Page 9 - Pakistan

No country can come out of difficulties if basic industry is terrorism: EAM

He also stated that it is in nobody's interest that any country least of all a neighbouring country get into severe economic difficulties

Robust US-Pak trade relationship is more important than ever: US Official

A robust US-Pak relationship is more important than ever to bolster the economy of Pakistan, which is recovering from devastating floods, the Biden Administration has said. Speaking at the daily news conference, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters said that the robust trade relations between the US and Pakistan is also providing business opportunities for the Americans. We believe that a robust trade relationship between the United States and Pakistan is more important than ever to bolster Pakistan's economic stability as it recovers from devastating floods, while at the same time also providing opportunity to Americans and to American businesses in this country, exposing them to new markets, Pakistani markets in this case, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference. A delegation of Pakistani officials is here in town for the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement Council ministerial meeting, which was Co-chaired by US ..

Pak provides safe havens to terrorists and does so with impunity: India

Indian Counsellor Pratik Mathur said, "I am taking the floor to say that India chooses this time not to respond to Pakistan's mischievous provocations"

Pak PM underscores importance of cooperation as he meets US delegation

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday highlighted the significance of long-standing cooperation with the US and the need to make this partnership diverse and multidimensional. He was talking to a six-member US Senate delegation from the Democratic Party, led by Senate Majority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer that called on him. Other members of the delegation included Senators Maria Cantwell, Amy Klobuchar, Gary Peters, Catherine Cortez Masto, and Peter Welch. According to a statement by the Prime Minister's Office, the Prime Minister underscored the significance of long-standing cooperation between Pakistan and the US and the need to make this partnership diverse and multidimensional. He underlined that parliamentary exchanges between the two countries, as vibrant democracies, are vital to promoting understanding of each other's perspectives at the political level. The Prime Minister highlighted that Pakistan and the US celebrated 75 years of diplomatic relations last year and t

Afghanistan's Taliban reopen key trade route with Pakistan: Report

Afghanistan's Taliban rulers reopened a key border crossing with Pakistan on Thursday, allowing thousands of trucks carrying desperately needed food and other items to creep forward for the first time in days, officials said. The jam at the Torkham crossing between the two nations began to ease after Islamabad sent a high-level delegation to Kabul to discuss a range of issues, including the Taliban's closure of the border on Sunday. Taliban-appointed officials in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province confirmed the reopening of the Torkham border. The Afghan embassy in Pakistan also posted news of the reopening on Twitter. Thousands of vehicles, some carrying fresh produce like vegetables and fruit, began moving along the Khyber Pass in northwest Pakistan on Thursday, said Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, a director at the Pakistan-Afghanistan joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The latest development comes a day after Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif made an unannounced visit to .

Afghan Taliban promises to help Pak address threat posed by TTP: Report

The Afghan Taliban leaders have promised to cooperate with Pakistan on its concerns about the presence of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants and sanctuaries on their soil after Islamabad delivered a stark warning to them to rein in the outlawed outfit amid a rise in terror attacks across the country. The promise came during a day-long trip by a high-level Pakistani delegation led by Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif to Kabul on Wednesday, amidst the worsening of ties between the two neighbours over the issue, according to a media report. Pakistan's Foreign Office said the growing TTP and IS-K threat was discussed and the two sides agreed to collaborate to effectively address the threat of terrorism. The delegation included ISI Chief Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum, Foreign Secretary Asad Majid, Special Envoy on Afghanistan Muhammad Sadiq and Pakistan's charg d'affaires in Afghanistan Obaid Nizamani. The visit took place days after the TTP gunmen raided the police headquarters

Pak govt officers forced to contribute 50% of their pays for Turkey relief

Without any formal orders by the Pakistan government, Balochistan government have found a 50% cut in their salaries on the grounds that they are required to contribute to the Turkey relief aid

Pakistan seeks another bailout as economic and political crises worsen

The South Asian state is seeking a bailout from the International Monetary Fund again - something it's done more than 20 times

