KARACHI: Pakistan is on track to secure a $1.2 billion disbursement from the International Monetary Fund by December, after fulfilling every performance benchmark for the lender’s latest review under its ongoing bailout program.
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PM Sharif meets Saudi crown prince in Riyadh, signalling deepened ties
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held talks on Monday with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, on the eve of a major global investment forum, in a meeting that underscored the deepening economic and strategic partnership between the two nations.
Pressure mounts on Azad Kashmir’s premier to quit amid coalition push for new government
ISLAMABAD: The prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Anwar ul Haq, confronted mounting pressure on Monday to resign, as the two dominant parties in the coalition government moved aggressively to topple his administration through a no-confidence vote in the regional assembly.
Pakistan logs rare Rs1.5 trillion fiscal surplus in Q1, defies flood disruptions
The government posted a rare Rs1.51 trillion federal fiscal surplus in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, flipping last year’s Rs649 billion deficit and signalling robust revenue gains even as floods hammered crops and spiked food prices.
After days of talks, Pakistan and Afghanistan struggle to bridge divide on terror safeguards
ISLAMABAD: The third day of delicate negotiations between Pakistan and Afghanistan veered sharply between guarded optimism and mounting frustration on Monday, as the two sides grappled with a persistent impasse over measures to stanch cross-border terrorism.
Pakistan weighs sending troops to Gaza as part of US-backed peace force
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is poised to decide within days whether to dispatch troops to a multinational stabilisation force for Gaza, with officials saying internal discussions have reached an advanced stage and point toward participation in the American-brokered peacekeeping mission.
Meta launches Urdu-language AI assistant in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Meta on Monday launched its artificial intelligence assistant in Urdu for users in Pakistan, as part of efforts to accelerate the country’s digital transformation and make technology more inclusive.
KP governor urges PM Sharif to lift Punjab curbs on wheat supply
ISLAMABAD: The governor of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Monday appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to intervene and lift what he called “unconstitutional restrictions” on wheat supplies from Punjab, warning of risks to food security amid soaring prices.
PM Sharif reaches Saudi Arabia for investment summit, seeking deeper ties
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reached Riyadh on Monday to lead a high-level delegation at the ninth edition of the Future Investment Initiative, a global summit convened under the auspices of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, amid efforts to bolster economic and security cooperation between the two longtime allies.
Eight wounded in roadside bomb targeting deputy commissioner in southwest Pakistan
QUETTA: A remote-controlled bomb exploded near the convoy of a local official in the restive southwestern province of Balochistan on Monday, wounding eight people, including seven members of a paramilitary force, and underscoring the persistent threat of militant violence in a region long plagued by insurgency and attacks on security forces.