Pakistan | News

Pakistan has formally requested Saudi Arabia to increase its Hajj quota for 2026 to 230,000 pilgrims, in proportion to the country’s population, to allow more people to perform the pilgrimage.

KARACHI: Pakistan will need a staggering $565.7 billion in investment to achieve its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) 3.0 climate commitments by 2035. These include a 17 per cent unconditional and 33pc conditional reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a 30pc increase in electric vehicle adoption, and a shift to 60pc renewable energy. Meeting these ambitious goals will depend heavily on mobilising green-aligned investments, making frameworks like the Pakistan Green Taxonomy and robust ESG disclosure practices essential for guiding capital toward sustainable projects. This was revealed during a session on Pakistan Green Taxonomy (PGT) and ESG Disclosure Guidelines hosted by the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), which was attended by top business executives and industry stakeholders on Wednesday. According to OICCI’s press release, the session was held in the backdrop of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan’s issuance of the revised ESG Disclosure Guidelines for...

Pakistan said on Wednesday it had signed an agreement with a firm connected to World Liberty Financial, the main crypto business of US President Donald Trump’s family, to explore using World Liberty’s stablecoin for cross-border payments. The Pakistan Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (PVARA) said in a statement that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with SC Financial Technologies, a little-known company it described as an “affiliated entity” of World Liberty, would enable “dialogue and technical understanding around emerging digital payment architectures”. The announcement represents one of the first publicly announced tie-ups between World Liberty, a crypto-based finance platform launched in September 2024, and a sovereign state. It also comes amid a warming of ties between Pakistan and the United States. Under the agreement, SC Financial Technologies will work with Pakistan’s central bank to integrate its USD1 stablecoin into a regulated digital payments structure, allowing the token to operate alongsid...

MoU signed by Finance Minister Aurangzeb, Trump family’s World Liberty Financial CEO Zachary Witkoff PM Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir attend ceremony in Islamabad PM says cryptocurrency will significantly benefit Pakistan’s economy.

WASHINGTON: The US has announced a suspension of immigrant visa processing for Pakistan and 74 other countries, effective January 21, citing concerns that immigrants from these nations often rely on public welfare programmes. The State Department said the freeze will remain in place until authorities can ensure that new immigrants will not draw on American taxpayer resources. Officials described the measure as part of the administration’s “America First” approach. “We are working to ensure the generosity of the American people will no longer be abused,” an official said. State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said in a statement that his department “will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people“. “Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would ta...

Pakistan and Qatar have reiterated their commitment to further strengthen their long-standing fraternal ties during a telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance has signed an MOU with an affiliate of the Trump-backed DeFi project to target cross-border payments.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed on Wednesday that several countries were “actively” engaged in talks with Pakistan for its fighter jets. In recent weeks, reports had surfaced of Pakistan being in talks with several friendly countries for a deal on the JF-17, a light combat aircraft jointly developed by Pakistan and China and produced in Pakistan. Addressing a federal cabinet meeting, PM Shehbaz recalled Pakistan’s victory in a war last year — ostensibly a reference to the four-day military conflict with India in May 2025 — and said the demand for Pakistan’s fighter jets had increased since then. “There are several countries that are actively engaged in talks with Pakistan on this, and this will boost our defence production and benefit our economy,” the premier added. Earlier, Defence Production Minister Raza Hayat Harraj also told BBC Urdu that Pakistan is engaged in discussions with “multiple” countries for the sale of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets. “These negotiations are taking place and they take som...

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, on Wednesday, while stressing consistency in policies, urged all stakeholders to strive further to achieve economic strength and carve a niche for Pakistan among the comity of nations.

The agreement would explore integrating a dollar-backed stablecoin into Pakistan’s regulated payments system as the country ramps up plans for digital currency and virtual-asset rules.

