Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued directives to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to collect Rs33 million from culprits involved in vandalising and torching of a century-old Samadhi (shrine) of a Hindu saint in the Teri village of Karak district. A three-judge SC bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed, issued the directive to the provincial government while hearing the …

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has fired over 1,500 employees recruited on forged documents. The airline is also simplifying and reforming its human resource processes by inducting e-PIA workers portal. This was revealed during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Aviation held under the chairmanship of Senator Hidayatullah at the Old PIPS Halls, Parliament Lodges, on Wednesday. Aviation …

KARACHI: President Dr Arif Alvi has said it is a matter of pride that Pakistan is collaborating with Malaysia to produce top quality vehicles in the country. The president expressed these views at a ceremony held to inaugurate the Al-Haj Automotive Assembly Plant of Proton SAGA here on Wednesday. Dr Alvi said Pakistan was on the path of development as …

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has written to all its regional bureaus to stop the process on all white collar crime cases until the law ministry interprets or elaborates on some crucial clauses of the newly promulgated NAB (second amendment) Ordinance 2021. According to the letter, dated Oct 12, available with Dawn, all regional heads of the anti-graft watchdog were asked …

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan was on Wednesday brie­fed on the implementation of a five-year development package for Gilgit-Baltistan. The plan was announced by the government early this year. Under the plan, Rs370 billion would be released for various development projects in Gilgit-Baltistan till fiscal year 2025-26. “The federal government is focused on accelerating the pace of work on various …

ISLAMABAD: Human Rights Minister Dr Shireen Mazari inaugurated the first Transgender Protection Centre in the country in H-9/4 on Wednesday. Speaking at the event, Dr Mazari said similar centres would be established in other cities to ensure the rights of the transgender community, emphasising that members of the community should be provided the same employment and health facilities as other …

ISLAMABAD: In view of the increasing leopard population in the Margalla Hills range, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday directed that a preservation zone be set up in the hills to ensure natural habitat for the endangered species. The prime minister also approved establishment of the Wildlife Information Centre in Marghazar Zoo. The decisions were taken in a meeting of …

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication on Thursday notified the amended social media rules that stakeholders and digital rights activists have strongly criticised. The rules, titled the “Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight and Safeguards) Rules, 2021”, have been framed under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), 2016. The federal cabinet had last month approved amendments to …

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhary on Wednesday acknowledged that the fallout of a rift among institutions can be “immense”, but insisted that the current civil-military leadership “remain on the same page” and are cognizant of the fact that their “unity and stability” is in the country’s best interest. Chaudhry’s comments were in the context of the ongoing impasse between Prime Minister Imran Khan …

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday said it was convention for the prime minister to meet candidates before appointments were made to key positions such as the ISI chief, adding that efforts to make the process controversial were inappropriate. “The process for appointing the new DG ISI will be completed soon. The game that a specific section …