An election tribunal has upheld the Election Commission of Pakistan’s notification declaring Nawaz Sharif the winner in Lahore’s NA-130, dismissing a challenge filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Dr Yasmin Rashid. The decision ends her bid to overturn Sharif’s victory in the February 2024 general election from the constituency, also known as NA-130 (Lahore-XIV). The tribunal, headed by Judge Rana Zahid Mahmood, rejected Dr Rashid’s petition on technical grounds. The ruling means the official result notified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will remain in force. According to the published results of the February 8, 2024 election, the three-time prime minister secured 179,310 votes in NA-130, while Dr Rashid polled 104,485. Dr Rashid had approached the tribunal in the weeks following polling, arguing through her lawyers that the ECP failed to follow proper procedure when it notified Sharif’s victory. She alleged that the result had been manipulated in his favour and sought to have the notif

Police officials have warned that anyone resorting to aerial firing to celebrate the New Year will be booked under attempted murder charges, cautioning that “a few moments of joy can turn into a lifetime of suffering for someone.” Karachi Police have intensified their awareness campaign against celebratory gunfire, making announcements from mosques and warning the public that strict legal action will be taken against violators on New Year’s Eve. #etribune #News #Latest

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyan Jaishankar briefly met Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in Dhaka on Wednesday on the sidelines of the funeral ceremonies of former Bangladeshi prime minister Khaleda Zia, marking the first such interaction between senior officials of the two rivals since their military conflict in May. For more: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2584779/1 #etribune #news #latest

A 34-year-old woman from Bradford, Sidrah Nosheen, has been sentenced to 21 years and six months in prison after £8.5 million worth of heroin was found at her home. The Express Tribune explains what actually went down #etribune #news #latest

Sindh Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon announced on Tuesday that double-decker buses will start operating on Karachi’s roads from Wednesday. After nearly half a century, double-decker buses are set to return to Karachi’s roads, operating from Malir to Shahrah-e-Faisal. #etribune #news #Latest

It seems like Pakistan's so-called 'vibrant' textile sector is on its way towards a modest improvement in terms of earning export revenues for calendar year 2025; however, for 2026, a majority of textile pundits are sensing a declining trend due to tariff reshufflings and strategic shifts by global players, particularly the United States under Trump 2.0 and the People's Republic of China, as both seek to protect their domestic industries. For more: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2584563/1 #etribune #News #latest

The National Database and Registration Authority has launched a facial recognition-based biometric verification system to help citizens who face difficulties with fingerprint verification, particularly elderly people and those with medical conditions. A NADRA spokesperson said the move follows directives from the prime minister and the interior minister, under which several steps were taken to improve identity verification. Amendments have been made to the National Identity Card rules to broaden the legal definition of biometric verification, formally including facial recognition. NADRA said it is fully prepared to implement the system and has asked relevant government and private institutions to make the necessary arrangements to recognise facial recognition as a valid verification method. #etribune #news #Latest

The beleaguered PTI appears divided on how to respond to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's offer of talks, with the party chairman adopting a conciliatory tone and the secretary-general laying down preconditions. For more: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2584748/1 #etribune #news #Latest

Comic Wisdom by Sabir Nazir #etribune #cartoon #ETOpEd

Khaleda Zia, who became Bangladesh's first female prime minister in 1991 and went on to develop a bitter rivalry with Sheikh Hasina as they spent decades trading power, died on Tuesday after a long illness. She was 80. For more: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2584600/1 #etribune #news #latest