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At least 26 tourists lost their lives and several others sustained injuries after a group of unidentified gunmen opened fire at the popular Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday afternoon. According to local officials, the incident occurred around 2:30pm when a group of visitors was present at the Baisaran mountain top, located approximately five kilometers from Pahalgam and accessible only by foot or pony rides. Eyewitnesses reported scenes of panic and chaos as gunshots rang out, prompting nearby locals to rush to the aid of the injured. Visuals from the site showed distressing scenes with bodies…

Following the signing of a cooperation agreement between China and Pakistan at the end of February, the selection process for Pakistani astronauts is now underway, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said on Wednesday. Similar to the selection process for Chinese astronauts, it consists of three stages: preliminary selection, secondary selection and final selection. The preliminary selection is being conducted in Pakistan, while the secondary and final stages will take place in China. Ultimately, two Pakistani astronauts will be chosen to undergo training in China, according to the CMSA. According to the flight mission plans for the China Space Station…

China will launch the Shenzhou-20 crewed mission to its space station at 5:17 p.m. on April 24 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, the China Manned Space Agency announced on Wednesday. Chinese astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie will carry out the Shenzhou-20 crewed mission. After entering orbit, the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft will conduct automated rendezvous and docking with the radial port of the Tianhe core module approximately 6.5 hours later, forming a combination of three spacecraft and three modules. During their stay in orbit, the Shenzhou-20 crew will receive visits from the Tianzhou-9 cargo spacecraft and the…

GILGIT: The Khunjerab Pass was virtually inaugurated on Tuesday for year-round trade and travel between Pakistan and China, in what officials called a historic step toward strengthening regional cooperation and advancing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The pass, which serves as the entry point for the CPEC project, had previously remained open only from April 1 to Nov 30 due to heavy snowfall during the winter months. However, under this new agreement, the border will now remain open throughout the year. A high-level virtual ceremony marked the inauguration, attended by officials from China’s Xinjiang province and the Gilgit-Baltistan government. Chief Minister of…

Federal Finance Minister Mohammad Aurangzeb held significant meetings on the opening day of the IMF and World Bank spring meetings in Washington. In his meeting with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, the Finance Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to continuing reforms. He also extended an invitation from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his to visit Pakistan. During his visit, Mohammad Aurangzeb also met with the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury and World Bank officials. Additionally, he attended a luncheon hosted by the U.S.-Pakistan Business Council, where he engaged with American business leaders. Finance Minister began his Washington…

Federal government has decided to invite Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for the privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) starting April 24. According to the Privatisation Commission, stricter pre-qualification criteria have been set to ensure that only serious investors participate in the process. Both local and international investors will be given at least one month to submit their EOIs. The government plans to sell between 51% to 100% of PIA’s shares, with the assurance that employee protection and service structures will be maintained post-privatisation. A thorough assessment of PIA’s assets and financial standing is expected to be completed by July 2025.…

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday expressed openness to direct negotiations with Ukraine, in what observers see as a potentially significant development in efforts to end the two-year-old war, though scepticism remains on both sides. Speaking to Russian state television, President Putin said he had a “positive attitude towards any peace initiatives,” and added that he hoped Kyiv would “feel the same way.” His remarks came following Ukraine’s proposal for a 30-day halt in strikes on civilian infrastructure, a move welcomed cautiously in Moscow. The Kremlin, through spokesman Dmitry Peskov, clarified that the president’s remarks were indeed an overture towards…

The repatriation of illegal residents and Afghan Citizen Card holders continues at a rapid pace following the expiration of Pakistan’s deadline for them to leave the country. On April 21 alone, more than 3,956 undocumented Afghan residents were sent back to their homeland. The total number of illegal Afghan residents who have now left Pakistan has reached 983,442. Pakistani authorities are implementing strict legal measures against illegal foreign nationals and Afghan Citizen Card holders who remain in the country past the deadline. The government of Pakistan has emphasized that it is ensuring the dignified return of illegal residents, foreign nationals,…

The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region has recorded its lowest snow persistence in 23 years, marking the third consecutive year of below-normal snowfall, according to ICIMOD’s 2025 Snow Update Report. The alarming 23.6% decline in snow persistence—the fraction of time snow remains after falling—threatens water security for nearly two billion people dependent on 12 major rivers originating from the region. Pema Gyamtsho, Director General of ICIMOD, called for urgent, science-based policies and cross-border cooperation: “Carbon emissions have already locked in an irreversible course of recurrent snow anomalies. We must adopt forward-looking strategies and regional collaboration to manage water resources and…

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur in connection with a violent protest by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on October 5 in Lahore. The warrants were issued on the request of the police, who informed the court that Gandapur and other PTI leaders failed to join the investigation. Warrants were also issued for PTI leaders Hammad Azhar, Saeed Sandhu, and Shehbaz Ahmed. The ATC’s administrative judge, Manzar Ali Gul, issued the warrants in a case registered at the Masti Gate police station.