Category: Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday directed the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) to take the necessary measures to export food items to Gulf countries via maritime routes as the Iran war disrupts food supply in the region, according to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office. The statement said that PM Shehbaz chaired a meeting to review Pakistan’s domestic food situation and the export of surplus commodities in light of changing regional dynamics due to the US-Israel war on Iran. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign…

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ISLAMABAD: Marking a new phase in medical innovation, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of the Pakistan Kidney & Liver Institute and Research Centre (PKLI), Dr Saeed Akhtar, on Sunday announced the introduction of robotic surgeries for kidney, liver and other complex procedures at the institute. He noted that between 50 and 80 per cent of patients are currently receiving free, technology-driven treatment. Speaking in a PTV programme, Dr Akhtar said that with the support of the Punjab government, PKLI has emerged as a strong medical…

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RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB), which has been running an extensive campaign to boost revenue and recover dues, has suffered a loss of Rs41.1 million in commercialisation fees. Owners of a property allegedly being used for illegal commercial purposes deposited only Rs2,790,595 instead of the required Rs43,891,512 as commercialisation fee and obtained a stay order from a court through other co-owners. According to sources, the property located on Peshawar Road covers 50.64 marlas of land and houses a large private educational institution. The cantonment board issued a notice to…

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ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has held that no court has the authority to decide a lawsuit that falls beyond the scope of its jurisdiction. It ruled that employees of Cantonment Boards are not civil servants; therefore, the Federal Service Tribunal (FST) lacks jurisdiction over their service matters, and such employees may approach the relevant high court for redress. “It is the prime duty of the court to decide the question of jurisdiction first in cases where doubts are raised regarding jurisdiction, and in any such situation, it is the responsibility…

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has politely told China that it will continue with its existing policy of non-engagement with the Taliban regime, citing Kabul’s failure to change its stance on the presence of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil. The response effectively means Islamabad has declined the latest diplomatic effort by Beijing, a close ally, aimed at easing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. China recently intensified its diplomatic engagement by dispatching its special envoy on Afghanistan to both Kabul and Islamabad as part of a…

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LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to pursue legal action against those involved in a “malicious campaign” regarding the use of an official aircraft by the provincial administration, Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb warned amid growing confusion over the government’s claims that the newly procured luxury jet was undergoing routine maintenance. In a post on X, Aurangzeb said she had taken notice of a “deliberate malicious campaign of lies and fabricated stories about the use of the official plane of the Punjab government”, alleging that it was being driven by…

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China has urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to resolve their disputes through dialogue rather than force, calling for restraint and an immediate ceasefire as tensions rise between the two neighbours. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi conveyed the message during a phone call with Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, according to a statement released by China’s foreign ministry on Friday. Wang stressed that both sides should remain calm and work toward defusing tensions through direct engagement. Wang urged the two countries to exercise restraint and hold face-to-face talks as soon…

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ISLAMABAD: Employees of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and autonomous institutions operating under government patronage will face salary cuts ranging from five to 30 per cent as part of the government’s austerity drive, with the savings earmarked for public relief. The decision was taken on Saturday at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to review the impact of rising petroleum product prices and the implementation of austerity measures amid the ongoing Middle East crisis, according to a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The move expands the…

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Funds saved through the government’s austerity measures will be used to provide relief to the public under the current circumstances, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Saturday. The announcement followed a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad to review the impact of the regional situation on petroleum product prices and the implementation of government cost-saving measures. Last week, Prime Minister Sharif unveiled several energy conservation and austerity measures to preempt fuel shortages and declared that he would not further increase the prices of petroleum products after a massive hike…

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ISLAMABAD: The government’s attempt to pass the FC Restructuring Amendment Bill through a supplementary agenda failed in the National Assembly on Thursday after the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) staged a walkout, breaking the quorum. The session, chaired by Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah, began with the Question Hour when opposition member Iqbal Afridi pointed out the lack of quorum. A count confirmed the quorum was incomplete, prompting the deputy speaker to adjourn the sitting. When the session resumed after a short break, Federal Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry presented the…

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