Stockholm: Nobel Prize officials in Sweden have issued a stark warning that the Trump administration’s assault on science funding and academic freedoms could severely jeopardize the United States’ position as the world’s leading research nation, potentially causing global, irreversible harm to scientific progress. Since taking office in January 2025, the US President has implemented billions of dollars in funding cuts, attacked the academic freedom of universities, and overseen massive layoffs of scientists across federal agencies. Hans Ellegren, secretary general of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which awards the Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry, and economics, stated that the country’s…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
Quetta: The Balochistan Provincial Assembly on Thursday approved the Balochistan Provincial Assembly (Special Privileges Amendment) Bill 2025, a piece of legislation aimed at significantly enhancing the protection and security cover provided to the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Ministers, Opposition Leader, and all Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs). The bill was presented by Provincial Health Minister Bakht Mohammad Kakar and passed with a majority vote. Lawmakers termed the legislation “necessary for safeguarding the democratic process” and ensuring that public representatives can execute their constitutional duties without fear of intimidation or security threats. Key Security Provisions: Position Security Personnel Entitlement Speaker At…
Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has dismissed a petition seeking to quash a cybercrime case registered against an individual accused of orchestrating a malicious online campaign targeting the family of Judge Humayun Dilawar and the broader judiciary. Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas, in a detailed judgement, held that the First Information Report (FIR) could not be quashed at this stage since the challan (charge sheet) had already been submitted to the trial court. The judge stressed that the partial quashing of an FIR—to the extent of one accused while others remain nominated—was a “legal impossibility.” The petitioner, an official…
Lahore: Two years after the devastating attacks on Christian communities and churches in Jaranwala, victims and minority rights activists gathered at the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Thursday to condemn the state’s failure to deliver justice, calling the government’s promises a “futile” exercise. Shakeel Bhatti, a victim and member of the Minority Rights Movement, expressed profound disillusionment, stating that the high-level pledges by the Punjab government to make the Jaranwala attacks an “example” had fallen flat. “We waited for two years, we went to courts, [the] joint investigation team (JIT) and police officers but it all proved futile…
Islamabad: A significant change in weather is sweeping across Pakistan, with the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecasting a new spell of rain, windstorms, thunderstorms, and hailstorms from October 3 to October 7. The Met Office has indicated that temperatures are likely to drop significantly during this wet period. The forecast has prompted the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to issue an alert regarding a potential increase in river flow due to heavy rainfall expected in the province between October 5 and 7. Forecast Across Key Regions: Punjab: Oct 2 (night) to Oct 3: Isolated rainfall and thunderstorms are expected…
Karachi: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday suspended a notification issued by the University of Karachi (KU) that had revoked the law degree of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri. The court’s decision offers temporary relief to the sitting judge in a highly publicized controversy surrounding his academic credentials. The court’s ruling came during the hearing of a petition filed by Justice Jahangiri, which challenged the August 2024 decisions by the KU’s Unfair Means Committee (UMC) and Syndicate to cancel his degree. As the hearing commenced, the KU Registrar, the Sindh Advocate General, and other respondents appeared…
Islamabad, Pakistan Pakistan’s security forces have conducted a significant intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Balochistan’s Sherani district, resulting in the killing of seven militants. The military’s media affairs wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), referred to the deceased as “Indian-sponsored terrorists,” linking them to external hostile forces. In a statement released on Friday, the ISPR confirmed that the operation was executed on October 1 following credible intelligence regarding the presence of terrorists identified as belonging to ‘Fitna al Khawarij’, a term the state uses to denote militants from the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). “During the conduct of the operation, own forces effectively…
Islamabad/Lahore: The recently released results of the Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) First Annual Examination 2025 by the Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISEs) confirm a persistent trend in Pakistan’s educational landscape: the commanding academic strength of female candidates and the overwhelming dominance of private institutions among top position holders. Female candidates once again outperformed their male peers across all academic streams, reinforcing a pattern that has defined HSSC results in recent years. Of the 335 top positions announced across the nine Punjab boards and the Federal Board, a staggering 84 percent (283 positions) were secured by private institutions.…
Abu Dhabi, UAE Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are set to bolster their deep-rooted diplomatic and economic partnership by enhancing cooperation in the critical area of rail infrastructure. The commitment aims to upgrade Pakistan’s rail network, a move designed to turbocharge trade, improve regional connectivity, and support sustainable economic expansion. The announcement followed a high-level meeting in Abu Dhabi between Pakistan’s Minister of State for Finance and Railways, Bilal Azhar Kayani, and the UAE’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei. The ministers explored “opportunities to strengthen cooperation in upgrading Pakistan’s rail network to boost trade,…
Islamabad, Pakistan Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar took to the floor of the National Assembly to offer a detailed and rare glimpse into the intense, discreet diplomatic efforts by eight Muslim and Arab nations to alter the US-led plan for ending the Israeli offensive in Gaza. While confirming that the final 20-point plan announced by US President Trump was not the original draft, he stressed that the complex, high-stakes negotiations represented the only viable path to halting the bloodshed. “I made it clear that the 20 points that President Trump made public are not ours. Changes were made to our…
