ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday passed the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2015 aimed at protecting children from mental and physical abuse.Amongst the major Amendments, the bill raises......
ISLAMABAD: UN Women, the United Nations entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women, named Muniba Mazari as Pakistan’s first female goodwill ambassador to advance gender equality and the......
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday said that he would seek compensation for victims of a controversial US drone strike programme, vowing to take their cases to the......
MOSCOW: Residents in Moscow already enjoy free wireless Internet in cafes and on the metro system but now authorities in the city have also decided to bring WiFi to a more unusual setting — some of......
LAHORE: The draft event for the inaugural edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is set to take place on Dec 21 and 22, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Thursday.With 308 top local......
ISLAMABAD: Children diagnosed with thalassaemia acted as honorary MNAs and held a mock National Assembly session in Islamabad on Thursday.The children battling with the blood disorder were invited by......
KIEV: Ukraine's security service said Thursday it had arrested an insurgent group involving three Russian nationals that had stockpiled bombs and planned to carry out “terrorist attacks”, in raids......
Karachi confuses people – sometimes even those who live in it.The capital of Pakistan’s Sindh province, it is the country’s largest city – a colossal, ever-expanding metropolis with a population of......
ANKARA: Turkish prosecutors Thursday demanded 35-year jail terms for two alleged people-smugglers blamed for the death of Aylan Kurdi, the three-year-old boy whose beached corpse came to symbolise......
PARIS: In the same week that Michel Platini fights to save his career, the draw for the finals of the expanded 24-team European Championship that he championed takes place in Paris on Saturday.The......
DHAKA: Bangladesh on Thursday lifted a ban on Facebook, three weeks after it was imposed for security reasons in the tense country, but mobile messaging apps remained barred, the telecoms minister......
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after consulting his allies has nominated provincial president of PML-N Nawab Sanaullah Zehri as the next chief minister of Balochistan."Balochistan is close......
KABUL: The head of Afghanistan's main intelligence agency resigned on Thursday over disagreements with President Ashraf Ghani, laying bare divisions that have hindered efforts to fight the growing......
During the past few weeks, I have attended a series of events at Yale University, sponsored by various South Asian organisations. These included a dance and music performance in celebration of......
SAO PAULO: Rogerio Ceni, the highest-scoring goalkeeper in history, charmed the world with his golden boots, but it is his magical gloves that will be most missed at the club where he spent his......
GUANTANAMO: The five men accused of planning the September 11, 2001, attacks are currently detained at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where hearing of the 14-year-old case will resume......
OSLO: The Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded on Thursday to four organisations that helped save Tunisia's transition to democracy through dialogue, a method the laureates are keen to see applied in......
DUBAI: The September stampede during the Haj in Saudi Arabia killed at least 2,411 pilgrims, a new Associated Press count shows, three times the number of deaths acknowledged by the kingdom three......
KANDAHAR: The death toll from a 27-hour Taliban siege of Kandahar airport has jumped to 50, Afghan officials said Thursday, after a conference in Pakistan shored up international support for reviving......
JERUSALEM: Israel's upgraded Arrow ballistic missile shield passed a full interception test on Thursday, hitting a target in space meant to simulate the trajectory of the long-range weapons held by......
CASTRO VALLEY: A California state worker has been caught on video making anti-Islamic slurs and then throwing coffee and an umbrella at a group of Muslim men praying at San Francisco Bay Area......
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Thursday instructed Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Wasim Akhtar to submit a reply by December 21 in a Rs500 million libel case filed by the Sindh Rangers.Sindh......
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recently adopted dog Kaiya has sunk her teeth into her new position, biting two visitors at an event on Wednesday, including the husband of the......
DUNEDIN: Martin Guptill smashed 156 on Thursday as he bounced back from a horror series in Australia to put New Zealand in the driving seat on day one of the first Test against Sri Lanka.On a Dunedin......
LEVERKUSEN: Barcelona coach Luis Enrique is concerned Neymar may be set for a lengthy lay-off after the Brazilian superstar injured his groin before their final Champions League group match.The......
