Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Claims to Have Foiled Drone Attacks Launched from Iraq

by with No Comment World

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has claimed to have foiled multiple drone attacks originating from Iraq.

According to the Saudi Ministry of Defense, the country’s air defense system acted promptly and destroyed drones that were attempting to target key petroleum facilities in Riyadh and the Eastern Region.

The ministry said that several drones coming from Iraq were successfully intercepted by the air defense system before they could strike important oil installations located in the Eastern Region and the capital, Riyadh.

Saudi Ministry of Defense spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Maliki said that the Kingdom has the full and legitimate right to defend its territory, its people, and its vital national installations.

He added that Saudi Arabia also reserves the right to respond appropriately to the attack and will continue taking all necessary measures to safeguard its national security.

Also Read: Pakistan Tells Iran Any Attack on Saudi Arabia Will Be Treated as an Attack on Pakistan: Reuters

According to the spokesperson, security agencies remain fully mobilized to ensure the protection of the Kingdom’s energy facilities, and any act of aggression will be met with a strong response.

Saudi authorities did not immediately release further details regarding the number of drones involved or the elements responsible for the attack. However, security around sensitive installations has been further tightened following the incident.

Petrol price

Petroleum Minister Forms Committee to Address Oil Tankers Association’s Demands

by with No Comment Business

Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik has constituted a high-level committee to address the demands of the Oil Tanker Contractors Association following a successful meeting with the association’s delegation, during which both sides agreed to resolve the issues through mutual consultation.

The committee, headed by the Special Secretary Petroleum, has been tasked with submitting its recommendations within one week. The committee will include representatives from the Directorate General of Oil (DG Oil), the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), the Oil Tanker Contractors Association (OTCA), and the Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC).

The OTCA delegation, led by its President Abidullah Afridi, met the Petroleum Minister and presented its demands regarding the reduction in the White Oil Pipeline quota, the freight formula, and commercial loading.

The Petroleum Minister directed OGRA to resolve the legitimate issues of oil tanker contractors on a priority basis. He also instructed oil marketing companies to submit a written policy on freight contracts, directed OGRA to ensure effective tracking of oil tankers, and instructed that dealers’ vehicles be kept separate from primary transportation.

Ali Pervaiz Malik said that the government’s top priority is to ensure an uninterrupted supply of fuel to the public.

The Oil Tanker Contractors Association appreciated the Petroleum Minister’s positive role, welcomed the formation of the committee, and expressed confidence that the issues would be resolved through dialogue.

Also Read: Jamaat-e-Islami Announces Nationwide Protests Over Petroleum Product Prices

Rana Sanaullah

Rana Sanaullah Alleges Rigging in AJK’s LA-10 Kotli Constituency

by with No Comment Politics

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah has alleged rigging in Azad Kashmir’s LA-10 Kotli constituency.

Rana Sanaullah claimed that in Kotli, a presiding officer and a patwari were caught red-handed at the residence of Pakistan Peoples Party candidate Chaudhry Yasin along with polling bags. He called on the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir and the Chief Election Commissioner to investigate the concerned presiding officer and patwari and explain the incident.

In his statement, Rana Sanaullah demanded that the election in LA-10 be halted until the inquiry results are made public. He said it should first be determined where the polling bags had been taken.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) categorically rejected Rana Sanaullah’s allegations. The party also expressed serious concerns over what it described as federal interference and the use of official resources in the Azad Kashmir elections.

PPP leader Nadeem Afzal Chan said that the federal government and its machinery should refrain from any form of interference. He stressed that the electoral process should be kept free from all kinds of influence.

Also Read: AJK Elections 2026: Polling Hours Extended by One Hour in Mirpur Division

KP CM Sohail Afridi

CM Sohail Afridi Says ‘Rehai Force’ Was Never Formed, Calls Movement Peaceful and Voluntary

by with No Comment Politics

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has submitted his reply before the Federal Constitutional Court in the case regarding the alleged PTI Founder Release Force.

In his response, the Chief Minister stated that the PTI Founder Release Force was never established and maintained that the actual initiative is the PTI Founder Release Peace Movement, which is peaceful, unarmed, and voluntary. He requested the court to dismiss the petition.

