News Updates Pk

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday held a telephone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, during which he stressed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy for preserving regional peace and stability, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. According to the statement, the conversation was held in a very warm and cordial atmosphere. During the call, PM Shehbaz conveyed his respectful regards and good wishes to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, as well as to the Crown Prince. The prime minister thanked the Saudi crown prince for his warmth and affection towards Pakistan. “Both leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to further strengthening of the long-standing fraternal bonds between both countries, that had attained new heights during recent months,” the statement added. The two leaders also exchanged views on the evolving regional situation and current develo...

Pakistan expressed deep concern over the resurgence of violence in Yemen and strongly opposed unilateral steps by any Yemeni party that could further escalate the situation, the Foreign Office said in a statement on Wednesday. Reiterating its long-standing position, the foreign office reaffirmed support for Yemen’s unity and territorial integrity and for all efforts aimed at establishing lasting peace and stability in the war-torn country. “Pakistan strongly opposes unilateral steps by any Yemeni party that may further escalate the situation, undermine peace efforts, and threaten the peace and stability of Yemen as well as that of the region,” the statement said. 🔊PR No.3️⃣8️⃣8️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣ Pakistan Expresses Concern Over Resurgence of Violence in Yemen https://t.co/gAPA5bVuni 🔗⬇️ pic.twitter.com/jHm8LPYky1 — Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) December 31, 2025 The Foreign Office said Pakistan also welcomed regional initiatives aimed at de-escalating the situ...

Chief of the Army Staff and Chief of the Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir on Wednesday praised the resilience and patriotism of the people of Balochistan and vowed to thwart the inimical designs of Indian-sponsored proxies seeking to propagate violence and disrupt development in the province. The army chief was interacting with participants of the 18th National Workshop on Balochistan at the General Headquarters (GHQ). The workshop focused on Balochistan’s socio-economic development and its strategic importance for Pakistan. In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the CDF appreciated the steadfastness and national spirit of the people of Balochistan and underscored the province’s pivotal role in Pakistan’s prosperity and long-term development. Addressing the participants, he highlighted Balochistan’s immense strategic and economic significance, describing it as central to the country’s future growth Read: K-P Governor seeks Centre's help to...

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyan Jaishankar briefly met Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in Dhaka on Wednesday on the sidelines of the funeral ceremonies of former Bangladeshi prime minister Khaleda Zia, marking the first such interaction between senior officials of the two rivals since their military conflict in May. The meeting took place at the residence of Khaleda Zia, who died on Tuesday at the age of 80. Zia was Bangladesh’s first woman prime minister and one of the country’s most influential political figures. Her death was marked by a state funeral, with flags flown at half-mast and thousands of security personnel deployed as her body was carried through the streets of the capital in a vehicle draped in the national flag. World leaders and senior officials from several countries, including India and Pakistan, travelled to Dhaka to attend the funeral ceremonies. اسپیکر قومی اسمبلی سردار ایاز صادق کی سابق وزیراعظم بنگلہ دیش بیگم خالدہ ضیاء کی رہائش گاہ پ...

The Edhi Orange Line will now be integrated with the Green Line BRT at the Orange Line bus depot, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon announced on Tuesday. Addressing the integration ceremony, Memon said the merger has expanded the Orange Line from four stops to 10, allowing passengers to travel from Orangi to Nagan Chowrangi. The integration will enable Orange Line buses to operate along the Green Line BRT track, providing easier access for residents of Orangi Town. Initiated in 2016 under the supervision of the Sindh Mass Transit Authority (SMTA), the Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit Project was a four-kilometer-long bus route from Orangi Town Office to the Matriculation Board Office Chowrangi. Although the project was expected to reach completion by 2017, the scheme was shelved for the next six years, until 2022, when it was finally completed. During this time, the cost of the project was revised twice, with its final budget touching Rs5.5b, after including the purchase, maintenan...