LONDON: Jose Mourinho hopes Chelsea's progress to the Champions League last 16 will restore his side's shattered confidence and help save his job.Mourinho was on the brink of being sacked until......
Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh pounded tons in a triple-century unbroken stand to crush the dispirited West Indies and put Australia in immediate command of the first Test in Hobart on Thursday.In a grim......
Bollywood actor Salman Khan was acquitted by the Bombay High Court (BHC) of all charges in a 2002 hit-and-run case on Thursday as the 'prosecution failed to establish its case against the star',......
A young mother who attended a religious school for women in Pakistan weds a conservative man. Months later, the two are accused of murdering 14 and injuring many more in an unprovoked attack in San......
WASHINGTON: Doctors Without Borders (MSF) delivered a petition signed by 547,000 people to the White House Wednesday demanding an independent investigation into a deadly Unites States (US) strike on......
BEIJING: China will give household registration permits to its unregistered citizens and make medical insurance coverage more equal, the government said on Wednesday, as it looks to overhaul systems......
WASHINGTON: Muhammad Ali rebuked Donald Trump over his call to ban Muslims from entering the United States (US), news reports said Wednesday, as the boxing icon became just the latest high-profile......
WASHINGTON: California shooter Syed Farook plotted an attack with an accomplice three years ago but got "cold feet" after a wave of Unites States (US) counter-terrorism arrests, a senator said......
ISLAMABAD: After two consecutive days of walkouts by the opposition, the government agreed on Wednesday to set up a bipartisan and bicameral parliamentary committee to decide the fate of Pakistan......
LONDON: A petition to ban US presidential hopeful Donald Trump from Britain reached more than 230,000 signatures on Wednesday after the Republican frontrunner called for a ban on Muslims entering the......
PESHAWAR: A Peshawar High Court bench on Wednesday stopped the provincial government from handing over the Sarhad Development Authority properties to the recently-formed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic......
PESHAWAR: A book reading session was held at the historic Sethi House in Mohalla Sethian here on Wednesday to highlight the cultural heritage of the South Asia’s oldest living city, Peshawar.The......
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has frequently been introducing amendments to several laws of public importance as apparently these laws were not properly deliberated in and outside the......
PESHAWAR: Stressing the need for stemming the tide of adverse impacts of climate change, a senior economist on Wednesday said Pakistan’s economy had suffered $20 billion losses due to the changing......
PESHAWAR: Zamung Kor, a project to provide shelter to street children, was launched by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government earlier last month with great fanfare, however it is likely to take at least three......
RAWALPINDI: Pakistani authorities on Wednesday refused to accept six migrants after the FIA found that they had been illegally deported to Pakistan from the UK.About 36 others, who possessed travel......
RAWALPINDI: An old jiyala, who was short in stature but tall in the eyes of the PPP and its leadership, is no more. PPP Central Executive Committee member Sultan Mahmoood Qazi died on Wednesday at......
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday dismissed a petition filed by former Chief Justice of Pakistan retired Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar against the special court order to the Federal......
Ghulam Hussain, a contemporary artist from Hyderabad, exhibited his recent collection at the Satrang Gallery in Islamabad.The collection used the works of the Dutch artist, Piet Mondrian, as......
ISLAMABAD: A cricket commentator has filed a petition with the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking a lifetime ban on Pakistani cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir, all of whom......
LAHORE: A committee constituted on chief minister’s direction to probe into diphtheria-related deaths at the Children’s Hospital has identified glaring flaws in two major areas -- immunisation......
LAHORE: Students of different institutions invited to a seminar organised by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day were not allowed to leave the venue......
LAHORE: An election tribunal on Wednesday discharged a contempt notice issued to Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf’s Hamid Zaman for his ‘objectionable’ remarks on its (the tribunal’s) decision in NA-118......
SAHIWAL: Nineteen losing candidates of the second phase of local elections and their 300 supporters on Wednesday dared police to arrest them after marching on the city police station to protest......
LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif says China has attached “no conditions” to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that reflects depth of relations between the two countries.He was......
LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to observe a week (Dec 10 to 16) in memory of the martyrs of APS Peshawar who had fallen victim to a terrorist attack on Dec 16 the previous year.A spokesman......
LAHORE: Hearing petitions against media coverage of Punjab Food Authority’s raids on eateries, the Lahore High Court on Wednesday sought assistance from representatives of the Punjab Union of......
SIALKOT: A labourer and his wife were tortured publicly and dragged in streets by some masked men in Mitraanwali village in Daska tehsil the other day.Reports said the unidentified men, armed with......
LAHORE: A Lahore High Court division bench on Wednesday acquitted Qari Muhammad Yousaf, leader of a defunct organisation, in a case of publication/distribution of hate material.Qari Yousaf of the......
LAHORE: An exhibition of watercolour paintings by Ali Sajid, a Peshawar-based artist, is currently under way at Native Art Gallery till Dec 11.The exhibition features artworks based on Peshawar’s......
KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly, which meets after a break of four months, may not take up formal business on Thursday despite having a heavy agenda including the issue of extending policing powers to......
KARACHI: While the Pakistan Peoples Party-led provincial government has deprived local government institutions of a number of powers, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and other local bodies......
KARACHI: Maulvi Mohammad Hasan Barahvi was a contemporary of Ghalib. He lived in Kalat. He wrote ghazals in Walli Dakkani’s style. The tradition of holding mushairas (poetry symposia) was well......
KARACHI: Chief Justice designate of the Sindh High Court Justice Sajjad Ali Shah on Wednesday said that the problems faced by the judges and litigants were numerous, but not insurmountable.He was......
DADU: The entire structure of the centuries-old Badshahi Masjid, Khudabad, is crumbling despite the massive repair work carried out at a cost of Rs40 million since 2009. While the facade has......
MATIARI: In a major political development, the Makhdooms of Hala have revived their contacts with the Jamotes — who had been spearheading the anti-PPP forces in Matiari district for long — after four......
UMERKOT: The district inquiry committee formed by the provincial government to probe corruption in the Umerkot health department released its report on the occasion of the World Anti-Corruption Day......
KARACHI: “Let’s become human, for being human is the greatest wealth. No rich people ever supported me. It was always the common man,” said renowned humanitarian Abdul Sattar Edhi, who despite his......
NEW YORK: Time magazine on Wednesday named German Chancellor Angela Merkel as its “Person of the Year 2015”, hailing her leadership for navigating debt and refugee crises that threatened to tear the......
HOMS: Busloads of Syrians including rebel fighters left the last insurgent-held area of Homs on Wednesday under a rare local truce in Syria’s nearly five-year conflict that will shore up government......
GENEVA: More than 9,000 people have died in 21 months of fighting in eastern Ukraine, even as a new cease-fire has largely held and contributed to a sharp decline in casualties since mid-August, the......
ATHENS: Greek police launched an operation on Wednesday to remove some 2,300 migrants gathered at the border with Macedonia, after Skopje began filtering those who can cross the frontier by......
RIYADH: Gulf monarchs began arriving in Saudi Arabia for an annual summit on Wednesday, facing challenges including plunging oil revenues, the war in Yemen, pressure for peace in Syria and signs of......
DUBAI: A leading Gulf retailer has stopped selling products from the brand owned by US presidential hopeful Donald Trump after his controversial call to bar Muslims from entering the United......
WASHINGTON: The United States is prepared to deploy advisers and attack helicopters if requested by Iraq to help it “finish the job” of retaking the city of Ramadi from Islamic State, US Defence......
WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court was hearing arguments on Wednesday over race-based admissions at the University of Texas in a highly charged dispute that could reverberate nationwide.The justices,......
MIAMI: Orbital ATK’s Cygnus cargo ship arrived at the International Space Station on Wednesday, carrying more than 7,000 pounds of water, food and supplies for global astronauts.“Capture confirmed,”......
