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The Rise of Daily Islamabad Post: A Beacon of Balanced Journalism in Pakistan

The Rise of Daily Islamabad Post: A Beacon of Balanced Journalism in Pakistan

In an era where media polarization and sensationalism often dominate headlines, Daily Islamabad Post has emerged as a trusted source of balanced and credible journalism in Pakistan. Launched in 2020, this English-language daily has quickly gained recognition for its fair reporting, insightful analysis, and wide coverage of national and international affairs. With its strong presence in both print and digital formats, the newspaper has carved a niche for itself among diplomats, policymakers, and the corporate community.

A Legacy of Credible Journalism

Daily Islamabad Post is part of a well-established media network that includes the Monthly Centreline—a publication known for its in-depth features on socio-political issues—and the Diplomatic News Agency, which specializes in foreign affairs and diplomatic reporting. Both sister publications were launched earlier, with Centreline debuting in 2010 and the Diplomatic News Agency in 2012. Under the leadership of Chief Editor Ansar Mahmood Bhatti, a seasoned journalist with years of experience, all three publications uphold high editorial standards, ensuring accuracy, objectivity, and professionalism.

Balanced Reporting in a Divided Media Landscape

One of the key reasons behind Daily Islamabad Post’s rapid rise is its commitment to balanced journalism. In a country where media outlets often align with political or ideological biases, the newspaper has maintained an independent stance, providing readers with well-researched and unbiased news. This approach has earned it membership in the All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS), a prestigious recognition that underscores its credibility and influence in Pakistan’s media industry.

The newspaper covers a wide range of topics, including politics, economy, international relations, business, and culture. Its editorial team consists of career journalists who bring years of expertise to their reporting, ensuring that readers receive not just news, but also meaningful context and analysis.

Popular Among Diplomats and Corporate Leaders

Given its affiliation with the Diplomatic News Agency, Daily Islamabad Post has developed a strong following within Pakistan’s diplomatic community. Foreign missions, international organizations, and local policymakers rely on the newspaper for accurate and timely updates on Pakistan’s political developments and foreign relations.

Similarly, the business and corporate sector values the newspaper’s comprehensive economic reporting. From stock market trends to government policies affecting industries, Daily Islamabad Post provides valuable insights that help professionals make informed decisions.

Embracing Digital Transformation

While the print edition of Daily Islamabad Post continues to thrive, the newspaper has also embraced digital transformation, ensuring that it reaches a global audience. Its online platform offers real-time updates, multimedia content, and interactive features, catering to the evolving preferences of modern readers. This dual presence in print and digital spaces has allowed the publication to expand its readership beyond Islamabad to other major cities like Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar.

A Promising Future

Since its inception in 2020, Daily Islamabad Post has demonstrated remarkable growth and resilience. In just a few years, it has positioned itself as one of Pakistan’s leading English dailies, competing with long-established newspapers. Its success can be attributed to its unwavering commitment to journalistic integrity, diverse content, and adaptability in a rapidly changing media environment.

As Pakistan’s media landscape continues to evolve, Daily Islamabad Post stands out as a beacon of responsible journalism. With its strong editorial leadership, expanding reach, and reputation for fairness, the newspaper is well on its way to becoming an even more influential voice in the country’s press.

For readers seeking reliable news free from sensationalism, Daily Islamabad Post remains a top choice—a testament to the power of balanced and professional journalism in today’s world.

ISSI concludes partnership MoU with Russia’s premier think-tank

ISSI concludes partnership MoU with Russia’s premier think-tank

ISLAMABAD, JUN 28 /DNA/ – The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and the Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), have concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to institutionalise and deepen academic collaboration. IMEMO is among Russia’s premier think-tanks.

The MoU was signed on June 24, 2025, in Moscow, on the side-lines of the prestigious Primakov Readings 2025, an international forum that brings together top policymakers, diplomats, and scholars to deliberate on pressing global and regional issues.

The signing ceremony was attended by senior officials and experts from both sides.
Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Director General ISSI, and Dr. Feodor Voitolovsky, Director of IMEMO-RAS, signed for their respective sides. The MoU establishes a framework for long-term collaboration in areas such as joint research, policy dialogue, academic exchanges, co-publications, and participation in seminars and conferences on regional and global strategic issues of mutual interest.

Expressing his views, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood underscored the significance of enhanced academic and intellectual engagement between Pakistan and Russia, particularly at a time of profound transformations in the global order. He noted that this MoU on forgoing a close partnership would serve as a foundation for sustained cooperation and knowledge-sharing between the two institutions.

