Author: EchoAsiaNews

LAHORE: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Monday called for a national debate on the creation of new provinces, saying any decision on administrative restructuring should take into account the prevailing political and constitutional circumstances. Addressing a Khatm-e-Nabuwwat conference at Wahdat Road Cricket Ground, Fazlur Rehman said JUI-F was not opposed to the creation of additional provinces in principle but rejected unilateral decisions on the issue. “We are not against creating units on principle,” he said, stressing that political parties should discuss the matter before any decision is taken. What did Fazlur Rehman say about new provinces? Fazlur…

Rapper Cardi B celebrated the birthdays of her children Wave and Blossom with a Disney-themed party, sharing photographs from the family gathering on social media. Cardi B, 33, posted the photographs on Instagram on September 7 to mark Blossom’s second birthday. Her son Wave turned five on September 4. How did Cardi B celebrate Wave and Blossom’s birthdays? The celebration featured Disney-inspired decorations and outfits. Blossom wore a pink dress featuring Minnie Mouse detailing, while Wave appeared in a black outfit decorated with colourful lettering. Cardi B also shared photographs featuring her children and their older sister Kulture, 8. The…

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday summoned the attorney general, provincial advocate generals and inspectors general of police in a petition challenging the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) planned nationwide protests and September 27 march towards Islamabad. IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar directed the officials to appear in their personal capacities and decided to constitute a larger bench to hear the petition. What did the petitioner’s counsel tell the IHC? During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel argued that the proposed protests could disrupt business and public life in Islamabad. He also referred to PTI’s previous demonstrations, claiming they…

Taylor Swift is reportedly keeping her distance from longtime friend and collaborator Ed Sheeran following controversy surrounding political remarks and a pro-Palestinian performance during Sheeran’s recent MetLife Stadium shows. According to a report by Rob Shuter, Swift has become cautious about being publicly associated with the controversy surrounding Sheeran’s tour. The report claims the singer is concerned that her association with Sheeran could draw unwanted political attention. Is Taylor Swift distancing herself from Ed Sheeran? A source cited by Shuter claimed that Swift does not want to become involved in the controversy, while stressing that the situation does not necessarily…

LONDON: Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez have sparked renewed speculation about their relationship after the singer shared footage from the final show of her Eternal Sunshine tour in London. In the video, Grande is seen approaching Alvarez near the stage before leaning down and kissing him during the performance. The public moment comes months after the two, who previously dated from 2015 to 2016, were reported to have reconnected. Grande also appeared to reference Alvarez during the final show by altering the lyrics of her song thank u, next. She sang: “Wrote some songs about Ricky / I’m tryna make…

UNITED NATIONS: Nearly 130 countries have agreed on a text defining lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), marking a step toward possible international negotiations on regulating weapons capable of selecting and attacking targets without direct human control. Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen announced Saturday that 128 countries had agreed on the text following talks overseen by the Netherlands. The text has not yet been made public. The agreement comes as countries develop and deploy autonomous weapons systems that can identify targets and use force with limited or no human intervention. Calls grow for international regulation The International Committee of the Red…

MOSCOW: US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner left Moscow on Saturday after more than three hours of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on efforts to end the Ukraine war, with the Kremlin reporting no breakthrough. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the US delegation presented “a number of ideas” on possible ways to reach a settlement but did not disclose details of the proposals. Ushakov said Putin told the envoys that Russia was making progress on the battlefield and remained confident of achieving its objectives. The Russian president also stressed that any settlement must address what Moscow describes as…

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday paid tribute to Pakistan’s martyrs and veterans on Defence and Martyrs’ Day, reaffirming the country’s commitment to national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity. In separate messages issued on September 6, the two leaders recalled Pakistan’s defence during the 1965 war and linked its legacy to what they described as the recent success of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos and Marka-e-Haq. Shehbaz described September 6 as a significant chapter in Pakistan’s history, saying the armed forces and nation had demonstrated unity and resolve during the 1965 war. He said Pakistan’s armed…

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s armed forces on Sunday reaffirmed their readiness to defend the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, warning that any aggression would receive a “swift and decisive response”. The statement was issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on the 61st Defence and Martyrs’ Day, as senior military leadership paid tribute to Pakistani soldiers who died in the line of duty. Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu and Commander National Strategic Command…

RAWALPINDI: Security forces have killed 21 militants in multiple operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including 17 along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Sunday. According to the military’s media wing, the operations were conducted between September 3 and 5, following an earlier engagement along the border in North Waziristan. The ISPR said 10 additional militants were killed after security forces cleared the area where militants had been holed up, taking the number of militants neutralised following the August 31-September 1 infiltration attempt to 25. Security forces had earlier killed 15 militants while foiling an infiltration attempt along the…