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PM Shehbaz meets Qatari delegation to boost investment under SIFC

[ Taameer Group expresses interest in expanding investments in hospitality, hotel, real estate, and construction sectors Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets a Qatar-based investment delegation led by Taameer Group founder Muhammad Hussein Al Ali. GOVT OF PAKISTAN Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday held talks with a delegation from Qatar-based Taameer Group, led by the … Read more

Journo goes on trial for ‘insulting president’

. ISTANBUL: A Turkish journalist with Deutsche Welle (DW) went on trial in Ankara on Thursday for allegedly “insulting the president”, with the court granting him conditional release, the German broadcaster said. Alican Uludag was arrested at his home in Ankara on February 19 over allegations of “insulting” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and “disseminating false … Read more

IMF talks on budget ongoing

[ The government has agreed to the need for a mini-budget if revenues fall short of expectations by end-December 2025, according to the IMF. Photo: file ISLAMABAD: The budget discussions between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have remained inconclusive, though both sides covered significant ground except for convergence over the cost of tax … Read more

Taliban’s new marriage separation decree draws UN criticism

. KABUL: The Taliban government’s new decree governing the separation of spouses “reinforces systemic discrimination” and erodes the rights of Afghan women and girls, the United Nations said on Thursday. Published in mid-May, the 31-article code sets out various grounds for separation in Afghanistan, including a husband’s prolonged disappearance, “incompatibility” between couples, renunciation of Islam … Read more

Panda Bond raises hopes

[ KARACHI: Pakistan has tapped into China’s vast and growing financial system through its inaugural Panda Bond, opening a new low-cost funding channel with fewer political strings attached that policymakers and analysts believe could help diversify the country’s external financing sources beyond traditional dollar- and euro-denominated borrowing. The RMB1.75 billion ($250 million) sovereign bond, issued … Read more

Reserves strengthen to $22.6 billion

[ KARACHI: Pakistan’s foreign exchange buffers strengthened sharply during the week ended May 15, 2026, as the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) reserves increased $1.214 billion to $17.081 billion, driven primarily by multilateral inflows and recent market-based external borrowing. According to official data, the jump in reserves was largely attributed to receipts from the International … Read more

Achakzai, Abbas to lead talks with govt

Resolution states any decision by Achakzai would be binding on all parliamentary party members ISLAMABAD: A grand opposition alliance on Thursday formally empowered leaders of the opposition in the National Assembly and the Senate to hold negotiations on its behalf with the government and their decisions would be binding after an eight-hour huddle, even as … Read more

CDF vows relentless anti-terror fight

A veteran salutes Chief of Defence Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir during an investiture ceremony at the GHQ in Rawalpindi. Photo: PPI RAWALPINDI: Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Thursday reaffirmed that Pakistan’s fight against terrorism “will continue with full national resolve” until “enduring … Read more