CARACAS: It was meant to be a revolution, but now the wheels risk coming off “Chavism”, the socialist movement that made Venezuela a beacon of leftist leadership at odds with the United States.Two......
THOSE who have been asking if it was necessary to take Donald Trump’s candidacy seriously finally have their answer.The fact that he has topped almost every poll for the Republican nomination for the......
HOBART: James Pattinson will replace fellow quick Mitchell Starc in the Australia team for this week’s opening Test against West Indies, captain Steve Smith said on Wednesday, reviving a promising......
MUMBAI: India opener Shikhar Dhawan, who occasionally bowls off-spin, has been reported for a suspect action during the recent fourth Test against South Africa, the International Cricket Council......
LAHORE: The management of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has invited top cricket professionals to sign up as coaches with the five franchises of the league.A press-release issued by the Pakistan......
LONDON: The United States hopes Qatar will cooperate with the World Cup bidding investigation, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said on Wednesday, insisting that the Gulf nation being a key ally in the......
HOBART: Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting on Wednesday said a day-night match could help secure Hobart’s status as a Test host and rounded on ‘unfair’ criticism of the Tasmanian......
LONDON: Louis van Gaal is 18 months and $375 million into his “process” of rebuilding Manchester United.What’s it got him? So far this season, a playing squad lacking balance and depth, accusations......
LONDON: World heavyweight champion Tyson Fury’s uncle and trainer says the decision to strip the British fighter of one of his three titles is “absolutely scandalous”.The 27-year-old, whose comments......
DUBAI: World champion Chen Long began his defence of the title at the Super Series Finals here on Wednesday with a composed and versatile performance in a 21-13, 21-13 victory over Chinese team-mate,......
TOKYO: Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez spearhead Barcelona’s attempt to win a third Club World Cup title when the European champions arrive in Japan next week.Luis Enrique’s squad will play......
LONDON: The likes of Qarabag, Slovan Liberec and Lech Poznan could be celebrating surprise berths in the Europa League last 32 on Thursday as the group stage comes to a close.Many big names such as......
ISLAMABAD: While India is ready to join Afghan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA), Islamabad is reluctant to include a third country in the arrangement.Pakistan recently turned down a......
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Netherlands on Wednesday signed a memorandum of cooperation for institutional building of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and capacity building of other......
KARACHI: Pakistanis collectively used more medicines this year to calm their nerves and address problems related to brain function than last year, official sales data indicated.Sales of medicines......
FAISALABAD: Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikander Hayat Khan Bosan has said that the government is bringing the Plant Breeding Bill to strengthen the agriculture sector.Addressing......
KARACHI: The government raised much less than the target through the auction of treasury bills (T-bills) on Wednesday while the cut-off yields on the papers were kept unchanged.The State Bank said......
LONDON: An influx of 500,000 tonnes of Pakistani sugar exports will intensify competition with Indian mills and Middle Eastern refineries, adding downward pressure to world prices, trade sources said......
KARACHI: After a pause for a breather, bulls took charge again on Wednesday pushing the KSE-100 index up by 228.55 points (0.70 per cent) to settle at 33,020.66.Save for the trading session a day......
ROME: Expanding trade in agricultural products is key to alleviating world hunger, but only if open trade policies do not endanger food security, the UN food agency said in a report released on......
KARACHI: The imposition of punitive duties on ‘grandparents’ — the raw material of poultry sector — will hit the local poultry industry and consumers, Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) said in a......
KARACHI: The Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) disbursed Rs2,015.975 million amongst its pensioners and collected Rs1,091.170m as contribution from registered employers and employees......
KARACHI: Around 14,000 employees of Pakistan Steel received their salaries for the months of August and September 2015 on Wednesday.A spokesman for Pakistan Steel, Syed Abdul Hafiz Shah, said that......
