62 stories found
Pakistan’s National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication (NEOC) confirmed the first wild polio case of 2026 in a four-year-old child from Bello Union Council in Sindh’s Sujawal District…
“It was a terrifying experience, it was the first time going through something like that and hopefully the last,” Sindhu said
He was among 213 travellers, including badminton star P.V. Sindhu, who reached India after services gradually resumed.
Three US military jets were shot down by Kuwaiti defences in an "apparent friendly fire" incident on Monday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said, adding that all crew members were safely recovered.
Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu, JD(S) MLC from Karnataka S.L. Bhojegowda and his family, Bengali actor Subhashree Ganguly along with her son, tourists and student groups are among those held up in…
Two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu and her coach faced a terrifying ordeal at Dubai International Airport after an explosion near their location.
Badminton star PV Sindhu is stranded in Dubai after missile-related airspace disruptions suspended flights.
(ANSA) - KARACHI, 27 FEB - The Italian Consulate in Karachi hosted an 'iftar' dinner on Thursday to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan, bringing together government officials, diplomats, and members of the local community in an event aimed at promoting interfaith harmony. Italian Consul in Karachi Fabrizio Bielli welcomed distinguished guests, including Sindh Province Governor Kamran Khan Tessori, along with other senior officials and friends of Italy. In his speech, Bielli said he was proud...
The Sindh High Court has issued an order to stop involuntary deductions from teachers' salaries and pensions until the next hearing.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, assuring full federal cooperation for the timely completion of infrastructure development projects in Sindh.
Protections for women farm workers, Rs7b for Gul Plaza shopkeepers
THE timing may be questioned, but the issue is not new. The PPP and the MQM-P are once again engaging in their old tug of war over who ‘owns’ Karachi, using bombast to stake their claims. The Sindh Assembly last Saturday passed a resolution, tabled by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, to condemn “any conspiracy aimed at the division of Sindh or the creation of a separate province comprising Karachi”. The resolution affirmed that Karachi shall “forever remain” an integral part of Sindh. The ...
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) criticized the PPP-led Sindh government's resolution against the creation of any new province, deeming it unconstitutional.
The MQM-P has declared a Sindh Assembly resolution against the creation of a new province as 'unconstitutional', following remarks by Mustafa Kamal advocating for federal control and economic capital status for Karachi.
The Sindh Assembly has passed a resolution declaring Karachi an 'integral, inseparable part' of the province, opposing any moves to create a separate Karachi province.
The Sindh High Court has been informed that the e-challan system for traffic violations is only being implemented on designated roads with proper signage in Karachi.
• Amid moving scenes, 23 relatives of the deceased testify before judicial tribunal • Say fire tenders ran out of water, no serious effort made to break walls and windows of the building to rescue people trapped inside KARACHI: Moving scenes were witnessed before the judicial tribunal investigating the Gul Plaza inferno on Monday when 23 relatives of 33 deceased persons narrated their ordeal, pointing fingers at the rescue work, firefighting and slow response by authorities. In their statements before the single-judge tribunal headed by Justice Agha Faisal of the Sindh High Court, they deposed that entry-exit points of Gul Plaza were closed, firefighters arrived late, ran out of water, lacked equipment and skill, while rescue authorities made no efforts to break the walls and windows to rescue people trapped inside. Many of the witnesses broke into tears while testifying before the commission, which heard them at the Deputy Commissioner South Complex. One of the witnesses, Haleem, deposed that his father and brother were inside the building when the fire broke out on Jan 17. He said his father lost his life and brother suffered injuries when he jumped out of the building to save his life. He said firefighters faced a water shortage while the building’s electricity was switched off shortly after the fire broke out. Witness Mohammad Hanif testified that his two sons were killed in the tragic incident. He said rescue officials made no efforts to break the walls and windows to rescue the people. He said police resorted to baton charge him and other relatives of the people trapped inside when they gathered near the plaza. Another witness, Qaiser, whose wife, son and sister-in-law were killed in the blaze submitted before the tribunal that he had asked the recuse and firefighters to break a wall in order to rescue people, but to no avail. He maintained that