Agri-committee fixes production targets for essential Kharif crops including rice, maize and sugarcane ISLAMABAD: The government has set cotton production target at 9.64 million bales from plantations over an area of 2.16 million hectares during the upcoming Kharif sowing season 2026-27. Pakistan is currently facing a cotton crisis as the government is largely focusing on…
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Turkey on March 9, 2026. PHOTO: REUTERS Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Ankara was working to extend the ceasefire between the US and Iran, ease tensions, and ensure the continuation of talks, adding that Turkiye was hopeful of negotiations despite stumbling…
Committee flags irregularities from 2017–2022; FIRs filed, new probe body formed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairing a review meeting regarding FBR. Photo: GOP Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday ordered expedited legal action against all those involved in over-invoicing, terming it a “heinous practice” that went unchecked for years due to institutional negligence. Chairing a…
Gold and silver prices extended their upward trend in both international and local markets on Wednesday, reflecting continued strength in global bullion demand. In the international bullion market, the price of gold rose by $35 per ounce to reach $4,811, marking a further increase during the week. Following the global trend, local bullion markets also…
KARACHI: Buying momentum continued at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Wednesday, with investors reacting positively to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s commitment of an additional $3 billion in deposits for Pakistan, boosting market sentiment early in the session. The benchmark KSE-100 Index, at 12:34pm, stood at 170,347.47 – up 4,712.63 points, or 2.85%. Trading commenced…
KOKO TECH to tap into consumer financing for youth, freelancers and small businesses ISLAMABAD: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has granted a licence to KOKO TECH Pakistan (Private) Limited (KTPL) to operate a Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) business in Pakistan, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday. KTPL is owned…
A vessel at the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Oman’s Musandam province. PHOTO: REUTERS A giant Iranian crude carrier entered Iranian waters after transiting the Strait of Hormuz despite US blockade threats, Iranian media claimed on Wednesday morning. According to Iran’s Fars News Agency, the supertanker, which it said is capable of carrying…
Envoy says veto powers should either be abolished or their use ‘severely restricted’ Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad speaking at the UN. PHOTO: X Pakistan on Wednesday called for the abolition or severe restriction of the veto power in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), while strongly opposing any expansion…
KARACHI: Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has urged rice exporters to set an ambitious target of $10 billion in exports, assuring them of full support from his ministry and port authorities during a visit to the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), according to an official statement issued on Tuesday. The…
Iran has attacked Saudi petrochemical complex in Jubail, Fars news agency reports. SCREENGRAB Iran secretly acquired a Chinese spy satellite in late 2024 that enabled it to target United States military bases across the Middle East during the recent war, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. The TEE-01B satellite — built and launched by Chinese…