Pakistan International Airlines will resume direct flights to London after a six-year gap, operating four weekly services from Islamabad starting March 29, the national flag carrier announced on Tuesday. The flights, expected to depart from Terminal 4 at London Heathrow Airport, mark PIA's return to its first and most popular international route following the suspension of direct operations in July 2020. PIA is already operating three weekly flights to Manchester, which resumed on October 25 after a five-year hiatus. The Manchester service initially started with two weekly flights before being increased to three, operating on Saturdays and Tuesdays, the national flag carrier announced on Saturday. The airline's return to UK operations follows formal approval from the UK's Department for Transport in September, allowing PIA to operate as a Third Country Operator for both passenger and cargo flights. The department issued PIA a five-year ACC3 certification covering flight sec...

Former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed has challenged the 14-year sentence handed down to him by a military court and has sought a copy of the judgment, his lawyer confirmed on Monday. Advocate Mian Ali Ashfaq told The Express Tribune that the appeal was filed with the army chief two days ago, while a separate application has been submitted to the Court of Appeal’s registrar at GHQ seeking a copy of the written decision. “The appeal has already been filed,” Ashfaq said, without disclosing the specific grounds raised in the challenge. According to the military, Hameed was found guilty on December 11 by a Field General Court Martial (FGCM) on four counts — engaging in political activities, violating the Official Secrets Act “in a manner detrimental to the safety and interest of the state”, misuse of authority and government resources, and causing wrongful loss to individuals. Read: Ex-ISI chief Faiz Hameed sentenced to 14 years imprisonment by military c...

Former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have challenged their convictions in the Toshakhana-II case in the Islamabad High Court. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawyer Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry filed appeals on their behalf on Monday. The separate appeals were assigned diary numbers 24560 and 24561. The petitions argue that the trial was politically motivated and legally flawed. Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were sentenced on December 20, 2025, to 17 years in prison. They were convicted under Section 409 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The court also imposed a fine of Rs164.25 million on each of them. The appeals challenge the verdict on several grounds, including double jeopardy, unlawful bifurcation of a single offence and procedural violations. Read: Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi sentenced to 17 years in Toshakhana 2.0 They state that the convictions are “unjust, unfair, and appear to be a direct manifestation of Political Victimis...

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leadership said the party will move toward dialogue with the government only after securing a “level playing field” through sustained street protests, rejecting the notion of entering talks from a position of weakness. The stance was outlined by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and PTI Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja during a series of meetings in Lahore, where party leaders gathered to launch a fresh street movement on the directives of jailed party founder Imran Khan. Speaking to journalists in Lahore’s Defence Housing Authority, Afridi said reconciliation without resistance is not an option. “We will be at a loss if we enter into dialogue without resistance,” he said. “The protest movement will continue until the rulers come to the table after recognising the opposition as an equal partner.” Addressing criticism that repeated protests had failed to deliver tangible results, the chief minister said the party will avoid making tall cla...

Security forces killed four terrorists belonging to the Indian proxy Fitna al Hindustan during an intelligence-based operation in Balochistan’s Kalat district, the military’s media wing said in a statement. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operation was carried out on Saturday following reports of terrorists linked to Fitna al Hindustan in the area. “During the conduct of the operation, our troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location. After an intense exchange of fire, four Indian-sponsored terrorists were neutralised,” the ISPR said. The military added that weapons, ammunition, and explosives were recovered from the killed terrorists, who were actively involved in multiple terrorist activities in the area. Sanitisation operations were continuing to ensure no other Indian-sponsored terrorists remained in the vicinity. The ISPR stated that the counterterrorism campaign would continue at full pace under the vision of “Azm-e-Istehkam,” as approved by th...

