Author: Our Correspondent

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, was once known for its lush greenery. In recent years, however, the widespread felling of trees for infrastructure projects has triggered public anger and even legal action. Built in the 1960s, Islamabad was designed as a green city. Its planners envisaged wide avenues, parks and tree-lined residential sectors. Many residents now fear that vision is being steadily eroded. Concrete is increasingly replacing green spaces across the city. Muhammad Naveed took the authorities to court this year over what he described as “large-scale tree cutting” linked to infrastructure development. He accused officials of felling…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Farman Ali Bosan, brother of Dr Altaf Bosan, National Technical Advisor for the anti-polio program, was killed in the recent Tarlai suicide bombing during Friday prayers. A retired government officer of the Sindh Education Department, Farman Ali Bosan was attending prayers when the blast occurred. His son and several cousins were injured. Funeral prayers will be held in Islamabad, where he will be laid to rest. Upon learning of his brother’s death, Dr Altaf Bosan travelled immediately from Karachi to Islamabad, suspending official activities. In a statement, he condemned the attack, calling it a reminder of…

By our correspondent KARACHI: The government has decided to strengthen its intelligence network and raise a special force to guard Balochistan and its borders with Iran and Afghanistan, a provincial official said. The move, reported by The News citing Arab News, comes days after Canadian miner Barrick Mining Corporation said it would immediately review all aspects of the multibillion-dollar Reko Diq copper-gold project in Balochistan. Barrick’s decision followed coordinated attacks by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) last Saturday, which killed 36 civilians and 22 security personnel across several districts. “In light of these terrorist events, the provincial government, in tandem…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Defence minister Khawaja Asif has said that those who kill worshippers inside a mosque are enemies of both religion and the state, condemning the deadly attack in the strongest terms. In a statement posted on X, Asif said investigations had established that the terrorist involved in the attack had travelled to and from Afghanistan. He claimed there were emerging links pointing to coordination between India and the Taliban, though he did not provide further details. The defence minister said security guards had challenged the attacker, who then opened fire before carrying out a suicide bombing. He…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to deepening engagement with Iran across key priority sectors, as he met the Iranian ambassador in Islamabad amid a renewed emphasis on regional cooperation and security. Dar made the remarks during a meeting with Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Raza Amiri Moghaddam, who called on him to review the state of bilateral relations and ongoing institutional engagement between the two neighboring countries. Officials said the discussion focused on strengthening cooperation in areas of mutual interest, reflecting Islamabad’s stated policy of enhancing ties with regional partners through…

By our correspondent KARACHI: Sohail University and the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening ties between academia and the business community, in a move intended to promote research, innovation and skills development in Sindh. The agreement was signed at a ceremony held in the presence of the governor of Sindh, Kamran Tessori, who welcomed the initiative and described it as a step towards bridging the long-standing gap between education and industry. He said closer collaboration between universities and the private sector was essential to equip young people with skills…

By our correspondent KARACHI: A women’s convention organized by the Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H) drew a large turnout in Karachi’s Central district on Saturday, including a significant number of university students. Addressing the gathering, party chairman Afaq Ahmed reiterated his party’s opposition to the division of Karachi and the Mohajir community, describing recent calls for a separate province as the agenda of what he termed the “Punjab establishment,” backed by those in power through Form 47. Ahmed said his party’s position was clear: it would not allow the Mohajir people or their land to be divided. He described Karachi and…

By our correspondent KARACHI: The College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan inaugurated the International Medical Education Conference 2026 at its Karachi headquarters, drawing senior medical leaders from Pakistan and abroad. Held under the theme “Enhancing Competence, Compassion, and Resilience through Innovation and Collaboration,” the conference focused on technical excellence alongside human values, ethics, empathy, and resilience as core elements of modern medical education. The opening session began with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by the national anthem. In his welcome address, Professor Dr Khalid Masood Gondal underlined the need to train physicians who are not only clinically competent…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has taken a significant step toward its first human spaceflight mission after the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) successfully completed the secondary phase of astronaut candidate selection, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced on Saturday. The milestone marks a major development in Pakistan’s Human Spaceflight Program. Following an initial screening in Pakistan, two candidates were shortlisted after undergoing comprehensive medical, psychological, and aptitude assessments at the Astronauts Centre of China (ACC), in accordance with international standards for human spaceflight. The two shortlisted candidates will now enter a six-month period of advanced astronaut…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited the site of the suicide bombing at Tarlai Imambargah in Islamabad on Friday. He was accompanied by Minister of State Talal Chaudhry, the Federal Secretary for Interior, Chief Commissioner Islamabad, and IG Islamabad Police. The delegation offered Maghrib and Isha prayers at the site and prayed for the highest ranks of those killed in the blast. They also inspected the area and reviewed the situation. Naqvi met with the management of the imambargah and directed the Chairman of the Capital Development Authority to fully restore the building as soon as possible.…