Author: EchoAsiaNews

A senior security official on Wednesday strongly criticised Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai over what he termed “unfortunate” and “factually incorrect” remarks about the Pakistan Army, intensifying a political row that began during a recent parliamentary session. Achakzai had described the army as a “force of four districts” while addressing the lower house, drawing sharp reactions from treasury members. Responding to the statement while speaking to journalists in Lahore, the security official said dialogue was the right of all political parties but insisted that the armed forces had no role in politics. He emphasised…

Nobel Peace Prize laureate and education advocate Malala Yousafzai has announced the opening of applications for the Malala Yousafzai Scholarship under the Oxford Pakistan Programme, a fully funded initiative enabling Pakistani women to pursue master’s and higher degrees at the University of Oxford. In a message shared on social media, Malala reflected on her own journey at Oxford and said it was important for her to support girls who have struggled for their right to education and aspire to continue their academic pursuits. She noted that the scholarship is designed to assist talented Pakistani women who wish to study at…

Several high-profile international cricketers went unsold during the historic first-ever player auction for the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), held at the Expo Centre in Lahore on Wednesday. Among the biggest names overlooked were England batters Dawid Malan and Jason Roy, along with Australia’s seasoned opener Usman Khawaja. The franchises opted to revamp their squads under a new bidding structure, prioritising different combinations of international and domestic talent ahead of PSL 11, which is scheduled to take place from March 26 to May 3. A number of prominent overseas stars also failed to attract bids. These included…

A mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge has left nine people dead and at least 27 others injured, in one of the deadliest school attacks in recent Canadian history. The violence began on February 10 at a private residence before moving to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, authorities said. Police identified the suspect as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, a local resident. Investigators said the suspect fatally shot two family members at a nearby home before entering the school and opening fire. A teacher and five students, aged 12 to 13, were killed at the school. The suspect later died from what authorities…

Pakistan’s automotive sector recorded a surge in sales in January, with cars, pickups, vans, and SUVs reaching 23,055 units, a 43-month high. This represents a 36% year-on-year (YoY) increase and a 74% rise compared to December 2025. Cumulative sales for the first seven months of FY26 rose 43% to 111,377 units, up from 77,686 units during the same period last year. Analysts attribute the strong monthly spike to new-year registrations, as buyers often delay deliveries to secure January registrations for better resale value. Industry players also benefited from new market entrants, easing inflation, lower interest rates, and improved macroeconomic sentiment.…

The search for Nancy Guthrie, 84-year-old mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, has entered its 10th day, amid new developments involving cryptocurrency activity tied to alleged ransom demands. Following Nancy’s disappearance, multiple U.S. media outlets, including TMZ and KGUN 9, received ransom notes demanding $4 million in Bitcoin by February 5, increasing to $6 million if unpaid by February 9. Savannah Guthrie attempted to reach the alleged kidnapper via social media, offering to pay the ransom. Both deadlines have now passed without confirmed payment or contact from the kidnappers. On February 10, 2026, TMZ reported suspicious activity in the…

Bangladesh is set to hold its 13th general election on Thursday, the first since the 2024 uprising that ended Sheikh Hasina’s long tenure and forced her into exile. Nearly 127 million citizens are eligible to vote, with security reinforced by more than 157,000 police officers, 100,000 soldiers, and additional personnel across the country. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, is currently leading in the polls. Their main challengers are an 11-party coalition dominated by Jamaat-e-Islami, which has regained influence since Hasina’s departure, and the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP),…

Pakistan’s benchmark KSE-100 index opened higher on Wednesday, trading up 1,237 points in early intraday activity to 184,627 at 11:20am, following Tuesday’s close of 183,390.66. This represents a 0.68% increase, supported by steady market participation. Trading volumes reached 144.5 million shares with a total value of PKR 9.56 billion, indicating healthy investor engagement in the market. Among the most active stocks, K-Electric Ltd led with 53.3 million shares traded, rising 1.97% to Rs 8.80. Cnergyico PK Ltd followed with 50.2 million shares, gaining 0.14% to Rs 8.39, while Pak Qatar General Takaful Ltd climbed sharply 8.9% to Rs 16.77 on a volume of…

On Tuesday, Chile unveiled Latam-GPT, an open-source artificial intelligence model designed specifically for Latin America, aiming to address biases often found in US-centric AI systems. Developed by the Chilean National Centre for Artificial Intelligence (Cenia), the model draws on millions of data points from across the region to reflect its cultural and linguistic diversity. “Thanks to Latam-GPT, we are positioning Latin America as an active, sovereign participant in the economy of the future,” President Gabriel Boric said. “We’re at the table, we’re not on the menu.” Science Minister Aldo Valle emphasized that the project seeks to counter stereotypes and generalizations…

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar held another phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday, highlighting the role of diplomacy and dialogue in managing regional issues, the Foreign Office (FO) said. The FO stated that the two officials “reviewed regional developments and reaffirmed the need for ongoing engagement and close coordination.” This latest exchange is part of a series of discussions between Dar and Araghchi since the beginning of the year, aimed at maintaining steady diplomatic communication amid rising regional tensions. Earlier in January, Dar had voiced concerns over the shifting regional situation during…