A 22-year-old man was injured in Lahore’s Green Town area on Sunday in an incident initially reported as a suspected kite-string injury, amid growing vigilance as the Basant season approaches. The injured man, identified as Owais, was travelling to work on a motorcycle when his throat was wounded. He was shifted to Jinnah Hospital, where he was provided medical assistance and later admitted to the surgical ward. Hospital officials said his condition was stable. The case initially raised concern over the possible resurgence of hazardous kite-flying practices, which have historically resulted in serious and fatal incidents in the provincial capital. However, Lahore police later said preliminary findings did not support claims that the injury was caused by a kite string. Read: PA passes Kite Flying Bill 2025 with tough penalties A spokesperson for the DIG Operations Lahore termed reports circulating in sections of the media “factually incorrect”, adding that the incident should not be...

Security forces carried out an intelligence-based operation in Balochistan’s Panjgur district on December 26 on what the military described as the reported presence of militants it linked to an “Indian proxy group”, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday. According to the statement, security personnel engaged the location during the operation and an exchange of fire took place, resulting in the killing of four suspected militants. The ISPR said weapons, ammunition and explosives were recovered, adding that the individuals were “involved in terrorist activities in the area”. Read: Afghanistan must choose between Fitna al-Khawarij and Pakistan: CDF Asim Munir The military further stated that sanitisation operations were underway in the vicinity. The operation, it said, forms part of the ongoing counterterrorism drive under “Azm-e-Istehkam”, approved by the federal apex committee on the National Action Plan. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the role of secur...

Police have registered a case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers after a protest in Lahore’s Ghalib Market area during the visit of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. The protest took place when Afridi arrived in the area. Demonstrators allegedly blocked roads and chanted anti-government slogans, police said. Those booked include Zain Khan Niazi, Jahanzaib Sohail, Ahmed Raza, Ali Rehman, Hassan Sajjad, Hafiz Shah, Muhammad Ihtisham, Aamir Naseer, Muhammad Wajid, Abdul Wakeel, Zakir Munir and Zameer Naseer. According to the First Information Report lodged at Ghalib Market police station on Saturday, 20 to 30 unidentified suspects blocked the road, raised slogans against the government and caused public inconvenience. Police said 13 people were arrested during the protest. Sub-Inspector Imran Ahmed filed the complaint under sections 290 and 291 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Section 290 deals with punishment for causing public nuisance, while Section 291 applies when suc...

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s UK chapter has removed a social media post showing footage from a protest outside the Pakistani consulate in Bradford, after the government accused a woman in the video of inciting violence against Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and formally took up the matter with Britain. The action came a day after the Foreign Office summoned Acting British High Commissioner Matt Cannell in Islamabad and handed him a demarche over what it described as “incitement to violence” from British soil, urging UK authorities to investigate the incident and take legal action under domestic law. In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, PTI UK said it had deleted the video from the Bradford protest that included what it called “a citizen’s metaphorical remarks regarding General Asim Munir”. The party’s UK chapter said it did not believe the individual had directly incited violence but removed the post “in an abundance of caution to prevent potential misunde...

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was stopped at a Punjab Police barricade near Chakri on Thursday while travelling to Lahore to attend the Punjab Assembly session, according to officials from his office. Speaking at the site, Afridi criticised the barricades, saying that “sealing accommodation and meal areas is a clear sign of fear”. He said Punjab officials were “not elected representatives of the people” and alleged that blocking the movement of public representatives was an attempt to suppress political activity. "The public knows that fearful rulers make decisions behind closed doors," says CM Afridi. According to a statement issued by the K-P Chief Minister’s Secretariat on December 24, Afridi also addressed workers of the Insaf Students Federation (ISF), saying that PTI and its affiliated bodies “ground their politics in resistance”. He said preparations for a political mobilisation in Lahore had begun under the guidance of PTI founder Imran Khan, and urg...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Thursday announced a legal exemption for members of the Sikh community from wearing helmets while riding motorcycles, citing respect for their religious obligation to wear turbans [locally known as dastars]. The announcement, made during a Christmas celebration ceremony in Lahore, comes amid a province-wide traffic crackdown following recent amendments to the Motor Vehicles Ordinance that sharply increased fines and penalties, particularly affecting two-wheeler riders, who form the bulk of Punjab’s road commuters. رمیش سنگھ اروڑہ صاحب کی بات ہم سب کے دل کی آواز ہے۔ دنیا نے وہ مناظر دیکھے جنہوں نے نام نہاد سیکولر دعووں کی حقیقت عیاں کر دی۔ وہ نقاب کسی بچی سے نہیں، ان کی منافقت سے اتارا گیا۔ ہیلمٹ قانون کا مقصد صرف جان کا تحفظ ہے۔ سکھ برادری کی پگڑی ان کی شناخت اور عقیدہ ہے۔ اسی احترام کے… pic.twitter.com/7E6qbq6h1z — PMLN (@pmln_org) December 25, 2025 The exemption, if formally notified, would carve out an exception to Section 89-A of the Pro...

