minister Rana Sanaullah said on Wednesday (19), the latest in a string of cases the former cricketer has been facing. The case is related to diplomatic correspondence between Washington and Islamabad, which…

Pakistan’s top judge rejects request for full court on pleas…

PAKISTAN'S Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Tuesday (18) rejected the government's request to constitute a full court bench to hear a set of pleas challenging the military trials of those involved in the May 9 violence targeted at military installations and government buildings. A Supreme Court panel led by…

Pakistan government to hand over power to caretaker setup next…

PAKISTAN prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced that his government will hand over the power to a caretaker setup next month. This indicated the National Assembly will be dissolved days before the completion of government’s tenure to pace the general election in November. The prime minister said last week that…

Imran Khan supports bailout deal after meeting IMF officials

PAKISTAN’S main opposition leader and former prime minister Imran Khan expressed support for a recently-reached bailout deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after a meeting with officials of the lender last Friday (7), his party said. The IMF said it was, in the lead up to national elections in…

Pakistan’s election body issues non-bailable arrest warrant against Imran Khan

Pakistan's top election body on Tuesday (11) issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against former prime minister Imran Khan in a case of contempt. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) also issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against former information and broadcast minister Fawad Chaudhry for the same offence. The commission initiated…

Thousands rally in Pakistan to condemn Sweden Koran burning

THOUSANDS of people rallied in streets across Pakistan on Friday (7) to condemn a Koran burning in Sweden that has outraged Muslims around the world. Last week, Salwan Momika, an Iraqi living in Sweden, stomped on the Muslim holy book and set several pages alight outside a Stockholm mosque. His…

Pakistan violence: Imran Khan named in terror cases

PAKISTAN'S former prime minister Imran Khan has been named in six cases of violence, including attacks on the Army’s installations this year, a media report said on Thursday (6). Three of the cases were registered under the tough Anti-Terrorism Act. Khan’s supporters breached the gates of the Army's General Headquarters…

How racism in cricket report ignores tradition

LIKE the proverbial curate’s egg, the 317-page report by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket chaired by Cindy Butts on how to eradicate racism from the game is good in parts. I am afraid I don’t agree with some of its 44 recommendations, such as the one which urges…

Pakistan ‘grants extra detention powers to graft body probing Imran…

PAKISTAN has issued a presidential ordinance granting extra detention powers to the country's anti-graft body, which is currently investigating a case involving former prime minister Imran Khan, media reported on Tuesday (4). Khan, the country's main opposition leader who has faced a string of cases since being ousted from power…

Pakistan elections: Nawaz Sharif and PPP’s Asif Zardari meet in…

Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif and former president Asif Ali Zardari have reportedly held a meeting in the UAE, a media report said on Tuesday (27). The purpose of the meeting was to consult and determine the timing of the next general elections in the country, as well as…

Exiled former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif contemplates political return

Pakistan's national assembly has passed legislation limiting how long lawmakers can be disqualified from office, a state spokesman said on Tuesday (27), paving the way for exiled former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's return to politics. Sharif served as Pakistan's prime minister three times - the last before being ousted over…

Imran Khan arrest: 102 people face military court proceedings for…

Over 100 individuals are currently undergoing trial in Pakistan military courts for their involvement in the violence that ensued after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan last month, army spokesperson Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Monday (26). Additionally, three senior officers have been relieved of their duties…

Pakistan army general sacked over violence by Imran Khan’s party

PAKISTAN'S army has sacked three senior officers, including a lieutenant general, for failing to prevent violent attacks on military assets by former prime minister Imran Khan's supporters protesting his arrest, the army's spokesperson said on Monday (26). It was a rare public announcement by the army of an internal inquiry…

Pakistan unveils £40 billion budget, with half to service debt

PAKISTAN'S cash-strapped government unveiled a Rs 14.5 trillion (£40 billion) budget on Friday (9), with more than half set aside to service Rs 7.3 trillion (£20 bn) of debt. Pakistan's economy has been stricken by a balance-of-payments crisis as it attempts to service crippling external debt, while months of political…

Watched by IMF, Pakistan to present budget amid economic, political…

PAKISTAN'S government will present its annual budget to parliament on Friday needing to satisfy the IMF to have any chance of securing the release of more bailout money, with the crisis-riven country due to hold elections by November. The risk of default on sovereign debt is rising, with the economy…

Pakistan politics: Imran Khan granted new bail as army vows…

FORMER Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan had his bail renewed in over a dozen cases on Thursday, a month after his three-day detention sparked violence, thousands of arrests, and the resignations of much of his party's leadership. The 70-year-old former international cricket star, facing more than 150 cases registered against…

Lit Fest discusses how humour can unite Indians and Pakistanis

Laughter is the best medicine, as the old saying goes, and this certainly appeared to be the case with the author Moni Mohsin, whose session was one of the hits of the recently held Khushwant Singh Lit Fest (KSLF) in London. Mohsin, who created a character called “the Social Butterfly”,…

US seeks access to designer Khadija Shah detained in Pakistan

THE UNITED STATES on Tuesday (6) called on Pakistan to grant consular access to a prominent fashion designer with dual citizenship who was detained in a wave of protests. The State Department said its diplomats have not had access to Khadija Shah, the founder of the luxury fashion brand Elan,…

Pakistan politics: Imran Khan accuses military of trying to destroy…

PAKISTAN'S embattled former Prime Minister Imran Khan has accused the powerful military and its intelligence agency of openly trying to destroy his political party, saying he had "no doubt" he would be tried in a military court and thrown in jail. Khan has hinted previously at the military's hand in…

Pakistan inflation rockets to record 37.97 per cent

Pakistan's year-on-year inflation hit a record 37.97 per cent in May, official data revealed on Thursday (1), with the nation on the brink of economic collapse and crucial bailout talks stalled. Non-perishable foods and transport costs climbed more than 50 per cent over May 2022, while average inflation for the…

Pakistan politics: Imran Khan gets bail on new charge of…

Former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan was on Tuesday (29) granted bail on a new charge of abetting violence against the military by his protesting supporters after he was arrested and detained on May 9 in a corruption case, his lawyer said. The embattled Khan, who says the corruption charges…

Pakistan ‘establishment’ closes ranks in crackdown on Imran Khan

With military courts, intimidation of the press and mass arrests, Pakistan's rulers are seeking to destroy former prime minister Imran Khan's support ahead of elections, analysts say. Khan's brief arrest earlier this month sparked days of street protests freighted with anger at the powerful army perceived to have orchestrated his…

Pakistan hands over 33 pro-Imran Khan protesters for trial in…

Thirty-three supporters of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan have been handed over to the army to face trial in military courts on charges of attacking armed forces' installations, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Friday (26). The 33 accused are among the thousands detained since Khan's May 9 arrest…

Imran Khan’s arrest: Lawyer says 16 suspects to face military…

A PAKISTANI court in the eastern city of Lahore on Thursday (25) handed 16 civilians over to the military for trial over their suspected involvement in violent protests following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan this month. The military said after the violence that the suspects would be…

Imran Khan says his party officials pressured to quit

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan said Wednesday (24) that senior leaders were being pressured into resigning from his party amid a crackdown, as a former cabinet minister became the latest to quit. Rights monitors said authorities have detained thousands of supporters of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party since days…

Pakistan considering banning Imran Khan’s party: Minister

Pakistan is considering banning former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party for attacking the state, the defence minister said on Wednesday (24), a decision likely to enrage his supporters and exacerbate his confrontation with the military establishment. The former cricket star is embroiled in the latest, critical phase of a decades…

Imran Khan’s aide Shireen Mazari quits party and active politics…

Shireen Mazari, Pakistan's former human rights minister and a close aide of ousted prime minister Imran Khan, on Tuesday (23) quit the party and announced her retirement from active politics following her arrest over the recent violence. Mazari, 72, made the announcement after she was released following her arrest for…

Pakistan police talk ‘terms and conditions’ for search of Imran…

Pakistani police and government officials arrived at the Lahore home of former prime minister Imran Khan on Friday (19) to discuss a possible search for suspects involved in this month's attacks on state and army buildings, authorities said. Police would only start the search after agreeing on terms and conditions,…

Pakistan’s anti-graft agency summons Imran Khan for questioning

Pakistan's powerful anti-corruption agency has summoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan for questioning on Thursday (18) into the graft charges that led to his arrest on May 9. A spokesman for the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), which has in the past investigated, put on trial and jailed all those who…

Imran Khan says police surround his house, fears re-arrest

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Wednesday (17) that police had surrounded his house and that he expected to be rearrested soon, after the government warned him to hand over supporters who it blamed for attacks on the army. Khan was arrested by the army on May 9…

Imran Khan’s party blames spy agencies for Pakistan violence

Former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has accused intelligence agencies of being responsible for shootings and arson during violent protests that followed his arrest last week. The former cricket superstar has waged a campaign of defiance against Pakistan’s powerful military, which controls the country’s intelligence services, since…

Pakistan high court extends bail for Imran Khan

A Pakistan high court on Tuesday (16) extended bail for former prime minister Imran Khan in two cases relating to inciting violence and sedition until June 8. A single bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) heard the pleas in cases pertaining to allegations against top officers of state institutions…

Protests against Pakistan’s top judge as Imran Khan back in…

Several thousand pro-government protesters on Monday (15) demanded the resignation of Pakistan's top judge for releasing Imran Khan from arrest last week, as the former prime minister went back to court facing yet more legal cases. Khan, who was ousted from power in April last year, was arrested on corruption…

Pakistan court orders Imran Khan’s release on bail: Lawyer

A Pakistani court ordered former Prime Minister Imran Khan's release on bail for two weeks, his lawyer said on Friday (12), following an arrest that sparked deadly unrest in the nuclear-armed nation. The arrest, ruled "invalid and unlawful" by the Supreme Court a day earlier, fuelled instability in the nation…

Imran Khan arrives in court after unlawful arrest

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan appeared at court for a bail hearing on Friday (12), after the Supreme Court ruled unlawful his arrest this week that triggered deadly clashes across the country. "Your arrest was invalid, so the whole process needs to be backtracked," Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial…

Pakistan’s top court ruled Imran Khan’s arrest was illegal, says…

Pakistan's top court on Thursday (11) ruled that the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan was illegal, his lawyer said, two days after his detention on graft allegations ignited deadly protests and a tussle with the powerful military. "The Supreme Court reversed all legal proceedings against Imran Khan ...…

Imran Khan’s U-turn from military’s man to army critic

Former prime minister Imran Khan has gone from being the chosen one to a thorn in the side of Pakistan's military - long considered the nation's political power brokers. His arrest this week - after delivering another broadside against a senior intelligence officer - marks an escalation in the duel…

Rishi Sunak: UK is monitoring situation in Pakistan carefully

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday (10) said the arrest of former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan was an internal matter of the country but the UK was monitoring the situation “carefully”. Asked about the ongoing "civil unrest" in the country by Pakistan-born Conservative MP Rehman Chishti during Prime Minister's…

Pakistan’s deepening political crisis douses hopes for IMF relief

The political crisis engulfing Pakistan is eroding hopes that the south Asian country can get its much needed programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) back on track soon and escape a full-blown debt crunch, analysts said. Deadly clashes between supporters of Imran Khan and police spread across the country…

Pakistan arrests Imran Khan’s aides; army deployed to quell unrest

Pakistani authorities took senior functionaries of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party into custody as the government called out the army to help end widespread and deadly protests sparked by Khan's arrest. At least three senior functionaries of the party have been arrested so far, one from outside the Supreme…

Imran Khan remanded in custody for eight days

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan was remanded in custody for eight days on Wednesday (10) by an anti-graft court as violent nationwide protests over his arrest erupted for a second day. Khan was arrested during a routine hearing in the capital Islamabad Tuesday (9) and whisked away to an…

Imran Khan arrest: Pakistan police arrest hundreds of PTI supporters

Police in Pakistan on Wednesday (10) detained numerous followers of the deposed prime minister Imran Khan on charges of violence following his arrest on corruption allegations, deepening a political crisis in the nuclear-armed country. The arrest of the former cricket star, who is also the country's most popular politician based…

Imran Khan arrest: What is the corruption case against him?

Imran Khan was arrested on Tuesday (9) by an anti-graft agency on corruption charges. Government officials alleged that Khan and his wife received land worth millions of dollars as a bribe from a real estate tycoon through a charitable trust. Khan and his aides have denied any wrongdoing. The developer…

Imran Khan faces court after arrest prompts riots in Pakistan

Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan is scheduled to appear in a special court located at the police headquarters in the capital city, where he will address allegations of corruption on Wednesday (10). His unexpected arrest triggered widespread violent protests throughout the country. Khan's detention comes after a prolonged period…

Imran Khan arrest: PTI supporters storm Pakistan Army headquarters

Supporters of Imran Khan on Tuesday stormed the Pakistan Army headquarters in Rawalpindi and the Corps Commander's residence in Lahore after the former prime minister was arrested in connection with a corruption case. Khan, who travelled from Lahore to capital Islamabad, was at the Islamabad High Court when the paramilitary…

Imran Khan arrested outside Islamabad court over corruption charges

Pakistan security forces arrested former Prime Minister Imran Khan at Islamabad High Court on Tuesday (9), his aides said, in a dramatic move that threatens fresh turmoil in the nuclear-armed country. Geo TV reported that cricketer-turned-politician Khan was arrested in connection with a corruption case. Footage of the arrest shared…

Man lynched for ‘blasphemy’ after Imran Khan’s party rally in…

A man was beaten to death by a mob after being accused of blasphemy at a rally for former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's party, officials said Sunday (7). Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unproven allegations can stir mobs and violence. Video of the…

Pakistan’s ruling coalition slams Imran Khan’s call for early dissolution…

Pakistan's ruling coalition has dismissed former prime minister Imran Khan’s demand to dissolve the National Assembly by May 14 as "impracticable". Ahead of the third round of talks between the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N)-led federal coalition and Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party scheduled for Tuesday (2), the government told…

Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif wins vote of confidence

Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday (27) secured a vote of confidence from the National Assembly, with 180 lawmakers expressing "full confidence" in his leadership. The surprise development comes amid an increasing confrontation between the government and the top judiciary. Foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the chairman of the Pakistan…

Imran Khan’s PTI kickstarts poll campaign in Punjab province

Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has declared to launch its election campaign in Punjab on Monday (24), despite the uncertainty surrounding the polling date in the crucial province. Asad Umar, the Secretary General of PTI, tweeted that the party is fully prepared to begin its official election campaign, even…

Pakistan spy chiefs brief Supreme Court judges on security ahead…

The heads of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Military Intelligence (MI) on Monday (17) briefed Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and two other top judges on the security issues facing Pakistan. The meeting, which lasted for more than three hours came amid a tussle between the government and the…

Imran Khan gets interim bail in three cases till May…

Imran Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has been granted interim bail until May 4 by an anti-terrorism court in Lahore. The bail is related to three cases involving violent clashes between Khan's supporters and the police during an operation to arrest the former prime minister in the…

