A video posted on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s X account is being seen as his response to the rumours of his death, which were earlier debunked by his office. The video was posted on Sunday evening, in which Netanyahu is seen getting himself a coffee and being asked about the rumours, Israeli news website Jerusalem Post reported. The post also had a caption stating: “They say I am what?” During the conversation taking place in what appears to be Hebre...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued directives on Sunday for the formulation of a strategy for exporting surplus food items to Gulf countries while making sure that Pakistan’s nutritional needs were not affected. The premier gave the instruction while chairing a meeting convened to review the “food situation” in the country and the export of commodities available in excess in view of the “changing regional situation”, a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. The meeting ...

The federal government has declared March 20 and March 21 public holidays for offices on the occasion of Eidul Fitr, according to a Cabinet Division notification. “In continuation of Cabinet Division’s circular F. No. 10-1/2025-Min-II, dated January 19, 2026 specifying public and optional holidays for the year 2026, the prime minister has been pleased to declare March 20 and 21, 2026 (Friday and Saturday) as public holidays on the occasion of Eidul Fitr, both for offices observing five- and s...

LAHORE: Former Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to a two-decade-long career. In a statement issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board, Ahmed said he had “always tried to play fearless cricket and build a united team”. His captaincy saw the green shirts achieve a world-record streak of 11 consecutive T20I series victories and recorded six clean sweeps against the West Indies (2016 and 2018), Sri Lanka (2017), Australia (2018), New ...

An experimental cancer treatment using an mRNA vaccine, which was developed with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI), is offering hope to humans after a successful run with a dog with cancer in Sydney, The Australian reported on Friday. Rosie — an eight-year-old rescue dog — was adopted by Sydney-based tech entrepreneur Paul Conyngham in 2019. She was diagnosed with a deadly mast cell cancer in 2024. After showing no improvement following the initial treatment, Conyngham turned to a chat...

The Pakistan military carried out overnight strikes in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, targeting “terrorist hideouts and military infrastructure,” as the military continues its operation against the Afghan Taliban, state-run Pakistan TV reported on Sunday, citing security sources. Operation Ghazab lil-Haq was launched in late February following unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban from across the border. According to Pakistan TV, the strikes “targeted facilities used by the Afghan Taliban...

UNITED NATIONS: At the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) at the United Nations this week, two Pakistani voices — one from the country’s parliamentary platform and the other from the moral authority of a Nobel laureate — placed access to justice for women at the centre of a polarised global debate. Speaking during the General Debate on behalf of Asifa Bhutto Zardari, Senator Bushra Anjum stressed that strengthening access to justice requires more than declarations —...

ISRAEL and, in this case, its proxy the US launched their war on Iran two weeks ago. Despite President Donald Trump claiming victory multiple times, no end to the hostilities is in sight because of Tehran’s asymmetric response. The stated objectives of the illegal war were the destruction of Iran’s nuclear programme (which, last year, Trump claimed his B2 bombers had decimated during the ‘12-day war’), the degradation of its missile production and launch capability and regime change. All Tehr...

The Foreign Office (FO) on Sunday rejected a statement made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs criticising Pakistan’s cross-border action in Afghanistan, stating that the statement was “absurd, unwarranted” and “shamefully hypocritical”. The development comes as Pakistan continues with Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, which was launched in late February following unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban from across the border. A day earlier, the Indian MEA’s spokesperson Shri Randhir Jaisal c...

When US Secretary of Defence James Mattis addressed the intensification of US combat operations against the Islamic State group in 2017, he assured the American public of his commitment to “get the strategy right” while maintaining “the rules of engagement” to “protect the innocent.” Mattis’ professional tone was a stark contrast to [current US] Secretary Pete Hegseth’s remarks following the first days of the joint US-Israeli combat operations in Iran. On March 2, 2026, after bragging about t...

