China’s Xi to visit North Korea next week
Islamabad: Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit North Korea next week, state media said Friday, the latest in a series of high-level summits as Beijing asserts its position as a diplomatic superpower on the world stage. State broadcaster CCTV said that Xi would visit from June 8 to 9 at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim […]
Trump legal team withholds financial data in $10b BBC defamation case, FT reports
New York :The legal team of US President Donald Trump has reportedly refused to provide financial information sought by lawyers for the BBC in a $10b defamation lawsuit, according to a report by the Financial Times citing court filings. The dispute stems from Trump’s claim that the BBC defamed him by selectively editing a 2021 […]
AJK elections: polling set for July 27 under strict security, says CEC
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Friday issued the official schedule for the upcoming general elections, confirming that polling will be held on July 27 across the region. Polling date announced; political activity set to begin With the release of the election schedule, political and electoral activities are expected to […]
Sindh govt announces schedule for matric, intermediate results
KARACHI: The Sindh government has announced the dates for the release of annual matriculation and intermediate examination results across the province, with matric results due by July 10 and intermediate results by July 31. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Sindh Minister for Universities and Boards Muhammad Ismail Rahoo. The meeting was […]
FCC clarifies status and role of high courts in landmark ruling
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) ruled that Pakistan’s high courts are independent constitutional courts and are not subordinate to either the Supreme Court or the FCC, clarifying the constitutional relationship between the country’s superior courts and reinforcing the judicial and administrative autonomy of high courts. In a detailed judgment authored by Justice Aamer Farooq […]
Lahore court orders prioritization of eco-friendly projects amid smog crisis
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday ordered provincial authorities to prioritize eco-friendly development projects and strictly enforce anti-pollution laws, warning that it would not tolerate non-compliance. Hearing a cluster of public interest petitions regarding environmental degradation in Punjab, LHC Judge Justice Shahid Karim directed that all future infrastructure projects must be designed around […]
Budget 2026-27: Pakistan signals end of key tax exemptions to meet IMF mandates
Islamabad :As the federal government finalises the Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27, sources indicate a major shift towards a unified tax regime, potentially ending decades of exemptions for key industries and consumer goods. Driven by the requirements of the ongoing International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, the government is considering the withdrawal of General Sales Tax […]
FO says 10 Pakistanis held in Somalia still in captivity
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Thursday it was working to secure the release of 10 of its citizens held in Somalia through contacts with relevant parties, including the Chinese owner of a vessel linked to the incident. At a weekly briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said efforts were under way to resolve the matter but […]
Pakistan and the Philippines: An Emerging Partnership and the Dynamic Role of Ambassador Emmanuel R. Fernandez
By Nawabzada Shah Ali In international relations, some partnerships develop quietly, away from the spotlight, yet gradually evolve into relationships of significant strategic importance. The ties between Pakistan and the Philippines represent one such success story. Despite the geographical distance separating South Asia and Southeast Asia, the two nations have cultivated a relationship based on […]
Austerity Without Vision: A Reading of Pakistan’s Budget FY2025–26 and What FY2026–27 Must Answer
By Abdul Rafay Niazi On June 10, 2025, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presented the federal budget for FY2025–26 before a noisy National Assembly. It was passed on June 26 and signed into law on June 30. The government called it a budget for a “historic moment.” Critics called it more of the same. Both, in […]