The eight-page reply was submitted through the Advocate General. According to the response, the PTI Founder Release Force never came into existence, while the PTI Founder Release Peace Movement is a peaceful, unarmed, and voluntary initiative.

Chief Minister Sohail Afridi stated that the Release Peace Movement has no armed structure or private militia, adding that the constitutional petition is based on political motives and misrepresentation.

The reply further stated that the petition is premature, hypothetical, and not maintainable. It argued that the petitioner has failed to establish any violation of fundamental rights. The Chief Minister also maintained that the Release Peace Movement is protected under Articles 16, 17, and 19 of the Constitution, while Article 256 of the Constitution and the Private Military Organizations Act, 1973, have no relevance to the matter.

Also Read: Swat Dam Project Ready but Federal Govt Not Issuing Required NOCs, Says KP CM

The response described the allegations regarding a threat to law and order as baseless and termed the comparison of the Release Peace Movement with past armed organizations as misleading.

The court has been requested to dismiss the constitutional petition at the preliminary stage and declare the PTI Founder Release Peace Movement constitutional and lawful.

The Federal Constitutional Court had sought a reply from Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, while the petition against the alleged Release Force has been scheduled for hearing on July 29.

AJK Election

AJK Elections 2026: Polling Hours Extended by One Hour in Mirpur Division

by with No Comment Politics

Polling hours in all 13 constituencies of Mirpur Division have been extended by one hour during the first phase of the 2026 Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly general elections.

The Chief Election Commissioner, Mirpur, announced the extension due to the extraordinary voter turnout across the division. According to the announcement, voters at all polling stations in Mirpur Division will now be able to cast their votes until 6:00 PM.

Originally, polling for the first phase of the Legislative Assembly general elections was scheduled from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. However, the polling time has now been extended by one hour. Voters who are inside the polling station or standing in the queue by 6:00 PM will be allowed to cast their votes.

To ensure a peaceful and transparent electoral process, thousands of police personnel, members of other law enforcement agencies, and Pakistan Army troops have been deployed. Special security arrangements have also been made at sensitive and highly sensitive polling stations.

Mirpur Division has a total of 1,400,437 registered voters, including 724,811 male voters and 675,626 female voters.

A total of 2,316 polling stations have been established across the division for the elections. Of these, 1,241 have been declared highly sensitive, 724 sensitive, and 351 normal polling stations, where special security arrangements have been put in place.

A total of 288 candidates are contesting the elections in the 13 constituencies of Mirpur Division. The highest number of candidates is in Constituency LA-3 Mirpur City, where 34 candidates are in the race.

Chief Election Commissioner of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Justice (Retd.) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal, said that polling in Mirpur Division began at the scheduled time of 8:00 AM and that the voting process has so far continued peacefully.

Speaking to the media, the Chief Election Commissioner appealed to the people of Mirpur Division to come out of their homes and exercise their right to vote, emphasizing that by casting their valuable votes they can play an important role in the formation of the government.

Also Read: AJK Election Commission Revises Schedule for Legislative Assembly Elections

naeem-ur-rehman

Jamaat-e-Islami Announces Nationwide Protests Over Petroleum Product Prices

by with No Comment Politics

ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami has announced nationwide protests and sit-ins to demand a reduction in petroleum product prices.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said, “Reduce the price of petrol, abolish the petroleum levy,” and announced that nationwide protests will be held on August 7.

In a statement posted on the social media platform X, he urged the government to reduce the price of petrol and immediately abolish the petroleum levy. He described the levy as a “gigantic tax” and a burden on the public, saying its abolition is essential.

He announced that the August 7 protest would mark a new chapter of resistance in Pakistan. Hafiz Naeemur Rehman appealed to students, youth, motorcycle riders, delivery workers, people associated with courier services, laborers, farmers, and the entire nation to participate actively in the protest with their motorcycles and vehicles.

He further said that through peaceful political resistance, the public would secure its rights and that the government would have to accept the people’s demands.

Also Read: Petroleum Product Prices to Remain Unchanged Until July 27

Jamaat-e-Islami has officially announced nationwide sit-ins and protests on August 7 and demanded that the system of daily fuel price revisions be abolished and that the price of petrol be reduced to Rs225 per litre.

