ISLAMABAD: A trial court in Islamabad has rescinded a section from its judgement in a social media post case against rights activist and lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, advocate Hadi Ali Chattha, that referred to certain countries as “terrorist states”, it emerged on Friday. The two were convicted in Islamabad last week in a case linked to alleged posts and reposts on X that investigators described as “anti-state”. The case was registered in August 2025 by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA)…
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SC bans colonial language in police complaints
ISLAMABAD: In a landmark ruling aimed at dismantling colonial-era language and restoring the dignity of citizens, the Supreme Court has prohibited the use of the phrase “Bakhidmat Janaab SHO” in applications addressed to police officials, declaring it incompatible with constitutional values and democratic governance. The verdict, authored by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar, observed that such language reflects an outdated mindset inconsistent with the role of public servants in a modern democratic system, where police officers are meant to serve citizens, not the other way around. The issue surfaced during court proceedings…
Read MorePTI’s legal, political woes worsen
ISLAMABAD: Since the passage of the 26th Amendment, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has found itself treading water in the superior courts, struggling to secure any substantive relief as key petitions linked to its jailed founder and senior leadership remain in limbo, deepening the party’s legal and political uncertainty. The party, whose founder and chief Imran Khan remains incarcerated for over two years, continues to knock on the doors of the judiciary for hearings on his cases. However, progress has been at a snail’s pace, with PTI’s petitions still caught in a…
Read MorePM unveils major relief for industry, export sectors
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday announced major relief measures for the industries and exports sectors, including a reduction in electricity tariffs by Rs 4.04 per unit and wheeling charges to less than Rs9 for industry, alongside a significant decrease in the export refinance scheme rate from current 7.5 per cent to 4.5 per cent and the issuance of blue passports for the leading exporters for two years. He said the government had allocated Rs1,052 billion for the export refinance scheme, of which Rs900 billion had already been utilised,…
Read MoreFBR starts super tax recovery drive
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has begun taking steps to recover super tax from large companies to implement the decision of the Federal Constitutional Court in the super tax case. Following the court’s ruling, the FBR has initiated contacts with major companies for the recovery of super tax. Sources in the FBR said that, in line with the court’s decision, revenue of over Rs300 billion is expected to be collected from large companies. Officials stated that after the Federal Constitutional Court’s ruling, the FBR is required to collect…
Read MoreAD Ports to review KPT cargo tariffs
ISLAMABAD: AD Ports Group, a UAE-based logistics company, has agreed to review existing terminal cargo handling charges following Pakistan’s demand for a reduction in fees at Karachi Port, aimed at making port operations more competitive and business-friendly. The federal government has constituted a negotiation committee to engage with AD Ports Group on the issue of cargo handling charges. The committee comprises Chairman Karachi Port Trust (KPT) Rear Admiral Shahid Ahmed, along with the country representative of AD Ports Group. The committee is expected to submit its recommendations within seven days.…
Read MorePSX plunges over 6,000 points
KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a bloodbath sell-off after a recent period of buoyancy and closed on a decisively bearish note on Thursday, with heavy selling pressure dragging the benchmark KSE-100 index down by more than 6,000 points to 182,338. Investors were rattled by escalating tensions in the Middle East and disappointing corporate earnings, which combined to trigger panic-driven selling across the board. The steep decline was largely attributed to a negative reaction to Fauji Fertiliser Company Pakistan’s (FFC PA) CY25 results, which fell short of market expectations…
Read MoreSBP reserves edge up to $16.1b
KARACHI: Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) rose by $13 million during the week ended January 23, 2026, reaching $16.101 billion, according to official data released on Wednesday. The country’s total liquid foreign reserves, including commercial banks’ net reserves of $5.192 billion, stood at $21.293 billion. Analysts noted that SBP reserves now provide around 2.5 months of import cover, offering some short-term support to the external sector. Meanwhile, the Pakistani rupee gained Rs0.01 against the US dollar on Thursday, closing at 279.80 in the…
Read MorePM intervention sought for potato growers
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research met on Thursday under the chairmanship of Syed Tariq Hussain and discussed key issues related to the agriculture sector development in the country. Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani, MNA, convener of the sub-committee on the establishment of a research centre at Khairpur, presented the report and briefed the committee in detail on its proceedings. The committee acknowledged and appreciated the efforts of the sub-committee members and directed that the recommendations be forwarded to the Ministry of National Food…
Read MorePak Suzuki seeks auto policy push for parts localisation
LAHORE: Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited Hiroshi Kawamura said the company is looking forward to a new auto policy that encourages greater localisation of parts. “Suzuki continues assisting in the development of Pakistani vendor companies so they can meet global standards,” Kawamura said while talking to the media at the SME Cluster Expo in Lahore the other day. He said foreign investment is extremely important for Pakistan, not only for bringing in overseas dollars but also for transferring technology and building industrial capability. “Pakistan…
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