News Updates Pk

The Islamabad High Court has sent a case of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, over a false image of the prime minister filed against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shandana Gulzar, to the chief justice, seeking consolidation with a previously pending PECA case against the accused. The image in question is a fake image of PM Shehbaz shaking hands with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. The previous case in question, also filed under PECA 2016 last year, alleged that Shandana made anti-state statements, which was already being challenged in the IHC. The National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA) had registered the case against her, alleging that she participated in anti-state activities and posted fabricated content on social media. The first information report states that Shandana had spread false and misleading news on social media. The NCCIA has formally registered the FIR and launched an investigation. Read: IHC issues last warning to respondents in PECA case Justice A...

A 20-member Azad Jammu and Kashmir cabinet, including two advisers, has taken oath after being formed in line with an agreement reached with the Joint Awami Action Committee, which required the cabinet size not to exceed 20 members. Acting Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Chaudhry Latif Akbar administered the oath to 18 ministers at a ceremony in Muzaffarabad on Wednesday, while Prime Minister Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore swore in the two advisers. One woman minister has been included in the new cabinet. The oath-taking ceremony was attended by former AJK president and prime minister Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan, former prime minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan, the chief secretary, inspector general of police, departmental secretaries and a large number of Pakistan Peoples Party workers. The ministers who took oath included Mian Abdul Waheed, Sardar Javed Ayub, Javed Iqbal Budhanvi, Chaudhry Arshad Hussain, Chaudhry Muhammad Rasheed, Ali Shan Soni, Syed Bazil Ali Naqvi, Sardar Muham...

The Federal Constitutional Court has decided to adopt the Supreme Court Rules 2025 for the court’s practice and procedure. A meeting with Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan in the chair made the decision, The Express Tribune learned. The full court decided that cases in the FCC will be heard by a bench of at least two judges while cases against the decision of a two-judge bench will be heard by a bench comprising at least three judges. Lawyers of the Supreme Court will be eligible to appear before the FCC, the meeting also decided. The attorney general and advocates general of all four provinces have been informed about the decisions. The adoption of the Supreme Court Rules clarifies how the newly formed FCC will structure its proceedings. The rules, framed by a committee formed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, were updated earlier this month. The committee deliberated with the Pakistan Bar Council and the Supreme Court Bar Association to modernise the 1980 rules, presenting the final draf...

President Donald Trump on Tuesday designated Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, reviving a decades-old strategic partnership as the two countries signed sweeping agreements on arms sales, civil nuclear cooperation, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals. The designation signals a return to traditional US-Saudi ties. While it doesn't provide the mutual defense guarantees enjoyed by NATO members, it grants the kingdom significant economic, military, and defense benefits, a status the US reserves for countries of strategic importance outside the Atlantic alliance. Pakistan received this designation from Bush post 9/11 in 2004. The meeting underscored Trump's determination to prioritize ties between the world's biggest economy and its top oil exporter, even as the international outcry over journalist Jamal Khashoggi's 2018 killing has gradually faded from diplomatic discourse. Trump said he was "taking our military cooperation to even greater heights" ...

The government has taken a major step towards digitising its social protection system as the Benazir Income Support Programme has begun distributing free SIMs to its women beneficiaries across the country. The 'Social Protection Wallet' initiative aims to give women direct and secure access to their financial assistance, replacing older systems that often involved long queues, cash handling and the risk of fraud. Once activated, the SIM will serve as each beneficiary’s digital wallet, carrying all future BISP payments and official messages. SIM distribution is being carried out six days a week in a controlled and secure environment. Women must bring their original CNIC and mobile phone to BISP’s Dynamic Registry Centres (DRCs) to receive the SIM. Eligible women have been advised to collect their SIMs from designated offices or campsites by December 31. Once a SIM is issued, BISP immediately activates the Social Protection Wallet on it. This means women will no longer need to re...

The Lahore High Court has restrained police officials from harassing Sarbjit Kaur - now Noor - a former Sikh woman who, after embracing Islam, married Nasir Hussain - a resident of Sheikhupura district. Justice Farooq Haider issued the order while hearing a petition filed by Noor and her husband, whom she had married on November 5. In her petition, Noor alleged that police authorities, acting at the behest of respondent Riaz and members of the Sikh community in Nankana Sahib, raided their home and caused harassment. She stated that during the raid on November 8, she was pressured to dissolve her marriage, despite the couple marrying with full consent. During the hearing, the petitioners’ counsel informed the court that the Indian citizen had arrived in Pakistan for religious rituals, later converted to Islam of her own free will, and solemnised her marriage with Nasir. It must be noted that thousands of Sikh pilgrims had visited Pakistan this month to celebrate the 554th birth annivers...

Amid heightened security threats and an uptick in terrorist attacks, the government approved Rs50.9 billion ($180 million) for a series of defence initiatives aimed at strengthening national security. The allocations were cleared during a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) held at the Finance Division, chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. The committee reviewed multiple summaries concerning defence, internal security, food security and reforms in the petroleum sector. According to the ministry, the ECC approved a Technical Supplementary Grant (TSG) of Rs100.3 million for the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control for the repair and maintenance of defence equipment used by the Federal Civil Armed Forces. Officials said the funds will ensure the operational readiness of equipment deployed in law enforcement and security operations. The committee also approved an additional Rs841.56 million as TSG for the Federal Civil Armed Forces to support border contro...