KARACHI: Pakistan’s retail payments climbed to Rs166 trillion ($592 billion) in the first quarter of the fiscal year, a 6% increase from the prior period, fueled by a rapid expansion in mobile app-based banking, according to the central bank.
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Loss-making PIA readies London relaunch following privatization deal
KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines is set to resume direct flights to London in March after a six-year suspension, a move that comes as a local consortium led by Arif Habib Group finalizes its acquisition of the beleaguered carrier in a privatization push aimed at stemming years of losses.
Yasmin Rashid’s election petition rejected, Nawaz Sharif victory upheld in Lahore
LAHORE: An election tribunal in the eastern city of Lahore on Tuesday dismissed a legal challenge by Yasmin Rashid, a jailed opposition leader from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, against the victory of Nawaz Sharif, the former prime minister and head of the rival Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, in a closely watched constituency from last year’s general elections.
Pakistan balances ties with Saudi Arabia and UAE as Yemen rift deepens Gulf tensions
ISLAMABAD: As rivalries between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intensified over Yemen, Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, held a telephone conversation on Tuesday with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, to address the “current regional situation and recent developments,” the Foreign Office said.
Pakistan-Bangladesh air link to resume in January amid rising trade, investment
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider met Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Sunday, expressing hope that direct flights between Karachi and Dhaka will commence in January as the two nations seek to deepen economic and people-to-people links.
Critical mineral supply chains shift as US buyers turn to Pakistan and Tajikistan – report
ISLAMABAD: American buyers are increasingly courting suppliers in Pakistan and Tajikistan for antimony, a critical metal used in munitions, batteries and flame retardants, as concerns mount over Beijing’s grip on global production, FT reported on Monday.
Olympic javelin champion Nadeem wins Global Breakthrough Athlete Award in Dubai
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Olympic javelin champion Arshad Nadeem was honoured with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Sports Award in the Global Breakthrough Athlete category on Monday at the World Sports Summit in Dubai, capping a year of triumphs for the athlete who shattered records at the Paris Games.
KP chief minister Afridi lodges protest over ‘hostile’ Punjab visit
ISLAMABAD: The chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province lodged a formal protest on Monday against what he described as hostile treatment during a recent visit to Punjab province, accusing officials there of intimidation, protocol violations and a coordinated smear campaign that he said threatened the fragile bonds of the country’s federation.
Pakistan voices alarm over rising persecution of minorities in India
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Monday voiced deep concern over what it described as the persecution of minorities in India, citing recent vandalism against Christmas celebrations and a pattern of violence targeting Muslims, and called on the international community to intervene to protect vulnerable groups.
Imran Khan and wife appeal 17-year Toshakhana convictions in Islamabad High Court
ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan, the imprisoned founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the country’s former prime minister, and his wife, Bushra Bibi, filed separate appeals on Monday in the Islamabad High Court challenging their convictions in a high-profile corruption case involving state gifts, known as Toshakhana 2.