Page 104 - Pakistan

Russia seeks expansion in ties with Pakistan: Foreign Minister Lavrov

Russia is keen to expand and deepen bilateral ties with Pakistan as the first shipment carrying discounted Russian oil reached Karachi Port at the weekend, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. Lavrov made these remarks in a video message on the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Moscow and Islamabad, the Express Tribune newspaper reported. He said Russia views Pakistan as a "key international partner in the joint efforts to combat common security challenges and threats, including transborder crime and terrorism. Pakistan on Monday began transporting the much-anticipated discounted Russian crude oil to a refinery here in the cash-strapped country's port city, a development that is likely to provide relief to the people hit by skyrocketing inflation. The first shipment of discounted Russian crude oil arrived in Karachi on Sunday after an agreement was inked between Islamabad and Moscow in April. We know about the great interest and respect

Biparjoy: IMD issues 'Orange' alert for Saurashtra, Kutch coasts in Gujarat

PM Modi had a telephonic conversation with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel regarding the impending Cyclone Biparjoy and assured all possible help to the state

Financial aid for Pakistan hockey before Champions Trophy in Chennai

The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has got a financial boost as the government released Rs 25 million for the sports body, paving the way for the team's participation in the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai in August. An official of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) said that after the encouraging performance by the national junior team in the Asian Junior Cup in Oman, the minister for inter-provincial coordination Ahsan Mazari had approved the release of the funds. "The funds will take care of the daily allowances to be paid to the junior team players and officials plus all the expenses to participate in the Asian Champions Trophy," the official said. He also confirmed that the outstanding salaries of Pakistan's Dutch coach, Siegfried Aikman, will also be cleared soon. Aikman left the coaching position with the Pakistan team and returned home after not being paid his salary for months. Government funding and grants had dried up for the PHF in the last few years because of the ..

Journo among 4 booked for inciting attacks on military installations in Pak

Pakistan police on Monday booked two journalists, an anchorperson and an army officer-turned-Youtuber for "abetting mutiny" and inciting attacks on sensitive military installations and government buildings across the country last month following the high-profile arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan in a corruption case. In the FIR registered on Monday, the complainant, who identified himself as Muhammad Aslam, told the police that on May 9 he saw around 25 people sharing screenshots and messages of journalists Shaheen Sehbai and Wajahat Saeed Khan, as well as army-officer-turned-YouTuber Adil Raja and anchorperson Syed Haider Raza Mehdi. They were inciting people to attack military installations, spread terrorism and create chaos in the country, he said in the FIR registered in the Ramna Police Station here in the federal capital. In the FIR, Aslam said that he checked the social media accounts of these four men after the incident. After looking into their social media ...

New Pakistan budget will do little to allay IMF concerns: Experts

Pakistan's efforts to unlock access to the already agreed USD 6.5 billion loan package with IMF a quagmire after the cash-strapped country unveiled a subsidy and development-packed budget of Rs 14.46 trillion which experts say will do little to allay the concerns of the global lender. The Pakistan government on Friday unveiled a Rs 14.4 trillion budget for 2023-24 as it battled to fend off a looming default due to shrinking foreign reserves. The government claims to have shared the budget with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The budget needs to satisfy the IMF to secure the release of more bailout money for the cash-strapped Pakistan. Dawn reported from Washington that the budget will do little to allay the IMF's concerns and makes it more difficult for Pakistan to complete the pending ninth and 10th reviews of the current bailout package. Since 1958, Pakistan has signed 22 IMF programmes but failed to complete all, barring the 2013-16 facility, thanks to nearly 18 waivers

PM Modi holds situation review meeting related to Cyclone Biparjoy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reviewed the situation related to Cyclone Biparjoy which is likely to hit the Kutch region of Gujarat on Thursday. The meeting was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister P K Mishra, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Earth Sciences Secretary M Ravichandran, Kamal Kishore, Member National Disaster Management Authority, India, Meteorological Department Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, among others. According to a presentation made during the meeting, Kutch, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Junagarh and Morbi could experience stormy weather with a wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to 145 kmph on June 15 morning to evening. Fishing activities along Gujarat's south and north coasts have been suspended and authorities were evacuating people in districts by the sea in view of Cyclone Biparjoy that is likely to make landfall along the Saurashtra-Kutch coasts as a very severe cyclonic storm, ...

All conditions met, no hurdle left in striking IMF deal: Pak PM Shehbaz

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed his optimism that Pakistan, which has fulfilled "all the preconditions" of the IMF, will still be able to sign a staff-level agreement with the global lender to revive the stalled bailout programme for the cash-strapped country. Sharif's remarks came as many believe that Pakistan's chances for the revival of the current USD 6.5 billion IMF programme have almost diminished before it expires on June 30. Out of the USD 6.5 billion package, the IMF has not yet disbursed $2.6 billion to Pakistan. Addressing a ceremony here on Sunday, Sharif still appeared optimistic about that deal with the global lender and while referring to the government's plan B, said, If the agreement with the IMF is (further) delayed, then I will address you. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) signed a deal in 2019 to provide USD 6 billion to Pakistan on fulfilment of certain conditions. The plan was derailed several times and the full reimbursement is still pending

