360 divisional and 286 district schemes cancelled; project costs rise 40–50% amid inflation RAWALPINDI: The District Development Plan (DDP) for Rawalpindi district for the new financial year 2026-27 has yet to be finalised, despite the second month of the fiscal year nearing its end, amid an acute financial crisis. The plan is still at the…

. Bangladesh’s newly sworn in Prime Minister Tarique Rahman claps during an oath-taking ceremony at the South Plaza of the parliament building, following BNP’s landslide victory in the national polls, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, February 17. Photo: REUTERS JHARKHAND: Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman told India’s envoy on Monday that there was a need to create…

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday issued notices to the federal government and the Ministry of Law and Justice, seeking written reports on the delay by the president in approving summaries for the appointment of judges to the IHC and provincial high courts. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir directed the deputy attorney general to…

. ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to continue effective enforcement measures against smuggling, tax evasion and illegal businesses across the country. Chairing a review meeting regarding ongoing FBR reforms, the prime minister directed that implementation of the FBR reforms be further accelerated. He welcomed the growing…

The June deficit of $649 million stood in contrast to the surplus of $500 million in May and reflected a combination of higher import payments and a seasonal softening in remittances. Photo: File KARACHI: Workers’ remittances opened the new fiscal year on a firm footing, reaching $3.63 billion in July 2026 – an increase of…

. Benjamin Netanyahu is undeniably a troublemaker who cannot be relied upon to make peace. He stands accused of war crimes in Gaza – where the ICJ ruled that Palestinians face a plausible risk of genocide – and remains a threat to regional peace and security. That impression stands vindicated once again as the hawkish…

. The writer holds PhD in Administrative Sciences and teaches at the University of Plymouth, UK. Email: zeb.khan@plymouth.ac.uk At an Islamabad business summit, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi declared that Pakistan’s governance system had “collapsed” and demanded a reset, including new administrative units or provinces. Unfortunately, every few years, an unrepresentative guardian or impatient saviour claims…

Microsoft is in talks with TSMC to secure manufacturing capacity for more than 300,000 units of the chip A view shows a Microsoft logo at Microsoft offices in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, France, March 25, 2024. — REUTERS Microsoft is planning to unveil its new Maia 300 AI chip this fall, potentially as soon ​as next month, The…

Highlights Nvidia’s efforts to raise capital for ​the chips, power generation and data centres underpinning AI boom Nvidia logo is seen in this illustration taken June 11, 2026. — REUTERS A group of ​financial firms, including Apollo Global and Blackstone, ‌is working with Nvidia to put together a $500 billion funding package for AI infrastructure…