ISLAMABAD: The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) on Thursday warned citizens of additional fees and penalties for those who delay obtaining or renewing their identity documents.
In a press release, the authority said that identity documents were issued for a specified time and it was every the responsibility of every adult citizen to ensure the timely renewal of their identity documents, particularly CNICs, before their expiry.
“Failing this, essential services linked to these documents, including bank accounts, mobile phone SIMs, and other verification-based services may be adversely affected or suspended,” it said.
“Furthermore, citizens whose identity cards have expired may not be able to avail themselves of various government and welfare programmes, such as the Benazir Income Support Programme, government subsidy schemes, including the recently announced fuel subsidy scheme, as well as transactions like property and vehicle transfers,” it added.
“This results in unnecessary hardship for citizens due to their own oversight. Although Nadra is legally empowered to impose additional fees or penalties for delayed renewal, such measures have not yet been implemented in consideration of public convenience,” the authority said.
It said that according to available data at present, 27.475m national identity cards, 2.309m overseas cards, 11.65m child registration certificates, and 0.229m juvenile cards had expired.
“In this regard, reminder messages have already been sent to citizens via SMS by Nadra, including specifically those parents whose children have reached the age of 18 but have not yet obtained their first National Identity Card,” it said.
The authority reminded that as per the public advisory issued by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on April 8, it was mandatory for mobile phone users to have a valid and active CNIC to ensure the continuity of services.
“SIMs registered against identity cards that have expired or are in the name of deceased individuals may be blocked at any time. Currently, over 8.1m SIMs are active against approximately 4.5m identity cards that require renewal. Of these, more than 223,000 identity cards have been expired for over ten years without renewal,” it said.
Nadra has advised citizens to ensure the timely renewal of their identity cards to maintain uninterrupted mobile services. It also said that SIMs registered on the names of deceased relatives should be transferred to the CNIC of the current user.
“All citizens have been asked to fulfil their legal responsibility by promptly renewing expired identity documents and ensuring the issuance of identity cards for individuals who have attained the age of 18,” it said.
“If no improvement is observed in the trends of document renewal, additional fees and penalties may be imposed in the next fiscal year after June on those citizens who delay obtaining or renewing their identity documents,” it said.
Security has been beefed up in the Red Zone in the federal capital and local holidays have been declared in the twin cities as Pakistan is gearing up to host talks between the United States and Iran.
Due to the sensitivity and importance of the talks, comprehensive security measures have been put in place, involving all law enforcement agencies and security forces.
VVIP protocol under the Blue Book will be extended to the delegations during their movement, stay and meetings. Police, paramilitary troops and other security forces will perform duties under strict guidelines outlined in the Blue Book and other applicable standard operating procedures. Separate routes are also being prepared for the movement of the delegations.
Journalists gather in front of shipping containers after authorities blocked roads in the Red Zone area in Islamabad on April 9, 2026. — AFP
A bus is seen on a deserted street after authorities blocked roads in the Red Zone area in Islamabad on April 9, 2026. — AFP
Security personnel inspect vehicles entering the Foreign Ministry office in Islamabad on April 9, 2026. — AFP
Security personnel divert traffic after closing the Red Zone area in Islamabad on April 9, 2026. — AFP
Army personnel patrol at the Red Zone area in Islamabad on April 9, 2026. — AFP
Army personnel patrol the Red Zone area in Islamabad on April 9, 2026. — AFP
An army helicopter flies over the Red Zone area in Islamabad on April 9, 2026. — AFP
Policemen stand guard at a blocked road in the Red Zone area in Islamabad on April 9, 2026. — AFP
Women walk past a Pakistani army personnel standing guard in the Red Zone area in Islamabad on April 9, 2026. — AFP
The Prime Minister’s residence building ahead of Iran-US talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 9, 2026. — Reuters
The Prime Minister’s residence building ahead of Iran-US talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 9, 2026. — Reuters
A security guard patrols outside the Aiwan-i-Sadr (Presidential Palace) ahead of Iran-US talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 9, 2026. — Reuters
Header image: Security personnel patrol near the Foreign Ministry office in Islamabad on April 9, 2026. — AFP
The Rawalpindi Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education on Thursday postponed the matric examinations scheduled to be held on April 10 (Friday) — when the federal capital will be abuzz with diplomatic activity during talks between the US and Iran.
