Pakistan
- World News
Lion’s roam: Chaos strikes Karachi as ‘King of the Jungle’ takes a traffic tour
Roaring commotion erupted in Karachi, a metropolis in southern Pakistan, as a full-grown lion was caught strolling amidst congested traffic. Unleashed from its transport vehicle, the majestic creature prowled the urban lanes for a stretch of more than two hours. This dramatic escapade unfolded on Tuesday, August 29, leaving the populace stunned and unnerved. The lion was spotted strolling nonchalantly…
- World News
In-depth probe into Pakistan train crash as death toll climbs to 30
Investigations are intensifying into the causes behind the disastrous derailment of a passenger train near Sahiwal station in Nawabshah City, in Pakistan’s Sindh province, yesterday. The accident tragically claimed at least 30 lives and left more than 100 people suffering from various injuries. The train involved in the incident was identified as the Hazara Express. Initial investigations led by Sad…
- World News
Imran Khan faces anti-graft agency questioning over corruption charges
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan faced questioning by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on corruption charges yesterday, according to his lawyer Faisal Chaudhry. This comes less than a week after Khan refused a summons to appear and dismissed the allegations against him. The ex-cricket star, who has been in a confrontational relationship with the country’s powerful military, was arrested…
- World News
Imran Khan calls for nationwide ‘freedom’ protests after arrest in Pakistan
Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, has called for nationwide “freedom” protests today after last week’s unrest following his brief arrest and detention. The former cricket star, who has faced numerous legal cases since his removal from office in April last year, was released on bail on Friday when the Supreme Court declared his detention unlawful, AFP reported.…
- World News
Pakistan court appearance for ex-PM Khan after unlawful arrest ruling
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, 70, was due to appear in court today after the Supreme Court deemed his arrest earlier this week, which led to deadly clashes across the country, to be unlawful. Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial declared Khan’s arrest invalid yesterday, necessitating a review of the entire process. Khan was ordered to remain in the bench’s…
- World News
Pakistan’s supreme court declares Imran Khan’s arrest invalid
Pakistan’s Supreme Court ruled on May 11 that the arrest of former prime minister, Imran Khan, was “invalid”. This decision was made two days after his apprehension ignited severe protests and deadly clashes across the nation. For his safety, the court ordered Khan to remain in their custody under police protection until his appearance in court the following day. Chief…
- World News
Imran Khan’s duel with Pakistan military and its impact on nation’s democracy
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has become a controversial figure in Pakistan, causing tension with the country’s military, long considered the primary power broker in the nation. His arrest this week comes after a series of critical statements against a senior intelligence officer, escalating the conflict between Khan’s popularity and the military’s significant influence. According to US-based Stimson Center analyst…
- World News
Imran Khan to face graft charges in special court following nationwide protests
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is set to appear in a special court today at Islamabad’s police headquarters to address corruption allegations, following his unexpected arrest that led to violent nationwide protests yesterday. Khan’s detention comes after months of political turmoil, and soon after the influential military criticized the former cricket star for claiming that a high-ranking officer was…
- World News
8 killed in sectarian violence in rural Pakistan
In rural Pakistan, eight individuals, including five teachers, died as tensions between Sunni and Shiite Muslims escalated into a fatal confrontation. The violent incident took place in the isolated border town of Teri Mangal in Kurram district, which is situated less than a kilometre from the border with Afghanistan. Two armed men entered a school while teachers collected exam papers…
- Business News
Pakistan inflation reaches record high due to soaring food prices
Inflation in Pakistan escalated to a record 36.4% in the year to April, primarily driven by food prices, making it the highest rate in South Asia and marking an increase from March’s 35.4%, according to the country’s statistics bureau. In rural areas, food inflation reached 40.2%, while for both rural and urban regions, it climbed to 48.1% – the highest…
- World News
Death toll rises after suicide bomb in Pakistani mosque, expert calls it ‘national security crisis’
UPDATE Following the horrific suicide bombing at a mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan on Monday, the death toll has risen from 59 to at least 100, according to a hospital spokesperson. The spokesperson for Lady Reading Hospital, Muhammad Asim Khan, said that at least 100 people have died following the attack. Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Peshawar Police Moazim Jah Ansari,…
- Crime News
Suicide bombing in Pakistani mosque leaves 59 dead
Peshawar, Pakistan was the site of a devastating suicide bombing yesterday as a bomber detonated himself in a crowded mosque. The attacker targeted a mosque in a highly secure compound known as the “Red Zone,” which houses counter-terrorism and police offices. Some 400 worshippers were inside the mosque when the bomber detonated explosives, resulting in 59 deaths, with 27 of…
- Thailand News
Thailand, an interfaith paradise?
