Author: Our Correspondent

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Federal Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb has said that many of the questions raised about the budget could have been answered if his budget speech had been listened to carefully. Speaking in the National Assembly while winding up debate on cut motions, Aurangzeb urged opposition members, particularly from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), to return to parliamentary committees, arguing that their participation would allow them to contribute more effectively to budget discussions. He said much of the criticism surrounding the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) reflected a misunderstanding of the government’s fiscal position, adding that the economic…

By our correspondent KARACHI: Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officials in Karachi say they have arrested a suspected suicide bomber linked to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), in what they describe as a major disruption of a planned attack network in the city. According to a CTD spokesperson, the arrested suspect, identified as Salman, was a close associate of a militant commander known as Zaffran, who was previously killed in an encounter with security forces. Authorities say Zaffran carried a bounty of 10 million rupees. Officials allege the suspect had been tasked with facilitating a major suicide bombing operation in Karachi, and…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: The government has introduced a new electricity bill format across Pakistan, promising to make bills simpler and easier to understand. The redesigned bill will clearly highlight the total amount payable, the due date and the number of units consumed, making key information easier to find at a glance. According to the Power Division, the previous bill format had generated frequent complaints from consumers, who said it was confusing and difficult to read. The new design has been prepared after reviewing public feedback and aims to remove unnecessary details and reduce complexity. Officials said all important information…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari held a meeting with PPP leaders from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to reports, PPP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha and Governor Faisal Karim Kundi met the party chairman to raise public concerns and organisational matters. PPP Central Information Secretary Nadeem Afzal Chan and Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon also accompanied Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. The focus of the briefing shifted quickly to party dynamics. The PPP KP leadership briefed Bilawal Bhutto about the results of a recent youth convention in Abbottabad and a wider public engagement campaign…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet has approved an increase in the salaries of government employees as part of the new federal budget, officials said on Friday. According to sources, salaries are expected to be raised by around 7 percent, following approval during a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The cabinet also approved the federal budget for 2026–27, along with the finance bill and related budget documents. Officials said the decision was taken during a meeting of the federal cabinet, which reviewed key fiscal proposals and spending plans for the upcoming financial year. Further details of…

By our correspondent PESHAWAR: Former senator Taj Muhammad Afridi was killed in a road accident on the M-1 motorway on Friday, while his driver sustained injuries, motorway police said. According to officials, the incident occurred near the Colonel Sher Khan Interchange when the vehicle carrying the former senator met with an accident. He died on the spot, while the injured driver was shifted to hospital for treatment. Motorway police said Afridi was travelling from Islamabad to Peshawar at the time of the crash. Initial reports suggested that the accident may have been caused by a mechanical fault in the vehicle,…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD Pakistan has warned that any deliberate attempt to block water flows vital to its survival and development would have “far-reaching consequences” and could be treated as an act of war under international law. Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi made the remarks during a weekly briefing on Thursday, responding to recent comments from Indian officials on water sharing. He said any move to restrict or divert water essential for agriculture and livelihoods of more than 250 million people would be considered “deeply irresponsible” and taken with the utmost seriousness. The warning came a day after India’s Water…

By our correspondent KARACHI: Dr Pir Ghulam Nabi Shah Jilani was honored with a ‘Souvenir of Honor’ at the Energy and Environment Action Summit-2026 in recognition of his longstanding contributions to healthcare, social welfare and community development, as participants at the event highlighted the importance of collective action in addressing some of the country’s most pressing challenges. The award was presented during a ceremony held at a local hotel in Karachi as part of the summit organized by the Global Business Council Karachi. The gathering brought together representatives from government institutions, the business community, civil society organisations and the healthcare…

By our correspondent KARACHI: Doctors at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) in Karachi held a peaceful protest outside the outpatient department complex to express solidarity with doctors in Balochistan and to condemn a recent attack on a healthcare professional in Quetta. The protest was attended by senior representatives of the Young Doctors Association (YDA), including Omer Sultan, Sajjad Bughio and Kanwal Soomro, along with members of the YDA JPMC cabinet and a large number of hospital doctors. Participants expressed concern over what they described as growing incidents of violence against medical professionals, stating that such attacks were unacceptable and…

By our correspondent KARACHI: A consultative meeting on platform economy workers, jointly organised by the International Labour Organization and the Pakistan United Workers Federation (PUWF), was held, in which stakeholders discussed the evolving nature of digital labour and the urgent need for stronger social protection frameworks in Pakistan’s rapidly expanding gig economy. The session opened with remarks from Geir T Tonstol, Country Director of the International Labour Organization, who underscored the growing significance of platform-based work in urban economies and the policy challenges it posed for labour regulation, social security coverage and workers’ rights. He emphasised that the rise of…