The opening round of the AJK elections wrapped up on Monday, covering 13 constituencies across Mirpur Division. Officials pushed polling back by an extra hour before ballot boxes closed at 6pm and vote counting got underway. Nearly 300 candidates, drawn from the Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, and a slate of independents, competed for seats spanning Mirpur, Kotli, and Bhimber districts. Election authorities reported that just over 1.4 million voters were registered to take part in this stage of the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly polls, with a near-even split between roughly 725,000 male and 676,000 female…
Author: Web Desk
Pakistan condemns Rajnath Singh’s latest statements on Azad Jammu and Kashmir, describing them as reckless and dismissing them as India’s “misplaced rhetoric of aggression and belligerence.” The Foreign Office issued a formal statement on Monday rejecting the Indian Defence Minister’s remarks in the strongest terms. Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the comments were both provocative and irresponsible, particularly given their bearing on the long-standing Jammu and Kashmir dispute. Foreign Office Says Statement Distorts Facts on Kashmir Dispute According to Andrabi, Singh’s remarks misrepresent the internationally recognized nature of the Kashmir issue, which continues to sit on the agenda of the UN…
The opening phase of the AJK elections 2026 got underway on Monday, as residents across 13 constituencies in Mirpur Division headed to polling stations to elect their representatives to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. Voting began at 8am and is scheduled to run until 5pm. Nearly 300 candidates are in the race, drawn from major parties including the Pakistan Peoples Party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, along with a number of independents. Voter Turnout and Polling Infrastructure Election officials confirmed that more than 1.4 million registered voters are eligible to participate across the Mirpur, Kotli, and…
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has placed a growing number of higher-grade officers under performance monitoring, a move that comes after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) flagged concerns in its Corruption and Diagnostic Assessment Report. Financial integrity has now become a central factor in deciding which officers get promoted. During a background briefing with a small group of reporters on Friday, FBR officials confirmed that integrity checks now weigh heavily in promotion decisions across the organization. How Many FBR Officers Are Under Watch? Citing internal figures, officials said the proportion of officers placed on a performance watch list, relative…
Pakistan’s drive to tap into critical minerals has taken a significant step forward after the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDC) detected lithium in formation water drawn from a high-temperature geothermal well in Sindh. Officials say the concentrations found are on par with some of the world’s leading lithium-bearing geothermal brine. The find emerged from detailed geochemical testing of produced formation water at a successfully tested geothermal well, part of OGDC’s pilot geothermal programme in Sindh. Senior OGDC officials described it as a first of its kind for the country. What Is Formation Water, and Why Does It Matter?…
Pakistan has officially inaugurated its largest data center, Sky 47 Karakoram One, in Islamabad. Officials say the facility will serve as a backbone for cloud computing, artificial intelligence, data hosting, and the protection of sensitive national information. The launch ceremony was held in Islamabad and was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. According to the government, the project is designed to strengthen Pakistan’s digital economy by supporting cloud computing, AI development, data hosting for public and private institutions, and the rollout of modern digital services nationwide. PM Shehbaz Sharif Calls Project a Milestone Speaking…
The White House unveiled a fresh round of tariffs on Friday, hitting 60 countries, including major partners like China and the European Union, with duties of 10% and 12.5%. The move, tied to allegations that trading partners are failing to enforce bans on forced labour, landed the same day a temporary 10% global tariff expired. This latest push is Washington’s attempt to keep alive President Trump’s broader vision of a near-universal tariff regime, after the US Supreme Court struck down his earlier “reciprocal” duties, which had ranged from 10% to 50%, back in February. Those duties had been imposed under…
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has named General Aamer Raza as the new Commander National Strategic Command, elevating him from his former post as Chief of the General Staff of the Pakistan Army. The appointment comes alongside his promotion to the rank of four-star general. According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the premier formally promoted Gen Raza from Lieutenant General to “Four-Star General” while simultaneously handing him the newly created command. A Newly Created Four-Star Post The PM Office quoted Shehbaz Sharif as congratulating General Raza, HI(M), SBt, on both his promotion and his appointment, and wishing…
A suicide bombing has struck Tank district, killing 12 security personnel and injuring more than 25 others in one of the deadlier attacks on security forces in the region this year. The blast targeted a joint checkpoint manned by police and the Pakistan Army in the Manjikhel area. Officials said the attacker detonated explosives at the checkpoint, triggering the assault. What followed was an intense exchange of gunfire between the remaining assailants and security forces stationed nearby. Security Forces Cordon Off Area After Tank Suicide Bombing In the aftermath, security forces sealed off the surrounding area and launched a clearance…
Pakistani security forces have killed four militants during an intelligence-based operation in the Khadd Kocha area of Mastung, officials said, as part of a wider counter-terrorism campaign in Balochistan. The operation targeted militants linked to a group identified as Fitna al-Hindustan. Security sources said the raid was carried out under an ongoing campaign of intelligence-driven operations aimed at eliminating militant activity across the province. Weapons Recovered, Suspects Detained Following the raid, security personnel recovered a substantial cache of weapons and ammunition from the killed militants and seized motorcycles believed to have been used by the group. Sources also indicated that…
