Author: capital

KARACHI: A United Nations Security Council (UNSC) report has said that attacks on Pakistan by the banned terrorist Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group from Afghanistan have increased, endorsing Islamabad’s long-running complaints about militant sanctuaries across the border. The 37th report by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, dated February 4, not only endorsed Islamabad’s stance that Afghanistan had become a sanctuary for militants who used its territory to launch attacks on Pakistan, but also came at a time when the country is facing a renewed spate of violence. Last week,…

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PESHAWAR: A high-level security meeting in Peshawar on Tuesday laid out a roadmap for transferring law-and-order responsibilities from the army to civilian authorities in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), marking a pivotal moment in the province’s long struggle to restore stability. The session reviewed the overall security landscape and concluded that in areas, including Malakand, where peace improves operational control will be handed over to the police, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and provincial law-enforcement authorities. K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi joined Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, federal representatives and senior civil and military…

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ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday appointed Advocate Salman Safdar as a friend of the court to submit a report on the living conditions and health of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, who is currently jailed at Adiala Jail. At the outset of the hearing, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi said Safdar should be treated with respect and not be made to wait outside the jail. “It is expected that our friend of the court will be given access to the PTI founder at Adiala Jail with…

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HYDERABAD: The three-day devotional festivities in Sehwan, marking the 774th Urs of Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar (RA), concluded on Monday, with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah claiming that over three million devotees attended the event. CM Shah, who performed the closing ceremony at the shrine, said the Urs proceeded despite security concerns following the recent suicide bombing at a Rawalpindi mosque. Over 5,000 police officers and 300 Rangers personnel, along with CCTV and drone surveillance, were deployed, ensuring the large spiritual congregation concluded without incident. Cultural, literary, musical,…

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KARACHI: Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Monday paid rich tribute to the Mary Adelaide Leprosy Centre (MALC) for its decades-long humanitarian services, saying that celebrating its Platinum Jubilee alongside the 73rd World Leprosy Day was a tribute to healing, hope and humanity. Addressing a ceremony held at a local hotel, the chief minister said MALC’s journey from a leprosy control programme to a leading humanitarian institution was truly commendable. The event was attended by the German consul general, MALC Chief Executive Officer Marvin Lobo and other dignitaries. The chief…

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ISLAMABAD: The government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif may face political backlash as solar net metering becomes virtually dead after the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) abolished the exchange of electricity units, dealing a blow to consumers hoping to shift to renewables. At present, the buyback rate for solar net generation stands at Rs25.9 per unit, which may be reduced to Rs11 per unit, while the contract period has been cut from seven to five years. The burden of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) capacity payments is now being shifted…

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