Page 6 - Pakistan

Police use water cannon on Imran Khan's supporters outside his residence

Police on Tuesday fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse supporters of Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan who gathered outside his residence here to prevent his arrest in the Toshakhana case. TV footage showed police slowly approaching the Zaman Park residence of Khan behind an armoured vehicle that was dispersing his supporters with a water cannon.

Imran Khan tells party to continue struggle even if he is killed or jailed

Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan Tuesday asked his supporters to stand up for their rights and continue the struggle even if he is killed or arrested, hours after clashes erupted between the police and his party workers who gathered outside his residence here to foil his arrest in the Toshakhana case. Khan's video message was released by his party on social media as police arrived at his Zaman Park residence to arrest him. Police fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse Khan's supporters, who reportedly hurled stones at policemen, resulting in injuries. In the video message, Khan urged his supporters to come out for real freedom as police arrived to arrest him. "They think that after my arrest, the nation will fall asleep. You have to prove them wrong," 70-year-old Khan said in the video. "God has given me everything, and I am fighting this battle for you. I have been fighting this battle all my life, and I will continue to do so," he said. "If something happen

IMF treating cash-strapped Pakistan like a 'colony': Maryam Nawaz

Pakistan is a "hostage" to the IMF which is treating the cash-strapped country like a "colony", senior leader of PML-N Maryam Nawaz has said while lambasting former prime minister Imran Khan for flouting the previous agreements with the global lender. Pakistan's economy is in dire straits. The country is awaiting a much-needed USD 1.1 billion tranche of funding from the Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF is not ready to trust us. Pakistan is a hostage to the IMF and it is treating the country like a colony. Even if we try to come out of its clutches, we can't, Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) leader Maryam said while addressing the youth and social media activists in Model Town here on Monday. She castigated Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan for flouting the previous IMF agreement, the Dawn newspaper reported. Because of this today we are begging for Rs 1 billion, the 49-year-old leader said. She drew the comparison of her father Nawaz Sharif'

Delay in IMF deal may cause Pakistan to pause debt repayments: US bank

China, a close ally, can rescue Pakistan because of its close ties with the country, reports Dawn news

Pak govt makes public record of Toshakhana gifts; retainers include Shehbaz

The Pakistan government has for the first time made public details of foreign gifts retained by officials amidst the controversy over the Toshakhana gifts sold by former premier Imran Khan. The details of Toshakhana or the state depository were revealed on Sunday on the website of the Cabinet Division, showing the gifts retained by former presidents, prime ministers, federal cabinet members, politicians, bureaucrats, retired generals, judges, and journalists from 2002 to 2022. The 446-page document showed those who benefited include President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, former prime minister Imran Khan, ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, ex-president Asif Ali Zardari, late military dictator Pervez Musharraf, former premier Shaukat Aziz, ex-PM Yousuf Raza Gilani, ex-PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, ex-PM Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, ex-PM Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, ...

Pakistan's ex-PM Imran Khan hits out at Punjab govt for double standards

Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan on Sunday slammed the caretaker government of Punjab for its "double standards", saying it was giving a "free hand" to his political rivals to hold public rallies while illegally stopping his party from running the election campaigns. Khan, 70, said the PMLN-led federal coalition, Punjab caretaker setup and the military establishment were trying to delay the elections in Punjab province. "The cabal of crooks are trying their best to postpone the elections in Punjab scheduled to be held on April 30. They want to arrest me as they have instituted 80 fake cases against me," he said in a media talk on Sunday. "I wonder how Maryam is getting away for launching a scathing attack on Pakistani judges as she has been a given a license to do so (by the establishment)," he said.

Pakistan plans to procure Russian crude oil at $50 per barrel: Report

Cash-strapped Pakistan is making concerted efforts to procure Russian crude oil at USD 50 per barrel, at least USD 10 per barrel less than the price cap imposed by the G7 countries due to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, media reports said on Sunday. Crude oil is currently being sold globally at USD 82.78 per barrel. Pakistan, which is currently grappling with high external debt and a weak local currency, is desperate to purchase cheap crude at discounted rates from Russia. Moscow will respond to Pakistan's request for discounted crude oil only after it completes formalities such as mode of payment, shipping cost with premium and insurance, according to The News. The first consignment of crude oil from Moscow is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan by the end of next month, paving the way for a bigger deal in the future, the paper said. The shipping of crude oil from Russian ports will take 30 days, which would mean an increase of USD 10-15 per barrel due to the transportation costs, it .

