US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman on Friday expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, saying that it should be “very proud of 42 years of helping Afghan refugees” and the US, as well as the world, was grateful for that. Sherman, who is leading a US delegation on a visit to Pakistan, lauded Pakistan’s …

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary body on Friday directed the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) and National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to devise a comprehensive mechanism to check sale and issuance of illegal SIMs. The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications further directed the PTA to devise a system in collaboration with Nadra to get the SIMs closed issued …

Abolhassan Banisadr, Iran’s first president after the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution who fled Tehran after being impeached for challenging the growing power of clerics as the nation became a theocracy, died on Saturday. He was 88. Among a sea of black-robed Shia clerics, Banisadr stood out for his Western-style suits and a background so French that it was in philosopher …

BAGHDAD: Iraqi security forces, displaced people, patients in hospitals and prisoners across the country cast their ballots on Friday, two days before the rest of the nation votes in parliamentary elections. Sunday’s vote is being held six months before schedule, in line with a promise made by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi when he assumed office in 2020. He is seeking …

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan said at a meeting of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers on Friday that the government would soon overcome inflation in the country. During the meeting attended by party senators and MNAs, the prime minister discussed issues related to legislation, people’s problems and development works in their constituencies. A source privy to the meeting told …

Ten people were injured in two explosives-laden drone attacks at King Abdullah airport in the southern Saudi city of Jizan late on Friday and early on Saturday, the Saudi-led coalition said. The military coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015, backing forces of the ousted government of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and fighting the Iran-aligned Houthi group. Six Saudis, three Bangladeshi …

RAWALPINDI: Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Friday said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would split into three political parties soon. “Next 120 days are important in the politics of the country. Imran Khan will win next general elections and PML-N will divide into three parties,” he said this while talking to media after inaugurating new block of Rawalpindi …

After the latest round of talks in Islamabad on Friday, both the United States and Pakistan expressed their desire for reviving a broad-based relationship, yet both remain focused on Afghanistan. US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman arrived in Islamabad on Thursday for the talks that focused on the current situation in Afghanistan and on Washington’s efforts to evolve a …

SYDNEY: Australia Test captain Tim Paine said on Friday he expects a ‘really strong’ England side to commit to the Ashes tour, revealing he had been in touch with Prime Minister Scott Morrison about the series. Paine ruffled feathers in England a week ago when he insisted all five Tests would go ahead with or without opposite number Joe Root, …

KARACHI: Top three seeds Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Sajjad, and Shahid Aftab and eighth seed Babar Masih all advanced on Friday, while fourth seed Mohammad Bilal failed to qualify for the quarter-finals of the NBP 46th National Snooker Championship here. Holder Asif, who is also a two-time world champion, had a close shave against Sindh’s qualifier Umer Naeem before winning 5-4 …