Top stories

  1. NATIONAL

    Thousands of Catholics gather in Sargodha for 60th Marian feast

    Catholics from across Pakistan converged on St Francis Xavier Parish in Sargodha for the three-day 60th Marian Feast, where 283 young people were confirmed.

  2. INTERNATIONAL

    Indian Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann wants to attend Lahore Punjabi conference

    Bhagwant Mann says he has been invited to the International Punjabi Conference in Lahore, but doubts India's BJP-led government will let him go.

  3. MILITARY

    Six terrorists killed, two soldiers martyred in Dera Ismail Khan operation, says ISPR

    Security forces killed six terrorists in an intelligence-based operation in DI Khan's Zarkani area, ISPR said, while Naik Ghulam Murtaza and Sepoy Taseer Ahmed were martyred.

  4. EMIRATES

    UAE enters veteran diplomat Lana Nusseibeh in race for UN Secretary-General

    The UAE's former UN envoy would be the first woman and second Arab to lead the world body, but joins a deadlocked race in which every candidate has drawn a veto.

  5. NATIONAL

    NCCIA breaks up online child abuse network, finds father sold videos of his own children

    The cybercrime agency says the international network sold material through secret Telegram groups for cryptocurrency, in what it calls the first case of its kind in Pakistan.

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    Signed in Doha with little fanfare, the Badr memorandum joins Turkish factories, Qatari capital, Pakistani scale and an Indonesian market. Read as industrial policy rather than a pact, it may matter more than it looks.

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  2. Inside the Makkah alliance: DG ISPR on expansion, legal basis and the Muslim world’s test

    DG ISPR Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry details the Makkah alliance's secretariat, its Article 51 legal basis, and a maritime coalition spanning Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb, in an interview with Independent Arabia.

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  3. Air India and IndiGo are quietly retreating from the map, one route at a time

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The backlog Britain built

Ministers of both parties have spent a decade blaming the people in the queue. The numbers point at the people running it.

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The recent ceasefire between the United States and Iran has provided a fragile window, essentially buying time for real peace-making through deeper negotiations. — FILE/ANADOLU

Isolation to influence

Pakistan’s role in securing the US-Iran ceasefire has opened a narrow but important window for peace, projecting Islamabad as a credible mediator. Yet the ceasefire is only a pause, and Pakistan’s test now lies in turning this diplomatic breakthrough into lasting regional, domestic, and economic gains.

An illustration is shown of former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan. — ORIGINAL/THE THURSDAY TIMES

Why Imran Khan must become the chancellor of Oxford University

Imran Khan’s bid to become Oxford University's Chancellor while imprisoned symbolises resilience and leadership, offering the institution a global icon committed to justice and education, though critics argue his legal troubles complicate his chances, writes political theorist Gavin Mercer

A file photo is shown of PML(N) president Shehbaz Sharif (R) meeting with PPP co-chairs Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari (L) and Asif Ali Zardari (C) at PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi's residence in Lahore on February 10, 2024. — FILE/THE THURSDAY TIMES

PMLN and PPP agree to form joint federal government in surprise coalition

The PML(N) and PPP have agreed to form a coalition government at both the federal and Punjab levels, following talks between Shehbaz Sharif and PPP leaders Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Asif Ali Zardari, aiming to tackle Pakistan's political and economic challenges through unity and collaboration.

An illustration is shown of an SIFC moot. — ORIGINAL/THE THURSDAY TIMES

The SIFC is a visionary concept with flawed execution

Pakistan's untapped FDI potential hinges on proactive diplomacy, strategic investment policies, and private sector engagement to transform its economy; empowering ambassadors can unlock opportunities for sustainable growth and development, writes global policy expert Abdul Rauf Shakoori.

Benazir, the pioneer

Benazir Bhutto, twice Prime Minister of Pakistan, was the first woman to lead a democratic government in a Muslim-majority country. Her landmark tenures, from 1988-1990 and 1993-1996, were marked by significant political and social reforms.

Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto is released from jail by General Zia-ul-Haq to fanfare from the Pakistan People's Party on September 9, 1986. — GAMMA-RAPHO/THE THURSDAY TIMES

The enduring impact of the PPP

Over its 55-year history, the Pakistan People's Party has been a transformative force in Pakistan, championing inclusivity and social welfare under the leaderships of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto, and Asif Ali Zardari, and continuing its legacy with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

A combined file photo is shown of former Pakistani president Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1965 (L), former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 1995 (C) and former Pakistani foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari (R). — FILE/THE THURSDAY TIMES

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