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ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan is still ready to come to the table, if the establishment is prepared to negotiate, party leader Azam Khan Swati has claimed, adding that he had the PTI founder’s blessing to initiate talks to secure his freedom. In a lengthy video message released to — in his words — clear the air following his recent meeting with the party founder in Adiala jail, Mr Swati criticised “certain vloggers and anchors for selling a false story”, without naming anyone. In the midst of a widening rift between the party’s ranks in Khyber Pakhtunkwa, Mr Swati also backed KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur, PTI KP leader Junaid Akbar and party general secretary Salman Akram Raja, saying that they were “picked by Imran Khan himself”. Recounting his interaction with Mr Khan and Bushra Bibi in prison, he said he had repeatedly told the party founder he had “khotay sikkay” (counterfeit coins) in his pocket. He also recounted a meeting with Mr Khan where, he claimed, the party leader had tasked him t...

Afghan officials on Sunday called on Pakistan to prepare a joint mechanism for the gradual repatriation of refugees, adding that forced deportation is in neither country’s interests. The interior ministry, in a statement on March 7, had stated “All illegal foreigners and ACC holders are advised to leave the country voluntarily before 31 March 2025; thereafter, deportation will commence wef 1 April 2025.” Mufti Abdul Mutalib Haqqani, spokesman for the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, said that bringing the refugees back is official Afghan policy, but it should be under a joint mechanism with Pakistan so that refugees are returned gradually and with “honour”. “But if Pakistan unilaterally sends refugees, we are fully prepared to receive them,” the spokesman told the Taliban’s Hurriyat Radio . “We have held meetings with Pakistani officials on the issue and are still in contact with them,” he added. “Our demand is that they (Afghan refugees) should not be forcibly deported, as ...

• Amendments to two bills to stem illegal exodus awaiting Senate nod • Organised beggary made criminal offence on request of Gulf countries • Experts say harsher sentences ineffective without reforms in monitoring, prosecution mechanisms On February 17, five bills were passed by the National Assembly without any debate on the floor. Two of these bills pertained to a pressing humanitarian, legal and diplomatic crisis facing Pakistan — human trafficking and smuggling. More than a month later, the Prevention of Traffi­cking in Persons (Amend­ment) Bill, 2025 and the Prevention of Smu­ggling of Migrants (Ame­nd­ment) Bill, 2025 have yet to become laws as they are pending approval from the Senate. The government has propo­sed changes to the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act, 2018 and the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Act, 2018 at a time when hundreds of Pakis­tanis, over the past few years, perished in the Medi­ter­ranean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean while trying to reach...

US President Donald Trump on Saturday doubled down on sweeping tariffs he unleashed on countries around the world, warning Americans of pain ahead, but promising historic investment and prosperity. The comments came as Trump’s widest-ranging trade measures took effect in a move that could trigger retaliation and escalating economic tensions, with the British and French leaders saying “nothing should be off the table” in response. Trump, acknowledging global turbulence, urged Americans to be patient. “We have been the dumb and helpless ‘whipping post’ but not any longer. We are bringing back jobs and businesses like never before,” he wrote on Truth Social. “This is an economic revolution, and we will win,” the Republican president added. “Hang tough, it won’t be easy, but the end result will be historic.” A 10 per cent “ baseline ” tariff came into place just after midnight, hitting most US imports except goods from Mexico and Canada, as Trump invoked emergency economic powers...

• Several schemes underway to boost water storage and green energy, Wapda officials tell minister for water resources • High court asks LDA to impose Rs0.5m fine on housing schemes wasting water LAHORE: As Pakistan faces drought due to below-average rainfall, a cabinet minister has assured Wapda of full support in the completion of ongoing hydropower and water storage projects on time. On the other hand, the Lahore High Court has expressed concerns over water wastage, while calling for the imposition of a water emergency in rural areas, besides stringent penalties to discourage the practice. During a visit to Wapda House in Lahore, Federal Minister for Water Resources Muhammad Moeen Wattoo said the federal government accorded top priority to increasing water storage and green energy, and it wanted the timely completion of such projects. “The federal government accords highest priority to increasing water storage and adding clean, green, and economically affordable hydel electricit...