A SITE in the Haret Hreik, a neighbourhood in southern Beirut which was struck by Israel.—AFP • Death toll for paramedics this month rises to 31 after clinic bombing • France offers to host negotiations in Paris; urges Israel to halt its offensive • First direct talks since conflict expected in coming days, Haaretz reports BEIRUT: An overnight Israeli strike on a healthcare centre in Borj Qalaouiya killed at least 12 Lebanese medical personnel, Lebanon’s state news agency said on Saturda...

• External sector may face $12-14bn shock over next year, warns Hafiz Pasha • Ex-SBP chief Ishrat insists daily fuel price adjustments may cut hoarding incentives • IMF may use crisis to demand deeper concessions, says Kaiser Bengali KARACHI: If the war continues and oil prices remain around $100 or higher, Pakistan could face a GDP hit of 1.0 to 1.5 per cent, a figure that may worsen if the regional conflict persists beyond six months, warns former finance minister Hafiz Pasha. The most crit...

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that many countries would send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, but did not provide details on which countries would do so. “Many countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending warships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. Trump said he hoped that China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain ...

On the 15th day of the US-Israel war against Iran, strategic signalling between the warring sides intensified after American forces struck Kharg Island, Iran’s principal oil export hub, while Tehran and its regional allies increased pressure across multiple theatres stretching from the Gulf to Iraq and Lebanon. US aircraft conducted strikes on Kharg Island on the night of March 13, targeting what Washington described as military facilities associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps...

India on Saturday ended the preventive detention of prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk, freeing him six months after he was arrested over protests in India-held Ladakh. The Buddhist-Muslim enclave was deprived of its autonomy in 2019 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government carved it out of occupied Kashmir, placing the region under New Delhi’s direct control. Wangchuk, 59, an environmental advocate who became a key figure in Ladakh’s movement for greater autonomy, was held in September ...

Meta is planning sweeping layoffs that could affect 20 per cent or more of the company, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Meta seeks to offset costly artificial intelligence infrastructure bets and prepare for greater efficiency brought about by AI-assisted workers. No date has been set for the cuts and the magnitude has not been finalised, the people said. Top executives have recently signaled the plans to other senior leaders at Meta and told them to begin planning how...

Just over two weeks before President Donald Trump is due to meet his counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing, Chinese uncertainty over the US leader’s goals and the impact of the Iran war hangs over the highly anticipated state visit. Trump’s trip, his first to China in his second term, is aimed at sealing a trade war truce the two leaders shook hands on when they met in South Korea in October. But for Beijing, which likes to carefully choreograph such events to avoid any possibility of embarrassme...

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi in a phone call that disputes between Afghanistan and Pakistan should be resolved through dialogue and consultation, not force, the foreign ministry said in a statement published on Friday. Wang urged both sides to remain calm and exercise restraint, hold face-to-face talks as soon as possible, seek an immediate ceasefire and address differences through dialogue, according to the statement. Chinese FM cal...

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s Friday night Truth Social post was more than political showmanship. It was the announcement of a major US military offensive, with real strategic implications. “Moments ago, at my direction, the United States Central Command executed one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East, and totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island,” Trump wrote — openly declaring a US-led airstrike on Iranian territo...

• Says lack of fire safety measures, disconnection of electricity and blocking of exits caused fatalities • Forensic investigation can determine exact origin of fire, commission told KARACHI: Chief Fire Officer Muhammad Humayun Khan has blamed the Gul Plaza administration for the loss of life due to lack of implementation of fire safety protocols, failure to make a prompt announcement about the fire, blocked emergency exits and disconnection of electricity without evacuating people trapped in...

LAKKI MARWAT: Security forces killed five terrorists during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat on Sunday, according to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The military’s media affairs wing said in a statement that the IBO was conducted on the reported presence of “khawarij belonging to Indian proxy, Fitna al Khawarij”. Fitna al Khawarij is a term that the state uses for banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). “During the conduct of the operation, o...