Pakistan’s top court directs central bank to issue funds for…

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Friday (14) directed the central bank to issue funds for provincial snap polls, a court order said, a day after parliament ruled against provision of the money. The development deepened a discord between the judiciary and the government amid months of economic and political turmoil. Chief…

Toshakhana case: Lahore court to hear Imran Khan’s plea on…

A Pakistani court last week scheduled a hearing for the Toshakhana corruption case against former prime minister Imran Khan on Wednesday (12). The plea was filed through Senator Barrister Syed Ali Zafar, and the hearing will be held by a five-member bench of the Lahore High Court, led by Justice…

Pakistan minister cancels US trip, says IMF bailout on track

Pakistan finance minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday (8) said he had cancelled his trip to Washington for the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank on the orders of the prime minister due to the political situation in the country. However, Dar said he would attend important…

Pakistan minister demands Supreme Court chief justice’s resignation

The dispute between the Pakistani government and judiciary has intensified as a senior minister has called for chief justice Umar Ata Bandial to resign following a dissenting note by another Supreme Court judge regarding the holding of elections in Punjab province. Information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb demanded the chief justice's resignation,…

Pakistan Supreme Court deems delay in provincial polls illegal

According to three TV news channels and a lawyer, it has been reported on Tuesday (04) that Pakistan's Supreme Court has declared the election commission's delay of the votes as illegal and has ordered that the assembly elections in two provinces must take place by May 15. Former Prime Minister…

Imran Khan alleges Gen Bajwa pressured him to improve ties…

Imran Khan alleges that General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the former Army chief, had urged him to establish cordial relations with India. The relationship between the two countries has been fraught with tension over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism from Pakistan. However, their relationship took a nosedive after India repealed…

Pakistan court issues non-bailable arrest warrants to Imran Khan

A court in Pakistan on Wednesday (29) issued non-bailable arrest warrants to former prime minister Imran Khan in a case related to alleged threats made to a woman judge. Islamabad-based judicial magistrate Malik Aman rejected a plea by Khan's counsel to grant him exemption from in-person appearance. He also rejected…

Shehbaz Sharif appeals to parliament to act against Imran Khan

Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif appealed to parliament on Tuesday (28) to act against predecessor Imran Khan over accusations that his party was involved in violence that erupted when police tried to arrest him for alleged corruption. The clashes occurred earlier in March after Khan's supporters prevented police and paramilitary…

‘People’s passion cannot be curbed,’ says Imran Khan at Minar-e-Pakistan

FORMER Pakistan prime minister and leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, Imran Khan criticised the government led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Saturday. He stated that those who are currently in power will come to understand that the people's passion cannot be suppressed through obstacles and the…

Global Bollywood musical adventure

BOLLYWOOD has been shooting eye-catching films around the world ever since the 1950s and continued that trend with newly released Scandinavia set drama Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway. That Norway set drama combined with recent romantic comedy Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar being partly shot in Spain, and everyone looking ahead to…

Pakistani senator calls Mahira Khan ‘shameless’ for praising Shah Rukh…

Mahira Khan needs no introduction. She is one of the most successful actresses Pakistan’s cinema has ever produced. The actress is quite popular in India as well. She starred alongside Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan in the 2017 film Raees and impressed everyone with her captivating performance and sizzling chemistry…

Pakistan court reserves decision on Imran Khan’s exemption plea in…

On Tuesday (21), an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad postponed a ruling on the request by former prime minister Imran Khan to be excused from attending a hearing related to a terrorism case against him. Khan's legal representative, Sardar Masroof Khan, was present in court to file the exemption request…

Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, summoned by Pakistan’s anti-corruption watchdog

On Monday (20), Pakistan's anti-corruption watchdog summoned Imran Khan's third wife, Bushra Bibi, in a corruption case. This comes after a day when a terrorism case was registered against the former Prime Minister and over a dozen leaders of his party for their alleged involvement in vandalism and causing unrest…

Imran Khan to take legal action against ‘all officers’ part…

On Sunday (19), Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, declared his determination to pursue legal action against all officers who participated in the raid on his Zaman Park home in Lahore. During the search operation, which resulted in the brutal beating of his party workers, over 10,000 armed…

Pakistan court drops arrest warrant against Imran Khan

A PAKISTAN judge dropped an arrest warrant against former prime minister Imran Khan on Saturday (18), his lawyers said, after the ex-cricketing star, who had skipped several hearings, travelled to court. The 70-year-old has been tangled in a slew of court cases since he was ousted in a no-confidence motion…

Imran Khan fears arrest as he heads to court, police…

Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan said on Saturday he expected to be arrested as he headed to court on Saturday. The 70-year-old former cricket star has been tangled in a slew of court cases, a frequent hazard for opposition figures in Pakistan's politics. "I am going to the Islamabad…

Mahira Khan, Adnan Siddiqui express concern over chaos at Zaman…

A number of Pakistani celebrities have expressed their concern over the chaos at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s residence at Zaman Park in Lahore, Pakistan. PTI workers and police engaged in a standoff outside the home of PTI leader Imran Khan in Zaman Park for nearly 24, with the…

Pakistan’s PM calls for unity; Imran expresses willingness for dialogue

According to an aide, Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, is scheduled to appear in court on Friday (17) to support his request for a halt to a police operation aimed at arresting him for not attending a hearing. Fawad Chaudhry, the aide, informed Reuters that Khan would…

Imran Khan defies arrest under Pakistan’s ‘jungle law’

Former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan's supporters vigorously defended him against the police's attempts to arrest him. Despite the chaotic scene, the 70-year-old opposition leader maintained that he is a staunch believer in law and order. "I believe in rule of law," he told AFP inside his Lahore compound on…

Pakistan security forces withdraw from area near Imran Khan’s house

Pakistani security forces on Wednesday (15) withdrew from the area around Imran Khan's home, putting an end to clashes that erupted after police attempted to arrest the former prime minister for failing to appear in a case involving the sale of state gifts. Police and other security personnel were seen…

Several injured after Pakistan police clash with Imran Khan’s supporters

Pakistani police and Imran Khan supporters clashed outside the former prime minister's home in the eastern city of Lahore on Tuesday (14), injuring several on both sides ahead of his possible arrest, according to a government spokesman and witnesses. The police used batons to charge the supporters and lobbed teargas…

Pakistan news channel taken off air for airing Imran Khan’s…

HOURS after Pakistan's media regulator banned broadcasts of ousted prime minister Imran Khan's speeches, the private ARY TV news channel was taken off air on Monday (6) for airing his address a day earlier. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Sunday (5) night banned satellite television channels from…

Shabana Azmi on her new film What’s Love Got To…

Shekhar Kapur's What's Love Got To Do With It? has been playing in UK cinemas since last week, and has attracted praise for its light-hearted cross-cultural take on relationships. Shot in London, the film releases in India on Friday and will make audiences think a little deeper about arranged marriages…

Emma Thompson congratulates Shabana Azmi for Shekhar Kapur’s directorial What’s…

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi is basking in the success of her international project What's Love Got To Do With It. Taking to Instagram, the veteran actor posted a message she had received from none other than Emma Thompson. Shabana's post read, "Emma Thompson's message to me after she watched Shekhar…

What’s love got to do with it? Lead stars reveal…

LONDON-BORN actor Shazad Latif stressed the importance of representation in mainstream cinema as he took on his first leading role on the big screen in this week’s new release What’s Love Got to Do with It? Latif said the film, which is centred around the British Pakistani community, is of…

Lord Swraj Paul inaugurates hall in wife’s memory at London’s…

British Indian industrialist Lord Swraj Paul inaugurated a hall in memory of his late wife, Aruna, at the Indian Gymkhana Club in London. The opening of the Lady Aruna Swraj Paul Hall multisport venue in west London took place at a special event attended by British parliamentarians and diplomats last…

Why Jemima looked to the royals for her new rom-com

WRITER and producer Jemima Khan said she drew inspiration for her new film, What’s Love Got To Do With It? from the royal family to tackle the stigma around arranged marriages. Directed by Shekhar Kapur, the story centres around Kazim, played by Shazad Latif (Star Trek: Discovery, Penny Dreadful) who…

General Bajwa asked me to condemn Russian invasion of Ukraine:…

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has said General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa had asked him to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine soon after his return from Moscow, Geo News reported. Khan was quoted in the report as saying, "I talked to Russian President Vladimir Putin about procurement of…

Former Pakistan PM Abbasi says Imran can sue Bajwa for…

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML N) senior leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said former prime minister Imran Khan could move court over retired Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa's involvement in ousting his government last year, the Dawn reported. Speaking at a Dawn News broadcast on Saturday, Abbasi said the inquiry…

In West, there’s a tendency to see arranged marriage either…

Writer and television producer Jemima Khan has turned her hand to scriptwriting for a new romcom ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It?’ that captures her change of heart towards arranged marriages after seeing them up close during her life in Pakistan, as the ex-wife of former Prime Minister Imran…

Cash-strapped Pakistan reaches deal with IMF over stalled bailout package

Cash-strapped Pakistan and the IMF on Thursday signed a staff-level agreement after tough parleys, unlocking over a $ 1 billion loan tranche under Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for the country's ailing economy. A meeting took place between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation, where the…

Pakistan ‘will have to agree’ to IMF conditions for bailout:…

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Friday the government would have to agree to IMF bailout conditions that are "beyond imagination". An International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation landed in Pakistan on Tuesday for last-ditch talks to revive vital financial aid that has stalled for months. The government has held out…

Peshawar mosque blast: 17 suspects arrested as Pakistan Army chief…

Pakistan's security agencies arrested 17 suspects in connection with the suicide blast in a high-security zone mosque in Peshawar that killed 101 people, including 97 policemen, as Army chief Gen Asim Munir vowed zero tolerance for terror groups and directed his generals to eliminate the threat of militancy. A Taliban…

IMF officials meet Pakistan finance minister; discuss plans for bailout

An IMF delegation on Tuesday (31) held talks with Pakistan's Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and other officials on the cash-strapped country's economic policies and the reforms in key sectors -- an essential requisite for Islamabad to complete the much-anticipated ninth review of the $7 billion bailout programme. Pakistan entered a…

61 killed, over 150 injured in Taliban suicide attack at…

A Taliban suicide bomber blew himself up in a mosque packed with worshippers during afternoon prayers on Monday in the high-security zone in Pakistan's northwestern Peshawar city, killing at least 61 people and wounding more than 150 others, mostly policemen, security and health officials said. The blast occurred inside the…

Imran Khan accuses Zardari of paying terrorists to assassinate him

Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan on Friday accused ex-president Asif Ali Zardari of paying terrorists and hatching a fresh plan along with people in the country’s powerful intelligence agencies to assassinate him after the previous two attempts failed. Khan, during a virtual press conference from his Lahore’s Zaman Park…

My playlist with Fusion

WITH more than 20 music releases to his name, Braford-born Fusion has entertained audiences with songs like Cha Sha, Jaaniye, Aashiqui and Deewani. The singer and rapper started off 2023 by teaming up with acclaimed British Asian music producer Kami K for newly released single Influencer. The dance floor-driven track,…

PM Sharif travelling around the world with ‘begging bowl’, says…

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is travelling to different countries around the world with a "begging bowl" but none of them is giving him a penny, ousted premier Imran Khan said on Sunday. "See what this imported government has done to Pakistan," Khan, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party chairman, said in…

Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan in February: Senior PML-N…

Pakistan's deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif is likely to return to the country next month to end his over three-year self-exile in the United Kingdom, some senior leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said on Thursday. Punjab province Governor Baligur Rehman of PML-N said Nawaz's daughter and PML-N chief organiser…

UAE to rollover $2bn loan, give additional $1bn: Pakistan PM…

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday agreed to extend an existing loan of $2 billion and provide an additional loan of $1 billion to help cash-strapped Pakistan tackle its economic woes, including the fast-depleting foreign exchange reserves. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's Office made the announcement after his meeting with…

Pakistan’s Election Commission issues arrest warrants for Imran Khan, his…

Pakistan's top election body on Tuesday issued bailable arrest warrants for former prime minister Imran Khan and other top leaders of his party in a contempt case. The case is based on statements issued by top Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Chief Election Commissioner…

Imran Khan asks military to refrain from ‘political engineering’ in…

Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan has asked the powerful establishment to refrain from "political engineering" in the general elections later this year as he asserted that his party is the only party that can pull the cash-strapped country out of the current economic quagmire. Addressing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)…

Imran Khan alleges former Army chief Gen (retd.) Bajwa wanted…

In a fresh attack on Gen (retd.) Qamar Javed Bajwa, Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Imran Khan has alleged that the former army chief wanted to have him murdered and impose a state of emergency in the country. Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, made the startling allegation during…

Firing on Imran Khan carried out from 4 sites, 3…

The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the assassination attempt on Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan has said that the firing was carried out from four different sites and three more shooters, other than the arrested suspect, were involved in the attack. Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI),…

General Bajwa called me playboy during our last meeting: Imran…

Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan has said that retired Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa called him a “playboy” during their last meeting before his ouster from the Constitutional position last year through a no-confidence motion. In his interaction with media persons on Monday at his Lahore residence, the…

Former army chief Bajwa hired ex-envoy Haqqani to lobby against…

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday alleged that ex-envoy Hussain Haqqani was hired by Pakistan's former chief of army General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa to lobby against Khan, reported The Express Tribune. The Express Tribune report said: "Khan claimed that the relations between him and the former army…

‘No other option’ but to implement IMF deal: Pak PM…

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that his government has “no other option” but to implement the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme to revive the cash-starved economy. He regretted that if the government wanted to give any subsidy in any sector, it had to go to the IMF "which…

Former Pak PM Imran Khan’s ex-wife Reham Khan ties knot…

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's ex-wife Reham Khan has tied the knot with a US-based Pakistani actor and satirist Mirza Bilal. The 49-year-old British-Pakistani journalist, who was married to Khan between 2014 and 2015, announced on Twitter her marriage to Bilal in a simple Nikah ceremony in the US…

Hostage crisis: Pakistan’s special forces storm counter-terrorism centre, kill all…

Pakistan Army's special forces Tuesday stormed a counter-terrorism centre in the restive Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and killed all 33 terrorists, ending a nearly two-day long hostage crisis that had gripped the nation. Two commandos of the special forces were also killed in the rescue operation that was launched after negotiations between…

Former Pak Army chief Bajwa has lot to tell about…

Pakistan's former Army chief Gen (retd.) Qamar Javed Bajwa has a lot to tell about ousted prime minister Imran Khan, his rise in politics, and how he ran his government, a media report said on Monday. Khan, 70, has been targeting Gen Bajwa ever since his ouster from power in…

Pak ex-PM Imran says former Army chief Bajwa was ‘real…

Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Imran Khan said on Friday that he was "completely helpless" as the premier the "real man in power" was former army chief Gen (retd.) Qamar Javed Bajwa, who called all the shots. Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, has been targeting Gen Bajwa and…

Who is Tyrian White, the girl said to be Pakistan’s…

A top court in Pakistan will take up a petition on December 20 seeking the disqualification of former Prime Minister Imran Khan for "concealing" his alleged daughter's name in the nomination papers. The Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq will hear the petition on December 20 filed by a…

