Author: Sajjad Ali

Russian President Vladimir Putin, extending his rule by six more years after an election with limited opposition, revealed plans on Thursday to embark on his first foreign trip since the re-election. Speaking at a congress of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs in Moscow, Putin disclosed his intention to visit China in May, although specifics regarding the timing and agenda remained undisclosed. Scheduled for May 7, Putin’s inauguration marks the commencement of his fifth term in office, further consolidating his nearly quarter-century-long tenure. Amid Russia’s escalating conflict with Ukraine, which has led to increased economic and diplomatic isolation, the…

The Pakistan Petroleum Sellers Association has issued a warning to shut down petrol pumps nationwide if petroleum product deregulation is implemented. Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, the chairman of the Petroleum Dealer Association, Abd-ul-Sami Khan, expressed concerns. He mentioned that under deregulation, petrol prices could surge by Rs20 in remote areas, exacerbating existing challenges such as petrol smuggling. Khan highlighted the potential benefits of a bilateral agreement with Iran, suggesting it could alleviate some of the issues. He criticized the dominance of three major oil marketing companies, controlling 75% of the petrol industry. The chairman indicated…

Responding to criticism from the opposition regarding Maryam Nawaz wearing a police uniform, Azma Bokhari, the Provincial Information Minister and a leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), defended the action. Bokhari pointed out that around the world, heads of state often wear uniforms to honor and show respect to their armed forces. She emphasized that Maryam Nawaz was being targeted by a group whose leader refuses to acknowledge even his own daughter. Bokhari highlighted that Nawaz Sharif, during his tenure, also followed this tradition, and Maryam Nawaz is merely continuing it. She asserted that there’s no reason to overreact…

Uzbekistan’s Transport Ministry has said that there were talks on advancing the Belarus-Russia-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan multimodal transport corridor during a recent meeting of transport ministers from the respective countries. The focus was on establishing a robust multimodal transport corridor to connect Central Asian and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) nations with South Asian countries via Uzbekistan. This initiative seeks to enhance Pakistan’s transit potential. A roadmap, endorsed in Termez, outlines strategies for enhancing freight transportation. These include evaluating transit cargo, digitizing documentation, and optimizing processes. Since the signing of the Uzbekistan-Pakistan transit trade agreement in 2021, cargo transportation through Afghanistan has surged…

KARACHI: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday ordered removal of barriers outside government and private buildings. The apex court ordered the removal of barriers from the Governor House and the CM House, directing authorities to clear all encroachments within three days and submit a compliance report to the top court. During the hearing of the encroachment case at Karachi Registry, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa remarked that no one should impede the free movement of the general public. “It is unlawful to block roads and create obstacles,” remarked the bench. “Both federal and provincial governments…

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) executive board is scheduled to convene on April 29 to deliberate on the approval of $1.1 billion funding for Pakistan, as announced by the fund on Wednesday. This funding represents the second and final tranche of a $3 billion standby arrangement that Pakistan secured last summer to avert a sovereign default. The arrangement is set to expire this month. Pakistan, grappling with a chronic balance of payment crisis, is actively seeking a new long-term, larger IMF loan. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has indicated that Islamabad aims to secure a staff-level agreement on the new program…

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet has greenlit the provision of free education at esteemed institutions for talented students from government schools in grades seven to 12. This decision came about during the fourth meeting of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet, presided over by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. Furthermore, in a bid to modernize vehicle registration systems, the cabinet has approved the transition from manual registration boxes to automatic motor vehicle registration smart cards. Several other pivotal decisions were also made during the session. The cabinet sanctioned the purchase of 600,000 metric tons of wheat and set the price of 40kg wheat…

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday overturned the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to suspend the Speaker and reinstated Abdul Khaliq Achakzai as the Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly. A three-member bench, led by Justice Aminuddin Khan, presided over the hearing. Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar criticized the ECP for focusing solely on 12 polling stations while disregarding others. Justice Aminuddin observed that the Election Commission failed to conduct a proper inquiry or adhere to established rules. The Director General (DG) Law informed the court that observation was limited to the 12 polling stations with high turnout. In response, Justice…

LAHORE: Bismah Maroof, former captain of the Pakistan Women’s cricket team, has announced her immediate retirement from the sport. Maroof expressed her farewell to the game she deeply cherishes, stating, “This cricket journey has been unforgettable, and these memories will remain etched in my heart forever.” Acknowledging the support from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), fellow players, family, and fans, Maroof emphasized the invaluable backing she received at every stage of her career. Notably, Maroof holds the national record for representing Pakistan in 276 international matches, amassing 6262 runs and claiming 80 wickets across formats. Tania Malik, the head of…

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has urged for concerted efforts to combat malaria as World Malaria Day is commemorated worldwide, including in Pakistan today (Thursday). In his World Malaria Day message, he emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to implementing new initiatives outlined by the Global Malaria Programme. These initiatives focus on promptly testing, confirming, and standardizing the treatment of every suspected malaria case. President Zardari expressed concern over the surge in malaria cases in various parts of the country following the devastating floods of 2022. He called upon provincial governments and other stakeholders to unite in addressing this alarming situation and emphasized…