ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is ditching its reliance on foreign aid in favor of deeper trade and investment ties, particularly with Gulf Cooperation Council nations, as the South Asian economy stabilises after a bruising period of high inflation and external pressures, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said.
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Punjab approves tougher policing laws to curb riots, mob violence
LAHORE: Punjab province, Pakistan’s most populous, is poised to establish a specialised police force to confront what officials describe as escalating threats from violent protests and mobs, after a legislative committee approved sweeping changes to the province’s policing laws on Monday.
Punjab lawmakers advance strict limits on kite flying ahead of Basant revival
LAHORE: In a move to rein in the lethal hazards of the beloved but perilous Basant festival, a key committee in Punjab Province approved legislation on Monday that would impose a near-total ban on kite flying, allowing the activity only on designated days and in approved locations, with severe penalties for violations.
Security forces kill 13 Indian-backed militants in northwest Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Security forces have killed 13 militants affiliated with a banned terrorist group in two separate operations in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military announced on Sunday, amid a continuing surge in attacks that has plagued the region.
PTI calls UN jail findings evidence of political vendetta against Imran Khan
ISLAMABAD: The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party voiced deep alarm on Sunday over a United Nations report that accused authorities of subjecting former prime minister Imran Khan to conditions in prison that could amount to “inhuman or degrading treatment,” calling it evidence of a politically motivated vendetta and demanding immediate reforms to his detention.
Karachi police arrest eight in extortion crackdown on Sunni Tehreek chief’s residence
KARACHI: Police in Karachi arrested eight suspects accused of running an extortion network during a raid at the residence of Muhammad Sarwat Ejaz Qadri, the chairman of the Pakistan Sunni Tehreek, a religious political party, officials said on Sunday.
Media groups condemn government ad ban on Dawn outlets as attack on press freedom
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.
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.”