LAHORE: Lahore-bound Shalimar Express collided with a goods train at Lakha Road Railway Station in Sindh’s Naushahro Feroze district on Sunday, due to which its locomotive and several coaches were derailed and capsized, sources said. The sources told Dawn that as Shalimar Express approached Lakha Road Station, the interlocking system was set such that the train veered toward a loop line, where a goods train was parked. Subsequently, the driver immediately applied brakes but the train eventual...

The Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) on Sunday said its earlier notice to airmen (Notam) about a two-hour suspension of flight operations at Islamabad airport on March 16 was cancelled. “The earlier Notam regarding temporary airspace restrictions in the Lahore flight information region (FIR) and suspension of flight operations at Islamabad International Airport on 16 March (08:30am - 10:30am PKT) has been cancelled,” the PAA said on X. “Normal operations will continue,” it clarified. ...

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Unidentified armed militants attacked the Khutti police checkpoint in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan district late on Saturday night, triggering an exchange of fire with security personnel, police officials said. According to the police, the assailants carried out the attack under the cover of darkness using heavy weapons. Personnel stationed at the checkpoint responded swiftly and returned fire, forcing the attackers to retreat. During the exchange, one police const...

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday noted the “alarming rise” in Islamophobia and warned that it exacerbates existing tensions and conflicts, threatening world peace. He made the remarks in a statement issued on International Day to Combat Islamophobia, which is observed on March 15. “In recent years, the alarming rise in Islamophobia has manifested in deeply troubling incidents across many parts of the world, including the desecration of the Holy Quran, attacks on ...

LAHORE: In a bid to enable more and more people to travel by train on the eve of the upcoming Eid, Pakistan Railways (PR) has decided to operate four special trains from major stations to various destinations. According to a spokesperson for the PR, the first special trains will depart from Lahore for Karachi via Okara, Sahiwal and Khanewal on March 16. The second train will depart from Quetta for Rawalpindi via Sukkar, Rahimyar Khan, Khanewal and Lahore on March 17. The third train will depa...

A man walks past scores of gas cylinders, while LPG (right) is filled at a shop in North Nazimabad. —Fahim Siddiqi / White Star KARACHI: Following the suspension of supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar due to Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the city’s gas crisis has worsened amid Ramazan’s peak demand, leaving fasting residents struggling during crucial Sehri and Iftar hours. Meanwhile, the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has introduced an unannounced supply schedule...

THE clouds of ambiguity still hang over Pakistan’s diplomatic position amid the escalating tensions in the Gulf triggered by the joint US-Israeli attack on Iran. Although Islamabad has signalled what its position might be if forced to choose between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the unfolding crisis continues to test Pakistan’s delicate diplomatic balancing act with both countries. As Tehran responded to the strikes with retaliatory attacks on its Arab neighbours, the confrontation has quickly moved...

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court has dismissed a petition filed by M/s Reko Diq Mining Company, ruling that “exclusive jurisdiction” clauses in employment contracts cannot be used to “oppress” workers or oust the statutory jurisdiction of the National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC). A single bench comprising Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas observed that while commercial entities are free to choose forums for dispute resolution, such freedom is not absolute in employment contracts w...

KARACHI: Industry stakeholders have expressed mixed views on supply chain risks linked to imported raw materials following the imposition of an illegal war by the US-Israel on Iran, with some saying there is no immediate threat of shortages due to adequate inventories but warning that soaring freight and war risk charges pose a serious challenge for future trade. Commodity traders, however, claim that many of their members have temporarily suspended import and export activities until freight ...

• US bombs Kharg Island, key to 90pc of oil exports • Tehran warns it will target any facility in region linked to US • Trump says warships from several countries to guard Hormuz • US embassy in Baghdad urges Americans to leave Iraq • Iran Guards say targeted US forces at Saudi base with missiles • Iranian military claims US aircraft carrier ‘neutralised’ DUBAI: After the United States on Saturday bombed Iran’s main energy hub and President Donald Trump predicted “many countries” would send w...