Dr. Feodor Voitolovsky, in his remarks, welcomed the partnership and expressed IMEMO’s commitment to expanding research collaboration with ISSI on a wide range of topics.

The ISSI-IMEMO partnership marks an important step in the growing scholarly linkages between Pakistan and Russia and is expected to contribute meaningfully to bilateral understanding and regional dialogue through high-quality research and exchanges.

It is also expected to reinforce the positive trajectory of Pakistan-Russia relations, which has been a high priority for both sides in recent years.

PIA CEO seeks Dar’s help to resume UK flights

PIA CEO seeks Dar's help to resume UK flights

ISLAMABAD, JUN 28 /DNA/ – CEO of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), AVM Amir Hayat, today called on Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50.

CEO Hayat acknowledged that during the PDM government (2022–2023) necessary groundwork was laid, enabling PIA & CAA to meet ICAO requirements, leading to the resumption of PIA flights to EU in November 2024.

Appreciating the DPM/FM’s continued support, he requested further diplomatic assistance for resumption of flights to the UK.

The DPM/FM informed that he and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are actively engaged with the UK authorities to ensure the lifting of the ban at the earliest.=DNA

Court ruling confirms India can’t block water deal: PM Shehbaz

Shehbaz Sharif

ISLAMABAD, JUN 28 (DNA): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday welcomed Permanent Court of Arbitration’s Supplemental Award regarding Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).

The prime minister said that the judicial ruling strengthened Pakistan’s stance, asserting that India has no authority to suspend the agreement unilaterally.

“We are working upon water resources as the water is the lifeline for the people of the country, PM Office Media Wing, in a press release, quoted the prime minister as saying.

The prime minister also commended Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar and Attorney General Mansoor Awan for their efforts in this regard.=DNA

Punjab ends Sehat Card services in public hospitals

Punjab ends Sehat Card services in public hospitals

LAHORE, JUN 28: The Punjab government has decided to discontinue the Sehat Card medical facilities in government hospitals from June 30. The decision was communicated by the Sehat Card Company to the medical superintendents of government hospitals across the province, instructing them to cease all services related to the Sehat Card after the deadline.

According to the letter, all medical benefits under the Sehat Card — a health insurance initiative launched during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government — will no longer be available in government hospitals.

Instead, medical services will be provided under a new health program initiated by the Punjab chief minister.

The original Health Card scheme, introduced to provide free treatment to eligible residents, has been restructured.

The Punjab government has launched separate specialized cards under the new program, including cards for cornea, cochlear, and bone marrow transplants, as well as distinct cards for dialysis, kidney, and liver transplants.

Additionally, a dedicated Child Card Surgery program will focus exclusively on heart treatment for children, officials said.

The provincial health department has assured that despite the closure of the Sehat Card scheme, patients will continue to receive medical assistance through the new initiative, aiming to offer more targeted healthcare services.

Death toll in Swat River tragedy rises to 11, search on for two missing

Death toll in Swat River tragedy rises to 11

SWAT/PESHAWAR: The death toll from the tragic Swat River incident rose to 11 on Saturday after rescue teams recovered the body of another child, according to Rescue 1122.

Search operations are still ongoing to locate the two individuals who remain missing. Four people were rescued during the initial response yesterday.

The incident occurred when 17 members of a family from Sialkot were caught in a sudden surge in water flow while picnicking by the riverbank in Swat. Despite efforts by rescuers, several individuals were swept away, prompting a large-scale operation.

According to Director General Rescue 1122, the search and rescue operation has now been activated in other areas for over 24 hours and was being carried out simultaneously in Khwazakhela, Kabal Bypass, and Barikot.

Over 120 rescue personnel are participating in the mission.

Teams from Swat, Malakand, and Shangla are jointly taking part in the operation, utilising boats and equipment to scan the riverbanks and deeper water zones.

According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister’s spokesperson, Faraz Ahmad Mughal, the inquiry committee formed to probe the incident has approved a decisive crackdown against encroachments along the Swat River.

“The district administration has been instructed to immediately demolish all illegal constructions built along the riverbanks,” the spokesperson said, noting that KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur directed all relevant departments to eliminate the encroachments within three days.

Additionally, he said, it has been decided that all hotels in the area will be registered on a permanent basis to ensure regulatory oversight.

Reacting to the tragic incident, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi censured CM Ali Amin Gandapur’s government and its failure to ensure timely response and preventive measures.

“This is not just incompetence. It is a shameful failure of duty,” Governor Kundi wrote in a post on X. Furthermore, in a separate video message on X, the governor urged CM Gandapur to “show moral courage and resign without delay” as he was both the provincial chief executive and also held the tourism portfolio.

