Pakistan

Political temperatures flared on Wednesday as PTI Chairman Imran Khan continued to build momentum for a second iteration of his “Haqeeqi Azadi March” to Islamabad as Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb questioned the intent behind it. A day ago, the former prime minister had assigned PTI lawmakers — past and present — the task of bringing thousands of people each to the march …

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Monday dismissed an application filed by a man, who contracted marriage with an underage girl from Karachi, seeking contempt proceedings against the prosecutor general, Sindh, and investigating officer for fixing criminal liability regarding alleged abduction despite court orders. After hearing both sides, a single-judge bench headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar dismissed the application for …

CHARSADDA: Awami National Party provincial president Aimal Wali Khan has cancelled his proposed visit to the Edwardes College, Peshawar, after a jirga of the college teachers requested him to call it off. The jirga members led by college’s vice-principal called on the ANP leader at Wali Bagh here on Monday. Aimal Wali accepted the jirga’s requests and announced to postpone …

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has directed the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and other stakeholders to resolve complaints of flood victims regarding the disbursement of cash assistance and ensure that they receive the full amount without any deductions. After complaints were received by the Prime Minister Office, Mr Dar chaired a meeting on Monday to review the payments of …

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Athar Minallah on Monday disposed of a petition seeking recovery of a ‘missing person’ after the police produced him before the court. Interestingly, Muneeb Akram disclosed that he had gone to his village on his own and was not a missing person. Justice Minallah directed the inspector general of the police …

MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly witnessed pandemonium on Monday after an altercation between Law Minister Sardar Faheem Akhtar Rabbani and former premier Raja Farooq Haider in the house, prompting the chair to adjourn the session until Wednesday and triggering violent street protests. While a semblance of normalcy returned a few hours later after Prime Minister Sardar …

The chief of the prison service in India-occupied Kashmir has been murdered, police said on Tuesday, as the powerful interior minister visited the disputed Himalayan region. The body of Hemant Kumar Lohia, 57, the region’s director general of prisons, was found at his home on Monday night in the Jammu region, police said. Police said a household helper was the …

ISLAMABAD: Amid str­ong protest by the opposition, the Senate on Mon­day passed a bill seeking to reconstitute the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) after dozens of amendments were inserted into it. Leader of Opposition Dr Shahzad Waseem of PTI objected to the “long list of fresh amendments”, suggesting the bill should be sent to the committee again. “They [the …

Pakistan cannot afford to spend more on recovering from devastating floods blamed on climate change, Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman said on Tuesday, as she called for faster international help. The UN revised up its humanitarian appeal for Pakistan five-fold, to $816 million from $160 million, as a surge of water-borne diseases and fear of growing hunger posed new …

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial on Tuesday remarked that Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution, which sets the precondition for a member of parliament to be “sadiq and ameen” — honest and righteous — was a “draconian law”. The CJP made the remarks as the Supreme Court heard PTI leader Faisal Vawda’s appeal against his disqualification for life, under the article. According …