Page 129 - Pakistan

Pak: Nationalist parties threaten protest if govt impose digital census

Chandio, who chaired the meeting, told journalists that the digital census was unconstitutional, illegal, and anti-Sindh

Pak's party TLP party gives govt 'ultimatum' to withdraw fuel price hike

I am giving a 72-hour ultimatum to the government to withdraw the increase in the prices of petroleum products immediately: TLP Chief Saad Hussain Rizvi

Pakistan's external debt servicing jumps by 70% in first half of FY23

In the first half of the fiscal year, Pakistan paid USD 10.21 billion in external debt servicing while in the same period of 2021-22, the country paid USD 6 billion

Pakistan Defence Minister acknowledges country has already gone bankrupt

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif suggested that one-fourth of Pakistan's debt could be paid off if only two golf clubs built on expensive government land are sold, media reports said

Pakistan's biggest firms halt operations amid raw material, forex shortage

Pak's $3.19 bn in foreign currency reserves mean that the nation is unable to fund imports, stranding thousands of containers of supplies on its ports and stalling production, putting jobs at risk

Karachi attack: 5 militants, 4 people including rangers, policemen killed

After the long-hour operation, the LEAs cleared the five-story office of the city's police chief

Foreign hand could be behind Karachi attack: Pakistan Interior Minister

At least one police officer has been martyred in the attack while an Edhi volunteer has been injured, Samaa TV reported

Militants storm Karachi police station, killing at least two people

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group, took responsibility for the attack

Gomal University in Pak bans mixed-gender gatherings of students on premise

The university also directed "female students" to be careful and limit themselves in their classrooms and the department's common rooms

Pak hikes petrol price; efforts on to appease IMF for unlocking loan

People in Pakistan woke up on Thursday to the shock of a historic price hike in the prices of petrol and gas as the government tried to appease the IMF for unlocking the critical loan tranche for the cash-strapped country. The petrol bomb as the price hike is termed these days, was dropped around Wednesday midnight, hours after the government unveiled a tax-loaded 'mini-budget' in the Parliament to extract Rs 170 billion from the people through new taxes and increase in electricity and gas prices. The price of petrol was hiked to Rs 272 per litre after an increase of Rs 22.20, a press release from the Finance Division read Wednesday night, noting that the surge has taken place due to the rupee's devaluation against the dollar. The price of the high-speed diesel (HSD) hiked by Rs 17.20, kerosene by Rs 12.90 and light diesel oil (LDO) by Rs 9.68. The new price of HSD will cost Rs 280 per litre. Kerosene will be available at Rs 202.73 whereas LDO will be sold at Rs 196.68 per ...

Pakistan economist Per­vez Tahir urges resumption of trade with India

Pakistan poli­ti­cal economist Per­vez Tahir has called for revival of trade with India to decrease people's woes, local media reported.

US values long-standing cooperation with Pakistan: State Dept official

The United States values its long-standing relationship with Pakistan, a State Department official said on Wednesday but refrained from making any comment on the ongoing domestic politics of the South Asian country. "We value our long-standing cooperation with Pakistan. We've always viewed a prosperous and democratic Pakistan as critical to our interests. That very much remains unchanged. Whether it has come to an end or not, we don't let propaganda, misinformation, disinformation get in the way of any bilateral relationship," State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference. "That, of course, includes our valued bilateral relationship with Pakistan. When it comes to various political players inside of Pakistan, we don't have a position on one political candidate or party versus another. We support, as we do around the world, the peaceful upholding of democratic, constitutional, and legal principles," Price said. He, however, refrained from making

Pakistan government introduces bill to raise Rs 170 billion in taxes

The cash-strapped Pakistan government on Wednesday introduced a money bill in parliament to raise Rs 170 billion in taxes by June this year as part of conditions by the IMF to get the next tranche of an already agreed loan. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar presented the Finance (Supplementary) Bill, 2023, in the National Assembly -- the lower house -- empowered to legislate on money matters. Pakistan and IMF officials held 10 days of marathon talks in Islamabad, from January 31 to February 9, but could not reach a deal as the fund demanded prior actions before signing any agreement to release USD 1.1 billion out of the USD 7 billion deal agreed in 2019. Speaking in the house after introducing the bill, Dar said the government was aware of the hardships of common people and tried its best to not further burden them through new taxes.

All packaged items become expensive in Pakistan after GST hike: Report

The new notification will also apply on make-up products, shaving foam, gel, cream, blade, shampoo, cream, lotion, soap and toothpaste

IMF bailout bid: Pakistan raises tax on natural gas from 16% to 112%

US seeks partnership with Pakistan on counter terrorism, State Department said, underlining that it looks forward to efforts to eliminate regional and global terrorists and other security threats

Seven TTP militants killed in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province

Pakistan's security forces gunned down seven Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, including three under-trial prisoners, in the country's restive Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province after the terrorists opened fire at a security squad, police said on Tuesday. The terrorists attacked a Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) team which was shifting detained militants affiliated with the outlawed group to the Bannu district of the province on Monday, a CTD official said The attack, aimed at freeing the detained prisoners, led to a gun battle in which seven terrorists, including the three prisoners, were killed while others escaped. The official said those killed were involved in previous attacks on the security forces. They were wanted for an attack on the Bannu Cantonment police and the targeted killing of a constable. A heavy contingent of police was deployed in the area, and a massive combing operation was launched to catch the escaped terrorists. The TTP, set up as an umbrella group o

Pakistan's remittances decrease 9.9% in January, says Central bank

The workers' remittances recorded an inflow of 1.894 billion US dollars in January, as compared to the previous month's figure of 2.102 billion dollars

US seeks a strong partnership with Pakistan on counterterrorism: Official

The US seeks a strong partnership with Pakistan on counterterrorism, the State Department has said, underlining that America looks forward to cooperative efforts to eliminate regional and global terrorists and other security threats. The 2nd round of the US-Pakistan Mid-Level Defence Dialogue is taking place here and will last from Monday to Thursday. The first round was held in Pakistan in January 2021. The Pakistani team is headed by the Chief of General Staff (CGS) Lt Gen Mohammed Saeed. The delegation will interact with their counterparts at the US Defence Department. The CGS heads the second most influential office in the Pakistan Army after the Chief of Army Staff. He is the administrative head of both the intelligence and operational forces of Pakistan. It is an opportunity to continue those discussions and to deepen partnership towards those ends, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at a news conference here on Monday. We seek a strong partnership with .

Imran Khan gives clean chit to US, blames Bajwa for removing him as PM

Khan, who was ousted from his post in April last year, took swipes at Bajwa saying that the former army chief had told the US that PTI Chief is an anti-American

Pakistan to impose new taxes to reach out for IMF loan, avoid default

Cash-strapped and nuclear-armed Pakistan will impose new taxes of 170 billion rupees this month in a bid for a massive bailout, officials and analysts said Monday, even as they warned the new taxes could accelerate the country's spiralling inflation. The dire outlook from economists and political analysts comes after the International Monetary Fund delayed the release of a crucial USD 1.1 billion portion of a 2019 deal worth USD 6 billion, on hold since December over Pakistan's failure to meet the terms. The latest round of the talks between Pakistan and the IMF concluded Friday with the fund recommending steps including imposing new taxes. "The imposition of more taxes means tough days are ahead for the majority of the people in Pakistan who are already facing higher food and energy costs, but there is no other way out if Pakistan needs the IMF loans, and Pakistan desperately needs it," said Ehtisham-ul-Haq, a veteran economist. The stalemate in talks between IMF and Pakistan was .