Mian Abdul Haq, Pakistan cleric accused of converting Hindu girls…

The UK on Friday (9) came up with sanctions against 30 people across the world, including Mian Abdul Haq, a Muslim cleric from Pakistan, in a bid to target those it thinks are responsible for violation and abuse of human rights and perpetrate sexual violence in conflict. Mian Abdul Haq…

My top 10 inspirations – Mariyam Nafees

Popular Pakistani actress Mariyam Nafees has been in-demand ever since making an impactful debut in 2015 hit drama Diyar-e-Dil. She has starred in a huge number of serials and shown off her impressive acting range with a wide array of winning performances. The beautiful small-screen star has been driven on…

Pakistan’s former premier Imran Khan accuses Gen Bajwa of playing…

Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan has accused former army chief Gen (retd.) Qamar Javed Bajwa of playing "double game" against his government and said that he committed a "big mistake" by extending the tenure of a then military chief in 2019. Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party,…

Lt Gen Asim Munir takes command as Pakistan’s 17th Army…

Pakistan army General Asim Munir on Tuesday (29) took over the command from outgoing Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Marking an end to his six-year tenure as the most powerful person in the country, Bajwa passed the baton of command to Lt Gen Munir at a…

Pakistan Army’s decision to remain apolitical will protect it from…

A day ahead of his retirement, Pakistan's Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has said that his decision to keep the military establishment "apolitical" will protect it "from the vagaries of politics" in the coup-prone country. Gen Bajwa, 61, will retire on November 29 after a three-year extension. Pakistan has…

Pakistan used like ‘hired gun’ by US in war against…

Former premier Imran Khan has lamented that the US has been using Pakistan like a "hired gun" in the war against terror and America's ties with his country are "very undignified" as compared to a very "civilised relationship" with India. His comments came days after Khan signalled his readiness to…

Pakistan names Asim Munir as new chief of powerful army

Pakistan on Thursday (24) named Lieutenant-General Asim Munir as chief of its army, an organisation that plays an extraordinarily influential role in the governance of this nuclear-armed nation. Munir, who also headed both of Pakistan's powerful spy agencies, will take over from outgoing General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who retires later…

Gen Bajwa says Pak Army’s patience to ongoing smear campaign…

Just days before his retirement, Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday (23) warned that the army's patience to the ongoing smear campaign against it may not be unlimited and asked all political leaders to set aside their ego, learn from past mistakes and move forward. He also…

Imran Khan ‘sold’ gold medal he received from India: Pak…

Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan "sold" a gold medal he received from India during his cricketing years, the country's defence minister Khawaja Asif has claimed. The 70-year-old cricketer-turned-politician is in the crosshairs these days for buying gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch he had received as prime minister at…

Imran Khan faces threat from Pakistan’s ‘enemy agency’, says minister

Pakistan's Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has said that Imran Khan faces a threat from the country's "enemy agency" but if anything happens to the former premier the real culprits will go scott-free and the entire blame would shift to the Army, the ISI, himself and prime minister Shehbaz Sharif. "It’s…

Pak defence ministry recommends five names to PMO as successor…

Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence recommended five names to the Prime Minister's Office on Monday for the appointment of a new army chief who will succeed General Qamar Javed Bajwa and assume charge on November 29, according to a media report. Under the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) 1952, the Ministry of…

Differences intensify in Pak govt over appointment of new Army…

Differences seem to have intensified in the Pakistan government over the appointment of the new Army chief with top brasses of the ruling coalition making contradictory statements on the key issue. The appointment of a successor to Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, 61, who is set to retire on…

Aamir Khan’s daughter Ira and Nupur Shikhare engaged

Superstar Aamir Khan and film producer Reena Dutta's daughter, theatre director Ira Khan, on Friday, got engaged to her long-time partner Nupur Shikhare. Ira had announced in September that she will soon get engaged to the celebrity fitness trainer. Her family members including Aamir Khan, his ex-wives Reena Dutta and…

Another attempt on Imran Khan’s life possible: Pakistan judge quotes…

There is a possibility of another assassination attempt on Imran Khan, the Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court said on Friday and asserted that it was the government’s responsibility to take cognisance of the looming threat on the former prime minister. Chief Justice Aamer Farooq’s remarks came while hearing a…

No truth to former Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s foreign conspiracy…

The US has once again categorically dismissed former Pakistan premier Imran Khan's allegations that Washington orchestrated a conspiracy to oust him from power and reiterated its resolve not to let "propaganda, misinformation and disinformation" affect the bilateral ties. The sharp response from the US came on Wednesday, days after Khan…

Want the same dignified relationship for Pakistan that the US…

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that he wants the United States to have a "dignified relationship" with Pakistan similar to what it shares with India. In a recent interview with the UK-based publication Financial Times, Khan stated that India has a "very dignified" relationship with the US.…

Imran, Sharif shower praise on ‘brave’ Pakistan after World Cup…

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and cricket great Imran Khan led tributes to Pakistan's valiant fight in Sunday's Twenty20 World Cup final against England saying the country was proud of the team led by Babar Azam. https://twitter.com/CMShehbaz/status/1591759208588144641?s=20&t=wKTwjQN5BmHCVnJfmZz9nA Pakistan made a lion-hearted effort to defend a below-par total of 137-8 at the…

‘It’s behind me’: Imran Khan takes a U-turn on ‘US…

Imran Khan has said he wants to mend relations with the US if re-elected and no longer blames it for his removal as Pakistan's prime minister, apparently taking a U-turn after accusing Washington of engineering his ouster by supporting the then Opposition’s no-confidence motion. Khan, 70, who was ousted in…

Decision on next Pak Army chief being made in London:…

The decision for the appointment of the next army chief of Pakistan will be made in London, claimed former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday as he slammed both PM Shehbaz Sharif, who is in the UK to meet his elder brother Nawaz Sharif, and Nawaz himself. "Today, a spectacle…

Pakistan drawing inspiration from ’92 win over England: Hayden

Pakistan has soaked up stories from the landmark 1992 Cricket World Cup final win over England in the lead-up to Sunday's Twenty20 decider and hopes to share their own tales of triumph in years to come, team mentor Matthew Hayden said on Friday. Imran Khan's side beat England by 22…

Pak PM heads to London to meet PML-N supremo Nawaz…

After concluding his trip to Egypt for the COP27 climate conference, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is headed to London to meet PML-N supremo, and elder brother Nawaz Sharif. This visit to London is the third such trip since he became Prime Minister in April. The Dawn newspaper reported that…

Ex-Pak PM Imran Khan says FIR on his assassination attempt…

Terming as “farcical” the FIR registered in the case in the assassination attempt on him, Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday (8) said he would give his position through his lawyers. The FIR registered by Punjab Police earlier in the day named Naveed Mohammad Basheer as the prime…

Complaint filed in London against ‘mastermind’ Nawaz Sharif for Imran’s…

A complaint has been lodged against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif by some overseas Pakistanis over the latter's alleged involvement in the attack on former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, ARY News reported on Sunday. Calling Nawaz Sharif a 'mastermind' behind the assassination attempt on the PTI chief,…

Imran Khan to be back in action in 2 to…

Pakistan’s former premier Imran Khan will return to the political arena within two to three days following surgery after being injured in an assassination bid, one of his party leaders has said. Khan, 70, suffered a bullet injury in the right leg on Thursday when a gun-wielding man fired a…

Internet goes bonkers as Indian superstar Rajinikanth’s lookalike found in…

A Pakistani man has become an overnight sensation on the internet for his uncanny resemblance to Indian superstar Rajinikanth. Rehmat Jashkori, who is a retired government official, has been described as a lookalike of Rajinikanth by many on social media. That he resembles the Tamil actor was first suggested to…

Pak Army rejects ‘baseless’ and ‘irresponsible’ allegations by Imran Khan…

The Pakistan Army has rejected as “baseless and irresponsible” the allegations made by former premier Imran Khan that one of its senior officers was among the people involved in the conspiracy to kill him and demanded the government to conduct a probe and take legal action against those maligning the…

Pak PM Sharif, Minister Sanaullah and and Major General Faisal…

Former Pakistan premier Imran Khan on Friday claimed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and Major General Faisal Naseer were part of the sinister plot to assassinate him in the same way former Punjab governor Salman Taseer was killed in 2011 by a religious extremist. Khan, 70,…

Attack on Imran Khan a manifestation of religious extremism in…

  Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Friday that the attack on Imran Khan was a manifestation of the religious extremism in the country and asserted that his party considered the ex-premier as a “political rival and not an enemy”. Khan, 70, suffered a bullet injury in the right…

Imran Khan vows to continue protest march after attack on…

Imran Khan is stable after an attempt on his life and the former Pakistan prime minister is determined to continue his political struggle to press the government to call for an early election, his party has said. Khan, 70, suffered a bullet injury in the right leg when a gun-wielding…

Jemima Goldsmith expresses relief as her ex-husband Imran Khan is…

After the announcement of Imran Khan's being safe and stable following the "assassination attempt," Goldsmith took to Twitter and conveyed their sons' gratitude to the man who caught the attacker. "The news we dread... Thank God he's okay. And thank you from his sons to the heroic man in the…

Keeping a close eye: India on attack on Imran Khan

India on Thursday (3) said it is keeping a "close" eye on developments relating to the attack on former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan during his protest march in Pakistan's Punjab province. "This is something that we are closely keeping an eye on and we will continue to monitor the…

Pakistan cricketers condemns ‘assassination attempt’ on ex-PM Imran Khan

Pakistan cricket team players and former pacer Shoaib Akhtar on Thursday condemned the attack on former Pakistan Prime Minister and legendary cricketer Imran Khan. The 1992 World Cup-winning captain was injured in a firing incident near his container during a long march he was carrying out to protest against the…

Watch: Wanted to assassinate former Pakistan PM Imran Khan because…

The man who attacked Imran Khan on Thursday during a political march in Punjab province said he tried to assassinate the former Pakistan prime minister because "he was misleading the public" and could not tolerate it. Khan, 70, was injured when the unidentified gunman opened fire on the container-mounted truck…

Imran Khan safe after ‘assassination attempt’, says his party; Pakistan…

Faisal Javed Khan, a Senator of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who was injured in "the firing incident" near the container carrying Imran Khan during the long march, has said it was an "assassination attempt" on the former Pakistan Prime Minister, according to media reports. Imran Khan has been injured in a…

Imran Khan injured in firing incident at rally in Pakistan’s…

Ex-Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been reportedly injured in a firing incident near his container during a long march he was carrying out to protest against the ruling coalition, reported ARY News. The incident took place when the Haqeeqi March entered Wazirabad. Following the firing, there was a stampede…

Shekhar Kapur’s What’s Love Got To Do With It to…

Noted Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur’s cross-cultural romantic comedy What’s Love Got To Do With It? will be the opening film at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF). Set to open theatrically in the UK on January 27, 2022, the film marks Kapur’s return to feature-length directorial after his 2007…

Ex-Pak PM Imran Khan to file £39.2m lawsuit against election…

Imran Khan on Monday (31) targeted the chief of the Election Commission of Pakistan and announced that he will file a £39.2 million defamation suit against him for destroying his reputation by disqualifying him, as the ousted premier addressed his supporters at the start of the fourth day of his…

Pakistan’s spy chief says ex-PM Khan asked military for illegal…

Pakistan's intelligence chief accused former Prime Minister Imran Khan of asking the country's powerful military for "illegal and unconstitutional" support for his government, in a scathing and unprecedented news conference on Thursday (27). The news conference by the chief of the country's powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lieutenant-General Nadeem Anjum, came…

Plan to kill TV anchor Arshad Sharif was made in…

Over the killing of TV anchor Arshad Sharif in Kenya, senior Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda said that the "plan was hatched" inside Pakistan, media reports said. These remarks by the PTI leader came hours after the Pakistani government reconstituted the inquiry committee meant to probe Sharif's killing. During…

Pakistan’s Election Commission disqualifies former PM Imran Khan for 5…

Pakistan’s Election Commission on Friday disqualified former Prime Minister Imran Khan for five years in the Toshakhana case for hiding proceeds from the sale of gifts he received from foreign leaders. After the ruling, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman cannot become a Member of Parliament for five years. The ruling…

Maryam Nawaz reunites with her father Nawaz Sharif after 3…

Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif has reunited with his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif in London three years after authorities returned her passport following a court order. Maryam, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice-president, who arrived in London on Thursday, was received by her brother Hassan Nawaz Sharif and son…

Pakistan PM Shehbaz calls Imran Khan ‘biggest liar on earth’

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has accused former premier Imran Khan of being the biggest liar on the face of the earth, alleging that the PTI chief has ruined the country's economy. In an interview with the UK newspaper The Guardian, which was cited by Dawn, Shehbaz Sharif spoke about…

Former Pak PM Nawaz Sharif’s close aide attacked in London

Rashid Nasrullah, the personal secretary of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was attacked in Ilford town in east London on Monday. The Dawn newspaper reported that Nasrullah filed a complaint with the police alleging that he was attacked and beaten by three men. Nasrullah said that the attackers threatened…

‘Chorni, Chorni’: Pakistan minister Marriyum Aurangzeb heckled at a cafe…

Pakistan’s information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has blamed the “hate and divisive politics” of previous prime minister Imran Khan for her heckling in London. In a widely shared video, a group of people, believed to be supporters of Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), can be seen harassing the minister at a…

Even friendly countries now look at Pakistan as country with…

True picture of Pakistan's devastating economic state now lay bare as the country's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed regret that even friendly countries have now started looking at Pakistan as a country that was always begging for money, media reports said. "Today, when we go to any friendly country or…

Will be more ‘dangerous’ if jailed, warns Imran Khan on…

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan on Thursday (8) threatened that he would become more dangerous if sent to jail while expressing displeasure over the heavy deployment of police outside the Islamabad High Court during the hearing of a terrorism case filed against him. PTI chief has been booked in…

Pak’s ex-PM Imran Khan moves court for pre-arrest bail in…

Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan moved the Islamabad High Court on Monday seeking pre-arrest bail, a day after he was booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act for threatening police, judiciary and other state institutions at his Islamabad rally on Saturday. The petition filed by his lawyers Babar Awan and Faisal…

Pak media watchdog imposes ban on broadcasting ex-PM Imran Khan’s…

Pakistan's media watchdog has banned broadcasting live speeches of former prime minister Imran Khan on all satellite television channels with immediate effect, hours after he threatened state institutions and government officials while addressing a rally in Islamabad. Khan, while addressing a public gathering here on Saturday, threatened to file cases…

India’s enviable economic boom

THE 1990s were a time of hope in India. One of my jobs at the Daily Telegraph was to travel regularly to India and do surveys of the Indian economy. While I would do the journalistic interviews, an accompanying colleague from advertising would try to persuade captains of industry to…

Imran Khan’s PTI hired CIA veteran to lobby, manage US…

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), when in power, took the aid of a former CIA veteran in order to lobby and manage Islamabad's ties with the US, local media said citing reports. With this, an American consulting firm Grenier Consulting LLC, run by the Central Investigation…

Pakistan descending into a banana republic, says Imran Khan

Pakistan is "descending into a banana republic", said former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday amid the controversy surrounding the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill, which the PTI chief claims is a conspiracy to target him and his party. Gill was arrested by the police on August…

