Islamabad court grants interim bail to co-suspect in student suicide case

The Islamabad Additional District and Sessions Court on Thursday granted interim bail to the co-suspect in the Laiba Ijaz suicide case up to October 20. Laiba, who had aspired to study at a top US university, was found hanging from a tree near a road in Islamabad on October 9, after her family allegedly lost around Rs7 million to a consultant who had promised to secure her admission and a scholarship. The Federal Investigation Agency registered a case against suspects Muhammad Nauman and Fatima Sarwar under Sections 419 (cheating), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code, read with Sections 18 and 22 of the Emigration Ordinance, 1979. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also took notice of the incident and directed the inspector general of Islamabad police and the chief commissioner to take immediate action against the suspect. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also vowed to look into the case personally. During the proceedings of the session court, co-suspect Nihar Muhammad pleaded not guilty. His legal counsel said he was innocent and had been wrongfully implicated in the case. Read: PM Shehbaz takes notice of gold medallist’s suicide in Islamabad following education funds scam He also urged Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka to grant his client interim bail, which was granted against surety bonds worth Rs20,000. The court also issued notices to the parties and directed them to present their arguments at the next hearing. It is worth noting that the prime suspect in the case, Nauman, was sent on 5-day physical remand on Monday, October 12. Police had registered the case against the suspects in the suicide case at Ramna Police Station.

from Pakistan News, Latest News Pakistan, Pakistan Headline | The Express Tribune https://ift.tt/holxuHW

EU wants more legal migration from Pakistan

The European Union needs to make legal travel easier for Pakistanis and address obstacles faced by genuine travelers, the bloc's migration chief has said, calling Pakistan's nearly 50% Schengen visa refusal rate "too much" and acknowledging difficulties in securing visa appointments. Magnus Brunner, the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, told The Express Tribune in an exclusive interview during his first visit to Pakistan that the EU needed to improve legal migration pathways while Pakistan also had to improve the quality of documents submitted with visa applications. "We have to do a better job there as a European Union," Brunner said, referring to visa access. "The quality of the documents to get a visa [needs to] improve, to be diplomatic, because this has actually led to refusal rates of Schengen visas in Pakistan [of] almost 50%, which is too much. So we have to work on both sides, I think." During his visit, Brunner held talks with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and other officials, with migration, legal mobility, border management and human smuggling high on the agenda. Brunner said cooperation between Pakistan and the EU had helped bring down irregular migration significantly. "The numbers are good, they are going down. We see a decrease of Pakistanis coming illegally to the European Union of more than 50%, which is great news," he said. Separately, Pakistani officials said during Brunner's visit that irregular migration from Pakistan to Europe had fallen by 64% over the past 18 months. Brunner said bringing irregular migration under control was important for creating greater political space within Europe for legal migration. "It is so important for the public perception to get the illegal part right in order to give also more room for a serious discussion on legal pathways," he said. Asked about difficulties faced by Pakistanis in even securing appointments to apply for Schengen visas, Brunner acknowledged the problem. "Sometimes it's a bit frustrating, I suppose, for Pakistanis who want to travel legally to the European Union," he said. He stressed that visas remained largely the competence of individual EU member states but said the European Commission was trying through its visa strategy to improve coordination and make the process quicker. Brunner said Europe also needed legal migration because of demographic changes and labour shortages. "The people get older each year, and that's why we need, of course, legal migration for our labour markets," he said. On the EU's Talent Partnership with Pakistan, Brunner acknowledged that its potential had yet to be fully realised. "We haven't achieved enough, I think," he said, adding that one of the reasons for his visit was to explore how the skills of young Pakistanis could be better matched with the needs of European economies. He cited Italy as an example of an EU member state offering opportunities to foreign workers but acknowledged that other countries could do more. "There is room for improvement for other member states," he said. Brunner said the challenge for Europe was to match skills available in countries such as Pakistan with jobs required by European economies. He also praised Pakistan's efforts to develop legal labour pathways with other countries, citing its arrangements with South Korea. "In general, I think Pakistan does a very good job in strategically looking into legal pathways all over the world, but also towards the European Union," he said. At the same time, the commissioner said Europe had tightened its approach towards irregular migration following years of political pressure over the issue. He said irregular migration into the EU overall had fallen by around 55% during the past two years following reforms. Brunner identified the routes from Pakistan and Bangladesh through Gulf countries, Egypt and Libya towards Italy and Greece as particularly dangerous. "What we see at the moment is that the most dangerous route, where a lot of people lose their lives, is from Pakistan, Bangladesh, through the Gulf countries, to Egypt, to Libya, and from Libya to Italy and Greece," he said. He said Pakistan was playing an important role in the EU's Eastern Corridor Initiative aimed at tackling irregular migration and human smuggling along the route. "A lot of Pakistanis have lost their lives actually, and that's what it's about... to save lives," Brunner said. The commissioner also said cooperation under the EU-Pakistan readmission agreement was progressing, although there was room for improvement. "We have a readmission agreement with Pakistan which is going well. The return numbers are at 30%, around about 30%, which is in general okay, but also there, of course, room for improvement," he said. He said Pakistani authorities had given him a clear commitment that the country would take back its nationals found to be staying illegally in the EU. Brunner had a direct warning for young Pakistanis considering dangerous irregular routes to Europe. "Don't put your life into the hands of the smugglers and the human traffickers because it's very dangerous. You can lose your life and the probability of getting asylum in the European Union is almost zero," he said. "Stick to the education, the right skills, and then find the legal ways to the European Union. We are very happy to have you legally, on a legal basis, on a legal pathway." Turning to security, Brunner said terrorism in Pakistan could have implications well beyond the country and called counterterrorism a shared objective. "We do everything to support Pakistan in the fight against terrorism and also radicalisation," he said. "This is our common goal." Asked about the safety of Muslim communities in Europe amid concerns over Islamophobia and racism, Brunner pointed to the EU's internal security strategy. "I think we have to do everything to keep the people safe altogether and to avoid a misuse of religion, which then leads to radicalisation and extremism," he said. Brunner also praised Pakistan's diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions between Iran and the United States, saying Islamabad had demonstrated its importance as an intermediary. "Pakistan has shown that the role of Pakistan is really important. And to be the middleman between those two, I think, is really important," he said. "I trust totally the Pakistani government. They're doing everything they can to bring peace and this is what we as Europeans, of course, support."

