HD Viral Videos

Foreign observation mission Commonwealth Observer Group (COG) officially released on Tuesday its report on the 2024 general elections in Pakistan, highlighting “conditions which appeared to limit fundamental political rights and impacted one party’s ability to fairly contest the election”. “Additionally, it noted a shutdown of cellular services on election night, which reduced the transparency of the process and impacted the efficiency of receiving results,” a COG press release said. The report noted areas for improvement and provided recommendations for strengthening the independence of the country’s democratic institutions, it said. The press release further stated: “The group highlighted, among others, the conditions which appeared to limit fundamental political rights and impacted one party’s ability to fairly contest the election. Additionally, it noted a shutdown of cellular services on election night, which reduced the transparency of the process and impacted the efficiency ...

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Tuesday accused PTI founder Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan of creating a divide within the party and alleged that she was being facilitated by the Military Intelligence and “establishment”. In a video statement, Gandapur said: “Imran Khan is my leader, I am loyal to him. It is my right to convey the truth to him … I made him aware of all that has been happening.” He said that initially he was not being given the permission to meet Imran in jail and his messages were conveyed to the public only through his sisters. “So there is a big divide in the party now,” he continued. Gandapur said his provincial government had presented KP’s budget as otherwise the PTI government would have been “disqualified”. And since there were no instructions from Imran to the effect of not presenting the budget, it was presented, he added. “But after that, campaigns that were launched declaring me and parliament traitors were highly inappropria...

Gaza will be a de-radicalised terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors. Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough. If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal. Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all [prisoners], alive and deceased, will be returned. Once all [prisoners] are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1,700 Gazans who were detained after Oct 7, 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans. As releas...

Pakistan women lost by four wickets against South Africa in their second World Cup warm-up, after the Proteas overcame an early scare on Sunday. South Africa were reeling early in their chase of 229 when pacer Diana Baig took two early wickets, leaving them 27-3 inside six overs. Sune Luus and Anneke Bosch rebuilt the innings and added a 100-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Chloe Tryon ensured there were no further hiccups for the Proteas Women after losing five wickets with 151 on board, guiding South Africa home with an unbeaten 45. sealing a comfortable win with almost ten overs to spare. Pakistan, batting first, were bowled out for 229 in 46 overs. Captain Fatima Sana top-scored with a terrific 64 laden with 8 boundaries and a six, Batters Sidra Amin and Sidra Nawaz also made useful contributions at the top, being involved in crucial partnerships. However, Pakistan struggled for momentum as wickets fell at regular intervals. Ayabonga Khaka and Masabata Klass sec...

NOT a rivalry? Well, still very much a rivalry. It is very much a rivalry when the Dubai International Cricket Stadium is filled to capacity to witness its spectacular nature. It is very much a rivalry when Indian faces on the ground, in the stands and in the dressing rooms fall in disappointment when a Pakistan player hits a six or takes a wicket. It is very much a rivalry when Gautam Gambhir, who went on record saying India shouldn’t play against Pakistan, bangs the table like a maniac in the dressing room when Shivam Dube breaks the shackles to get India back into the match. It is very much a rivalry when India’s top broadcaster wants the country to play the maximum number of matches against Pakistan in the face of calls for “boycotting” the contest. It was very much a rivalry when India as the best Twenty20 International side in the world found itself under pressure chasing a paltry 148 before India’s Tilak Varma’s brilliance with the bat, and Pakistan’s Haris Rauf’s meltdown w...

Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Sunday told a US delegation in Kabul that American citizen Amir Amiri had been released from prison, the Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement. United States President Donald Trump’s special envoy for hostage response, Adam Boehler, welcomed the decision to release the American citizen and called it a good moment for him, the statement read. Muttaqi was quoted as saying, “The Afghan government does not view the issues of its citizens from a political angle and makes it clear that ways can be found to resolve the issues through diplomacy.” He added that the step taken by his government to release the American citizen was a positive development and thanked the government of Qatar for its role in facilitating the release of the prisoner. According to the statement, Boehler described the previous round of talks between Kabul and Washington as “constructive” and expressed hope that talks on the remaining issues would continue. This was...

