SYDNEY: Sydney braced for its worst flooding in decades on Sunday after record rainfall caused its largest dam to overflow and as deluges prompted mandatory mass evacuation orders along Australia’s east coast. Emergency services ordered people living in low-lying areas on the city’s north-western fringes to flee to safety, as authorities warned of a potentially “life-threatening” situation in New South …

ISLAMABAD: As the capital administration conducted crackdowns against violations of standard operating procedures (SOPs) by restaurants, shops, wedding halls and other commercial activities, Covid-19 cases dropped by 25pc over the weekend. However, District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Zaeem Zia said the situation was still not under control and warned the citizens that more restrictions could be imposed if the cases …

KABUL: United States Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani during an unannounced visit to Kabul on Sunday, just weeks before Washington is due to withdraw the last of its troops under a deal struck with the Taliban last year. Austin said on Twitter he had come to “listen and learn”, on his first trip to Afghanistan since …

LAHORE: Pakistan Democratic Movement president Maulana Fazlur Rehman says hundreds of thousands of his party workers will accompany Maryam Nawaz Sharif when she will appear before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). At the same time, a defiant Maryam Nawaz has cautioned the anti-corruption watchdog that its ‘wrongs’ will no longer be tolerated. Speaking to the media after his meeting with …

ISLAMABAD: The revision of Islamabad’s master plan is facing an inordinate delay as so far the civic agency has failed to hire a consultant firm for carrying out the task. The Capital Development Authority (CDA) did not receive bids from renowned international firms in response to its public notice. However, a consortium of four consultant firms having 11 companies submitted …

ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Senator Shibli Faraz on Sunday criticised president of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Maulana Fazlur Rehman for what he called misguiding people about the ongoing vaccination drive against Covid-19 and terming the ailment of Prime Minister Imran Khan “a fraud”. Speaking at a press conference, Mr Faraz said: “The opposition, specifically Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur …

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad police have devised a new security plan to ensure high vigilance in the city and maintain law and order in an effective manner. According to this new plan, SSP (Operations) Dr Syed Mustafa Tanveer said the security of Islamabad Capital Territory has been divided into three tiers which would help ensure prevention and detection of crime. The …

LAHORE: The public sector companies have become a constant pain in the neck of the Punjab government as many of them, established by the PML-N government as a parallel governance system, are still low performers and they have become examples of massive financial and administrative mismanagement. The Shehbaz-government had created 71 public sector companies but some of the companies were …

ISLAMABAD: The Senior Parliamentarians Council (SPC) constituted by National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser earlier this month with an aim to improve working environment in the house will hold its first meeting on Monday (today) as major opposition parties decided to stay away from its proceedings. The meeting to be presided over by federal Minister for National Food Security Syed Fakhar …

Former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday challenged the results of the Senate chairman election in the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The high court has accepted the petition, and IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah will preside over the hearing scheduled for March 24 (Wednesday). Farooq H. Naek filed the petition on Gilani’s behalf which named presiding officer Syed Muzzafar …