Small traders welcome 1% turnover tax scheme

Karachi associations praise fixed tax regime for businesses with annual turnover up to Rs200m Research conducted by Australia’s tax authorities revealed that the first communication a new taxpayer receives affects their long-run compliance behaviour. photo: file KARACHI: The federal government’s introduction of a 1% turnover tax and a fixed tax scheme for traders with annual…

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Viral video does not show Pakistani jets escorting Iranian delegation for Islamabad talks; it’s old

Video from February 17, 2019, unrelated to current peace talks, shows Pakistani jets greeting MBS on his visit Multiple users, including PML-N supporters, were sharing a video across social media platforms since Thursday, claiming it shows Pakistani fighter jets escorting an Iranian delegation to Islamabad for talks. However, the video is old and shows Pakistani…

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UK envoy cautions Pakistani applicants against illegal agents making false promises of UK asylum

Says agents deceive asylum seekers with UK settlement promises, expresses concern over rising Pakistani asylum claims British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott. Photo : Facebook/UK in Pakistan British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott on Saturday cautioned against agents deceiving asylum seekers with false assurances of United Kingdom settlement and financial gain, stressing that…

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Government moves to rein in expenditures

RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has directed all public-sector bodies to eliminate non-essential expenditure and transfer surplus financial deposits to the provincial exchequer, citing rising welfare spending, public relief measures, and a shortfall in revenue targets. Under the directive, development authorities, Parks and Horticulture Authorities (PHA), Water and Sanitation Agencies (WASA), waste management companies and other…

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BETWEEN SAFETY AND JUSTICE

PUBLISHED May 24, 2026 In Pakistan’s policing lexicon, few words carry as much controversy as “encounter.” While official accounts describe armed exchanges and the neutralisation of hardened criminals, grieving families speak of sons taken into custody and returned as bodies. Between these competing narratives lies a widening fault line in the country’s criminal justice system….

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Cotton harvest target set at 9.6m bales

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…

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Aurangzeb gets key global pledges

Secures $1.7b AIIB portfolio, JICA lending resumption as Pakistan eyes rating upgrade Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb in an interview at the World Bank Spring Meetings 2026 with China Global Television Network’s program “The Heat”. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB WASHINGTON: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb concluded a productive final day of engagements at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and…

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Turkey ‘optimistic’ Middle East ceasefire will be extended: foreign minister

Hakan Fidan says US-Iran talks are largely complete, but key disagreements remain Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks to the reporters at Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Turkey, April 19, 2026. REUTERS Turkey said it remained “optimistic” that a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States set to expire on Wednesday would be extended….

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Fire erupts at three points in Margalla Hills

ISLAMABAD: A fire broke out at three separate points in the Margalla Hills behind Sector F-5, prompting a large-scale response from the district administration, with more than 65 personnel engaged in firefighting operations. Officials said strong winds spread the fire to multiple locations, complicating efforts by rescue and firefighting teams. The district administration confirmed that…

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