Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The leader of opposition in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, has criticized the PML-N led federal government’s economic policies, describing them as a recipe for the complete destruction of the national economy. In his speech during the National Assembly budget session on Friday, Omar, who belongs to the PTI, labeled the current budget […]

Listen to article Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presented the provincial budget estimates for the fiscal year 2025-26 in the assembly amounting to Rs. 3,451.87 billion, with a deficit of Rs. 38.458 billion-representing a 12.9 per cent increase compared to the previous year’s budget estimates of Rs. 3,056.3 billion for FY 2024-25.  The Chief Minister […]

ISLAMABAD: Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday acknowledged that tight fiscal space, driven by structural constraints, has reduced its ability to fund development projects under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). At a news conference, he said the development budget has declined from 2.6% of GDP in 2017-18 to just 0.8% — a trend described […]

Listen to article Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, has strongly rejected the federal budget, branding it a “pro-elite document” that exacerbates poverty, inflation, and inequality. Addressing a press conference at Mansoora on Wednesday, he said the government has failed to provide relief to the common man, choosing instead to favor the ruling class and privileged […]

LONDON: PPP Chairman and head of a high-level parliamentary delegation Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday said India’s narrative was based on ‘lies and propaganda’, while Pakistan’s stance was rooted in’truth and peace.’ He criticised India for using terrorism as a foreign policy tool and pointed out that Indian agencies had been targeting Sikh activists around […]

Listen to article Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will undertake an official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday, 12 June 2025. The visit highlights the deep-rooted fraternal relations between Pakistan and the UAE, built on mutual trust, shared values, and close cooperation in multiple sectors. The prime minister will be accompanied by Deputy Prime […]

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif intervened on Tuesday to alter the budgetary proposal to increase the salaries of government employees by 10% during a cabinet meeting he chaired for the approval of the federal budget on Tuesday, sources said. The cabinet held a detailed discussion on various budgetary proposals, including pay and pensions. During the […]

A recount of prisoners at Malir Jail has revealed that 225 prisoners, not 216 as initially reported, escaped on June 3, it emerged on Tuesday. The new jail administration conducted a thorough review and found that nine more prisoners, not included in the original report, had escaped the prison.  The Superintendent of Malir Jail, Shahabuddin Siddiqi, wrote to […]

Listen to article Former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday warned that the threshold for war between nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan had “never been lower” following last month’s military standoff. In an interview with Sky News in London, he expressed concern that tensions between the two rivals remain dangerously high, despite a US-brokered ceasefire announced […]

Listen to article In a move that has drawn criticism from religious leaders and advocates of interfaith harmony, the Indian government has barred Sikh pilgrims from traveling to Pakistan to participate in the annual martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the fifth Sikh Guru. Despite this restriction, Pakistan’s Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and the Pakistan […]