ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan is set to hear an urgent plea on Thursday from human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, who is seeking to halt her ongoing trial in a high-profile case involving controversial social media posts that allegedly incited linguistic divisions and portrayed the armed forces as engaged in terrorism.
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Govt weighs shifting Imran Khan to remote prison as political feud hits ‘point of no return’
ISLAMABAD: The authorities are weighing a transfer of imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan from Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, possibly to an isolated facility in Balochistan, though not confirmed, as politicians traded sharp barbs on Wednesday over the fate of Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, with a top government official declaring that confrontations had reached a “point of no return”.
PML-N lawmakers in Punjab pass resolution to ban Imran Khan and PTI, calling them ‘tool of enemy state’
LAHORE: The provincial Punjab Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution calling for a ban on former prime minister Imran Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party, labeling them “anti-state” and accusing Khan of acting as a “tool of the enemy state” amid escalating tensions between the opposition and the ruling coalition.
Pakistan considers cutting smartphone import taxes to ease costs for consumers
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan may lower the steep import duties on smartphones that have driven up prices for millions of users, after a lawmaker said the Federal Board of Revenue wouldn’t object to a reduction if recommended by the finance ministry’s tax policy unit.
November remittances rise 9.4 percent to $3.2 billion, UAE and EU lead gains
KARACHI: Remittances from overseas workers climbed to $3.2 billion in November, up 9.4% from a year earlier, as inflows from the United Arab Emirates and European Union countries helped offset softer numbers from Saudi Arabia, data from the central bank showed.
ECC tightens vehicle import rules, raises oil dealer margins
ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet approved changes to the vehicle import rules and raised margins for oil marketing companies and petroleum dealers, as officials grapple with energy costs, trade reforms and fiscal pressures.
Pakistan slashes electricity prices by Rs15 per unit for industry, agriculture
ISLAMABAD: The government slashed electricity rates for industries and agriculture by about Rs15 per unit on excess consumption, aiming to spur production and ease operating costs amid broader pressures on energy prices.
Pakistan’s economy avoids free fall but faces slow grind ahead, IMF say
KARACHI: The International Monetary Fund said the immediate risk of a sovereign default in Pakistan has receded, yet the cash-strapped South Asian nation remains mired in a fragile stabilisation mode plagued by anemic growth, towering debt loads and scant relief for its 240 million citizens.
Islamabad High Court allows petition questioning judge’s law degree to proceed
ISLAMABAD The Islamabad High Court ruled Tuesday that a petition challenging the legitimacy of a sitting judge’s law degree is maintainable, ordering the judge to respond within three days and clearing the way for a potentially explosive judicial inquiry into whether he lawfully holds office.
KP police seek Rs4.2bn monthly hazard allowance as militant attacks surge
PESHAWAR: Police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the northwestern province bordering Afghanistan, have asked the provincial government to approve a special monthly allowance for all officers, a package costing about Rs4.2 billion, saying the force is facing sharply rising militant attacks and growing security demands.