President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates landed in Islamabad on Friday for his first official visit to Pakistan since taking office. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir received the Emirati leader at Nur Khan Airbase, where Pakistani military jets escorted his aircraft as it entered the country's airspace and rendered an aerial salute, according to the UAE's official news agency WAM. #UAEPresident arrives in #Pakistan on official visit#WamNews https://t.co/BzkmzZcEpi pic.twitter.com/TZrikrjjze — WAM English (@WAMNEWS_ENG) December 26, 2025 An official welcoming ceremony was held at the airbase, featuring the playing of both national anthems, a 21-gun salute, and a guard of honour presentation for the visiting dignitary. Federal ministers including Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, and Attaullah Tarar were also present at the reception. Shehbaz introduced cabinet members to the UAE president during the cer...

A 75-year-old widow was murdered with an axe by her stepson in the Sroba Chaudhrian area of Rawalpindi on Friday. The accused, 45-year-old Muhammad Raza, reportedly suffers from a psychological disorder and has a history of violent outbursts at home. Muhammad Raza, who is unmarried and lived alone with his stepmother Chandni Bibi, got into a minor argument with her. The quarrel quickly escalated, and Raza struck Chandni Bibi on the head with an axe, inflicting serious injuries, before attacking her with a knife as well. Hearing the commotion, a neighbour, Raqeeban Bibi, rushed to intervene. The accused then attacked her as well, striking her on the head with the axe and leaving her critically injured. Despite her wounds, she managed to raise an alarm, prompting local residents to gather at the scene. Read: Father-son duo, accused of murder, shot dead Chandni Bibi later succumbed to her injuries. Upon receiving information, police and rescue teams reached the spot and shifted the injure...

The government and the Asian Development Bank have signed agreements for two major projects worth a combined $730 million to support Pakistan’s energy infrastructure and institutional reforms. According to the Economic Affairs Division, the agreements include the Second Power Transmission Strengthening Project valued at $330 million and the Accelerating State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) Transformation Programme worth $400 million. The power transmission project aims to enable the reliable evacuation of 2,300 megawatts of electricity from upcoming hydropower projects. It is also expected to ease overloading on existing transmission lines and improve the resilience of the national grid under contingency conditions. Read: Sindh's unpaid power bills total up to Rs724m Secretary Ministry of Economic Affairs Muhammad Humair Karim acknowledged ADB’s role as a key development partner and said the transmission project would help secure Pakistan’s energy future by strengthening the backbone of th...

Pakistan’s telecom regulator has reiterated that all mobile SIM cards must be registered in the name of the person using them, warning that the use of SIMs registered to others violates regulations and could lead to action. In a statement on Thursday, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) advised telecom users to ensure responsible use of their SIMs and clarified that the registered subscriber would be held fully accountable for any misuse. “Any SIM registered in the name of another individual and used by someone else is considered a violation of rules,” the authority said, adding that responsibility for unlawful use rests entirely with the registered user. Keep your SIM registered in your own name, your SIM is your responsibility.#YourSIMYourResponsibility #SIMSafety #StaySecure #DigitalAwareness #CyberSafe #FraudPrevention #SecurePakistan pic.twitter.com/bnUdDUvCWD — PTA (@PTAofficialpk) December 25, 2025 The PTA reminded subscribers to use only those SIMs that are registere...