President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and the country’s leadership have expressed sorrow over the incident.

The national meteorological service warned that the risk of heavy rain and possible flash floods will remain high until at least Tuesday.

Grief in the Swat Valley

Grief in the Swat Valley

by Muhammad Mohsin Iqbal

Some events pierce the heart so deeply that their echoes remain long after the floodwaters recede, the cries die down, and the dust settles. They do not merely pass; they imprint themselves upon our collective conscience—if, indeed, we still possess one. Among such tragedies was the recent incident in Swat, where joy turned into mourning in a matter of moments, and a dream of leisure ended in an irreversible nightmare.

On that Friday afternoon, the heavens bore witness to a calamity that no heart could endure. The blue skies of Swat, known for their serenity, suddenly watched helplessly as a savage torrent of water surged through the valley and snatched away human lives in the blink of an eye. The laughter of children turned into frantic screams, the chatter of friends into cries for help, and the calm of nature into a scene of utter devastation.

A group of 35 tourists from Daska had set out in the hope of finding solace in the lap of nature. They were families, friends, brothers and sisters—ordinary people seeking a brief escape from the burdens of life. But some 16 of them never returned. The Swat River, fed by the glacial veins of the north, became their unmarked grave. The final moments of these precious lives were captured by bystanders—cameras recorded the horror, and social media broadcasted the tragedy to the world. But for all the clarity of those visuals, what generally unseen were the figures who should have been there first—the rescuers, the officials, the system.

The affected families kept calling for help for hours. Voices cracked with desperation, phones trembled in wet hands, prayers were whispered with every breath—and yet, no one came. The delay was fatal. It was not just a failure of administration; it was a betrayal of responsibility, a brutal silence in the face of suffering. We often say that only Almighty Allah knows what lies in the hearts, but we must also say—only Allah knows what these people felt as they were swept away, glancing one last time at the shore, hoping someone, somewhere, would arrive.

This is not the first time that such helplessness has been documented. This is not the first time that our governance has failed to rise in time. Sympathy replaces swift action, condolence substitutes accountability, and compensation is offered like a balm to a bleeding wound that never heals. Will this be another one of those tragedies that fade into the archives of forgetfulness? A few officials may be suspended, financial aid may be announced, carefully worded statements will be issued—but will that bring back the lives lost to the river?

The real tragedy is not just the drowning—it is the apathy that follows. Didn’t such incidents happen before this? Have we not seen tourists lost to flash floods, families perishing in rivers, and roads washed away before? What did we learn then? What did we fix? Or did we just pass the blame to fate, shrugging our shoulders as if human life is so cheap that it can be written off by saying, this was destined?

There is a cruel repetition in our response. We will mourn, yes. We will share photos of the deceased with heartbroken captions. We will conduct meetings, prepare reports, and nod solemnly in conferences. But then we will move on. And the bereaved families? They will live with a hollow that no time can ever fill. They will bury not only their loved ones but also a piece of their own souls. There is no compensation for the pain of a mother who waited for her son to return with laughter and instead received his lifeless body; for a father who told his children to be careful, never knowing their smiles were their last.Butunfortunately, this incident is completely different, in which all family members lost their lives.

In other nations, when a single child goes missing or an animal facing trouble, entire systems and machinery are activated. Roads are blocked, alerts are issued, and helicopters are dispatched. Here, dozens drown, and the machinery yawns awake only after it is too late. Social media becomes the first responder, and the administration lags behind, watching through the lens of detachment.

If we are to prevent such heartbreaks in the future, we must abandon the ritual of reactive mourning and adopt proactive planning. We need a comprehensive national strategy that includes real-time warning systems, riverbank surveillance, emergency drills, and public awareness campaigns tailored for tourists. It should not be difficult in an age of satellite data and instant communication to monitor water levels and forecast surges. But such tools are useless unless paired with the will to act.

The Swat River will continue to flow, indifferent to the tears it has caused. Tourists will return again, drawn by its beauty, unaware of the history that runs beneath its surface. If we do nothing now, another group of innocents will someday meet the same fate, and we will again be spectators—mute, late, and full of excuses.

Let us not deceive ourselves with poetic fatalism. Let us not cover up our failures with hollow prayers and staged sympathies. The people who died in Swat were not statistics. They were lives—full of love, stories, and dreams—snatched away not just by water, but by neglect.

And if we cannot change after this, then perhaps the real flood is not in our rivers—but in our hearts, drowning our sense of duty, compassion, and humanity.

