KARACHI: Pakistan’s fiscal deficit narrowed to the smallest in more than two decades in the year through June, as record fuel levy collections, a surge in cash transfers from provincial governments and a sharp drop in debt-servicing costs offset a shortfall in tax revenue and rising civilian administrative costs.
Aamir Ashraf
Pakistan arrests 114 in Islamabad over cyber-romance and sextortion network run from IT company
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s cybercrime agency has arrested 114 foreign nationals in Islamabad, accusing them of running an online sextortion and romance-fraud network out of a company registered as a legitimate IT business.
Pakistan orders diplomatic push as sailors held by Somali pirates enter fourth month of captivity
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has ordered officials to step up diplomatic contacts with Somali authorities and international partners in an effort to secure the release of ten Pakistani sailors who have now been held hostage by pirates for almost four months.
Pakistan fuel prices climb again as dealers’ talks with govt collapse, strike set for Saturday
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s petroleum dealers said talks with the government aimed at averting a nationwide strike had collapsed, setting the stage for a threatened shutdown of fuel pumps from Saturday, even as retail prices rose for a second consecutive day.
PM Sharif tells India: “every drop” of water is a red line
ISLAMABAD: The prime minister has warned India that any interference with the country’s water supply will be treated as a red line, using the unveiling of a war memorial in Islamabad to deliver a pointed warning to Delhi over the fate of a decades-old water-sharing treaty.
Cyber agency drafted in as fresh questions surround Mir Raza Ali’s murder
KARACHI: Investigators probing the murder of young Karachi businessman Mir Raza Ali have enlisted the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in an attempt to unlock his digital footprint, as the case took several fresh turns this week, including the removal of the doctor who conducted the first post-mortem examination.
Ruling PML-N party edges towards Kashmir majority as vote-rigging claims spark unrest
MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan’s ruling party appeared on course for a majority in Azad Kashmir’s regional assembly this week, even as some of the most fiercely contested seats had yet to go to the polls and allegations of vote-rigging plunged one district into fresh turmoil.
Norwegian foreign minister to make first Pakistan visit in a decade amid push for closer trade ties
ISLAMABAD: Norway’s foreign minister will arrive in Pakistan on Thursday for a two-day visit that officials in Islamabad say marks the first trip by a Norwegian foreign minister to the country in ten years, as the two nations look to deepen cooperation on trade, climate and education.
Afghan Taliban’s covert support for TTP fuels deadlier attacks on Pakistan, UN monitors find
ISLAMABAD: The Afghan Taliban has continued to support the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), fuelling a surge in the frequency and severity of terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, according to a new United Nations report — even as Kabul has taken tentative steps to curb the group’s activities.
Power firms seek Rs33.8 billion from consumers as solar shift drives up capacity cost
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s state-run power distribution companies are seeking to pass roughly 33.8 billion rupees in additional costs onto consumers, as households and factories increasingly defect to rooftop solar and leave utilities stuck paying for power plants that are barely running.