ISLAMABAD: Media organisations across Pakistan have united in condemning a government ban on advertisements to outlets operated by the Dawn Media Group, describing it as a calculated effort to financially cripple one of the country’s most respected news institutions and stifle independent journalism.
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Pakistan grants initial crypto clearances to Binance, HTX under phased regulatory framework
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s cryptocurrency regulator clarified that the initial clearances granted to global exchanges Binance and HTX are far from a full endorsement, describing them instead as the opening move in a tightly controlled, step-by-step framework aimed at harnessing the sector while mitigating risks.
Pakistan denies IMF imposes new conditions, calls measures “phased reform agenda”
ISLAMABAD: The finance ministry pushed back against reports of tough new conditions tied to its bailout program with the International Monetary Fund, insisting that a slate of 11 fresh targets represents “continuity, sequencing, and deepening of Pakistan’s agreed reform agenda” rather than the “imposition of abrupt or unprecedented conditions.”
Russia’s RT India retracts post on Sharif, saying it misrepresented meeting with Putin
ISLAMABAD: Russia’s state-funded media outlet RT India retracted a social media post on Saturday that suggested Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had waited impatiently to meet President Vladimir V. Putin during an international forum in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, acknowledging that the account “may have been a misrepresentation of events.”
Sharif says Pakistan has exited near-default, unveils reform drive to lure capital
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the country has emerged from a near-default economic crisis, crediting government efforts for stabilising key indicators and securing a fresh $1.2 billion disbursement from the International Monetary Fund.
Defence Minister accuses ex-spy chief of orchestrating Nawaz Sharif’s ouster and Imran Khan’s rise
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday accused former spy chief Faiz Hameed of masterminding the 2017 ouster of ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif and engineering the rise of Imran Khan, linking the jailed general to a broad conspiracy that damaged the country.
Fuel prices set for potential drop, regulator pushback
KARACHI: The petroleum product prices could fall by as much as Rs12 per liter starting Monday, according to estimates from industry officials, though the oil regulator dismissed such reports as purely speculative and not reflective of any formal process.
Pakistan plans public disclosure of officials’ assets by end-2026 to curb corruption
ISLAMABAD: The finance ministry said it will make details of high-ranking officials’ assets accessible online to the public by the end of 2026 as part of a push to strengthen anti-corruption measures.
SBP seen holding rates at 11 percent as IMF warns on inflation risks
KARACHI: The central bank is poised to keep its key interest rate unchanged at 11% on Monday, according to a Reuters poll, with analysts delaying expectations for cuts until late in the fiscal year ending June 2026 amid persistent inflation threats flagged by the International Monetary Fund.
Gilgit-Baltistan heads to polls on Jan. 24 as caretaker setup takes charge
ISLAMABAD: The president has set Jan. 24, 2026, as the date for elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, the strategically vital northern region bordering China and India, marking the first vote there since a turbulent five-year term that saw a chief minister disqualified and a coalition government take power.