• Under India’s chairmanship, the expanded bloc has remained silent • Pezeshkian, Araghchi urge Indian counterparts to spearhead a ‘strong and constructive’ intervention • New Delhi caught in a diplomatic bind amid domestic LPG crisis; balances pro-Israel comments with its ‘friend of Iran’ status NEW DELHI: Iran’s top leaders have urged their Indian counterparts to activate the BRICS to play a “strong and constructive role” in the escalating war with the US and Israel, according to Iranian go...

Some oil-loading operations have been suspended in the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Fujairah port, a major global hub for refuelling ships as well as crude and fuel exports, after a drone attack and fire on Saturday. Why does Fujairah matter globally? Fujairah exported more than 1.7 million barrels per day of crude oil and refined fuels on average last year, according to Kpler data, a volume equal to about 1.7 per cent of daily world demand. The port is located on the Gulf of Oman, approximate...

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said on Saturday that flight operations at Islamabad International Airport would remain suspended for two hours on March 16. In a statement on X, the authority said, “Due to operational reasons, flight operations at Islamabad International Airport will remain temporarily suspended on 16 March 2026 from 08:30am to 10:30am PKT.” It advised passengers to check with their airlines for any updates. In a notice to airmen (...

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Saturday rubbished claims by the Afghan Taliban regarding the capture of a military post, saying it was “designed to mislead internal public opinion” in the neighboring country. In a post on the social media platform X, the ministry’s fact checking account posted a photo of a post by the Afghan Ministry of Defence, which claimed that a Pakistani military outpost was captured while 14 soldiers were martyred. In response, the ministry said, “This ...

Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Saturday demanded that Pakistan Customs in Karachi release a vehicle belonging to the provincial government that the authority had wrongly confiscated and apologise over the matter. In a post on X, Memon said, “Pakistan Customs Karachi confiscated a Sindh government vehicle on 12 March, claiming it was non-custom paid. “Despite being shown all official documents confirming that the vehicle belongs to the Information Department and was purchased thr...

US-Israeli strikes on February 28 killed Iran’s leader but have not toppled the government, which now, from its perch on the Strait of Hormuz, has put the entire world economy on the war’s frontlines. The initial US operation of assassinating Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has given way to a conflict that Washington cannot completely control, sharply limiting President Donald Trump’s options. Two weeks into a bloody air war, Iran holds many cards as it chokes the world’s oil supply and strikes U...

South Korea’s defence ministry said Saturday that North Korea fired at least one “unidentified projectile” eastward, weeks after Pyongyang dismissed Seoul’s latest peace overtures as a “deceptive farce”. North Korea fired at least one “unidentified projectile eastward”, Seoul’s defence ministry said in a statement, without providing details. Pyongyang recently dashed hopes of a diplomatic thaw with South Korea, Washington’s security ally, describing its latest peace efforts as a “clumsy, dece...

EVERY crisis presents an opportunity to reflect upon underlying weaknesses and take corrective action. The current turmoil in the Gulf should be examined from this angle. It highlights long-existing vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s economic structure that haven’t always received adequate policy attention. The situation is particularly significant as it coincides with a broader transformation in the global economic environment. For several decades, the world economy that functioned within a relat...

At least four people, including two children, were injured when the Afghan Taliban launched a “few rudimentary” drones, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Saturday. On Friday evening, security sources said that two rudimentary drones were intercepted at different locations adjacent to Rawalpindi but were successfully brought down through electronic countermeasures. The military’s media wing said the drones were intercepted through “soft and hard kills” and did not reach their ...

On the sixteenth day of the US–Israel war on Iran, the conflict continued to rage across multiple theatres as Tehran and its regional allies sustained pressure through missile strikes, proxy attacks and maritime disruption. Meanwhile, the US and Israeli campaign showed limited progress in compelling Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which now appears to be their immediate objective. The overall pattern of the war now points to a steady widening of the battlefield. While US and Israeli...