In a statement, it said that the exams at 64 examination centres across the city had been postponed. However, it said that exams in other districts of Rawalpindi Division would continue as per the schedule announced.
According to a statement issued by the Rawalpindi BISE, the postponed exams included compulsory Urdu and geography.
A new date for the postponed papers would be announced later, and the candidates would be duly informed, the statement said.
The district authorities of the twin cities have declared two local holidays in Islamabad and Rawalpindi on April 9 (today) and April 10 (Friday) to ensure security for the scheduled peace talks between Iran and the United States.
Due to the sensitivity and importance of the talks, comprehensive security measures have been put in place, involving all law enforcement agencies and security forces.
A hotel located within Islamabad’s Red Zone has been reserved for the delegations and vacated on government instructions, with heightened security deployed in and around the premises.
DUBAI: The World Bank has slashed its 2026 growth forecast for Middle East economies as a consequence of the US-Israel war against Iran, and warned of pervasive risks in a report published on Wednesday.
President Donald Trump late on Tuesday announced a two-week ceasefire in the conflict. Iran’s foreign minister said Tehran would stop counter-attacks and provide safe passage through the waterway.
The closure of the strategic strait, and destruction of energy and public infrastructure, had disrupted markets, increased financial volatility, and weakened the 2026 growth outlook, the World Bank Group said in its Economic Update for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“Risks are firmly tilted to the downside. Uncertainty is pervasive, and the economic outlook could shift significantly if the conflict intensifies or protracts,” the report said.
Overall GDP growth in the region, excluding Iran, is expected to slow from an estimated four per cent in 2025 to 1.8pc for 2026, which is 2.4 percentage points below the Group’s January projections.
Growth in the oil and gas producers of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Iraq, among the most heavily affected by the impact of the conflict, is expected to slow even more sharply.
The World Bank downgraded its forecast for the GCC, which includes Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, to 1.3pc for 2026, down 3.1 percentage points from its January projection, and driven mainly by lower projected hydrocarbon revenues due to disruptions caused by the conflict.
Within the grouping, growth in Kuwait and Qatar - which are less economically diversified, and where energy related disruptions are more severe - growth is projected to contract this year by 6.4pc and 5.7pc, respectively.
The current crisis is a stark reminder of the work ahead for the region: not only to weather shocks, but to rebuild more resilient economies with stronger macroeconomic fundamentals, innovate and improve governance, invest in infrastructure, and boost employment-creating sectors, Ousmane Dione, the World Bank’s vice president for the region, said in a statement.
Due to “exceptionally high uncertainty”, the World Bank said it was not publishing forecasts beyond the 2025/26 fiscal year for Iran.
It said real GDP was estimated to contract by 2.7pc in the 2025/26 fiscal year to March 20, 2026.
KARACHI: Despite turbulence stemming from the ongoing Middle East conflict, the country received 17 per cent higher remittances in March compared to February, the State Bank of Pakistan announced on Wednesday.
The $3.8bn inflow was the highest so far this fiscal year, but it was 5pc lower compared to $4bn in March FY25.
The war did not impact remittances from the Middle East, as inflows from almost all countries experienced positive growth.
Currency experts said that the higher inflow in March was also due to Ramazan, but the war in the Gulf was more significant than anything else. Pakistanis working in the Gulf countries did not return home; instead, hundreds of Pakistanis have been applying for UAE visas.
Pakistan gets fiscal year’s highest inflow of $3.8bn
The SBP data showed that the country received a total of $30.321bn during July-March FY26, indicating an increase of 8.2pc or $2.29bn. The country received $28bn in 9MFY25.
Remittances are the backbone of the country, as it largely relies on inflows to cover the trade deficit, service debt, and build foreign exchange reserves.
The State Bank stated on Wednesday that it has paid $1.4bn towards the maturity of Eurobonds, while a further outflow of $3.5bn to the UAE is scheduled for this month. This substantial outflow of $4.9bn will undoubtedly reduce the SBP reserves, which were approximately $16.5bn on March 27.
