Page 5 - Pakistanis

About 10 mn people at risk of slipping into poverty in Pakistan: World Bank

The World Bank has painted a grim economic picture of Pakistan in its biannual report, cautioning that over 10 million more people are at risk of descending into poverty in the cash-strapped country. The Washington-based lender's apprehension comes from a sluggish economic growth rate of 1.8 per cent coupled with soaring inflation, a staggering 26 per cent in the current fiscal year. The World Bank's biannual Pakistan Development Outlook report indicated that the country is set to miss almost all major macroeconomic targets. The international lender said the country is anticipated to fall short of its primary budget target, remaining in deficit for three consecutive years, contrary to the International Monetary Fund's stipulations mandating a surplus. Sayed Murtaza Muzaffari, lead author of the report, said despite a board-based yet nascent economic recovery, poverty alleviation efforts remain insufficient. The economic growth is projected to stagnate at a paltry 1.8 per cent whil

Need to cut our expenditures, take Pak towards self-reliance: PM Shehbaz

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday vowed to transform the country's economic landscape as he said he has shared the broad parameters of a five-year plan with all the ministries, the state media reported. Sharif, who earlier this month took oath as the prime minister for a second time since 2022 amidst staggering economic and security challenges, chaired a Cabinet meeting in which he shared the five-year plan with all the ministries specifying their targets, reported Radio Pakistan. He emphasised that the ministries would have to devise strategies to achieve these targets and the progress would be reviewed regularly. We have to cut our expenditures and take the country towards self-reliance, he said. Expressing determination to uplift various sectors such as agriculture and information technology, Sharif said We have to take the country on the growth trajectory and create employment opportunities. He was confident that the Ministry of Commerce would take the requisit

Newly-elected lawmakers of Pak's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly sworn in

Newly-elected lawmakers of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly were sworn in on Wednesday, with jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's party in poll position to form the provincial government for the third consecutive time. Outgoing Speaker Mushtaq Ghani administered the oath to the 113 provincial lawmakers elected to the Assembly on general seats, Geo News reported. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has a total strength of 145 members, including 10 women and four minorities elected against reserved seats. The allocation of the reserved seats has not been notified as the matter is currently being heard by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Meanwhile, elections were postponed on two general seats in the province due to the candidates' deaths in constituencies.

Talks to form cabinet in Pak's Punjab province under CM Maryam Nawaz begins

Consultations for the formation of a Cabinet in Pakistan's Punjab province under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz have started within the ruling PML-N with her father and party supremo Nawaz Sharif holding talks with allied parties. In the first phase, a 20-member Cabinet is likely to be formed this week, according to a media report on Wednesday. The PML-N leadership also held talks with its allied parties PPP, PML-Q and Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP), which are also expected to get ministries in the cabinet in the second phase. Maryam, 50, is the first woman chief minister of a province in Pakistan's history. The meeting was chaired by three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who surprisingly nominated his younger brother to be the prime minister when a coalition federal government was formed. Senior PML-N leaders Rana Sanaullah, Pervaiz Rashid and Marriyum Aurangzeb are expected to be accommodated in the provincial cabinet. Sanaullah and Rashid are expected to be inducted as

Pak govt announces Section 144 as assembly set to convene inaugural session

The Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamaat-e-Islami, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam have announced plans to stage a protest

Three injured in blast in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province

Three persons were injured when an explosive device planted on a motorbike detonated in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Friday, police said. The incident occurred at Darazinda area of Dera Ismail Khan district. The blast originated from a motorbike laden with explosives that was parked in front of a hotel. The explosion resulted in injuries to three passersby in the vicinity, police said, adding that one of the injured persons is in critical condition. Heavy contingents of police rushed to the site and cordoned off the entire area following the blast.

Pak polls: PML-N leaders hold consultations with allies over Balochistan CM

According to Dawn, the former CM expressed contentment with PML-N's performance in the February 8 elections, highlighting the party's victory in 10 provincial and five national seats in the province

PML-N, PPP set to discuss power-sharing deal for coalition govt: Report

A second round of talks between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan Peoples Party is expected to take place on Friday on the power-sharing formula between them for the formation of a coalition government, according to a media report. The Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari-led PPP has promised to back PML-N in the formation of a government as well as the election of the next prime minister, on the condition that Nawaz Sharif's party will support them in elections to key constitutional offices like that of the President. A scheduled second round of talks between the Contact and Coordination Committees (CCCs) of the PPP and PML-N could not take place on Thursday, as both sides sought more time to assess proposals that came up in their first meeting. The next meeting between the two sides is likely to take place on Friday for clarity on the power-sharing formula, the Dawn newspaper reported. However, given the tough competition between individuals, nominating people to fill those ...