Nawaz Sharif will be back in Pakistan next month: Minister

A FEDERAL minister in Pakistan's ruling PML-N on Monday (15) announced that the party's supreme leader and deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif will return to the country from London next month, ending a three-year self-exile. “Former prime minister Sharif will return to Pakistan from London in September. Upon his return,…

Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Bajwa celebrates Pak Independence Day…

Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa celebrated the country's 76th Independence Day at the Pakistan Embassy in London where Ukrainian pop star and wife of British-Pakistani business tycoon Muhammad Zahoor, Kamaliya, gave a singing performance. Pakistani billionaire Mohammad Zahoor, the former publisher of Kyiv Post, has reportedly helped purchase…

‘Racist’ stop and search forced Hesham Sharif to forego his…

A man from Leeds has given up his plans to become a police officer he was subjected to a stop and search which he believed was based on 'racist profiling'. Hesham Sharif, 33, a British Somali, always wanted to follow a similar career path as his brother who is an officer…

Journalists condemn the arrest of Pakistani news channel head, threaten…

The journalists' bodies and press clubs termed the arrest of ARY News senior Vice President an act of victimization and said that journalists will call for a nationwide protest if Ammad Yousaf is not released immediately, ARY News reported. Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in its statement said that…

Probe against Pakistani charities launched in the UK in a…

Amid an ongoing probe into Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)'s prohibited funding case agencies in the United Kingdom have started investigations into the misuse of funds by Pakistan charity organizations into misuse of funds. Sources privy to the matter said that the British agencies have started the investigation against Pakistani charities after…

Pakistan: Hamza Shehbaz flies to the UK to ‘explain’ Punjab…

Hamza Shehbaz, former chief minister of Pakistan's Punjab province reached London on Thursday to reportedly explain himself to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif about the party's defeat in the key by-polls to Imran Khan's PTI. PTI won 15 out of 20 provincial seats that were up for grabs in Pakistan's most…

Ex-Pak PM Imran Khan in the dock after election commission…

In a setback to ousted prime minister Imran Khan, Pakistan's election commission on Tuesday issued a show cause notice to his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party for receiving prohibited funding from 34 foreign nationals and 351 foreign-based companies. A three-member bench of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), comprising Chief Election Commissioner…

‘Cricket match’ in UK created pitch for Imran Khan’s political…

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the party formed by former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan whose political rise has stemmed from anti-corruption rhetoric, had received funding via a private cricket tournament organised by a Pakistani tycoon, the Financial Times reported. The report said that Pakistani tycoon Arif Naqvi, founder of Dubai-based Abraaj Group,…

Can talk to TTP, separatists, but not to Shahbaz govt:…

Referring to leaders of Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) as thieves, The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said that he can hold talks with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the separatists of Balochistan and Sindh, but cannot sit down for talks with the Shahbaz Sharif government. The remarks came while…

Pakistan may go for early elections: PML-N Minister after Imran’s…

After former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won the Punjab bypolls, PML-N leader and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that early elections are on the cards however the decision will only be finalized post discussion with the coalition parties. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Sanaullah made…

Imran Khan’s foreign conspiracy allegations ‘very disturbing’: US Official

A top US State Department official said that the foreign conspiracy allegations by former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan were "very disturbing" and asserted that there is no truth in them. The remarks were made by Director Pakistan Desk Neil W. Hop while addressing a convention of Pakistani physicians in…

Pak Supreme Court rejects Imran Khan”s claims of regime change…

Pakistan's Supreme Court has rejected the claims of regime change conspiracy as propagated by ousted prime minister Imran Khan to gain political mileage. Khan was removed through a no-confidence motion on April 10 but he refused to accept the decision by the Parliament and accused the United States of orchestrating…

Pakistan: Government targeting journalists, says former Minister Rasheed

Pakistan's former Home Minister Shaikh Rasheed on Friday said that the government is targeting journalists in the country. Popular news anchor Imran Riaz Khan was arrested on Tuesday near the outskirts of Islamabad, hours after he claimed that his life was under threat. Khan was heading to Islamabad when he…

Pakistan’s future is tied up with Russia: Imran Khan

Even as the Western bloc continues to impose sanctions on Moscow, former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has said that Pakistan's future is tied to Russia. In an interview with German broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW), the beleaguered PTI chief, said it was good to take a moral stand on the…

Imran Khan’s party apologises to US for ‘foreign conspiracy’ allegations:…

In a fresh revelation, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party has now apologized to the US against whom it had levelled allegations of planning to conspire to throw the cricketer-turned-politician out of power. He said that the government has procured all the evidence…

The government will not survive, but you salaried people will…

Former Pakistani Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday asked the Punjab police and bureaucracy not to follow any illegal orders of the provincial government during the upcoming local elections. Imran Khan claimed that despite the pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), his government had…

US Senator blames Imran Khan for strained Washington-Islamabad relations

US Senate Majority Leader Charles E Schumer on Tuesday blamed former prime minister Imran Khan for strained relations between the US and Pakistan. "Your former prime minister did not talk positive about the US but the incumbent Pakistani premier is expected to help foster bilateral ties between Pakistan and the…

Pakistan PM Sharif announces 10% super tax on large-scale industries

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday announced a 10 per cent super tax on large-scale industries like cement, steel and automobile, a move he said was aimed at tackling spiralling inflation and saving the cash-strapped country from going "bankrupt." High net worth individuals will also be subject to a…

‘If this is an IMF budget, then who has tied…

Pakistan Federal Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman on Wednesday accused Imran Khan's policies of bringing the country on the verge of bankruptcy and said that they are left with no choice but to accept the budget on the terms of International Monetary Funds.While taking part in a debate on…

India, US, and Israel have the agenda to target Pakistan’s…

Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan on Sunday said that his party will continue protests against Pakistan's 'imported' government till the announcement of fresh elections.The PTI chief asked his party workers to be prepared for his call as they want a date for fresh elections and protests will be continued till…

Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal makes pitch for re-engagement with India

PAKISTAN's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday (16) made a strong pitch for re-engaging with India, saying cutting ties with New Delhi would not serve the country's interests as Islamabad was already internationally isolated and disengaged. Addressing the Founding Day ceremony at the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad, Bilawal…

Pakistan: Spouses of Shehbaz Sharif, Imran Khan richer than their…

THE wives of prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and his predecessor Imran Khan are richer than their husbands, according to the statements of assets filed for the fiscal year ending on June 30 of 2020 with the Election Commission of Pakistan. Khan owns four goats worth £796, possesses six properties, as…

Why Pakistan is asking its people to drink fewer cups…

A senior minister in Pakistan has urged People to drink fewer cups of tea to save the country's economy, according to reports.  "I appeal to the nation to cut down the consumption of tea by one to two cups because we import tea on loan," minister Ahsan Iqbal was quoted…

Pakistan finance minister warns of default if fuel subsidies not…

PAKISTAN will default if the government does not abolish the subsidies on petroleum products, finance minister Miftah Ismail has said, warning that the cash-strapped country's economy could be in a similar position as that of Sri Lanka if tough decisions were not taken. Ismail claimed that the government was still…

‘Attack on constitution’: Oppn lashes out at Shehbaz govt over…

Pakistan's spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which is known for having overarching in the politics of Pakistan, has now been granted the power by the Shehbaz Sharif government to screen appointments of bureaucrats, a move which is being termed an "attack on the constitution" by the Opposition parties. The political…

Imran Khan’s anti-America rhetoric damages Pakistan’s relations with West: Report

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's anti-American rhetoric and his accusations against the US for conspiring to oust him from power is damaging the country's relations with the west, according to an analysis.Pakistan's economy is already facing a huge challenge and the country often turns to Western-led multilateral financial institutions…

Pakistan going through ‘very difficult’ phase, says FM Ismail a…

Pakistan is going through a "very difficult" phase, said the country's Finance Minister Miftah Ismail on Saturday, a day after he presented the federal budget 2022-23 in the National Assembly. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the minister began by cautioning that Pakistan was going through an unprecedented period, which…

Pakistan’s ex-military dictator General Pervez Musharraf critical in UAE: Ex-minister

Pakistan’s former military dictator General Pervez Musharraf is critical and on a ventilator support at a hospital in the UAE, his close aide and former information minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Friday. Gen. Musharraf, 78, ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008. “Musharraf is critical as he is on a ventilator,”…

‘They used to say we are incompetent but you can…

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan on Thursday blamed the Shehbaz Sharif-led government for rising inflation in the country which is adversely affecting the overburdened population.Khan maintained that the people of Pakistan will "now find out what inflation actually is," reported Geo News. The former prime…

‘Biggest protest in Pakistan’s history’ within next few days: Imran…

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that he would within the next few days finalise the date for the "biggest protest in Pakistan's history"."We have to go all-in for our campaign for true freedom in the next phase. I will give a date within the next few days,"…

Imran Khan vows to continue ‘Azadi March’, challenges Pakistani govt…

Former Pakistan prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday challenged the Shehbaz Sharif-led government to stop him from leading the Azadi March movement.The PTI chief warned the government that whether it puts his party members in jail or employs other tactics, PTI's movement against the government…

No compromise on country’s nuclear program: Pakistani Army

Pakistani Army on Monday said that country's nuclear capability is the guarantor of deterrence and defence of the motherland and no compromise will be made on the country's nuclear program.This comes after Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier said that the country will lose its deterrent nuclear capabilities if…

Will carry out suicide attack if Imran Khan harmed: Pakistan…

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party lawmaker Attaullah has threatened Shehbaz Sharif government to carry out a suicide attack if even a "single hair strand" of party Chairman Imran Khan's head is harmed, adding that his partymen are ready to carry 'suicide attacks'."If a single hair on Imran Khan's head is harmed, then…

If Imran Khan arrested, PTI warns of strong retaliation

After Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah issued a warning regarding Imran Khan's possible arrest upon the expiry of his bail, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) members warned of a "strong backlash" from its workers.PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi asked PTI workers to come up with a "quick response" if Imran Khan is arrested,…

Imran Khan’s political rhetoric becoming increasingly irrelevant, says geopolitical analyst

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's political rhetoric on conspiracy theories is increasingly becoming irrelevant and his narrative phony, said a geopolitical analyst.Writing for Pakistan's local media outlet The News International, Jan Achakzai, a political analyst, said that Imran Khan's narratives and his pressure tactics on Pakistan's establishment and on…

Pakistan to raise defence spending: Will it stifle economic growth?

Pakistan's armed forces are likely to be allocated Rs 1.4 trillion (USD 7.6 billion) in the budget for the next fiscal year, about Rs 83 billion higher than the current year, a media report said on Sunday.Defence spending often comes under scrutiny at the time of the announce ment of…

Pakistan’s civil aviation employee seeks permission to ride donkey cart…

AN employee of Pakistan's civil aviation authority has sought permission to ride a donkey cart to work after the government once again raised the fuel prices, according to a media report. In a letter to the director-general of the civil aviation authority (CAA), Raja Asif Iqbal, who has been in…

Didn’t have absolute authority, actual power centre lies elsewhere: Imran…

IN an unusual attack on Pakistan's powerful military, ousted prime minister Imran Khan has admitted that his government was a "weak one" which was "blackmailed from everywhere" as the power was not with him and "everyone knows where that is" Khan was ousted from power in April after losing a…

‘Difficult but not impossible’: Pakistan seeks $5 billion bilateral trade…

PAKISTAN prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has invited Turkish businesses to invest in his country, saying Islamabad “sincerely” seeks to strengthen bilateral ties with Ankara.Promising that his government would provide “all facilities” to investors, he said alternative energy, automobile industry and agriculture sectors of Pakistan offered ample business opportunities.Sharif told the…

Imran Khan’s supporters were carrying automatic weapons at Azadi rally,…

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has claimed that protesters in the Azadi March were carrying not only guns but also automatic weapons on the orders of ousted prime minister Imran Khan. Khan led his thousands of supporters of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party to Islamabad last Wednesday in a protest and…

Here’s why Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif called himself a ‘Majnoo’…

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif testified on Saturday (28) in a special court hearing in the Pakistan Rupee 16 billion money laundering case against him that he had refused to take any salary when he was the Chief Minister of Pakistan's Punjab province, and called himself a "majnoo" for doing…

Pakistanis flood Twitter with memes and jokes after highest-ever hike…

Pakistan on Thursday (26) announced it would hike fuel prices so that it could resume receiving aid from a $6 billion (£4.75 bn) package signed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2019.Fuel prices rose by 20 per cent from Friday (27) - petrol now costs Rs 179.86 (72p) per…

PM Shehbaz warns Imran Khan, says ‘Your dictation won’t work…’

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday (26) that the National Assembly would decide the date for fresh polls. "I want to clarify to the leader of this group (PTI), your dictation won't work. This house will decide when to hold elections," said the premier while speaking on the…

Now, Imran Khan praises India for this reason…

WHEN India refused to succumb to the Western pressure to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine earlier this year, the praise for New Delhi’s diplomatic tightrope walk came from unexpected quarters.Pakistan’s then prime minister Imran Khan found merit in India’s “independent foreign policy” and even said his government was also…

Focus UK aid to Pakistan on addressing blasphemy laws, militancy:…

BRITISH aid needs to be better targeted towards addressing “controversial” blasphemy laws and militant activities which have a “disproportionate impact” on religious minorities in the south Asian country, a UK parliamentary panel said in a review last Friday (29). The House of Commons International Development Committee unveiled its report, ‘UK…

Pakistan prime minister Sharif arrives in Saudi for first foreign…

Pakistan's new prime minister Shehbaz Sharif began his maiden foreign trip Thursday, arriving in Saudi Arabia in a bid to enhance financial support from a country where he spent years in exile. The kingdom has long been an intelligence partner for Pakistan as well as a regular source of relief…

Politics in the blood

THE more things change in Pakistan, the more they remain the same. At the time of writing, reports from Pakistan indicate Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is to be his country’s new foreign minister in Shehbaz Sharif’s government. The 33-year-old is the son of Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan’s first and only woman prime minister…

India says talks with Pakistan only after ‘terror’ stops

New Delhi on Thursday ruled out any formal talks with Pakistan unless India's neighbour stops supporting "cross-border terrorism", as a new government comes to power in Islamabad. The recent appointment of Shehbaz Sharif as Pakistan's new prime minister has raised hopes of an easing of tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals,…

Afridi proud to be part of Pakistan’s English county contingent

Paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi hopes Pakistan will reap the benefits of their players' involvement in English county cricket as he prepares for his home debut with Middlesex. The young bowler is one of 10 Pakistani cricketers who have signed as overseas players for at least part of the 2022 season.…

Bilawal Bhutto appointed Pakistan foreign minister

THE SCION of Pakistan's most influential political dynasty was appointed foreign minister on Wednesday (27), the latest step up a ladder likely to take Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to the top of the country's leadership.Aged 33, Bhutto becomes one of the world's youngest foreign ministers but inherits a diplomatic bag of…

