Pakistan

Track-and-field athlete Arshad Nadeem was given a hero’s welcome upon his return to Pakistan after finishing fifth in the men’s javelin throw event at the Tokyo Olympics. Punjab Sports Minister Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti and other officials received the athlete at the Lahore airport. In a tweet, the minister said that all national heroes must be appreciated. Talking about embarking …

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar said on Thursday the Azad Jammu and Kashmir general elections acted as a “super spreader event” for the coronavirus with the region’s positivity rate ranging between 25 and 30 per cent since then. The AJK elections were held on July 25 following which the PTI has formed a government there. …

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday took exception to erstwhile rulers for their lack of foresight and long-term approach, saying “election-to-election” planning of former leaders had put the nation in a difficult position. Addressing a ceremony after performing groundbreaking of Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project, the premier said a plan to build Bhasha dam was conceived in 1984 but it …

The Met Office has forecast rain and thundershowers in many parts of Pakistan, under the influence of strong monsoon currents, from today (Thursday). It has also warned of rain-induced landslides, flash floods and urban flooding in upper parts of the country under the impact of this weather system, which is expected to last till Sunday. According to an alert issued by the …

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has observed that government entities and private parties have encroached upon the protected National Park while the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) and civic agencies have turned a deaf ear to these serious environmental issues. The observation came during the hearing on Tuesday by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah of a petition filed by …

Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz said on Wednesday that electronic voting machines (EVMs) could not be hacked and were the best solution to problems of rigging during polls. Addressing a media briefing at Parliament House in Islamabad, where the government had scheduled a demonstration of EVMs for lawmakers, the science minister assured everyone that the machines “couldn’t be …

PTI leader Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said on Wednesday that cracks were appearing in the ties between her party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) due to “personal actions” of the Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervez Elahi. The ties between the PML-Q and the PTI, who have formed a coalition government in Punjab, have been making the headlines for a …

ISLAMABAD: As the number of Covid-19 cases has decreased by 20 per cent in the country due to steps taken by the provinces, particularly the Sindh government, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has advised people to avoid Majalis at homes and follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) during mourning processions. On the other hand, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) …

Following the uproar over the United Kingdom’s (UK) decision to retain Pakistan on its Covid travel red list while moving India to the amber, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan has written a letter to British Health Secretary Sajid Javid, comparing Pakistan’s pandemic statistics with those of other countries in the region and pointing out “obvious discrepancies” …

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein on Wednesday said the situation in Afghanistan was a cause for concern due to the use of violence to resolve the conflict. The Iraqi foreign minister arrived in Islamabad earlier today for a two-day visit at Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s invitation. The two leaders held delegation-level talks on a wide range of matters of …