Category: National

At least 12 professors of Lahore’s Punjab University (PU) have gone missing after receiving millions of rupees in PhD scholarships abroad, it has emerged.

According to reports, varsity administration has decided to write a letter to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other authorities concerned to recover funds from the teachers who did not rejoin service after completing their degrees in foreign countries.

Of the total 56 faculty members who were awarded substantial amounts, reports said, at least 12 had failed to return and resume their duties.

The varsity, it was reported, will now also be writing to Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to block the identity cards and passports of the absconding teachers.

As per the agreement, these faculty members were obligated to serve at the university for at least five years post-PhD. Failure to do so requires them to repay the full scholarship amount, varsity administration said.

The names of the absconding teachers and the respective amounts they owe have also been released by a PU spokesperson, which are as follows:

Farah Sattar (GIS Centre): Rs7 million  

Syed Mohsin Ali (GIS Centre): Rs14 million  

Kiran Ayesha (Institute of Administrative Sciences): Rs10 million  

Rabia Ibad (Department of MMG): Rs9 million  

Khawaja Khurram Khurshid (IQTM): Rs8.4 million  

Shumaila Ishaq (Hailey College of Commerce): Rs16.1 million  

Usman Raheem (Centre for Coal Technology): Rs7.2 million  

Salman Aziz (College of Engineering): Rs9 million  

Muhammad Nawaz (GIS): Rs7.2 million  

Javeria Iqbal (PUCIT): Rs6 million  

Seemab Ara (Administrative Sciences): Rs10 million  

Samia Mahmood: Rs11.6 million  

PU has also officially dismissed all defaulters from service.

Amid a series of attacks on multinational food-chains, particularly Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), by pro-Palestine activists, those involved in the attack and vandalism at KFC’s Sector E-11 branch in Islamabad have offered an apology, saying they were “misled”.

At a press conference held in the federal capital, the attackers stepped forth one by one and offered their apologies, with one introducing himself as Sher Badal, a resident of Rawalpindi. “I was there at the time of the attack. I was misled… and this won’t happen next time. I offer apologies to the government and the nation,” he said.

Another assailant, identified as Izzatutullah of Rawalpindi, said that he joined in when people attacked the global food chain. “To which I feel sorry,” he said.

One of the attackers, Mohammad Ijaz, said he was just following others. “What we did was very wrong. Whatever damage was done, it was a loss for Pakistan. I urge the youth to stay away from such tactics,” he added.

A mob had on April 15 attacked KFC’s outlet in Islamabad’s E-11/2. The incident had resulted in severe damage to the premises.

While similar attacks were also reported in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi, and had resulted in at least one death, Islamabad police had issued a statement claiming that police had detained five for vandalism.

Videos on social media had also shown protesters forcefully entering the premises of the fast-food restaurant and forcing the staff to shut it down.

In recognition of its commitment to journalistic standards and impactful engagement, The Current – Pakistan’s fastest-growing digital news platform for the youth – has bagged two awards at the prestigious World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) Digital Media Awards South Asia 2025.

Representing over 18,000 publications across 120 countries, WAN-IFRA, through its digital media awards, celebrates excellence in digital journalism, recognising publishers that push boundaries in storytelling, technology and audience engagement.

“Acknowledging the significant role of small and medium publishers, WAN-IFRA continues to support and celebrate the success of news organisations with annual revenues below $5 million, ensuring broader recognition of impactful journalism in the region. Pluc (India) and The Current (Pakistan) bagged Gold across Video, Newsletter and Engagement categories,” read a statement issued by the organisation on its website.

The awards – for the ‘Best Newsletter’ and ‘Best Fact-Checking Project’ – highlight The Current’s dedication to delivering high-quality digital content that resonates with its audiences. The recognition also places The Current among the top innovators in South Asian media, reinforcing its role as a leader in digital journalism.

While The Current’s newsletter brings curated content straight to your inbox every morning at 9 am, the award-winning fact-check investigated social media claims and widespread violent protests in response to the Punjab College rape case from 2024, which never really took place.  

The entries, WAN-IFRA said, were evaluated by a panel of experienced editors and industry experts on the basis of innovation, audience impact and journalistic excellence.

“As a next step, all Gold winners from this year’s awards will automatically qualify for WAN-IFRA’s World Digital Media Awards, where they will compete with top digital projects from across the globe,” the statement added.

