ISLAMABAD: Religious Affairs Minister Pir Noorul Haq Qadri claimed during a meeting with the European Union ambassador on Tuesday that negative propaganda was being spread against Pakistan on the matter of forced conversions. He also claimed Pakistan was at the forefront in the region in providing religious minorities rights and freedom to exercise their faith. EU Ambassador Androulla Kaminara visited …

The Supreme Court on Wednesday accepted the bail plea of Omni Group Chairman Anwar Majeed in the fake bank accounts case and directed him to cooperate with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The bail will be rejected if the accused does not cooperate with the anti-graft watchdog, the court said. The court also directed that Majeed submit a bank guarantee …

LAHORE: Less than a month after the soft launch of the Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project, Prime Minister Imran Khan during his visit to Lahore on Tuesday received a detailed briefing on the project, asked Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar to monitor it on a daily basis and “keep him in the loop”. The prime minister, who arrived here at …

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court will commence on Wednesday hearing of a federal government appeal seeking suspension of the Sindh High Court’s Aug 17 judgement which declared the constitution of a sugar inquiry commission — formed to probe the recent crisis of the commodity in the country — and its report illegal. A three-judge SC bench consisting of Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice …

ISLAMABAD: Former interior minister Rehman Malik is still in hot water as on Tuesday the Islamabad High Court (IHC) referred back for review the matter related to registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against him over alleged rape of US blogger Cynthia Dawn Ritchie. Additional District and Sessions Judge Nasir Javed Rana, in his capacity as Justice of Peace, had dismissed …

PESHAWAR: An anti-terrorism court here on Tuesday issued arrest warrants of a suspect in connection with recent killing of an under-trial blasphemy accused inside a courtroom. The court also extended judicial remand of the suspected teenage killer for 14 days and directed the investigation team to submit final charge sheet of the case within seven days to commence trial. The investigation team …

KARACHI: After the dissolution of elected local bodies in the province, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail on Tuesday claimed that names for the slot of Karachi administrator, who would run the city’s municipal affairs until fresh local government elections, was being discussed by the coordination committee comprising representatives of the federal and Sindh governments. He also ruled out the possibility that the future …

ISLAMABAD: Hours after the Islamabad High Court directed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to ‘surrender’ by Sept 10, the federal cabinet on Tuesday asked the PML-N supreme leader to abide by the court orders and face justice. Replying to a question at a press conference held after the cabinet meeting, Information Minister Shibli Faraz said Nawaz Sharif should return to …

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the provincial and local administrations as well as the cantonment boards on a petition seeking an inquiry into the collapse of infrastructure of the metropolis due to torrential rains and compensation for affected people. The two-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar also put the deputy attorney general and additional advocate …

MADRID: With or without Lionel Messi, Barcelona already know they will start their season at home against Villarreal at the end of September. La Liga announced its calendar on Monday, and the first round is scheduled for the second weekend of September. But Barca, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla who played later into this past season as they participated in the …