Financial experts stated that Pakistan is currently unable to issue international bonds and that borrowing from commercial banks remains challenging due to heightened risks.
They noted that if the ceasefire succeeds in halting the conflict in the region, the situation could also improve for Pakistan, as it relies on imported oil and gas.
The data showed that the largest inflow was from Saudi Arabia, reaching $7.086bn in 9MFY26, a 3pc rise. For many years, Saudi Arabia has remained the largest provider of remittances to Pakistan, while also offering loans and oil on deferred payments.
The inflows from the UAE, the country which faced severe attack during the war, were $6.267bn in 9MFY26, showing a 10pc increase compared to the last fiscal year.
Inflows from the United Kingdom increased by 8.4pc to $4.6bn in 9MFY26. Other significant inflows were $3.9bn from EU countries, with the highest rise of 20pc; $2.891bn from GCC countries, up 5pc; while inflows from the US declined by 5.7pc to $2.661bn.
It is believed that the reconstruction phase across all Gulf countries would offer opportunities for Pakistanis to benefit, provided the war ends permanently.
Israel carried out its heaviest strikes on Lebanon since the conflict with Hezbollah broke out last month, even as the Iran-aligned group paused attacks on northern Israel and Israeli troops in Lebanon under a two-week US-Iran ceasefire.
Consecutive explosions shook Beirut, sending smoke billowing across the capital, as Israel’s military said it had launched the largest coordinated strike of the war.
More than 100 Hezbollah command centres and military sites were targeted in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon, it said.
The strikes killed 112 people and wounded 837 across the country, Lebanon’s health ministry said.
In Beirut, Reuters reporters saw people on motorcycles picking up wounded and transporting them to hospitals because there were not enough ambulances to get them in time.
A group of firefighters worked to put out flames in a car park after one strike left more than a dozen cars scorched and mangled.
The head of Lebanon’s syndicate of doctors, Elias Chlela, called in a written statement for “all physicians from all specialities” to head to any hospital they could to offer help. One of Beirut’s biggest hospitals said it was in need of donations of all blood types.
Conflicting statements on Lebanon’s inclusion in ceasefire
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted overnight that the ceasefire suspending the six-week-old US-Israeli war on Iran did not apply to Lebanon, and the Israeli military said operations against Hezbollah there would continue.
That position contradicted comments by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who had said the truce would include Lebanon.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also said during a press briefing that Lebanon was “not part of the ceasefire” between the US and Iran, echoing earlier remarks attributed to US President Donald Trump by media outlet PBS.
“As you know, Prime Minister Netanyahu put out a statement last night in support of the ceasefire, in support of the United States’ efforts and has also assured the president that they’ll continue to be a helpful partner throughout the course of the next two weeks,” Leavitt added.
Asked if Lebanon would be included at a future date, Leavitt replied that the matter would continue to be discussed by all parties, but “at this point in time, they are not included”.
For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X that the terms of the ceasefire were “clear and explicit”, adding that the US must choose between a ceasefire or continued war with Israel and “it cannot have both”.
“The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the US court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments.”
‘Barbaric aggression’
In a statement, Hezbollah condemned what it called Israel’s “barbaric aggression” and said the attacks underscored its “natural and legal right to resist the occupation and respond to its aggression.”
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned the US and Israel that it would deliver a “regret-inducing response” if attacks on Lebanon did not stop.
Israel had also carried out strikes across southern Lebanon earlier in the day, including artillery shelling and a dawn airstrike on a building near a hospital that killed four people, Lebanon’s state news agency NNA reported.
A strike on the southern city of Sidon killed eight people and wounded 22 others, Lebanon’s health ministry said.
A further strike hit central Beirut in the early evening, NNA reported.
The Israeli military said it attacked a Hezbollah commander in Beirut, without providing further details.
‘A grave violation’
Hezbollah stopped attacking Israeli targets early on Wednesday, three Lebanese sources close to the group told Reuters.
The group’s last public statement on its military activity was posted at 1am local time, saying it had targeted Israeli troops inside Lebanon on Tuesday evening.
