Page 34 - Pakistan

Pakistani rupee continues to recover against US dollar for second day

The Pakistani rupee (PKR) continued to recover against the US dollar for the second consecutive session

Pakistan floods: Damaged crops raise fears of hunger amongst citizens

Like every year, Arz Mohammed had planted his little patch of land in southern Pakistan with cotton. The crop would earn him enough so that, as he puts it, his family of five wouldn't be reduced to begging. Then came the deluge. Pakistan's massive floods this summer collapsed Mohammed's home and destroyed his four acres of cotton, wiping out most of his income. On top of that, his land and that of his neighbours remain underwater, three months after the heaviest rains stopped. Like many farmers across southern Pakistan, he may not be able to plant his next crop wheat in time. That could spell trouble for the country's food supply. These rains have destroyed everything for us, said Mohammed, who lives in a tent with his wife and children near his wrecked house in Khairpur, one of the country's hardest-hit districts. We don't even have anything to eat. This summer's flooding, caused by monsoon rains nearly triple the usual ferocity, wiped out huge swaths of crops, leaving already

Pakistani military helicopter crashes in Balochistan; 6 soldiers dead

A Pakistani military helicopter crashed in Balochistan province late on Sunday killing all six soldiers on board, the country's media affairs wing said on Monday."All six personnel on board, including two pilots, have embraced shahadat," Dawn newspaper quoted the Pakistan military's public relations wing saying in a statement.No reason was given for the helicopter crash in the southwest area of the country.Former federal minister Fawad Hussain Chaudhry said helicopter flying is getting dangerous and needs engineering evaluation."Heli flying is getting dangerous this needs engineering evaluation, too many crashes ...RIP Braveheart's all were too young to die," Chaudhry tweeted.The latest incident comes weeks after a similar chopper crash took place in August which claimed six lives including Quetta Corps commander Lt Gen Sarfraz Ali, Dawn reported.The chopper had lost contact with the air traffic control in Balochistan's Lasbela district.The remains of the military chopper's wreckage, .

US-Pakistan relationship has not served either of two: EAM S Jaishankar

America's relationship with Pakistan has "not served" either of the two countries, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said Sunday raising questions on the Biden administration's approval of a USD 450-million sustenance package for F-16 fleet. "Very honestly, it's a relationship that has neither ended up serving Pakistan well, nor serving the American interests. So, it is really for the United States today to reflect on what are the merits of this relationship and what do they get by it, Jaishankar said in response to a question during an interaction with the Indian-Americans. Referring to the argument made by the US that F-16 sustenance package is to fight terrorism, he said everybody knows where and against whom F-16 are used. "You're not fooling anybody by saying these things," he said in response to a question. Early this month, the Biden administration approved a USD 450 million F-16 fighter jet fleet sustainment programme to Pakistan, reversing the decision of the previous

Probe initiated in PM's audio leak case, says Pakistan's Interior Minister

Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that PM Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of audio leaks involving him and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and an inquiry has been initiated.

Shehbaz Sharif-led govt wants to resume trade ties with India: Imran Khan

Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan said on Sunday that his government had snapped trade ties with India after New Delhi revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 and claimed that the Shehbaz Sharif-led government wanted to resume it. Addressing a rally in Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 69-year-old Khan also said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Vice President Maryam Nawaz was "incapable of telling the truth" as he once again accused her of keeping nepotism above national interests. "Maryam wants to import power plant machinery from India for her son-in-law," he said, while referring to a audio leak in which Prime Minister Sharif is allegedly being told that Maryam's son-in-law wants to import a power plant from India. "Our government had stopped trade with India because itended the special status of Kashmir," Khan said, adding that the present imported rulers wanted to resume trade relations with India at the cost of Pakistan's integrity and solidarity. In recen

World Bank pledges $2 billion for flood-ravaged Pakistan, says report

The $2 billion figure includes that amount. Raiser said the bank is working with provincial authorities to begin as quickly as possible repairing infrastructure and housing

World Bank pledges $2 bn in aid to flood-hit Pakistan for reconstruction

The World bank has said that it will provide USD 2 billion in aid to Pakistan for reconstruction and rehabilitation that includes food, shelter and other urgent needs of the victims of the recent devastating floods. The announcement was made by the World Bank's new vice president for the South Asia region, Martin Raiser, on Saturday in a statement issued at the end of his Pakistan tour. As an immediate response, we are repurposing funds from existing World Bank-financed projects to support urgent needs in health, food, shelter, rehabilitation, and cash transfers, the statement said. The World Bank had earlier agreed to provide USD 850 million for flood relief in a meeting with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The amount has now been increased to USD 2 billion. As per the World Bank resident mission in Islamabad, the current portfolio has 54 projects and a total commitment of USD 13.1 billion, the Dawn newspaper ...

