Page 20 - Pakistan

Public gatherings banned for 2 weeks in Islamabad after suicide attack

He said the security of the capital has been beefed up to obviate the threats which can disrupt peace and tranquility causing damage to life and property

Rising militancy causes fear, panic in northwest Pakistan's Bannu region

The deteriorating law and order situation in Pakistan and the rising militancy have caused fear and panic among the people in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province's Bannu region.

US Dy Secy discusses Pak's efforts to recover from floods with FM Bilawal

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman met Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and discussed Pakistan's ongoing efforts to recover from the devastating floods. Pakistan witnessed unprecedented monsoon rains over the summer that put a third of the country underwater, damaged two million homes and killed more than 1,700 people. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman met Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and they discussed Pakistan's continuing efforts to recover from the devastating floods, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Wednesday. They also discussed the upcoming International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan to be held in Geneva on January 9, 2023, Price said. During the meeting, Sherman also expressed condolences for Pakistani lives lost in recent terrorist attacks, even as they committed to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation between the two nations. They also spoke about economic, energy, and environmental .

Pakistan's central bank slashes GDP growth forecast to below 3-4%

Pakistan's central bank has lowered its projected GDP growth estimates for the cash-strapped country from the previously announced range of 3-4 per cent for the current fiscal year, citing flood-induced destruction and the stabilisation policy. The State Bank of Pakistan's (SBP) flagship economic health report released on Wednesday said economic growth was stronger than expected in the 2021-22 fiscal year as the real GDP increased by 6 per cent compared to 5.7 per cent a year ago. The primary drivers of this growth were a broad-based expansion in large-scale manufacturing (LSM) and improved agricultural output, the Dawn newspaper said, quoting the report. The primary drivers of this growth were a broad-based expansion in LSM and improved agricultural output, the report said. A combination of adverse global and domestic developments led to the re-emergence of macroeconomic imbalances during FY22, it said. The SBP said that the economy was already in a stabilisation phase when ...

Pakistan PM Shahbaz Sharif urges global aid for 20 million flood victims

Pakistan's prime minister on Wednesday urged the international community to give his country desperately needed aid to help 20 million flood victims survive the harsh winter, as the country struggles to cope with the humanitarian aftermath of vast floods earlier in the year. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif made the emotional appeal for help in arranging food, tents and other essential items for the millions of people the deadly floods had displaced ahead of an international donors conference in Geneva on January 9, 2023. Even today, 20 million victims of the floods need urgent humanitarian assistance, Sharif said in televised comments during a visit to Kot Diji in the southern province of Sindh, an area widely devastated by the inundations. Cash-strapped Pakistan was already facing a serious financial crisis before the heavy monsoon rains hit in mid-June. The rains triggered unprecedented floods that at one point submerged a third of the country's territory. Sharif said Pakistan was

Pakistan's economic crisis deepens amid growing political turmoil

Though the country managed to avert a default earlier this month, the challenges on the economic front are multiplying with foreign exchange reserves dipping below $7 billion

25 militants killed in Pak army raid on detention centre; one hostage dies

After talks failed to resolve a two-day standoff, army commandos stormed the centre on Tuesday. Ten soldiers, including three officers, were also wounded

Drone shot by BSF along Punjab border in Amritsar, falls on Pakistan side

A Pakistan drone that entered India from along the International Border in Punjab was intercepted by BSF troops following which it fell on the other side, a senior officer said Wednesday. The drone was "downed" by Border Security Force (BSF) troops around 7:20 pm on Tuesday and it has been taken away by Pakistan Rangers, he said. The incident took place near the Daoke border post in Amritsar. It was found lying 20 metres inside Pakistan territory opposite Indian border post Bharopal when a search was conducted on Wednesday morning, a BSF spokesperson said. "It hovered in the sky for a few minutes when counter-drone measures were taken, and fell while returning.Search is in progress to find if it dropped anything on the Indian side, he said.

Pakistan faces shortage of life-saving medicines including insulin: Report

Pakistan is facing a shortage of insulin for diabetes patients and the medical market in Karachi is getting worse, reported Pak vernacular media Daily Express

89 Hindu pilgrims from India visit Pakistan to celebrate Maha Shivaratri

Around 89 Hindu pilgrims from India arrived here on Tuesday to celebrate Maha Shivaratri at Katas Raj Temple in Pakistan's Punjab Province. Some 89 Hindu pilgrims arrived here from India via Wagah border on Tuesday. Evacuee Trust Property Board senior officers Rana Shahid and Fraz Abbas received them at the border, Amir Hashmi, spokesperson for ETPB, which looks after the holy places of minorities in Pakistan, told PTI. Hashmi said the Hindu pilgrims would remain in Lahore for a day before leaving for Chakwal, some 300 kms from Lahore, to attend their religious festival at Katas Raj. He said the main event Maha Shivaratri' will be held there on Thursday. Foolproof security arrangements have been made in this respect, he added. Hindu pilgrims leader Sanjiv Kumar said they receive love in Pakistan and hope the ETPB is taking good care of their holy places. The Shri Katas Raj Temples also known as Qila Katas, is a complex of several Hindu temples connected to one another by walkways.