Cyclone Biparjoy: Pakistan begin evacuation of low-lying coastal areas

Pakistani authorities have started evacuating people from the low-lying coastal areas in the southern Sindh province as they braced for the approaching Cyclone Biparjoy that continues to gain strength and is likely to cause heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in the country. All the authorities concerned have been put on high alert after Biparjoy, which located over the Arabian Sea, turned into an extremely severe cyclonic storm on Sunday. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said the cyclone is expected to impact southern and south-eastern parts of Sindh on June 13. The cyclonic system is located at a distance of 690 km south of Karachi, Pakistan Meteorological Department said on Sunday. A top official of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said that the authorities had started moving people from the low-lying coastal areas in Sindh to temporary shelters in government schools and offices as the cyclone is expected to make Keti Bandar and its adjoining area

BSF shoots down another Pak drone near International Border in Punjab

The Border Security Force (BSF) has shot down another Pakistani drone near the International Border in Punjab's Amritsar

Pakistan finance minister hints at 'Plan B' as IMF loan remains locked

Apparently writing off the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has hinted at the government's so-called 'Plan B', Pakistan-based Dawn reported

Pak authorities on high alert as Biparjoy likely to hit Sindh's coastline

NDMA in Pakistan has put the authorities concerned on high alert as Cyclone Biparjoy is gaining strength and has now turned into an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm

First shipment of discounted Russian crude oil arrives in Karachi: Pak PM

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday announced that the first shipment of discounted Russian crude oil has arrived in the port city of Karachi, a development that will provide relief to the people hit by skyrocketing inflation. Pakistan, which is currently grappling with high external debt and a weak local currency, is hoping that snapping crude at discounted rates from Russia will stabilise oil prices in the country. Petrol now costs Rs 262 per litre in the country. A cargo ship carrying about 45,000 metric tonnes of Russian crude oil docked at a port in Karachi on Sunday. I have fulfilled another of my promises to the nation. Glad to announce that the first Russian discounted crude oil cargo has arrived in Karachi and will begin discharge tomorrow, Prime Minister Sharif tweeted. Today is a transformative day. We are moving one step at a time toward prosperity, economic growth, and energy security & affordability, he said. Sharif added that this was the beginning of

IndiGo flight enters Pakistan airspace amid bad weather, returns safely

An IndiGo flight from Amritsar to Ahmedabad entered Pakistan airspace due to bad weather and went up to Gujranwala before heading back to Indian airspace safely, the airline said on Sunday. IndiGo flight 6E-645 had to take a deviation over Atari into Pakistan airspace due to bad weather on Saturday, the airline said in a statement. "The deviation was well coordinated with Pakistan by Amritsar ATC via telephone. The crew was in continuous contact with Pakistan on R/T and the flight landed in Ahmedabad safely post the deviation, it added. Earlier, Dawn newspaper reported that the IndiGo plane with a ground speed of 454 knots entered north of Lahore at about 7:30 pm on Saturday and returned to India at 8:01 pm. Citing a senior official of Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the paper said that it was not unusual as it was internationally allowed in bad weather conditions. In May, a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight entered Indian airspace and stayed there for nearly

Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan booked in yet another case of land scam

The total number of cases against the 70-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief has now swelled to over 140 following his ouster as the prime minister of Pakistan in April last year

Army exposes ISI's move to involve women, juveniles in terror network

A 'dangerous move' by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and heads of terror groups to rope in women and juveniles to carry weapons and messages has come to light amid a decline in the use of traditional means of communication by terrorists in Kashmir valley, a top army officer has said. The General Officer Commanding of Srinagar-based 15 Corps, also known as Chinar Corps, Lt Gen Amardeep Singh Aujla also said the forces need to be cautious as people sitting across the Line of Control (LoC) are busy scheming and planning to disturb the prevailing peaceful atmosphere. "Today's threat, as I see it, is involving women, girls and juveniles in carrying messages, drugs or, at times, weapons. So far, the army has detected some cases highlighting an emerging trend which in itself is a dangerous move that Pakistan's ISI and heads of 'tanzeems' (terror groups) have adopted. We, along with other agencies, are jointly working out on this," Lt Gen Aujla told PTI. Asked if it means that

IndiGo Amritsar-Ahmedabad flight strays into Pakistan amid bad weather

Due to bad weather, a flight of the IndiGo airlines en route to Ahmedabad from Amritsar strayed into Pakistan near Lahore and went up to Gujranwala

28 killed, 140 injured as rain, thunderstorms hits parts of Pakistan

As many as 28 people were killed and more than 140 injured as heavy rain and thunderstorms hit several parts of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab on Saturday, Pakistan-based Geo News reported

Pakistan's defence budget increased by 16% as security challenges looms

The defence spending in 2022-23 was around 2 per cent of the country's GDP, the size of which has grown due to the rebasing of the economy

Pakistan budget targets 'artificial, non-realistic': Imran Khan's party

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's party leaders have criticised the budget announced by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, describing it as artificial and unrealistic, and accused him of figure fudging of Rs 1 trillion in the amount of interest payments and non-tax revenue. The Pakistan government on Friday unveiled a Rs 14.4 trillion budget for 2023-24 as it battled to fend off a looming default due to shrinking foreign reserves. Dar, who presented the budget in the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, said the government will target a growth rate of 3.5 per cent in the coming fiscal year.

$30 billion loss to Pakistan due to floods, rains: PM Shehbaz Sharif

Sharif reiterated that the ninth review with the IMF will be completed during the current month of July as he held an hour-long telephonic conversation with the fund's chief