Day: March 7, 2026

RAWALPINDI: A division bench of the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi comprising Justice Jawad Hassan and Justice Tariq Mahmood Bajwa has adjourned until March 12 the hearing of an intra-court appeal seeking permission for former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed to perform Umrah. The court observed that it would examine in detail the important issue of placing accused persons’ names on the Exit Control List or blacklist on the basis of FIRs and would deliver a detailed judgment in light of the Constitution. Sheikh Rashid appeared before the court along with…

The government has directed provincial authorities to launch strict action against hoarders of petroleum products and ensure uninterrupted fuel supply, while confirming that adequate reserves are available to meet the country’s needs, according to the Prime Minister’s Office. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, officials informed a high-level meeting that Pakistan currently has sufficient stocks of petroleum products to fulfil domestic requirements despite the evolving regional situation. The statement said authorities were instructed to take strict legal action against individuals and businesses involved in hoarding petroleum products. “Any petrol pump involved…

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has issued important directions regarding courtroom practices and expressed concern over lengthy cross-examinations and the practice of repeatedly asking witnesses similar questions by multiple defence counsel. In a recent verdict, it warned that such tactics could amount to abuse of the right of cross-examination and advised trial court judges to actively supervise proceedings and disallow irrelevant or humiliating questions intended to harass witnesses. The court also directed that witnesses must be provided with seating arrangements while recording their testimony. It observed that there is no legal…

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday heard review petitions filed by the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in a Rs10 billion damages case concerning the termination of his right of defence, with judges questioning the delay in submitting a reply to the claim. A three-member bench headed by Justice Ayesha Malik heard the review petitions. During the hearing, Justice Hashim Kakar remarked that the court had repeatedly given the PTI founder time to submit a response. “The court had several times given the PTI founder time to file a reply,” Justice…

A Pakistani man was convicted on Friday of planning to kill President Donald Trump and other prominent US politicians two years ago at the behest of Iran, the Department of Justice said. Asif Merchant was accused of trying to recruit people in the US in a plan targeting Trump and others in retaliation for Washington’s killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in 2020, when Trump was in his first term. Targets in the 2024 plot also included then-President Joe Biden and Nikki Haley, who ran against Trump that year for the Republican…

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has intensified diplomatic outreach amid the rapidly evolving crisis in Iran and the wider Gulf region, engaging regional capitals while urging restraint and cautioning against actions that could further widen the conflict, officials and diplomatic sources said on Friday. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi on Friday evening, expressing concern over the deteriorating regional situation and stressing the importance of maintaining communication as tensions escalate. According to the Foreign Office, both sides agreed to remain in close contact…