Author: Our Correspondent

By our correspondent KARACHI: Eating red onion during summer may help protect the body from heatstroke, according to experts. Commonly used in salads, the vegetable is now being linked to better resilience against extreme heat. Heatstroke symptoms include excessive sweating, headache, dizziness, nausea, rapid heartbeat and flushed skin. Health experts said recognising these signs early was important during hot weather. Research published in the journal Molecules found that red onion contains protein, phenolic compounds, flavonoids and antioxidants that may help the body cope with heat stress. Another study in the Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization reported that red onion…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Marking the first anniversary of what the military describes as “Marka-e-Haq”, Pakistan’s army chief and chief of defence forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has congratulated both the armed forces and the country’s citizens. According to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (Inter-Services Public Relations), senior leaders of the Pakistan Navy (Pakistan Navy) and Pakistan Air Force (Pakistan Air Force) also extended their congratulations on the occasion. The military’s media wing said the day was being observed with a sense of national unity, describing it as evidence of “professional skill, courage and cohesion” across the armed…

By our correspondent LAHORE: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan said Pakistan-China friendship had entered a new era of economic partnership and cooperation, noting that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif the country was moving steadily towards economic stability and industrial development. He made the remarks while delivering the welcome address at the Pakistan-China Business-to-Business Conference held at a local hotel in Lahore on Saturday. The event brought together 106 representatives from 74 Chinese companies, representatives of 136 Pakistani firms and 252 business delegates, alongside investors, industrialists and members of…

Ali Pervaiz Malik pledged to lower petroleum prices once global oil markets ease, linking domestic relief directly to sustained declines in international crude rates By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik on Saturday said the government had increased petrol and diesel prices in line with commitments made to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), while assuring the public that fuel prices would be reduced once international oil prices decline. Speaking during a televised address alongside Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Malik said that although there had not been any major fluctuation in global oil markets, the government had been required…

By our correspondent KARACHI: “Karachi is moving closer towards polio eradication as we have seen tremendous development in the municipal system, but rumors on social media remain the biggest challenge in our fight against the virus,” said Sheheryar Memon, Coordinator of the Sindh Emergency Operations Centre (EOC). Addressing a media briefing on the upcoming Polio Booster Dose Campaign at the Karachi Press Club on Friday. The briefing was attended by members of the Sindh Polio Eradication Programme, the EOC core team, health experts, and representatives from World Health Organization and UNICEF. To build public confidence and reassure parents about the…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has rejected bids for spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes for May amid rising uncertainty in energy procurement and pricing, sources in the Ministry of Energy said on Friday. The bids were invited by Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) for two spot cargoes scheduled for delivery between May 12–14 and May 24–26. According to official sources, seven bids were received in total for the two cargoes. The lowest offer for the first delivery window stood at $17.28 per million British thermal units (mmbtu), while the lowest bid for the second window was $16.98 per mmbtu. However,…

By our correspondent KARACHI: The Foreign Affairs Liaison Office (FALO) Karachi of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a farewell and welcome reception for members of the Consular Corps at the State Guest House on Friday. Speaking at the event, Director General FALO Karachi Muhammad Irfan Soomro welcomed distinguished diplomats and members of the consular community, saying the gathering offered an opportunity to bid farewell to colleagues who had completed their assignments in Karachi while also welcoming those who had recently arrived in the city. He paid tribute to the contributions of outgoing diplomats Lance Gavin Domm and Alexis Chahtahtinsky,…

By our correspondent KARACHI: Rich tributes were paid to the Armed Forces of Pakistan for their sacrifices and for valiantly defending the country’s borders during a seminar organized at Greenwich University on the theme of “Marka-e-Haq”. The event reaffirmed solidarity with the armed forces and highlighted what speakers described as the nation’s enduring commitment to truth, justice, resilience and sovereignty. The speakers said that the armed forces had defeated a “five times bigger enemy” with complete superiority. The seminar was followed by a solidarity march in which faculty members, students and staff of Greenwich University participated. The event brought together…

By our correspondent KARACHI: The Accident and Emergency Department of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), in collaboration with Rescue 1122, organized a disaster drill workshop on Thursday at JPMC Karachi. The aim of the workshop was capacity-building in disaster preparedness and immediate response. Teams from the Emergency Room (ER), IMIG SMC, RESQ and the Sindh Emergency Rescue Service demonstrated various emergency response techniques during the session. The workshop was attended by multiple chief guests, including Sindh Senior Minister Nasir Hussain Shah, Minister for Local Government and Housing Town Planning Murtaza Wahab, Mayor of Karachi Professor Amjad Siraj Memon, Vice…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to visit Gilgit-Baltistan today on a one-day official trip along with several senior federal ministers. During the visit, the prime minister will meet the governor and chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan to discuss administrative affairs, regional development projects and the overall situation in the area. The visit is also expected to focus on infrastructure, tourism, energy and connectivity initiatives linked to the northern region. According to official details, the delegation accompanying the prime minister includes Ahsan Iqbal, Awais Leghari, Attaullah Tarar, Amir Muqam, Abdul Aleem Khan, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Rana…