RAWALPINDI: Ten militants allegedly sponsored by India were killed during intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media wing said on Thursday. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces conducted operations in the province and killed 10 militants. Clearance operations were continuing in the area to locate and eliminate any remaining militants, it said. The ISPR said the operations were being conducted as part of the counterterrorism campaign under Azm-i-Istehkam, approved by the Federal Apex Committee under the National Action Plan. The campaign, according to the military, would continue “at full pace” with the objective of eliminating foreign-sponsored…
Author: Faisal Waqas
ISLAMABAD: Media watchdog Freedom Network has called on Google and the Pakistan government to disclose details of their recent agreements, raising concerns over user privacy, surveillance and access to personal data. In an open letter issued on Sept 16, the watchdog welcomed Google’s decision to establish an office in Pakistan and the agreements signed with the government, but questioned why details of the arrangements had not been made public. Freedom Network asked what commitments had been made between the two sides and whether the memorandums of understanding, contracts and other agreements would be disclosed. It also sought clarification on who…
ISLAMABAD: The federal government is considering introducing a minimum age requirement for social media users and tighter restrictions on obscene content shared online, according to a report published by ProPakistani on Thursday. The report, citing sources, said the proposals were part of efforts to strengthen Pakistan’s legal and regulatory framework for social media amid concerns over child exploitation, obscene content and other online offences. Under the proposals being considered, authorities may set a minimum age for access to social media platforms and introduce measures to restrict obscene material being circulated under the guise of vlogging and other digital activities. The…
MULTAN: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday announced free travel on the province’s green electric buses for women, students, senior citizens and people with disabilities. The announcement was made during the inauguration of the electric bus service in Multan on Sept 17. The service has initially been launched with 60 buses, while another 100 are expected to be added in the coming days. The standard fare has been fixed at Rs20 per journey. However, passengers belonging to the four eligible categories will be able to travel free of charge. The facility applies to senior citizens aged 60 and above.…
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will go “to any extent” to defend Saudi Arabia against attacks, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said, reaffirming Islamabad’s commitment to the security of the kingdom amid a fresh escalation in regional tensions. Speaking to Arab News on Thursday, the military spokesperson said Pakistan “fully stands with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, both diplomatically and physically”. “We will go to any extent,” he said, adding that Pakistan’s commitment also extended to protecting Islam’s two holiest sites in Makkah and Madinah. “We will continue to defend Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against any…
DUBAI, Sept 17 (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis exchanged fresh strikes across their border on Thursday and Yemenis took to boats in the Red Sea to escape fighting, as the spreading Middle East war created new threats to global oil supplies. Houthi-controlled television reported fresh Saudi air strikes on Thursday in Hajjah province close to the Saudi border near the Red Sea coast, and the vicinity of Taiz further inland to the south. Saudi Arabia’s civil defence said a Yemeni living in Saudi Arabia had been killed by debris from a drone intercepted over the western city…
LAHORE MIRROR — The federal government has launched a three-month austerity and fuel-saving campaign in response to rising petroleum prices, ordering early closure of markets, wedding halls and restaurants and imposing restrictions on official spending and travel. According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division, shops, markets, shopping malls and bazaars will close at 9pm, wedding halls and marquees at 10pm, and restaurants, cafes and food outlets at 11pm. Takeaway and home-delivery services will be exempt. Only one dish will be allowed at wedding functions. Pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, medical laboratories, petrol pumps, bakeries, tandoors, milk and dairy shops, electric…
Fuel prices continue to rise in Pakistan. As a result, transport costs, grocery bills and business expenses are putting more pressure on ordinary families. The government can provide immediate relief in one area: cut unnecessary fuel, travel and other perks for public officials. Ministers, chief ministers, prime ministers, legislators, judges, senior bureaucrats and other officials often receive government vehicles, fuel and travel facilities. Therefore, the state should set strict limits on these benefits. Officials should also pay for clearly private journeys and expenses. The recent controversy over Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s use of an official aircraft for a London…
ISLAMABAD (LAHORE MIRROR) — Pakistan recorded a sharp increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) in August, with net inflows rising to $316 million, according to data from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) compiled by Topline Securities. The August inflow was 77 per cent higher than the $179 million recorded in July and represented an 80pc increase over the same month last year. During the first two months of the ongoing fiscal year, net FDI reached $495m, up 24pc from the corresponding period of the previous year. The increase in investment comes amid heightened economic and strategic engagement between Pakistan…
Is an economically exhausted public easier to govern? In Pakistan, the question is no longer merely political. It is becoming a question of survival. A hungry household does not have the luxury of debating constitutional reform. A father struggling to pay rent does not have the time to attend a political rally. A mother calculating the month’s electricity bill is unlikely to spend her evening arguing about the country’s political future. And a young person working two jobs to keep a family afloat has little energy left to fight over who controls the national narrative. This is where the real…
