Islamabad, Pakistan: The Islamabad District and Sessions Court on Wednesday recalled the non-bailable arrest warrants issued against prominent human rights defenders and lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, after the couple appeared in court. The warrants were issued the previous day due to their failure to appear in a high-profile case involving controversial tweets. The hearing, presided over by Judge Mohammad Afzal Majoka, was held under tight security, with police deployed outside the courtroom. The arrest warrants were recalled following the couple’s physical presence, despite their junior counsel having informed the court yesterday that they had…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
Lahore, Pakistan: The results of the 2025 Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) First Annual Examination, released by the Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISEs), highlight a distinct shift in Pakistan’s educational landscape, marked by the academic ascendancy of female students and the overwhelming success of private institutions. This year, female candidates once again outperformed their male peers across all academic streams, continuing a consistent pattern observed in recent years. This trend reaffirms the resilience and sustained academic strength of young women throughout the country. The Private Sector’s Command The breakdown of top academic achievements reveals a commanding…
Karachi, Pakistan: The port city of Karachi was jolted by a low-intensity earthquake on Wednesday morning, the latest in a series of tremors that have underscored the seismic vulnerability of the densely populated metropolitan area. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) confirmed the earthquake was recorded at 3.2 magnitude at 9:34 am local time. The epicenter was located just seven kilometers northwest of the Malir district, with a shallow depth of 10 kilometers. The tremor follows a notable sequence of low-intensity quakes recorded in the city throughout June—with magnitudes ranging from 1.5 to 3.8—mostly concentrated around the Malir area. This persistent…
Islamabad, Pakistan: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has allowed an underage girl to reside with her husband in a judgment that emerged on Wednesday, while simultaneously issuing a forceful recommendation for the federal government to undertake a comprehensive review to strengthen laws against child marriage and protect minors. The ruling underscores the profound legal and social complexities surrounding early unions in the country. According to UNICEF, Pakistan is home to over 19 million child brides, a figure that highlights a critical gap in the protection of minors. Nearly one in six young women are married before the age of 18,…
Quetta, Pakistan: Security forces in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province have apprehended four individuals described as ‘terrorists’ during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Khuzdar district on Wednesday. The action comes as the country continues to grapple with persistent threats of destabilization, which officials frequently link to external state actors. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, stated the operation was conducted following intelligence regarding the presence of ‘terrorists belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al Hindustan.’ This nomenclature is used by the state to describe Balochistan-based groups, aiming to underscore India’s alleged role in sponsoring terrorism and fomenting instability…
https://youtu.be/TXppGlNvg7I?si=JOMBfCShU0gwSXPv PM Youth Programme to Provide Loans, Laptops and Overseas Job Opportunities: Zeeshan Naqvi By: Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada Addressing a dinner hosted by the Pakistani-American organisation Stand With Pakistan in Dallas, the focal person of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme and former deputy mayor of Islamabad, Syed Zeeshan Ali Naqvi, said that 70 per cent of Pakistan’s population consists of youth. He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was personally monitoring all these initiatives to ensure that young people could play a direct role in the country’s development. The event, organised in Naqvi’s honour, was moderated by Sohail…
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts have suffered a fresh setback with the confirmation of two new poliovirus cases. The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad verified that two children from the Sindh province have been diagnosed with the crippling disease. One affected child is from Badin district, and the other is from Thatta district. These two additions bring the total number of polio cases in Pakistan for 2025 to 29, including 18 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, nine from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan. Challenge of Vaccination Refusals …
KARACHI: The equity market sustained its robust advance on Tuesday, testing fresh record highs as investor risk appetite remained firm, propelling the benchmark index past the 166,000 mark for the first time in history. The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) KSE-100 Index settled at 165,493.58 points, reflecting a gain of 1,645.90 points, or 1%, from its previous close. During the session, the index climbed to an intraday high of 166,556.29, soaring by 2,708.61 points, or 1.65%. Catalysts Driving Market Confidence The record-breaking rally, which extended Monday’s momentum, is being credited to a convergence of domestic financial solutions and improved…
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s economy sustained its trajectory of stabilisation and growth during the first two months of the current fiscal year, the finance ministry reported on Tuesday, even amid disruptions caused by severe floods. According to the “Monthly Economic Update and Outlook” for September 2025, released by the Finance Division, the economy demonstrated stability, supported by moderating inflation, strong performance in Large-Scale Manufacturing (LSM), and improved fiscal discipline. Industrial Momentum and Easing Inflation Industrial momentum strengthened significantly, with the LSM sector posting 9% year-on-year growth in July, driven primarily by textiles, automobiles, and cement. Cement dispatches saw a rise…
KARACHI/LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has moved to suspend all No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) previously issued to national players for participation in overseas leagues. The board is now finalising a drastic new strategy to link any future approvals directly to a player’s performance metrics. According to sources, a notification from PCB Chief Operating Officer Sumair Ahmad Syed confirmed that all NOCs for foreign leagues have been placed on hold with immediate effect. The consequential decision was made just one day after the Pakistan team’s defeat in the Asia Cup final, highlighting the immediate fallout of the tournament. Elite Players…
