As Taliban rule in Kabul, Pakistan pays the heaviest price

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has emerged as the country most severely battered by the Taliban’s seizure of power in Afghanistan in 2021, according to a new report by the International Crisis Group, which warns that a fragile ceasefire between the two neighbours could shatter if cross-border militant attacks continue, prompting Islamabad to unleash fresh military strikes.

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Pakistan sets dollar-based spectrum prices ahead of long-delayed 5G sale

ISLAMABAD: The government has cleared the way for a long-awaited auction of spectrum for next-generation mobile services, addressing key telecom industry demands by pegging fees to the dollar and shifting interest rates to local benchmarks, according to a policy directive issued by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication.

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PTI rejects accusations of aiding terrorists, calls for unified strategy

ISLAMABAD: Leaders of the main opposition party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, forcefully rejected accusations from the military that they were facilitating terrorism in the restive northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, insisting on Thursday that the party had always condemned attacks and urged a national consensus to combat the threat without political rancor.

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Pakistan, Muslim nations calls Israel’s Somaliland trip a breach of Somalia’s sovereignty

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and a coalition of more than 20 predominantly Muslim nations, joined by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, issued a forceful condemnation on Thursday of a visit by Israel’s foreign minister to the breakaway region of Somaliland, calling it a blatant infringement on Somalia’s sovereignty and a threat to regional stability.

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Pakistan holds off on Gaza deployment, seeking clarity from US on mission and funding

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is holding off on a decision to contribute troops to an international stabilization force in Gaza until the United States provides clear answers on its mandate and funding, a Foreign Office spokesman said on Thursday, as the country grapples with persistent cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan that has strained relations with its neighbour.

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Hyderabad and Sialkot make PSL debut in over Rs3.6 billion auction

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Super League expanded to eight teams on Thursday with the addition of franchises in Hyderabad and Sialkot, as two investor groups submitted record bids totaling more than Rs3.6 billion in a closely watched auction that shows the growing commercial appeal of the country’s premier cricket competition.

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