Iran’s foreign minister said the crew of a seized Portuguese-flagged ship linked to Israel have been granted consular access and are expected to be freed, Iranian media reported on Saturday. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seized the container vessel MSC Aries with a crew of 25 in the Strait of Hormuz on April 13, days after Tehran vowed to retaliate for a suspected Israeli …

US intelligence agencies have determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin most likely did not order the killing of opposition politician Alexei Navalny at an Arctic prison camp in February, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday. Navalny, 47 when he died, was Putin’s fiercest domestic critic. His allies, branded extremists by the authorities, accused Putin of having him murdered and have said they will …

LAHORE: A sessions court on Friday directed a petitioner to submit a copy of the police order refusing to register a case against Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for wearing police uniform. Additional District and Sessions Judge Muzaffar Nawaz Malik was hearing the petition filed by Waqar Ahmed, challenging the non-registration of a case against the chief minister for wearing police …

QUETTA: A judicial magistrate on Friday issued arrest warrant for Mahmood Khan Achakzai, chairman of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party who had contested the presidential election as candidate of opposition parties, for not appearing in a case pertaining to illegal occupation of government land and alleged interference in the duty of government officials. While issuing the arrest warrant for Mr Achakzai, the …

RAWALPINDI: The police have solved a kidnapping for ransom case and arrested three persons including the ‘abductee’, who scripted the kidnapping drama to extort money from his brother living in Saudi Arabia. SSP Operations retired flight-Lt Hafiz Kamran Asghar said that the kidnapping for ransom case has been solved with the arrest of three persons including the abductee who turned …

ISLAMABAD: Recognising the severity of migrant smuggling, a regional conference on Friday invited international cooperation essential to combating this serious crime effectively. To address the pressing issue of migrant smuggling, the Federal Investigation Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs jointly organised a two-day regional conference in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the European …

ISLAMABAD: PPP leader Taj Haider on Friday said that he would file contempt of court petition against the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for demolishing tennis courts. Addressing a press conference, PPP veteran leader and former senator said that despite having stay orders, the CDA demolished tennis courts under a conspiracy. He said that 30 years hard work of setting up …

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday emphasised the need for making concerted efforts on part of the police force to shift its investigation techniques by introducing and relying on forensic science and accordingly train specialised officers in this field. “The cornerstone of criminal justice system is the effective functionality of the investigating agency and prosecution since a faulty investigative process …

ISLAMABAD: Opposition PTI members on Friday launched a scathing attack on Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, accusing him of perpetuating political victimisation, after the minister made a long-awaited appearance in the National Assembly. First, it was PTI’s Jamshed Dasti who lambasted Mr Naqvi for the alleged abuse of power and targeting of rivals. Then, Opposition Leader Omar Ayub denounced “the constant …

ISLAMABAD / LAHORE: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued a nationwide alert on Friday, cautioning against severe weather conditions expec­ted to persist until April 29. The forecast predicts rain, storms, and hail, potentially leading to flash floods and landslides across the country. “Hailstorms can damage crops and infrastructure. People should avoid unnecessary travel and crossing rivers and canals. Repair …