from Pakistan News, Latest News Pakistan, Pakistan Headline | The Express Tribune https://ift.tt/GxMoF1N

Canada-returned elderly couple found dead at Karachi home

The bodies of an elderly couple, who had returned from Canada a few months ago, were found at their house in North Karachi, with the cause of death yet to be ascertained, police said. According to a statement issued by the District Central police spokesperson, the bodies were found at house R-93 in Sector 11-C of North Karachi, opposite B Amma Park, within the jurisdiction of the Sir Syed police station. The deceased were identified as 70-year-old Muhammad Yameen, son of Khuda Bakhsh, and his 65-year-old wife, Nafis Akhtar. The couple had returned from Canada some time ago and were living at the house, the police said. Read: Five members of a family found dead inside home in Karachi's Malir Their bodies were taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal formalities. An initial examination found no marks of injuries caused by a sharp-edged weapon on either body, contrary to earlier reports that the couple had been found with their throats slit, the police spokesperson said. However, blood had flowed from their noses and ears and dried on the floor. Police suspected that excessive bleeding might have caused their deaths, while the possibility that they had been given a poisonous substance was also being investigated. Sir Syed Station House Officer (SHO) Irfan Asif said the cause of death could not be immediately established. He added that poisoning was one possibility, but it was too early to reach a conclusion and the post-mortem report would be needed to determine the cause of death. The incident came to light when a close relative of Yameen visited the couple but received no response from inside the house. The police were subsequently informed. Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Fareed Khan said the bodies appeared to be more than 18 hours old. Police were obtaining footage from closed-circuit television cameras installed in the area to gather further information about the incident. Also Read: Mother, three children brutally murdered Investigators were also told that workers had been visiting the house for repair work. The couple had last been seen outside the house on Tuesday evening, according to information gathered by the police. The house, a ground-plus-one structure with a shop, had reportedly been owned by the couple for several years. They planned to sell it and return to Canada to join their three children. The house had recently been vacated by a tenant, and repair work was under way. There was little furniture or other household material inside. Police recovered mobile phones from the house but found no evidence of robbery, the report said. Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar took notice of the incident and sought details from the senior superintendent of police for District Central.

