ISLAMABAD: In a fiery exchange with Indian journalist Karan Thapar, former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari categorically denied Pakistan’s involvement in the deadly Pahalgam attack and pressed for an international investigation, an offer New Delhi has flatly rejected.
National
Monsoon rains kill 11, swamp Punjab and Balochistan
ISLAMABAD: Relentless monsoon rains killed at least 11 people and injured dozens across Lahore and Balochistan on Wednesday, flooding streets, toppling power lines, and exposing the fragility of Pakistan’s urban and rural defences.
Militant quadcopter attacks in Bannu kill one, injure three children
ISLAMABAD: Two quadcopter attacks carried out by militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district have left one person dead and three children injured, police said Wednesday, signaling a troubling escalation in the use of drone technology by extremist groups in the region.
HRCP slams Pakistan’s ban on 27 YouTube channels as attack on free speech
ISLAMABAD: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) raised alarm on Wednesday over a court decision banning 27 YouTube channels, a move the government defends as necessary to curb “fake, misleading, and defamatory” content targeting the state and armed forces.
Pakistan’s military points finger at India’s Ajit Doval of orchestrating terrorism campaign
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s military has accused India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval of masterminding a sprawling terrorist network aimed at destabilising Pakistan, intensifying the long-standing rivalry between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Pakistan, Turkiye to set up special economic zone, target $5 billion trade
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Turkiye are planning to establish a Special Economic Zone in Karachi for Turkish entrepreneurs and aim to boost bilateral trade to $5 billion, as part of a broader push to deepen cooperation in energy, defense, and strategic infrastructure amid growing regional instability, officials said.
Islamabad court blocks 27 YouTube channels tied to opposition PTI party, journalists under cybercrime law
ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad court has ordered the blocking of 27 YouTube channels, including those linked to Pakistan’s main opposition party and prominent journalists and political commentators, for allegedly spreading anti-state propaganda and false information, heightening concerns over freedom of expression in the country.
Sindh suspends building authority head after deadly collapse in Karachi
KARACHI: Sindh province’s chief minister suspended the head of the building control authority on Monday after a five-story building collapsed in Karachi, killing 27 people, as the government confronted growing accusations of negligence tied to the disaster.
Army chief rejects Indian claims of Chinese aid in May conflict
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army chief on Monday dismissed Indian allegations that China provided real-time military support during the May 2025 clash between the two nuclear-armed rivals, calling the claims baseless and a tactic to mask India’s battlefield shortcomings.
Rescue effort ends after Karachi building collapse kills 27 in Lyari
KARACHI: Rescue operations ended on Sunday evening in Karachi after a five-storey residential building collapsed earlier this week in the city’s crowded Lyari neighborhood, killing 27 people and exposing the city’s persistent struggle with unsafe housing.