IMF talks on budget ongoing

The government has agreed to the need for a mini-budget if revenues fall short of expectations by end-December 2025, according to the IMF. Photo: file ISLAMABAD: The budget discussions between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have remained inconclusive, though both sides covered significant ground except for convergence over the cost of tax relief…

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Marwat moves FCC to restore Gandapur as CM

Marwat argues that process leading to change of CM was initiated by Imran Khan, who is convicted, disqualified ISLAMABAD: Shair Afzal Marwat, who himself acknowledged that he was elected as a Member of the National Assembly on the platform of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has approached the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) seeking the restoration of Ali…

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PM Shehbaz meets Qatari delegation to boost investment under SIFC

Taameer Group expresses interest in expanding investments in hospitality, hotel, real estate, and construction sectors Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets a Qatar-based investment delegation led by Taameer Group founder Muhammad Hussein Al Ali. GOVT OF PAKISTAN Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday held talks with a delegation from Qatar-based Taameer Group, led by the group’s…

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Inter-Madaris Sports Festival kicks off in Peshawar

Eight madrasa teams compete in football, cricket as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Directorate of Sports organizes youth event PESHAWAR: The Inter-Madaris Sports Festival, organized by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Directorate of Sports, officially commenced in Peshawar on Friday. The festival features eight teams from various madaris, with four teams each competing in football and cricket. Football matches are being played…

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Wheat devolution fuelling agri crisis

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain on Thursday blamed post-devolution coordination failures between the federation and provinces for worsening problems in the wheat sector. He told a Senate committee that provincial governments were not cooperating on procurement targets despite mounting challenges facing Pakistan’s agricultural economy. The remarks came during…

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Panda Bond raises hopes

KARACHI: Pakistan has tapped into China’s vast and growing financial system through its inaugural Panda Bond, opening a new low-cost funding channel with fewer political strings attached that policymakers and analysts believe could help diversify the country’s external financing sources beyond traditional dollar- and euro-denominated borrowing. The RMB1.75 billion ($250 million) sovereign bond, issued in…

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Journo goes on trial for ‘insulting president’

. ISTANBUL: A Turkish journalist with Deutsche Welle (DW) went on trial in Ankara on Thursday for allegedly “insulting the president”, with the court granting him conditional release, the German broadcaster said. Alican Uludag was arrested at his home in Ankara on February 19 over allegations of “insulting” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and “disseminating false…

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Govt denies UAE targeting Pakistanis

ISLAMABAD: The reported deportation of Pakistani nationals from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) triggered a heated debate in the Senate on Thursday as the opposition warned of severe economic consequences of the development. However, the government disputed the scale of the figures and promised that a verified date would be presented in the parliament. Minister…

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