Author: Our Correspondent

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders have appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Yahya Afridi, over alleged denial of medical and legal access for party founder Imran Khan. The leaders urged the Supreme Court to ensure Khan receives proper treatment while in custody. In a letter sent through their lawyer, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ijaz Chaudhry, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, and Mahmood-ur-Rashid stated that the former prime minister has been repeatedly denied access to his personal doctor, family members, and legal counsel. The appeal follows Khan’s second eye injection at the Pakistan Institute of…

By our correspondentLAHORE: The government of Pakistan has amended passport regulations to allow married women to enter their father’s name on their passports by choice, replacing the long-standing practice of using the husband’s name. The reform has been introduced to support women’s independent legal identity and dignity. In the past, married women were generally required to include their husband’s name on travel documents, a practice that often created legal and identification difficulties in cases of separation, divorce or other personal matters. Officials said the change was implemented after directions from the Lahore High Court, which emphasised the need to give…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has accused the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government of planning to form a “release force” for the jailed founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf while remaining silent on terrorism. In a statement, Asif said the provincial administration was avoiding participation in the funerals of martyrs despite daily casualties among police personnel. He claimed that for the party leadership the release of its founder had become the “first and last priority”, while all other matters, including national security, had lost importance. The defence minister said the province was being run only to protect the chief minister’s…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stepped in to calm rising political tensions as the PPP-MQM row over a proposed Karachi province intensifies. He met Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in Islamabad to ease fears and promote unity among coalition partners. The growing dispute between the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan has centred on calls for greater federal control of Karachi. The MQM-P accused the Sindh government of “chronic misgovernance” in the city, while the PPP hit back, blaming the party for past violence in the metropolis. During the meeting, Shehbaz…

By our correspondent KARACHI: An important meeting on the progress of recruitment for BPS 5–15 posts through the Sindh Job Portal was held under the chairmanship of Secretary School Education and Literacy Department (SELD), Zahid Ali Abbasi. The chair reviewed the pace of the ongoing process, appreciated the dedicated efforts of the HR team, and issued strict directions to all concerned officers to expedite and complete the remaining stages — including shortlisting and interviews — at the earliest. It was decided that the HR team would remain fully available to facilitate officers throughout the process to ensure transparency and timely…

By Zahid KaraniKARACHI: The Humaara Karachi Movement formally launched its citizen-led fire safety initiative with a Street Assembly at Denso Hall, Rahguzar Walking Street. Led by architect Dr Yasmeen Lari, the initiative marks the beginning of a structured, zero-funding, non-political campaign to improve fire safety standards across the city following the Gul Plaza incident. The event, organized by the Humaara Karachi Core Committee in collaboration with the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan, the Institute of Architects Pakistan, and the Association of Consulting Engineers Pakistan, focused on fire protection measures for Rahguzar buildings and the adjoining medicine market. The program began with…

By our correspondent KARACHI: Gold prices in Pakistan continued their upward trajectory, reflecting sustained demand for the safe-haven metal amid heightened tensions in the Middle East. According to the All Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association, the price of gold per tola rose by Rs3,000 to reach Rs536,562. The rate for 10 grams of gold also increased, gaining Rs2,572 to settle at Rs460,015. The domestic surge followed a rise in the international market, where gold climbed by $30 per ounce to $5,138, as investors maintained a strong buying trend in response to the uncertain geopolitical situation. #GoldPrices #GoldPricePakistan #GoldRateToday #GoldTolaPrice…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Investor confidence in Pakistan appeared to gain fresh momentum as the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) continued to provide streamlined support and guidance to foreign businesses operating in the country. Data released by the State Bank of Pakistan revealed that profit remittances on foreign investments surged to $1.7 billion during the first seven months of the fiscal year 2025-26, marking an increase of more than 27 per cent compared with the same period last year. The growth in outward payments was led by the energy and financial sectors, with foreign companies in these industries repatriating profits…

By our correspondent RIYADH/ISLAMABAD: The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine, along with the secretariats of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the League of Arab States, and the Gulf Cooperation Council, have strongly condemned remarks by the United States Ambassador to Israel. The ambassador had indicated that it would be acceptable for Israel to exercise control over territories belonging to Arab states, including the occupied West Bank. The ministers described the comments as “dangerous and inflammatory”, saying they violate international law and the United…

By our Correspondent ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Finance on Sunday dismissed reports suggesting Pakistan was paying interest of up to 8% on its external loans. Officials said such claims required context to provide an accurate picture of the country’s external debt profile. The clarification followed recent press commentary on Pakistan’s debt position and interest obligations. “The overall average cost of external public debt is approximately 4%, reflecting the predominantly concessional nature of the borrowing portfolio,” the ministry said in a statement. Pakistan’s total external debt and liabilities currently stand at $138 billion, the ministry said. This figure includes public and…