CAN Pakistan do it? Nobody expects them to. India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav, or SKY for short, doesn’t even think that Pakistan deserve being called rivals. But here they are, the “non-rivals” with a chance to upset India’s pre-scripted march to glory in the Asia Cup. T20 cricket is certainly a game of skill, but it is also a game of chance. And Pakistan, the underdogs, the non-rivals, have a chance. The first two games in this minor trilogy of contests between the ex-rivals were one-sided and ill-tempered. It isn’t partial to say that India brought the bad vibes. Haris Rauf responded with some low insults and was rightly fined — along with Mr SKY for his comments after the group game. It’s hard to imagine a final free of needle. That’s probably a good thing for Pakistan, who were more competitive in the Super Fours game as the political row escalated. India’s cricketing dominance is built on their formidable batting, in particular the brilliance of Abhishek Sharma, the world’s to...

• PPP leaders insist BISP data best suited for flood relief • Maryam says Punjab is working while other provinces are busy criticising it • 2,200 survey teams with 10,000 personnel from army, other depts deployed in the province • Azma Bokhari threatens to sue Nadeem Afzal Chan over loan claim ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: As the Punjab government on Saturday launched a survey to assess the losses caused by recent floods, the PPP urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to accept its demand for providing immediate relief to the flood-affected people through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP). The PML-N and the PPP — coalition partners at the Centre and in Punjab — have been at odds over how to help the flood victims, with the former’s government in Punjab insisting on using its own resources, while the latter is adamant about channelling the aid through the BISP. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, PPP Secretary General Humayun Khan, Senator Palwasha Khan and the party’s Khyber...

COMPARED to the coldness of the Biden administration towards Pakistan, bilateral relations under Donald Trump’s watch have warmed up considerably. Early on Friday, the prime minister and the army chief met the American leader in the White House to mainly discuss , as a PM House readout describes, security, counterterrorism and investment issues. Mr Trump had earlier in the week met Shehbaz Sharif in New York, during a meeting with leaders of Muslim states on the sidelines of the UNGA to discuss the Gaza war. In June, the army chief had an unprecedented lunch with the American president. This is the first time a Pakistani prime minister has had a dedicated bilateral interaction with a US president in six years; the last interaction was between Imran Khan and Mr Trump in 2019. Apart from the photos of beaming leaders and mutual appreciation — Mr Trump referred to Mr Sharif as a “great leader”, while the PM called the US leader “courageous” — the details of what was discussed are ske...

The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) on Friday approved the adoption of the latest WiFi generation, WiFi 7, making it one of the first nations in the Asia-Pacific region to use the network. According to a press release, WiFi 7 and future generations will operate on the 6 GHz network band, underscoring Pakistan’s commitment to digital innovation and leadership. “Wi-Fi 7 delivers ultra-high data rates, low latency, and robust reliability, enabling 8K streaming, AR/VR, and industrial automation,” the press release read. “By easing congestion in legacy bands and reducing broadband delivery costs, it will strengthen connectivity for households, SMEs (small-medium enterprises), campuses, healthcare, and smart cities.” This development comes a week after Information and Technology Secretary Zarrar Hasham said that restoring damaged undersea internet cables may take four to five weeks. During a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information Technology and...

THE new World Bank report, Reclaiming Momentum Towards Prosperity, is a sobering reminder that Pakistan’s current growth and development model is no longer fit to sustain reduction in poverty and inequality. The model, which supported initial gains in poverty alleviation before running aground, has already eroded two decades of progress as poverty trends reversed over the past three years. A new development trajectory is needed, one which prioritises inclusive growth, equity and sustained investment in human capital, the WB said. The bank also called for the overhaul of the present development model at the report’s launch in Islamabad recently. “Reforms that expand access to quality services, protect households from shocks and create better jobs — especially for the bottom 40pc — are essential to break cycles of poverty and deliver durable, inclusive growth,” it said. Poverty, which had declined from 64.3pc in 2001-02 to 21.9pc in 2018-19, has been climbing again. It rose to 24...