Female suicide bomber kills three Chinese nationals in Pakistan

A WOMAN suicide bomber from a Pakistan separatist group killed four people, including three Chinese nationals, in an attack on a minibus carrying staff from the Confucius Institute at Karachi University on Tuesday (26).The Baloch Liberation Army - one of several groups fighting for independence in Pakistan's biggest province -…

Putin, Pakistan leader ‘quietly exchange letters to enhance ties’

PAKISTAN'S new prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and Russian president Vladimir Putin have quietly exchanged letters to strengthen bilateral relations, a media report has said. The letters were exchanged after the election of Shehbaz as the prime minister but both the sides kept development away from the media glare in what seemed to be a move aimed at…

Bilawal Bhutto to meet former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in…

THE Chairman of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto is likely to meet Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif in London on Wednesday (20), a day after he excused himself from taking oath as the foreign minister.  The two leaders are expected to "discuss the current political situation" in…

Six sentenced to death in Pakistan for ‘blasphemy’ killing of…

A PAKISTAN court Monday (18) sentenced six men to death and dozens more to jail for the brutal mob slaying of a Sri Lankan factory manager accused of blasphemy.The vigilante attack in Sialkot last December 3 caused outrage, with then prime minister Imran Khan calling it a "day of shame…

Pakistan pitches for ‘meaningful engagement’ with India

PAKISTAN prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has written a letter to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi pitching for "meaningful" engagement between the two countries.Sharif's communication came in response to a letter from Modi congratulating him on becoming the prime minister, people familiar with the development said on Sunday (17).In his letter…

US says ties with Pakistan are ‘vital’

THE US has said that it was looking forward to working with Pakistan's new government led by prime minister Shehbaz Sharif.Pakistan's relations with the US have been lukewarm, especially under the Biden administration. The ties touched a new low after Imran Khan, who was ousted as Pakistan’s prime minister earlier…

Pakistan Army chief to retire in November ‘no matter what’

PAKISTAN’S Army has said it has "nothing to do with politics" as it asserted that its chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa will retire on November 29 "no matter what."Amidst a vicious social media campaign against the powerful "establishment" for not backing former prime minister Imran Khan, military spokesman major general…

Pakistan not to roll back fuel, power subsidies

PAKISTAN'S new government has decided not to roll back billions in fuel subsidies for the time being despite the strain on public funds, citing the possible backlash if it were to raise fuel prices just days after taking power.Former premier Imran Khan, who was ousted in a confidence vote earlier…

Sharif implements ‘Pakistan speed’ policy to fix economy

Pakistan's new prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said Thursday the country's economy had stagnated under his predecessor Imran Khan, setting the tone for possibly months of bitterness before an election that must be held by October next year. Sharif, sworn in Monday after Khan was ousted by a no-confidence vote in…

What’s next for Pakistan after Imran Khan’s ouster?

A PROTRACTED political drama in Pakistan turned a page on April 10, with prime minister Imran Khan being removed from office following a vote of no confidence in the country’s Parliament.He was replaced by opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif. But that is unlikely to be the end of political turmoil in…

US congratulates Pakistan’s new prime minister

THE UNITED STATES on Wednesday (13) congratulated Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, newly elected following the weekend ouster of Imran Khan, who accused Washington of involvement in a conspiracy to force him from power.Khan was dismissed on Sunday (10) after losing a no-confidence vote, and Sharif elected by Pakistan lawmakers…

Neither Army nor foreign country can safeguard Pakistan’s democracy: Imran…

PAKISTAN’S former prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday (12) called for early general elections and emphasised that neither the Army nor any foreign country could safeguard democracy in the south Asian nation.In a video message posted on his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party's official Twitter handle, days after he lost a…

Pakistan abolishes five-day work week in government offices

PAKISTAN'S new prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has abolished five-day work week in government offices as he attempted to revive the cash-strapped country's economy.Sharif also changed office hours to 8 am instead of 10:00 am. He announced that only Sunday will be the weekly-off day in government offices.“We have come to…

Pakistan’s new prime minister Shehbaz Sharif is a ‘hard-core realist’

PAKISTAN’S new prime minister Shehbaz Sharif is a ‘hard-core realist’ and has over the years earned the reputation as a matter-of-fact person.Shehbaz, the younger brother of three-time prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, has served as the chief minister of the country's most populous and politically…

Shehbaz Sharif elected as Pakistan’s new prime minister

PAKISTAN lawmakers on Monday (11) elected Shehbaz Sharif as the country's new prime minister following the weekend ouster of Imran Khan, who resigned from the National Assembly along with most of his party members.Khan was dismissed on Sunday (10) after losing a no-confidence vote, paving the way for an unlikely…

Shehbaz Sharif likely to become Pakistan’s new prime minister

SHEHBAZ SHARIF, expected to become Pakistan's new prime minister Monday (11) after leading the opposition alliance that ousted Imran Khan, is a tough administrator with a penchant for quoting revolutionary poetry. Sharif is the younger brother of three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who was dismissed then jailed on corruption charges…

Imran Khan dismissed as Pakistan prime minister after losing no-confidence…

Imran Khan was dismissed on Sunday as Pakistan prime minister after losing a no-confidence vote in parliament following weeks of political turmoil. It was not immediately clear when a new premier will be chosen, but Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) chief Shehbaz Sharif was almost certain to be picked to lead…

Pakistan lawmakers clash as no-trust debate begins

PAKISTAN lawmakers clashed angrily in the National Assembly on Saturday (9) ahead of a no-confidence vote on prime minister Imran Khan that will likely see him booted from office.The speaker adjourned proceedings without giving a reason after just 30 rowdy minutes, ordering lawmakers to return in the afternoon.Khan, who was…

Imran Khan vows to fight on after court rules against…

PAKISTAN'S prime minister Imran Khan is due to address the nation on Friday (8) after the Supreme Court ruled he acted unconstitutionally in blocking an attempt to oust him - a decision that could end his premiership in days.Last Sunday (2), political allies of the former cricket star dissolved parliament…

Pakistan court orders Imran Khan to face no-confidence vote

PAKISTAN'S Supreme Court ruled on Thursday (7) that the National Assembly had been illegally dissolved, and ordered parliament to reconvene to hold a no-confidence vote that will likely see prime minister Imran Khan booted from office.Khan asked the president to dissolve the assembly after the deputy speaker refused to allow…

No-trust motion: Verdict on Imran Khan’s actions likely tomorrow

PAKISTAN'S top court could rule on Thursday (7) on prime minister Imran Khan's move to block an opposition attempt to oust him, a step his critics say is unconstitutional and has touched off political turmoil.Khan, a former cricket star, lost his parliamentary majority last week and had faced a no-confidence…

Pakistan president wants election date set as political crisis continues

Pakistan president Arif Alvi told the election commission on Wednesday to fix a date for a new national ballot, as the supreme court sat to decide the legality of political manoeuvres that led to parliament being dissolved. The court must rule if the deputy speaker of the national assembly violated…

Pakistan’s top court resumes hearing on prime minister Khan’s bid…

Pakistan's top court resumed deliberations on Tuesday about the legality of prime minister Imran Khan's attempt to block an opposition bid to oust him, a dispute that has led to political turmoil in the nuclear-armed country. Former cricket star Khan lost his parliamentary majority last week and had been facing…

Pakistan court adjourns no-trust vote hearing

POLITICAL turmoil intensified in Pakistan after the country’s supreme court adjourned on Tuesday (5) without ruling on the legality of political manoeuvres that led prime minister Imran Khan to dissolve the national assembly and call fresh elections.Former cricket star Khan lost his parliamentary majority last week and faced a no-confidence…

Imran Khan nominates former chief justice as Pakistan’s caretaker prime…

PAKISTAN'S former chief justice Gulzar Ahmed was on Monday (4) nominated for the office of the caretaker prime minister by incumbent Imran Khan, amid the ongoing political crisis in the country.Former information minister and senior leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party Fawad Chaudhry said Khan made the decision after approval…

Imran Khan outfoxes opposition

REGARDED as a wily cricket captain during his playing days, Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan appeared on Sunday (3) to have stumped his political opposition as well.The country's president dissolved the national assembly just hours after the deputy speaker declined to accept a no-confidence motion that would likely have seen…

Pakistan politics: Imran Khan recommends fresh elections

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan called on Sunday (3) for the president to dissolve parliament and hold a fresh election, minutes after the National Assembly deputy speaker declined to hear a no-confidence motion into his rule. In an address on state TV, Khan said there had been unacceptable interference in…

Pakistan minister claims ‘plot to kill Imran Khan reported’

PAKISTAN'S information minister Fawad Chaudhry on Friday (1) claimed that a plot to assassinate prime minister Imran Khan has been reported by the country's security agencies.Khan's security has been beefed up as per the government's decision after these reports, the Dawn newspaper quoted Chaudhry as saying.His statement came a week…

Imran Khan slams US for ‘meddling in Pakistan politics’

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan has accused the United States of meddling in Islamabad's politics - a claim quickly denied by Washington - as a debate on a no-confidence motion against him in parliament was postponed.No Pakistan premier has ever seen out a full term, and Khan is facing the…

Pakistani Taliban announce Ramadan offensive against security forces

The Pakistani Taliban on Wednesday announced it would launch a Ramadan offensive against security forces, after claiming an attack which the military said killed at least six of its soldiers. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a separate movement that shares common roots with the militants that took power in Afghanistan last…

No-trust motion: Pakistan parliament session adjourned

PAKISTAN'S parliament session was on Thursday (31) adjourned abruptly till Sunday (3) after opposition lawmakers demanded an immediate vote on a no-confidence motion against prime minister Imran Khan.The adjournment came amid vociferous protest from the opposition who had tabled the motion on March 28. Khan has suffered further setbacks as…

US denies role in Pakistan’s politics

THE US has asserted that it did not send any letter to Pakistan on the current political situation in the south Asian country, a media report said on Thursday (31).  Pakistan's embattled prime minister Imran Khan has recently claimed the opposition's no-confidence motion against his government is the result of a…

No-trust motion: Main ally deserts Imran Khan’s government

A MAIN ally of Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's government has reached a pact with opposition parties seeking to oust him, a party official said on Wednesday (30).The move signalled the prime minister may be running out of options as he tries to stay in power.Former cricket star Khan, 69,…

Imran Khan faces test of his political life

PAKISTAN'S opposition has tabled a no-trust motion against prime minister Imran Khan as defections in his party and cracks in the ruling coalition appeared to have made his position fragile.The National Assembly, the lower house of the bicameral parliament, will begin a debate on the motion on Thursday (31) and…

Vidyut Jammwal to star in and as Sher Singh Raana

Bollywood actor Vidyut Jammwal, who has mostly headlined films in the action genre, has signed on to star in an upcoming biopic, a first for him. Titled Sher Singh Raana, the film tells the incredible story of a staunch Rajput who undertook the most dangerous journey of bringing back the…

Imran Khan claims foreign ‘conspiracy’ to unseat him

PAKISTAN'S embattled prime minister Imran Khan has claimed foreign powers are involved in a “conspiracy” to topple his coalition government.Addressing a rally of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party (PTI) in Islamabad on Sunday (27), Khan said foreign elements are using local politicians and money to “mend the country's foreign policy”.He asserted…

No-trust motion against Imran Khan delayed till Monday

THE SPEAKER of Pakistan's parliament adjourned a motion of no-confidence in prime minister Imran Khan on Friday (25), provoking opposition accusations he was buying time for the ex-cricketer to muster support after a spate of defections from his party.The motion will now be tabled on Monday (28) after which seven…

Imran Khan says he will not resign, but allies may…

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan has said he will not resign at any cost, even as at least three allies of the ruling coalition have indicated to vote against his government during a no-trust motion later this month."I will not resign under any circumstance. I will play till the last…

Imran Khan faces toughest challenge to his rule in four…

FOREIGN ministers of Muslim nations began meeting in Pakistan on Tuesday (22) as the country's leader trumpets his Islamic credentials while at the same time battling the most serious challenge to his rule in four years.The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is meeting in Islamabad with an ambitious agenda that…

Imran Khan praises India’s ‘independent foreign policy’

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan on Sunday (20) lauded India for following an “independent foreign policy”.Addressing a public rally in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, he said India, which is part of the Quad grouping, has imported crude oil from Russia despite American sanctions on Moscow.The Quad grouping has the US, India,…

Imran Khan faces toughest test as no-trust move looms

PAKISTAN'S parliament will convene on Friday (25) to take up a no-confidence motion against prime minister Imran Khan, the lower house speaker's office has said, in what is shaping up to be his toughest test since coming to power in 2018.An alliance of opposition parties filed the motion against Khan…

Pakistan’s opposition submits no-trust motion against Imran Khan

PAKISTAN'S opposition parties have submitted a no-confidence motion against prime minister Imran Khan, holding his government responsible for the spiralling inflation.The motion, signed by about 100 lawmakers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), was submitted to the National Assembly Secretariat on Tuesday (8)."We have taken…

Imran Khan slams Western envoys’ letter on Russia

PAKISTAN’S prime minister Imran Khan has hit out at Islamabad-based Western envoys who last week urged the south Asian country to condemn Russia's actions in Ukraine, asking them if they thought Pakistan was their "slave".The heads of 22 diplomatic missions, including those of European Union member states, released a joint…

UK calls off top Pakistan official’s visit over ‘stand on…

THE UK government has unilaterally called off a scheduled visit of Pakistan's National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf to London apparently because of Islamabad's policy towards Russia's military offensive against Ukraine, according to a media report.The visit, which was scheduled for next week, was called off on Friday (4) without mentioning…

Sri Lanka ends widely condemned Muslim burial policy

Sri Lanka on Thursday ended a heavily criticised policy that required Muslim Covid-19 victims to be buried at a remote government-designated site in the absence of their families or final religious rites. Only a year ago, Colombo reversed an initial policy of enforced cremations -- prohibited by Islam -- under…

64 killed in Pakistan’s Shia mosque blast

A POWERFUL suicide blast ripped through a crowded Shia mosque during a Friday congregation in Pakistan's northwestern Peshawar city, killing at least 64 people.A rescue official said the blast occurred at a Jamia mosque in Qissa Khwani bazaar area in Peshawar when the worshippers were offering prayers. Peshawar’s senior police…

Imran Khan, Putin discuss Ukraine and south Asia

RUSSIA'S president Vladimir Putin met Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan in Moscow on Thursday (24) in his first face-to-face talks since the start of a special military operation in eastern Ukraine. During their meeting in the Kremlin, the leaders discussed bilateral cooperation and current regional topics, including developments in south…

Pakistan introduces fake news law targeting criticism of military, judiciary

Pakistan's government has introduced a new cybercrime law that could see social media users jailed for up to five years for posting "fake news" about the military, judiciary or public officials. Critics say the legislation is the latest example of creeping restrictions on freedom of expression in the nation, already…

Imran Khan seeks televised debate with Modi

PAKISTAN’S prime minister Imran Khan said on Tuesday (22) he would like to have a televised debate with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, to resolve differences between the two neighbours."I would love to debate with Narendra Modi on TV," Khan told Russia Today in an interview, adding that it would…

