Author: Sajjad Ali

The 19th annual meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) convened in Kazakhstan, primarily to address the escalating regional terrorism spurred by the Taliban’s assumption of power in Afghanistan. Comprising member nations such as China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Iran, and Uzbekistan, the SCO expressed profound apprehensions regarding the potential exploitation of Afghan territory by terrorist factions. The SCO issued a collective call to the Taliban-led Afghan government, urging it to uphold its commitments against terrorism and implement effective counter-strategies. National security advisors underscored the urgent imperative of addressing international terrorist threats emanating from Afghanistan. The SCO’s Security Council…

LAHORE: Aalia Rasheed, the Director of Media and Communication at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has tendered her resignation. Rasheed, a seasoned sports journalist, was appointed to the position in October 2023, marking a significant milestone as the first woman to hold the role at PCB. However, with recent changes in PCB management, she becomes the third individual to step down from this post. Previously, the Directors of Commercial and Legal Affairs have also resigned from their positions.

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has met with chairman joint chiefs of staff committee general Sahir Shamshad Mirza. According to the details, the chairman joint chiefs of staff committee briefed the President of Pakistan on the security situation and operational preparations of the armed forces. Sahir Shamshad stated that armed forces are capable of effectively dealing with internal and external security challenges. Asif Ali Zardari appreciated the role of armed forces in border defense and socio-economic development of the country. He said that he is confident that the security forces will successfully overcome the internal and external security challenges. However,…

A petition has been filed with the Supreme Court of Pakistan, urging the formation of a full court to address the suo moto case concerning the letter from Islamabad High Court judges. Former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Abid Zuberi, along with four other lawyers, initiated the petition. Zuberi, along with Shahab Sarki, Shafqat Chohan, Munir Ahmad Kakar, Chaudhry Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan, and Tahir Faraz Abbasi, seeks to be included as parties in the case. They highlight previous allegations made by retired Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui and express concerns over the decision-making process regarding the formation of the…

ISLAMABAD: The Missing Persons Commission has submitted its monthly progress report to the Supreme Court, detailing significant advancements in addressing disappearance cases nationwide. The report highlights the commission’s commendable efforts during March 2024. It indicates that 33 cases were resolved during the month, with 27 missing persons successfully located and 18 individuals reunited with their families. Additionally, six cases were determined as non-enforced disappearances, underscoring the commission’s determination to pursue justice. Among the traced individuals, eight were found in various jails, while one was located in a detention center. Despite these achievements, the report acknowledges ongoing challenges, as 18 new…

The Pakistan government is contemplating the sale of a majority stake in Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), as indicated by a government official. Bilal Azhar Kayani, the Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Economy and Energy, told media that the Privatization Commission would determine the extent of shares to be divested as the PIA privatization process reaches its conclusion. Kayani disclosed that the government is exploring the sale of anywhere between 51% to 100% of the shares of the national flag carrier, with administrative control to be transferred to the entity acquiring the majority stake. He stated that progress on the…

After seven aid workers in Gaza were killed by Israeli forces, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced the suspension of diplomatic coordination with Israel, as reported by Israeli media. Official sources cited by a Tel Aviv-based news channel stated that the Emirati foreign ministry expressed outrage to Israeli ambassador Amir Hayek regarding the incident. Reportedly, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, reached out to his Emirati counterpart, Abdullah bin Zayed, via phone to address the situation. Meanwhile, Director General of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Yaakov Blitshtein, engaged in discussions with Ambassador Mohammed Mahmoud Al-Khaja in an attempt to seek resolution.…

During a monthly press briefing, Julie Kozack, the spokesperson for the International Monetary Fund (IMF), revealed that the IMF authorities have shown interest in establishing a successor IMF-supported program to address Pakistan’s fiscal and external stability challenges, with the aim of fostering inclusive growth. Kozack stated that the IMF is prepared to initiate discussions for the program in the upcoming months. She provided an overview of recent discussions between Pakistan and the IMF, highlighting that on March 19, the IMF staff and Pakistani authorities reached a staff-level agreement on the second and final review under Pakistan’s Stand-By Arrangement (SBA). Pending…

KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Muhammad Asif clinched victory following a recount in PS-112, the provincial assembly constituency of Kemari district. After the recount, Muhammad Asif secured 11,724 votes, while his competitor, independent candidate Buland Khan backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), garnered 9,847 votes. It’s worth noting that Buland Khan had initially emerged victorious from PS-112 in the general elections’ results.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) put forward former Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani as their nominee for the Senate chairmanship. The Senate secretariat promptly issued the notification in accordance with this nomination. Recent indications from the Senate secretariat suggest a commitment to conducting timely elections for both the chairman and deputy chairman positions. Despite the postponement of Senate elections in the KP Assembly, it’s anticipated that this delay won’t impede matters such as the oath-taking ceremony for senators and the election of the chairman and deputy speaker. As per the Election Act, senators must disclose election expenses within five…