 

Earlier, the spokesperson for Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi said that the continuous and daily increase in petroleum product prices is an oppressive measure that has severely affected every segment of society, including ordinary citizens, youth, students, traders, industrialists, and transporters, who are already facing difficulties due to rising inflation.

The spokesperson added that traders’ and industrialists’ organizations, as well as the Petrol Pump Owners Association, have also rejected the government’s decision. Despite this, the government remains determined to impose an additional financial burden on the public through daily price increases, creating uncertainty and contributing to the continued rise in the prices of essential commodities.

Petrol-app-4

Petroleum Product Prices to Remain Unchanged Until July 27

by with No Comment Politics

ISLAMABAD: Sources in the Petroleum Division have said that the current prices of petroleum products in the country will remain unchanged until July 27.

According to Petroleum Division sources, the price of petrol will remain at Rs335.18 per litre until July 27.

The sources said the price of diesel will also remain unchanged at Rs383.46 per litre until July 27.

According to the sources, the price of kerosene oil will remain unchanged at Rs301.14 per litre until July 27.

Also Read: Petrol and Diesel Prices Raised for the Third Consecutive Day

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian

Iranian Presidency Accuses State Broadcaster of Censoring President Pezeshkian’s Interview

by with No Comment World

TEHRAN: Iran’s Presidential Office has accused the country’s state broadcaster of censorship, alleging that parts of an interview with President Masoud Pezeshkian were removed.

According to an Al Jazeera report, a senior Iranian official called on the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the country’s state broadcasting organization, to provide broader representation of different political viewpoints following the government’s allegation that parts of President Masoud Pezeshkian’s interview had been censored by state media.

Mohammad Mirzaei, spokesperson for the Supervisory Council overseeing the state broadcaster, said that the national broadcaster should be one of the symbols of national unity and should also provide appropriate representation to moderate figures from approved political parties and groups.

Mohammad Mirzaei urged the management of IRIB to take effective administrative measures and issue the necessary directives to prevent similar broadcasting-related disputes in the future.

The report stated that the Supervisory Council’s statement came after President Masoud Pezeshkian’s office complained that some of the President’s remarks had been removed from an interview broadcast on state television.

Also Read: Iran Suspends Implementation of MOU with the United States

Islamabad Police

Islamabad Police Dismiss 12 Personnel for Absence from VVIP Security Duty

by with No Comment Crime & Court

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Police have taken strict action against personnel who were absent from duty during the visit of foreign delegations to the federal capital, dismissing 12 officials from service, including two Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs).

According to the details, the dismissed officials include two ASIs and 10 constables. All of them had been deployed at highly sensitive locations for VVIP security duty. However, during an inspection, the personnel were found absent from their assigned sensitive duties without any valid reason.

The dismissed ASIs have been identified as Waqar Ahmed and Abid Hussain. The constables removed from service are Asif, Umar Munir, Hamza, Faizan, Irfan, Ghulam Murtaza, Khurram Shehzad, Tazeem Mushtaq, Asad Islam, and Shehzad Aslam.

The personnel were dismissed from service for negligence of duty after they were found absent from their assigned security responsibilities during the VVIP deployment.

Also Read: Actress Shama Naz Assaulted During Stage Play in Sheikhupura, Police Register FIR

Hamza Shahbaz

Hamza Shehbaz Takes Office at Prime Minister House, to Oversee PAC Matters

by with No Comment Politics

ISLAMABAD: Former Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz has taken charge of his office at the Prime Minister House.

According to party sources, Hamza Shehbaz also met several federal ministers on Thursday. He will be based on the sixth floor of the Prime Minister House, where he will carry out his official responsibilities.

Party sources said Hamza Shehbaz will oversee matters related to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). He will also establish a committee to address and resolve the issues faced by party workers.

According to the sources, Hamza Shehbaz will formally begin handling his office affairs from Monday.

It is pertinent to mention that Hamza Shehbaz is the son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Also Read: Swat Dam Project Ready but Federal Govt Not Issuing Required NOCs, Says KP CM