Special prayer services were held at churches across Pakistan on Thursday as Christians celebrated Christmas under strict security arrangements. Authorities said comprehensive measures were put in place to ensure peaceful celebrations across major cities. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the government of Pakistan also shared Christmas messages on social media platform X, extending greetings to the Christian community. On the joyous and blessed occasion of Christmas, I extend my warmest greetings to the Christian community across the world, and especially to our Christian brothers and sisters in Pakistan. We remember and celebrate the life and teachings of Hazrat Isa (Peace be upon him) ,… — Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) December 25, 2025 On the occasion of #Christmas, the Government of Pakistan extends its felicitations to the Christian community in Pakistan and across the world. pic.twitter.com/K0K5ZJ0VnC — Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) December 25, 2025 In Rawalpindi, chur...

As many as 80 Pakistani students have been offered employment in Saudi Arabia, where they are to get monthly salaries ranging from 1,600 to 1,800 Saudi riyals by working as technicians. A ceremony for the distribution of job offer letters was held at GCT Railway Road, where Provincial Minister for Communications Malik Sohaib Ahmed Bharth formally distributed the job offer letters. Speaking on the occasion, Secretary Skills Development Nadir Chatha said that 80 talented students had been selected for employment in Saudi Arabia. He added that the students would work as Fire Alarm Technicians and Fire Protection Technicians. He further stated that the selected students had undergone two months of technical training, soft skills development, and pre-departure training. He emphasised that TEVTA is utilising all available resources to provide overseas employment opportunities for its graduates. Addressing the ceremony, the provincial minister urged the students to work hard abroad and bring ...

A United Nations expert has warned that the condition of Bushra Bibi Khan, the wife of former prime minister Imran Khan, who is under detention, could pose a serious risk to her physical and mental well-being, urging the government to take immediate corrective measures. Bushra Bibi is currently serving a seven-year sentence in the £190 million corruption case. Separately, a special court last week sentenced Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife to 17 years each in prison in the Toshakhana-II case. “The state has an obligation to protect Mrs. Khan’s health and ensure conditions of detention compatible with human dignity,” said Alice Jill Edwards, the UN Special Rapporteur on torture, in a statement issued on Wednesday. Read: Imran, Bushra get 17 years each in jail in 2nd gift case According to the rapporteur, Bushra Bibi, who is held in Adiala Jail, is reportedly confined to a small, poorly ventilated cell described as filthy, overheate...

The military top brass has emphasised that no malicious efforts—whether political or otherwise—aimed at undermining Pakistan's national unity, security, and stability would be tolerated. The statement came during the 273rd Corps Commanders’ Conference (CCC), presided over by Field Marshal Asim Munir at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi on Wednesday. The meeting, attended by senior military officials, discussed key national security issues and the current state of the armed forces. In his address, Field Marshal Munir reaffirmed the military's commitment to safeguarding Pakistan's sovereignty and ensuring the cohesion of its armed forces with the general public. He underscored the importance of maintaining unity, especially in the face of growing internal and external challenges.       This is a developing story. from Pakistan News, Latest News Pakistan, Pakistan Headline | The Express Tribune https://ift.tt/heEnDHP

The national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), is expected to be run by a new owner from April 2026. It will also receive fresh capital under a deal to privatise the airline, the country’s privatisation chief said on Wednesday. A consortium headed by the Arif Habib Corporation emerged as the top bidder on Tuesday, in a live-televised auction for a 75% stake in PIA. This marks a breakthrough for the government’s long-delayed privatisation of the carrier. The consortium offered Rs135 billion, surpassing the government’s reserve price of Rs100 billion – a turnaround from last year’s failed sale attempt. Read: Govt finally cuts loose 'white elephant' PIA Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation, Muhammad Ali, told Reuters in an online interview that the state expects a new owner to be running the airline by April next year. The process moves to final approvals by the Privatisation Commission board and cabinet, expected within days, with contract signing lik...