from Pakistan News, Latest News Pakistan, Pakistan Headline | The Express Tribune https://ift.tt/lxWc1ZN

‘Very unhealthy’ 210 air quality score chokes Lahore

Lahore recorded a “very unhealthy” air quality level, with the US Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 210 at around 10pm, while the worst reading of 298 was recorded at the Urban Unit in Lahore Cantonment, according to IQAir data on Wednesday. The website also quoted Kot Addu’s AQI score at a dismal 212, advising residents to limit outdoor movement, wear masks, keep windows closed and use air purifiers where possible. Meanwhile, the Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPA) recorded comparatively modest readings of the air quality across the province. It noted Kot Addu’s AQI at 183, the highest in Punjab, followed by Vehari at 171, Jhelum at 169 and Sahiwal at 162. Multan and Pakpattan each recorded an AQI of 159, followed by Gujranwala at 157, Dera Ghazi Khan at 154 and Bhakkar at 153. Sheikhupura recorded an AQI of 147, followed by Lahore at 143. Faisalabad and Khushab each registered 137, while Okara recorded 133, Bahawalpur 127 and Mandi Bahauddin 125. Wazirabad recorded an AQI of 124, followed by Sialkot at 118, Sargodha at 115 and Murree at 114. Mianwali registered 105, Talagang 82 and Rawalpindi 68, while Jhang recorded 52 and Nankana Sahib had the lowest reading at 40. Get hourly AQI updates, area-wise rankings, and health advisories from Punjab EPA's official website.https://t.co/2wAZKiJMXP#epapunjab #publicawareness #cleanair #aqi #aqilahore pic.twitter.com/xsHWKjL4nI — @EPCCDPUNJAB (@EPCCDpunjab) October 11, 2026 An advisory urged people vulnerable to air pollution to monitor their health, maintain healthy eating habits and avoid smoking. It also recommended monitoring health indicators, including oxygen levels and blood pressure, and keeping emergency equipment, such as a nebuliser, available if needed. The agency urged people experiencing respiratory problems to consult a doctor. Similarly vulnerable groups, including children, older people and those with existing respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, were advised to limit outdoor activities, particularly when pollution levels were high. Read: Low wind speed aggravates pollution risk Separately, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast rain, windstorms and thunderstorms in upper and central Punjab on Wednesday as a westerly wave affected most upper and central parts of the country. PMD said heavy rain and hailstorms were possible at a few places. The department said isolated rainfall was also forecast in Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), Kashmir and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). It warned that strong winds, hail and lightning could damage weak structures, including the roofs and walls of mud houses, electric poles, billboards, vehicles and solar panels. Weather Update for Next 24 Hours October 14, 2026 For More Information Please Visit the Link Below:https://t.co/0RoxDtyuyC#PakistanWeather #WeatherUpdate #WeatherForecast #PMD #HotAndHumid #GilgitBaltistan #Kashmir #WeatherAlert #Pakistan #Mausam pic.twitter.com/UZOiepoAXo — Pak Met Department محکمہ موسمیات (@pmdgov) October 14, 2026 It also said standing crops could be affected by the weather. The Met Office further said most parts of the country were expected to experience mainly dry weather on Thursday, although isolated rain, wind and thunderstorms were likely in north-eastern Punjab, G-B, Kashmir and adjoining areas.  

