Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026
GB rural development and climate resilience project launched
GILGIT-BALTISTAN, SEP 22 /DNA/ – The Government of Gilgit-Baltistan, the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the European Union, and the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) launched the “Gilgit-Baltistan Rural Development and Climate Resilience” project today, marking a significant step towards enhancing climate resilience and improving the quality of life across all districts of Gilgit-Baltistan. The EUR 54.24 million (PKR 17.2 billion) project, supported through a combination of AFD financing, a European Union (EU) grant, AKF funding and community contributions, aims to improve living conditions and strengthen the resilience of communities toRead More
US embassy announces seizure of 463 kg crystal meth
ISLAMABAD, SEP 22 /DNA/ – The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad announces the seizure, of approximately 463 kg of crystal methamphetamine, valued at $21 million, which occurred on August 30. The Trump administration has made halting the flow of illicit narcotics a key component of helping make America more secure. The embassy’s Drug Enforcement Administration’s office (DEA Islamabad) coordinated with Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) to make this seizure, in cooperation with Sri Lanka’s Police Narcotics Bureau and DEA’s New Delhi office. Between August 14-29, ANF’s Karachi-based Port Control Unit identified containersRead More
JI puts off long march towards Islamabad
DNA KARACHI: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Tuesday said his party was postponing its long march to Islamabad against the petroleum levy at the request of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif until a meeting was held with the latter. Rehman, along with other party leaders, announced the decision during a press conference in Multan, where his caravan arrived on Monday night as part of the long march JI had launched the day before. The decision comes after a phone call between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the JI chief,Read More
Al-Shifa finds refractive errors leading eye problem among children
RAWALPINDI, SEP 22 /DNA/ – Al-Shifa Trust has released a new report on its community eye-care programme, finding that refractive errors are the most common eye problem identified among children during school screening camps. The report, prepared by the Al-Shifa Center for Community Ophthalmology (ACCO), highlights the importance of early detection of vision problems among children. Refractive error ranks first among the top five conditions identified through its school screening programme. Squint ranks second, followed by conjunctivitis, blepharitis and stye. The findings underline the role of school-based eye screening inRead More
No Saudi, Pak visa needed for diplomatic passport holders
News Desk ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement on Tuesday to abolish visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, official and special passports. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar signed the agreement with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, he said in a post on X. DPM Dar hoped the step would “further facilitate high-level engagement and institutional exchanges, and contribute to advancing our enduring and brotherly strategic partnership across all areas of mutual interest”. TheRead More
The Meticulously Crafted Trap
by Muhammad Mohsin Iqbal The situation in the Gulf has grown steadily clearer of late, and with it the realisation that neither Israel nor its principal patron, the United States, can secure their wider aims unless Saudi Arabia is at length brought into line. Direct persuasion having failed to draw Riyadh into recognition of the Abraham Accords, both parties appear to have resorted to more circuitous means of tightening the noose. What once seemed a confused picture of regional tension now reveals a deliberate design intended to isolate the KingdomRead More