Police have submitted a report to a sessions court opposing the registration of a case against the writer, producer and actors of the Indian film Dhurandhar, accused of showing a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) rally and images of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto without permission The court was hearing an application seeking registration of an FIR against the film's makers for allegedly portraying a PPP rally and displaying images of the party's former chairperson in the movie. During the hearing, the SHO of Darakhshan police station submitted his report, stating that attempts were made to contact the complainant on the provided phone number, but no contact could be established. The applicant also failed to appear before police to verify his allegations. Read: Petition filed over Benazir's images in Indian movie The report said that all the nominated accused are Indian nationals and neither their residence nor business interests are located in Pakistan. It further stated that ...

The centuries-old tradition of family-arranged marriages in Rawalpindi district is facing an unprecedented crisis, largely attributed to the pervasive influence of social media platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, and Messenger, which have pushed the family system to the brink of collapse. From January 1 to date this year, a total of 15,198 new cases and petitions—including divorce, khula, family disputes, maintenance claims, recovery of dowry articles, household expenses, and child custody matters—have been filed in the district’s 44 family courts. During the same period, the number of women obtaining divorce has surged alarmingly to 10,572 cases. Following amendments to Christian Family Law, a significant increase has also been observed in divorce petitions filed by Christian women. Previously, Christian women could not obtain divorce directly; however, since the legal change, 104 Christian women have approached family courts this year seeking dissolution of marriage. Read...

The final nationwide anti-polio campaign of 2025 has concluded successfully, with more than 44.6 million children vaccinated across Pakistan, marking a significant step in the country's ongoing efforts to eradicate the disease, Associated Press of Pakistan reported.  According to the National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), the campaign, conducted from December 15 to December 21, 2025, achieved its targets nationwide. Official figures released by the National EOC show that approximately 22.9 million children were administered polio drops in Punjab, while around 10.6 million children were vaccinated in Sindh. In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, more than 7.15 million children received the vaccine, whereas over 2.58 million children were covered in Balochistan. In the federal capital Islamabad, more than 450,000 children were vaccinated. Meanwhile, around 274,000 children in Gilgit-Baltistan and over 714,000 children in Azad Jammu and Kashmir were administered polio drops. This year's effo...

A dispute over the rental of a vacant shop escalated into an armed clash in Kili Qadirabad, Nushki, on Monday morning, leaving four people dead, including three brothers, police said. Police officials told The Express Tribune that an argument between two parties over the shop’s tenancy turned violent, resulting in the deaths of Babu Alam, Babarg and Zulqarnain Khan, sons of Dinar Khan Badini, at the scene. From the opposing side, Sohail Ahmed, son of Muhammad Ayub Badini, was also shot dead, police said. Locals told authorities that both parties were close relatives belonging to the same tribe and that the dispute had been ongoing for some time. Residents said the exchange of fire caused panic in the area, forcing people to remain indoors for several hours. Read: Trains suspended after Balochistan attacks Police reached the site soon after the incident was reported and secured the area. The bodies were taken into custody and shifted to a hospital for post-mortem examination. Deputy Sup...

A doctor working as an additional house officer at Multan's Nishtar Hospital has been dismissed following his misbehaviour with a patient's family, which was captured in a video that has been circulated widely on social media, officials confirmed on Monday. The video shows the doctor making inappropriate and obscene gestures towards the relatives of the deceased female patient after they staged a protest in the hospital ward, taken on December 18. Hospital authorities initially suspended the doctor before dismissing him from service. Thursday evening, Shamim Bibi, a resident of New Tariqabad, was brought to the emergency department of Nishtar Hospital in a critical condition. Following an initial examination, doctors stated that she was suffering from chronic liver disease, a condition that can progress to liver failure. Doctors advised further tests and the administration of a blood transfusion. Nishtar Hospital spokesperson Rao Naushad said the patient had been suffering from...

