Author: Our Correspondent

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Federal planning minister Ahsan Iqbal has said that the IPACS exhibition in Lahore is crucial for Pakistan, arguing that architecture and design play a central role in shaping the identity of cities and communities. Speaking at the Expo Centre, Iqbal said Pakistan possessed a rich cultural heritage that should be preserved even as the country embraces modern architectural trends. “Architecture gives a settlement its identity. We are moving towards contemporary design, but we must also develop our heritage so the world can clearly recognize who we are,” he told the audience. He noted that Karachi was…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has intensified operations against illegal cigarette manufacturing across Pakistan, seizing more than 200 cartons in Mardan and shutting down multiple factories. Authorities said the operation targeted a factory equipped with clandestine machinery producing cigarettes for well-known brands. The facility, capable of producing six to seven tons of tobacco daily, was reportedly generating around Rs45 million worth of illicit cigarettes each day. Some of the tobacco was sent to units in Hyderabad and Azad Kashmir. FBR sources warned that the proliferation of untaxed cigarettes causes an annual loss of Rs250–300 billion…

By our correspondent LAHORE: Lahore remains the world’s most polluted city for the fourth consecutive day, with air quality levels reaching hazardous levels across the province. Meteorologists said that north-western winds have contributed to a further spike in pollution in the city. According to a global environmental monitoring website, Lahore recorded a particulate matter (PM2.5) level of 328, while nearby Kahna Nau registered 542. Rahim Yar Khan also saw unsafe air quality, with PM2.5 levels hitting 378. Senior provincial minister Maryam Aurangzeb said the Punjab government is implementing the region’s most comprehensive anti-smog plan. She added that smog-control machinery, water…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with acting US Ambassador Natalie Baker to discuss deepening bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and the United States. The meeting, attended by senior officials from the Interior Ministry, the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), and the US embassy, focused on counter-narcotics operations, curbing illegal immigration, and intelligence sharing. During the briefing, Naqvi highlighted the ANF’s recent operations, noting that under the annual counter-narcotics campaign, authorities seized 134 tons of drugs and arrested 2,001 suspects, including 75 foreign nationals, with an estimated street value of $12.8 billion. Officials also reported the clearance of over…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Defence minister Khawaja Asif has accused PTI founder Imran Khan of using “inappropriate and damaging language” even during periods of military tension with India, saying such behavior reflected an “anti-Pakistan identity”. Speaking to reporters, Asif said the military’s spokesperson, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, had used careful language in his recent briefing, but he himself was not bound by the same restraint. “If they throw a brick, I have the liberty to respond with a stone,” he said, warning that political conduct would be met in kind. Asif criticized a recent interview given by Khan’s sister…

By our correspondent QUETTA: More than a hundred men, including a senior commander of a banned terrorist group, surrendered their weapons in Balochistan’s Sui area in a move that officials described as one of the most significant reconciliatory breakthroughs in recent months. Provincial authorities said the group renounced violence, pledged allegiance to Pakistan, and ceremonially hoisted the national flag during an event attended by tribal elders and security officials. The terrorists, led by commander Wadera Noor Ali Chakarani, handed over rifles and ammunition to provincial minister Mir Aftab Ahmed Bugti. Footage from the ceremony showed stacks of firearms and rounds…

By our correspondent DHAKA: A six-member delegation from Pakistan, led by Jehanzeb Khan, Project Director of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, visited Dhaka University on Monday, 1 December 2025, seeking to strengthen academic ties and research collaboration between institutions in the two countries. The delegation, which included representatives from several Pakistani universities, was warmly received by Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan at his office. During the meeting, both sides explored areas of mutual interest, focusing particularly on opportunities for joint academic programs, research partnerships, and student and faculty exchanges. Jehanzeb Khan emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to…

By our correspondent CHAGAI: Authorities in Balochistan’s remote Chagai district have emptied and begun dismantling Gridhi Jungle, the province’s biggest and oldest Afghan refugee settlement, in a sweeping operation that underscored Pakistan’s accelerating push to repatriate undocumented Afghan nationals. The camp, a sprawling expanse of mud homes, makeshift shelters and informal markets that had grown into a small township over the decades, was believed to have housed nearly 70,000 people at its peak. Officials said the operation had followed days of registration and documentation as families were lined up, logged and escorted towards the border crossing into Afghanistan. Many had…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Egypt’s foreign minister, Dr Badr Ahmed Abdelatty, is set to arrive in Pakistan today for a two-day official visit focused on strengthening what both sides describe as long-standing and friendly ties. According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the visiting minister will hold a one-on-one meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, followed by delegation-level talks. Officials said the discussions would cover bilateral cooperation as well as wider regional and global issues. The situation in Gaza is expected to feature prominently, with both countries closely engaged in diplomatic efforts linked to the conflict. The Foreign…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan expressed deep sorrow over a devastating fire at the Wang Fuk Court building in Hong Kong. In an official statement, a Foreign Office spokesperson conveyed Pakistan’s sympathy and condolences to the Chinese government and people for the tragic loss of life. The spokesperson also wished a speedy recovery for those injured in the incident. The statement underlined Pakistan’s solidarity with China in the wake of the disaster, which has been described as one of the deadliest fires in Hong Kong’s history. Reports indicate that 128 people were killed, 79 were injured, and…