LAHORE: An ‘unprecedented’ rise in temperatures has sharply reduced cotton seed germination this year, raising fears of a serious shortage of certified seed for the 2026-27 cotton crop and potentially affecting next season’s sowing. Cotton seed germination, normally expected to remain above 70 per cent under suitable temperatures of around 30°C, had fallen to nearly…

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SAHIWAL: The Shahkot station house officer (SHO) was suspended from service and booked for the alleged abduction and misuse of authority by the regional police officer (RPO) here on Wednesday. According to reports, Shahkot SHO Imtiaz Hussain Noon revived a four-year-old theft case originally filed by one Nasir Mahmood Masood against unknown suspects. The SHO…

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SAHIWAL: The Lahore High Court, Multan Bench, has admitted a writ petition challenging the detention of 24 PTI office bearers, leaders and workers from Sahiwal tehsil under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance. The court directed Sahiwal Deputy Commissioner Samiullah Farooq to submit a report by Sept 24 (today). According to sources, around 47…

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ISLAMABAD: While the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) is already under the spotlight following the deaths of 15 newborns in a recent fire incident, former head of the hospital’s burn care centre, Prof Dr Tariq Iqbal, has appealed to the federal health authorities to initiate a high-level inquiry into the alleged “complete collapse” of…

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ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court has set aside the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (Pemra) action against several television channels over the alleged broadcast of hate speech during the 2017 Faizabad sit-in, and ordered the regulator to decide the matter afresh after giving the channels a full right of hearing. Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas…

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GUJRAT: The local authorities have started making arrangements to block the bridges on the rivers Chenab and Jhelum within the limits of Gujrat district for the participants in the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) long march on Islamabad. Scores of heavy vehicles have been parked near the Chenab and Jhelum bridges, while the National Highways and Motorways…

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ISLAMABAD: In anticipation of PTI’s upcoming march, capital police have been provided ‘net launchers’ as a non-lethal mode of dealing with protesters. According to a statement, the federal government has provided police with modern net launchers, which may be used for the first time if PTI rallies manage to reach the capital. A video issued…

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• Message conveyed to party that capital protest will not be allowed, come what may• Party cadres remain in the dark, as CM Afridi expected to unveil strategy tomorrow• Insiders say govt has offered to shift Imran, Bushra out of prison, allow meeting with family if march is called off• Minister denies offering any ‘confidence-building…

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ISLAMABAD: The Jamaat-i-Isl­ami has declared that its long march for a massive reduction in petroleum prices remains alive, as its chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said the party would not give up its right to march on Islamabad until the petroleum levy was abolished. Addressing a news conference on Wednesday, the JI chief warn­­ed that the…

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Pakistan has conducted precision aerial and drone strikes in 10 locations across Afghanistan in retaliation for drones launched from the neighbouring country a day earlier, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in the early hours of Thursday. “In exercise of its sovereign right to self-defence, Pakistan conducted precision aerial and drone strikes against 10 locations in…

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