Word Bank approves $1.69 bn to support people in flood-affected Pakistan

The World Bank on Tuesday approved USD 1.692 billion in financing for five projects to support people living in flood-affected areas of cash-strapped Pakistan's Sindh province, according to a media report. Pakistan witnessed unprecedented monsoon rains over the summer that put a third of the country underwater, damaged two million homes, and killed more than 1,700 people. Out of the projects announced by the World Bank on Tuesday, three support rehabilitation, housing reconstruction, and the restoration of crop production for vulnerable communities, while the two projects support health services for mothers and children, Dawn reported, citing a statement issued by the global lender. It said that Sindh was the province worst affected by the 2022 floods as there was huge damage to the housing, health, and agriculture sectors and people lost their livelihoods. "Beyond the rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged houses and infrastructure, our engagement in the flood response effor

Pakistan: Blast leaves at least 13 injured in Balochistan's Khuzdar

A day earlier, four police personnel were martyred and as many others wounded in an overnight terrorist attack

Pakistan at UN pleads for help with floods after 'cameras have gone'

Pakistan's unprecedented floods in the summer killed more than 1,700 people, inundated third of the nation and cut the nation's growth by half

No breakthrough yet between Pak govt, militants who took officials hostage

On Sunday, militants took over Bannu counter-terrorism department building in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and held officials hostage

India's expectation from Pakistanis never very high: Jaishankar on Pak FM

India's level of expectation from Pakistanis is "never very high", External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday, in his first comments over the personal attack made by his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described Bhutto-Zardari's remarks as "uncivilised" and said they were a "new low" even for Pakistan. "I think my ministry has said very clearly what we think about what he (Pakistan foreign minister) said. We said what we had to say," Jaishankar said during India Today's India-Japan conclave. When pressed further on whether he was upset over the remarks against the prime minister, Jaishankar said: "Our expectation levels with the Pakistanis are never very high." In a strong condemnation of Bhutto-Zardari's remarks, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Friday said the Pakistan foreign minister's "frustration" would be better directed towards the masterminds of terrorist ...

2 killed as Pak Taliban militants take hostages at counter-terrorism centre

At least two policemen were killed when Pakistani Taliban militants dramatically seized a counter-terrorism centre and took some people as hostages in Pakistan's troubled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, prompting authorities to put the Army's special forces on alert on Monday as they initiated negotiations with the terrorists. The standoff began on Sunday when an arrested militant who was being interrogated at the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station inside the Bannu Cantonment snatched an AK-47 from the police and opened fire. He then freed other suspects being held at the building and they took control of the compound. They also took several policemen hostage. The situation is still tense 21 hours after the incident as a military operation is going on, officials said. Two policemen were killed in the incident, sources said. Several others were reported injured. Akram Khan Durrani, a former chief minister of the province, and sitting provincial minister Malik Shah Muham

Ex-Pak PM Imran asked Gen Bajwa to get oppn politicians arrested: Report

Bajwa is now the focused target of Khan who not only sees the former COAS as the sole reason for all his failures but also alleges that the general had removed his govt as part of a US conspiracy

One killed as Taliban militants take hostages in northwest Pakistan

At least one policeman was killed and many others were injured when Pakistani Taliban militants seized a counter-terrorism centre and took some people hostage in the Bannu district of Pakistan's troubled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. One of the militants, who had been arrested and being interrogated at Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station inside the cantonment, on Sunday snatched an AK-47 from the police and opened fire. He then freed other suspects being held at the building who took control of the compound. They also took several policemen hostage. The situation is still tense 17 hours after the incident as a military operation is going on. The body of one policeman killed in the shooting has been shifted to a local hospital in Bannu. Akram Khan Durrani, a former chief minister of the province, and sitting provincial minister Malik Shah Muhammad have reached Bannu to initiate talks with the militants. Both Durrani and Muhammad hail from Bannu. Militants have demand

Indicators suggest Pak's economic situation would worsen in future: Report

Pakistan's economy still remains critical and several economic indicators suggest that the situation could get worse. Food shortage, depleting energy, and foreign reserves may create a bigger problem

Will IMF loans to Pakistan continue after fuel prices are slashed?

As per the IMF loan rider, Pakistan, with its dwindling foreign exchange reserves amid strict repayment schedule, had committed to increase levy on fuel and eliminate subsidies