PAKISTAN NEWS

 KARACHI, 12 September 2026 (Ghufran): International travellers will be required to possess a vaccination certificate issued by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) from September 14, according to the Airport Health Department. In a notification, the department directed Umrah pilgrims to obtain their NADRA vaccination cards before departure. The notification stated that the Federal Government Civil Dispensary has been designated as the only centre for vaccinating international travellers. Airlines have also been directed to ensure that Umrah pilgrims possess valid vaccination certificates before boarding their flights. Passengers receiving vaccination at the airport have been instructed to arrive at least six hours before their scheduled departure. According to...

 ISLAMABAD, 12 September 2026 (Kamran Raja): Ali Nasir Rizvi has been transferred from his position as Inspector General of Islamabad Police, with Sohail Chaudhry appointed as his replacement, according to sources. Rizvi is expected to be posted as Director General of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), the sources said. However, a formal notification confirming the transfer and appointments has yet to be issued. The development marks a change in the leadership of Islamabad Police, with Sohail Chaudhry set to take charge as the police chief of the federal capital. Further details regarding Rizvi’s new assignment and the formal notification are awaited.

ISLAMABAD, 12 September 2026 (Kamran Raja): Leaders of the National Dialogue Committee have said that the creation of new provinces and administrative units has become the need of the hour, stressing that the existing administrative structure has failed to adequately address public issues. Speaking to the media, former federal minister and National Dialogue Committee leader Fawad Chaudhry said citizens continued to face difficulties in accessing basic facilities, including employment, healthcare, education and clean drinking water. He said the people were also struggling with inflation and other economic challenges, highlighting the need for better governance, an effective administrative structure and equitable distribution of resources. Fawad Chaudhry said the proposal for creating new pr...

 ISLAMABAD, 12 September 2026 (Nosheen): The 61st martyrdom anniversary of Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed, a distinguished hero of the September 1965 war and recipient of Pakistan’s highest military gallantry award, Nishan-e-Haider, is being observed today. Born in Hong Kong on August 6, 1928, Major Aziz Bhatti joined the Pakistan Military Academy on January 21, 1948, and was honoured as the Best Cadet during the first regular course’s passing-out parade in 1950, where he also received the Sword of Honour and Norman Gold Medal. During the 1965 war, Major Aziz Bhatti displayed extraordinary courage while defending the Burki sector near Lahore, resisting relentless enemy attacks for five days and nights. Despite severe hardships, he remained steadfast at his post and continued engag...

YEREVAN, 12 September 2026 (Ghufran): Pakistan’s Ambassador to Armenia, Shafqat Ali Khan, has presented his Letters of Credence to Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan, marking Pakistan’s first ambassadorial-level appointment to Armenia following the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2025. The credentials were presented during a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Yerevan. President Khachaturyan welcomed Ambassador Khan, congratulated him on his appointment and expressed his readiness to support efforts aimed at further strengthening Armenia-Pakistan relations and expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest. Ambassador Khan conveyed the greetings and best wishes of the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan to the Armenian president and reaffir...

ISLAMABAD, 12 September 2026 (Kamran Raja): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar congratulated Pakistan’s Ambassador-designate to China, Ali Asad Gilani, on his appointment and underscored the importance Pakistan attaches to its time-tested and all-weather strategic partnership with China. Ambassador-designate Gilani called on Deputy Prime Minister Dar in Islamabad, during which Dar emphasized the need to further deepen bilateral cooperation across key areas, including trade and investment, connectivity, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), agriculture, science and technology, education and people-to-people exchanges. Appreciating Gilani’s services as Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific), the Deputy Prime Minister expressed confidence that his experi...

 KARACHI, 11 September 2026 (Kamran Raja): The Sindh Assembly on Friday approved a resolution extending the deployment and powers of Pakistan Rangers in the province for another year, citing continuing security challenges and the need to support the civil administration in maintaining law and order. Under the resolution, the deployment of Rangers in Sindh has been extended from July 20, 2026, to July 19, 2027. The resolution stated that the paramilitary force would continue assisting the provincial civil administration in maintaining peace and security, with its presence considered necessary in view of the prevailing law and order situation. The extension has been approved under Article 147 of the Constitution, which provides a constitutional framework for entrusting certain funct...

 ISLAMABAD, 11 September 2026 (Kamran Raja): The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has formally launched the FIFA Football for Schools programme in Pakistan, targeting three million students across 3,000 public schools as part of an ambitious initiative to expand grassroots participation and build a stronger football culture nationwide. More than 50 master trainers have completed training under FIFA instructors led by Antonio Buenano Sanchez, Senior Football for Schools Manager at FIFA. Speaking at the launch event, PFF President Syed Mohsen Gilani described the initiative as a historic development for Pakistan football and said grassroots development would remain central to the Federation’s strategy. He said the target of reaching three million students was a conservative estima...

 BEIJING, 11 September 2026 (Kamran Raja): More than two dozen Pakistani companies and a large number of Pakistani professionals are participating in the 13th China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), being held in Beijing from September 9 to 11, highlighting Pakistan’s growing engagement with China’s expanding services sector and creating new opportunities for business cooperation. According to Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi, a major CIFTIS conference on September 11 will bring together more than 75 companies from Pakistan and China to explore partnerships, joint ventures and new avenues of trade. He said the Pakistan Pavilion was ready to facilitate these connections and emphasized that Pakistan was open for business. Amid the global shift toward dig...

LAHORE, 11 September 2026 (Kamran Raja): The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday barred all medical colleges in Punjab from expelling Afghan medical students amid petitions challenging their removal. Justice Khalid Ishaq heard petitions filed by more than 30 Afghan students against their expulsion from medical colleges across the province. During the hearing, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) lawyer argued that the students did not possess the required documents, maintaining that no one could stay in a country without a valid visa. Justice Ishaq questioned how the students had been granted education visas when they were admitted to medical colleges and also questioned the decision to send them back after four years of medical education. He observed that the students should ...