• Seniority concerns cannot override constitutional transfers, holds Justice Mazhar • Justice Panhwar suggests creating unified seniority list of all high court judges ISLAMABAD: Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar on Thursday ruled that the transfer of a judge from one high court to another under Article 200(1) of the Constitution cannot be declared “against the public interest” merely because it affects the seniority of a few existing judges. “The best interest of public at large is always with the expeditious disposal of their cases and not in forum shopping,” emphasised Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar in a detailed judgement. Justice Mazhar had presided over the Supreme Court’s five-judge Constitutional Bench that heard a joint petition by five Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges — Justices Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Babar Sattar, Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan and Saman Rafat Imtiaz — who had argued that three transferred judges, including IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarf...

THE World Bank has issued a stark warning to Pakistan in a report released on Tuesday. The country’s growth model has run its course, and over the past five years, the number of people living below the poverty line has begun to swell after two decades of shrinkage. Not only that. Nearly 40 per cent of children are stunted, and this percentage has not changed much over a long period of time. One quarter of children of primary school age remain out of school. Of the ones that do go to school, 75pc of those who finish primary schooling cannot read, or follow a simple story. One after another, the dismal state of the population as seen in the social indicators testifies to the fact that the economy is not delivering, whether or not it grows. The middle of the decade of the 2010s saw a high-growth spurt, yet between the years 2011 and 2021, “real wage growth in sectors employing the poor remained minimal at just 2-3pc” the report notes, “making the poor ill-equipped to convert economic ...

• Diplomats head back to Washington to prepare, but officials remain guarded about prospects of ‘flagship engagement’ at the White House • Premier asks IMF to take flood damage into account as lender’s team meets govt officials in Islamabad today • In joint statement after meeting Trump, Muslim bloc leaders reject forced displacement from Gaza NEW YORK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s diplomacy-packed US visit is expected to reach a climax in a White House meeting with President Donald Trump today (Thursday). During his whirlwind tour, PM Shehbaz has attended UNGA sessions, a key multilateral summit of the Muslim bloc, as well as side meetings with the heads of international financial institutions in New York. All signs now point to a flagship engagement in Washington, though officials remain guarded about specifics. The PM’s media team, the staff at Pakistan’s embassy and its UN mission, all describe the meeting as being “almost certain”. This is evident from the fact that sev...

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday welcomed the landmark mutual defence deal struck between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia as the beginning of a “comprehensive regional security system”. Pakis­tan and Saudi Arabia entered into a landmark mutual defence agreement, under which any aggression against one state will be considered an attack on both. The pact was signed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman at the Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh last week. The timing of the accord, coming on the heels of an Arab summit that signalled a shift towards collective security — in the wake of Israel’s attack on Qatar — hints that it is rooted in current world affairs and reflects the defence concerns of both countries. It also comes just months after a deadly India-Pakistan conflict in May, as well as the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June. The Iranian president praised the defence deal while addressing the General Debate of the 80th Session ...

THE tragic loss of civilian lives in explosions in KP’s Tirah valley highlights the need for greater transparency in counterterrorism operations from the state. In particular, residents in the vulnerable area should be taken on board to minimise the chances of collateral damage . Much confusion surrounds the incident, which occurred in the early hours of Monday. At least two dozen residents of Tirah, including women and children, lost their lives in the blasts, which officials claim were caused by terrorists storing and manufacturing explosive devices in houses. Sources quoted in the media say that TTP militants had forcibly occupied the dwellings and used them to store explosives. They said that several militants also perished in the blasts. However, residents of the area and provincial lawmakers dispute these claims, asserting that the valley came under aerial bombardment. A statement attributed to the KP chief minister quotes him as saying that the “martyrdom of civilians” due to...

QUETTA: Twelve people, including women and chil­dren, were injured wh­en the Quetta-bound Jaf­far Express was targeted in a bomb blast in the Spizend area of Mas­tung on Tuesday. According to railway officials, six bogies of the train coming from Peshawar derailed after the blast and one overturned, injuring the passengers in that carriage. It was the second blast in the same area within 10 hours. Earlier in the morning, an explosion had occurred near the main track linking Balochistan to the rest of the country, just as the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express was preparing to leave Quetta Railway Station. The train was briefly halted but allowed to continue after security clearance, as the track was not damaged. Police officials said an explosive device plan­ted on the track was detonated when the Quetta-bound train was passing through the Spizend area. “Six bogies of the Jaffar Express derailed after the blast and one of them over­t­urned,” a senior Pakistan Railways official told Daw...

