LAHORE: After an 18-year prohibition that stemmed from deadly accidents involving razor-sharp kite strings, the Punjab government on Tuesday lifted its ban on kite flying, paving the way for the revival of the ancient Basant festival under a stringent new regulatory framework.
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Lawmakers slam govt after IMF flags deep governance flaws
ISLAMABAD: Lawmakers sharply rebuked the government on Wednesday for what they described as systemic failures in combating corruption, citing a scathing new assessment from the International Monetary Fund that laid bare weaknesses across state institutions, from the judiciary to tax authorities.
Oil industry rebuffs regulator’s tight deadline for costly Rs60 billion digital mandate
ISLAMABAD: The oil companies are pushing back against a government mandate to digitally integrate more than 32,000 fuel storage tanks, depots and petrol pumps within six to 12 months, citing prohibitive costs of as much as Rs60 billion and a lack of any plan to recover the expense.
Pakistan business confidence jumps to multi-year high despite tax, inflation risks
KARACHI: Pakistan’s business sentiment has surged to its highest level in years, with confidence jumping 11 percentage points to 22%, even as executives flagged persistent hurdles like taxation, inflation and corruption that threaten to derail growth.
Imran Khan dissolves PTI political committee amid internal rifts
ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan, the imprisoned founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the country’s former prime minister, has dissolved the party’s sprawling political committee amid simmering internal disputes, marking his first significant intervention in party affairs after weeks of isolation.
Pakistan starts new NFC round with wide gulf between federal, provincial priorities
ISLAMABAD: The government has convened the inaugural meeting of the 11th National Finance Commission on Thursday, kicking off what are expected to be contentious negotiations over the division of federal tax revenues between the central government and the provinces amid mounting fiscal pressures.
Parliament passes minority rights bill amid furor over Ahmadi protections
ISLAMABAD: In a raucous joint session of Parliament on Tuesday, lawmakers approved a long-delayed bill to create a national commission dedicated to protecting the rights of religious minorities, but only after excising a clause that had ignited fierce opposition over its potential implications for the Ahmadi community, a group long subjected to persecution by extremist elements in Pakistan.
Judicial reshuffle sees Aurangzeb confirmed to Supreme Court, new provincial chief justices appointed
ISLAMABAD: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan elevated Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb to a permanent position on the Supreme Court on Tuesday, marking the body’s first meeting since the adoption of a landmark constitutional amendment.
Trade gap widens 33 percent in November on export drop
ISLAMABAD: Trade deficit widened sharply to $2.86 billion in November, jumping 33% from a year earlier, as exports tumbled and imports climbed, according to data released Tuesday by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
Army raids kill seven militants in North Waziristan; govt administrator among four slain in nearby attack
ISLAMABAD: Security forces killed seven militants in two operations in the restive North Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, military officials said on Tuesday, amid a surge in violence that also claimed the lives of a senior government administrator and three others in a separate ambush nearby.