rescue authorities had lacked proper equipment and machinery. Taj Mohammad, whose father was killed in the incident, blamed the fire and recuse officials for not fulfilling their responsibilities. He said that he, along with a cousin, managed to reach the rooftop of the building, but rescue officials did not brother to reach there in order to save people. One gate of the building was opened and other exit-entry points were closed, he added. Saima, who lost her son in the incident, submitted that she and her daughter-in-law remained present outside the building for nine days, but the authorities did nothing to rescue their loved ones. She deposed that her other sons also participated in the rescue operation. Shahnaz, whose son worked at one of the Gul Plaza shops and lost his life, broke into tears during her testimony. Sanaullah said his sister was killed in the deadly fire and blamed the provincial and local authorities for the tragic incident. Abdul Hafeez, who also lost his son, informed the tribunal that the firefighters were short of fuel and water. Ahsan Ahmed, who lost his brother, also deposed that fire tenders were present on the spot but facing water shortage. Mohammad Hadi said that his son was also killed in the fire, but an assistant commissioner asked him to file an affidavit about the presence of his son in the building at the time of incident. Later, the tribunal provided the witnesses a questionnaire and asked them to submit it at the next hearing. The commission sought reply to 17 questions about the arrival of fire tenders and rescue staff, proper equipment for rescue and firefighting, prompt availability of ambulances, whether police facilitate evacuation or create confusion and the roles of district administration and the management of ill-fated building. The commission will also record the testimonies of various officials of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, Sindh Building Control Authority, Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation, Sindh police, Gul Plaza Shopping Mall Association, K-Eclectic and others on Wednesday (tomorrow). Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2026
At least 11 people were killed and eight injured in a tragic bus-trailer collision on the National Highway near Khairpur in Sindh, according to motorway police.
KARACHI: The Sindh Apex Committee reviewed the tense security situation following the United States and Israel’s strikes on Iran and the resulting chaos in Karachi on Wednesday and decided to ensure the protection of foreigners and conduct targeted operations against terrorism. The 33rd meeting of the provincial apex committee, a high-level forum of civil and military leadership, was held at the Sindh Chief Minister House to conduct a comprehensive review of the progress under the National Ac...
Badminton: India's Sindhu stranded in Dubai, set to miss All-England The Star
PV Sindhu has withdrawn from the All England Championships due to travel disruptions in Dubai, but will compete in the Swiss Open next week.
Demonstrations across Sindh condemn Khamenei's martyrdom, imperialist onslaught
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha: Some of the world's busiest airports are closed due to attacks in the Middle East. The consequences are felt worldwide, for passengers as well as for freight traffic.
PV Sindhu said she was safe but stuck with her team; she added that the speed at which the tensions have escalated is “terrifying”
Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu was on Saturday left stranded at Dubal airport en route to the prestigious All England Open badminton tournament, after flight operations were suspended owing to…
Punjab offers to share the debt burden, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh insist on constitutional limits regarding the 57.5% NFC share, highlighting a provincial dispute.
The Sindh home minister has ordered strict surveillance at railway stations, bus terminals, truck depots, and cargo facilities to enhance provincial security due to rising threats.
Says federal government will extend all possible support to ensure early completion of projects in the province
ISLAMABAD: The upper house of Parliament on Monday echoed with the PPP’s displeasure over the creation of a separate Karachi province, asserting that it was an inseparable part of Sindh. The development comes two days after the Sindh Assembly passed a resolution terming Karachi an “inseparable” part of Sindh and opposed any move that suggested otherwise. Opposing the resolution in the Sindh Assembly, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) had also declared it unconstitutional. On Monda...
PPP leader Sharjeel Inam Memon on Sunday said that PTI founder Imran Khan’s release was “in his own hands” as it depended on his party’s “attitude”. The Sindh senior minister made the remarks while speaking to reporters during a visit to a site of ongoing development work in Karachi. In response to a question regarding Imran’s release, the minister maintained that the incarcerated former premier’s release “was in his own hands and the attitude” of PTI. “I do not have any knowledge of his rele...
