Strong earthquake tremors were felt in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday, creating panic among residents in several districts. The tremors were reported in upper regions including Malakand, Dir, and Chitral, while shaking was also felt in Landi Kotal and surrounding areas of Khyber district. According to the Seismological Center, the earthquake measured 5.7 on the Richter scale and occurred at a depth of 12 kilometers. The epicenter was located in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan. No immediate reports of casualties or damage were received, while local authorities continue to monitor the situation

The Punjab government has finalized preparations for introducing stringent legislation to curb land mafia activities and fraud in the buying and selling of plots across the province. The development came during a high-level meeting chaired by Punjab Minister for Housing Bilal Yasin at the Board of Revenue. Senior officials including Senior Member Board of Revenue Nabeel Javed, Secretary Housing Noor-ul-Amin Mengal, Director General LDA, and representatives from the Punjab Land Records Authority, PLRA, attended the meeting. The Punjab Land Records Authority will develop province-wide software to ensure transparent approval and verification of housing schemes. Recommendations were also presented to ban the advertisement of illegal housing schemes and to make registration of property dealers mandatory.

President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the de-notification of Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri as a judge of the Islamabad High Court, on the advice of the Prime Minister. After the approval by the President, the Ministry of Law and Justice has issued notification to officially de-notified Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri as judge of the Islamabad High Co

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has warned that India’s unilateral actions regarding shared river waters pose grave risks to peace and stability in South Asia, accusing New Delhi of using water as a political weapon. During these periods, India allegedly released water into the Chenab without prior notice, causing sudden changes in water flow downstream. Dar emphasized that India failed to share mandatory hydrological data and information with Pakistan, as required under the Indus Waters Treaty. He said such actions undermine trust, transparency, and regional cooperation, while directly affecting millions of people dependent on river waters in Pakistan. Pakistan, he stressed, will continue to safeguard its water rights while urging the international community to take note of India’s actions that threaten regional stability.

By Sardar Khan NiaziDonald Trump’s recurring call to normalize relations with Russia has once again stirred debate in Washington and beyond. He has long viewed geopolitics less as a contest of values and more as a negotiation among strong states. From this perspective, a permanent confrontation with Russia is costly, distracts from domestic priorities, and pushes Moscow closer to Beijing. Normalization, Trump suggests, could reduce the risk of great-power conflict, open space for arms control, and allow the United States to concentrate on economic competition, particularly with China. Ultimately, the question is not whether the United States should talk to Russia — it should — but on what terms.

Pakistan’s public financial management system stands at a critical juncture, where traditional methods of oversight are increasingly inadequate to meet the demands of a complex, digitalizing economy. Data analytics tools can enable auditors to identify risk patterns, detect anomalies, and focus resources where they matter most. The briefing by Controller General of Accounts Umar Ali Khan further highlights how these reforms fit into a broader ecosystem of public financial modernization. As more transactions move into digital channels, the availability of high-quality, real-time data will expand. The real test, however, will be the capacity of institutions to use this data responsibly, securely, and effectively.

Ranveer Singh’s role in the film ‘Dharandhar’ is not only based on a thrilling mission, but its background has also shocked the audience. In the film, Ranveer Singh is seen playing the role of an Indian secret agent Jaskrit Singh Rangi, who arrives in the Lyari area of ​​Karachi to carry out an anti-terrorism operation. Interestingly, in real life, Ranveer Singh himself belongs to a Sindhi family. According to Indian media, his real name is Ranveer Singh Bhavnani and his parents’ family moved from Karachi to Mumbai after the partition of India in 1947. Ranveer Singh has expressed pride in his Sindhi identity on several occasions.

