ISLAMABAD: The opposition slammed the government’s decision on Thursday to participate in United States President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” without parliamentary approval and called for the withdrawal of any formal involvement until a complete consultative process was undertaken. Pakistan accepted Trump’s invitation to join his Board of Peace, a new international mechanism aimed at supporting the implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan, a day ago. The Foreign Office did not provide details about the composition of the Board of Peace or its operational modalities, but officials indicated that the forum was expected…
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Lawyers Imaan, Hadi sent on 14-day judicial remand by Islamabad ATC after arrest: Shireen
Human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, Advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, were sent on a 14-day judicial remand by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad on Friday after their earlier arrest. The Islamabad Police had arrested the couple near the underpass outside Serena Hotel while they were on their way to the district session court. Former human rights minister Shireen Mazari said in a post on X that the two were “covertly presented” in the ATC but lawyers were not allowed in and no one was allowed to see…
Read MoreJoint session passes Daanish Schools, domestic violence bills despite objections
ISLAMABAD: The joint sitting of Parliament on Thursday passed multiple bills despite presidential objections, opposition protests and sloganeering in the House, in proceedings chaired by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. During the sitting, President Asif Ali Zardari’s objections were raised on the Daanish Schools Authority Bill and the Domestic Violence Prevention and Protection Bill, with lawmakers from the opposition insisting that the advice should not be brushed aside. On the Daanish Schools bill, the President objected that, “The federal government should consult the provinces before establishing the Daanish Schools Authority”.…
Read MoreAhsan Iqbal defends Pakistan’s decision to join Trump’s Board of Peace
ISLAMABAD: Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Friday responded to remarks made by JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, defending Pakistan’s decision to join the Board of Peace and emphasising that the country’s participation strengthens efforts to support peace in Gaza and the broader Muslim world. Pakistan accepted Trump’s invitation to join his Board of Peace, a new international mechanism aimed at supporting the implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan, a day ago. The Foreign Office did not provide details about the composition of the Board of Peace or its operational modalities, but…
Read MoreFIA cybercrime officers accused of abducting families, extorting millions
GUJRANWALA: A major corruption scandal has surfaced in the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Gujranwala, as the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Composite Circle has registered a case against three of its own officers, along with their accomplices, on charges of corruption, bribery, extortion and abuse of authority. Three government officials, among others, have been taken into custody. The NCCIA, established to strengthen enforcement of cyber laws, has come under scrutiny after allegations emerged that its officers, in collusion with private individuals, struck deals worth millions of rupees with suspects…
Read MoreSpeech by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Petr Macinka at the meeting with heads of Diplomatic Missions and offices of international organizations accredited to the Czech Republic
Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Czernin Palace. Welcome to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. And thank you for accepting my invitation to this meeting. Let me begin by wishing you all the very best for the new year. May you enjoy good health and much happiness in your personal lives, and may our cooperation be mutually beneficial. Allow me, as the foreign minister of the new government, to use this rare opportunity to briefly present the main accents and priorities of our foreign…
Read MoreVisit of Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar to Prague
Minister of Foreign Affairs Petr Macinka held talks with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar on January 20, 2026. The main topics of the meeting were the situation in the Middle East, including the implementation of the peace plan in Gaza, economic and security cooperation, innovation, modern technology and the overall deepening of ties between the two countries. “Gideon Saar was the first foreign minister I spoke with on the phone at the end of last year. This is evidence of the strong friendship between the Czech Republic and Israel, which…
Read MoreIHC seeks reply in contempt plea over denial of Salman Akram’s meeting with Imran Khan
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday sought a written response from the Advocate General Islamabad in a contempt of court petition filed over the failure to facilitate a meeting between PTI Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja and the party founder and former prime minister Imran Khan at Adiala Jail, as the court questioned how proceedings could move forward without legal consultation. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir was hearing a petition filed by citizen Ghulam Murtaza challenging the blocking of the PTI founder’s X account, along with a related contempt plea over the…
Read MoreNA passes bill to keep lawmakers’ assets secret for up to a year
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Wednesday passed a bill allowing members of the National Assembly and the Senate to keep their assets confidential for up to one year, citing security concerns. The bill, moved by Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Shazia Marri, introduces key amendments to the Elections Act 2017. Under the new law, a lawmaker may request that details of their own or their family’s assets be kept secret if there is a credible threat to their safety. Once such a request is approved by the National Assembly speaker or…
Read MoreRCB eyes plot auction to boost income
RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) is facing an acute budget shortfall for development projects and the provision of improved basic civic facilities to residents. In order to generate resources for upgrading essential services and undertaking development works, the board has finalised a mechanism to raise funds and decided to auction 15 residential plots in cantonment areas. The board has described the auction of the 15 residential development plots as a golden investment opportunity. A comprehensive publicity campaign is currently under way for the three-day auction, which is scheduled to…
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