“Hezbollah was informed that it is part of the ceasefire so we abided by it, but Israel as usual, has violated it and committed massacres all across Lebanon,” senior Hezbollah lawmaker Ibrahim al-Moussawi told Reuters.
Another Hezbollah lawmaker, Hassan Fadlallah, told Reuters the Israeli strikes were “a grave violation of the ceasefire” and that there would be “repercussions for the entire agreement” if they continued.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Beirut would continue its efforts to ensure that Lebanon was included in any lasting regional peace agreement.
Most of Wednesday’s strikes were in civilian-populated areas, Israel’s military said.
Hours before the strikes, the military had issued warnings for some areas of southern Beirut and southern Lebanon. No such warning was given for central Beirut, which was also hit.
Following the strikes, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on X that Hezbollah had moved out of its stronghold in southern Beirut’s Dahiyeh neighbourhood to religiously mixed areas of the city, including in the north.
Addressing Hezbollah, he said, Israel’s military will “pursue you and act with great force against you wherever you are”.
In a western neighbourhood of Beirut that was hit by a strike, Naim Chebbo, 51, swept up shards of glass that had been blown out of the window frames by the force of the blast.
“Tonight I’m not going to sleep because I’m going to be afraid that it’s happening again. I’m living a nightmare,” he told Reuters.
‘Lebanon can’t take it anymore’
More than 1,500 people have been killed in Israel’s air and ground campaign across Lebanon, including more than 130 children and more than 100 women, since March 2, when Hezbollah started firing rockets at Israel in solidarity with Tehran.
Israel has issued evacuation orders covering around 15 per cent of Lebanese territory since then, mostly in the south and in suburbs south of Beirut.
More than 1.2 million people have been displaced, according to Lebanese authorities.
Israel has also pledged to occupy southern Lebanon up to the Litani River as part of a “security zone” it says is intended to protect its northern residents.
“Hopefully, a ceasefire will be reached,” said Ahmed Harm, a 54-year-old man displaced from Beirut’s southern suburbs.
“Lebanon can’t take it anymore. The country is collapsing economically, and everything is collapsing.”
Outside a school sheltering displaced people in Sidon, pillows and blankets were piled onto cars as some families held out hope of returning home soon.
“We’re just waiting for the official decision from the top, so we can go back,” said Samar al-Saibany, one of the displaced.
Local mayor Mustafa al-Zein said more than 28,000 people were sheltering in the area as of Tuesday night.
Democrats lawmakers in the US House of Representatives called on Republicans on Tuesday “to put patriotic duty over party loyalty and stop what they called “madness” after President Donald Trump, in his latest threat to Iran, warned of decimating an entire civilisation.
Trump has given Iran until 8pm in Washington — 3:30am in Tehran — to end its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and enter a deal with Washington or see the US destroy every bridge and power plant in Iran.
Earlier in the day, Trump renewed his threat, stating in a Truth Social post: “A whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”
In a joint statement, the House Democrats said that Trump’s threat that he will destroy “a whole civilisation” in Iran required a “decisive Congressional response”.
“Donald Trump is completely unhinged. His statement, threatening to eradicate an entire civilisation, shocks the conscience and requires a decisive congressional response,” the statement read.
“The House must come back into session immediately and vote to end this reckless war of choice in the Middle East before Donald Trump plunges our country into World War III,” the Democrats warned.
The statement said that for years, “Republicans have enabled and excused Trump’s deeply dangerous and extreme behaviour”.
“Enough is enough. Our brave men and women in uniform have been put into harm’s way in the Middle East. Over a dozen have already been killed and hundreds injured. Gas prices are skyrocketing, the cost of living in America is out of control, and billions of taxpayer dollars are being wasted on a reckless war of choice,” it said.
The Democrats said: “It’s time for House Republicans to put patriotic duty over party loyalty and join Democrats in stopping this madness.”
The US president’s remarks also drew a strong reaction from politicos, with several calling for him to be removed from office by invoking the 25th Amendment, which allows for the vice president and a majority of the cabinet to declare a president unfit for office.
