LAHORE MIRROR — US drone firm Powerus has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Pakistan Army that includes an initial drone-related order, co-founder Brett Velicovich told Reuters on Wednesday. Velicovich declined to provide details, citing security sensitivities, but said the deal fell within the category of unmanned aerial systems. He also declined to disclose the value of the order, citing confidentiality. Powerus, which offers aerial and maritime drones for military and industrial use, is due to merge with a publicly traded company backed by two of US President Donald Trump’s sons, called Aureus Greenway Holdings. Both companies have…
Author: Faisal Ali Ghumman
LAHORE MIRROR — Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has paid Rs27.19 million in expenses incurred from using the provincial government’s aircraft for her private trip to London earlier this month. Maryam travelled to London aboard the Punjab government’s Gulfstream G500 to attend her daughter Mahnoor Safdar’s graduation ceremony. She had described the visit as a private trip. The use of the provincial government’s luxury aircraft for the journey drew criticism from opposition leaders and other critics, who questioned the use of public resources for a private visit. Punjab Information Minister Azma Zahid Bukhari had previously said CM Maryam Nawaz would…
LAHORE MIRROR– Pakistan is committed in intent and spirit to implement the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement as well as the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement. In his weekly news briefing in the federal capital, Foreign Office Spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said Pakistan continues to closely follow the evolving situation in the Middle East in view of the continued Houthi attacks. He said Pakistan remains concerned over the continuing escalation and its implications for regional peace, security, maritime navigation and global energy supplies. He said Pakistan continues to advocate dialogue and diplomacy as the only sustainable means of resolving differences and avoiding…
LAHORE MIRROR — Pakistan has lodged a strong protest over what it described as the provocative and irresponsible actions of the Indian Navy vessel INS Kolkata in Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the Foreign Office said on Wednesday. Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said the Indian naval vessel had engaged in provocative activities in Pakistan’s maritime zone, describing them as a violation of the 1991 bilateral agreement governing maritime activities between the two countries. According to the spokesperson, the Pakistan Navy has been conducting Sea Spark-26 exercises in Pakistan’s EEZ since September 1. Indian naval vessels and helicopters had…
LAHORE MIRROR (AFP) — Yemeni government forces clashed with Houthi fighters near the Saudi border, with AFP footage showing soldiers in armoured vehicles and trucks pushing across desert terrain under the crackle of machine-gun fire. The Houthis also released footage on Wednesday of the fighting in the Al-Jawf area, as well as a video purporting to show the downing of a fighter jet belonging to Saudi Arabia, the Yemeni government’s main backer. “The First Division Emergency Forces are advancing on the Al-Labanat front and, God willing, will reach Houthi positions,” Waleed Al-Mahajeri, operations commander of the government’s Fifth Brigade, told…
LAHORE MIRROR — The PML-N government on Wednesday jacked up the price of petrol by Rs6.88 per litre and that of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs5.62 per litre. Following the revision, petrol will retail at Rs391.22 per litre while HSD will cost Rs421.45 per litre. The government continues to levy Rs114 per litre in taxes and duties on petrol and Rs100 per litre on diesel. According to the Petroleum Division’s notification, the new prices will be applicable on Sept 17 (Thursday). According to Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), the increase is primarily linked to higher petrol and diesel prices…
LAHORE MIRROR — The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has declined to play the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2026 in India, formally requesting that the tournament or all of Pakistan’s matches be shifted to a neutral venue. PHF President Mohiuddin Ahmed Wani said the decision had been taken in view of the current sensitive bilateral situation and security concerns between Pakistan and India. He said the move was aimed at ensuring a safe, dignified and conducive environment for Pakistan’s players and officials. Wani stressed that Pakistan remained fully committed to the Asian Champions Trophy and the promotion of hockey worldwide. He…
LAHORE MIRROR (REUTERS) — US officials met representatives of Yemen’s Houthis in Oman over the weekend, five sources familiar with the matter said, days after the Iran-backed militia seized a strategic stretch of the Red Sea coast in a sweeping offensive that routed Saudi-backed forces. The meeting, which has not been made public, was held at the U.S. Embassy in Muscat, three of the sources said on the condition of anonymity. Two sources said that Oman’s government, a longtime regional mediator, helped organise the meeting. The Trump administration designated the Houthis a “foreign terrorist organization” in March 2025, opens new…
LAHORE MIRROR — Pakistan extended on Wednesday the existing airspace restriction on Indian-registered airplanes until October 24, 2026. “Pakistan airspace not available for Indian registered aircraft and aircraft operated/owned or leased by Indian airlines/operators, including military flights,” read the notification. Pakistan had initially imposed the airspace restrictions amid heightened tensions with India, following the Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in 2025. The restrictions have so far cost millions of dollars as Indian airlines are compelled to use alternative routing, typically adding flight time and fuel costs to journeys between India and destinations in Europe, the…
LAHORE MIRROR — Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said that if any party to the Makkah defence pact is attacked, the three member countries will jointly determine a course of action and implement it. In an interview with an Arab television channel, he said Pakistan’s defence capabilities were purely defensive and that the country was not engaged in an arms race. He said Pakistan had no aggressive intentions towards any country but had full confidence in its ability to defend itself and respond to aggression. The DG ISPR said the Makkah pact…
