Pakistan News Archives

Fazlur Rehman warns against politicizing debate over new provinces

August 4, 2026 by Newsdesk

QUETTA: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman said Tuesday that creating new provinces in Pakistan is not a simple matter and warned against raising such proposals to divert attention from the country’s pressing challenges.

Speaking at a news conference in Quetta, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F) chief said there was nothing inherently wrong with creating additional provinces, but questioned whether the country could currently bear the political and administrative burden.

He said any proposal should take Pakistan’s constitutional and demographic realities into account.

Referring to recent remarks by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Fazlur Rehman said such statements were unlikely to have been made without consultation with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He added that new political debates were often introduced to shift attention away from more urgent national issues.

The JUI-F leader also called on Mahmood Khan Achakzai to convene a joint opposition meeting to discuss the country’s political situation, saying his party would organize a nationwide opposition gathering if such a meeting was not called.

Fazlur Rehman criticized what he described as weak democratic institutions, saying democracy cannot flourish if governments are formed without the public’s mandate.

He called for governance in accordance with the Constitution and urged the adoption of fair national policies to address the country’s political, economic and security challenges.

Pakistan exempt from new US visa bond program

August 4, 2026 by Newsdesk

WASHINGTON: Pakistani nationals have been exempted from a US visa bond program that requires citizens of certain countries to provide a refundable financial guarantee of up to $20,000 when applying for visitor visas.

Under the program, which has been made permanent after initially being introduced as a pilot in 2025, applicants from designated countries seeking business or tourist visas may be required to pay a refundable bond ranging from $10,000 to $20,000, depending on the assessment of immigration authorities.

According to international reports, the list includes 50 countries, including Bangladesh, Nepal and several African nations. The maximum refundable bond for eligible applicants has been increased from $15,000 to $20,000 under the updated policy.

Pakistan is not included in the list of countries subject to the visa bond requirement. Afghanistan, India and Iran are also not part of the program, meaning their citizens will not be required to post the refundable financial guarantee under the policy.

Bilawal Bhutto alleges rigging in AJK elections

August 3, 2026 by Newsdesk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party Chiamran Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has alleged that the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections were marred by rigging, claiming the polls were neither free nor fair.

In a video message announcing a public rally in Bagh district, Bilawal said that despite what he described as electoral manipulation, the Pakistan Peoples Party secured victory in nine constituencies.

Addressing the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (N), Bilawal said the party’s “countdown has begun” and vowed to continue challenging the election results.

He claimed that seats in Mirpur and Muzaffarabad had been “stolen” from the PPP and pledged to reclaim them through legal and political means. “The PPP never gives up, never retreats, and never leaves the field,” he said.

Earlier, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon also alleged that the irregularities seen in Pakistan’s 2024 general elections had been repeated in the AJK polls.

Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Memon accused the federal and Punjab governments of colluding to influence the election outcome, describing it as a continuation of what he called the “Form 47” controversy.

PM orders comprehensive performance review of federal ministries

August 3, 2026 by Newsdesk

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered a comprehensive review of the performance of federal ministries and divisions, directing them to submit detailed reports on their achievements since February 2024.

According to an official communication from the Prime Minister’s Office, all ministries have been instructed to provide performance reports in a prescribed format, outlining key initiatives, achievements and progress made during the period.

Officials said the ministries must also detail progress on governance reforms, improvements in public service delivery and the extent to which they have met their targets.

The review will cover 18 ministries related to the economy and finance, 14 ministries responsible for law, security and administrative affairs, and nine ministries overseeing social services, including health and education.

The directive requires ministries to provide measurable outcomes, project completion dates and details of completed initiatives.

They must also report on delayed projects, explain the reasons for delays and identify obstacles affecting implementation.

The Prime Minister’s Office has instructed ministries to support every performance claim with documentary or other verifiable evidence, warning that unsupported claims and incomplete reports will not be accepted.

The review will also assess the utilization of development funds and the outcomes of government projects.

Officials said the exercise will also evaluate the performance of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority and the Planning Commission of Pakistan, as well as the Annual Development Programme, economic policies, improvements in the national census and statistical system, public-private partnership initiatives and the prime minister’s special projects.

Major martyred as forces kill 12 terrorists in separate operations

August 1, 2026 by Newsdesk

RAWALPINDI: Security Forces conducted intelligence-based operations in North Waziristan and Nushki, killing a total of 12 Indian-sponsored terrorists, while an Army major embraced martyrdom during the operation in North Waziristan, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

In a separate operation conducted in Nushki District of Balochistan on the night of July 30-31, Security Forces acted on intelligence reports regarding the presence of terrorists linked to Fitna al Hindustan.

The ISPR said security forces identified, monitored, and successfully dismantled a terrorist hideout through a timely and effective operation. Seven terrorists, including a suicide bomber, were killed during the action.

A cache of weapons, ammunition, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) was also destroyed at the site, according to the military’s media wing.

Earlier, in Razmak area of North Waziristan District, security forces killed five Indian-sponsored terrorists in an intelligence-based operation. During the exchange of fire, Major Hafiz Ihsan Elahi embraced martyrdom while leading his troops from the front.

The ISPR said sanitization operations are underway in both areas to eliminate any remaining terrorists. It added that the counterterrorism campaign under “Azm-e-Istehkam” will continue with full force to eradicate foreign-sponsored terrorism from the country.

