An Indian court on Friday granted bail to opposition leader Rahul Gandhi in the latest of several defamation cases brought against him for accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi or his party of corruption. Gandhi, 53, has faced numerous legal cases brought by members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and was last year briefly disqualified from parliament after a criminal libel conviction. He is …

India’s Narendra Modi was formally elected on Friday by lawmakers of his National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to be prime minister for a historic third consecutive term, as the world’s most populous nation returns to government by coalition. Modi will next meet President Droupadi Murmu later in the day and present his claim to form a new government, with a spokesperson …

MUZAFFARABAD: An 82-year-old villager from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), who had inadvertently strayed into the Indian-occupied territory of the disputed Himalayan region on Tuesday, was repatriated by the Indian authorities via the Tetrinote-Chakan da Bagh crossing point along the Line of Control (LoC) on Thursday. Munir Hussain had left his home in the Battal sector of Poonch district to join his …

RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has issued notice to Bahria Town for encroachments, plotting/cutting and circulating brochure in violation of approved layout plan (LOP) in Phase VIII of mouza Gali. It also issued notices to the owners of two illegal housing schemes namely Zak City located in mouza Harnal, Gujar Khan and Hoon Farm House located in mouza Adhwal Tehsil …

KARACHI: To deal with more than “normal rainfall” which is expected this monsoon, the city administration came together on Thursday and decided in a meeting to clean 586 drains and clear over 310 choking points across Karachi. According to Meteorological department and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the heavy downpour would mainly affect the southern parts of Sindh. After the …

KARACHI: A judicial magistrate on Thursday remanded a private security guard in police custody for three days for allegedly killing a young TikToker near Sarina Mobile Market in North Nazimabad. The investigation officer (IO) brought Hamad Gul before the judicial magistrate (Central), seeking his 14-day remand for further interrogation. After hearing the IO, the court remanded the guard for three days and …

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Thursday announced a tentative plan to present the country’s budget for the next fiscal year on June 12 as National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, using his special powers, “appointed” three sta­nding committees on an interim basis to get approval of pending bills. According to an official anno­u­n­cement by the National Assembly Secretariat, the speaker appointed …

ISLAMABAD: After the federal government furnished ‘pictorial evidence’ to challenge PTI leader Imran Khan’s claim of solitary confinement in Adiala Jail, the former prime minister asked the Supreme Court to order an inspection of his jail cell. Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, however, observed the court may assign a judicial officer to conduct a discreet check, but did not …

ISLAMABAD: As it faces challenges to the recently promulgated ordinances about the accountability law and the elections, the federal government on Thursday tabled the Election (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 and National Accountability (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 through supplementary agenda while the PTI described the laws “politically motivated”. The NAB law increases the remand period from 14 days to 40 days; whereas the election law allows the …

QUETTA: At least 40 people, including 17 security officials, were injured in Chaman on Thursday amid escalating tensions as protesters, incensed by the arrest of their leaders of a sit-in, launched attacks on government buildings and installations, demanding immediate releases. The unrest spread across the border town, with protesters staging rallies and demonstrations, effectively shutting down the city. The arrested leaders …