QUETTA: Leaders of different political parties on Friday condemned restrictions placed by the government on sit-ins and protests , terming it an unconstitutional act as staging rallies is the right of everyone. While Sardar Akhtar Mengal’s BNP-M is set to start its march on Quetta from Mastung on Sunday, the government is taking administrative measures to handle the situation. Despite the fact that both the government and BNP-M had failed to make a breakthrough in talks, backdoor efforts are under­way through political and tribal quarters to defuse the situation, acco­rding to informed sources. At a press conference jointly addressed by the leaders of several political parties, the government was reminded that Constitution allows every citizen to hold rallies, organise marches and stage sit-ins for the acceptance of their demands. However, they regretted, the government instead of accepting the people’s democratic and constitutional right had imposed restrictions on their movemen...

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday stated that his party rejected the government’s canal project, calling it “unilateral” and warning that it will harm farmers in Punjab. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Chief of the Army Staff Gen Asim Munir inaugurated the ambitious Cholistan project to irrigate south Punjab’s lands on February 15 amid public uproar and strong reservations in Sindh. Meanwhile, the Sindh Assembly unanimously passed a resolution against the construction of six new canals on the Indus River in March. The resolution also demanded an immediate halt to any plans, activities or work related to the controversial project until an agreement with all provincial governments, particularly Sindh, was reached to ensure that the rights of the province were fully protected and respected. Addressing a PPP rally in Gardi Khuda Bux on the anniversary of former premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s execution today, the Bhutto scion reaffirmed that the PPP as a party had...

A woman and her 16-month-old daughter were allegedly gunned down by her relative for ‘honour’ in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mansehra city on Friday afternoon, according to a first information report (FIR). According to the FIR, lodged by the victim’s mother-in-law Nasreen Bibi with Mansehra’s Saddar police station on Friday, Nasreen and the victims were at home when armed suspects allegedly entered their house and held her at gunpoint. “I heard screaming from my daughter-in-law’s room, she was asking ‘Uncle, do not kill me’,” the complainant said, adding that she could not identify the suspects. She further alleged in the FIR that after shooting her daughter-in-law, the suspects shot the baby and fled the scene. The complainant said in the FIR that the motive behind the double murder was that her son married the victim. She told the police that her son was abroad for work. Saddar Police Station House Officer (SHO) Mohammad Amir confirmed the double murder and told Dawn.com that efforts ...

• PPP leader questions logic behind new irrigation project amid water shortage • Minister claims Sindh ‘habitually politicises water distribution’, while Punjab plays ‘big brother’ role • Sherry says president opposed govt’s unilateral construction of canals on Indus LAHORE: The ruling allies in Punjab came face to face on the issue of canals in Cholistan on Thursday, as the PPP’s provincial leadership expressed its reservations over the irrigation project, while the PML-N accused its coalition partner of habitually politicising water issues. Meanwhile, another ally of the ruling Nawaz League — the Chaudhry Shujaat-led PML-Q — also said it desires the resolution of the canal issue at the earliest to avoid acrimony. The $3.3 billion Green Pakistan Initiative launched by the federal government aims to develop six canals to irrigate 1.2 million acres of “barren land” in south Punjab, but has encountered strong opposition in Sindh — initially from Sindhi nationalist parties, and now ...

Termination notices sent by billionaire Elon Musk’s cost-cutting team to US Agency for International Development (USAID) staff were so rife with errors that corrected versions are being issued to avoid affecting pensions and pay, according to five sources familiar with the issue. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) “did this so quickly that they screwed lots of stuff up”, said a US official, who requested anonymity, as did all of those who spoke to Reuters . The State Department, which is assuming some of USAID’s functions under the Trump administration’s plan to cut US foreign aid , did not immediately respond to requests for comment. USAID’s human resources staff, most of whom have been on paid administrative leave and face termination, have been brought back to the office to send out accurate notices, said the US official and a person familiar with the matter. “My letter was completely wrong,” one USAID worker told Reuters on condition of anonymity. “The only thing ...

