Pakistan

LAHORE: People across Punjab, including the provincial metropolis, have continued venting their anger at the high rates of electricity, taking to the streets in massive demonstrations and burning their electricity bills en masse, refusing to pay them. A massive increase in the tariff of electricity and taxes on the bills have left the consumers with no option but to stage …

BAJAUR: With most polling stations declared sensitive, by-election for a local body seat will be held in Khar tehsil today (Sunday) amid tight security. The district administration imposed Section 144 prohibiting public gatherings across the district for the polling day. There are two candidates for the youth councillor seat in the Janat Shah village council, according to district election commissioner …

PESHAWAR: Fearing mob attacks amid widespread street protests, the Peshawar Electric Supply Company has ordered an immediate removal of government number plates from its vehicles. It also directed drivers not to put “non-essential” vehicles on the road to prevent possible damage to them by angry protesters. “It is to inform all concerned that due to prevailing law and order situation, …

RAWALPINDI: The National Institute of Health (NIH) on Saturday reconfirmed a mpox case in the garrison city, however, doctors at the Holy Family Hospital said the patient was medically fit and would be discharged in a day or two. The 28-year-old male patient arrived from Gujar Khan on August 18 with skin rashes and other symptoms related to mpox. He …

KARACHI: The ECP’s announcement to initiate fresh delimitation in light of the notification of the latest census results seems to have put the former coalition partners on a collision course. Only a day after the PPP demanded elections within 90 days — which would only be po­s­sible if the delimitation exe­rcise is put off — the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-P) joi­ned the ranks of …

QUETTA: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Saturday said that maintaining a secure environment in the country is among the top priorities of the interim government. Presiding over a meeting on the law and order situation in the country, especially Balochistan, PM Kakar called for improving the legislative framework with regard to strengthening the state response to security-related matters. …

LAHORE: With Indian dams on Sutlej River nearing their maximum capacity, several district administrations of the Punjab have been dire­c­ted to take prompt measures to ens­ure complete evacuation from all villages and settlements along the river. A Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Punjab, spokesperson said that Indian dams Pong and Bhakra, constructed on the Sutlej River, were nearing their maximum …

Despite the statement made by Shehbaz Sharif, PPP leader Syed Khursheed Shah has said that he does not see PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif returning to Pakistan in October. On Friday, after meeting his brother in London, Shehbaz had said that after consultations with the party’s senior leadership, it had been decided that Nawaz “will return to Pakistan in October”. Shehbaz made the …

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has summoned an emergency meeting in Islamabad today regarding electricity rates and consumer bills amid countrywide protests by citizens over inflated power bills. A day earlier, protests were held in cities across the country due to exorbitant electricity bills on the back of a significant increase in the national average tariff, prompting Kakar to summon an …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan was yet to make a formal request to join the bloc of developing nations BRICS, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said on Friday. Her statement came a day after the bloc — initially composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — added Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina and the United Arab Emirates to its ranks. “We …