ISLAMABAD: Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday said that Pakistan will raise its defence budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26 keeping in view the recent escalation with India and New Delhi suspending a key river water-sharing treaty with Islamabad. Earlier this month, the minister had announced that the federal budget would be presented on June 2, however, Adviser to …
TAXILA: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, criticised the Indian government’s refusal to issue visas to Sikh pilgrims intending to perform religious rites in connection with two religious events next month in Pakistan. He was addressing a press conference at Gurdwara Panja Sahib Hassanabdal on Friday. Chairman of the Evacuee Trust Property Board Dr Muhammad …
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday said that the passports of the Pakistanis, who were returning to the country after being deported, will be cancelled and also face the registration of an first information report (FIR) against them. Saudi Arabia deported a total of 5,033 Pakistani beggars whereas another 369 individuals have been apprehended for begging in five other …
ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau recovered and disbursed over Rs88 billion during the first quarter of 2025, state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Saturday. This was announced during the 24th “DGs Conference” of the bureau, a three-day event that concluded at NAB headquarters in Islamabad. According to a press release, these recoveries included direct recoveries worth over Rs2bn and indirect recoveries …
ISLAMABAD: PPP Secretary General Humayun Khan has supported the inclusion of all stakeholders, including the PTI, in the diplomatic delegation set to represent the country in important world capitals following the rise in hostilities with India. Last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif decided to send a “high-level diplomatic delegation to important world capitals to expose Indian propaganda” in the aftermath …
ISLAMABAD: Senators on Friday made it clear that India would not be allowed to suspend or amend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) warning that any unilateral move to this effect would be treated as an act of war. They said the treaty was a settled matter and international law would justify Pakistan’s military response if India blocked the water. Speaking …
LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has booked 10 of its own officials for allegedly facilitating 41 Afghan nationals to travel to Saudi Arabia using forged Pakistani passports. The investigation was launched after the FIA received a report that an Afghan national, Agha Khan, had departed from Sialkot Airport to Saudi Arabia in May 2023 on a Pakistani passport and …
ISLAMABAD: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has reiterated that “Indian state-sponsored terrorism against Pakistan” — which he said had been ongoing since the inception of the country — was also responsible for the recent attack in Balochistan’s Khuzdar. On May 21, at least six people, including three students, were slain while over 40 others …
WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday said that its executive board approved funding for Pakistan after the country “met all the targets” under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme, adding that the loan programme for Islamabad was only for stabilisation of foreign exchange reserves and not related to the budget financing. Despite Indian attempts to derail Pakistan’s loan …
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Turkiye, Iran, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan from May 25-30, the Foreign Office (FO) announced in a statement on Friday, to hold “wide-ranging discussions” with the nations while acknowledging their support during Pakistan’s recent escalation with India. The visit comes a fortnight after Pakistan and India reached a US-brokered ceasefire following a brief military confrontation. …