from Pakistan News, Latest News Pakistan, Pakistan Headline | The Express Tribune https://ift.tt/XklrIwg

Police claim situation in Khyber under control after reported clashes

The Capital City Police Peshawar on Tuesday urged the public not to pay heed to what it described as "baseless rumours", saying the situation in Bara had been "brought under control" amid reports of clashes between protestors and security personnel. The police also denied reports that any personnel had been abducted and said around 50 people had been arrested for allegedly "attempting to create unrest". The statement said cases would be registered against those involved in damaging public property and disrupting law and order under relevant provisions relating to terrorism and sabotage, with strict legal action to follow. Read: Govt was left with 'no option' but emergency, governor rule: PM Shehbaz The statement came after clashes reportedly erupted in Bara Bazaar on Tuesday during a protest by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers against the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Protesters set fire to a National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) office and allegedly took 15 police personnel hostage, according to police. A protest by the PTI turned violent in Bara Bazaar in Khyber district, with protesters setting fire to a NADRA office, damaging government property and pelting stones at a Rescue 1122 office. Several people, including two children, were reportedly injured in firing during the protest. PTI lawmaker Iqbal Afridi said 11 party workers had been injured and one killed. The casualties could not be independently verified. ضلع خیبر، جمرود میں گورنر راج کے خلاف پُرامن احتجاج. عوامی حقوق پر کوئی سمجھوتہ نہیں، گورنر راج نامنظور pic.twitter.com/4cBa4VAwLa — Iqbal Afridi PTI (@IqbalAfridiPTI) October 13, 2026 Khyber District Police Officer Waqar Ahmed said hundreds of PTI workers gathered in Bara Bazaar on Tuesday afternoon to protest against governor’s rule. Police used tear gas and fired into the air to disperse the crowd, which temporarily broke up. About 90 minutes later, hundreds of protesters led by provincial assembly member Abdul Ghani marched from Minar Chowk towards Bara Chowk, chanting slogans against the government. They set fire to traffic signals upon reaching the intersection, according to the account provided by the district police chief. As tensions escalated, protesters allegedly detained 15 police personnel inside the tehsil municipal office and took away their weapons and uniforms. Ahmed said the personnel remained in captivity at the time of reporting. Protesters also set fire to the NADRA office and pelted the Rescue office with stones. Police again used tear gas and fired into the air to disperse the crowd. Two PTI workers were injured by tear gas shells during the demonstrations, Ahmed said. Separately, reports from Bara Bazaar indicated that several people, including two children, had received gunshot wounds. Further details about the casualties were not immediately available. Protest in Jamrud Protests were also held at Bab-e-Khyber in Jamrud, where demonstrators chanted slogans against the government’s measures. Further details about the demonstration were not immediately available. Tensions remained high at several locations in Khyber district following the protests and violence. The status of the police personnel allegedly detained by protesters, the number of injured, and the extent of damage to public property remained unclear.

from Pakistan News, Latest News Pakistan, Pakistan Headline | The Express Tribune https://ift.tt/EOmaDIJ

Omani FM arrives in Pakistan, to co-chair Joint Ministerial Commission session

Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday for a two-day visit to co-chair the eighth Pakistan-Oman Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) session, according to the Foreign Office (FO). Albusaidi, visiting at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and FM Ishaq Dar, was received by the Economic Affairs Division secretary and the FO additional secretary (Middle East).   His Excellency Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi @badralbusaidi, Foreign Minister of the Sultanate of Oman, arrived in Islamabad today on an official visit to Pakistan during 13-14 October 2026. He was received at the airport by Additional Secretary Economic Affairs… pic.twitter.com/ALpb65f9HN — Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) October 13, 2026 The FO said that the visiting dignitary would hold a bilateral meeting with FM Dar. The 8th Session of the Pakistan-Oman JMC will also be held in Islamabad during the visit and would be co-chaired by the two foreign ministers. Albusaidi is also expected to pay a courtesy call to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. In an earlier statement, the FO had said the meeting would provide an "important platform" to review the "full spectrum of bilateral relations" and strengthen cooperation across various fields. The FO had said the visit reflected the longstanding fraternal relations between Pakistan and Oman and was expected to further deepen mutually beneficial cooperation across multiple sectors. Albusaidi's visit coincides with regional diplomacy to contain escalating hostilities in the Middle East. The two countries have participated in mediation efforts to bring a negotiated settlement to the US-Iran war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Read More: Oman’s Sultan, Iranian FM discuss regional crises, push for diplomacy, peace Oman has engaged in talks with Iran to establish temporary or safe commercial shipping routes through the near-closed waterway.

