Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afrid. SCREENGRAB PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa cabinet was expanded on Saturday with the induction of six new ministers, four new advisors and eight special assistants, taking the total strength of the provincial cabinet to 31 members. With the expansion, the number of ministers, including Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, has risen to 17,…
LAHORE: Close to Gujranwala, the rice fields are glowing soft green in the May heat. But the crop growing is not the traditional Basmati rice that farmers have planted for centuries. It is Chinese hybrid rice, born in a laboratory in Hunan, carried across the Karakoram Highway and cross-bred to thrive in Punjab’s sunshine. This…
80 dead, 246 suspected cases in DRC; agency warns neighbouring countries to activate emergency mechanisms People at Bunia General Referral Hospital following confirmation of an Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain in the Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, on May 16, 2026. PHOTO: REUTERS The World Health Organisation on Sunday declared an Ebola outbreak…
‘India needs to reconcile with Pakistan’s salience and learn to peacefully co-exist with it,’ military says Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf attend a ceremony at GHQ in Rawalpindi marking the completion of one year of Pakistan’s victory…
With limited space for subsidies and a heavy reliance on indirect taxation, future budgetary measures could exert upward pressure on prices, particularly affecting urban consumers. Photo (file) LAHORE: The temporary relief given by Punjab, followed by the Sindh government, to keep markets open till late in the evening ahead of Eidul Azha has sparked hopes…
PUBLISHED May 17, 2026 From diagnosing symptoms and planning diets to deciding what to cook for dinner or what to gift a friend, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has moved into roles once reserved for medical practitioners or trusted confidants and, stranger still, for companionship itself. At the same time, it has become the first stop for…
Naqvi, Iranian counterpart reaffirm stability push Tehran praises Islamabad’s role in easing tensions Two count Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi meets his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni in Tehran as he arrives on a two-day visit to Iran. SCREENGRAB ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni on Saturday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening…
KARACHI: The KSE-100 index at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) retreated 3.2% week-on-week, closing at 165,596 points, as lingering uncertainty over the pace of US-Iran peace negotiations weighed on investor sentiment. Despite the cautious mood, several positive domestic developments provided underlying support. On a day-on-day basis, the PSX commenced the week with a range-bound session,…
Russia shares China’s position on Hormuz, calls for permanent ceasefire to reopen Strait Iranian Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref. PHOTO: ANADOLU AGENCY Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said on Sunday that Tehran will no longer allow “enemy” military equipment to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. “We had given up our right of…
He commended Pakistan’s leadership for facilitating engagement at a critical juncture Pakistan’s diplomatic role in facilitating ongoing peace negotiations between the United States and Iran has drawn praise from a senior American lawmaker, who described Islamabad’s contribution as “indispensable” and reflective of “true statesmanship”. US Congressman Jack Bergman, Co-Chair of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus, has…