President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday met with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui in Karachi, where they discussed the importance of political harmony. According to a statement released by the Presidency, the “importance of national unity, political harmony and continued democracy” was discussed during the meeting. “The president stressed unity and stronger efforts for peace and rule of law,” said a statement posted on ...

Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Sunday that the provincial government has decided to take legal action against those involved in a “malicious campaign” targeting it over the purchase of a luxury jet. Last month, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz faced severe criticism from the opposition and some journalists regarding the government’s purchase of the aircraft. The Gulfstream 19-seater jet is estimated to be worth between $38 million and $42m (over Rs10bn) and was acquired f...

Newly appointed Sindh Governor Nehal Hashmi on Sunday vowed that the federal government would bring more job opportunities and improve education for youth across the province. Addressing his maiden press conference after his oath-taking ceremony in Karachi, Hashmi said: “It is of immense joy that we will bring the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP) to Sindh as well, with cooperation.” The governor recalled that he conveyed to PMYP Sindh Coordinator Fahad Shafiq that the “employment, educ...

Pakistan on Sunday won the toss and opted to bowl against Bangladesh in their final and third One-Day International in Dhaka. “Pakistan win the toss and opt to field first in the third ODI,” said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on X, referring to ODI captain Shaheen Afridi’s decision. The match is being played at Dhaka’s Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium. In their second ODI on Friday, Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 128 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS...

KOHAT: Six terrorists were killed in a joint operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kohat district’s Lachi tehsil by the Counter-terrorism Department (CTD) and Kohat police, the police said on Sunday. In a statement, Kohat District Police Officer Shahbaz Elahi said that the CTD and police carried out the operation after receiving intelligence that terrorists were planning to orchestrate a large-scale attack in Lachi. Subsequently, a large contingent of CTD personnel and police launched “a search a...

Remembrances took place in Christchurch to observe and honour the victims of two terror attacks on mosques that killed scores of worshipers seven years ago, media reports said Sunday. Fifty-one victims were killed and 40 injured at the Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre on March 15, 2019. in New Zealand’s deadliest-ever mass shooting. The day began with “the Walk the Talk for Unity” at the Bridge of Remembrance in the city centre, organised by the Sakinah Community Trust, a group found...

ISLAMOPHOBIA today is not some nebulous concept, but a real-world threat experienced by many of the world’s two billion Muslims. That is why today, on the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, it is important to identify the key threats to the safety of the global Muslim population, as well as the measures that can be taken, particularly by states, to check this menace. In the current scenario, geopolitical conflict, racial prejudice and religious bigotry all contribute to the threats Mus...

The government has increased the price of kerosene oil by another Rs40 per litre and approved Rs23 billion price differential subsidy for payments to oil marketing companies (OMCs) to keep the prices of two other oil products — petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) — unchanged for the week ending March 20. Otherwise, the petrol and HSD prices should have gone up by more than Rs49 and Rs75 per litre with effect from March 14. With fresh price notification, Kerosene, commonly described as poor ...

• Pete Hegseth calls reporting ‘patently ridiculous’ • Thompson says network will keep reporting ‘the truth’ WASHINGTON: The Pentagon and White House slammed CNN over its Iran war coverage on Friday — with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth saying he looked forward to an ally of President Donald Trump taking over the news network. Hegseth spent part of a news conference on US military operations against Tehran criticising the media and CNN in particular, urging for what he called an “actual patr...

ISLAMABAD: The PTI has expressed deep alarm over the rapidly deteriorating regional security environment and called upon the government to immediately convene an emergency meeting of the OIC to forge a united response and foil any attempt to once again drag the region and the Ummah into a foreign-imposed and catastrophic conflict. In a statement issued on Saturday, PTI Central Inf­ormation Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said urgent diplomatic action was imperative to prevent the Muslim world fr...

