Pakistan

PPP co-chairman and former president, Asif Ali Zardari, on Thursday invited Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to Larkana to attend a rally scheduled on Dec 27, the death anniversary of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. A statement issued by the PPP said the former president made a telephone call to Fazl, who is also president of the 11-party …

ISLAMABAD: A large number of politicians, representatives of trade unions and traders, doctors and medical students on Tuesday reached Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) to express solidarity with the employees protesting against alleged privatisation of the hospital. Last month, President Dr Arif Alvi promulgated the Medical Teaching Institution (MTI) Ordinance under which the hospital will be run through a …

ISLAMABAD: Following the federal cabinet’s directive on Tuesday, all stakeholders are likely to hold an on-spot meeting on Wednesday (today) to discuss modalities to remove encroachments from Margalla Road. A participant of the cabinet meeting told Dawn that it was briefed regarding the encroachments on Margalla Road and a greenbelt in portions of E-9 and E-8. The cabinet was told that the …

KARACHI: As members of the Karachi Press Club were announcing rival panels for KPC’s upcoming annual elections, there was sad news coming in about the passing of one of its oldest stalwarts and former president Abdul Hameed Chhapra on Tuesday afternoon. He was 81. Mr Chhapra served as KPC’s president for five times and once as its secretary. He had …

KARACHI: At least eight people were killed and 30 others injured when the boiler of a New Karachi factory exploded on Tuesday destroying the infrastructure and power supply system of the densely populated neighbourhood, officials and eyewitnesses said. The powerful blast destroyed the ground-plus-one factory structure and badly damaged two other neighbouring industrial units while shattering the windowpanes of houses …

ISLAMABAD: With the country’s judiciary struggling to tackle a huge backlog of 2.18 million cases, the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee is meeting on Wednesday (today) to take stock of pendency, institution and disposal of cases in the superior and district courts during the period between Jan 1 and Nov 30 this year. The NJPMC meeting to be presided over …

QUETTA: Six coal mine workers were trapped after a fire broke out in a mine in Duki district, while three other miners fell unconscious due to accumulation of toxic gas in another coal mine in Kachhi district of Balochistan on Tuesday. Official sources said miners were working deep inside a private coal company’s mine in Chamalang coal field area of …

ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani has convened a session of the upper house of parliament to meet on Dec 30. The opposition had submitted a fresh requisition on Monday after the Senate Secretariat returned its earlier requisition notice filed on Dec 16 while raising objection to the inclusion in the agenda of a privilege motion of Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla …

Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Wednesday that the government will provide Islamabad police officials with health cards and houses. He made the remarks while speaking at the passing out parade of Islamabad police at Police Lines Headquarters where he was the chief guest. “I want to say two things to Islamabad police. The first thing is that every official …

President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday sought the opinion of the Supreme Court on holding the Senate elections through open ballot and show of hands. A statement by the Press Information Department said that the president approved Prime Minister Imran Khan’s proposal to send a reference to the apex court under Article 186 of the Constitution. “The president has sought …