The government is set to hold a signing ceremony today for a financing facility agreement to reduce the circular debt in the power sector, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). A letter from the Central Power Purchasing Agency to all banks and power sector entities invited their chief executive officers and heads to attend the event. It said the event will be held at the PMO and PM Shehbaz Sharif will also virtually address the event as he is currently in New York for the UN General Assembly session. Pakistan’s debt burden has become the defining constraint of its fiscal and economic future. According to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan, the total government debt (excluding the International Monetary Fund) increased from Rs69 trillion in June 2024 to Rs78tr by June 2025. The public debt (including the IMF debt) increased to Rs80.5tr from Rs71.2tr in June 2024. Both the numbers understate the full level of the government’s indebtedness. Developments suggest ...

• PA President Abbas calls on all states to follow suit • Dar attends, but doesn’t address high-level moot • PM due to meet Trump alongside Muslim leaders • Palestine flag unfurled at London mission NEW YORK: France and Monaco extended formal recognition to the State of Palestine at a high-level conference on Monday. “We must do everything within our power to preserve the very possibility of a two-state solution, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security,” French President Emmanuel Macron said before announcing the diplomatic move, drawing lengthy applause from the audience. Macron outlined a framework for a “renewed Palestinian Authority” under which France would open an embassy subject to factors such as reforms, a ceasefire and the release of all remaining prisoners held in Gaza. Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg and San Marino were also expected to recognise a Palestinian state ahead of this week’s UN General Assembly, after Australia, Britain, Canada, Portu...

Barcelona and Spain star Aitana Bonmati won the Women’s Ballon d’Or at an awards ceremony in Paris on Monday, the third consecutive year she has taken the prize. Bonmati edged out Mariona Caldentey, her teammate in the Spain side beaten on penalties by England in the Women’s Euro 2025 final in July. The 27-year-old midfielder also lost the Women’s Champions League final with her club last season, at the hands of Caldentey’s Arsenal. Bonmati was named player of the tournament at the Euros, despite not starting either of Spain’s first two matches as she recovered from a bout of viral meningitis. Alessia Russo, one of the nominees from the triumphant England European Championship team, came in third place. The Ballon d’Or is the most prestigious individual prize in both men’s and women’s football, and Bonmati’s run of three in a row follows back-to-back victories for her Barcelona and Spain teammate Alexia Putellas. Norway’s Ada Hegerberg and USA star Megan Rapinoe are the only o...

Pakistan twice came from behind in an enthralling South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-17 Championship clash against India, only for their arch-rivals to go ahead for a third time and eventually clinch a 3-2 victory at the Colombo Racecourse Stadium on Monday that secured top spot in the group. Goals in each half by Pakistan’s Mohammad Abdullah, from the penalty spot, and Hamza Yasir had levelled the Group ‘B’ clash at 2-2 by the 70th minute but India’s substitute Rahan Ahmed found the winner in the 73rd to take his side through to a semi-final against Group ‘A’ runners-up Nepal. Pakistan, meanwhile, take on Group ‘A’ winners Bangladesh with both last-four clashes to be held on Thursday. Both teams had already secured semi-final berths and heading into the final group game, Pakistan held the advantage by the barest of margins — on goals scored — and a draw would’ve sufficed for Nasir Ismail’s side to avoid Bangladesh, who have ousted them in the semi-final stage of each o...

WORLD leaders are making their way to New York as the 80th session of the UN General Assembly kicks off this week. Among other global crises, the Gaza genocide will top the agenda. Yet it will be a massive disappointment if the global elite continue to simply offer their condolences to the besieged people of Gaza, instead of coming up with solid plans to end Israel’s butchery . The international community’s track record in this regard is quite poor, but the UNGA session offers a chance for the comity of nations to help end the slaughter. As these lines were being written Israel was busy exterminating the population of Gaza City. Half a million Palestinians have reportedly been ethnically cleansed from the area, told to ‘leave’ by the Israeli military. But there is nowhere to go, as even overcrowded ‘safe zones’ in the occupied Strip are not safe from Israel’s predatory behaviour. The paralysis of the international community, including the UN, is astounding, as states have been ...