Today’s Pakistan Observer provides an interesting insight into Thailand as an interfaith paradise, seen from overseas, but not through the more usual Western lens. In Pakistan, Thailand is seen as a paradise of interfaith tolerance, and perhaps it is. Former Head of the Department of International Relations & Faculty of Political Science, Thammasat University of Bangkok Prof. Dr Jaran Maluleem…
- Entertainment
Joyland cleared for cinema screenings in Pakistan
Joyland, the Pakistani film portraying a romance between a married man and a transgender woman was cleared for cinema screenings in Pakistan Wednesday, reversing a ban imposed on filmgoers by the nation’s censors. Loved by critics and audiences alike, Joyland was nominated for the jury prize at the Cannes Film Festival and is expected to be Pakistan’s entry at next…
- Entertainment
Pakistani love story Joyland triggers rabid transphobia
Joyland, a movie made in Pakistan, is about a young married man who falls in love with a transgender woman. The movie won a prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and will represent Pakistan in next year’s Academy Awards. But a week before the film was due for release at home, Pakistani withdrew its certification. Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, a…
- World News
Pakistani official says killing of journalist in Kenya appears targeted
Pakistan’s interior minister said on Tuesday that a Pakistani journalist killed in Kenya last month appears to have been targeted. Kenyan police shot and killed the journalist, 50 year old Arshad Sharif, near Nairobi on October 23. Police had stated that Sharif was shot after he failed to stop at a roadblock. They also said that it had been a…
- Politics News
Last Pakistani in Guantanamo Bay goes home
Saifullah Paracha has been in Guantanamo Bay detention centre since he was taken into custody in Bangkok in 2003. The 74 year old was never charged with anything, nor was he accused of any crime, merely “having links” with the al-Qaeda leadership. The oldest inmate at Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba and an innocent man by every legal definition, Paracha…
- Thailand Weather Updates
In it together – Floods around the world
Hardly a day goes by without more news of death and destruction in Thailand as the monsoon season resolutely refuses to end. We are not alone. It seems like the whole world is underwater, with people washed out of their homes from Australia to Zambia. Here are some images of different people facing similar problems around the world. Australia…
- Thai Law News
Pakistan’s transgenders dragged back into Dark Ages
Early last month, Pakistani Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan proposed the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights amends the Transgender Protection Act of 2018, leading to a firestorm of online abuse on both sides of the argument. Despite its desire to be known as a conservative society with strong Islamic inclinations, Pakistan is one of only a few countries with legislation…
- World News
Pakistan flood death toll rises, agencies warn country needs long-term aid
The death toll from Pakistan’s devastating floods continues to rise, and things are getting worse. The official death toll now stands at 1,325, including 466 children. Up to 33 million people have been affected by the floods. Pakistan’s total population is 220.9 million. Now, UN officials are warning that Pakistan’s situation is likely to keep going downhill. The country is…
- World News
Unusually heavy floods in Pakistan kill 549, thousands of homes damaged
Pakistan is seeing its heaviest rainfall in 30 years, and the consequences have been deadly. At least 549 people in the country have been killed by floods so far, and more than 46,200 houses have been damaged, the National Disaster Management Authority said on Friday. In the past month, there have been 133% more rain than the average for the…
- World News
At least 250 killed in Afghanistan earthquake
A powerful 6.1 magnitude earthquake has devastated Eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 250 people. Hundreds more were injured and countless homes were destroyed in 4 districts of Paktika province after the earthquake struck in the early hours of this morning, while most people were sleeping. The epicentre was 44 kilometres from the southeastern city of Khost near the border of Pakistan,…
- World News
Pakistani government tells people “drink less tea” amidst economic crisis
Pakistan is the latest of several countries hit by an economic crisis. In the midst of the crisis, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Planning and Development has some interesting instructions for citizens: drink less tea. Pakistan is the world’s largest importer of tea, buying more than US$640 million worth in 2020, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity. The minister, Ahsan…
- World News
Three charged over rape of a mother of two on a train in Pakistan
Three men in Pakistan have been arrested over the rape of a woman on a train from Karachi to Multan on May 27. Pakistan’s railway ministry reported that the men asked the woman to move to a carriage with air conditioning, before they attacked her on the moving train. One of the accused is a ticket checker for the train.…
- World News
Pakistan’s Imran Khan ousted from PM position
Following a parliamentary vote of no confidence last week, Pakistan’s PM Imran Khan has been ousted. The vote came after Pakistan’s opposition parties accused Khan of economic mismanagement, as well as poor governance. The country’s Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that a decision to block the no confidence vote was unconstitutional. Now, Khan claims that opposition to him is backed…
- World News
After missile accidentally fired, Pakistan warns India “Be mindful of consequences”
After accidentally firing a missile into Pakistan on Wednesday, India’s military blames a “technical malfunction”. The military called the misfire “deeply regrettable”. Pakistan’s foreign ministry condemned the missile as an unprovoked violation by a ‘super-sonic flying object’. India’s charge d’affaires in Islamabad has now been summoned to the foreign office to counter Pakistan’s claim. The Indian military did not say…
- Crime News
Men arrested at Bangkok airport for allegedly smuggling drugs valued at 95 million baht
Two Pakistani men were arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Monday for allegedly trafficking 30.6 kilograms of ketamine and 1.1 kilograms of heroin hidden in instant tea packages. Officers say the drugs had a street value of 95 million baht. The two residents of Karachi, who travelled to Thailand by an Emirates flight through the United Arab Emirates, were arrested for…
- Thailand News
Train accident leaves 30 dead in Pakistan
2 trains collided in Pakistan’s southeast province of Sindh today. 30 people have been reported dead and dozens more are injured. The Millat Express had derailed and was soon hit by Sir Syed Express. Rescue workers and villagers worked together to remove bodies from the wreckage. Between 15 to 20 people are still trapped inside the trains. Heavy machines are…
- Covid-19 News
US Air Force lands in India with much-needed Covid-19 supplies, other foreign aid on the way
As India has recently requested foreign aid to help with its severe Covid-19 situation, a US Air Force aircraft has landed in the South Asian country, answering that call with Covid-19 relief supplies. The aircraft departed from California and, according to a statement by the US Department of Defense, was packed with cargo pallets containing more than 400 oxygen cylinders…
- Thailand News
Pakistan goes dark after electrical fault causes nationwide blackout
Pakistan is slowly recovering after the entire country experienced an electrical blackout today. Power minister Omar Ayub Khan tweeted that this latest blackout was caused by a fault in southern Pakistan at 11:41pm local time yesterday, which was at 3:41am today here in Thailand. “The fault tripped the transmission system of the country… leading to the shutdown of power plants.”…