PHF announces hockey squad for junior Asia Cup 2025

PHF announces hockey squad for junior Asia Cup 2025

ANSAR M BHATTI

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Hockey Federation has officially announced the officials and players for the Under-18 Asia Cup 2025.

The officials include Team Manager Olympian Malik Shafqat, coaches Mukhtar Ahmed, Tauqeer Ahmed, Masood-ur-Rehman, video analyst Abu Zar Amrao, and physio Adeel Akhtar.

The selected players are:

·         Muhammad Usman

·         Atif Ali

·         Usama Haider

·         Muhammad Abdullah Farooq

·         Abdullah Awann

·         Zubair Latif

·         Muhammad Yasin

·         Muhammad Ali Taj

·         Ghulam Mustafa

·         Ali Hamza

·         Ali Hamzada

·         Aamir Sohail

·         Adeel Afzal

·         Muhammad Zaman

·         Muhammad Hussain

·         Muhammad Shahir

·         Hassan Shahbaz

·         Yasin Jamshed

The President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation, Mir Tariq Hussain Bugti, and Secretary General Olympian Rana Mujahid Ali Khan extended their best wishes to all the selected officials and players for their performance.

The team will depart for China on June 30, where they will participate in the Under-18 Asia Hockey Cup 2025, to be held in Dazhou, China, from July 3 to July 13.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation conducted open trials from June 11 to June 13, 2025, at the Nasir Bunda Hockey Stadium for team selection, in which young players from across the country participated. The final team was selected based on merit.

Post-SC verdict party position: Govt secures two-thirds majority in NA

Post-SC verdict party position: Govt secures two-thirds majority in NA

ISLAMABAD, JUN 27: The political landscape of the National Assembly has shifted dramatically following the Supreme Court’s verdict restoring 77 reserved seats, 22 of which belong to the Lower House. The ruling coalition has now secured a two-thirds majority, strengthening its legislative power significantly.

According to details, the number of members in the ruling alliance has increased from 213 to 232 after the restoration of reserved seats, giving the coalition firm control over the 336-member lower house. This new majority is expected to boost the government’s ability to pass key constitutional amendments and legislation without resistance.

Seat distribution post-verdict
Out of the 22 restored reserved seats in the National Assembly:

PML-N has gained 14 seats, raising its total to 124 members

PPP has secured 5 additional seats, increasing its strength to 75 members

Before the verdict, the party-wise position in the ruling coalition was as follows:

PML-N: 110 seats

PPP: 70 seats

MQM-P: 22 seats

PML-Q: 5 seats

Others: 6
Total (Ruling Alliance): 213 seats

With the new numbers, the alliance now holds 232 seats, crossing the critical two-thirds majority threshold of 224 required in the 336-seat assembly.

Opposition strength
On the other hand, the opposition’s numbers have slightly increased as well:

Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC): 80 members

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) has been awarded 3 seats, now holding 11 seats in total
Independent PTI-backed members: 8

Others: 4

This brings the total opposition strength to 103.

Sources in the National Assembly Secretariat confirmed that an updated party position will be issued once the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) officially notifies the allocation of the restored reserved seats.

‘Dark day’: PTI rejects SC’s reserved seats verdict, announces protest

PTI

ISLAMABAD, JUN 27: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday rejected the Supreme Court’s verdict on reserved seats, calling the decision “unjust and a misinterpretation of the Constitution.”

In a major setback to the PTI, the SC’s Constitutional Bench accepted review petitions and ruled that the Imran Khan-founded party was not entitled to seats reserved for women and minorities in the national and provincial assemblies.

The verdict was announced by a 10-member bench headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan.

Speaking to Geo News following the ruling, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan expressed disappointment over the top court’s ruling and said: “We are deeply disappointed… the decision is unfair, and the Constitution has been wrongly interpreted,” Barrister Gohar said.

“The reserved seats rightfully belonged to PTI,” said the PTI chairman.

Barrister Gohar maintained that after today’s SC review decision on reserved seats, the party has no further legal recourse. “We cannot take this matter to any other court after this review judgment,” he added.

However, the PTI’s top leader said that his party will raise the issue in and outside the parliament.

Meanwhile, in an official statement following the apex court’s verdict, PTI termed the verdict as the “darkest day in the country’s constitutional history.”

The party recalled that the apex court had previously recognised PTI’s constitutional right to the reserved seats for women and minorities. “That was a time when the court announced a decision by the Constitution,” PTI said.

Commenting on the review process, the party noted that the case had remained under judicial consideration for several months. “PTI knocked on every legal door, presented every argument, and raised every constitutional point,” read the statement.

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