ISLAMABAD: Chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Rubina Khalid expressed deep condemnation over the suicide blast that occurred during the Friday prayer at an Imam Bargah mosque in Taralai, Islamabad.
In her statement, cited by APP, Rubina Khalid described the attack on innocent civilians as a “cowardly and inhumane act” and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of precious lives.
She stressed that terrorist elements are conspiring to spread fear across the country, but the nation stands united against such acts of terror.
Rubina Khalid prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured in the blast and extended her heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims. She reiterated the government’s determination to eradicate the scourge of terrorism from the country.
She said that the entire nation is united against terrorism, and they share equally in the grief of the affected families.
ISLAMABAD: A high-level stakeholder consultation on ‘Capacity Development for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure’ (CD-CRI) was held in Islamabad, bringing together engineering leaders, disaster risk authorities and development partners to discuss strengthening Pakistan’s public infrastructure against climate and disaster risks.
The consultation was organised by Kokkyo naki Kodomotachi (KnK) Japan in partnership with the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) and the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF), with support from Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and in consultation with Dr Qasier Ali Associates.
Participants included PEC Chairman Wasim Nazir, NDRMF Chief Executive Officer Bilal Anwar, Dr Nicolai Dellmann of GIZ and Alex Forbes of the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office, among other stakeholders from engineering, government and development sectors.
A key feature of the event was a technical session introducing a data-driven Structural Health Assessment (SHA) system aligned with the Building Code of Pakistan 2021. The system is designed to digitise the evaluation of public buildings for safety and resilience.
Speakers highlighted the need to bridge gaps between policy frameworks, engineering practice and community-level needs.
The consultation also saw the signing of a memorandum of understanding between KnK Japan, PEC and NDRMF, formalising cooperation to promote resilience in infrastructure development across the country.
Speaking at the event, PEC Chairman Mr Nazir said the initiative marked a shift from viewing resilience as a concept to implementing it in practice. He noted that digital tools and structured assessments could help strengthen engineering standards and improve decision-making.
Organisers said the CD-CRI initiative introduces a digital, GIS-enabled platform for structural assessments aimed at enhancing transparency and supporting evidence-based planning. The system is expected to be piloted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, in alignment with national building codes.
They emphasised that the initiative also focuses on institutional capacity-building, with PEC and NDRMF playing key technical roles in sustaining the system. The programme includes training engineers, certifying professionals in resilient construction standards and encouraging greater participation of women in technical decision-making processes.
The initiative is supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through GIZ, with the aim of strengthening local expertise and embedding climate resilience in Pakistan’s infrastructure planning frameworks.
Participants described the consultation as a step toward integrating climate risk considerations into the assessment and development of schools, hospitals and other critical infrastructure across the country.
ISLAMABAD: As rain and snow lashed large parts of the country on Thursday, a cold wave swept across Pakistan.
As per the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), rain and heavy snowfall affected all provinces and northern regions. Areas including Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Chitral, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Murree, Galiyat, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Poonch, Haveli, and Rawalakot experienced heavy rain and snowfall.
In Punjab, widespread intermittent rain and thunderstorms hit major cities, including Rawalpindi and Lahore. Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also experienced widespread intermittent rain and snowfall across most districts.
In Sindh, the weather turned cold, with Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, and Larkana receiving light rain.
The PMD said a strong westerly wave is affecting most parts of the country and is expected to persist in upper regions through Thursday. Widespread intermittent rain, wind, and thunderstorms—with snowfall over hilly areas—are forecast for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, and upper and central Punjab. Moderate to heavy rain and snowfall may occur at higher elevations.
On Friday, similar conditions are expected in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, northeastern Punjab, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan, while cold and dry weather is likely to prevail in other parts of the country.
During the past 24 hours, scattered rain and thunderstorms were recorded in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Punjab, and Sindh. Significant rainfall was reported in Parachinar (88 millimetres), Khuzdar (12 millimetres), Jacobabad and Sukkur (10 millimetres each), and Bhakkar (9 millimetres). Snowfall of up to two inches was recorded in Kalam, Quetta, and Parachinar.