Imran Khan’s first visit to Russia from February 23

PRIME minister Imran Khan will travel to Russia on Wednesday (23) on a two-day visit - the first by a Pakistan premier in more than two decades.Khan will hold talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin and review the bilateral ties including energy cooperation besides exchanging views on major regional and…

Soulful Asian sounds of a Scandinavian music star

NORWAY-BASED SINGER SYED ALI DISCUSSES HIS UNIQUE MODERN-CLASSICAL STYLE NORWAY is famously associated with fantastic fjords, mountains, skiing, phenomenal footballers, and winning loads of medals at the winter Olympics, but it also has a talented singer connected to his south Asian roots, who is producing popular songs. Syed Ali learned…

Mentally challenged man stoned to death in Pakistan over ‘blasphemy’

A MIDDLE-AGED mentally challenged man was stoned to death and his body hung from a tree by a mob for allegedly desecrating a religious book in a remote village in Pakistan's Punjab province.The incident, coming months after the lynching of a Sri Lankan national, has sparked nationwide outrage.Police said on…

US has always used Pakistan: Imran Khan

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan said the US has always used his country to meet its strategic goals and when the purpose was served, it abandoned and slapped sanctions on Islamabad.China, on the contrary, stood the test of time as a "friend", he said.Khan made the remarks during a recent…

Lata will live for ever

I DON’T think I would have the courage to do it now, but back in 1998 – when I was even more foolish – I said yes when the BBC asked if I would talk about Lata Mangeshkar for a Radio 4 show called Distant Divas. What eased my nervousness…

INCOMPARABLE LATA, INDIA’S NIGHTINGALE STILL SINGS

Health secretary, Sajid Javid and London mayor, Sadiq Khan, have led tributes to Lata Mangeshkar, who passed away on Sunday (6). The Bollywood legend and playback singer died after a long illness caused by contracting Covid. She was afforded the sobriquet of the “Nightingale of India”, and the popularity of…

Firing from Afghanistan kills 5 Pakistan troops

AT LEAST five Pakistan soldiers were killed due to firing from neighbouring Afghanistan, Islamabad said on Sunday (6), in an attack claimed by the Pakistan Taliban.It comes just days after Baloch separatists in the southwest killed nine Pakistan troops in a series of brazen attacks that officials said involved planners…

South Asian leaders pay tribute to Lata Mangeshkar

TOP leaders of south Asian countries paid their tribute to veteran Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar who passed away in Mumbai on Sunday (6).Mangeshkar is counted as one of India's greats with an estimated 25,000 songs in an almost eight-decade career.In a message of condolence, Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina said…

Pakistan bans hockey player for criticising Imran Khan

PAKISTAN'S sports authorities have banned for 10 years hockey player Rashid-ul-Hasan, a member of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics gold medal winning team, for allegedly using offensive language against prime minister Imran Khan.Rashid, 62, while categorically denying the allegations of using offensive language, is considering the option to challenge the…

Pakistan may bar dual nationality for officials

PAKISTAN’S lawmakers are mulling an amendment to the civil service rules that will bar top government officials from holding dual nationality.The proposed law could affect over 20,000 bureaucrats, according to a media report on Friday (4).The Pakistan Citizenship Act 1951 explicitly allows a citizen of Pakistan to hold dual nationality.However,…

Pakistan army battles separatist militants for third day

Pakistan troops battled separatists in Balochistan province for a third day Friday, with a security official saying militants timed their assaults to derail prime minister Imran Khan's visit to China. Islamabad and Beijing have forged strong ties in recent years, centred on infrastructure projects along an economic corridor linking China's…

Filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar launches his own production house AAZ…

Filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar, known for helming such box-office hits as Mere Brother Ki Dulhan (2011), Gunday (2014), Sultan (2016), Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), and Bharat (2019), has announced the launch of his own production house AAZ films. On Tuesday, the filmmaker took to his social media handle to share…

Congressman urges Biden to reject Pakistan ambassador-designate

A US Congressman has urged president Joe Biden to reject Pakistan’s ambassador-designate Masood Khan’s diplomatic credentials and termed him a “bona fide terrorist sympathiser” working to undermine America’s interests in the region. Republican Congressman Scott Perry also alleged that Khan had encouraged young men to emulate jihadists and praised foreign…

Kashmir issue should be resolved through dialogue: Imran Khan

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan has said all "outstanding issues" like the Kashmir dispute should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.It is essential that a "strategic balance" is maintained in the region for "enduring peace" in south Asia, he said.In an article published in China's state-run Global Times on Friday…

10 Pakistan troops killed in separatist ambush

TEN Pakistan troops were killed in a checkpoint firefight earlier this week, an army statement said Thursday (27), in an attack claimed by separatists in the country's southern province of Balochistan.The army said the soldiers were slain "during intense exchange of fire" while defending against a raid on a post…

Pakistan slips further on Corruption Index

PAKISTAN has dropped 16 spots on the global Corruption Perceptions Index for 2021 and is ranked 140th out of 180 countries, Transparency International said in a report on Tuesday (25).It comes as a major blow to prime minister Imran Khan's government which came to power on the promise of clean…

Pakistan raises $1 bn through Islamic bond at record cost

PAKISTAN has raised a $1 billion (£740 million) loan through the Sukuk bond at a record 7.95 per cent interest rate, media reports said on Tuesday (25).It is the highest cost of borrowing the cash-strapped country has agreed to pay in its history on an Islamic bond. The ministry of…

Pakistan’s economic woes put Imran Khan’s future in doubt

HOUSEWIFE Maira Tayyab has considered begging for money to feed her family in inflation-hit Pakistan, while shop owner Mohammad Hanif finds his thoughts turning to crime.They're too proud and honest to act on the impulse, but their woes are shared by millions of Pakistanis whose disgruntlement threatens prime minister Imran…

YouTube channel reunites 200 families across India-Pakistan border

PUNJABI LEHR, the Pakistan-based YouTube channel that brought together two brothers separated by the partition of India, has reunited more than 200 friends and families across the border.A video of the tearful reunion, showing the elderly brothers - one from India and another from Pakistan - hugging each other at…

Pakistan offers permanent residency scheme for rich foreigners

PAKISTAN has decided to offer a permanent residency scheme for wealthy foreign nationals, including Sikhs living in the US and Canada, to attract investments, it emerged on Saturday (15).Information minister Fawad Chaudhry through an overnight tweet announced that the new scheme was in line with the new National Security Policy,…

Texas siege: Who is Aafia Siddiqui?

AAFIA SIDDIQUI, a Pakistan prisoner in the United States whose release was reportedly demanded by a Texas hostage-taker this weekend, is serving an 86-year sentence for the attempted murder of American soldiers.Four people were freed unharmed on Sunday (16) following a more than 10-hour standoff at a synagogue in the…

Pakistan shifts focus from military to economy

PRIME minister Imran Khan on Friday (14) launched Pakistan's first-ever National Security Policy based on a citizen-centric framework.It focuses on boosting the country's flagging economy and its standing in the world, unlike the previous one-dimensional security policy deeply rooted in the development of military capabilities.Unveiling the public version of the…

Imran Khan’s ‘dishonesty’ stands exposed: Nawaz Sharif

PAKISTAN'S deposed premier Nawaz Sharif has slammed prime minister Imran Khan over the "fraud" detected in the ruling party's foreign funding. He said Khan has been exposed as a "corrupt and dishonest political con man." According to a report by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) recently, Khan's ruling Pakistan…

‘Corruption, sex crimes main evils confronting Muslim world’

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan has said rising corruption and sex crimes were the two main evils confronting the Muslim world. He said this during an interactive dialogue on ‘Riyasat-i-Madina: Islam, Society and Ethical Revival' with top Muslim scholars from the world on Sunday (2), organised by the recently set…

Pakistan-India ties: Near yet far apart

When Pakistan and India agreed to restore peace along the highly volatile Line of Control (LoC) in February 2021, it appeared that they were again ready to take a turn on the bumpy road of animosity and mistrust. The ensuing months, however, showed that it was yet another mirage. The…

Pakistani Taliban call off ceasefire with government

The Pakistani Taliban has called off a ceasefire mediated with the help of the Afghan Taliban, accusing the government of violating the terms of the agreed truce. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) -- a separate movement that shares a common history with Afghanistan's new leaders -- plunged the country into a period…

Dozens of Pakistani Taliban members freed as truce holds

Authorities have released up to 100 Pakistani Taliban prisoners as part of a truce with the militant group, sources on both sides said on Thursday. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) -- a separate movement that shares a common history with the Afghan Taliban -- plunged the country into a period of horrific…

‘Ashamed’: Pakistan grapples with fallout from mob killing

A shocking and deadly mob attack on a Sri Lankan factory manager accused of blasphemy in eastern Pakistan last week prompted days of soul searching as the man's remains were flown to his home country. The violence, which was condemned by rights watchdogs including Amnesty International, also drew intense responses…

Pakistan lynching: Victim’s body flown to Colombo

THE BODY of a Sri Lankan national, who was lynched by a mob in Pakistan's Punjab province over allegations of blasphemy, was flown to Colombo on Monday (6). The wooden coffin has the words ‘Human remains of late Don Nandasri P Kumara Diyawadanage. From Lahore to Colombo,’ transcribed on it.…

Pakistan receives $3 billion from Saudi Arabia

PAKISTAN has received $3 billion (£2.2 bn) from Saudi Arabia as part of financial assistance sought from the kingdom to stabilise the country's economy, according to a senior government official. The financial support to Pakistan comes more than a month after prime minister Imran Khan visited Riyadh and held talks…

Family of Sri Lankan national lynched in Pakistan awaits his…

FAMILY members of Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana, who was lynched by a mob in Pakistan over allegations of blasphemy, is waiting for his remains to be flown to Colombo on Monday (6). On Friday (4), supporters of the Islamist party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) attacked a garment factory in…

Dozens held in Pakistan after mob kills Sri Lankan man

UP TO 120 people have been arrested in Pakistan after a Sri Lankan factory manager was beaten to death and set ablaze by a mob who accused him of blasphemy, officials said on Saturday (4). The vigilante attack has caused outrage, with prime minister Imran Khan calling it a "day…

Mob lynches Sri Lankan national in Pakistan over ‘blasphemy’

A MOB in Pakistan lynched a Sri Lankan national on Friday (3) before burning his body over alleged blasphemy in the country's Punjab province. Priyantha Kumara, who was in his 40s, was working as the general manager of a factory in Sialkot district, some 100 km from Lahore, a Punjab…

Pakistan’s new law allows chemical castration of serial rapists

PAKISTAN has introduced chemical castration as a possible punishment for serial rapists under a law that also calls for faster trials of suspected sexual offenders, a government official said on Thursday (18). Parliament passed the law on Wednesday (17) and it came into effect immediately, government official Waqar Hussain said.…

Pakistan parliament grants voting right to overseas citizens

PAKISTAN'S parliament on Wednesday (17) passed a law allowing electronic voting despite furious protests from the opposition which said it had been pushed through by the government to rig the next election. Opposition members tore up copies of the law, chanted slogans and called Khan a vote thief before walking…

Pakistan Supreme Court slams Imran Khan over 2014 school massacre

PAKISTAN’S Supreme Court asked prime minister Imran Khan why he was “negotiating” with militants behind the 2014 attack on a Peshawar school, which left 150 dead, most of them students. A total of 147 people, 132 of them children, were killed when Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants stormed the Army Public…

Pakistan to allow banned Islamist group to contest votes to…

PAKISTAN is to free more than 2,000 jailed activists of a banned Islamist militant group and allow the movement to contest elections, under a deal with the government struck to end weeks of violent clashes, negotiators on both sides said. In return, the Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan has agreed to shun the…

Modi to arrive in UK for COP26, to meet Johnson

INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi was set to arrive in Glasgow, Scotland, on Sunday (31) for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). He will also hold bilateral talks with his British counterpart Boris Johnson on the sidelines of the climate summit. Modi will reach the UK from Italy where he…

Pakistan’s Islamist group calls off protest after deal with government

A HARDLINE Islamist group of Pakistan has called off a protest march to Islamabad after reaching a deal with the government, ending two weeks of clashes that left at least seven policemen dead and scores injured on both sides. The Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) began the march calling for the release…

Saudi Arabia agrees to help Pakistan with £3bn

SAUDI Arabia has agreed to provide $4.2 billion (£3 bn) worth of assistance to cash-strapped Pakistan to support its economy, it emerged on Wednesday (27) after prime minister Imran Khan held talks with the kingdom’s crown prince Mohammad bin Salman in Riyadh this week. Pakistan’s information minister Fawad Chaudhry took…

Three policemen shot dead at Islamist rally in Pakistan

AT LEAST three policemen were shot dead and 70 more wounded when supporters of a banned Islamist party opened fire at a rally in Pakistan on Wednesday (27), the country's interior minister said. The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) is protesting over the detention of its leader Saad Rizvi, arrested in April…

Pakistan releases 350 activists of banned Islamist group

PAKISTAN’S government has released 350 activists of the banned outfit Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), interior minister Sheikh Rashid has announced, averting another showdown with the radical Islamist party. TLP workers have been holding violent protests across the nation, especially in Lahore, against the government of prime minister Imran Khan for not…

Death toll rises to 10 as protesters clash with Pakistan…

Death toll rises to 10 as protesters clash with Pakistan police SIX people died on Saturday (23), taking the death toll to 10 in clashes between the police and radical Islamists in Lahore, as the banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) began a procession to Islamabad seeking the release of their party…

Pakistan can be kings again despite India’s IPL riches, says…

Former Pakistan all-rounder Mudassar Nazar insists his country will once again be the kings of Asian cricket despite India's rise as world beaters on the back of the riches of the IPL. Pakistan were kings of the sub-continent from the mid-1980s to 1990s with their on-field brilliance under Imran Khan,…

Imran Khan accused of selling gifts received from other countries’…

PAKISTAN'S opposition parties have accused prime minister Imran Khan of selling gifts he received from other countries' heads, including an expensive watch worth $1 million (£724,675). Gifts are routinely exchanged between heads of state or government or officers holding constitutional positions during a state visit. According to the gift depository…

Pakistani-American goes on trial over rape, beheading

A PAKISTANI-American man accused of raping and beheading his girlfriend, the daughter of a former ambassador, went on trial on Wednesday (20) in Islamabad. The brutal murder of Noor Mukadam, 27, in July sparked protests across the country and calls for reform to Pakistan's gender violence laws. Zahir Jaffer, 30,…

Spy chief appointment issue to be resolved in a week:…

PAKISTAN’S interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has said the issue of appointment of the new chief of spy agency ISI would be resolved within a week, amid widespread speculation that prime minister Imran Khan and the powerful Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa were not on the same page over…

Days after Pakistan spy agency gets new chief, minister says…

PAKISTAN’S government on Wednesday (13) said the process to appoint the new chief of spy agency ISI was “underway”, days after the military announced having already made such an appointment. The development comes amid widespread speculation that prime minister Imran Khan and Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa were not…

Law will be followed in spy agency chief’s appointment: Pakistan…

PAKISTAN'S information minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Tuesday (12) that law would be followed in the appointment of the chief of the powerful spy agency ISI. He also denied that differences existed between the civilian government and the army over the key appointment. Pakistan’s Army last week announced that Lt…

