Page 14 - Pakistan

Pakistan urges social media platforms to block banned militant accounts

Pakistan on Friday urged global social media companies to take action to block hundreds of accounts allegedly run by outlawed militant groups that Islamabad claims spread propaganda and glorify insurgents in the South Asian country. According to Pakistan's Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry, groups such as the Pakistani Taliban and the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army banned by the Pakistani authorities and also designated as terrorist groups by the United States have been using X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram to promote violence in Pakistan. Chaudhry, who spoke to reporters at a news conference, urged the tech companies to remove or disable these accounts, as well as those run by supporters of the militant groups. Deputy Law Minister Aqeel Malik, who also spoke at the news conference, said Pakistani investigators have identified 481 accounts associated with the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, and the Balochistan Liberation .

S&P raises Pakistan's sovereign rating to 'B-' as fiscal outlook improves

S&P Global Ratings upgrades Pakistan's sovereign credit rating, citing improved fiscal conditions, contained external liquidity risks, and reduced near-term default risk

Pak govt secured $26.7 bn in loans in last financial year: Report

Pakistan secured a record USD 26.7 billion in foreign loans during the last fiscal year, according to a media report that said it indicates the country's deepening dependence on multilateral and bilateral creditors. Nearly half of these loans were in the form of rollovers of previously obtained loans, The Express Tribune newspaper reported. The USD 26.7 billion disbursed during the fiscal year 2024-25 was slightly higher than the preceding fiscal year, the report said citing data compiled by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Ministry of Finance. Of the USD 26.7 billion in foreign loans, only USD 3.4 billion or nearly 13 per cent was received for project financing, details released by the Ministry of Economic Affairs on Tuesday revealed. Such low receipts for project financing underscore the difficulties in repaying the loans, as most foreign borrowings are used for budgetary support and to build foreign exchange reserves, neither of which ..

Iran president to visit Pakistan on July 26 to strengthen bilateral ties

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will visit Pakistan on Saturday to deepen the bilateral ties in the backdrop of recent regional conflicts, according to a media report. Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi discussed the upcoming visit with his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni during a telephone conversation on Monday. Momeni had called Naqvi to express sorrow over the loss of lives and property caused by the floods in Pakistan, according to Radio Pakistan. The Iranian Interior Minister also discussed the visit of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to Pakistan on July 26, Radio Pakistan reported. Pezeshkian will be the second Iranian president to visit Pakistan in as many years, after his predecessor, Ebrahim Raisi, paid a three-day official visit to Pakistan in April 2024. The exact agenda of the visit is not known as yet, but the two leaders are expected to discuss bilateral and regional matters, especially the security issues in the wake of the recent conflicts, it h

Pakistan extends ban on Indian flights in its airspace till August 24

Pakistan has extended the closure of its airspace for flights operated by Indian airlines by another month till August 24, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said. No aircraft operated by Indian airlines, or military and civilian flights that are Indian-owned or leased, will be allowed to use Pakistani airspace, according to a NOTAM (notice to airmen) that came into effect at 3:50 pm India time on Friday. The ban will remain in place till August 24 at 5:19 am (India time), the PAA said. The Indian airspace is also closed to all Pakistani aircraft till July 24 after a ban was imposed first on April 30 as part of measures taken by the Indian government against Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people on April 22. Pakistan shut its airspace for Indian aircraft on April 24 and the tit-for-tat restrictions by the two nations have been extended multiple times.

Pak claims terror network 'dismantled', denies LeT link to Pahalgam attack

Pakistan on Friday claimed that it "dismantled" the terrorist network and any effort to link the Pahalgam terror attack with the defunct Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) was against the reality. The Foreign Office made the remarks in a statement, a day after the US designated The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based terror outfit LeT, as a "foreign terrorist organisation" and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for its involvement in the Pahalgam attack. "Pakistan has effectively and comprehensively dismantled concerned outfits, arrested and prosecuted the leadership, and deradicalised its cadres, the statement said. Stating that the investigation into the Pahalgam attack is "still inconclusive," it said, "any linkage with LeT, a defunct organisation banned in Pakistan, belies ground realities". The statement said Pakistan condemns terrorism in all forms and manifestations, has zero tolerance against terrorism, and it is the cornerstone of its policy to cooperate ...