Sindh assembly passes resolution rejecting move to separate Karachi Arab News
The Sindh government reinstated Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Pir Muhammad Shah as the chief of the Karachi Traffic Police, it emerged on Saturday. According to a notification issued by the provincial government on Friday, Shah’s posting relieves Sindh’s Central Police Office Headquarters DIG Mazhar Nawaz Shaikh of his additional charge “with immediate effect”. “Syed Pir Muhammad Shah … is posted as Deputy Inspector General of Police, Traffic, Karachi, relieving Mr. Mazhar Nawaz Shaikh,...
KARACHI: A large number of people gathered outside the Karachi Press Club on Wednesday to protest the killing of a man during an alleged encounter by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) a day earlier, alleging that the deceased was a student who was earlier arrested by law enforcers. On Tuesday, the CTD said that officials had conducted a raid on a house in Shah Latif Town on a terrorist hideout. According to the department, the men inside the house opened fire on officials, who then retaliated, leading to the deaths of four suspects. The CTD said the suspects belonged to the Bashir Zeb network of Fitna al-Hindustan, a term used by the state for Balochistan-based terrorist groups. However, on Wednesday afternoon, a large number of residents of Old Golimar, including women and children, protested and staged a sit-in outside the KPC, demanding justice for Hamdan, one of the killed suspects identified by the CTD. The deceased’s father, Mohammed Ali said that on December 29, 2025, his son Hamdan was allegedly taken away by the CTD. He said that he had also filed a petition before the Sindh High Court against the alleged disappearance of his son. He asserted that it was a “fake encounter” and termed it an “extra-judicial killing”. He further alleged that the CTD was not even handing over the body and was demanding that he sign a form admitting that his son was a “terrorist”. He said that the CTD, in a press conference on Jan 6, 2026, had announced the arrest of his son Hamdan and others, and their affiliation with a banned terrorist organisation. He said that his son was a student who had no affiliation with any terror group. The father said that his son was supposed to be presented before a court on Wednesday after the completion of his physical remand in the CTD custody. However, the family was informed that he had been killed in an alleged encounter. He said the family visited the Edhi morgue, but were informed by officials that they would not hand over the body without the approval of the CTD.
PESHAWAR: The prolonged closure of the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway (M-1) by the PTI activists heaped misery on commuters, transporters and traders. The ruling party’s leaders and workers have closed M-1 at Swabi rest area since last Friday to demand early treatment of their incarcerated leader, Imran Khan, for “vision loss”. The closure of M-1, the main artery connecting Peshawar with the rest of the country, has put the Grand Trunk Road, the other major road, under immense strain as the neglected highway is unable to cater to the traffic diverted from the motorway. Also, the GT Road is facing closures by PTI activists, causing massive inconvenience to people travelling to attend urgent business meetings and exams, take international flights from Islamabad airport and seek treatment. The businessmen, whose supplies have got stuck along the road, are also distressed. Businessmen wonder why PTI govt troubling people of KP Jan Mulk, a businessman, who was travelling from Islamabad to Peshawar on Sunday evening, told Dawn that he left Islamabad at around 4:30pm and reached Attock at around 6:30pm before finding himself caught in a huge traffic jam at Attock crossing. “Hundreds of vehicles were stuck in a long traffic grid lock and there was not even any way to turn back,” he said. The businessman said that the Attock traffic gridlock forced him to return and spend the night in Islamabad before coming to Peshawar next morning. “There were women, children and elderly, with a large number of them being on foot due to road closure and unavailability of public transport,” he said. Mr Mulk said transporters in Attock were charging commuters Rs1,000 for a trip to Rawalpindi. Khan Zaman Afridi, president of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Transporters Association, told Dawn that road closures had made life difficult for transports. “Nearly 3,000 vehicles leave Peshawar General Bus Stand on a daily basis but the number has dropped to around 1500 due to road closures,” he said. Mr Afridi said almost all public transport used the M-1 and now its closure has diverted all the traffic to the GT Road and a usual trip of two