Authorities in northern Pakistan are scrambling to avert disaster after a massive mountain mudslide blocked a river and formed a seven-kilometer-long lake, raising fears of catastrophic flooding downstream. The landslide, which struck Gilgit-Baltistan’s Ghizer district on Friday, dumped tons of debris into the Ghizer River, creating a natural dam. Officials say the blockage has turned…
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, in Islamabad on Friday for wide-ranging talks on regional security and counter-terrorism. The meeting comes as Beijing and Islamabad step up efforts to upgrade their long-standing strategic partnership. According to Pakistan’s military media wing, both sides reaffirmed their resolve to…
Pakistan’s long-delayed Reko Diq copper-gold project has secured a fresh injection of international financing, with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) approving a $410 million package to support its development. The funding marks a significant step for the $6.6 billion mine in Balochistan, which holds one of the world’s largest untapped copper and gold deposits. Operated…
Google is opening the doors of its Gemini artificial intelligence platform to U.S. government agencies, offering access at a token cost of under a dollar. The initiative, unveiled Thursday by the General Services Administration (GSA), is aimed at accelerating the public sector’s use of generative AI in day-to-day operations. The program, branded “Gemini for Government,”…
After three days of relentless downpours that left Karachi crippled, the weather system behind the heavy rain is finally set to weaken, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said Friday. Only scattered light showers are expected in the city before the system moves out. But relief may be short-lived. Meteorologists warned that a new monsoon spell…
Lahore — Rising waters in the Indus River have forced thousands of families across South Punjab to abandon their homes, as relentless monsoon rains batter the province. Villages in Layyah, Taunsa, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, and Muzaffargarh are among the hardest hit, with protective embankments collapsing and floodwaters swallowing entire settlements. Homes and Crops Swept…
Islamabad — Pakistan’s effort to wipe out polio faces renewed pressure from global donors, who warn that patience — and funding — is running thin as nearly 800,000 children continue to miss vaccinations during each campaign. A delegation from Rotary International, visiting Islamabad this week, urged officials to set a fresh benchmark: cut the number…
ISLAMABAD — The controversy surrounding the 26th Constitutional Amendment has resurfaced after the Supreme Court uploaded notes from Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi on its official website, triggering a sharp rebuttal from two senior judges. On Wednesday, Justices Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Munib Akhtar issued a joint letter rejecting the CJP’s reasoning…
KARACHI – Life in Pakistan’s largest city has been thrown into chaos as prolonged power outages and waterlogging continued on Thursday, more than 48 hours after heavy monsoon rains battered Karachi and parts of Sindh. Large sections of the metropolis remain without electricity, while flooded roads have choked mobility. Authorities now warn that the next…
ISLAMABAD – Gold lost ground in Pakistan on Tuesday as prices dropped by Rs1,100 per tola, according to figures released by the All Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewelers Association. The new rate for 24-karat gold now stands at Rs356,600 per tola, down from Rs357,700 a day earlier. Similarly, the price of 10 grams of 24-karat…