The bilateral relationship between the United States and Israel has long been characterised as an enduring alliance. Yet, it remains arguably the most contentious partnership in modern geopolitical history. To many observers, this bond is viewed as a primary source of destabilisation in the Middle East, providing a perpetual spark for conflict.  In the early months of this year, this partnership has reached a volatile peak. While historically framed as a marriage of shared ‘democratic values’...

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Saturday that the company’s Terafab project to make artificial intelligence (AI) chips will launch in seven days. Musk had said last year that Tesla probably will have to build “a gigantic chip fab” to make AI chips. Tesla is designing its fifth-generation AI chip to power its autonomous ambitions, and Musk at the company’s annual meeting last year laid out potential manufacturing plans. Musk had said at the time that the EV maker could w...

The US and Israel’s war against Iran has led to sporting events being postponed in the region, while competitions elsewhere have been hit by travel disruption, with thousands of flights cancelled in some of the world’s busiest transit hubs. Bahrain and Saudi F1 races set to be cancelled Next month’s Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Formula One Grands Prix are set to be cancelled due to the Middle East conflict. Multiple sources told Reuters an announcement, seen within the sport as just a matter of ...

Employees of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and autonomous institutions under government patronage would see their salaries cut by five to 30 per cent under the government’s austerity measures, which would go towards public relief, it was decided on Saturday. The move adds to a host of austerity measures announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday in view of the global oil crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran, which has hiked local fuel prices. On Saturday, PM Shehbaz chaire...

Pakistan batter Salman Ali Agha said Mehidy Hasan Miraz should have shown the sportsman spirit after the Bangladesh captain ended his innings with a controversial run-out in Friday’s One-Day International in Dhaka. Short of his crease at the non-striker’s end, Agha bent down to pick up the ball to return it to the bowler after his teammate Mohammad Rizwan had driven it towards him. Pakistan’s Maaz Sadaqat (C) successfully appeals for leg before wicket (LBW) against Bangladesh’s Litt...

Times for today’s Iftar (Ramazan 24) and tomorrow’s Sehri (Ramazan 25) for the federal and provincial capitals are listed below: Islamabad Fiqh-i-Hanafia Iftar (today) — 6:16pm Sehri (tomorrow) — 4:55am Fiqh-i-Jafria Iftar (today) — 6:26pm Sehri (tomorrow) — 4:45am Karachi Fiqh-i-Hanafia Iftar (today) — 6:42pm Sehri (tomorrow) — 5:23am Fiqh-i-Jafria Iftar (today) — 6:54pm Sehri (tomorrow) — 5:19am Lahore Fiqh-i-Hanafia Iftar (today) — 6:10pm Seh...

WE do not need to wonder any longer what it must be like to live through a world war. A statement like this may have seemed hyperbole mere weeks ago but it no longer does. Before our eyes we see bombs, burning buildings and scurrying citizens. Ships are being sunk, swarms of drones being deployed, and barrages of ballistic missiles being launched. The bombing of an oil refinery near Tehran covered the city in slick black oil. The scene seems almost metaphorical — how oil has cursed those who ...

THERE are signs that China is taking a more active role in trying to resolve the issue of cross-border terrorism between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan had last month launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq after a series of deadly terrorist attacks in this country were traced to Afghanistan. The hostilities continue without any major sign of a negotiated settlement. However, if Beijing’s efforts succeed, perhaps a way out can be found to restore peace while addressing Pakistan’s valid concerns...

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Friday extended the interim pre-arrest bail of several leaders and relatives of incarcerated PTI founding chairman Imran Khan in different cases, including those related to the May 9 riots. The court extended the bail of former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry in five cases till April 16. During the hearing, Fawad Chaudhry appeared before the court on the expiry of his bail period. The court extended the bail and directed the prosecution to present arguments ...