to three hours on motorway was taking over 10 hours on GT Road. “GT Road is not old GT Road and is full of potholes and full of vans, Qingqi motorcycle-rickshaws and push carts, so it is very difficult to traverse and now, the entire motorway traffic has been diverted to it, causing massive traffic snarl,” he said. Mr Afridi said that due to the road closures, many people had stopped travelling, and commuter arrivals at bus stands had almost halved as only people who had to attend urgent business meetings travelled in compulsion. “It is ironic that the KP government is inflicting pain on its own people,” he said. A representative of Faisal Movers told Dawn that his transport company had stopped its Peshawar-Islamabad operations since the start of the M-1 closure. Junaid Altaf, president of KP Chamber of Commerce and Industry, questioned the rationale for the motorway closure. “Who are they troubling? Is it the people of KP or residents of Punjab and Sindh who are being affected due to the M-1 closure?” Mr Altaf said that KP chief minister and his cabinet had been sitting in Islamabad for the past many days, leaving their offices and official duties unattended. He said that the prolonged closure of Pak-Afghan border points had already ruined the province’s business community and now, the politicians didn’t understand that the trucks stranded on the road to KP carried raw material to factories in the province and prolonged closure was hurting the business community as well as the economy of the province. “If PTI thinks the people of KP deserve this for voting them to the powers, then it is ok and we deserve it,” he said. Malik Sohni, president of All Pakistan Agriculture Produce Traders Federation, told Dawn that road closures had resulted in an over 10pc increase in the vegetable prices in the provincial capital. He said that in the current season, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, okra, garlic, peas and leafy vegetables were transported from Punjab to Peshawar. Mr Sohni said that as vegetables were perishable, prolonged blockages not only caused spoilage but also drove the prices up. “Prices automatically go up when fresh supplies don’t reach on time,” he said. Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2026
The Sindh Chief Minister has assured affected shopkeepers from the ill-fated Gul Plaza in Karachi that they will be temporarily accommodated in other city markets.
A shocking Holi incident in Nagpur saw a 60-year-old woman, Sindhu Thakre, scald a four-year-old boy with boiling water after he playfully sprayed colour on her.
The ace shuttler returned home after being stranded in the city for a couple of days
Badminton star Pusarla Sindhu has had to drop out of All England due to conflict in the Middle East.
Indian badminton star PV Sindhu has returned to Bengaluru safely. She was stranded in Dubai amid escalating Middle East conflict. Sindhu expressed gratitude to ground teams and Dubai authorities for their support. The athlete and her coach experienced a close call after an explosion nearby. She is now resting and planning her next steps.
Bill for protecting domestic workers' rights in Sindh has taken too long to be enforced
While Sindhu's participation remains uncertain, some of her fellow shuttlers have managed to reach Birmingham via alternate routes of Singapore and Africa
CM Murad, political leadership express sorrow over martyrdom of Khamenei
Indian badminton star Sindhu stranded in Dubai airport Gulf News
KARACHI: More than a month after flames ripped through Gul Plaza, leaving devastation and livelihoods reduced to ashes, relief has finally arrived for nearly 1,000 affected traders with the Sindh cabinet’s approval of a Rs7 billion compensation package, offering some hope of financial recovery to those who lost everything in the deadly blaze. The Sindh government along with the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), finalised the estimate of losses incurred by the shopkeepers of Gul Plaza in...
Senior minister Sharjeel Memon has accused the Governor's House and federal ministers of conspiring against the Sindh government, also highlighting billions in coal investment and a new energy regulator.
Council says political activities at Governor House violate Constitution, threatens provincial unity
QUETTA: Armed men abducted 14 workers of a construction company working on a government project and at a crushing plant at two different places in Khuzdar and Barkhan districts of Balochistan, police said on Sunday. A senior police officer said the armed men barged into the construction company’s camp in Mula area, some 60 km from Khuzdar, and kidnapped 11 workers including a project manager. “Six labourers belonged to Sindh province who were working with the company while five others are r...
