Pakistan

LAHORE: The Punjab government has reportedly sealed two clinics of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Senator Dr Zarqa Taimur in Lahore allegedly to victimise her a day after she protested against the derogatory remarks made by PML-N leader Khwaja Asif against women in a joint session of the parliament in Islamabad. During his address, Defence Minister Khwaja Asif referred to women senators as ‘garbage’ and …

ISLAMABAD: Two pieces of legislation approved by the federal cabinet on Wednesday are expected to have a widespread impact on the digital rights of individuals, as well as country’s ecommerce and digital economy. The E-Safety Bill 2023 and the Personal Data Protection Bill 2023 were given principle appro­val by the cabinet, which also okayed the establishment of a commission to …

KARACHI / ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday held consultations with Pakistan Demo­cratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman over the formation of a caretaker setup, with a view to holding general elections most probably in November this year. Sources said the PM will conduct a final round of consultations after Muharram 10 (Ashura), where all parties in the …

QUETTA: Five people, including four girls, lost their lives as torrential rains lashed most districts of Balochistan on Wednesday. Flash floods and downpour also caused property losses in different areas. Balochistan’s road link with Karachi, Punjab and other parts of Sindh could not be restored despite the passage of 48 hours, forcing the authorities concerned to prepare alternative ways on …

The Senate on Thursday passed a bill to amend the Pakistan Army Act, 1952 which proposes up to five years in jail for anyone who discloses sensitive information pertaining to the security of the country or the Pakistan Army. The bill, titled “Pakistan Army (Amendment) Act, 2023”, was moved by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif. The bill proposes adding Section 26-A …

KARACHI: Among the 54 proposed amendments to the Elections Act, 2017, the key change is about the mandate of the caretaker set-up empowering it to take economic decisions and allowing the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to initiate criminal proceedings against electoral staff if any of them is found negligent in their election duties. The proposed amendments were recently shared …

LAHORE: Pilgrimage-related activities resumed at the Gurdawara Darbar Sahib on Tuesday after Indian authorities reopened their side of the Kartarpur corridor. The Indian government had closed the corridor on July 20 after floodwaters entered fields of crops near the corridor. According to a senior official of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), Indian authorities opened the gate of their side …

LAHORE: The Punjab police unveiled an artificial intelligence-powered ‘facial recognition system’ aimed at enhancing accountability, reliability, and efficiency in tracing and apprehending suspects and wanted criminals. The newly introduced “Face Trace System (FTS)” utilises artificial intelligence to create a comprehensive data bank of over 18 million individuals, including suspects and criminals. This advanced facial recognition technology will enable law enforcement …

KASUR: Rescue officials took out a man, believed to be an Indian citizen, from the floodwater of the Sutlej after he was swept into Pakistan on Tuesday. The man who seems to be in his 50s is deaf and can’t speak. He tried to explain his situation through signs that he was a Hindu and had been swept away with …

The Punjab government has not given the go-ahead to the screening of Hollywood movie Barbie in the province despite issuance of no objection certificate by the Punjab Film Censor Board. Barbie’s box-office debut began in parts of Asia, including Pakistan, on July 21. The movie was halted in theatres across Punjab for containing ‘objectionable’ content. A censor board official told Dawn on condition of anonymity …