Author: Our Correspondent

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has appealed to voters in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to support the party’s candidates in the upcoming elections, urging them to cast their votes for the PPP’s electoral symbol, the arrow. In a message shared on social media platform X, Bilawal called on voters to participate actively in the democratic process and support PPP candidates, describing their vote as a choice for what he termed the rights of self-governance, ownership and employment. The PPP chairman specifically appealed to voters in the Mirpur Division to ensure the success…

By our correspondent HYDERABAD: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Chairman Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has accused the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of dividing Sindh along ethnic rather than urban-rural lines, while renewing his party’s demands for greater political representation and local government reforms. Addressing a public rally in Hyderabad, Siddiqui said there were 21 cities in Sindh with large Muhajir populations. He remarked that if the party’s supporters were to march towards the Chief Minister’s House, “the matter would be decided”, adding that the MQM had always advocated mutual recognition rather than confrontation. He described Hyderabad as a city built by…

By our correspondent KARACHI: K-Electric has said it has no authority over the taxes included in electricity bills, stressing that power tariffs and taxation are determined under a uniform national policy set by the federal government and the power regulator. In a statement issued after recent rainfall, the utility said its transmission network remained largely stable, with electricity supply continuing uninterrupted on around 90% of its feeders. Power was temporarily suspended in low-lying areas and locations affected by illegal connections as a safety precaution to prevent loss of life. The utility added that since its privatisation it has invested billions…

By our correspondent KARACHI: Sindh’s Provincial Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Muhammad Ali Malkani, hosted a luncheon in honor of a delegation from China’s Modern Biology Group, where both sides reviewed progress on a bilateral agreement aimed at strengthening the livestock sector and expanding technical cooperation. The meeting focused on the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Sindh Livestock and Fisheries Department and the Chinese side for the development of livestock in the province. Officials assessed the progress achieved under the agreement and discussed ways to accelerate cooperation in areas of mutual interest. During the discussions,…

By our correspondent KARACHI: Police have yet to complete their investigation into two cases registered at Garden police station against Anmol alias Pinky and several co-accused over alleged drug possession and illegal weapons. The matter came before the Judicial Magistrate (South), where the investigating officer requested more time to submit the final charge sheet. The court expressed displeasure over the delay. The magistrate ruled that the interim charge sheet would be treated as the final one for the purpose of proceedings and transferred the cases to the Sessions Court for trial. The court also directed the investigating officer to submit…

By our correspondent KARACHI: Sindh Governor Syed Muhammad Nehal Hashmi on Thursday inaugurated the third three-day Healthcare Expo and Conference in Karachi, calling for stronger collaboration across the health sector and greater emphasis on preventive healthcare, hygiene and affordable medical services. The event was attended by consuls general, healthcare professionals, medical experts and other guests from the health sector. Addressing the gathering as chief guest, the governor said continuous coordination and cooperation were essential for improving healthcare services. He stressed that cleanliness and preventive care remained the most effective ways to reduce the burden of disease, adding that strict hygiene…

By our correspondent KARACHI: Tuberculosis (TB) should no longer be viewed as a disease to be managed but one that must be eliminated, leading health experts said at a regional conference in Bangkok, warning that it remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases and continues to spread silently. Speaking at the APAC-IRIDS conference, organised by Roche in collaboration with the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), specialists said TB is transmitted easily from person to person and often remains undetected for long periods, allowing the disease to spread before symptoms appear. The conference brought together leading medical experts from…

By our correspondent QUETTA: A wave of violence has hit Balochistan’s Mastung district, where separate attacks left a Sessions Judge, his security guard and three passengers dead, prompting authorities to impose an indefinite curfew in Khad Kocha and launch a major security operation. According to police officials, Sessions Judge Abdul Hakim Kakar and his gunman were attacked while travelling from Quetta to the Sessions Court in Mastung. Unidentified assailants opened fire on their vehicle near the railway crossing on Wali Khan Bypass, killing Judge Kakar and his security guard at the scene. Additional Sessions Judge Tariq Lashari was also injured…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: An audit report presented before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has revealed an alleged payroll fraud of Rs1.06 billion at Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO), involving payments made in the names of ghost and retired employees. The findings were discussed during a PAC meeting, where officials examined details of the alleged financial irregularities and questioned the authorities concerned over the loss of public funds. According to the audit report, the suspected fraud was carried out through alleged coordination among officials responsible for managing the company’s financial and payroll systems. The report stated that the irregular payments…

By our correspondent KARACHI: A dispute over the government’s proposed daily revision of petrol and diesel prices deepened on Tuesday, with Pakistan’s two major petroleum dealers’ organisations taking different positions on a possible nationwide strike. The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) convened a central meeting in Karachi for Wednesday to decide its future course of action, while the Petrol Pumps Owners Association announced a strike from Wednesday night. Petroleum dealers continued to reject the proposed system of daily fuel price adjustments, insisting they would not accept the policy. Federal Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik held a series of meetings with…