ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday termed population and climate change as “existential issues” that Pakistan must address to realise its potential. Pakistan is home to a vast population of over 251 million, according to the World Bank. The Bank states the annual population growth rate for 2024 at 1.5 per cent, with the government’s 2023 census showing that …
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Monday that Pakistan had successfully re-established itself as a respected voice in regional and international forums due to the efforts of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. “Through the prime minister’s sustained diplomatic outreach, Pakistan has successfully re-established itself as a respected voice in regional and international forums, from the United Nations and SCO to …
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to deepen cooperation with Türkiye across political, economic, and defence spheres in a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, while agreeing to continue working together on the issue of Palestine, the Foreign Office (FO) said. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Coordination Meeting of …
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Monday said that Pakistan’s economic direction had been set right through a series of structural reforms, which were now being operationalised to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth. “I believe there is a broad consensus that we have made significant inroads and achieved considerable progress in terms of macroeconomic stability,” he said while addressing a …
KARACHI: Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Monday termed Pakistan a “natural maritime bridge” between the East and the West as he inaugurated the second edition of Pakistan International Maritime Expo and Conference (PIMEC) in Karachi. The event is being held from today to November 6 (Thursday) at Karachi’s Expo Centre, and will see the participation of 45 countries, including Pakistan. …
ISLAMABAD: PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Monday that a PML-N delegation led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had visited him and President Asif Ali Zardari, seeking their support for the approval of a 27th Constitutional Amendment. Separately, the PPP also issued a similar statement that quoted Bilawal as saying that the proposal included setting up constitutional courts, restoring executive …
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar will depart for Istanbul tomorrow to attend the Coordination Meeting of Arab-Islamic Foreign Ministers, where the Gaza ceasefire deal will be discussed, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Sunday. “At the invitation of the Turkish foreign minister, the Deputy Prime Minister/ Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar will undertake a one-day …
LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: With the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) expressing its inability to hold local government polls in the country’s most populous province until next year, the Punjab Assembly speaker has called for a constitutional amendment to protect the tenure of local bodies and strengthen the LG system across the country. Speaking at a press conference in Lahore on Friday, Speaker …
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Energy (Power Division) on Friday announced the large-scale rollout of smart meters across electricity distribution companies (Discos) in the country, which it described as a “major step” towards improving customer service and operational efficiency. According to the spokesperson of the Power Division, Zafaryab Khan, metering plays a vital role as the key interface between the customer …
ISLAMABAD: The ongoing talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Istanbul have failed to yield any breakthrough on Islamabad’s key demand for a clear plan of action to dismantle terrorist infrastructure operating from Afghan soil. Officials familiar with the development said both sides held another round of discussions on Monday in the presence of Turkish officials mediating to bridge differences. However, …