Lahore High Court Chief Justice Alia Neelum sharply rebuked the Punjab Chief Secretary during a hearing, accusing him of undermining judicial supremacy and warning that "if he had his way, he might even suspend the Constitution." The hearing concerned petitions challenging the Punjab Property Ownership Ordinance, including those filed by Abida Parveen and others. The court suspended the implementation of the ordinance, recommended the formation of a full bench to address objections, and restored possession of properties seized under the ordinance. The Punjab Property Ownership Ordinance, passed just last month, aimed at combating land mafia established a District Dispute Resolution Committee in each district, headed by the Deputy Commissioner, including members such as the DPO, ADC Revenue, and other relevant officials. The committee has the authority to summon records, hold hearings, and take immediate administrative measures to protect property. Complaints must be resolved ...

Pakistan Railways has referred cases involving alleged fraud and illegal occupation of hundreds of acres of railway land, valued at over Rs40 billion, to the National Accountability Bureau. Railway sources said preliminary investigations against officials and private firms were initiated but could not be concluded. Following approval from Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi, the cases were formally referred to NAB, which has since initiated inquiries based on records provided by the Ministry of Railways. NAB sources confirmed that formal investigations have commenced after receiving official requests and documentation from Pakistan Railways. A committee constituted by the Ministry of Railways will assist NAB by providing relevant records, technical input and legal support during the inquiry. The cases referred to NAB include alleged irregularities involving: • Leasing of railway land to Royal Palm Country Club, with outstanding dues exceeding Rs216.2 million. • A warehouse lease...

The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) on Saturday issued its forecast for the sighting of the moon marking the beginning of Rajab al-Murajjab 1447 AH. SUPARCO said the new moon is expected to be born on December 20, 2025, at 6:43am Pakistan Standard Time (PST). By sunset on December 21, 2025, the moon’s age is expected to be about 35 hours and 26 minutes. In coastal areas of the country, the gap between sunset and moonset is estimated to be around 63 minutes, the forecast said. Based on astronomical calculations, SUPARCO said the moon is likely to be visible to the naked eye on the evening of December 21. As a result, the first day of Rajab al-Murajjab is expected to fall on December 22, subject to official confirmation. The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee retains the final authority to officially announce the beginning of the Islamic month, based on verified moon sighting testimonies from across Pakistan. from Pakistan News, Latest News Pakistan, Pakistan Headl...

A Pakistan International Airlines flight en route from Jeddah to Lahore made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a technical alert was received mid-air, triggering the deployment of oxygen masks and causing panic among passengers, including dozens of Umrah pilgrims. According to the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) spokesperson, flight PK-860 was scheduled to land at Lahore airport at 8pm, however, it diverted to Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport due to a technical issue. Officials say the plane was carrying 381 passengers. The pilot successfully carried out an emergency landing at Dammam airport, where emergency protocols were activated. During the landing, oxygen masks were automatically deployed inside the cabin, and all passengers were safely disembarked shortly afterwards. Read: PIA returns to UK skies after five years PIA management arranged an alternative aircraft, which was dispatched from Pakistan to transport the stranded passengers to Lahore....

Former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have been sentenced in the Toshakhana-II case, after a court issued a written verdict on Saturday finding both guilty of criminal breach of trust. Khan was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment under Section 409 of the Pakistan Penal Code and a further seven years under the Anti-Corruption Act, while Bushra Bibi was sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment. Both were fined Rs16,425,650 each, with an additional six months’ imprisonment in case of non-payment. The implementation of the Toshakhana-II verdict began on Saturday, with jail authorities completing all required formalities in accordance with the court’s order, prison sources said. Bushra Bibi’s bail in the case has lapsed following the verdict. Both she and Khan were already serving sentences in the 190 million pound case, and the sentence in the Toshakhana-II case has also taken effect from today. According to the written verdict, the prosecution succeeded in proving its case ...