Author: Sajjad Ali

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…

ISLAMABAD:  Minister for Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar on Wednesday met with Canadian High Commissioner Leslie Scanlon and discussed the bilateral ties between Pakistan and Canada. According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Canadian high commissioner paid a courtesy call on the foreign minister. They discussed bilateral relations during the meeting. FM Ishaq Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire to deepen relations with Canada in political, economic and cultural domains; and encouraged Canadian companies to invest in Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court will hear the PTI founder and Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s appeals against their conviction in the cipher case. A division bench of Islamabad High Court comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb will conduct hearing of the case. Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) prosecutor retired Justice Hamid Shah will continue giving his arguments. It may be recalled that the last hearing on the appeals could not be held due to full court session of the Islamabad High Court.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for a federal cabinet meeting scheduled for Friday in Islamabad to address the prevailing political, economic, and security landscape of the nation. The meeting, to be chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister’s office, will cover vital agenda points for approval. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb will provide insights on his recent trip to the United States and discuss the agreement reached with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as per sources familiar with the matter.

Custodian of Islam’s holiest sites, King Salman bin Abdulaziz has been admitted to a hospital in Jeddah for routine medical examinations, as reported by state television on Wednesday. King Salman, aged 88 and at the helm of the world’s leading oil exporter since 2015, is undergoing these routine check-ups at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital in the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah. The Royal Court disclosed that the examinations are anticipated to span “a few hours,” according to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Despite his advancing age, King Salman has remained actively engaged in state affairs, recently showcased…

Actress Aiman Khan delightedly shared with her fans her recent achievement of being granted a Golden Visa from the UAE. Known for her stellar performances in acclaimed dramas like “Ghar Titli Ka Par,” “Meri Beti,” and “Ishq Tamasha,” Aiman has been gradually shifting her focus towards her personal life, particularly enjoying moments with her husband, fellow actor Muneeb Butt. In a gracious Instagram post, Aiman expressed her gratitude to the Dubai authorities for their warm reception and exceptional hospitality while receiving the Golden Visa. The accompanying photo captured her elegantly attired in black alongside UAE officials, marking the significant occasion.…

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) accepted requests for the formation of a larger bench to address appeals concerning the cancellation of trials of civilians in military courts. Presiding over a six-member bench, headed by Justice Aminuddin, heard the case against military courts. The other judges includes Justices Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Shahid Waheed, Musrrat Hilali, and Irfan Saadat Khan. During arguments presented by the lawyer representing former CJP Jawad S. Khawaja, it was noted that two SC judges, Justice Afridi and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, had suggested the formation of a larger bench to adjudicate these appeals. Justice…

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) invalidated the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) order for a vote recount in NA-79 Gujranwala. Justice Shahid Karim on Wednesday heard a petition filed by PTI backed MNA Ahsanullah Virk challenging the ECP’s decision for vote recounting in NA-79. The bench upheld the petition, overturning the ECP’s recount order for the constituency. During the proceedings, the ECP’s legal representative requested time to consult with the commission. However, the bench emphasized that despite any potential ambiguity, the decision was already before them, leading to the cancellation of the recount order. Expressing concern, the bench remarked…

WASHINGTON: The US Senate decisively passed a bill to compel ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese owner, to divest its US operations within approximately nine months or face a ban, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden for his signature, which he intends to do on Wednesday. Driven by concerns over potential Chinese access to Americans’ data or surveillance via the app, the measure, previously approved by the US House of Representatives on Saturday, received bipartisan support. Senator Marco Rubio, highlighting the dangers of allowing Chinese control over such a popular American app, expressed his approval, emphasizing the necessity of the new law.…

WASHINGTON: Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the US State Department, cautioned Pakistan about the possibility of sanctions following trade agreements with Iran during President Ebrahim Raisi’s visit. “We advise anyone considering business deals with Iran to be aware of the potential risk of sanctions,” Patel said during a news briefing in Washington, However, the State Department spokesperson added that the Government of Pakistan can assert its foreign policy and agreements with other nations. In an earlier statement, the spokesperson highlighted the United States’ significant role as Pakistan’s largest export market and one of its major investors. Nonetheless, he advised caution…