Terror listings blocked without reason challenges common sense: Jaishankar

Amid repeated holds on proposals to designate Pakistan-based terrorists under the UN sanctions regime, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that terrorism should not be used as a "political tool" and the idea that something is blocked without assigning a reason challenges common sense. We do believe that in any process if any party is taking a decision, they need to be transparent about it. So the idea that something is blocked without assigning a reason, it sort of challenges common sense, Jaishankar said as he spoke to a group of Indian journalists here on Saturday after wrapping up the New York leg of his visit to the US with his address to the UN General Assembly high-level session. He was responding to a question by PTI on the issue of repeated holds and blocks on proposals to list Pakistan-based terror group leaders under the UN sanctions regime and whether this came up in his talks with his global counterparts as he met them during the high-level General Assembly ...

LIVE news updates: India committed to strengthen ties with UN, says EAM

Live news updates: The world in our view is one family today, said EAM Dr S Jasihankar

EU seeks laws against human rights issue in Pakistan after MEP's visit

The Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), who paid a three-day visit to Pakistan, have called for timely reforms and legislative changes on human rights issues including enforced disappearances

Govt oppression of Muhajir political activists continues in Pakistan

The oppression of the Muhajir political activists in Pakistan -- Muslim immigrants who migrated from various regions of India after the Partition of India, has continued in the country

Protesters outside UN demand recognition of 1971 genocide in Bangladesh

Protesters representing ethnic and religious minorities on Friday protested outside the United Nations in New York, demanding recognition of the genocide committed by the Pakistani Army in 1971

Over 4,000 Shias killed in 8 years in Pakistan's sectarian violence: Report

Pakistan is facing multiple fault lines that are hampering the growth of the already conditioned economy of the country, including a breakdown of law and order domestically

Pakistan FM calls for urgent assistance to countries facing multiple crisis

Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called for urgent assistance to more than 50 developing countries trapped in multiple crises.

Pakistan seeks peace with all its neighbours including India: PM Shehbaz

Pakistan is looking for peace with all its neighbours, including India but sustainable peace and stability in South Asia remain contingent on a just and lasting solution to the Kashmir dispute, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said here on Friday. In his address to the high-level UN General Assembly session, Shehbaz claimed that India's illegal and unilateral actions on August 5, 2019 to change the special status of Jammu and Kashmir further undermined the prospects of peace and inflamed regional tensions. Pakistan needs a stable external environment. We look for peace with all our neighbours, including India. Sustainable peace and stability in South Asia, however, remains contingent upon a just and lasting solution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, he said. I think it's high time that India understood this message loud and clear that both countries are armed to the teeth. War is not an option. It is not an option. Only peaceful dialogue can resolve these issues so that the world becom

Pakistan's economic woes: FDI slumps 26% in first 2 months of FY23

Amid economic crisis in Pakistan, Net Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the country fell 26.1 pc during the first two months of the ongoing fiscal year (FY23), clocking in at just USD 169.5 million

Floods left behind an 'ocean of human suffering': Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif

"Pakistan has never seen a more stark and devastating example of the impact of global warming," Sharif said about the disaster.

'All hell' to break loose: Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif appeals for debt relief

Pakistan should suspend international debt repayments and restructure loans with creditors after recent floods added to the country's financial crisis, says report

Assistance to Pakistan's F-16 not designed as a message to India: Pentagon

The US has said that its decision to provide a USD 450 million sustenance package for Pakistan's F-16 fleet is not designed as a message to India rather it is associated with America's defence partnership with Islamabad which is primarily focused on counterterrorism and nuclear security. On September 8, the Biden administration approved a USD 450 million F-16 fighter jet fleet sustainment programme to Pakistan, reversing the decision of the previous Trump administration to suspend military aid to Islamabad for providing safe havens for the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network. India has conveyed to the US its concerns over Washington's decision to provide a sustenance package for Pakistan's F-16 fighter jet fleet. In a notification to the US Congress, the State Department made a determination approving a possible foreign military sale for sustainment and related equipment for an estimated cost of USD 450 million, arguing that this will sustain Islamabad's capability to meet curren