اپوزیشن لیڈر سندھ اسمبلی علی خورشیدی نے سندھ حکومت پر شدید تنقید کرتے ہوئے کہا ہے کہ کراچی کے امن کی صورتِ حال دیکھیں اور وزیر داخلہ کو تمغۂ امتیار مل رہا ہے۔

کراچی میں میڈیا سے گفتگو کرتے ہوئے انہوں نے کہا کہ صوبے میں گزشتہ 18 سال سے ایک ہی جماعت کی حکومت کے باوجود گورننس کا نظام مکمل طور پر ناکام ہو چکا ہے۔

علی خورشیدی نے کہا کہ جب بھی گورننس کے مسائل پر بات کی جاتی ہے تو حکومتی ترجمان پریشان ہو جاتے ہیں، کیونکہ عوام اب حقیقت جان چکے ہیں۔

انہوں نے سندھ پبلک سروس کمیشن کے نتائج پر سوالات اٹھاتے ہوئے کہا کہ لگتا ہے سندھ پبلک سروس کمیشن کا نام تبدیل کرنا پڑے گا، ایس پی ایس سی کے امتحانات کا فرانزک آڈٹ کرایا جائے۔

اپوزیشن لیڈر کا کہنا ہے کہ ایک اسسٹنٹ کمشنر کی پوسٹنگ کے لیے 3 سے 7 کروڑ روپے تک دیے جاتے ہیں، جبکہ امتحانی پرچے لیک ہونا بھی بدانتظامی اور کرپشن کی واضح مثال ہے۔

علی خورشیدی نے کہا کہ سولر پراجیکٹ میں بدترین کرپشن ہوئی، عوام کو لوٹا گیا، شہر کے حالات سب کے سامنے ہیں اور وزیرِ داخلہ کو تمغہ امتیاز دیا جا رہا ہے۔

اپوزیشن لیڈر نے کشمور اور کندھ کوٹ کے مسائل، حب ڈیم سے کراچی کو پانی نہ ملنے اور گندم اسکینڈل پر بھی حکومت کو تنقید کا نشانہ بنایا۔

انہوں نے کہا کہ سندھ کے وسائل پر ڈاکا مارنے والے چوہوں کو پکڑنے کے بجائے بچایا جا رہا ہے، اربوں کی گندم چوہے کھا جاتے ہیں اور وزراء پریس کانفرنس کر کے کہتے ہیں کہ گندم چوری نہیں ہوئی۔

علی خورشیدی نے صوبے میں منشیات کے بڑھتے ہوئے نیٹ ورک پر بھی تشویش کا اظہار کرتے ہوئے مطالبہ کیا کہ اس کے پیچھے موجود عناصر کو بے نقاب کیا جائے۔

On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Pakistan’s mediation had not failed and urged India to clarify its relationship with Tehran amid rising regional tensions.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi at the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting, Araghchi said Iran is trying to preserve the ceasefire to allow diplomacy to work. He said some powers were trying to undermine diplomatic efforts, but Pakistan’s reconciliation mission was ongoing.

‘Pakistan’s mission has not failed yet,’ he said. Araghchi criticised mixed messages from the United States for complicating talks and making it hard for Tehran to gauge Washington’s real intentions. He repeated that Iran has ‘no trust’ in the United States but is open to talks if the other side shows seriousness and fairness.

He also said the Strait of Hormuz will remain open to all nations except those Iran deems hostile, and that ships transiting the waterway should coordinate with the Iranian Navy. He announced that Iran and Oman will jointly oversee security in the Strait under a coordinated system.

On regional diplomacy, Araghchi said India has ties with many countries and should decide what kind of relationship it wants with Iran.

He also claimed the United States failed to achieve its goals in the recent conflict and accused Washington of undermining diplomacy by carrying out attacks during negotiation periods. He maintained Iran’s nuclear programme is peaceful and insisted that dialogue is the only practical way to resolve the dispute.

Earlier at the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting, Araghchi criticised the UN Security Council as a symbol of global inequality that requires urgent reform.

At the end of the annual BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi, India issued a chair’s statement rather than a joint statement, noting differing views among some members on the Middle East, Reuters reports.

BRICS includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.

Iran and the UAE are on opposing sides in Tehran’s conflict with the US and Israel.

