RAWALPINDI: Masjid-i-Nabvi Imam Dr Salah bin Mohammad Al-Budair on Friday highlighted Pakistan’s “significant place” in the Muslim world during a meeting with Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, the military’s media affairs wing said. The Imam had arrived in Islamabad a day ago on a seven-day goodwill visit. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia share a strong relationship, with officials from both …
ISLAMABAD: United States Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome has appreciated Pakistan’s decision to extend the stay of registered Afghan refugees by a year, a statement from the US embassy in Pakistan said on Friday. A large number of Afghan immigrants, with an estimated 1.7m undocumented as of October 2023, reside in Pakistan. Last October, the caretaker government had announced the repatriation of …
LAHORE: PML-N leaders, rejecting former prime minister Imran Khan’s offer to tender a conditional apology, leading to any reconciliation with the military establishment, over May 9 events, insisted the PTI founder should be punished for “orchestrating” the violent episode. They say the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founder leader Imran Khan should not be pardoned even if he seeks an apology for the …
RAWALPINDI: The Jamaat-i-Islami has called off its two-week-long sit-in after it reached an agreement with the government on the formation of a task force aimed at addressing issues related to independent power producers (IPPs), reducing electricity bills and lowering taxes on the salaried class. The announcement came in the early hours of Friday after the two sides concluded the fifth round of talks at …
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s central bank Governor, Jameel Ahmad, announced on Wednesday that inflation might surge in the coming months due to budgetary measures, rising energy prices, and the ongoing situation in the Middle East. However, he assured that the foreign debt repayment crisis is now over. He further stated that Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves cover remains below the minimum threshold, standing …
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government has decided to review and terminate agreements with 15 Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to provide relief to the public burdened by high electricity costs, sources said on Thursday. In efforts led by Energy Minister Awais Leghari, a task force has finalised the framework to address the issue. The government plans to immediately end contracts with six …
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said that the coalition government and the national institutions were in “unprecedented harmony and cooperation” to serve the national interests and steer the country out of prevailing challenges. The prime minister, while addressing the Ulema and Mashaikh Conference in Islamabad, said that the country never needed unity and national harmony more, and he …
ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir on Thursday warned that social media was being used as a tool to spread “anarchy”, following the military’s recent statements condemning the proliferation of propaganda and false information targeting the security forces online. Over the past couple of years, social media campaigns against the army have escalated, reflecting broader tensions within …
ISLAMABAD: US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller on Thursday said Washington hasn’t held “any discussions” with Islamabad about Pakistani national Asif Merchant’s indictment over his alleged involvement in an Iranian plot to assassinate US politicians and government officials. Merchant, 46, sought to recruit people in the United States to carry out the plot in retaliation for the US killing of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ …
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday that parliament, which is the supreme institution, has converted a rule into a law to stop floor crossing, as envisaged in the Constitution. Speaking at a presser, he said PML-N’s Bilal Azhar Kayani had presented the Elections Act (2nd Amendment) Bill in the National Assembly, whereas Senator Talal Chaudhry moved it in the Senate. …