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Top stories from Mardan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Govt raises petrol price by Rs1.20 per litre, reduces high-speed diesel rate by Re0.17 per litre
The government on Wednesday raised the price of petrol by Rs1.20 per litre, but reduced that of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Re0.17 per litre. Following the revision, petrol will retail at Rs393.86 per litre, while HSD will cost Rs396.65 per litre. The government continues to levy Rs114 per litre in…
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PTI moves PHC against emergency, governor's rule in KP
A representative image of the PTI flag. — PPI/FilePESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has moved the Peshawar High Court against the imposition of emergency and governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, seeking the restoration of the elected provincial...
Russia sees potential for expanding economic cooperation with Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev highlighted the potential for expanding trade and economic cooperation with Pakistan in a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. Kolokoltsev arrived in Pakistan on Monday on a…
Aurangzeb discusses targeted fuel subsidies in meeting with senior IMF official
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb met International Monetary Fund (IMF) Deputy Managing Director Nigel Clarke in Bangkok on Wednesday, with their discussion covering targeted fuel subsidies among other matters. Aurangzeb “outlined targeted fuel subsidies to protect vulnerable groups and preserve…
National Assembly, Senate pass resolutions endorsing Centre's imposition of emergency in KP
ISLAMABAD: Shortly after the National Assembly passed a resolution endorsing the federal government’s imposition of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday, the Senate also gave its approval for the measure. The Centre had imposed governor’s rule and emergency in KP on Sunday, citing the…
Houthis vow more attacks on Saudi airports, oil facilities after claiming they targeted Aramco
Yemen’s Houthi rebels said on Wednesday they had targeted facilities belonging to Saudi Aramco, after Saudi officials reported a strike on a building in an area in Riyadh housing the energy giant’s operations centre. Powerful explosions meanwhile rattled the Saudi capital, as the coalition fighting…
Pope Leo out of bed, progress 'normal', doctors say after lung operation
Pope Leo XIV is out of bed, walking and eating following an operation to remove a cancerous tumour from his lung, and has undergone post-surgery tests which show his progress is “normal”, his doctors said on Wednesday. Part of the pope’s right lung was removed in Tuesday’s operation at Rome’s…
CDF Munir reaffirms Pakistan's resolve to expand security cooperation with Russia
Russia’s Minister of Internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev shakes hand with Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at General Headquarters , Rawalpindi, on October 14, 2026. — ISPRChief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed...
Nobel Peace Prize winner Navi Pillay blasts Trump's 'unlawful' sanctions against ICC
Nobel Peace Prize winner Navi Pillay on Wednesday hit out at Donald Trump’s “illegal” sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC), saying the US president needed a lesson in international law. In an interview with AFP, Pillay also said it was no coincidence the US sanctions on the ICC…
AI could cause 'major' incidents within 2 years without safeguards, says Google DeepMind chair
Artificial intelligence systems could cause “major” security incidents within two years without adequate steps to make them safe as capabilities grow, Google’s DeepMind chair Demis Hassabis said on Wednesday. Speaking at an AI conference in Dublin, Hassabis described recent incidents as “early…
KP police administrative staff not entitled to risk allowance, rules FCC
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) ruled on Wednesday that the administrative staff of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police were not entitled to risk allowance. The judgement was issued by a two-member bench headed by Justice Aamer Farooq and including Justice Syed Arshad Hussain Shah. In…
FCC rejects Bushra Bibi's petition seeking suspension of 7-year Al-Qadir Trust sentence
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Wednesday rejected a plea moved by the spouse of incarcerated former premier Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, seeking suspension of her seven-year sentence in the £190 Al-Qadir Trust case. Earlier in the day, a two-judge FCC bench consisting of Chief…
Makkah Alliance secretary general meets PM Shehbaz, briefs premier on defence cooperation
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday met the newly appointed secretary general of the Makkah Defence Alliance, retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood, and was briefed on the strategy to promote “defence and strategic cooperation” under the pact, state-run Radio Pakistan reported. Mahmood…
Dar hails 'constructive' talks with Oman FM after JMC meeting in Islamabad
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi discussed regional tensions and ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation on Wednesday. Albusaidi arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday on a two-day visit. Speaking at the outset of the…
Pakistan, Russia agree to finalise extradition treaty, to sign MoU on prevention of organised crime
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Russia on Wednesday agreed to finalise an extradition treaty and pledged to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on collaboration on the prevention of organised crime and information exchange. Kolokolstev arrived in Pakistan on Monday. He is undertaking a four-day visit…
