US quits Gaza truce talks

JERUSALEM: The United States joined Israel on Thursday in pulling its negotiators from Gaza ceasefire talks, with special envoy Steve Witkoff blaming Hamas for failing to reach a deal and saying Washington would “consider alternative options”. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier his government was still seeking a ceasefire despite recalling its negotiators from … Read more

S&P upgrades credit rating to B-

[ Listen to article ISLAMABAD: Standard & Poor’s (S&P) credit rating agency on Thursday upgraded Pakistan’s rating by a notch to B negative, which is better than the previous standing but still two positions below investment grade. The revision was made due to the implementation of reforms and a reduction in sovereign default risks. S&P Global Ratings … Read more

PM restores tribal quota in universities

Listen to article ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday assured that the federal government was taking all possible steps for the economic development of the merged districts and welfare of its people. He was speaking to a delegation of tribal elders of the merged districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa led by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) President Maulana Fazlur Rehman … Read more

Profit-taking hits PSX after strong opening

[ Listen to article KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) once again succumbed to profit-taking on Thursday as the benchmark KSE-100 index lost early gains to close down by more than 550 points amid caution over futures rollover. The index surged to intra-day high of 139,868 shortly after the opening bell, reflecting investor interest across key sectors. … Read more

China urges acceleration of agri-reforms under CPEC

[ Listen to article LAHORE: China, Pakistan’s neighbour and longstanding economic partner, is pushing for an agricultural revolution in Pakistan, particularly in Punjab, under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). However, despite structured plans and repeated diplomatic backing, implementation remains slow due to bureaucratic hurdles in Pakistan’s agriculture sector. While Beijing is eager to help modernise Pakistan’s farming … Read more