A delegation of World Liberty Financial USA, led by Chief Executive Officer Zachary Witkoff, called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Wednesday and signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Pakistan to promote innovation in digital payments and cross-border financial transactions.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday announced the dates for Australia’s T20I tour of Pakistan later this month ahead of the ICC Men’s T20I World Cup in February. All three matches are scheduled to take place at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on January 29, 31 and February 1, PCB said in a statement. The toss will take place at 5:30pm and matches will begin at 6pm. Australia’s T20I squad will arrive in Lahore on Jan 28. “The series serves as crucial game time for both the sides ahead of the all-important ICC Men’s T20I World Cup 2026, where Pakistan are placed in Group A and Australia in Group B,” PCB said. This is the third time Australia are touring Pakistan; they played a three-match Test and ODI series in March-April 2022, followed by a solitary T20I where they bagged a close three-wicket win at Gaddafi Stadium. Australia also played three of their 2025 Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan. “We are excited and look forward to hosting Australia for the three-match T20I series here in Lahore,“ PCB Chief ...

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday acknowledged that some multinational companies have left Pakistan due to “high taxes and energy costs”, but called on them to revise their business models, aligning them with the “modern world”. During the past few years, multiple MNCs have shut down their operations in Pakistan, including Procter & Gamble, Eli Lilly, Shell, Microsoft, Uber and Yamaha. He made the remarks while addressing the Pakistan Policy Dialogue, hosted by Policy Research & Advisory Council (PRAC), in Islamabad. The minister, in his address, talked about the exodus of multinational companies from the country, stating, “There are firms that are leaving Pakistan, which is true, and we must acknowledge if the taxation is high, energy cost is high, or financing cost, those have been real issues”. However, the minister continued: “But it takes two to tango [..] if you are wedged into your business models from the last 50 years, it is not going to work in the modern world”. Citing Nestle and Uni...

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan categorically rejected “provocative and baseless” allegations made by the Indian Army Chief regarding purported drone intrusions across the Line of Control (LoC), terming them a desperate attempt to divert international attention from India’s internal challenges.

Pakistan categorically rejected "provocative and baseless" allegations made by the Indian Army Chief regarding purported drone intrusions across the Line of Control (LoC), terming them a desperate attempt to divert international attention from India’s internal challenges.

Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has emphasized that Pakistan’s pressing issues cannot be addressed through rhetoric alone and require genuine dedication to public service.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Tuesday that Pakistan was at an early but important stage in shaping its digital asset ecosystem. He expressed the views during a meeting with a visiting delegation from Icoin Technology Inc, a Silicon Valley-based blockchain infrastructure company. The delegation was led by the company’s Chief Executive Officer Chet Silvestri, the finance ministry said in a press release. According to the press release, the minister said Pakistan was at an early but important stage in shaping its digital asset ecosystem and welcomed knowledge-sharing and responsible investment aligned with national priorities. During the meeting, Aurangzeb briefed the delegation on Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to develop a “structured and responsible” framework for digital assets and apprised it of the progress made toward the establishment of a Pakistan Crypto Council and the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) “The minister highlighted Pakistan’s growing participation in global dig...

Pakistan and Japan have formalized a grant agreement to enhance pediatric healthcare facilities in South Punjab, with the Japanese government committing $18.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Pakistan on Tuesday agreed to sign a formal agreement on “pre-immigration clearance” for Pakistani nationals visiting the Gulf country, said a statement by the Ministry of Interior. The agreement, when signed, will enable Pakistani nationals to bypass lengthy immigration processes upon arrival in the UAE. The decision was made in a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and a delegation from the UAE, led by Director General of Customs and Port Security Ahmed Bin Lahij Al Falasi, the press release said. “The immigration process for the passengers will be completed in Pakistan before travel,” Naqvi was quoted as saying. He added that with the implementation of the system, Pakistani nationals will be able to bypass lengthy immigration processes upon arrival in the UAE. “They will be able to exit the airport directly like domestic passengers,” said Naqvi. The interior minister detailed that the system will be launched as a pilot project, with the first phase set to begin...

Pakistan on Monday called on Russia and Ukraine to enter into a “sustained, meaningful and structured dialogue” to end their protracted conflict, warning that the nearly four-year-old war continues to inflict enormous human and economic costs and poses growing risks to regional and global stability.