Author: Our Correspondent

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Foreign Ministers of Turkey and Egypt called on Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at his official residence in Islamabad on Sunday evening, while Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan also paid a call-on amid mounting regional tensions in the Middle East. Hakan Fidan, Turkey’s foreign minister, and Badr Abdelatty, his Egyptian counterpart, held warm discussions with Sharif at the Prime Minister House. Sharif extended greetings to the leaders of both nations, passing on his best wishes to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. He recalled recent telephone conversations with…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government imposed a nationwide “smart lockdown” over weekends to combat a deepening energy crisis exacerbated by regional tensions disrupting fuel supplies, sources confirmed on Sunday. The measure, targeting Saturdays and Sundays, came into force after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved finalized proposals, according to government insiders. It ran from noon on Saturday until 11:59pm on Sunday night, suspending all business activities in a bid to curb soaring electricity demand and preserve dwindling fuel stocks. Markets shuttered, commercial operations ground to a halt, and wedding ceremonies – often lavish affairs in the country – faced…

By our correspondent BHAAG: A major power disruption hit Bhaag after thieves stole electricity wires from 26 poles of the 33kV Gandawah feeder, leaving the entire area without electricity, officials said. The incident, reported by the Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO), also damaged five PCC poles, compounding the problem and delaying restoration efforts. All neighborhoods dependent on the Gandawah feeder remain without power, causing significant disruptions to daily life for residents. QESCO confirmed that restoration work is scheduled to begin on Monday, and a formal complaint has been lodged with the local police to investigate the theft and hold those…

By our corrspondent WASHINGTON: A fresh wave of nationwide protests has erupted across the United States against Donald Trump, under the banner of the “No King” movement. Organizers said the No King protests include rallies against the Trump administration across the country, with 3,200 demonstrations planned in all 50 states. The protests are expected to draw the largest number of participants in US history for this movement. Previous No King protests have already attracted millions of participants. The No King movement began in 2025 following Trump’s second election as president, emerging as the most prominent public resistance against his policies.…

By our correspondent TEHRAN: Iran has issued special permission for two Pakistan-bound ships to transit the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, shipping sources confirmed. The vessels include the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation ship Multan and a chartered vessel carrying around 85 million litres of crude oil. Both ships have successfully exited the strait and are on course to arrive in Pakistan by March 31. Officials said the clearance highlights continued cooperation between Iran and Pakistan in maritime trade, particularly for the transport of energy resources through one of the world’s busiest and most geopolitically sensitive shipping lanes. The move also…

By our correspondent WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has said that Iran will be forced to open the Strait of Hormuz, that it will never be able to build naval warships again, and that the US is eliminating the threat posed by the Iranian regime. Speaking at an event, President Trump said that dialogue with Iran is ongoing, the US military has performed excellently, Iran wants a deal, and negotiations are underway that will produce results. He added that if Iran possessed a nuclear bomb, it could have used it against Israel, and that it would have deployed such weapons…

By our correspondent WASHINGTON: Officials in the United States have claimed that China’s largest chip-making company provided semiconductor manufacturing equipment to Iran’s military. According to foreign media reports, two senior officials linked to the Donald Trump administration, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Chinese equipment was delivered to Iran nearly a year ago, adding there is no evidence that the cooperation has stopped. The officials said the collaboration may have also included technical training related to semiconductor technology, which could significantly support Iran’s military-industrial capabilities. Reports said it remains unclear whether the supplied equipment was of US origin, as…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, faced heavy criticism from Pakistani politicians on Thursday after issuing sharply worded remarks about Pakistan’s role in mediating the ongoing US-Israel war against Iran. Speaking at an all-party meeting convened to discuss the West Asia crisis, Jaishankar dismissed Pakistan’s efforts as a mediator, saying India did not view itself as a “dalaal” (broker). “There is nothing new in Pakistan’s mediation efforts, as that country has been ‘used’ by the US since 1981,” he reportedly said, according to The News. The comments came days after reports suggested Pakistan was positioning itself…

By our correspondent WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to orchestrate a popular uprising in Iran, according to an American news website. Netanyahu had suggested last week that the Iranian populace could be brought onto the streets, arguing that the Iranian government is already in disarray and that there exists an opportunity to further destabilize the regime. Trump responded to Netanyahu by questioning why people should be called into the streets, adding that they would be killed. The US president has avoided making regime change in Iran an immediate objective, preferring to keep…

By our correspondent KARACHI: Pakistan Railways has reported record earnings of over Rs1 billion from passenger train operations during the three days of Eid, officials said. According to a spokesperson for Pakistan Railways, the department generated Rs110 million on the first day of Eid, Rs170 million on the second day, and more than Rs200 million on the third day. Overall, passenger train services brought in over Rs1 billion in revenue over the past week.Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi said the record revenue was the result of effective policies and praised the administration for its performance. He added that improving passenger facilities…