Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Wednesday expressed concerns over a consistent decline in the pass rate of the Central Superior Services (CSS), a competitive exam to enter civil service, and sought a report in this regard. During a meeting chaired by Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmad at Parliament House, the Senate committee was briefed on service reforms …

MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legisl­ative Assembly on Wednesday hastily passed a Rs232 billion deficit budget, hours after it was presented before the house by Senior Minister for Finance Waqar Noor. The budget proposes Rs190.047 billion for recurring expenditures and Rs42bn, including foreign aid of Rs2bn, for developmental activities. The session was convened at 11am, but started more …

ISLAMABAD: A letter written by the executive director (ED) of Higher Education Commission (HEC), Dr Shaista Sohail, has triggered criticism across the country. The letter, addressed to all vice chancellors, rectors and heads of universities, stated that the Hindu festival of Holi was celebrated in a university and it “caused concern and disadvantageously affected the country’s image as Pakistan has …

A new seven-member bench has resumed hearing a set of petitions challenging the trial of civilians in military courts after a nine-member bench was dissolved following objections raised by Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Sardar Tariq Mas­o­­od. Earlier today, a nine-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Isa, Justice Mas­o­­od, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice …

• Three senior-most judges of apex court to sit on same bench • PM’s aide Irfan Qadir says ex-CJP shouldn’t have approached top court as a litigant ISLAMABAD: A nine-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial will take up on Thursday (today) a set of four petitions challenging the trial of civilians in …

ISLAMABAD: Police on Wednesday claimed to have recovered an SMG (sub-machine gun) from the house of a journalist who is living in self exile, police said Wednesday. Over the recovery of the weapon, another case has been registered against the journalist, Mohammad Sabir Shakir, under Arms Ordinance 13/20/65. The weapon was recovered during a raid conducted in connection with a …

ISLAMABAD: As the families of those who perished in the migrant boat tragedy off the coast of Greece struggle to come to terms with their loss, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has tasked the interior ministry with dismantling trafficking networks in Pakistan and formulating legislation to put an end to this illegal business. The prime minister issued these directives during a …

The Foreign Office on Thursday stated that Pakistan was not engaged in any talks with the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The statement from Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch comes days after Taliban Information Minister Zabihullah Mujahid offered to mediate between the TTP and Pakistan due to escalating tensions, particularly after the former terminated a ceasefire last year. “If Pakistan wants us …

Former aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday in Islamabad in connection to the May 9 riots case, according to police official. Rawalpindi police spokesperson Inspector Sajjadul Hassan confirmed to Dawn.com that the ex-minister was arrested in a joint raid carried out by Pindi and capital police in the capital. The police also took into custody former National …

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said he planned to present Pakistan’s stance on the urgent need to restructure international financial institutions to address the challenges facing humanity. He made the remarks as he was departing for France to attend the New Global Financing Pact Summit in Paris. In a tweet, the premier emphasised that the summit provided a “unique …