یف آئی اے کارپوریٹ کرائم سرکل نے ڈینسو ہال میں کارروائی کرتے ہوئے نوٹ فار سیل سیمپلز اور ادویات فروخت کرنے والی 20 دکانوں کو سیل کرکے 21 افراد کو حراست میں لے لیا۔

ایف آئی اے کارپوریٹ کرائم سرکل نے ڈینسو ہال کچی گلی نمبر 2 میں خفیہ اطلاع پر ڈریپ کے ہمراہ ٹارگٹڈ آپریشن کیا جہاں دکانوں پر نوٹ فار سیل سیمپلز اور ادویات فروخت ہونے کا انکشاف ہوا۔

ایف آئی اے نے کارروائی کے دوران 20 دکانیں سیل کرکے 21 افراد کو حراست میں لے لیا، حکام کے مطابق گرفتار دکانداروں کے پاس کسی قسم کا لائسنس موجود نہیں تھا، پوری مارکیٹ غیر قانونی ادویات کی فروخت میں ملوث پائی گئی، نوٹ فار سیل سیمپلز کی خرید و فروخت اسپتال عملے کے بغیر ممکن نہیں، اس حوالے سے تحقیقات جاری ہیں، غیر قانونی نیٹ ورک اور سہولت کاروں کو قانون کے کٹہرے میں لایا جائے گا۔

ایف آئی اے حکام نے کہا کہ غریب عوام کے لیے مختص ادویات مارکیٹ میں فروخت کی جا رہی تھیں، غیر قانونی ادویات کی فروخت انسانیت کے خلاف جرم ہے، میڈیکل ریپس، اسپتال عملہ اور سہولت کاروں سے تفتیش کی جائے گی، کارروائی میں کروڑوں روپے مالیت کی ادویات برآمد ہوئی ہیں۔ مارکیٹ سے ایکسپائرڈ ادویات بھی برآمد ہوئی ہیں۔

President Asif Ali Zardari today honoured Pakistan’s armed forces at an investiture at Aiwan-e-Sadr, Islamabad, presenting some of the country’s highest military awards to officers and soldiers of the Army, Air Force and Navy.

The ceremony recognised extraordinary bravery, sacrifice and distinguished service; senior military leaders, recipients’ families and guests attended, with tributes to both serving personnel and those who laid down their lives.

A posthumous Sitara-e-Basalat was awarded to Lt. Col. Muhammad Ali Shaheed for leadership during an operation on the night of 4-5 October 2024: after a search mission his teams were ambushed, he was severely wounded, continued to command and was martyred.

Sepoy Israr Muhammad received the Sitara-e-Basalat for bravery while serving as a security guard for Pakistan’s Chargé d’Affaires in Afghanistan.

According to details presented at the ceremony, on December 2, 2022, a sniper attack targeted the Pakistani diplomatic mission in Kabul.

Amid the sudden roar of gunfire and the chaos that followed, Israr Muhammad reportedly threw himself between the attacker and the diplomat, shielding the diplomat with no regard for his own life. Despite being severely injured, he continued to move the diplomat toward a secure location while bullets kept striking around them. His steadfast courage and resolve under relentless fire drew widespread admiration during the ceremony.

Officials praised his conduct as an emblem of bravery and selfless service, noting that his actions have been acknowledged at both national and international levels.

Several senior officers were also recognized with the Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military) for distinguished professional and national service.

Recipients included:

• Air Marshal Kashif Qamar — for exceptional performance
• Air Marshal Aamir Shehzad — for outstanding services
• Air Vice Marshal Muhammad Aamir Hayat — for notable professional contributions
• Major General Muhammad Shahid Abro — in recognition of his national services

Other honoured officers were Major General Sibtain Rafiq, Rear Admiral Mazhar Mahmood Malik, Air Vice Marshal Rizwan Sadiq, Major General Muhammad Maqbool Raza and Air Vice Marshal Shahid Mansoor Jahangiri.

Further awards were conferred upon Air Vice Marshal Khalid Mahmood, Major General Aijaz Ahmad, Major General Malik Muhammad Shehzad, Major General Aamir Ashfaq Kiani and Air Vice Marshal Tahir Mahmood for their distinguished contributions and valuable services.

The government has committed in its agreement with the IMF to eliminate the Rs. 140 billion cross-subsidy that currently cushions protected and some non-protected gas users. In place of the existing consumption-based relief, authorities will introduce targeted support tied to household income and channeled through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

According to a report by a national daily, the overhaul must be concluded by January 2027 under a structural benchmark set with the IMF.

Under the new mechanism, the era of lower slab rates for protected and certain non-protected consumers will end: every consumer will be charged the full average gas tariff. Eligible vulnerable households will, however, receive compensatory payments via BISP, determined by income records rather than by how much gas they use.

Officials said the move represents a decisive step toward reforming the energy sector and unwinding entrenched distortions in gas pricing, with the goal of establishing fairer, more sustainable price signals.

Right now, the roughly Rs. 140 billion subsidy is being shouldered indirectly via cross‑subsidies—higher charges placed on captive power plants serving export‑oriented industries, on the broader industrial and manufacturing base, on commercial customers and CNG filling stations, on cement producers, and on affluent household users.

The average gas tariff is currently Rs. 1,750 per MMBtu.

They emphasized that the federal government does not directly subsidize protected or non‑protected gas consumers from the national budget; instead, support for lower‑end consumers is being maintained by passing costs onto industrial and commercial users through elevated tariffs.

Once the new system is implemented, all categories of consumers are expected to pay the uniform average gas tariff of Rs. 1,750 per MMBtu, effectively ending the existing cross-subsidy arrangement.

An interesting video of Humayun Saeed, a well-known actor in the Pakistani showbiz industry, traveling in a bus with several famous personalities of the country is going viral on social media.