US labels 'The Resistance Front' behind Pahalgam attack as terrorist group

In an official statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the move reflects Washington's resolve to enforce President Donald Trump's call for justice for the Pahalgam attack

White House denies reports of Trump's planned visit to Pak in September

White House denies Trump's visit to Pakistan, TV channels withdraw false reports; Trump set to visit UK in September

Pak Air Force says JF-17 jets set to participate in UK military airshow

Pakistan's advanced JF-17 Thunder Block-III fighter jets are set to participate in a UK military airshow, the Air Force announced in a statement here on Thursday. PAF's participation in RIAT (Royal International Air Tattoo), one of the world's largest military airshows, underscores Pakistan Air Force's commitment to showcasing its professional excellence, the statement said, adding that the aircraft have already landed at the Royal Air Force Base Fairford. "JF-17 Block-III is an EASA Radar and Long Range BVR equipped 4.5 generation multi-role fighter aircraft which is capable of undertaking a wide variety of combat missions, bolstering airpower application in the face of contemporary challenges, thereby strengthening national security, the statement added. Pakistan claims to have used JF-17 in the recent conflict with India. The aircraft's combat-proven capabilities and operational excellence have garnered significant global attention, making its appearance at RIAT a highly ...

Self-reliance in UAVs, C-UAS strategic imperative for India: CDS Chauhan

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Wednesday said recent conflicts globally have demonstrated how drones can "shift tactical balance disproportionately", and asserted that self-reliance in UAVs and Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) is a "strategic imperative" for India. In his address at an event held at Manekshaw Centre here, Gen Chauhan also said Operation Sindoor has shown why indigenously developed Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and C-UAS "built for our terrain and our needs are crucial". A day-long workshop on 'Indigenisation of Critical Components Currently Being Imported from Foreign OEMs in the Areas of UAV & C-UAS' is being hosted by Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff (HQ-IDS), in collaboration with the think-tank Centre for Joint Warfare Studies. The event comes against the backdrop of recent India-Pakistan hostilities, including Operation Sindoor, which highlighted the strategic importance and operational effectiveness of UAVs and C-UAS, the Defence

Man held in Bangladesh for suspected ties to Pak-based militant group

Md Foysal reportedly travelled to Afghanistan via Pakistan and recruited others for extremist activities

UK lifts 5-year ban on Pak's national carrier PIA ahead of privatisation

The UK imposed a ban on PIA in 2020 after one of its aircraft crashed into a Karachi street, resulting in the death of nearly 100 people

Audit finds $21 mn financial irregularities in Pakistan Cricket Board

An audit report has found financial irregularities to the tune of more than rupees 6 billion ($21 million) and governance issues within the Pakistan Cricket Board dating back two years. The Auditor General of Pakistan's report for the 2023-24 financial year was published in The News and highlighted the non-recovery of outstanding sponsorship worth rupees 5.3 billion ($18.6 million) as the major discrepancy identified. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is the third person in four years to lead the sport's national administration, following Ramiz Raja and Zaka Ashraf. He is also a government minister. The report also questioned the rupees 63.39 million ($220,000) the PCB spent on meals for police and law enforcement personnel assigned for the security of foreign teams during international matches in Pakistan. The auditors said providing security was the responsibility of governments, and disagreed with the PCB's explanation that visiting international teams were given extra safety guarantees

Pakistan FM Ishaq Dar to attend SCO foreign ministers' meet in China

Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will visit China on Monday to attend the foreign ministers' meeting of the SCO bloc. The Meeting of the Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs (CFM) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will be held in Tianjin on July 15. Dar was invited by his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi for the meeting. Besides Dar, the foreign ministers of other SCO member states -- China, Belarus, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will attend the meeting. The CFM is the third-highest forum in the SCO format and focuses on the issues in international relations, as well as foreign and security policies of the SCO. It approves the documents, including declarations and statements, etc, that are to be presented for the consideration of the Council of Heads of State (CHS) as well as the decisions to be adopted by the CHS. Dar, also the Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan, will also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts on

