Complete results of Feb 8 elections
After three days of counting, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) released on Sunday the final results of the parliamentary elections held on February 8. Independent candidates, most of them allied to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, won 101 seats of the National Assembly, which has 336 seats (266 directly elected, 60 reserved for women, and 10 for […]
Malaysia’s top court strikes out some Islamic laws
KAULA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s top court on Friday declared unconstitutional more than a dozen Islamic laws enacted by the state of Kelantan, in a landmark decision that could affect similar sharia laws in other parts of the Muslim-majority country. Malaysia has a dual-track legal system with Islamic criminal and family laws applicable to Muslims running alongside […]
Govt considers allowing urea price hike
The Finance Division reiterated its stance that no additional subsidy would be provided on the supply of urea once the proposed mechanism of basket price is enforced. photo: file ISLAMABAD: The government is considering permitting fertiliser manufacturers to increase urea prices by up to Rs358 per bag, shifting the entire burden of over Rs30 billion […]
Internet watchdog reports nation-scale disruption of social media
A nation-scale disruption of social media platform X, formerly Twitter, is being reported by users and internet watchdogs in Pakistan on Saturday. ⚠️ Confirmed: Live metrics show a nation-scale disruption to X/Twitter across #Pakistan; the incident comes amid political turmoil after a controversial election held under an internet and mobile network blackout 📉 pic.twitter.com/1sZpkbWN6L — […]
Gandapur may be next K-P CM
PESHAWAR: The PTI has secured the required majority in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly to form its government for the third consecutive time in the province with the party’s provincial president, Ali Amin Gandapur, likely to be the chief minister — the third from Dera Ismail Khan. The PTI-affiliated independent candidates clinched National Assembly and provincial legislature […]
UK acknowledges ‘serious concerns’ about election ‘fairness’
KARACHI: The United Kingdom has acknowledged serious concerns about the fairness and lack of inclusivity of the elections held in Pakistan on February 8. “We regret that not all parties were formally permitted to contest the elections and that legal processes were used to prevent some political leaders from participation, and to prevent the use […]
Amnesty slams internet shutdown on election day
KARACHI: Amnesty International has slammed the internet shutdown and suspension of the cellular service on election day in Pakistan as a “reckless attack on people’s rights”. “The decision to suspend telecommunications and mobile internet services on an election day is a blunt attack on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” Livia Saccardi, […]
Country’s first e-Rozgar Centre inaugurated
ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications (MoITT), Dr Umar Saif on Tuesday inaugurated the country’s first e-Rozgar Centre in collaboration of Excel Consulting Services. The centre boasts around 100 workstations fully equipped with state-of-the-art facilities tailored for freelancers, with plans to expand to 300 workstations in the future. Additional Secretary MoITT Ayesha […]
OGRA announces major hike in gas prices
ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has permitted a significant increase in gas tariffs for consumers of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC) by 35.13% and 8.57% respectively. This hike, applicable for the current fiscal year 2023-24, will take effect from January 1, 2024. […]
Govt initiates FBR restructuring
ISLAMABAD: With less than a week before the general elections, the interim government has notified an implementation committee to execute the restructuring of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and has set a tight deadline of 72 hours to finalise a legal package. Chairperson of the Pakistan Stock Exchange and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited, […]