‘Father of Pakistan’s nuclear bomb’ AQ Khan dies

ABDUL Qadeer Khan, the founder of Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme, has died at 85, authorities said on Sunday (10). The atomic scientist, who spent the last years of his life under heavy guard, died in Islamabad, where he had recently been hospitalised with Covid-19. Khan died after being transferred to…

US should deny assistance to Pakistan, says Trump’s former advisor

A FORMER US national security advisor has said America should not provide any fresh aid to Pakistan as it has “had it both ways” for too long.  General (retired) HR McMaster, who advised former US president Donald Trump, said America should hold Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan accountable for his comments apparently hailing…

Opposition urges Imran Khan to remove ministers named in Pandora…

Pakistan's opposition on Monday (4) called on prime minister Imran Khan to order cabinet ministers and aides named in leaked financial documents known as the Pandora Papers to resign from office and face investigation. Major news organisations published the leaked documents on Sunday. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ),…

Pakistan ministers, businessmen figure in Pandora Papers

PAKISTAN'S several ministers, retired civilian and military officials, businessmen as well as owners of top media outlets were named in the Pandora Papers following an investigation uncovering financial secrets held by high-profile individuals. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) on Sunday (3) unveiled “Pandora Papers”, according to which finance…

Pandora papers: UK, India and Pakistan vow to probe ‘hidden…

BRITAIN, India and Pakistan have all said they will investigate a leak of financial documents published by news organisations that allegedly tie world leaders to concealed wealth. “Pandora Papers”, the dump of more than 11.9 million records, amounting to about 2.94 terabytes of data, came five years after the leak…

Pakistan government in talks with militants for reconciliation: Imran Khan

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan has said his government is in talks with some groups of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for "reconciliation" with the help of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Commonly known as the Pakistani Taliban, the TTP is a banned militant group based along the Afghan-Pakistan border. It…

US official calls for Pakistan action on militants

A TOP US official has called for Pakistan to take action against all extremist groups as Islamabad has sought reconciliation with militants both at home and in Afghanistan. Deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman will on October 7-8 meet officials in Pakistan, which has long faced US accusations of playing…

US deputy secretary of state Sherman to visit India, Pakistan

US Deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman will travel in October to Pakistan and India, who have clashed on the way forward in Afghanistan, the State Department announced Monday (27). Sherman, after CIA chief Bill Burns, will be one of the first high-level officials under president Joe Biden to visit…

Can’t predict when Biden will call Imran Khan: White House

A SENIOR White House official has said she cannot "predict" when president Joe Biden would make a call to Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan though there have been engagements between the two countries. Khan during recent interviews with the American media has complained that a "busy" president Biden has not…

Pakistani Hindu family ‘held hostage’ for fetching water from mosque

FETCHING drinking water from a mosque in Pakistan's Punjab province landed a family of poor farmers from the minority Hindu community in trouble as some people “tortured and held them “hostage” for “violating the sanctity” of their place of worship, a media report said on Monday (20). Alam Ram Bheel,…

New Zealand Cricket silent on security threat ending Pakistan tour

NEW Zealand Cricket officials on Saturday (18) threw a veil of secrecy over the security threat that forced the abrupt cancellation of their Pakistan tour. According to Pakistan's interior minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern told Pakistan leader Imran Khan that the team feared an attack…

New reality established in Afghanistan with Taliban takeover: Imran Khan

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan on Friday (17) said a "new reality" has been established in Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power in Kabul. It is now in the international community's "collective interest" to ensure that there is no renewed conflict in the war-torn country and it will never again…

Imran Khan takes swipe at US president, says Biden is…

"HE is a busy man," Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has said of Joe Biden, expressing his disappointment over the US president's reluctance to contact him since coming into office in January this year. During an interview to CNN on Wednesday (15) from his private Bani Gala residence in Islamabad,…

Afghan security risk

THERE is, of course, a risk that some of the violent politics of Afghanistan will spill over on to the streets of Britain. Those refugees coming to Britain from Afghanistan will include people strongly opposed to the Taliban. If they set up opposition groups in Britain, supporters of the Taliban,…

Top Pakistan diplomat defends Taliban

PAKISTAN has sought to defend the Taliban, saying the hardline group - which has taken over Afghanistan - has “delivered on its promises". Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, Asad Majeed Khan, said on Thursday (16) that the security situation in Afghanistan is “in control” under the new regime which,…

Afghan girls’ football team flees to Pakistan

Members of Afghanistan's national girls' football team have fled across the border into Pakistan, officials said Wednesday, a month after the hardline Taliban swept back into power. The group of junior players and their coaches and families had tried to escape the country last month but a devastating bomb attack…

US will look at Pakistan’s role in last 20 years:…

US SECRETARY of state Antony Blinken on Monday (13) told his country’s angry lawmakers that Washington will look at the role Pakistan played in the last 20 years after they expressed outrage over Islamabad’s “duplicitous” role in Afghanistan post the 9/11 attacks and demanded that the US reassessed its relationship…

Imran Khan government ‘illegitimate’: Pakistan opposition leader

PAKISTAN Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz has lashed out at the Imran Khan-led government, saying the performance of the "illegitimate and incompetent" dispensation in the country was a "story of destruction". Nawaz, who is the daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, made the comments to the media…

Kashmir separatist leader Geelani laid to rest in Srinagar

PRO-PAKISTAN separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani was buried in Srinagar overnight (1-2) in a quiet funeral organised by Indian authorities. There was tight security with mobile connectivity by and large snapped in Indian Kashmir. Geelani, 91, was buried at a mosque near his home, according to his wishes, his close…

“There is no one-size-fits-all feminism,” says author Rafia Zakaria

PAKISTAN-BORN activist and author Rafia Zakaria has said there is no one-size-fits-all feminism and that she hopes to "decentre" white feminism through her new book Against White Feminism. In an interview with The Guardian, Zakaria said she wanted to challenge the “liberation trajectory” of the Muslim woman’s story, so that…

Not interested in becoming Pakistan Cricket Board chief: Akram

PAKISTAN'S former captain and fast bowling great Wasim Akram has denied reports that he is interested in becoming the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Akram, who is in Australia, tweeted that the PCB chairman's job was a specialised one and he was not up for it. The legendary…

Ramiz Raja all set to take over as PCB chairman

Former captain Ramiz Raja will be the new chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as veteran administrator Ehsan Mani stepped down from the post after completing his three-year term. Both Mani and Raja had met prime minister Imran Khan, who is also former World Cup winning captain and patron-in-chief of…

Imran Khan calls for positive engagement with Afghanistan

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan has called for the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan and asked the international community for positive engagement with Kabul. Khan made the comments during his meeting with the executive director of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), David Beasley, in Islamabad on…

India alarm as Pakistan and China woo Taliban

THE Russian and British empires battled over Afghanistan in the 19th century, and the United States and the Soviet Union in the 20th. As the Taliban takes over in the strategic, landlocked nation, the new Great Game has Pakistan in control, with its ally China looking to cement its grip…

Chances of Pakistan exiting UK travel red list ’50:50′

PAKISTANI authorities have their fingers crossed as the UK government is set to review its travel data this week. Pakistan’s diplomats in London feel that there are “50:50 chances” of the south Asian nation exiting the UK’s travel red list, according to media reports on Tuesday (24). Britain retained Pakistan…

Pakistan opposition leader’s son marries in London

PAKISTAN Muslim League (N) vice-president Maryam Nawaz’s son Junaid Safdar married the daughter of a former lawmaker at a luxury hotel in London last Sunday (22). However, Nawaz and her husband Muhammad Safdar could not attend their son’s wedding as their names figure in the exit control list – that…

As China, Pakistan weigh recognising Taliban, experts warn long-term losses

AS China and Pakistan mull a joint strategy to push for a global recognition of the Taliban regime in war-torn Afghanistan to further their interests, experts have warned the “all-weather allies” of long-term losses, especially a blowback effect from the US. Since the Taliban's takeover of Kabul on August 15,…

Pakistan to expect new US chasm as Taliban win

After the September 11 attacks, the United States gave Pakistan a harsh ultimatum to break with the Taliban. Pakistan offered help but insisted -- it will not be abandoned again, as in the 1990s after Washington lost interest in Afghanistan. Twenty years later, the Taliban has retaken Afghanistan from a…

British lawmaker questions UK’s aid to Pakistan

A CONSERVATIVE parliamentarian has questioned the rationale behind Britain sending aid to Pakistan whose leader “praised” the Taliban. Daniel Kawczynski drew the Commons’ attention to the allegations that Islamabad has been supporting the insurgent group, which, he said, is “most concerning”. The Warsaw-born politician’s comments came amid the reports that…

Johnson, Merkel reach out to Imran Khan over Afghan situation

THE UK and Germany reached out to Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan to discuss the emerging situation in Afghanistan where the Taliban has seized power. Khan told British prime minister Boris Johnson and German chancellor Angela Merkel who telephoned him that the safety and security of Afghans were critical at…

400 booked for molesting Pakistani YouTuber

LAHORE police have booked 400 people who allegedly harassed and molested a YouTuber girl on Pakistan's Independence Day, officials said. The police got into action following the videos of her harassment and molestation that went viral on social media with calls to prime minister Imran Khan and Punjab chief minister…

Pakistan test-fires nuclear-capable ballistic missile

PAKISTAN on Thursday (12) successfully test-fired a nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile which can strike targets up to 290 kilometres, the army said. The training launch of the missile Ghaznavi was aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of the Army Strategic Forces Command, besides re-validating technical parameters of the weapon system,…

US finds Pakistan useful only to clean up Afghan mess:…

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan accused the United States of seeing his country as useful only in the context of the "mess" it is leaving behind in Afghanistan after 20 years of fighting. Washington has been pressing Pakistan to use its influence over the Taliban to broker an elusive peace…

Pakistan seeks to bring fresh air to polluted cities with…

AS Pakistan continues its massive drive to plant 10 billion trees to reduce smog, prime minister Imran Khan urged citizens to heed the dire warnings in a UN climate change report released on Monday (9). Khan made the remarks as he inaugurated what officials say is the largest urban Miyawaki…

Imran Khan ‘helpless’ prime minister: Pakistani journalist

HAMID Mir, a prominent Pakistani journalist who was taken off the air indefinitely for making hard-hitting remarks against the powerful military establishment, has said Imran Khan is a "helpless" prime minister. He also underlined that there is a growing "climate of fear" for media personnel in the country. Mir, the…

Pakistan has other ‘options’, Imran Khan’s aide tells US

UPSET over US president Joe Biden's reluctance to telephonically contact prime minister Imran Khan, Pakistan's national security adviser Moeed Yusuf has said Islamabad has “other options" if the American leader continues to ignore the country's leadership. "The president of the United States hasn't spoken to the prime minister of such…

Shops shut in Kashmir to mark ‘black day’ anniversary

HUNDREDS of extra police and troops were deployed in Indian-administered Kashmir on Thursday as separatist groups called for a shutdown to mark a "black day" on the second anniversary of New Delhi ending its special status. Prime minister Narendra Modi's government scrapped the Muslim-majority region's partial autonomy on August 5,…

Another policeman escorting polio vaccination team shot dead in Pakistan

UNIDENTIFIED gunmen shot dead a police officer escorting a team of polio workers in northwest Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Monday (2), the second such incident in two days. The unknown gunmen came on a motorcycle when the officer was joining the polio workers in the tribal district of Dera…

Ex-Canadian minister accuses Pakistan of engaging in ‘proxy war’ in…

FORMER Canadian minister Chris Alexander has accused Pakistan of being complicit in “proxy war and war crimes” and engaging in an "act of aggression" against neighbouring Afghanistan. Alexander, who served as Canada's minister of citizenship and immigration from 2013 to 2015, said in a tweet on Sunday (1), "Taliban fighters…

Pakistan government is not spokesperson for Taliban: Imran Khan

PAKISTAN’S government is not a spokesperson for the Taliban and Islamabad cannot be held responsible for the actions of the insurgent group in Afghanistan, prime minister Imran Khan has said. In his comments to Afghan media representatives that were aired on Thursday (29), Khan also said Pakistan will have good…

Panama Papers: Imran Khan names man who ‘offered bribe’ to…

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan has identified a “common friend” who allegedly offered a bribe on behalf of Shahbaz Sharif to withdraw the Panama Papers case in the Supreme Court against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Khan in 2017 had alleged that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shabaz offered him…

Saudi foreign minister to visit Pakistan tomorrow

SAUDI Arabia's foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud will visit Pakistan on Tuesday (27) amid efforts to repair the relations between the two countries that faced some stress in recent times. The minister will be accompanied by a delegation comprising senior officials of the Saudi government, Pakistan's foreign office…

Imran Khan’s party wins Pakistan-administered Kashmir election

PRIME Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is set to form the next government in Pakistan-administered Kashmir as it emerged as the largest political party in the legislative assembly election. However, the democratic exercise was marred by allegations of irregularities and violence. PTI has won 23 out of the…

Pakistan’s opposition leader slams Imran Khan over Kashmir referendum remark

PAKISTAN'S opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday (24) rejected prime minister Imran Khan's remarks that Islamabad would let the people of Kashmir decide if they want to join Pakistan or become an "independent state". He said Khan was deviating from the country's "historical and constitutional position" by proposing a second…

UK this week (July 19-24): Six highlights you should be…

WHILE the world kicked off Olympics in Tokyo, Britain saw an eventful and unusually hot week. Freedom was in the air as the country ended all the lockdown restrictions on July 19.   Here are some highlights of this week- July 19 to 24:   India opens medal tally  …

Pakistan urges UN to probe India’s ‘spyware use’

PAKISTAN on Friday (23) voiced its "serious concern" over media reports about India allegedly eavesdropping on foreigners, including prime minister Imran Khan, using Israeli spyware Pegasus. It urged the UN to thoroughly investigate the matter. According to reports, Khan was a potential target of the Israeli-made Pegasus spyware programme by…

‘Ban’ sought on entry of leading Pakistani politician into UK

A PAKISTANI national has filed a complaint with the Metropolitan Police in London, accusing a leading politician from the south Asian country for her "anti-Semitic" statement against prime minister Imran Khan's children, media reports said on Wednesday (21). The complainant sought a “ban” on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president…

Birthday Special: 5 films in which Naseeruddin Shah showcased his…

Naseeruddin Shah is a veteran actor. He started his career with the 1975 release Nishant, and in these 46 years, the actor has featured in some amazing movies. Shah is mainly known for his performances in offbeat films, famously known as the art cinema. However, he has been a part…

Recall of senior Afghan diplomats regrettable: Pakistan

PAKISTAN has termed as "unfortunate and regrettable" Afghanistan's decision to recall its ambassador and other senior diplomats from Islamabad after the alleged abduction and torture of the daughter of its envoy. It urged Kabul to reconsider the move. Pakistan's foreign office said in an overnight statement that the reported abduction…