India festival boat capsize kills 13 children
Rescuers dragged out 13 dead children from India’s Ganges river after an overloaded boat capsized en route to a Hindu festival, officials said Wednesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing grief over the “deeply painful” tragedy. The boat overturned late Tuesday in Vaishali district in…
Pope Leo has cancerous tumour removed in lung operation
Pope Leo XIV had a cancerous tumour removed from his right lung in a 90-minute operation on Tuesday and “woke up normally” after the procedure, the Vatican said. A Vatican source said further tests were being carried out to determine if the cancer had spread. “To ensure the procedure was radical,…
Security forces kill 5 terrorists in Balochistan's Washuk: state media
Security forces killed five terrorists in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Balochistan’s Washuk, state-run Pakistan TV reported on Wednesday, citing security sources. Terrorist hideouts were targeted with advanced weapons, sources said. State media added that four terrorists were also…
India shuts down iconic Delhi protest site after three decades
For more than three decades, a stretch of road in central New Delhi was where Indians came to be heard, staging rallies to press their demands and hold those in power accountable. Trade unions, retired soldiers, anti-corruption campaigners, women’s rights groups and student activists all protested…
Section 144 imposed in DI Khan, pillion riding and public gatherings banned
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The district administration imposed Section 144 across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan district, banning pillion riding and public gatherings, rallies and processions until Nov 11, citing law and order concerns. The restrictions were imposed through an order issued by Deputy…
Court acquits Sharjeel Memon in liquor case
KARACHI: After eight years, a judicial magistrate on Tuesday acquitted Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon and five others in a case pertaining to the recovery of liquor from his Dr Ziauddin Hospital room. The then chief justice of Pakistan, Mian Saqib Nisar, had raided the room and allegedly…
Karachi swelters as mercury soars to 38.7°C
KARACHI: The city experienced hot weather on Tuesday as the temperature rose to 38.7 degrees Celsius with humidity recorded at 43 per cent, making conditions uncomfortable for people. A Met official said October is usually a warm month in Karachi and is often referred to as the city’s “second…
Online abuse puts 1.5m Pakistani children at risk: study
WASHINGTON: About 1.5 million internet-using children in Pakistan experienced sexual exploitation or abuse facilitated by digital technology in a single year, according to new research, as a senior United Nations official warns that artificial intelligence and overlapping global crises are creating…
‘Emergency applies to all of KP, not just 12 districts’
ISLAMABAD: The emergency proclamation issued under Article 232 applies to all of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, not just the 12 terror-stricken districts of the province, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said on Tuesday. Addressing a press conference alongside his cabinet colleague Attaullah Tarar, the law…
Joint opposition flays move to ‘usurp KP govt mandate’
ISLAMABAD: A joint meeting of opposition parties on Tuesday demanded the immediate withdrawal of the emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and called for respecting the democratic mandate of the people of the province. According to a statement issued after a meeting of the opposition…
US may have ‘gone too far’ in targeting Iran leaders
OHIO: US President Donald Trump said that the United States “might have gone too far” in targeting Iran’s leadership. “We might have gone too far with the leaders because we don’t know who the hell we’re dealing with any more,” he said during a campaign rally in Ohio, according to Middle East Eye.…
Houthis warn of ‘painful’ response as Saudis strike Yemen fuel sites
• Coalition says struck sites ‘supported Houthi missile, drone operations’• Aerial threat alerts issued for Riyadh, Eastern Province; blasts heard near Dhahran• Trump warns rebels; Erdogan pledges support for Riyadh RIYADH: Saudi Arabia launched strikes on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen on…
PTI seeks production orders for nine ‘detained’ MNAs
ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: The PTI has urged National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to issue production orders for its nine detained MNAs ahead of the National Assembly and Senate sessions scheduled for Tuesday. In a letter to NA Speaker, Chief Whip Amir Dogar claimed that the nine MNAs were “currently…
Senate panel for federal-provincial control over resources
ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel on Tuesday called for giving provinces half the profits of oil and gas companies or half the wellheads, observing that no proper mechanism exists for implementation of joint and equal control of the federation and provinces over natural resources. The demand was…
Saudi-led coalition strikes oil site in Yemen's capital
Yemen’s Houthis claimed Saudi Arabia struck an oil facility in Sanaa on Tuesday, after the Riyadh-led coalition told civilians to leave the surrounding area in its first evacuation order for the Yemeni capital since the war flared up again. The Saudi-led coalition said military operations were…
Mardan Medical Complex opens new children’s ward
The 40-bed ward adds a neonatal unit and a separate emergency for children.
