Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. Photo: File ISLAMABAD: A special government committee monitoring petroleum supplies on Thursday discussed introducing a four-day workweek with reduced working hours and shifting educational institutions to virtual learning as part of possible energy conservation measures, amid supply uncertainties linked to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Officials said the committee … Read more

Araghchi says ready and ‘waiting’ for US invasion; Tehran strike sparks Bahrain refinery blaze Smoke rises above the city skyline in Riyadh, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Photo: Reuters WASHINGTON: Iran is “waiting for” and prepared to counter any ground invasion by the US military, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday, as the Middle … Read more

Heavy arms and ammunition seized from retreating Taliban forces are displayed amid ongoing Operation Ghazab Lil Haq. ISLAMABAD: Security officials said on Thursday that Pakistan’s ongoing Operation Ghazab Lil-Haq against terrorist networks in Afghanistan would continue until credible guarantees are provided that terrorism would no longer be supported from across the border. Ties between Pakistan … Read more

. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar addresses a press briefing in Islamabad on Friday to review Pakistan’s diplomatic performance in 2025. SCREENGRAB ISLAMABAD: DPM/FM Ishaq Dar on Thursday emphasized the urgent need for de-escalation and restraint to ensure peace and security in the Middle East and the wider region. He received British … Read more

Pakistani, Indian and Hollywood celebrities call for dialogue, prayer and restraint amid escalating ME conflict Middle East war. As conflict once again engulfs parts of the Middle East, voices from the entertainment world have stepped beyond premieres and publicity cycles into the charged arena of geopolitics, urging restraint, prayer and, in some cases, outright opposition … Read more

IMF objects to Rs1tr power subsidy. Design: Mohsin Alam ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has objected to Pakistan’s proposal to allocate nearly Rs1 trillion for power subsidies in the next fiscal year, including over Rs400 billion to cover electricity theft and inefficiencies. The continued bleeding of the power sector and mammvoth budgetary allocations every … Read more

RAWALPINDI: During the first two months of the current year, the number of confirmed measles cases among children in Rawalpindi district reached 110, while 192 suspected cases were also reported. In view of the concerning situation, the Rawalpindi District Health Authority has intensified the measles vaccination campaign to protect children. According to officials, despite an … Read more

. It seems the United States and Israel are clueless after blundering into a war with the Islamic Republic. Making use of the Kurd minorities inside Iran, and on its reclusive borders with Iraq and Turkey, is an attempt in desperation. It also signals that the aggression has backfired to a great extent, and Tehran’s … Read more

PESHAWAR: A disturbing video circulating widely on social media has sparked public outrage in the Domel area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district, showing a 15-year old girl allegedly being subjected to physical violence by unidentified terrorists. The girl reportedly adopted a masculine appearance, dressing in boys’ clothing and adopting a male demeanour, while moving around various … Read more

The Hague Group recommends arms embargoes, traveller screenings to enforce international law Demonstrators outside the International Court of Justice in The Hague on June 2024. PHOTO: REUTERS Forty nations have proposed a sweeping package of sanctions against Israel, including arms embargoes and traveller screenings, to counter the “de facto annexation” of the West Bank. According … Read more