KARACHI: Police in Karachi arrested eight suspects accused of running an extortion network during a raid at the residence of Muhammad Sarwat Ejaz Qadri, the chairman of the Pakistan Sunni Tehreek, a religious political party, officials said on Sunday.
Lifestyle
Media groups condemn government ad ban on Dawn outlets as attack on press freedom
ISLAMABAD: Media organisations across Pakistan have united in condemning a government ban on advertisements to outlets operated by the Dawn Media Group, describing it as a calculated effort to financially cripple one of the country’s most respected news institutions and stifle independent journalism.
Pakistan launches final polio drive of 2025 targeting 45 million children
ISLAMABAD: The health minister on Thursday inaugurated the final nationwide polio vaccination drive of 2025, a push to immunise more than 45 million children under 5 in a country that, along with Afghanistan, remains one of the last holdouts where the virus is endemic.
Kites back in Lahore skies: Basant festival scheduled from Feb. 6
LAHORE: The Punjab government has lifted an 18-year ban on the historic Basant festival, paving the way for a three-day celebration of kites, colors and spring in Lahore starting Feb. 6, 2026, under strict new regulations aimed at preventing the deadly accidents that led to the prohibition.
HEC backs KU findings on IHC judge’s questioned law degree
ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission has endorsed a university’s conclusion that a sitting judge on the Islamabad High Court obtained his law degree through unfair means, according to a detailed report submitted to the court, intensifying scrutiny over the jurist’s eligibility to hold office.
Stones, tear gas and arrests as Sindh Culture Day rally defies police route in Karachi
KARACHI: Police in Karachi arrested 45 people on Sunday during a rally celebrating Sindh Culture Day after participants allegedly pelted stones at law enforcement personnel, prompting a response that included baton charges and tear gas shelling, a senior police official said.
Judge’s son walks free on family pardon after fatal hit-and-run kills two women
ISLAMABAD: A judicial magistrate on Saturday ordered the release on bail of the son of an Islamabad High Court justice in a fatal hit-and-run case that killed two young women, after the victims’ families appeared in court to say they had forgiven him.
Pakistan to launch AI-powered immigration overhaul to curb migrant smuggling
ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday announced a sweeping overhaul of its immigration and document verification systems, vowing to deploy artificial intelligence tools and impose stricter penalties in a bid to combat migrant smuggling and the use of fraudulent travel papers, following a series of recent incidents where passengers were barred from flights.
Punjab lifts 18-year ban on kite flying, reviving Basant under tight new rules
LAHORE: After an 18-year prohibition that stemmed from deadly accidents involving razor-sharp kite strings, the Punjab government on Tuesday lifted its ban on kite flying, paving the way for the revival of the ancient Basant festival under a stringent new regulatory framework.
Karachi’s failing infrastructure claims life of 3-year-old boy
KARACHI: The body of a 3-year-old boy who plunged into an open manhole in the bustling Gulshan-i-Iqbal neighborhood in Karachi on Sunday night was recovered on Monday, more than 12 hours after the accident, rescue officials said, underscoring the persistent dangers of the city’s neglected infrastructure.