AWKUM to start BS Artificial Intelligence from spring
Admissions for the first batch of 60 students open next month.
4 men killed in landmine explosion near LoC in Azad Kashmir
MUZAFFARABAD: Four men were killed on Monday when a landmine exploded near the Line of Control (LoC) in the Poonch district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), according to the Directorate General of Public Relations (DGPR). The DGPR said in a statement, citing initial reports, that the four men were…
Petrol price down by Rs2.93 per litre, high-speed diesel rate up by Re0.61
The government on Monday reduced the price of petrol by Rs2.93 per litre, but increased that of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Re0.61 per litre. Following the revision, petrol will retail at Rs395.37 per litre, while HSD will cost Rs396.85 per litre. The government continues to levy Rs114 per litre in…
Sugarcane growers demand early crushing season
Growers say delays push them to sell to middlemen at lower rates.
Landmine drifting from Indian side kills four youths near LoC in AJK
Indian Border Security Force soldiers patrol next to a stream near the Line of Control at Sabjiyan sector of the occupied Poonch district, August 8, 2013. — Reuters
Educational institutions in Peshawar to remain open on Tuesday, BRT services to be restored
All educational institutions in Peshawar will remain open on Tuesday, a statement by the city’s deputy commissioner (DC) has announced. The statement, posted on Facebook, urged the public not to pay heed to any “fake notification or rumours” in this regard. Educational institutions in Khyber…
Omani FM to visit Pakistan from Oct 13-14, will attend Joint Ministerial Commission session
Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi will undertake an official two-day visit to Pakistan on Tuesday, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Monday. According to a statement issued by the FO, Albusaidi’s visit, taking place at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar,…
Pakistan eye clean sweep as Sri Lanka seek consolation in final T20I
Pakistan will look to complete a commanding series whitewash when they face Sri Lanka in the third and final Twenty20 International at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, with captain Sahibzada Farhan keen to see his side continue its aggressive approach after two emphatic victories. Having…
Russian interior minister arrives in Pakistan on four-day visit
Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokolstev arrived in Pakistan on Monday and would hold “important meetings” with the leadership here, according to a statement by the interior ministry. The statement said Kolokolstev was undertaking the four-day visit at the invitation of Interior Minister…
KP's policies will come from Islamabad now, not Kabul, says Kundi
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said on Monday that gone were the days when there would be no coordination between the Centre and the province, adding that “our policies will now come from Islamabad, not Kabul”. “Gone are the days when there was no coordination between the Centre and…
Achakzai draws Balochistan parallel as he flays Centre over governor's rule in KP
National Assembly Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai on Monday drew a comparison between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, criticising the government’s move to impose emergency and governor’s rule in the former. The federal government on Sunday imposed emergency in 12 districts of KP, and…
Sohail Afridi, KP assembly speaker in preventative custody: police
Non-functional Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, Sohail Afridi, and some of his cabinet members are in preventative custody, officials confirmed on Monday. The PTI had reported their detention on Sunday, shortly after the Centre imposed emergency and governor’s rule in the province under Articles…
One killed, 19 injured in Israel as explosion hits school trip near Lebanon border
A boy was killed in an explosion that injured around 19 others during a school trip in northern Israel near the Lebanese border on Monday, according to Defence Minister Israel Katz. The explosion occurred as a group of Israeli high school students hiked near the Lebanese border, with unexploded…
US authorities raid Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's home following probe into immigration documents
US authorities conducted a predawn Monday raid on the Washington-area home of Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar as part of an ongoing investigation, the Justice Department said. The raid followed a criminal fraud investigation into the Somali-born lawmaker’s immigration paperwork, which was…
KP apex committee vows decisive anti-terror steps
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi address a joint press conference following a provincial apex committee meeting on October 12, 2026. — YouTube/Geo News/screengrab Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Apex Committee on Monday directed all...