Pak PM Sharif admits there will be more inflation after IMF agreement

As the government seeks to revive the IMF programme, Pakistan has also sought to secure assurances from Saudi Arabia and China for more loans

China approves $700 mn loan to Pakistan: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar

Pakistan's all-weather ally China has approved a loan of USD 700 million to the cash-strapped country, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar announced on Wednesday. The announcement by Dar on the loan by the Board of China Development Bank came a day after Pakistan's National Assembly unanimously passed a money bill aimed at raising tax revenues to fulfil the demands set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for seeking a USD 1.1 billion loan facility to avoid an economic meltdown. "Formalities have been completed and the Board of China Development Bank has approved the facility of USD 700 million for Pakistan. This amount is expected to be received this week by the State Bank of Pakistan which will shore up its forex reserves!" Dar tweeted. Pakistan has a chronic balance of payments problem which was exacerbated in the last year, with the country's forex reserves declining to critical levels. As of February 10, the central bank had only USD 3.2 billion in reserves, enough to cover barely

Pak has to do more to ensure foundation for strong growth: IMF MD Georgieva

Pakistan has to do more to ensure that the foundation for strong growth is in place, taxes are collected and are fairly distributed, and those who have more, pay more, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has said, as the cash-starved country is engaged in "tough" talks for a bailout with the global lender to tide over the worsening economic crisis. Pakistan, which is in dire need of funds as it battles a wrenching economic crisis, has received financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the past and is presently in discussions with the organisation to resume its loan programme. An agreement on the ninth review of the programme would release over USD 1.1 billion. A resumption of the IMF programme would also unlock other avenues of funding for Pakistan. Georgieva emphasised that the IMF has made "good progress" in its talks with Pakistan. "Pakistan has gone through a number of years striving to stabilise the economy and put in place a sound framework for

Pakistan Senator criticises former PTI govt for rise in terror attacks

Pakistan Senator, the General Secretary of the PPP in his speech in the House criticised former prime minister Imran Khan, saying that terrorists were supported and encouraged by the PTI government

Pak, Sri Lanka close in on IMF deals after raising taxes to boost economies

Pakistan has taken all the measures needed to unfreeze a $6.5 billion credit line and expects to clinch the deal "any day now," Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar said in an interview

Those behind 26/11 roam freely in Pakistan: Javed Akhtar in Lahore

The perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks are still roaming freely in Pakistan and Pakistanis should not feel offended when India talks about the 2008 carnage, lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar has said. In a viral video from the seventh Faiz Festival organised here in memory of celebrated Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz, the writer was seen making these comments in response to a member in the audience who told Akhtar to take with him a message of peace and tell Indians that Pakistan is "a positive, friendly and loving country". "We should not blame each other. It will solve nothing. The atmosphere is tense, that should be doused," the 78-year-old lyricist said. "We are people from Mumbai, we have seen the attack on our city. They (attackers) did not come from Norway or Egypt. They are still roaming freely in your country. So if there is a grievance in the heart of a Hindustani, you should not feel offended," Akhtar said at the event that was hosted by Adil Hashmi, the grandson of poet ..

Pakistan approves Bill to roll out higher taxes, nears IMF bailout

Hikes general levy to 18% from 17%, raises tax on imports of luxury items such as mobile phones to 25% from 17%

Imran's political future dark if he ignores democratic path: Bilawal

'The vote of no confidence that took the PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) chief out of office, was an institutional and democratic milestone'

Pakistan's current account deficit shrank 90% in January, says SBP

SBP said the country's current account deficit shrank by 90 % in January from the same month last year as the government continued with its strategy to restrict imports

Nine Indian states among 50 most vulnerable regions due to climate change

Asia dominated the XDI list, with 114 regions among the top 200 falling in the region

Afghanistan's Taliban govt shuts down main border point with Pakistan

The Afghan Taliban commissioner for Torkham said the border point had been closed down for travel and transit trade

Stop giving tax evasion subsidies to the rich: IMF tells Pakistan

'My heart goes out to the people of Pakistan. But the Pakistan government needs to collect higher taxes by withdrawing subsidies to the rich'