from Pakistan News, Latest News Pakistan, Pakistan Headline | The Express Tribune https://ift.tt/qlWNEdu

Explainer: What are the ARDC and ADS, and what are their roles and objectives?

The Area Representative and Development Council (ARDC) was set up with the primary purpose of representing the people of the 12 troubled districts, identifying local issues and addressing development needs under the supervision of the federal government, while an Area Development Secretariat (ADS) was also established to run the council. Bureaucrat Yahya Akhunzada was appointed as the first administrator of the council. The administrator will be an empowered decision-maker, entrusted with full operational and administrative powers to maintain peace in the troubled areas, run development projects and take timely decisions so that peace, security, terrorism and administrative matters can be handled effectively, on time, and in consultation with the council. Following the imposition of emergency measures and governor’s rule in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) after the federal cabinet approved the recommendation and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advised President Asif Ali Zardari to invoke Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution, Zardari signed the summary, transferring executive authority from the provincial government to Governor Faisal Karim Kundi. Read: Governor's rule imposed in K-P for fourth time The federal government then formed an 11-member advisory council to oversee administrative affairs in the province, ordering the immediate establishment of the ADS in the 12 designated districts which include Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, Orakzai, North Waziristan, Upper South Waziristan, and Lower South Waziristan. The government also notified that the ADS would operate under the supervision of the ARDC. Under the supervision of the federal government, and together with the provincial government, the secretariat will make decisions on security, peace, development and administrative matters in the 12 districts, together with the security forces and law enforcement agencies, and in full consultation with the ARDC. Council members will be nominated on the basis of the population of the relevant areas and districts, along with the tribal representation of the relevant areas and districts. The process is moving ahead rapidly and will be completed in the next few days, after which the federal government will issue an official notification of the appointments. Council members will be appointed for the duration of the imposition of the emergency or for a period determined by the federal government. The council will elect a chairman and a vice chairman from among its members, who will ensure its leadership, coordination and effective communication. It will meet every 15 days, while the ARDC can summon a meeting at any time if required. Council members will also be part of the District Coordination Committees of the relevant districts, in order to improve communication and harmony between local representatives and administrative institutions. Further, based on local needs and public demands, the council will identify the projects required for socio-economic development in the 12 designated districts and will submit recommendations to the federal government through the ARDC. Development project priorities will be determined keeping in view local needs, public issues and ground realities, so that resources may be used more effectively. Read More: Govt defends K-P emergency, alleges PTI-KP govt’s ‘nexus’ with terrorists The council will also review the local law and order situation and propose practicable measures for its improvement, presenting its recommendations regarding the cooperation and facilitation required by law enforcement agencies to eliminate terrorism and prevent illegal activities. The council's role is to increase cooperation among the relevant institutions, address local issues in a timely manner and assist in making security-related measures effective. It will also give recommendations to improve governance, public safety, development activities and the provision of basic public services. An important aspect of the arrangement is that representatives of the relevant areas will be directly involved in resolving local issues, determining development priorities and identifying public needs. Through the council, the link between public needs and administrative decisions will be strengthened, helping identify issues at the local level, as well ad aiding institutional coordination and improving public services. The purpose of the ARDC is to make local representation effective, identify development projects according to public needs, provide support for improving law and order, and ensure better governance and the provision of public services.

from Pakistan News, Latest News Pakistan, Pakistan Headline | The Express Tribune https://ift.tt/EkxY1ct