MASTUNG: A roadside bomb killed three policemen and wounded at least 16 others in southwestern Balochistan province on Tuesday, officials said, the latest attack in a surge of violence linked to separatist militants targeting security forces.
Lead
US arms abandoned in Afghanistan used in Pakistan attacks- report
By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: A US-manufactured M4A1 carbine rifle, shipped to Afghanistan in 2018, was recovered in Pakistan last month following a militant train hijacking that killed 26 people, Pakistani officials said, highlighting how American military gear abandoned after the 2021 withdrawal fuels regional instability, The Washington Post reported on Monday.
IMF pushes Pakistan on tax, judicial overhauls
ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is intensifying pressure on Pakistan to tackle a Rs7 trillion tax shortfall and judicial inefficiencies, critical steps to shore up its shaky economy.
SC rejects challenge to IHC acting CJ’s appointment; next hearing April 17
By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The top court on Monday refused to block the appointment of Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar as acting chief justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), deferring a decision on contentious judicial seniority disputes until days before a high-stakes meeting to confirm top judges nationwide.
Costing billions
By Staff Reporter
A critical anti-tax evasion initiative in the tobacco sector remains stalled in the mountainous region of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) despite years of planning, multiple deadlines, and urgent warnings about the growth of illicit cigarette production costing the national exchequer over Rs 300 billion annually.
Smuggled, tax-evaded cigarettes
By Staff Reporter
A surge in smuggled and tax-evaded cigarettes is draining Pakistan’s national exchequer of an estimated Rs324 billion annually, according to a new survey, exposing critical gaps in enforcement and unintended consequences of aggressive tax hikes on legitimate tobacco products.
Remittances hit record $4.1bn in March, central bank raises forecast
By Staff Reporter
KARACHI: The overseas workers sent home a record $4.1 billion in March 2025, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Jameel Ahmad said Monday, driving the central bank to raise its full-year remittance and foreign reserve targets amid improving economic stability.
IMF grants extension on asset disclosure deadline amid security concerns
By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has granted Pakistan a four-month extension to finalise a transparency measure requiring senior bureaucrats to publicly disclose their assets, after the government warned that exposing officials’ financial details could heighten security and harassment risks.
Quetta-bound train stopped in Jacobabad over security concerns
By Staff Reporter
JACOBABAD: The Quetta-bound Bolan Mail train was halted at Jacobabad railway station on Sunday due to security concerns, affecting approximately 150 passengers who were later transported to their destinations by bus under tight security, officials said.
Pakistan rules out retaliation against Trump tariffs, signals diplomacy push
By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will not retaliate against tariffs proposed by US President Donald Trump’s administration, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Monday, even as analysts warn the delayed levies threaten to destabilise the South Asian nation’s fragile export economy.