2 Pakistan Army pilots martyred as training aircraft crashes in Quetta: ISPR
Two Pakistan Army pilots were martyred on Monday after a training aircraft crashed in Quetta due to a technical fault, the military’s media wing affairs said. In a statement, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said: “[At] midday, a Mushshak training aircraft of Pakistan Army Aviation crashed…
High-level Brazil delegation meets CDF Munir; both sides agree to bolster military collaboration
Pakistan and Brazil on Monday agreed to bolster their military-to-military cooperation as a high-level delegation from the Latin American country called on Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir. According to a statement from Inter-Services Public Relations…
Islamabad ATC directs authorities to allow Imaan, Hadi to meet their legal team in jail
ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday directed jail authorities to allow lawyers representing human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, to meet them in prison as the couple raised concerns over their access to their legal counsel and the fairness of…
Closure of Riyadh airport extended after deadly Houthi strikes
Saudi authorities said on Monday they were extending the suspension of operations at the international airport in the capital, Riyadh, after deadly weekend attacks by Yemen’s Houthis. Operations at King Khalid International Airport, Saudi Arabia’s second-busiest airport after Jeddah, were suspended…
Islamabad court grants police 5-day remand of suspect in case of suicide over visa fraud
ISLAMABAD: A judicial magistrate on Monday handed over the main suspect to police on a five-day physical remand in a case related to the suicide of a young woman who was allegedly defrauded. The 20-year-old student, identified as Laiba Aijaz, allegedly died by suicide last week after a person…
Thousands march in India's capital to demand resignation of election chief over alleged misconduct
Thousands of protesters marched in New Delhi on Monday demanding the resignation of India’s election chief over alleged misconduct during a voter roll revision, in the latest showdown with authorities in the heavily fortified capital. The revision of voter rolls has resulted in more than 133…
Two Pakistan Army pilots martyred as training aircraft crashes in Quetta: ISPR
This collage shows martyred Pakistan Army Aviation pilots Capt Abdul Samad and Major Husnain Shehzad Humayun. — ISPRTwo Pakistan Army Aviation pilots were martyred when a Mushshak training aircraft crashed near Nawan Killi in Quetta district on Monday, according to the Inter-Services Public...
How startups are betting on AI to predict the future
Several startups are betting that they can leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to make better forecasts than even the most specialised experts when it comes to topics as varied as stock market movements, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, or how a Shakira song will perform on music charts. By…
'Wake-up call for the world' as UN global poverty index rises for first time since 2010
A United Nations global poverty index has risen for the first time since its creation in 2010, bringing the number of people affected to 1.2 billion, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reported Monday. In the 2026 edition of their annual report, the UNDP and the Oxford Poverty and…
LHC directs jail authorities to provide heart medication to Imran's sister Uzma
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday directed jail authorities to provide heart medication to Dr Uzma Khan, sister of PTI founder and former premier Imran Khan. Imran’s three sisters, Aleema Khan, Noreen Niazi and Uzma, have been in detention for nearly three weeks under the Maintenance of…
DPM Dar defends emergency and governor's rule in KP, says measures not politically motivated
A day after the government imposed governor’s rule and emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar defended the move, saying it was not politically motivated but instead taken to curb terrorism. DPM Dar made the comments while addressing a seminar in…
DPM Dar cautions Taliban regime of consequences for inaction against terror outfits
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar addresses a seminar in Islamabad, October 12, 2026. — Screengrab via YouTube/Geo NewsDeputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday cautioned the Afghan Taliban regime that continued inaction against terrorists operating...
Pakistan looking to raise more than $1bn under govt push for privatisation, says finance minister
The government is looking to push for the privatisation of five to six entities that could raise upwards of $1 billion, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told Reuters on Monday, stating that he expected the economy to grow by more than 4 per cent this fiscal year despite elevated oil prices.…
Another slain seaman’s family seeks return of his remains
KARACHI: Just days after kidnapped sailors from MT Honour 25 were reunited with their families, another Pakistani seafarer’s family is seeking the return of his mortal remains, following his demise after his ship came under attack near the Strait of Hormuz last month. Muhammad Hammad Obaida, a…
Unease among Punjab police personnel on reports of deployment in KP
LAHORE: The concerns of the Punjab Police personnel, already facing issues of bad food and missing facilities during deployment in Rawalpindi division to counter the PTI march, further deepened on Sunday on the ‘rumours’ that 25,000 of the total 40,000 would be moved from Attock (Punjab) to Khyber…