Blaze News - Pakistan

China’s economy expanded by 4.7% year-on-year in the first half of 2026, demonstrating resilience amid global uncertainty and reinforcing its role as a stabilising force in the world economy, according to official data cited by Xinhua. Figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that GDP growth moderated slightly in the second quarter to 4.3%, down from 5% in the first quarter. Officials, however, said the economy continued to operate “within an appropriate range” despite mounting external pressures. Officials attributed the second-quarter slowdown to short-term factors and external influences, maintaining that the broader trajectory of innovation-driven and high-quality development remained intact. China has set a full-year growth target of around 4.5% to 5%, with policymakers expressing confidence they will meet or exceed it. The steady performance in the first half, they said, has laid a solid foundation for achieving key annual target...

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has rolled out a Transport Monetisation Policy, enabling judicial officers serving in the district judiciary across Punjab to purchase their officially allotted vehicles at depreciated rates. The policy has been enforced with retrospective effect from July 1, 2026. As part of the new arrangement, judicial officers will no longer be entitled to official fuel, maintenance or driver facilities for personal use. Read: Punjab judges to get subsidised cars In place of these benefits, they will receive a monthly transport monetisation allowance, the amount of which will be fixed by the competent authority and revised from time to time in accordance with fuel prices and prevailing economic conditions. According to a notification issued by the LHC registrar, Chief Justice Aalia Neelum approved the policy in line with the decisions of the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee (NJPMC) and the Punjab cabinet. A major component of the policy allows j...

The federal government said on Wednesday ​it was stepping up security around the Saindak copper and gold mine in Balochistan ‌after terrorist violence disrupted supply routes, and the mine's operator denied a report that the project could be forced to shut down. Saindak Metals Limited Managing Director Raziq Sanjrani called the closure report, first published by the Financial Times, factually incorrect. ​The mine has run without interruption for 25 years, and "there is no possibility of its ​shutdown", he said in a statement. He said the company had asked the authorities ⁠for help moving furnace oil to the site after some transporters baulked at using certain routes ​through Balochistan, and that security agencies had since assured the company the supply would continue uninterrupted. State Minister ​for Interior Talal Chaudhry said the government had received the mine operator's security concerns in early July and ordered agencies to increas...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday stressed the importance of reviving regional cooperation in a meeting with outgoing South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) Secretary General Ambassador Golam Sarwar.  A press release issued today by the PM Office said the premier held a meeting with the Saarc chief at the Prime Minister's House. "The prime minister appreciated the secretary general's dedicated service and leadership in advancing regional cooperation during his tenure as secretary general of SAARC. "He reaffirmed Pakistan's steadfast commitment to the Saarc Charter and underscored the importance of revitalising regional cooperation to promote connectivity, sustainable development, and the shared prosperity of the peoples of South Asia," the press release said. Islamabad :15 July 2026. Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), H.E. Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar, paid his farewell ...

Twenty-six employees of Meta ‌Platforms have filed a novel lawsuit accusing the tech giant of using AI-powered software that disproportionately targeted people with disabilities or who took medical leave in selecting workers for mass layoffs. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Oakland, California, late on Monday, says that the company relied on factors such as productivity and AI token usage when it slashed thousands of jobs earlier this year, disadvantaging people who missed work because of medical conditions or to care for family members. The plaintiffs, who were notified in May that their jobs would be eliminated starting on July 22, ​are seeking a preliminary ruling from the court blocking Meta from completing the layoffs while they pursue their ​claims in private arbitration. The workers say Meta's agreements require employees to arbitrate workplace disputes individually, but do not apply to requests for temporary relief. A Meta spokesperson on Tuesday said the...

Ukraine and nine Coalition of the Willing countries have announced plans to establish a joint anti-ballistic missile coalition aimed at strengthening Europe’s defence capabilities against future missile threats. Leaders from Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and the UK said the initiative would focus on creating an integrated missile defence architecture through cooperation in technology, research and defence industries. In a joint declaration, the countries said the coalition would be “purely defensive” and was designed to protect Europe from growing missile risks. Read More: Germany funds 50,000 strike drones for Ukraine, source says “We believe that the protection of Europe requires a global solution of integrated missile defence architecture to deter and defeat future missile threats,” the leaders said. Europe needs more anti-ballistic defense. Together, we can build such a system. Ukraine is re...