Smugglers force migrants to jump into sea; 100 missing in Djibouti – World
NAIROBI: Rescuers are searching for more than 100 migrants off the coast of Djibouti after smugglers forced them to jump into the sea, the UN migration agency said on Wednesday. At least 45 bodies have been recovered from Tuesday’s incident, a death toll that makes 2024 the deadliest year on record for sea crossings on […]
Tax authority revamps top hierarchy to speed up digitalisation – Business
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has re-designated the functions of senior tax officers as part of a restructuring to simplify functions and accelerate digitalisation. The FBR issued a notification on Wednesday to notify the changes to empower member operations and policy to monitor tax compliance better. As per the decision, the post of […]
Govt races to finalise $6.8 billion railway deal – Business
ISLAMABAD: The government is pushing to finalise the financing agreement for the Mainline-1 (ML-1) railway track, from Karachi to Peshawar, ahead of Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang’s visit to Islamabad on Oct 14-15 for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. During a meeting on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on Wednesday, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal […]
Holding the IMF to account
DESIGNED to be the international lender of last resort and help countries facing short-run balance-of-payments distress, the IMF has a rich history of being the quack physician that killed the patient. Driven by myopic market fundamentalism and riddled with policy missteps, its advice and actions have too often in the past proven to be detrimental […]
Security plan approved for upcoming SCO summit – Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: A comprehensive security plan for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit was approved here on Wednesday at a meeting chaired by federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi. The federal secretary of interior, additional secretaries, chief commissioner, IG and deputy commissioner of Islamabad, deputy commandant of FC, sector commander of Pakistan Rangers, and representatives […]
Competition concerns emerge in PTCL’s bid for Telenor – Business
ISLAMABAD: Wateen Telecom and Jazz Telecom voiced strong opposition to the proposed acquisition of Telenor Pakistan by PTCL and its merger with Ufone during a Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) hearing on Wednesday. The Phase II Merger Review of PTCL’s planned acquisition of 100 per cent shareholding in Telenor Pakistan and Orion Towers Private Limited […]
65 killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza orphanage, school – World
Gaza: Palestinian rescuers and locals search the debris of a collapsed building in Khan Yunis after an Israeli air strike, on Wednesday.—AFP CAIRO/DOHA: Israeli military strikes across the Gaza Strip killed at least 65 Palestinians overnight, including in a school sheltering displaced families, medics said, as Israeli tanks advanced in areas of Khan Younis in […]
Security forces kill six BLA militants in Harnai – Pakistan
• Fugitive, cop killed in Khuzdar• Attack on prisoners’ van and ensuing shootout claim three lives in Dera Murad Jamali• Robbers kill two in Quetta for resisting attempt to snatch motorbike QUETTA: Security forces killed at least six alleged terrorists of the banned BLA in Harnai district during a joint operation, conducted on the secret […]
No deadline for constitutional package: Irfan Siddiqui – Pakistan
• PML-N leader meets Fazl, says amendments to be passed only after consensus• Dismisses rumours that govt is seeking to extend CJP Isa’s term ISLAMABAD: Senior PML-N leader Senator Irfan Siddiqui said on Wednesday that no time frame has been set for the passage of the constitutional amendments package, suggesting that it could extend beyond […]
Imran’s indictment in new Toshakhana case deferred – Pakistan
RAWALPINDI: A special court of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Wednesday deferred the indictment of former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in a case registered against them for purchasing an expensive Bulgari jewellery set from Toshakhana at a throwaway price. Judge Shahrukh Arjumand heard the case which was transferred to […]