PM Shehbaz announces signing of ‘Islamabad MoU’ by US, Iranian leadership

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. PHOTO: FILE Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday announced the electronic signing of the “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding” between US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.  In a post on X, he stated that “the Memorandum has been signed by honourable Presidents of both the countries and also endorsed by…

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PML-N finalises 90% AJK election tickets

LAHORE: PML-N has finalised around 90 per cent of tickets for Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), which will be issued in a day or two, a PTI Kashmir Chapter leader said. He attended the meeting, which was presided over by PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, as the party steams ahead with its election drive in AJK….

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Oil rises 1% on US-Iran deal doubts

Oil prices rose more than 1% on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump said the new ceasefire agreement with Iran was not final and the Iran war could resume if he is unsatisfied, but concerns over excess supply next year limited the gains. Brent crude futures were up 89 cents, or around 1.1%, at $79.85…

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Israeli settlers torch two West Bank mosques

JILJILIYA: Israeli settlers set fire to mosques in two West Bank villages on Wednesday, their mayors said, with AFP journalists at one site seeing scorched walls and graffiti. The incident came during a period of increased attacks against Palestinian communities by settlers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank since the start of the Gaza war in…

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Verbal slugfest breaks out in NA budget debate

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Wednesday witnessed heated exchanges between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members during the ongoing budget session, with repeated use of unparliamentary language that was later expunged by the speaker. The House, presided over by Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, saw sharp verbal confrontations as opposition and government lawmakers…

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Balochistan prioritises relief

• Unveils Rs1,089b budget • Achieves Rs45.56b fiscal surplus • Rs90b earmarked for healthcare • Education sees 15% QUETTA: Balochistan on Wednesday unveiled a historic, relief-driven Rs1,089.26 billion surplus budget for fiscal year 2026-27, aiming to strike a balance between strict financial discipline and direct public relief. Presented by Provincial Finance Minister Mir Shoaib Nosherwani…

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Rs3.562tr Sindh budget focuses on development

• 7% increase in salaries and pensions proposed • Rs720b earmarked for uplift schemes • Exemption threshold for agr KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presented a Rs3.562 trillion budget for fiscal year 2026-27 against estimated receipts of approximately Rs3.525 trillion, resulting in a projected deficit of about Rs36.9 billion. The budget proposed…

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Pak team in Switzerland for peace deal signing

ISLAMABAD: The peace agreement between the United States and Iran is set to be signed at the historic and scenic Bürgenstock Resort in Switzerland, instead of Geneva, on Friday (tomorrow). A special ceremony is will be attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir,…

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What's in the MOU

The United States on Wednesday released the official text of the memorandum of understanding reached over the weekend with Iran which spells out provisions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, easing certain financial restrictions on Iran and sets out expectations for addressing Iran's nuclear programme. Titled the "Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States…

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