Islamabad: In a landmark procedural decision, an eight-judge Constitutional Bench (CB) of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday approved requests seeking the live streaming of proceedings concerning challenges to the 26th Constitutional Amendment. The amendment, which was passed last October, has been a contentious subject, drawing significant scrutiny from legal experts and opposition parties concerned about its impact on judicial autonomy. The amendment, among other changes, stripped the Supreme Court of its suo motu powers, set the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s (CJP) term at three years, and empowered the Prime Minister to appoint the next CJP. Ironically, the very…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
Moscow, Russia: Pakistan, alongside China, Russia, and Iran, reaffirmed a staunch commitment to a “stable and peaceful” Afghanistan during a quadrilateral meeting in Moscow on Tuesday. The four regional powers also voiced acute concern over the “presence of terrorists” operating within the country. This high-level coordination precedes the 7th meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan, scheduled for later today. The broader forum is set to include representatives from ten regional countries, including India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Pakistan’s Special Envoy to Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq Khan, detailed the discussions on X, stating, “The…
Peshawar: Police in Peshawar have registered a case following the alleged abduction of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) activist Sanam Javed near the Civil Officers’ Mess in the provincial capital. The incident, which has drawn immediate political condemnation, occurred late Monday night. The First Information Report (FIR), filed early Tuesday by Javed’s friend Hira Babar at Peshawar’s Sharqi police station, invokes Section 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent to secretly and wrongfully confine person) of the Pakistan Penal Code. Babar claimed that she and Javed were intercepted at approximately 10:40 pm while driving back after having dinner. She described a coordinated effort:…
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership and Governance by the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) during his three-day official visit. The recognition was bestowed upon him for his “outstanding leadership and contributions to nation-building.” During a special ceremony held yesterday at the Kuala Lumpur campus, PM Shehbaz accepted the degree, calling it a “great privilege and honour.” Reflecting on his four decades of public service, he stressed that leadership was not a privilege but a “sacred trust, amanah,” which must be exercised with “sincerity, justice and transparent accountability…
Shikarpur, Sindh: At least seven people were injured on Tuesday after a blast on a railway track derailed four carriages (bogies) of the Jaffer Express in the Shikarpur district of Sindh province, according to local officials. The incident is being investigated as part of a rising trend of attacks targeting Pakistan’s transport infrastructure. Shakeel Abro, Shikarpur Deputy Commissioner, confirmed the details, stating, “A blast had occurred on the train tracks at 8:15 am. The incident occurred at a distance of 1km from the Sultan Kot railway station.” He added that the force of the explosion caused the derailment of four…
Islamabad: The Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, has asserted that the Chinese weapon systems deployed by Pakistan during the intense four-day military conflict with India in May performed “exceptionally well.” In an interview with Bloomberg, published yesterday, Lt Gen Chaudhry stated: “Of course lately, recent Chinese platforms, they’ve demonstrated exceptionally well.” He underscored Pakistan’s open approach to technology, adding, “We are open to all sorts of technology.” This statement follows earlier reports, including one by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, indicating that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) utilized Chinese J-10C jets in its…
Former Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, who was detained last week by Israeli forces after they intercepted a flotilla carrying aid for Gaza, has been released and is now safely at the Pakistan embassy in Amman, Jordan. The country’s top diplomat confirmed his well-being following days of diplomatic efforts. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced the news on Tuesday via social media platform X, stating, “I am pleased to confirm that former Senator Mushtaq has been released and is now safely with [the] Pakistan embassy in Amman. He is in good health and high spirits.” Senator…
ISLAMABAD: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a warning regarding a significant risk of chikungunya spread in several nations, including Pakistan. This comes as more than 445,000 cases and 155 deaths have been reported from 40 countries so far in 2025. Officials and experts warn that Pakistan, already grappling with post-monsoon outbreaks of dengue and malaria, remains highly vulnerable due to a large population of Aedes mosquitoes. The country’s preparedness is hampered by a lack of routine chikungunya screening facilities and a healthcare infrastructure weakened by the devastating 2025 floods in Sindh, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Surge in…
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are moving towards making significant adjustments to the budgetary targets for the current fiscal year. This comes as a direct consequence of the recent flash floods, which are now expected to cause a substantial downward revision in the GDP growth forecast. Initially, the devastation caused by the floods was underestimated. However, a Rapid Need Assessment (RNA) conducted by the provinces now estimates the total losses across all four provinces to be around Rs650 billion. Officials warn that this figure is likely to increase further as international donors finalize their own assessments. …
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) opened the week on a downturn, with investors engaging in profit-booking on Monday following the index’s record-breaking rally. The selling pressure was amplified by mounting concerns over fiscal slippages and widening external imbalances. The PSX’s benchmark KSE-100 Index settled at 167,752.40 points, reflecting a loss of 1,237.67 points, or 0.73%, from the previous close of 168,990.07. During the session, the index experienced significant volatility, hitting a low of 165,997.36 points. Economic Headwinds Drive Profit-Taking Market analysts attributed the decline to a combination of technical resistance and fundamental economic worries. “The market, after a…
