BusinessPakistan has awarded 23 offshore exploration blocks in the Indus and Makran basins, the first such move in nearly 20 years. The petroleum ministry says the initial investment is $82 million and could rise to $1 billion in later phases.
NATIONALChief Justice Yahya Afridi has assured PTI that petitions concerning access to Imran Khan by doctors, family and lawyers will be fixed after Eidul Azha. The Supreme Court also upheld bail for PTI leader Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry in two May 9 cases.
BusinessPakistan’s food import bill rose to $7.848 billion in July-April 2025-26, led by sugar and edible oil purchases, while raw food exports fell 32.02pc. PBS data showed a widening gap between food imports and exports during the period.
NATIONALThe Islamabad High Court has warned counsel for Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi against further delaying arguments in their £190 million case appeals. The bench also ordered jail authorities to facilitate signing of powers of attorney.
Pakistan has been nominated to the World Customs Organisation Policy Commission for 2026-28, the first such selection in nearly 70 years, the FBR said. The nomination will go before the WCO Council in June for formal approval.
NATIONALSecurity forces arrested 28 Afghan nationals in Kech district during an intelligence-based operation, police said. Officials said they were staying without legal documents and were later handed over to the FIA for further interrogation.
LocalThe Hub district administration has fixed the price of Iranian petrol at Rs250 per litre across the district. Officials say the move is meant to protect consumers and curb overpricing, hoarding and profiteering.
CITYKarachi Commissioner Syed Hasan Naqvi has ordered the removal of all illegal billboards across the city. Authorities were also told to act against responsible officers and advertising agencies in line with court orders.
CITYResidents, activists and legal experts in Karachi have warned that unchecked commercialisation of residential plots will worsen traffic, pollution and infrastructure stress. They called for a transparent master plan, public consultation and environmental safeguards before any land-use change.
HEALTHResearchers at the University of Health Sciences in Lahore have made progress on a gene-editing approach for beta-thalassemia. The project focuses on reactivating fetal hemoglobin and may support future gene-based therapies.
NATIONALA special court in Lahore has acquitted PM Shehbaz Sharif’s daughter Rabia Imran and son-in-law Ali Imran Yousaf in the PPDC corruption case. The court said the supplementary reference against them lacked sufficient evidence.
WorldA Swedish palaeontologist and her team are reconstructing southern Sweden as it appeared around 200 million years ago. Their work draws on Jurassic-era fossils and pollen samples preserved in Skane.
