Pakistan

The government has approved the wheat policy for 2025-26, a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Sunday, adding there would be no restriction on the inter-provincial movement of wheat to ensure its availability across the country. The development comes against the backdrop of the Punjab government tightening controls on the inter-provincial movement of wheat and flour through a restrictive permit regime to curb price hikes within the province — a move that has particularly been denounced by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa amid soaring prices and wheat shortage there. According to the PMO statement, a high-level meeting was held yesterday (Saturday) to discuss the 2025-26 wheat policy. It was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and attended by the chief ministers of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan. The statement said a representative of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM was also present at the meeting while the Azad Jammu and Kashmir PM and relevant stakeholders also attended the meeti...

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the law and order situation in the country as the two met on Sunday, a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. The statement added that PM Shehbaz was also briefed on the development projects under way in Islamabad. Today’s meeting between the premier and the interior minister comes a week after they had met ahead of a police operation to dismantle the protest camp of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in Muridke. The TLP planned to march on Islamabad and hold a demonstration outside the US embassy there in “solidarity with Gaza”. Naqvi had briefed PM Shehbaz on the overall law and order situation across the country during last week’s meeting as well and had told him that measures were being undertaken by the Ministry of Interior to strengthen internal security. For his part, the premier had appreciated the efforts of the interior minister and his team, directing that coordinated and effective actions must continue t...

PESHAWAR - The newly elected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Min­ister Sohail Afridi has called for a grand peace ji­rga on October 25, in the province’s Khyber dis­trict, in a bid to discuss avenues for “establishment of peace” in the province.

ISLAMABAD - The deal was never ruled out and over the weekend, it was sealed.

LAHORE - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Presi-dent Mian Nawaz Sharif at his Raiwind residence on Sunday and briefed him on the coun­try’s internal and external securi­ty situation.

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Sun­day chaired a special meeting on revenue collection to review tax targets, expansion plans, and new ini­tia-tives aimed at boosting the province’s income.

LAHORE - Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi met with Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi at his residence in Lahore on Sunday to discuss the over­all law and order situation in the prov­ince and recent incidents of terrorism.

ISLAMABAD - A contingent of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), equipped with cutting-edge JF-17 Thunder Block-III fighter jets and skilled air and ground crew, has arrived in Azerbai­jan to participate in the joint aerial combat exercise Indus Shield Alpha, the Inter-Ser­vices Public Relations (ISPR) reported on Sunday.

PESHAWAR - In light of rising terrorism inci­dents, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police have formed their first-ever sniper squad.

PM says decision taken after consulting all stakeholders ISLAMABAD - The federal government has ap­proved the Wheat Policy 2025-26 under which procurement will be made at the rate of 3,500 rupees per 40 kilograms.

ISLAMABAD - Reacting to the Pak-Afghan ceasefire agreement in Doha, mediated by Qatar and Tur­kiye, to end hostilities and pro­mote regional peace, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has expressed gratitude to Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdo­gan for this.

ISLAMABAD - In a major breakthrough Paki­stan and Afghanistan, after a 13-hour long talks, agreed to an im­mediate ceasefire facilitated and mediated by Qatar and Turkiye in Doha early Sunday morning.

ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will Monday (today) take up Khyber Pak­htunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s petition seeking permission to meet PTI founder Imran Khan in Adia­la Jail.

Pakistan must achieve overall GDP growth of 6-7%; anything less is stagnation

Despite preventive measures, low digital literacy and weak enforcement mechanisms continue to fuel scams

As fuelwood demand drives deforestation, expanding biogas systems in rural areas is only effective solution

Growth projected to cool that reflects impact of higher tariffs, weak labour market

Pakistan's fiscal policy is trapped between need to consolidate and political demand to spend

Four-time champions England booked their ticket to the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s World Cup after pulling off a nail-biting four-run win over hosts India in Indore on Sunday. England had posted a competitive 288-8 thanks to Heather Knight’s century and held their nerve in the field to defend it, despite their bowling, usually their strong suit, being a touch off colour. India looked to be cruising towards victory, needing just 62 runs off the last 10 overs with seven wickets in hand. But the dismissal of Smriti Mandhana turned the tide, as scoreboard pressure crept in and dot balls piled up. Soon after, Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma departed in quick succession, leaving the tail high and dry. Reckless batting cost India dear. Mandhana’s downfall opened the floodgates when she danced down the track to left-arm spinner Linsey Smith but failed to clear long-off. Then, after reaching her half-century, Deepti Sharma perished trying to take on Sophie Ecclestone, a slog sweep that found deep mid-wicket to perfec...

Liverpool slumped to a fourth consecutive defeat for the first time in 11 years as Manchester United won 2-1 on Sunday to end their near decade-long wait for victory at Anfield. Harry Maguire’s 84th-minute header secured back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time in Ruben Amorim’s tenure as United boss. Twelve minutes from time, Cody Gakpo had cancelled out Bryan Mbeumo’s opener after just 61 seconds. Defeat leaves Liverpool four points adrift of Arsenal at the top of the table and Arne Slot still searching for answers in how to get the right blend after splashing out nearly £450 million ($604 million) on new players in the transfer market. United close to within two points of their historic rivals and up to ninth in the table to ease the pressure on Amorim after his biggest win in nearly a year in charge. Liverpool had only lost one of the previous 14 Premier League meetings between the sides and United had not tasted victory at Anfield since the early days of Jurgen Klopp’s reign in January 2016. H...