Author: Our Correspondent

By our correspondent KARACHI: The Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI) and NADRA renewed their agreement on 12 February to accelerate issuance of the Benazir Mazdoor Card, aimed at providing welfare and protection to workers across Sindh. The ceremony at SESSI Head Office was attended by senior officials from both organisations, including Commissioner SESSI Hadi Bakhsh Kalhoro and Regional Director NADRA Karachi Aamir Ali Khan. The card, an initiative of Sindh Labour Minister Saeed Ghani, will eventually cover workers in the informal sector and ensures proper verification of beneficiaries at SESSI hospitals and dispensaries through NADRA’s system. Commissioner Kalhoro said…

By our correspondent KARACHI: Immigration authorities at Karachi Airport intercepted a passenger attempting to travel to Malaysia under false pretences, raising fresh concerns about the ongoing challenge of illegal migration in the region. The individual, whose journey had begun in Thailand, was stopped during routine immigration checks when officials noticed irregularities in the travel documents. A spokesperson confirmed that the passenger had been flagged as suspicious and subsequently detained. Further inquiry revealed that the traveller had paid Rs300,000 to an agent who had promised to facilitate the journey, highlighting the role of organized networks in smuggling individuals abroad. The incident…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has reflected on his time in prison, saying he served his sentence with resolve and cautioning against rash actions in the name of politics. Speaking to supporters in Jamaluddin Wali, Rahim Yar Khan, Zardari said, “I have spent time in jail. I had said then that the consequences would come after two years.” He stressed that democracy does not condone taking up arms, warning that conflicts lead to personal loss, including harm to family members. He criticized some political leaders for what he described as exaggeration and lack of resilience. “These leaders…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Senior leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan(MQM-P), Dr Farooq Sattar, condemned the deadly attack at Jamia Mosque and Imam Bargah Khadija-tul-Kubra, describing it as a deliberate attempt to sabotage peace and social harmony in Pakistan. Speaking to journalists at the Islamabad Press Club alongside pro-rights members of the National Assembly, Dr Sattar said the attack was not just a violent incident but a blatant declaration of war against humanity. “Taking the life of a single innocent person is equivalent to killing all of humanity,” he said, adding that using religion to mislead youth and spread fear,…

By our correspondent KARACHI: A literary milestone unfolded in Karachi on Friday with the launch of the English-language novel Before the Sirens Came, written by Syeda Munsifa Zahra, set against the backdrop of the hardships faced by the Palestinian people. The event was organized by PENTA Plus Publishers, a subsidiary of the Pakistan Associations of Research Scholars (PARS), at the Josh Malihabadi Library Hall in the Pakistan Arts Council. The ceremony was presided over by the renowned scholar, writer, and poet Professor Sahar Ansari. Special guest Professor Dr Sajid Hussain, a researcher, dramatist, documentary producer, novelist, and senior professor of…

By our correspondent KARACHI: The Karachi Biennale Trust (KBT) celebrated its tenth anniversary on February 13, 2026, unveiling plans for Karachi Biennale 2027 (KB27) at a press conference held at the Gulgee Museum. Curated by Noor Ahmed under the theme “Kal — Yesterday/Tomorrow,” the fifth edition of the city-wide art festival is scheduled for 16–31 January 2027. The event highlighted KBT’s achievements over the past decade and introduced the new chairperson, Atteqa Malik, and managing trustee, Shanaz Ramzi. Speaking at the conference, Ramzi said, “At ten years, the Karachi Biennale Trust stands as a testament to what sustained cultural collaboration…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry held a high-level meeting with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, John Mark Pomeroy, in Islamabad, focusing on bilateral relations and regional security challenges. The discussions, officials said, revolved around strengthening cooperation in counterterrorism and internal security, while also exploring avenues for economic partnership. During the meeting, both sides emphasized the importance of coordinated global action in addressing terrorism. Naqvi underlined that Pakistan values its strategic relationship with the United States, describing it as “key” to combating security threats…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Japanese businessman Malik Saleem has said he is ready to establish a full-scale electric bike and bus manufacturing factory in Pakistan, provided the government gives clear commitments and a buy-back guarantee. Saleem highlighted his decade-long experience producing electric vehicles, buses, cars, and other heavy vehicles in China, which are now successfully sold in several Latin American countries, including Chile and Peru. He suggested that if the government guarantees the initial purchase of 1,000 electric buses or provides a buy-back arrangement, he could relocate his existing factory to Pakistan. “The country needs a real manufacturing industry, particularly…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development, Reforms and Special Initiatives, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, observed that provinces in Pakistan have failed to transfer power to districts, undermining the objectives of devolution. Speaking on the second day of an international conference organized by the Applied Economics Research Centre (AERC) of the University of Karachi, he said the decentralization initiative, intended to strengthen districts and union councils, had not achieved its goals. Addressing the conference, titled “Sustainable and Stable Pakistan in a Changing Global Order,” at the Rangoonwala Conference Hall, Professor Iqbal emphasized that research should extend beyond impact-factor journals…

By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed interest on Tuesday in learning from Indonesia’s experience with the Sovereign Wealth Fund model. He made the remarks while meeting a five-member Indonesian delegation led by Minister for Investment and Downstream Industry, Rosan Roeslani, in Islamabad. Both countries agreed to accelerate efforts to upgrade their preferential trade agreement into a comprehensive economic partnership agreement by 2027. The Prime Minister said Pakistan was keen to deepen economic ties with Indonesia, highlighting decades of fraternal relations that continue to strengthen. He also conveyed his best wishes to President Prabowo Subianto, noting that the…