In a video going viral on social media, Humayun Saeed is seen shouting ‘Pak China, Pak China’ in the traditional style of a bus conductor, while fellow passengers can be seen laughing at his style.

The video was shot on Sunday night while the actor was traveling with other celebrities on a bus from the Pakistan Monument to the Pak China Center after attending the first anniversary celebration of Meerka-e-Haq.

This video is rapidly going viral on social media and Humayun Saeed is being highly praised by fans.

The actor began his showbiz career in 1995 and is now one of the country’s most famous actors.

Now Humayun Saeed also has his own production house called ‘Six Sigma Plus’, which has so far released several successful television serials and commercial films.

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Sources close to the investigation say they have uncovered new, troubling details about an alleged narcotics distribution network linked to the accused, Anmol — known as ‘Pinky’ — peeling back the curtain on how the operation is believed to have functioned.

Investigators report that payments were handled through online mechanisms, with the accused using anonymous or hard‑to‑trace digital channels to process transactions and shield the operation from detection.

Rather than using couriers or delivery riders, the accused allegedly arranged covert handoffs: parcels were deposited at predetermined spots specified by ‘Pinky’, and new customers were instructed to retrieve the contraband from those marked locations, officials said.

Officials have further revealed that the accused allegedly distributed narcotics across Karachi’s posh enclaves as well as inside educational campuses, triggering deep concern about the spread of drugs into these sensitive spaces.

Sources indicate a six-member gang was operating under the network led by Anmol Pinky to supply substances to upscale localities and academic institutions. The group is reported to have included one woman and five men.

Investigators also say that, in addition to this six-person cell, the accused conducted independent drug-buying and -selling operations through a separate set of contacts.

The investigating officer stated that a concerted effort is underway to map the full extent of the network and to identify every person involved in the illegal enterprise.

At the opening of a fraught summit in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping cautioned that missteps over Taiwan could escalate into “conflict” between the two powers — a blunt, sobering message that echoed across the ballroom as delegates prepared to grapple with numerous sensitive topics.

President Trump, by contrast, touched down with warm encomiums for Xi, dubbing him a “great leader” and a “friend,” and voicing optimism that the United States and China would build “a fantastic future together.”

Beneath the glittering ceremony and state pageantry, Xi’s tone grew cooler and more guarded: he urged that the two nations “should be partners and not rivals,” then immediately raised the fraught issue of self‑ruled democratic Taiwan, territory Beijing claims.

According to state broadcaster CCTV, Xi warned, “The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China‑US relations. If mishandled, the two nations could collide or even come into conflict, pushing the entire China‑US relationship into a highly perilous situation.”

The trip to Beijing — the first by an American president in nearly ten years — unfolded against a backdrop of lavish ceremony that masked persistent economic and strategic disputes. Trump received a red‑carpet welcome at the Great Hall of the People, with blaring brass, a ceremonial gun salute and a procession of schoolchildren jumping and chanting “welcome!” while cameras captured every moment.

Arriving in Beijing amid fanfare and diplomatic pomp, US President Donald Trump has begun a three-day official visit punctuated by a ceremonial welcome and visible public enthusiasm.

The centerpiece of his trip will be talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where leaders are expected to tackle the ongoing trade war and broader concerns about the stability of the global economy.

This marks Mr. Trump’s return to China since his 2017 visit.

Speaking to the press in Washington before departure, he said bluntly that anyone who argues Iran should be allowed to possess nuclear weapons is ‘a foolish person.’

He reiterated that America seeks a good, mutually beneficial deal with Iran and voiced confidence such an arrangement would serve both countries’ interests, while issuing a stark warning that ‘victory against Iran will be ours, whether peacefully or otherwise.’

Mr. Trump said he will engage in in-depth discussions with President Xi on the Iran crisis and the surrounding regional dynamics, though he insisted the United States does not require China’s assistance on the matter.

He also singled out Pakistan for praise, saying the country played an outstanding role in the negotiations, and lauding Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir as remarkable figures whose mediation efforts were excellent.

The State Bank of Pakistan on Wednesday confirmed it has received around $1.3 billion from the International Monetary Fund following the completion of the latest review of Pakistan’s economic reform programme.

In a statement posted on X, the central bank said the IMF Executive Board, at its May 8 meeting, approved the release of SDR 760 million under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), together with a second tranche of SDR 154 million under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).

According to the SBP, the total inflow amounts to SDR 914 million, equivalent to nearly $1.3 billion, which was transferred on May 12. The central bank added that the funds will be reflected in Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves for the week ending May 15.

Last week, the IMF approved the third review of Pakistan’s reform agenda, clearing the way for this latest disbursement. The release includes approximately $1.1 billion under the EFF and nearly $220 million through the RSF, bringing total disbursements under both programmes to around $4.8 billion.

While acknowledging improvements in Pakistan’s economic indicators, the IMF cautioned that the country remains vulnerable to external risks, particularly due to instability linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.