Afghanistan withdraws ambassador, diplomats from Islamabad

Afghanistan has withdrawn its ambassador and diplomats from Pakistan's capital following the kidnapping of the ambassador Najib Alikhil's daughter, the Afghan foreign ministry said on Sunday (18), a new blow to relations at a sensitive time for the Afghan peace process. The daughter of Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan was seized…

Daughter of Afghan envoy to Pakistan kidnapped, ‘severely tortured’

THE daughter of Afghanistan’s ambassador to Pakistan was briefly kidnapped and “severely tortured” by unknown assailants in Islamabad, the Afghan government said on Saturday (17).   Silsila Alikhil, the daughter of Afghan envoy Najibullah Alikhel, was held for several hours on Friday (16) in Islamabad by some unidentified persons who…

Dilip Kumar was an institution, says actor’s lawmaker nephew

INDIAN thespian Dilip Kumar was not just an actor but an institution and people like him are born once in a century, Pakistan's senator and the actor's nephew Mohsin Aziz said on Monday (12). At a condolence meet held in Peshawar in memory of Kumar, the Pakistani lawmaker threw light…

Family of Brit mum, who died in Pakistan, appeals to…

THE parents of a woman- who died in Pakistan ten days ago- have now appealed to UK prime minister Boris Johnson and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan to look into the case, a report stated on Friday (9). The family and friends have also appealed that the deceased woman's children…

Afghanistan’s neighbours have constructive roles to play: US

THE US has acknowledged Pakistan’s help in its efforts to establish peace in Afghanistan, but warned that regional forces need to work “constructively” for durable security. “All of Afghanistan’s neighbours need to play a constructive role in helping bring durable political settlement as well as a comprehensive ceasefire,” US state…

Pakistan’s President and Prime Minister pay their tribute to legendary…

Mourning the death of legendary Indian actor Dilip Kumar, several prominent personalities from Pakistan, including President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan, paid their tributes to the 98-year-old doyen of Hindi cinema. Kumar, whose career spans four decades and includes a series of remarkable films, died at a Mumbai…

Peshawar mourns Dilip Kumar’s death

A large group of people offered prayers for Indian actor Dilip Kumar at his ancestral house in Pakistan’s Peshawar on Wednesday (7). They offered ghaibana Namaz-e-Janaza (funeral prayers in absentia) for the 98-year-old cinema icon and prayed for his eternal peace. Kumar was born on December 11, 1922 in Qissa…

Dilip Kumar was the greatest and most versatile actor: Imran…

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan expressed grief on the demise of India’s iconic actor Dilip Kumar on Wednesday (7). "Saddened to learn of Dilip Kumar's passing," Khan tweeted. "I can never forget his generosity in giving his time to help raise funds for Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research…

Modi, Imran Khan feature in advocacy group’s ‘Predators Gallery’

FOUR top south Asian leaders including Narendra Modi and Imran Khan have been accused of being "predators" who are “cracking down on press freedom”. Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a global free media advocacy group, has featured the duo in their 2021 "Press freedom predators gallery – old tyrants, two women…

Pakistan blames India for Lahore bomb blast

PAKISTAN has blamed India for a bomb blast in Lahore last month, claiming there is “concrete evidence” of its “sponsorship of the terror attack”. National security adviser Moeed Yousaf said the mastermind of the blast “belongs” to the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) of India and “is based in India”.…

Pakistan accepts ‘Chinese version’ of treatment of Uighur Muslims in…

PAKISTAN accepts the ‘Chinese version’ of the treatment of Uighurs, a minority Muslim ethnic group, in China's Xinjiang province because of Islamabad's "extreme proximity and relationship" with Beijing, said prime minister Imran Khan on Thursday (1). Speaking to Chinese journalists as Beijing marked the centenary of the ruling communist party,…

Exclusive! Abhinay Deo: We always intended to make a sequel…

Abhinay Deo’s Delhi Belly completed 10 years of its release on Thursday. The film starred Imran Khan, Vir Das, and Kunaal Roy Kapur in the lead roles. Delhi Belly was quite a bold film, but it was accepted by the audience, and it was a hit at the box office.…

Britain, Pakistan to tackle climate change together

BRITAIN and Pakistan have resolved to work together to tackle climate change and prevent another Covid-like pandemic in the future. During his two-day state visit to Pakistan, the UK’s minister of state for South Asia and the Commonwealth, Lord Tariq Ahmad, met prime minister Imran Khan and his ministerial colleagues.…

Pakistan seeks ‘even-handed’ relationship with US: Imran Khan

PAKISTAN is seeking a "civilised" and "even-handed" relationship with Washington like the one that existed between the US and the UK or with India "right now", prime minister Imran Khan has said, underlining the role Islamabad could play in the region, including in Afghanistan after America leaves the war-torn country.…

Imran Khan causes outrage over rape comments

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan was facing a growing backlash on Thursday (24) after he blamed victims of rape for wearing "very few clothes". Former playboy cricketer Khan told television show Axios that how women dress affects men's behaviour, outraging activists in the deeply conservative Islamic country. "If a woman…

Pakistan police round up suspects over blast at Hafiz Saeed’s…

PAKISTANI authorities on Thursday (24) took several suspects into custody after an explosion outside the house of Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, who is the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. At least three people were killed and 21 others injured in the blast that took place at…

‘Engage Pakistan in Afghan peace process’

A SENIOR US senator has disapproved of president Joe Biden’s perceived "unwillingness" to engage Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan and warned that the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan “will not be effective” without coordinating with Islamabad. Republican senator Lindsey Graham said it will be "disastrous" for the US to…

Khan postpones his visit to Britain

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan has postponed his visit to Britain due to the Covid-19 pandemic that was scheduled for the first week of July, a media report said. “The premier’s visit to the UK would be rescheduled after taking into consideration several important factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic,” a…

Hosting American bases may lead to revenge attacks in Pakistan:…

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan has ruled out hosting American bases in his country for military action inside war-torn Afghanistan, fearing it might lead to Pakistan being "targeted in revenge attacks" by terrorists. In an opinion piece in The Washington Post ahead of US president Joe Biden's meeting with top…

India’s presence in Afghanistan is larger than it ought to…

WITH India stepping up its diplomatic activities in Afghanistan's peace process as the US prepares for withdrawal of its troops, Pakistan has said “at times” it feels that New Delhi's presence in the war-torn country “is perhaps larger than it ought to be". Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi's remarks…

7 lawmakers barred from Pakistan’s national assembly for ‘inappropriate behaviour’

PAKISTAN'S National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser on Wednesday (16) barred seven lawmakers from entering the house, a day after parliamentarians from the treasury and opposition benches hurled abuses and threw budget copies at each other. Qaiser said members who disrupted the session during a speech by the leader of opposition,…

Canada pays final homage to family killed in truck attack

Several hundred people gathered in London, Ontario on Saturday to pay homage to a Muslim family mowed down by the driver of a pick-up truck, in an attack that has shocked Canadians and which prime minister Justin Trudeau denounced as "terrorist." Four members of the Afzaal family - a man…

Islamophobia: Imran Khan calls for action against hate-mongering websites

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan has called for action against Islamophobic websites and urged the international community to holistically counter the “prejudice” against Muslims. He said the pattern of recent attacks on Muslims in western countries pointed to “growing Islamophobia” and this requires a better understanding of the community to…

Imran Khan may visit Britain in July: report

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan may visit the United Kingdom in July to discuss strategic relationships and bilateral cooperation with his British counterpart Boris Johnson, according to a media report. A meeting between the two prime ministers may coincide with the white ball cricket series between Pakistan and England next…

Pakistan heading towards economic stability, says prime minister Khan

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan said the country is moving towards economic stability and called for ease of doing business for investors. “As the country at the moment is moving towards economic stability, investment is the most important factor in sustaining this stability and achieving rapid economic growth,” he said,…

Pakistan economy grows 3.94 per cent in 2020-21 on recovery…

STRONG ‘V – shaped’ recoveries in the services and manufacturing sectors helped Pakistan’s economy to grow 3.94 per cent in the first nine months of fiscal year 2020-21, finance minister Shaukat Tarin said on Thursday (10). Tarin presented the Economic Survey of Pakistan Thursday (10), a day before presenting the…

‘I hope to find someone who’ll love me and take…

By Amit Roy MALALA YOUSAFZAI is now a young woman of 23 and has talked, probably for the first time, about finding love. The activist for girls’ edu­cation is now so famous that she is known by her first name. She has just spent three days in London being glammed…

Man arrested over Mayra Zulfiqar’s murder

PAKISTAN police arrested a man over the killing of London law graduate Mayra Zulfiqar, more than a month after she was found shot dead in a Lahore apartment. Zahir Jadoon is one of the two men named as suspects by Zulfiqar’s uncle. A second man, who was not arrested, was…

UK offers condolences to Pakistan after deadly train accident 

BRITAIN’S prime minister Boris Johnson expressed his condolences over the loss of life in a train collision in Pakistan on Monday (8).  More than 63 people died in a double train accident on Monday in a remote part of southern Sindh province.  The Millat Express was heading from Karachi to…

Pakistan remains US focus for base after pullout from Afghanistan:…

THE US is still focusing on Pakistan for a military base after American troops leave Afghanistan this year, although no substantial progress has been made in the negotiations between the two countries, according to a media report. Pakistan effectively demanded that the American military or CIA need its approval for…

Pakistani-origin family killed in targeted ‘hate attack’ in Canada

A man accused of killing four members of a Pakistan-origin Canadian Muslim family targeted them in a hate-motivated attack, police said on Monday (7). Police in London, Ontario, citing witnesses, said that 20-year-old Nathaniel Veltman, jumped the curb in his vehicle on Sunday (6), struck five members of the family,…

Pakistan train collision kills 40 

MORE than 40 people died and dozens were injured in a train accident in southern Pakistan on Monday (7). The accident in the Ghotki district of the southern Sindh province occurred after the coaches of one train, the Millat Express, derailed and fell across the opposite track, where they were…

Pakistan seeks Afghan settlement before foreign troop pullout: Khan

Prime minister Imran Khan said Pakistan is pushing for a political settlement in Afghanistan before foreign troops leave later this year, to reduce the risk of civil war in its western neighbour. The United States has said it will withdraw all its troops from Afghanistan on Sept. 11 after a…

Despite its economic means, Pakistan has done enough for the…

PAKISTAN had done more than any other countries in the world to combat global warming relative to its economic means, said prime minister Imran Khan on Friday (4). Pakistan, this year's host of the United Nations' annual World Environment Day on June 5, is among the countries worst affected by…

Imran Khan: Ready for talks if India gives roadmap to…

PAKISTAN prime minister Imran Khan said he will resume talks with India if New Delhi provides a roadmap towards restoring the previous status of Kashmir. India and Pakistan control parts of Kashmir but claim it in full. In 2019, India withdrew Jammu and Kashmir's autonomy, sparking outrage in Pakistan, the…

Pakistan, China, Afghanistan FMs meet virtually to discuss Afghan peace

THE fourth virtual trilateral meeting of Foreign Ministers (FM) of Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan will take place on Thursday (3) to discuss the Afghan peace. The Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said "Pakistan had been making efforts for peace and stability in the region in light of prime minister…

Pakistan will take lead to tackle global warming, says Khan

PRIME minister Imran Khan has urged Pakistan to invest more in urban forestry to deal with the challenges of global warming. Pakistan must aim to plant 10 billion trees to protect future generations, the Express Tribune reported Khan as saying. He said, "Pakistan is among the 10 most vulnerable countries with regards…

‘Will Khan stand with journalists now? Asks Hamid Mir 

SUSPENDED Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir has reminded prime minister Imran Khan about a 2007 promise to uphold press freedom if he became the leader of the country. Writing in The Guardian on Wednesday (2), Mir, who was taken off air from his regular programme on Monday (31), said, “Imran Khan and I used to…

Khan condemns terrorist attacks in Balochistan

FOUR soldiers were killed and eight others injured as terrorists struck Balochistan on Monday (31),  Pakistan’s Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. According to a statement issued by the ISPR on Monday, a Frontier Corps (FC) post near Pir Ismail Ziarat in Quetta was targeted by the terrorists, leading to an exchange…

International groups condemn Pakistani TV host Hamid Mir’s suspension

A PROMINENT Pakistani political TV talk-show host, Hamid Mir, was suspended from his regular programme on Monday (31), his media group Geo News network said, following comments he made last week against the powerful military for its role in media censorship. A spokesman for Geo did not specify if Mir's…

Biden orders internal review of US-Pakistan ties

US PRESIDENT Joe Biden has ordered an internal review on US-Pakistan ties, a media report said. Biden is seeking fresh input to understand where Pakistan-US ties stand at the moment and what is the way forward, The Express Tribune said. He ordered a review to avoid having a biased approach…

Normal ties with India would be a betrayal to Kashmiris, says Imran…

NORMALISING relations with India would be a betrayal to the people of Kashmir, Pakistan's prime minister Imran Khan said on Sunday (30). In a live Q and A session with the public on Sunday, Khan said re-establishing ties with India would be ignoring all the struggle of Kashmiris and the…

Pakistan seeks bilateral cooperation from US on trade and business 

PAKISTAN is eyeing a “paradigm shift” in its relationship with the US, according to a local media report. On Sunday (23), Pakistan’s newly appointed national security adviser, Dr Moeed Yusuf, met his US counterpart, Jake Sullivan, in Geneva to present the ‘Pakistani plan’, which will see a shift away from…

High cost of Diana scoop

  By Amit Roy IF THERE is one lesson that British Asian journalists can learn from the Martin Bashir affair, it is that non-white reporters – like ethnic minority doctors – will be held to the most ex­acting standards. It was madness, possibly even a crimi­nal offence, on Bashir’s part…

Taliban warns Afghan neighbours against allowing US bases

THE TALIBAN warned Afghanistan's neighbours on Wednesday (26) against allowing the United States to operate military bases on their soil, with the insurgents insisting they would thwart any such "heinous and provocative acts". Washington is in the final stages of withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan, and a flurry of diplomatic…

Pakistan says no US military base exists on its soil

PAKISTAN has categorically denied the presence of any US military or airbase on its soil. No proposal for a US military base in Pakistan is envisaged, foreign affairs ministry spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudri said, adding that although cooperation in terms of “air and ground lines of communication” has existed between…

Pakistan chosen for WHO award for anti-tobacco initiatives

PAKISTAN has been chosen for the regional winner of the ‘World No Tobacco Day 2021 Award’ by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in recognition of its anti-tobacco campaign in the past decade. The WHO’s regional office for the eastern Mediterranean said the award will be presented to Pakistan’s ministry of…

Pakistan seeks united stance in UN against Israel

PAKISTAN'S foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held extensive consultations with his counterparts from other Muslim countries in New York in the run-up to a special meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) scheduled for Thursday (20). Entrusted by Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan to build a "united stance" of…

Pakistan’s remittances hit all-time high of $2.8bn in April

REMITTANCES from Pakistani workers employed abroad rose to a record monthly high of $2.8 billion in April, 56 per cent higher than a year earlier, the central bank said on Tuesday (18). On a cumulative basis, remittances also surpassed the previous record. Remittances were $2.7bn in March which exceeded $2bn…