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi was appointed as the new president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on Thursday. Indian media reported last year that PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi was set to become the next president of the council as per its rotation policy. However, Shammi Silva, the head of Sri Lanka Cricket, was appointed as the chairman of the ACC, replacing Jay Shah, who was elevated to the position of ICC president on December 1. A PCB official told Dawn in December that the ACC chairmanship was to transition to the PCB from January 2025, in line with a decision made during the ACC meeting in Malaysia. According to a press release issued by the council today, Naqvi assumed the prestigious role on April 3 (today), ushering in a “new chapter of leadership” for Asian cricket. “I am deeply honoured to assume the presidency of the Asian Cricket Council,” the press release quoted Naqvi as saying. “Asia remains the heartbeat of world cricket, and I am committ...

• CM Bugti meets premier, discusses province’s situation amid ongoing protests • Says govt taking all possible measures to resolve crises afflicting the province • PM Shehbaz expected to announce major cut in power tariffs today QUETTA / ISLAMABAD: Balo­chistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday to discuss the law and order situation, ongoing protests and development projects in the province, with the premier stressing that the province’s growth remains one of the government’s top priorities. The meeting took place in Lahore, where CM Bugti also extended Eidul Fitr greetings to the prime minister. Officials said that the two leaders held a detailed discussion on the political, economic and security situation of Balochistan, as well as the progress of federal development initiatives in the province. The discussions emphasised the federal government’s unwavering support for Balochistan, with PM Shehbaz stressing that all necessary steps woul...

US President Donald Trump has told members of his Cabinet and other close contacts that tech billionaire Elon Musk will soon step back from his cost-cutting government role, Politico reported on Wednesday, citing three people close to Trump. Trump has tasked the Tesla and SpaceX CEO with leading efforts through his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut government funding and dismantle various US agencies as a special government employee . Politico reported that both Trump and Musk decided in recent days that Musk will soon return to his businesses, but gave no specific date. Musk and DOGE did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the report. Shares of some companies, including government contracting companies, rose following the report. Shares of Musk’s Tesla, which were down 2 per cent in early trading after a sharper-than-expected fall in first-quarter deliveries, reversed course and were up about 5pc. It was not immediately clear if Musk would leave...

PTI Punjab Acting President Hammad Azhar on Wednesday took to X to announce his resignation from his position within the party, the third time he has done so. Last August, Azhar stepped down as the president of the party’s Punjab chapter citing a lack of access to incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan. Azhar had previously stepped down from the role in March, citing his legal tribulations and the obstacles they presented in performing his duties. The PTI leadership rejected his resignation in both instances. In a lengthy post on X, Azhar announced his resignation citing claims that he was being accused of obstructing the work of other party members. In addition, he added that there was a lack of freedom to control his constituency. “Yesterday, Khan sahib [PTI founder Imran Khan] was informed by [fellow party leader] Azam Swati that [another fellow party member] Alia Hamza was being obstructed in her work. When Khan Sahib asked him who was obstructing her, Azam Swati men...

THE continued detention of Baloch Yakjehti Committee leaders — including Dr Mahrang Baloch in Quetta and Sammi Deen Baloch in Karachi — is yet another misstep by the state in its fraught relationship with the people of Balochistan. Dr Baloch has been booked under terrorism, murder and attempted murder, incitement to violence and rebellion, creating disorder and promoting racial hatred, and property damage, among other clauses. This is a sweeping set of charges against a woman known for her unarmed and democratic campaign against enforced disappearances. Sammi Baloch, who was protesting Dr Baloch’s arrest, was herself detained under the MPO, just hours after a court ordered her release. She was earlier arrested for violating Section 144. The BYC has emerged as a civil society platform that has mobilised Baloch youth, particularly women, around demands for justice, constitutional rights and an end to enforced disappearances. Instead of welcoming this nonviolent civic awakening in...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif contacted President Asif Ali Zardari and enquired about his health on Tuesday following media reports about the latter’s hospitalisation. While there was no official word from the presidency or the PPP regarding its co-chairperson’s health, media outlets earlier today reported , quoting sources, that President Zardari had been hospitalised in Karachi after being brought over from Nawabshah. When reached out for a comment, a source close to the party told Dawn.com that he was “undergoing some tests and would be discharged soon”. A statement from the Press Information Department issued today said PM Shehbaz contacted the president and enquired about his well-being, offering prayers for Zardari’s early recovery. “May God grant you complete health soon. The prayers of the entire nation are with you,” the statement quoted the premier as saying. Meanwhile, a statement from the office of Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori said he called the president’s physicia...