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[ ISLAMABAD: Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Friday that education remained the backbone of a nation’s development and prosperity, and that Pakistan’s path to progress fundamentally depends on quality education and the preparation of highly capable teachers. Every nation must equip its young generation with quality knowledge while developing their productive capacity, creativity and … Read more
[ Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb speaks during a Reuters interview in Islamabad, Pakistan, June 15, 2026. PHOTO: REUTERS ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb on Friday held a meeting with a delegation of the Silk Road Fund (SRF), a major Chinese investment fund, led by its Chairperson Zhu Jun, to discuss investment opportunities and … Read more
[ Experts say AI training must connect with employers, markets to unlock economic value **Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja and US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker attend the signing ceremony of the Pakistan-Google MoU in Islamabad. SCREENGRAB LAHORE: Google’s decision to establish its first office in Pakistan and … Read more
FAGERSTA: A man armed with a sword severely injured two teenage boys, as well as a third person, at a Swedish high school on Friday, and one person was later detained, local authorities said, triggering a massive response from emergency services. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon at the Brinell high school, in the small … Read more
[ KARACHI: Pakistan’s headline inflation is expected to accelerate to 11.0% year-on-year in August 2026, driven primarily by higher food prices and increased petroleum costs. The National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) is projected to rise 1.0% month-on-month (MoM) in August, compared with a 0.6% MoM decline in August 2025. On a yearly basis, the expected … Read more
[ Govt spent Rs6b more than budgeted on fuel in FY25, car monetisation policy violated ISLAMABAD: Despite enforcing a car monetisation policy that gives cash for transport to top bureaucrats, the federal government’s annual budget expenditure on fuel jumped to nearly Rs22 billion – an increase of 39% – even before the Middle East war … Read more
As the war nears six months old, two sides not exchanging fire but also not pursuing peace talks US President Donald Trump delivers remarks during a meeting with cryptocurrency executives in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on August 19, 2026.PHOTO: AFP US President Donald Trump said on Friday he thought Tehran was not ready to make the “right deal” … Read more
QUETTA: Political leaders in Balochistan have strongly opposed proposals for creating new provinces on administrative grounds, alleging that such moves were aimed at gaining control over the province’s natural resources. They also warned against attempts to mislead public opinion through unelected and non-political individuals on sensitive constitutional and political matters. The leaders were speaking at … Read more
[ SBP governor says reorientation needed, cites low credit penetration despite Rs69tr assets SBP Governor Jameel Ahmed during a press conference. Photo: SBP Meta KARACHI: Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has urged banks to reorient their business models towards stronger retail deposit mobilisation and greater private-sector financing, emphasising that the banking sector has a … Read more
Canadian negotiators were in Washington to finalize a deal that would stave off new tariffs and improve the terms of existing ones, but Mark Carney faces a tough sell back home.