PPP leader Sharjeel Inam Memon on Sunday said that PTI founder Imran Khan’s release was “in his own hands” as it depended on his party’s “attitude”. The Sindh senior minister made the remarks while speaking to reporters during a visit to a site of ongoing development work in Karachi. In response to a question regarding Imran’s release, the minister maintained that the incarcerated former premier’s release “was in his own hands and the attitude” of PTI. “I do not have any knowledge of his rele...
The Sindh assembly has passed a resolution that rejects any move to separate Karachi, affirming its stance on the city's status.
MQM-P’s Shoukat Ali has sought protection from a fellow member, Shariq Jamal, in the Sindh Assembly, accusing Jamal of threatening him amidst infighting within the party.
KARACHI: A fire broke out at a chemical factory in Karachi’s SITE area on Tuesday, Rescue 1122 said. Spokesperson Rescue 1122, in a statement, said that the chemical factory was located near Valika Chowrangi and efforts were underway to control the fire. “A fire brigade truck, along with rescue teams, was immediately dispatched to the site of the incident, as soon as the Rescue 1122 received report of the incident,” the spokesperson added. A contingent of Sindh Rangers personnel was also dispatched to the site of the incident, their spokesperson said in a statement. “Rangers personnel are actively participating in the relief activities and rescue operation along with the fire brigade and rescue personnel,” the spokesperson said. Meanwhile, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab took notice of the incident. In a post on X, Mayor Wahab said, “KMC fire team is attending to the fire incident reported at a factory in SITE Industrial Area. Will keep everyone posted.” According to an earlier statement, Mayor Wahab had “directed all departments of the KMC to stay alert”. He issued instructions to utilise all available resources for the rescue operation. The statement added that the “water board authorities were also instructed to take emergency measures”. “All possible steps should be taken to control the fire,” the mayor was quoted as saying. “There will be no compromise made on the safety of human lives,” he added. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, as per a statement, directed Mayor Wahab and the commissioner to supervise the rescue efforts and investigate the cause of the fire. The incident comes a day after a huge fire erupted in the bushes near the University of Karachi (KU). It was brought under control later.
A collision between a car and a trailer on Monday claimed six lives on the National Highway in Sindh’s Naushahro Feroze District, officials said. Naushahro Feroze Senior Superintendent of Police Mir Rohal Khoso told Dawn that all six people who died were travelling in the car, while the trailer’s driver was injured. He said the accident took place between 5am and 6am, adding that “ostensibly, speeding and brake failure were probable reasons,” but the matter was being probed further. SSP Khoso elaborated that one side of the National Highway in the district was under construction, which was a “contributory factor behind increasing accidents”. He stated that, in collaboration with the motorway police, it has been decided to set up five points for checking the speed and fitness of vehicles to control the rise in accidents. Sindh Inspector General (IG) Javed Alam Odho, in a statement, ordered the Naushahro Feroze SSP to probe the accident and register a case. Expressing his grief over the loss of lives, IG Odho ordered that legal action be taken against those responsible after determining the causes behind the accident. Fatal road accidents on highways occur frequently in Pakistan, with the main reasons including speeding, hazardous overtaking, and disregard for traffic rules. On Sunday, at least 11 people were killed and eight were injured after a bus collided with a trailer on the National Highway near Tando Masti in Sindh’s Khairpur district. A day before that, 13 people died in a traffic accident involving an oil tanker and a passenger bus on the M9 Motorway near Karachi. Crackdown against overloading and speeding ordered In his statement, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressed his grief over the loss of lives in the accident and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families. “We share the grief of the bereaved families,” he was quoted as saying in the statement issued by his spokesperson, Abdul Rasheed Channa. The statement said that the car involved in the incident was heading from Larkana Division’s Nasirabad taluka to Karachi. CM Murad also issued directives for the strict implementation of traffic rules and regulations. He ordered the Sindh IG to carry out a “crackdown against overloading and speeding”. He further directed that monitoring and fitness checks of vehicles be made more stringent across the province. “The protection of the public’s life and property is the government’s top responsibility,” the chief minister noted.