HBL, Pakistan’s premier financial services group has launched its Impact & Sustainability Report 2024, highlighting the Group’s continued commitment to building an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable future for Pakistan. Guided by its majority shareholder, the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED),HBL, Pakistan’s premier financial services group has launched its Impact & Sustainability Report 2024, highlighting the Group’s continued commitment to building an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable future for Pakistan. Guided by its majority shareholder, the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED), and a strong governance framework, HBL remains focused on delivering environmentally and socially responsible growth across its operations. The report highlights HBL’s efforts to expand access to finance in underserved areas, empower women entrepreneurs, strengthen Pakistan’s agricultural value chain through HBL Zarai Services, and support healthcare, education, arts, and humanitarian initiatives through HBL Foundation. It also reflects the Bank’s growing focus on environmental stewardship, including renewable energy adoption, green financing, and climate-resilient solutions.

Orders Layyah AC's transfer over child's deathPunjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif addresses the commissioners and deputy commissioners via video link on Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025. The chief minister directed the administration to take immediate action to address open manholes, dog-bite incidents, dilapidated infrastructure and land mafia. Vegetable marketsPunjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has ordered all stakeholders to adopt modern farming techniques to ensure availability of off-season vegetables. The chief minister asserted that a mafia culture had been eliminated from Punjab and said no mafia would now be allowed to operate. The chief minister said other provinces were compelled to emulate the development and initiatives under way in Punjab.

Criticises deregulation policy; says a completely free market does not exist anywhereA parliamentary panel has expressed serious concern over low sugarcane prices despite high profits earned by sugar mills. The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security met on Wednesday to review agricultural output. Officials informed the committee that 11 million tons of sugarcane had been crushed so far, producing 922,000 tons of sugar, while 138,000 tons of sugar stock from last year remained available. The chairman criticized the deregulation policy for wheat and sugarcane, warning that a completely free market does not exist anywhere in the world. The committee decided to consult the Minister for National Food Security to devise a workable solution for sugarcane pricing while complying with IMF conditions and protecting farmers.

Three the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) officials, who were being investigated by the FIA their involvement in extracting money from a known YouTuber and call centres, resigned from their posts. According to a notification, Deputy Director Sarfaraz Chaudhry, Assistant Director Muhammad Usman and Assistant Director Shoaib Riaz resigned from their posts. "This is to inform that the following officers are relieved from the NCCIA from the date of approval of their resignations — Nov 20." Another official, Assistant Director Asma Majeed, also resigned from her post.

A recent study has debunked the common misconception about children’s screen time. Researchers at the University of South Australia in Australia analyzed data from more than 133,000 children and young people under the age of 18, and came up with some surprising results. According to the study, digital tools such as health apps, fitness trackers […]

At least three police officials were martyred in terrorist attack on a police check post in Hangu, a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, on Wednesday, Dunya News reported. According to police officials, terrorists targeted the Qazi Talab check post located on Shaho Road in the jurisdiction of City Police Station. During the exchange of fire between the police and the terrorists, three personnel were martyred. DPO Khanzeb Khan informed that the police officials at the check post bravely confronted the terrorists. The bodies of the martyred police officials have been shifted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) hospital, Hangu.

The Senate session will be held at the Parliament House in Islamabad today (Thursday). The Senate session will start at 4:00PM, Dunya News reported. According to sources, the Senate secretariat has issued a seven-point agenda for today’s session. A calling-attention notice regarding the closure of bank accounts of former and current parliamentarians is also part of the agenda. Senator Jan Muhammad will present the notice in the House.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned that smog and fog conditions are expected to persist with a rising trend across the plain areas of the country in the coming days due to prolonged dry weather. According to the Met Office, visibility is likely to remain low, particularly during early morning hours, in the northeast and southern parts of Punjab, including Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Jhelum, Bhakkar, Mianwali, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Sahiwal, Multan, Khanewal, Layyah, Kot Addu and Bahawalpur. Similar conditions are forecast for parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Peshawar, Swabi, Mardan and Dera Ismail Khan as well as upper Sindh, especially Sukkur and Rohri. The PMD cautioned that the worsening smog and fog may disrupt transportation and contribute to unhealthy air quality, particularly for sensitive groups. The public has been urged to stay updated through the PMD website and the Pak Weather mobile application for daily forecasts and advisories.