PM seeks report on relief operation in areas hit by rains – Pakistan
• NDMA told to enhance collaboration with provinces to cope with future calamities• PM wants comprehensive policy to counter ‘malicious propaganda’ against martyrs ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sought a detailed report on Tuesday to analyse whether relief and rehabilitation operations were completed judiciously in the areas recently hit by torrential rains and floods across […]
Donald Lu highlights poll irregularities in House testimony – Pakistan
WASHINGTON: Ahead of his appearance at a Congressional panel on Tuesday, US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu submitted a written statement expressing Washington’s concerns about irregularities in the Feb 8 elections while also emphasising the need to stay engaged with Pakistan to help it navigate through the crises it is facing. Mr Lu is […]
Cipher probe began before complaint, says Imran’s lawyer – Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: As the Islamabad High Court took up the PTI founder’s appeal against the conviction in the cipher case, the counsel representing former prime minister Imran Khan said the inquiry in the case was started before the complaint regarding the offence was registered. Barrister Salman Safdar argued before the division bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer […]
Fingers crossed as talks with IMF conclude – Pakistan
• Fund’s mission set to issue statement after getting clearance from headquarters• Finance minister shares Pakistan’s plans for three-year loan programme• Government finalises improved tax regime for real estate, retail sectors ISLAMABAD: The government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the staff-level talks on Tuesday for the final review of the short-term loan agreement, […]
Interior minister calls for revisiting social media laws – Pakistan
• Naqvi stresses need to stem ‘false allegations’• Invokes recent US legislation on TikTok to justify disruption of X (formerly Twitter) in Pakistan• Someone should take responsibility for shutdown, says PTA chairman LAHORE: As disruption of social media platform X stretched into its fifth week, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Tuesday the country needed […]
Lu highlights poll irregularities in House testimony – Pakistan
WASHINGTON: Ahead of his appearance at a Congressional panel on Tuesday, US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu submitted a written statement expressing Washington’s concerns about irregularities in the Feb 8 elections while also emphasising the need to stay engaged with Pakistan to help it navigate through the crises it is facing. Mr Lu is […]
IMF, Pakistan reach staff-level agreement for $1.1b loan tranche
ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced on Wednesday a staff-level agreement for the release of the last loan tranche of $1.1 billion and said Pakistan’s economic and financial positions have improved. However, the global lender cautioned that economic growth remained modest and inflation was above target. The IMF also said Pakistan will further increase gas and […]
Nawaz’s sons acquitted in all three Panama Papers references – Pakistan
An Islamabad accountability court on Tuesday acquitted former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s sons — Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz — in three corruption references related to the Panama Papers. In 2018, Nawaz’s sons were declared proclaimed offenders after they failed to join the investigation in Avenfield Apartment, Al-Azizia and Flagship Investment references filed by the […]
Pakistan denounces fresh round of curbs on political parties of India-occupied Kashmir: FO – Pakistan
Pakistan on Tuesday denounced Indian authorities’ decision to declare several political parties of India-occupied Kashmir as “unlawful associations”. In a statement, the Foreign Office said: “Pakistan denounces the Indian authorities’ decision to declare the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Freedom League (JKPFL) and four factions of Jammu and Kashmir Peoples League (JKPL) as ‘unlawful associations’.” It […]
Bangladesh, Pakistan and India bottom in air quality rankings in 2023, data shows – Pakistan
Pakistan remained one of the world’s three smoggiest countries in 2023, as Bangladesh and India replaced Chad and Iran, with particulate matter about 15 times the level recommended by the World Health Organisation, data published on Tuesday showed. Average concentrations of PM2.5 — small airborne particles that damage the lungs — reached 79.9 micrograms per […]