Other notable winners included BBC, Deutsche Welle, The Hindu, The Quint and The Daily Star among others. The winners will be presented their trophies at the Digital Media India 2025 Conference on June 18, 2025, in Chennai.

A strong earthquake on Saturday shook Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Shabqadar, Mohmand, Nowshera, Malakand and Bajaur spreading fear among people who fled their homes and offices, reciting prayers.

In KP, strong tremors were felt in Peshawar, Mardan, Mohmand, Shabqadar, Lower Dir, Malakand, Bajaur, Nowshera, Dir Bala, Swat, Swabi, Chitral, and Gilgit. In Azad Kashmir, tremors were also experienced in the Neelum Valley’s Athmuqam area.

Several parts of Punjab including Okara, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Toba Tek Singh and Chiniot also were shaken.  

The tremors, the third in a week, occurred at 11:47 am and caused widespread panic, especially in high-rise buildings, prompting occupants to evacuate quickly in fear.

As of now, no casualties or property damage have been reported. However, authorities are closely monitoring the situation and assessing any potential impact.

According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre (NSMC), the earthquake had a magnitude of 5.9 and a depth of 94 kilometres. The epicentre was located near the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border region, at latitude 36.21 N and longitude 71.34 E.

Meanwhile, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a magnitude 5.7 earthquake, 53 kilometres south-southwest of Ashkasham in Afghanistan, near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

“It was brief but a powerful one. I felt the entire bed shake and had to quickly run out of our house with my family,” said Shahjahan Khurram, a resident of Islamabad. Ayesha Rehman, working in Blue Area, shared that people in her office rushed out in panic as soon as the jolt was felt.

The latest tremors come just days after a 5.5-magnitude quake on April 12 and a 5.3 on April 16 shook many of the same regions, making it the third incident within a week.

For residents of Islamabad, this earthquake also follows the recent havoc caused by a heavy hailstorm on April 16, which left a trail of destruction including smashed car windows, broken tree branches, and damaged solar panels.

Pakistan is currently witnessing extreme weather conditions, with hailstorms and rains in parts of Punjab and Islamabad, while Karachi and South Punjab continue to face heatwave-like temperatures.

Half a million weapons recovered by Taliban in Afghanistan following United States (US) forces’ withdrawal, have been sold, smuggled or lost to militant groups, a leading foreign media outlet has claimed.

After regaining control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban seized around one million weapons as well as pieces of military equipment and vehicles, most of which had been funded by the US, the media report quoted a former Afghan official as claiming.

In August 2021, when the Afghan Taliban were proceeding to Kabul, soldiers surrendered or fled while abandoning their weapons and vehicles. US forces also left their equipment behind.

The cache included American-made firearms such as M4 and M16 rifles as well as older weapons left behind during decades of conflict. 

The outlet further quoted sources as claiming that the Taliban admitted at a closed-door United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) Sanctions Committee in Doha late last year that at least half of this equipment was now “unaccounted” for. 

In its report in February this year, the UN said that al-Qaeda affiliates, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement and Yemen’s Ansarullah movement, were accessing Taliban-captured weapons or buying them on the black market.

Meanwhile, deputy spokesperson for the Taliban government, Hamdullah Fitrat, while speaking to the outlet, dismissed the claims of smuggling weapons to terrorists. “All light and heavy weapons are securely stored. We strongly reject claims of smuggling or loss,” he said.

The media report further quoted a source as claiming that “hundreds” of unused Humvees, mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles (MRAPS) and Black Hawk helicopters remained in Kandahar warehouses.

The Taliban have showcased some of the captured equipment in their propaganda videos, but their ability to operate and maintain advanced machinery like Black Hawk helicopters is limited due to a shortage of trained personnel and technical skills. As a result, much of this high-tech equipment remains out of service.

They have, however, effectively used simpler equipment such as Humvees and small arms in their operations. 

It merits a mention that the report comes while US President Donald Trump repeatedly says he would reclaim weapons from Afghanistan, noting that $85 billion of advanced weaponry was left there.

“Afghanistan is one of the biggest sellers of military equipment in the world, you know why? They’re selling the equipment that we left,” President Trump said during his first cabinet meeting of the new administration.

“I want to look into this. If we need to pay them, that’s fine, but we want our military equipment back.”