ISLAMABAD: The government has launched an ambitious five-year plan to privatise 24 state-owned enterprises (SOEs), aiming to boost efficiency and ease the financial strain of loss-making public companies, a minister said on Thursday.
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Pakistan secures lowest US tariff in South Asia – minister
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has secured a trade deal with the United States, locking in a 19% tariff rate—the lowest in South Asia, a government minister said Thursday, a move expected to significantly boost the country’s exports, particularly in textiles.
NAB sells Malik Riaz properties in plea bargain recovery
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Thursday auctioned off one property owned by Malik Riaz, the controversial founder of Bahria Town, and received conditional bids for two others, totalling Rs2.27 billion ($7.94 million), as part of a long-awaited effort to recover “defrauded funds” from a 2019 court-approved plea bargain.
Cricketer Haider Ali suspended amid UK police rape investigation
LAHORE: Pakistan batsman Haider Ali has been provisionally suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) following his arrest and ongoing criminal investigation by Greater Manchester Police in the UK over an alleged rape during the Pakistan A team’s tour of England, officials said on Thursday.
Nepra cuts power tariffs by Rs1.8881/kWh for next three months
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s electricity regulator, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Thursday cut power tariffs by Rs1.8881 per kilowatt hour (kWh) for the next three months, offering relief to consumers of all power distribution companies (Discos), including K-Electric (KE), as they face steep energy bills.
PM Sharif calls for national strategy to tackle population crisis
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday called for a national strategy to address rapid population growth, warning that without coordinated planning, rising numbers could strain resources and hinder economic development.
Exports surge in July, reversing recent declines
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s merchandise exports posted a robust recovery in the first month of the current fiscal year, rising 16.91% in July 2025, a sharp turnaround from the negative growth recorded in prior months, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Wednesday.
Heavy monsoon rains trigger floods, rescue operations in Punjab and Islamabad
ISLAMABAD: Heavy monsoon rains battered parts of Punjab and Islamabad over the past 24 hours, prompting rescue operations in the capital and a flood alert in riverine areas across the province, officials said on Wednesday.
PTI protests disqualification of lawmakers in National Assembly
ISLAMABAD: The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of former prime minister Imran Khan staged a heated protest in the National Assembly on Wednesday over the disqualification of over a dozen of its lawmakers by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), following their convictions by anti-terrorism courts in Punjab for cases tied to the May 9 violence.
Tribal jirgas in KP push for talks with Afghan govt, banned TTP to restore peace
PESHAWAR: Tribal jirgas in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have called for talks with banned outfits and the Afghan interim government to secure peace in the region, stressing that military offensives have failed to resolve the ongoing conflict, local media reported.