Pak polls: Imran Khan's PTI names PM choice, seeks to form coalition govt

Omar Ayub Khan, the PTI nominee for prime minister, said his first priority would be to release Imran Khan and other party leaders from jail

Pakistan elections: PTI nominates Mian Aslam Iqbal as Punjab chief minister

Discussions were being held over the nomination of Salaar Khan Kakar as Balochistan CM, according to Dawn report

Our mandate has been stolen in dark of night: Ex-Pak PM Imran Khan's PTI

Jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's party on Wednesday alleged that its mandate has been stolen in the dark of the night after major political parties in the country decided to form a coalition government led by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif. In a surprise move, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday night nominated Shehbaz, 72. as the prime ministerial candidate instead of the party supremo and three-time former premier Nawaz Sharif. Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan said that Imran's mandate has been stolen in the dark of the night. In a post on X, Hasan said, Pakistan is being put on [the] road to further destabilisation. Referring to a possible coalition government led by the PML-N, he said, The decision to induct a bunch of criminals to form governments, who have been rejected by the people, reflects a myopic view of the grave challenges the country is beset with.

Balochistan comes to standstill as parties protest against rigging in polls

Pakistan's restive Balochistan province has come to a standstill and has been facing unrest with several political and nationalist parties launching an indefinite blockade of all national highways from Wednesday against alleged rigging of the election results. Four political parties, including the Balochistan National Party (Mengal), National Party (NP), Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP), and Hazara Democratic Party (HDP), have been jointly holding protests since Saturday in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan province against the outcome of the February 8 polls. Khushal Khan Kakar of the PKMAP told the media on Wednesday that the blockade would continue until the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ordered a recount in all those constituencies where massive alleged rigging has taken place in the province. The Baloch people are angry and frustrated over the electoral injustice done in the name of free and fair elections, Kakar said. Since Saturday, the province has been ..

Protests erupt in Balochistan over election rigging, army intimidation

The Baloch Raji Aajoi Sangar (BRAS), an alliance of armed pro-independence groups, claimed responsibility for 161 attacks in the 11 days leading up to the election, according to The Balochistan Post

Imran Wins. Army defeated. Instability ahead in Pakistan

The general election in Pakistan is a watershed moment in its patchy democratic history. Never before have the Pakistani people defied the Army so openly by voting against the parties it supported

Cong's Mani Shankar Aiyar again calls Pak people 'biggest asset of India'

'The Pakistanis, from my experience, have been the people who perhaps overreact to the other side. If we are friendly, they are over-friendly, and if we are hostile, they get overly hostile' Aiyar s

Pak parties intensify efforts to form coalition govt after split verdict

Political parties in Pakistan on Sunday intensified their efforts for the formation of a coalition government after it became clear that the cash-strapped country faced a hung Parliament after general elections. The general elections were held on Thursday, but the unusual delay in the announcement of results vitiated the atmosphere as several parties cried foul play and some resorted to protests. Former prime minister and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif received the backing of the powerful Pakistan Army on Saturday for his call for a unity government to pull Pakistan out of its current difficulties. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced the results of 264 out of 265 contested seats. The result of NA 88 was withheld by the ECP due to complaints of fraud and it would be announced after redressing the grievances of the aggrieved. Election to one seat was postponed after the death of a candidate.

Highlights of the day Mizoram CM to present state budget on Feb 27

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Pak poll results delayed, Imran Khan's party claims win in first results

This will be "probably the biggest election upset in Pakistan's political history in the last 50 years," said Mushahid Hussain Sayed, a senator with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz

Pakistan elections: Results for 12 seats announced, parties neck and neck

By early Friday morning, the ECP had announced results for 12 of the 265 contested seats in parliament on its website

Pakistani general elections: Citizens cast vote amid rigging claims

Millions of voters in Pakistan on Thursday began voting in the general elections in which former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is hoping to secure a record fourth term with the backing of the powerful military amid a crackdown on his rival Imran Khan's party, rise in violence and economic stagnation. Amidst tight security, the polling started at 8.00 AM and will continue without any break till 5.00 PM. A countrywide public holiday has been declared to enable a total of 128 million registered voters to cast their votes and elect a new government that they hope to stabilise the country's economy. The counting will start soon after the conclusion of the voting. Nearly 650,000 security personnel have been deployed across the country as at least 30 people were killed on Wednesday in twin blasts in the restive Balochistan province. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja Wednesday talked to the chief secretaries and inspectors general of police (IGPs) of the four provinces a