PESHAWAR: A police constable and a civilian were killed on Tuesday when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a polio vaccination team in a remote village in the restive northwestern Bajaur district, officials said, dealing a blow to the country’s latest drive to eradicate the crippling disease.
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Security forces kill 11 militants, lose soldier in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa operations
ISLAMABAD: Security forces killed at least 11 suspected militants and lost one soldier in a series of operations across the restive northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday, as the military presses a broad counterinsurgency campaign amid a sharp rise in terrorist attacks.
Minister Chaudhry accuses PTI of using foreign firms to run social media propaganda
ISLAMABAD: A government minister accused the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party on Monday of hiring foreign companies to orchestrate paid social media campaigns, spreading what he described as selective narratives and propaganda through fake accounts operated from abroad.
Punjab approves tougher policing laws to curb riots, mob violence
LAHORE: Punjab province, Pakistan’s most populous, is poised to establish a specialised police force to confront what officials describe as escalating threats from violent protests and mobs, after a legislative committee approved sweeping changes to the province’s policing laws on Monday.
Justice Jahangiri faces rare challenge to his qualifications before his own court
ISLAMABAD: A high court judge in Islamabad found himself in the unfamiliar position of defendant on Monday, standing before his own colleagues to defend the validity of his law degree and his right to sit on the bench, even as he challenged the panel’s authority to hear the case against him.
Punjab lawmakers advance strict limits on kite flying ahead of Basant revival
LAHORE: In a move to rein in the lethal hazards of the beloved but perilous Basant festival, a key committee in Punjab Province approved legislation on Monday that would impose a near-total ban on kite flying, allowing the activity only on designated days and in approved locations, with severe penalties for violations.
Karachi police arrest eight in extortion crackdown on Sunni Tehreek chief’s residence
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.
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 summons Norwegian ambassador over court attendance of rights activist
ISLAMABAD: The foreign ministry summoned Norway’s ambassador on Thursday and accused him of breaching diplomatic protocol by attending a Supreme Court hearing involving a prominent human rights activist and her husband, who face charges over controversial social media posts.
Drone strikes kill militants in Mohmand as school bombing hits North Waziristan
PESHAWAR: The security forces carried out two drone strikes in a remote border area of Mohmand district, killing at least eight suspected militants and wounding four others, while unidentified attackers blew up a primary school in North Waziristan, officials said on Friday.