PTI contacts JUI-F for joint movement against federal government

August 1, 2026 by abid khan

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has initiated contacts with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) to launch a joint movement against the federal government, according to sources.

Sources said PTI leadership held meetings with JUI-F leaders and proposed a joint protest campaign against the government.

However, JUI-F has not yet agreed to support a joint protest movement, with the party maintaining that mutual trust between the two sides must be restored before any formal cooperation.

The sources added that PTI and JUI-F leaders also discussed the possibility of adopting a joint strategy for the upcoming elections.

JUI-F Khyber Pakhtunkhwa spokesperson Abdul Jalil Jan said that progress could be made if serious leadership from PTI comes forward. He added that it was still unclear who makes decisions within PTI.

He said PTI had been informed about JUI-F’s reservations and that the party would need to control its social media narrative.

Eight climbers found dead after Broad Peak avalanche

July 31, 2026 by Newsdesk

SKARDU: Rescue teams have recovered the bodies of eight climbers who went missing after an avalanche struck Broad Peak, the world’s 12th-highest mountain in Pakistan’s Karakoram range, while the search continued Saturday for two others still unaccounted for.

Authorities said four more bodies were located during the latest phase of the rescue operation, bringing the total number of recovered climbers to eight.

Three of the bodies recovered earlier were transported by helicopter to Skardu, while efforts to retrieve the remaining victims continued in the difficult high-altitude terrain.

Gilgit-Baltistan Tourism Minister Neiknam Karim said authorities were making every possible effort to locate the two missing climbers, adding that the provincial tourism department was providing logistical support to search and rescue teams.

The international expedition included climbers from the United States, China, Nepal and Oman, as well as Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi. Several members of the team were reported missing after the avalanche struck Broad Peak earlier this week.

Broad Peak, which rises 8,047 meters (26,401 feet) above sea level in the Karakoram mountain range, is one of Pakistan’s five peaks exceeding 8,000 meters and is regarded as one of the world’s most challenging high-altitude climbing destinations.

Bilawal Bhutto calls Pakistan army ‘Our Red Line’

July 31, 2026 by Newsdesk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the Pakistan Army is the country’s “red line,” calling on political stakeholders to keep soldiers out of political debates and honor the sacrifices of security personnel.

In a video statement posted on X, Bilawal said soldiers deployed along the Kashmir border risk their lives to defend Pakistan and should not become the target of political rhetoric.

He described members of the armed forces as a source of national pride and paid tribute to military personnel and police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

“We can never forget the sacrifices of our martyred soldiers and police personnel,” Bilawal said, adding that the nation has a responsibility to respect those serving the country and ensure justice for the families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

In a separate video statement earlier, Bilawal urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to publicly hear all complaints related to alleged electoral irregularities before Aug. 2.

He called on the commission to make polling station results and election records publicly available, saying its responsibility is to safeguard voters’ mandate rather than favor any political party.

He also said the credibility of the second phase of elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir would depend on whether complaints from the first phase are addressed fairly, reiterating his demand for free, fair and transparent elections.

Naqvi says new administrative units key to fixing governance

July 30, 2026 by Newsdesk

ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi called for the creation of new administrative units, saying Pakistan’s current governance system has failed and requires structural reforms to address the country’s longstanding political and economic challenges.

Speaking at Pakistan’s first Economic Summit in Islamabad, Naqvi said the existing system “has collapsed” and would continue to produce the same problems unless fundamental reforms are introduced.

He argued that the country should move toward new administrative units or provinces, adding that the issue should ultimately be decided by the public.

The interior minister said Pakistan’s growing debt burden, governance challenges and demands for merit-based employment from young people require a comprehensive “reset” of the system. He warned that without structural reforms, the country would continue facing the same issues even a decade from now.

Naqvi said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was working long hours to address national issues but described the government’s efforts as largely “firefighting” in the absence of broader institutional reforms. He stressed that all political parties must work together to improve the country’s governance framework.

Speaking informally with reporters later, Naqvi said the efforts of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir would not produce lasting results unless politicians also fixed the country’s governance system.

He added that the field marshal had repeatedly stated he would not allow democracy to be derailed. Naqvi urged the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to work together on reforms, said the current government would complete its constitutional term, and maintained that legal matters involving PTI founder Imran Khan would be decided by the courts.

Bilawal warns federal government against ‘rigging’ AJK elections

July 30, 2026 by Newsdesk

MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari warned the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) that any attempt to manipulate the upcoming Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections would trigger political consequences for the federal government.

Addressing a public rally in Muzaffarabad, Bilawal urged the government to ensure free, fair and transparent elections, saying the PPP would safeguard its electoral mandate.

He warned that if the party’s mandate was “stolen,” it would challenge the federal government politically.

Bilawal said the people of Kashmir should decide their future through the ballot box, adding that election results must reflect the public’s vote.

He also called for greater representation of Kashmiris in institutions responsible for decisions affecting the region and proposed the formation of a truth commission to address longstanding issues facing Kashmir.

The PPP chairman accused the ruling party of treating the AJK elections as a matter of political survival and claimed that a defeat in the region was being viewed as a threat to its position at the federal level. He said the government would face no political difficulty if the elections were conducted transparently but warned against alleged electoral interference.

Bilawal also criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for what he described as a politics of boycott, urging the party to actively participate in elections and parliamentary politics instead.

He invited what he called “serious politicians” within PTI to work with the PPP in defending democratic processes and opposing electoral manipulation.