LAHORE: Every year or two, the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) writes a letter to the government. The words change slightly, the numbers grow larger, but the request remains the same, ie, let us export surplus sugar. A fresh letter landed on Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar’s desk on May 31 and the cycle has…
Caution lapse in Section 702 of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act could disrupt foreign intelligence collection View of the US Senate chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, United States. PHOTO: Reuters Two Republican lawmakers warned United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday of a potential intelligence gap, accusing Democrats of backing away from extending key…
Court says constitutional amendments must follow Article 33 and rejects changes through protests or pressure An aerial view from a Pakistan military chopper shows Muzaffarabad, AJK. PHOTO: REUTERS The Supreme Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Sunday ruled that the 12 seats reserved for refugees in the Legislative Assembly are constitutionally protected…
“Don’t discourage us,” digital voices oppose proposed tax on earnings, suggest classification framework KARACHI: Content creators and influencers across various digital platforms have urged the government to refrain from imposing new taxes on their earnings in the upcoming budget, arguing that the sector contributes valuable foreign exchange earnings while promoting informative and knowledge-based content for…
Week’s summit likely to contrast to Xi’s first visit months after a meeting between Kim and Trump fell apart Chinese President Xi Jinping and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) leader Kim Jong Un shake hands at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China September 4, 2025. PHOTO: REUTERS North Korean leader Kim…
KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) experienced cautious and largely range-bound trading throughout the week as prolonged uncertainty surrounding peace talks between the United States and Iran kept investor sentiment subdued. At the commencement of the trading week, “peace deal uncertainty triggered profit-taking”, remarked Ali Najib, Deputy Head of Trading at Arif Habib Ltd (AHL)….
ISLAMABAD: The federal government is expected to approve a development outlay of around Rs1,126 billion for the fiscal year 2026-27 during the upcoming National Economic Council (NEC) meeting scheduled for tomorrow (Monday), according to finance ministry sources. The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is likely to consider an increase of approximately Rs200 billion…
‘Every individual should play a vital role in safeguarding food safety,’ he added ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called upon the federal and provincial governments, farmers, universities, research institutions and every citizen to play their part in building a safe, resilient, and nutritious food system. In a message on World Food Safety Day observed on…
Complaints are often dismissed by citing farmer error, poor practices, weather, or climate factors KARACHI: In Pakistan’s agriculture sector, discussions on farmer welfare typically centre around support prices, subsidies, water scarcity, climate change, and technology access. However, a critical issue remains largely unaddressed: accountability when agricultural inputs fail to deliver promised results. This concern has…
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent directs team to assess costs for damages already inflicted on Gulf allies by Iran The US government will attempt to redirect Iranian assets to Gulf states for rebuilding and repairs of damage caused by Iran, a source familiar with the matter said, as Tehran followed up a wave of strikes…