Author: Our Correspondent

By our correspondent DHAKA: Bangladesh police have identified Faisal Karim Masud as the central suspect in the killing of student leader Osman Hadi, following preliminary investigations that uncovered “solid evidence,” authorities said. According to a police statement, Masud has been named as the shooter, while Alamgir Sheikh has been named as an accomplice. A court has cancelled Masud’s passport and barred him from leaving the country, instructing border security and all airports to prevent any illegal exit. The police said Masud has not yet been apprehended, but investigation teams are working around the clock to capture him. Authorities have also…

By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on Friday for an official visit, where authorities prepared to extend a grand welcome. The visit was expected to feature detailed discussions between the leaders of both countries on a range of issues, including bilateral relations, regional security, and defence cooperation. Officials indicated that the talks would also focus on expanding economic, trade, and investment ties, reflecting a shared interest in strengthening strategic and commercial partnerships. Preparations for the visit were reported to have been completed in advance, with…

By our correspondent KARACHI: The University of Karachi (KU) has signed a significant Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with eight towns administered by Jamaat-e-Islami to enhance transport facilities for students. The ceremony took place at the KU Vice Chancellor’s Secretariat on Wednesday. Under the agreement, each participating town will repair, restore, and hand over one KU point bus in fully operational condition, ensuring safer and more reliable travel for students. Officials from Gulberg, North Nazimabad, Liaquatabad, Model Colony, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, New Karachi, and Jinnah East towns were present to sign the MoU alongside KU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi. The…

By our correspondent KARACHI: Ali Khursheedi, opposition leader of the Sindh Assembly from MQM-P, along with other principled lawmakers, successfully secured a reduction in heavy fines under the city’s e-challan system following a key standing committee meeting chaired by the Sindh Home Minister. Addressing the committee, Khursheedi described the high fines imposed on citizens, particularly motorcyclists, as unjust, highlighting the persistent challenges faced by Karachi’s commuters. “We support traffic law enforcement, but when roads are broken, signals are inactive, and lane markings are absent, imposing hefty fines on citizens is unfair,” he said. He questioned how residents could be expected…

By our correspondent KARACHI: Another case has been registered against villagers affected by the Chotiari tragedy, with five individuals, including Iqbal Mallah, Irfan Junejo, Khalid Junejo, and Saab Junejo, named for allegedly stealing wood from MNA Alauddin Junejo’s land. The registration of the FIR sparked strong protests among the villagers, who say they are facing continuous harassment. According to them, three villagers were previously killed by armed men linked to Junejo, and now cases are being filed one after another. Village leader Fida Hussain Junejo described this as the seventh FIR against them, claiming it is intended to pressure the…

By our correspondent KARACHI: Sana Perveen, Social Safeguard and Resettlement Specialist at the Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project under the P&DD component, received an appreciation shield from the SFERP management following global recognition from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). “I am deeply honoured to receive this appreciation shield for the achievement and the successful completion of SFERP Phase I,” Sana Perveen said. She noted that the project was designed as an emergency response initiative and was completed ahead of schedule without compromising on quality. Social Safeguard and Resettlement Specialist said it set strong benchmarks in employment…

By our correspondent KARACHI: The Green Panel has announced that it will take part fully in the forthcoming elections 2025 of the Karachi Press Club, with its slate of candidates set to be formally unveiled on Wednesday, 24 December. The presser said that the announcement of candidates would be made at the Karachi Press Club, following a decision taken at a meeting of the Green Panel’s election committee held on Monday. The meeting was chaired by the committee head, Saeed Jan Baloch, and was attended by a large number of Green Panel leaders and supporters. In a joint statement, senior…

By Abdul Samad KARACHI: An annual “Terhi” Na’atia Mushaira, infused with devotion to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), was held in Karachi in memory of the late poet and literary figure Naseer Koti, drawing poets, scholars and lovers of devotional poetry from across the city. Organized by Bazm-e-Naseer Koti, the event took place on other day at the auditorium of the Government Degree College for Boys in North Nazimabad. The mushaira was based on a celebrated line from Naseer Koti’s well-known Na’at, “One who loves the Prophet is united with the Prophet,” which served as the thematic refrain for the evening.…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s rapid adoption of solar energy offers a potential foundation for green industrialization and sustainable economic growth, but experts warn that the sector remains heavily import-dependent, particularly on China, limiting industrial and economic benefits. The warning came during the launch of a policy report, “From Solar Boom to Green Industrialization: Policy Pathways to Localizing Solar Value Chains in Pakistan”, jointly presented by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and the University of Bath. Prof. Dr Yixian Sun of the University of Bath noted that Pakistan has spent over $10 billion on imported solar equipment without capturing…

By our correspondent KARACHI: Traditional methods of managing Karachi’s civic issues have failed to deliver, and the city now needs AI-driven dashboards to address chronic problems, said Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor on Sunday. Speaking on the megacity’s ongoing civic breakdown—ranging from broken roads and overflowing garbage to water shortages, traffic congestion, encroachments, and dysfunctional public transport—Shakoor stressed that the root cause lies not in laws or policies, but in fragmented authority, poor coordination, and lack of visibility into how Karachi functions. He proposed AI-driven civic dashboards as practical governance tools that integrate data from multiple sources, detect…