Pak, Russia sign agreement to revive Pakistan Steel Mills project

Pakistan and Russia have signed an agreement to restore and modernise the Pakistan Steel Mills project, marking a new chapter in cooperation between the two countries, according to media reports. China was also in the race for getting the contract for the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) project that was originally built with Soviet assistance. The agreement to revive the PSM in Karachi was signed at the Pakistan Embassy in Moscow on Friday, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported. The project aims to restart and expand steel production, marking a new chapter in bilateral cooperation, the APP said. Special Assistant to Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar Khan, who is currently on a visit to Russia, said, "Reviving the PSM with Russia's support reflects our shared history and commitment to a stronger industrial future." The PSM was originally built with assistance from the former Soviet Union in 1971, and had remained a lasting symbol of Pakistan-Russia ties, a statement issued by

Pak looks to formulate stricter regulations for foreign satellite operators

Pakistan has been delaying the launch of satellite-based internet services as authorities look to invite more players into the field and formulate stricter regulations for foreign satellite operators, according to a media report. The role of satellite-linked communication systems came under sharp focus after the recent India-Pakistan and Iran-Israel conflicts, prompting authorities in Pakistan to formulate new guidelines for companies in the business of satellite internet. The Dawn newspaper reported that following the expiration of the temporary no-objection certificate (NOC) for Starlink in March, all foreign satellite operators are now required to submit new applications under the newly drafted Satellite Communications Regulations. The regulations are being finalised by the Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board (PSARB), based on industry feedback gathered during a recent roundtable discussion. A senior official from the Ministry of IT and Telecom emphasised the need for ...

Supporting Pakistan alone not offence under BNS section 152: Allahabad HC

The Allahabad High Court has observed that merely expressing support for Pakistan, without referring to any specific incident or mentioning India by name, does not prima facie constitute an offence under section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The said penal provision deals with acts endangering the sovereignty or unity and integrity of India. "Considering the submissions of the learned counsel for the parties and after a perusal of the records, it is not in dispute that while posting the aforesaid post through his Instagram ID, the applicant had not mentioned anything which shows disrespect towards our country. "Merely showing support to Pakistan, without referring to any incident or mentioning the name of India, will not prima facie attract the offence under section 152, BNS," Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal said while allowing the bail plea of one Riyaz. The applicant's counsel submitted that the said social media post of the applicant did not lower the dignity and ..

Pakistan faces 44.7% poverty while neighbours progress, reveals World Bank

Neighbouring countries like China, Bangladesh, and Nepal have managed to make meaningful progress in poverty alleviation through targeted strategies, industrial growth, and social reforms

Insurgents shoot 9 people after offloading them from a bus in Balochistan

Insurgents shot and killed nine passengers from Punjab after offloading them from a passenger bus in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Friday, according to authorities. The incident took place on the national highway in the Zhob area of the province, said Assistant Commissioner Zhob Naveed Alam. The armed insurgents checked ID cards of passengers and offloaded nine of them from the bus going from Quetta to Lahore, and shot them dead. All nine belonged to different parts of the Punjab province, Alam said. We have moved the nine bodies to the hospital for post-mortem and burial procedures, he said. This is not the first time that insurgents have targeted people belonging to the Punjab province and passenger buses plying on different highways in Balochistan. No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but in the past, ethnic Baloch terrorist groups carried out such targeted attacks against the people of Punjab. Meanwhile, insurgents also carried out three other terrori

Pak actress Humaira Asghar Ali found dead: Body discovered weeks later

Pakistani Actress Humaira Asghar Ali, 32, known for ARY's reality show 'Tamasha Ghar' and the 2015 film 'Jalaibee', was found dead in her Karachi home under tragic circumstances