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ISLAMABAD (DI NEWS) : The Pakistan Embassy today hosted an introductory event for the book entitled “The Security Imperative: Pakistan’s Nuclear Deterrence and Diplomacy, authored by Ambassador Zamir Akram, who was also present on the occasion. The event was attended by representatives from Chinese think tanks, universities and media, among others. In his welcome address, Ambassador Khalil Hashmi paid rich tribute to Ambassador Zamir Akram for his sterling diplomatic career spanning over 37 years, his meritorious contributions to Pakistan’s bilateral as well as multilateral diplomacy including in important areas of security, arms control, human rights and development issues. While highlighting…

ISLAMABAD  : Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the headquarters of Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), where he received a detailed briefing on the current security situation at both national and regional levels following the Pahalgam attack. Senior ISI officials updated the prime minister on ongoing counterterrorism operations, emerging threats, and the broader internal and external security environment. The prime minister was accompanied by the deputy prime minister and foreign minister, defence minister, and the services chiefs. The visit entailed a detailed briefing on the prevailing security environment, with a particular focus on preparedness for the conventional threat in…

NEW YORK : Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh on Tuesday stated that any attempt to harm Pakistan’s agriculture-based economy, which comprises 240 million people, would be considered a declaration of war. Ambassador Sheikh briefed representatives of an American think tank on the tense situation between Pakistan and India, reiterating the demand for an impartial and transparent probe into the Pahalgam incident. The Pakistani ambassador said that India had not presented any evidence regarding the Pahalgam incident to either Pakistan or the international community, and that India’s war hysteria was endangering regional peace. He emphasised that Pakistan…

The Supreme Court has declared that the mere dissatisfaction of one party cannot serve as a ground for review of its judgments, emphasising the need to identify a clear error in the original verdict for such petitions to be considered. The verdict, authored by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, was issued by a three-member bench comprising Justice Shah himself, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan. The bench was hearing review petitions filed by the District Education Officer (Female) and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Department. The judgement comes ahead of a scheduled hearing concerning the review of the apex…

The water level in Mangla Dam has risen to 1136.30 feet — 86 feet above the dead level of 1050 feet — and continues to increase due to improved inflows, according to the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA). Officials said the rise in water level is a positive development for both agriculture and hydropower generation, as the country faces ongoing challenges linked to water scarcity and energy shortfalls. WAPDA officials noted that the maximum water storage capacity of Mangla Dam is 1242 feet. As of Tuesday, the usable water storage has reached 1.213 million acre feet (MAF), significantly higher…

OpenAI, the tech company renowned for developing ChatGPT, has officially abandoned its controversial plan to transition into a for-profit entity, opting instead to uphold its original nonprofit model. The decision comes after months of internal discussions, external criticism, and growing pressure from investors and AI safety advocates. On Monday, OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman confirmed the company’s commitment to its nonprofit status in an email to staff, which was also shared on OpenAI’s website. The announcement marks a significant pivot from the company’s 2019 introduction of a “capped-profit” model, which allowed for some return on investment while still maintaining mission-driven oversight.…

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) started Tuesday’s session on a bullish note, as the benchmark KSE-100 index surged nearly 800 points in early trading following the central bank’s unexpected decision to cut the policy rate by 100 basis points. By 10:15am, the index stood at 114,869.36, reflecting an increase of 767.13 points or 0.67 per cent. Investor sentiment improved sharply after the State Bank of Pakistan’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) reduced the policy rate to 11 per cent on Monday. The cut was larger than expected, as most market participants had anticipated a 50 basis point reduction. Buying activity was…

Ukraine launched a fresh wave of overnight drone attacks targeting Moscow for a second consecutive night, forcing the temporary closure of the Russian capital’s major airports, Russian authorities said on Tuesday. According to Rosaviatsia, Russia’s aviation watchdog, all four of Moscow’s main airports — Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky — were shut down for several hours due to security concerns but resumed operations later. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated on social media that air defence systems had intercepted at least 19 Ukrainian drones approaching the city from multiple directions. He confirmed that fragments of intercepted drones fell on a key…

The Trump administration has formally barred Harvard University from receiving any future federal research grants, intensifying an already fraught dispute over allegations of anti-Semitism and what officials describe as a broader failure to uphold academic standards. In a letter sent to the university on Monday, US Education Secretary Linda McMahon declared that Harvard would “cease to be a publicly funded institution,” urging it instead to rely on its substantial endowment and alumni contributions. The decision follows last month’s freeze of approximately $2.3 billion in federal funding, a move widely criticised in academic and legal circles. “Harvard has made a mockery…

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Asim Iftikhar, voiced strong concerns over India’s recent actions during an in-camera session of the UN Security Council convened at Pakistan’s request. During the closed-door briefing, attended by the 15-member council including five permanent members, Asim Iftikhar highlighted a range of pressing issues, particularly the deteriorating situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir and the alleged unilateral actions by New Delhi that threaten regional stability. Kashmir at the heart of dispute Calling Kashmir the “core dispute between Pakistan and India,” Iftikhar emphasized that the issue remains unresolved even after more than 70 years. “The Kashmiri people…