ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved $800 million programme to strengthen fiscal sustainability and improve public financial management in Pakistan, according to a statement issued by the Philippines-based lender. The statement read that subprogramme 2 of the “Improved Resource Mobilisation and Utilisation Reform Programme” includes a policy-based loan of $300m, and ADB’s “first ever policy-based guarantee” of up to …
RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s incarcerated founder Imran Khan has refused a polygraph test (lie detector test) requested by the Lahore police investigation for the fourth time, delaying progress in the probe into the May 9 riots case. A police investigation team, headed by DSP Asif Javed from Lahore, arrived at Adiala Jail on Monday to conduct a polygraph test, photogrammetric test, …
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has sent two high-level delegations abroad to present its stance on recent tensions with India, the Foreign Office said on Monday. A senior delegation comprising three former foreign ministers, ex-diplomats, senators, and a serving minister arrived in New York to begin a diplomatic campaign across key capitals including Washington DC, London, and Brussels. Pakistan Peoples Party Chairperson Bilawal …
ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) Senior Puisne Judge Mansoor Ali Shah has said that SC justices have a responsibility to “speak truth to power, guided by the Constitution as their unwavering normative anchor”, in an interview seen by Diplomag.com on Monday. Shah has previously expressed that the judiciary needs to stand against influence or pressure from the executive. In November 2024, …
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal on Monday said the government will have to prioritise high-value projects, as only Rs880 billion has been allocated for development in the upcoming budget for the fiscal year 2025-26. The government has adopted austerity measures for the upcoming budget — set to be announced on June 10 — in …
LAHORE: PML-N’s Hina Arshad Warraich secured a Punjab Assembly seat (PP-52) in Sialkot by a wide margin amid rigging allegations by the PTI, according to preliminary results issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday. The by-election for PP-52 (Sambrial) took place yesterday, two months after the seat had fallen vacant following the demise of PML-N MPA Arshad …
ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Monday announced a four-day public holiday on the festive occasion of Eidul Azha. According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division, the government has declared a public holiday from June 6-9, 2025 (Friday to Monday). “The prime minister has been pleased to declare the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th (Friday to Monday) as public …
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday rebuked the recent remarks made by Indian leadership saying that they reflected a deeply troubling mindset that prioritised hostility over peace. The Foreign Office issued a statement today after a flurry of antagonistic statements made by Indian leaders, including one made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson on May 29 where he stated that …
ISLAMABAD: Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Sunday described the improvement of ties with Pakistan as a “very positive development in bilateral relations,” the Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement. Earlier this week, both nations agreed to upgrade their diplomatic relations by exchanging envoys — a key step towards normalising ties after years of strained relations between …
ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday rejected the recently enacted Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Act 2025, announcing nationwide protest rallies aimed at “creating awareness” among the public. The bill, which sought to protect the rights of children and eventually eradicate marriages of children under the age of 18 in Islamabad, was signed into law …