The lowest temperatures recorded included minus 11 degrees Celsius in Leh, minus 5 degrees in Gupis, Skardu, Bagrote, and Parachinar, and minus 4 degrees in Kalam.
Meanwhile, the National Emergencies Operations Centre (NEOC) of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued a weather alert, advising the public to avoid non-essential travel to high-altitude and snowfall-prone areas and to use snow chains where travel is unavoidable.
Citizens were urged to make adequate arrangements for heating, warm clothing, and shelter, particularly for vulnerable populations. Local communities were advised to remain vigilant and strictly follow advisories issued by relevant authorities.
The NDMA directed provincial and district administrations to remain on high alert and ensure preparedness for snow clearance, emergency response, and timely restoration of essential services, including electricity and communications.
Islamabad police on Thursday arrested lawyer and activist Imaan Mazari along with her husband, Hadi Ali, in connection with a controversial social media case, despite an earlier Islamabad High Court ruling barring their arrest.
The couple was stopped near Sarina Chowk and later taken into custody while travelling in a High Court Bar van.
Earlier, the Islamabad High Court had declared the trial court’s arrest order null and void, stating that Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali should not be arrested in the current case.
The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NCCIA) had previously registered a case against the couple.
The FIR alleges that they attempted to create division on linguistic grounds through social media posts and held security forces responsible for missing persons in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
The case has been filed under Sections 9, 10, 11, and 26 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
The long-awaited appointment of the opposition leader in the National Assembly has been finalized, as Speaker Ayaz Sadiq signed and issued the official notification naming Mahmood Khan Achakzai for the role, formally ending the leadership uncertainty in the lower house.
Sources said that after signing the notification, the Speaker handed it over to PTI leaders Gohar Ali Khan and Amir Dogar.
With this, the leadership issue in the National Assembly has been formally resolved.
The National Assembly session, presided over by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, began with the announcement that there would be no question hour.
The speaker called the chief whip to his chamber and formally issued the notification appointing Mahmood Khan Achakzai as opposition leader.
During the session, the Speaker told PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar that party leaders’ guidance would help improve the Assembly’s performance and invited him for consultations.
Gohar reminded the house that the notification for the opposition leader was promised by Thursday.
ISLAMABAD: The ‘grand night and peace mela’ was organised on Saturday night by Pukhtoon Students Council which was aimed at spreading the message of peace and harmony at Quid-I- Azam University (QAU).
The event featured multiple activities, including Pashto traditional attan, music and several food and traditional clothing stalls, which attracted a large number of students and other visitors.
The notable performance of the event was by Pashto renowned singer Fayaz Khan Khishki, who enthralled the audience with his melodious tunes.
Jalal Ud din Kakar, one of the of organisers and the student of Public Administration department said the core beauty of this event was to bring together all cultural communities and encourage respect and understanding for diversity in campus. “This event also called mini Pakistan because it has every culture of the country.” He said, adding that all student councils were invited to showcase their respective cultural representation.
The participants also showed their keen interest in various items; however, jewelry and traditional shawl stall were at the top of their preferences.
A student, Hashmina, who had set up jewelry stall, said that arranging such events were very important as students could gain real-world experience in business and management.“ this event also provides an opportunity for organisers to learn basic skills of arranging and streamline activities from initial level,” she said, adding that such opportunities should be provided regularly for exposure and entertainment.
The participants also thoroughly enjoyed the Pashto ghazals and traditional attan at the event. “we really enjoyed it; our final exams were ongoing, and we were very stressed, but now fully relaxed and refreshed”, said Naveed Khan, another student at QAU. He added that such activities serve as a relaxing break and should be arranged in future to support student’s mental health.
“Today we fully represented and shared our culture through various activities, it was very crucial for social bonding”, said Muhammad Tanvir Ul Huq, another student. He added that it [grand night] was a gentle reminder to the world that Pakistanis are peaceful and loving people.
The organisers stressed commitment to promoting the country’s positive image, while engaging youth in such activities, which are not only important for preserving cultural heritage but also fostering peace.
At least 6 people were killed and several others injured when a gas cylinder exploded in a house in Islamabad’s G-7/2 sector, authorities said on Sunday.
The explosion was so powerful that three nearby houses also collapsed, while nearby buildings also sustained damage.