Use of passports to travel for terror training stonewalled by J&K Police

Strict action by the Jammu and Kashmir Police has put the brakes on Pakistan's external spy agency ISI's method of wooing Kashmiri boys into terror ranks by taking them to the neighbouring country using passport and later infiltrating them into the valley along with mercenaries, officials said on Sunday. Citing interrogation reports of some of the youths arrested after infiltrating into the Union Territory, the officials said the ISI was pressing terrorists to get youths from the valley by any means, be it for educational and religious purpose or social functions. Some of the Kashmiri youths who visited Pakistan through legal channels to meet their relatives were also targeted and even given a crash course of two weeks on handling of explosives and firing from a close range. However, after the Jammu and Kashmir Police implemented a new regime with additional checks and balances, there has been no report of anyone going to Pakistan on a valid travel document for terrorist training, t

Pakistan's wheat production target likely to dip by 1.7 mn tonnes: Report

Wheat production is likely to remain around 26.7 million tonnes as against the envisaged wheat production target of 28.4 million tonnes

IMF doesn't trust finance ministry: Pak ex-Finance Minister Miftah Ismail

Pakistan is relying on funds from the multilateral lender to avoid defaulting on its international obligations and revive its USD 350 billion economy

Pak FM Bilawal admits Islamabad unable to get Kashmir attention at UN

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has admitted that Islamabad has been unable to get Kashmir to the centre of the UN agenda and India's diplomacy is able to scuttle its efforts

Biden proposes to double economic support fund to cash-strapped Pakistan

US President Joe Biden has proposed to double the economic support fund to cash-strapped Pakistan to USD 82 million for fiscal 2024 to help its recovery from devastating floods, diversify the energy supply, and support activities to build emergency preparedness capabilities. "Assistance to Pakistan will expand private sector economic growth; strengthen democratic institutions; and advance gender equity and women's empowerment, the State Department said. In Pakistan, the assistance will support the country's recovery from devastating floods, diversify the energy supply, and support activities to build emergency preparedness capabilities, said the State Department's budgetary proposal which was sent to Congress. The budget proposes to give Pakistan USD 82 million for fiscal 2024, beginning in October, under the Economic Support Fund category. The support was USD 39 million in 2022. Pakistan is also proposed to receive USD 17 million under the international narcotics and law enforceme

In favour of constructive dialogue, diplomacy between India, Pak: US

The United States supports a constructive dialogue and meaningful conversation between India and Pakistan, the Biden administration said Thursday reiterating that it's for New Delhi and Islamabad to decide on the nature of that dialogue. The US is ready to play its role if they agree, it added. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price, in response to a question, refused any meditating role for the US for talks between India and Pakistan. "Because these are decisions for the countries themselves. If they agree on a particular role for the United States, the United States is prepared to, as a partner to both countries, support that process in any way that we responsibly can, Price told reporters at a news conference. "Analysts believe that the United States has the power and authority to mediate between the two partners. Pakistan and India are partners of yours, so why don't you just mediate? he was asked. "Ultimately, it is not for the United States to determine the modalities or th

Pakistan's Chief Justice to skip SCO meeting hosted by India: Report

Pakistan on Thursday announced it's decision to skip the meeting of Chief Justices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) scheduled in New Delhi from March 10-12, reported The Express Tribune

Pak HC quashes govt ban on Imran Khan's speeches from TV channels

PEMRA said running any such material was a sheer violation of the authority's laws and judgments of the apex court

Pakistan govt raises sales tax on luxury items to 25% to access IMF fund

The Pakistan government has hiked sales tax from 17 per cent to 25 per cent on select luxury goods, media reports said on Thursday, as the cash-strapped country was taking steps to unlock the USD 1.1 billion tranche of funding from the IMF. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is refusing to release the USD 1.1 billion tranche under the USD 7 billion loan facility unless crucial decisions are made by the government and implemented. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Wednesday issued a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) for a 25 per cent imposition of General Sales Tax, The News International newspaper reported. The sales tax hike includes 33 categories of goods covering 860 tariff lines, high-end mobile phones, imported food, decoration items, and other luxury goods, the Dawn newspaper reported. GST has also been imposed on three categories of locally manufactured goods. Twenty-five per cent GST has also been imposed on three categories of locally manufactured goods, including .

US encourages Pak to continue working with IMF to improve economy, business

The United States has encouraged Pakistan to continue working with the IMF to improve the cash-strapped country's economy and the business environment to "unlock" the much-needed funds from the global lender. US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price while talking to media on Wednesday said that the US is working with Pakistani partners and, in turn, it is working with international financial institutions, the IMF, to put itself on a sustainable growth path. Ultimately, it is going to have to be decisions on the part of our Pakistani counterparts to unlock this IMF funding. We encourage Pakistan to continue working with the IMF, especially on reforms that will improve Pakistan's business environment, Price said. We believe that it will make Pakistani business more competitive, and will attract high-quality investment, he said. They improve the competitiveness of partnering Pakistani firms, fuelling economic growth that increases employment and household incomes. We believe that by

Honda shuts plant in Pak amid crisis, cites supply chain disruptions

Amid the ongoing financial crunch in Pakistan, another car maker company Honda on Wednesday announced to close its plant citing severe disruption in supply chain as major reason, reported Geo News

Pak EC issues bailable arrest warrant against Imran Khan, Fawad Chaudhry

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday issued bailable arrest warrants for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Imran Khan and Fawad Chaudhry, Geo News reported

Pak tells IMF about asking China for rollover of $2 bn deposits for next yr

Pakistan has informed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that Islamabad has requested China for rollover of $2 billion SAFE (State Administration of Foreign Exchange) deposits for another one-year