The Punjab government’s recent attempt to strip public universities of their autonomy is the latest in a long history of efforts to prioritise political interests over the futures of young citizens. Proposed amendments to university acts would replace VCs as syndicate chairpersons with the chief minister or higher education minister, reduce elected faculty representation, and […]
Recently, a Senate committee was informed that 17,321 Pakistani nationals are currently incarcerated in foreign prisons, with the majority in the Middle East and 85 in Afghanistan. Community welfare attachés from Dubai, Doha and Kuala Lumpur reported 3,523, 619 and 499 detainees respectively, providing some details on their condition as undertrial prisoners and convicts. Pakistani […]
India’s External Affairs Minister – EAM hereon – Excellency Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in another recent declaration stated that India has three redlines: that she will protect her farmers — read, a trade deal with the US may not ask it to remove tariffs on agricultural products which possibly shuts out American farmers from the India market; that […]
Pakistan is staring into an abyss far more threatening than any it has ever endured in its history. The country, home to more than 7,500 glaciers, has already seen 45% of them recede. Scientists warn that at the current pace, nearly 60% of these glaciers will melt away by 2050. The recent floods that have […]
It is disgusting to see elected representatives concerned about their pay, perks and privileges as the nation sizzles under poverty. The latest to raise eyebrows is the approval of pay-incentives for Sindh Assembly members from Rs150,000 to Rs430,000 per month; and the same is maintainable for senior officials too. A committee of provincial legislature was […]
Afghanistan on Thursday summoned Pakistan’s Ambassador in Kabul to lodge a formal protest against what it claimed were Pakistani military strikes in Nangarhar and Khost provinces, in a move indicating renewed tensions. Afghan officials claimed the reported attacks resulted in the killing of three civilians and injuries to seven others, a move strongly condemned by […]
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday received a telephone call from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who expressed his condolences over the loss of life and widespread destruction caused by recent floods in Pakistan, Radio Pakistan reported. Erdogan conveyed Turkiye’s solidarity with the people of Pakistan during this difficult time and offered full assistance in […]
In line with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s directive, party lawmakers have begun resigning from the National Assembly’s standing committees. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Wednesday submitted 18 resignations to the NA Speaker’s office. Those who stepped down from the chairmanships and memberships of various committees include Junaid Akbar, Sahibzada Saifullah, Mahboob […]
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Thursday issued an alert as the Meteorological Department forecast widespread rain and thunderstorms across the country from August 29 to September 2, warning of possible flooding and landslides in several regions. According to NDMA, northern and north-eastern districts of Punjab, including Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot, […]
Canada and India announced new high commissioners to each other’s countries on Thursday, in the latest sign of improving ties strained by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegation that India was linked to the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada. India’s previous high commissioner left Ottawa in October. Canada said he was among […]