KARACHI: Cotton prices remained steady on the cotton market on Wednesday as spinners indulged in selective buying to meet their near-term demand.Floor brokers said spinners facing financial crisis......
LONDON: Gold rose 1 per cent on Wednesday, supported by softness in the dollar and European shares, but investors remained cautious ahead of an anticipated Fed rate rise next week.The US central bank......
ISLAMABAD: At a time when the government has reportedly decided to privatise the Pakistan International Airlines and converted the corporation running the national flag carrier into a company, the......
ISLAMABAD: The parliamentary committee on electoral reforms is meeting here on Thursday to hear again from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and National Database and Registration Authority......
ISLAMABAD: The local government elections in Sanghar district of Sindh would be held on Dec 17, the Election Commission of Pakistan announced on Wednesday.The ECP had postponed the polling in the......
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court turned down on Wednesday a request by Sindh Inspector General Ghulam Haider Jamali for acceptance of his unconditional apology for retaining a police officer on......
ISLAMABAD: The counsel for PTI’s Hamid Khan — who contested the 2013 general elections and was defeated by Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique from the NA-125 constituency in Lahore — tried to......
WASHINGTON: The Embassy of Pakistan assured Pakistani-Americans on Wednesday that it was engaged with US authorities to ensure that the community’s fears of insecurity and discrimination were......
ISLAMABAD: PPP Co-Chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari has called for tolerance, respect for human rights, diversity and pluralism.In a message from Dubai on the Universal Human Rights Day......
ISLAMABAD: Having lost a couple of major international arbitrations in water disputes, the government has decided to carry out a comprehensive study to evaluate the impact of Indian construction on......
KHUZDAR: Oil and gas companies busy in exploration work in Kalat division will be provided complete security.This was assured to senior officials of Pakistan Petroleum Limited(PPL) by the......
WASHINGTON: A senior US official has warned that a terrorist attack in India could spark off a war with Pakistan.In an interview to The Indian Express newspaper, Deputy Secretary of State Antony......
ISLAMABAD: With the government trying to implement the ‘return and rehabilitation strategy’ under which all temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) are supposed to return home by next year, a UN report......
ISLAMABAD: In a major breakthrough, Pakistan and India announced on Wednesday that they were resuming the dialogue on outstanding issues, ending a two-year long stalemate.The ‘Comprehensive Bilateral......
ISLAMABAD: The Afghan government on Wednesday agreed to restart dialogue with ‘reconcilable’ Taliban with the help of Pakistan, the United States and China.The development came after a series of......
SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg offered words of support for Muslims who fear retaliation for the recent violent attacks in Paris and San Bernardino.In the wake of those attacks,......
CHAUDHRY Nisar Ali’s recent call for parliamentary debates on the federal ministries’ performance was a significant move for promoting responsible and transparent governance. It would be a great pity......
This week a draught of fresh air wafted through a closed room. First, we had a statement from the State Bank governor telling us that CPEC projects “need more transparency”. And a few days later, we......
IN an age of violence motivated by belief, the topic of religious education makes many bristle. So when I met Sajid Hussain, a 31-year-old Shia scholar living a nameless life in a Sindhi village, I......
IT was unimaginable just a couple of years ago — Pakistan hosting an international conference with high-level political delegations from across the region.That alone is worth acknowledging and......
SOME important remarks made by the State Bank governor, Ashraf Mahmood Wathra, about transparency in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects deserve careful consideration.In an interview given......
SURELY, it was not what those stranded on either side of the Lahore airport had hoped for after the recent announcements of the installation of an up-to-date landing system.The system that was turned......
ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States (US) on Wednesday agreed to explore and encourage all efforts for dialogue between the Afghanistan's government and Taliban groups.Peace and......
BAGHDAD: A suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group killed at least eight people near a Shia mosque in eastern Baghdad on Wednesday, security and medical officials said.The blast in......
WASHINGTON: Visas used by foreigners to travel to the United States are getting new scrutiny in the wake of shooting massacres in California and France.House lawmakers passed legislation on Tuesday......