Sources said wedding guests were staying at the house, and the deceased included the bride, groom and mother of the groom.
Panic spread in the area after the blast. Later, rescue agencies launched emergency operations to recover trapped people.
According to preliminary information, the explosion was caused by a cylinder leak inside a house.
The blast brought the structure down, trapping several people under the debris.
Rescue workers acted swiftly and have so far pulled 15 people from the rubble.
Ten of the injured were shifted to nearby hospitals, with officials saying the condition of some remains critical.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Sahibzada Yousaf reached the scene after the incident and supervised the rescue efforts.
He said rescue teams were making every possible effort to locate and recover anyone still trapped beneath the debris.
He confirmed that 15 people had been rescued so far and said the search operation would continue.
Residents of the area said the sound of the explosion was heard from far away.
After the blast, police cordoned off the area, while gas and electricity supplies were temporarily suspended to prevent any further accidents.
Authorities said a full investigation would be conducted to determine the exact cause of the explosion and to take necessary measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The Bangladesh Air Force chief arrived at Air Headquarters in Islamabad on Tuesday for an official visit, where he was accorded a guard of honour and held talks aimed at enhancing bilateral defence collaboration.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu received the visiting Bangladeshi air chief.
Both sides agreed to expand comprehensive training support and discussed fast delivery and long-term support for the Super Mushshaq trainer aircraft.
The visit also included consultations on maintenance of older aircraft fleets, air defence radar systems, and potential acquisition of JF-17 Thunder jets.
The Bangladeshi delegation toured the National ISR, Cyber Command, and Aerospace Technology Park.
Both countries expressed commitment to converting defence relations into a long-term strategic partnership.
ISLAMABAD: The 27th IEEE International Conference on Multi-Topic (INMIC 2025) on Tuesday was held at Riphah International University (RIU) Islamabad, aimed to strengthen research culture, foster innovation and promote academic collaboration across diverse domains of information technology.
The conference was organised by the Faculty of Computing at RIU, bringing together national and international researchers, academics and professionals to deliberate on emerging developments in computing, artificial intelligence and related technologies.
While emphasising the significance of interdisciplinary research, Riphah International University Vice Chancellor Prof Anis Ahmed highlighted the role of higher education institutions in addressing contemporary technological and societal challenges.
Addresses were delivered by University of Michigan–Flint, USA Dr Mohamed Wiem Mkaouer and Water Computing Research Institute Prof Bernard J. Jansen, who shared perspectives on current research trajectories and future directions in computing and artificial intelligence.
In his opening remarks, Prof Muhammad Zubair underscored the central role of technology in an increasingly interconnected global environment and stressed the need for collaborative research to respond effectively to complex societal issues.
IEEE Islamabad section chairman Prof Nosherwan Shoaib highlighted the importance of focusing on AI-driven technological transformations and their expanding impact on the global digital landscape.
The conference also featured a panel discussion titled ‘Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities and Challenges,’ with Prof Saad Naeem Zafar, Prof Yasir Ayyaz and Prof Naveed Ikram as panelists. The discussion examined practical applications, ethical considerations and future prospects of artificial intelligence.
According to the organisers, the 27th IEEE INMIC 2025 serves as a key forum for researchers, faculty members and professionals to exchange ideas, build collaborations and contribute to shaping the future of computing and intelligent systems.
Participating guests also included Prof Khalid Malik from the University of Michigan–Flint, USA and Prof Syed Irfan Hyder Vice Chancellor of Salim Habib University Karachi.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reiterated that the government is ready for dialogue with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf.
Addressing the Federal Cabinet meeting in Islamabad today, he said harmony amongst all the political parties is important for progress and prosperity of the country.
PM recalled that he repeatedly made the offer for dialogue. He said if the PTI is ready for dialogue, the government is also prepared to sit with the party.
He said that no blackmailing or unlawful actions will be tolerated under the pretext of dialogue, emphasising that discussions should be based on legitimate matters.
On the occasion, the PM also expressed the confidence that the successful bidding of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation Limited privatization (PIACL) would help take forward the privatization agenda. He said PIACL is going to be the biggest transaction in the country’s history, for which the whole process was made transparent.
