Pakistan

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Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Sunday that the recent report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that highlighted financial irregularities in Pakistan was “not criticism” but a “catalyst for accelerating long-overdue reforms”. The document’s publication, a precondition for the IMF’s approval for disbursing the next $1.2 billion loan tranche in December, found that institutional weaknesses, lack of transparency in state functions, preferential treatment for select businesses, and inefficiencies in public-sector transactions were major constraints to growth. It also called for a series of reforms spread across the next three to six months to help raise the growth rate to 5-6.5 per cent over the next five years. The report led to criticism of the government, and opposition parties have called for a probe into the “worst financial scandal of Pakistan’s history”. However, Aurangzeb said during a press conference in Islamabad today that the government itself had requested and facilitated the asses...

Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik said on Sunday that the imposition of governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was being “seriously considered”, linking the need for this potential move to the “security and governance issues” in the province. Malik said this on Geo News programme ‘Naya Pakistan’ where he was asked about the possibility of this move and the government’s plans in this regard. He said KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and his team had “badly failed in having any sort of a workable situation”. Neither do they want to have any kind of coordination or cohesion with the Centre, nor do they take any action in areas where it was needed, he added. Given the situation, the governor’s rule was now being “seriously considered”, he said, adding that it was a “constitutional measure”, which was undertaken in case of an “absolute necessity”. “And I think, the situation in KP itself calls for a step to be taken in this regard so that the presence of an administrative structure is ensure...

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Representatives for reserved seats will no longer be chosen through direct public voting and instead will be selected

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Victim's dying statement implicates three suspects

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Permanent deputy project director appointed to push project forward

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Initial medical report confirms assault, five suspects arrested

Stationers vow to move court against schools selling branded items at inflated prices

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Violators face fines, confiscation as authorities intensify inspections on high-traffic roads

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