Pakistan

LAHORE: After the conclusion of their Baisakhi visit to Pakistan on Saturday, Sikh pilgrims from India will leave today for their homeland via the Wagah Border after a week of religious and cultural events. Around 2,238 Sikh pilgrims arrived on April 10 to participate in Baisakhi festivities. Pakistan had issued around 2,800 visas to Sikh pilgrims this year, while approximately 600 pilgrims were unable to travel. At the end of their visit, a cultural night was hosted by the Punjab government at Hazuri Bagh for Indian Sikh pilgrims, besides a special ceremony at the Dayal Singh Trust Library under the World Centre for Punjabi. The Hazuri Bagh event featured colourful cultural performances, traditional music, and a lively atmosphere, wherein Sikh pilgrims enthusiastically participated. Many were seen enjoying the music and performing bhangra to the beat of drums, reflecting the spirit of joy and unity. Over 2,000 visitors arrived in Pakistan last week to join Baisakhi celebrations “The cultural night at Hazuri ...

WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s liquidity pressures are expected to ease as the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Executive Board is set to consider approval of a Staff-Level Agreement (SLA) next month, potentially paving the way for a fresh disbursement of about $1.2 billion under the two programmes. The SLA was reached on March 28 on the successful third review of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the second review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and his delegation held a series of meetings with IMF and World Bank officials in Washington this week during the Spring Meetings of the Bretton Woods institutions. The talks focused on Pakistan’s macroeconomic stabilisation, reform agenda, and external financing outlook. In a conversation with Dawn, the minister said the IMF Executive Board is expected to meet in mid-May in Washington to review the SLA, which would unlock the next tranche under Pakistan’s programme. Liquidity pressures to ease as IMF’s board ...

ISLAMABAD: Mari­time Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry annou­n­c­ed on Saturday that construction has begun on an eco-friendly floating jetty at the Korangi Fisheries Harbour Authority (KoFHA). The project, costing Rs120 million, aims to facilitate the offloading of export-quality fish. The minister chaired a meeting of the KoFHA board, attended by its Director General, Dr Shahid Aslam, Chairman Abrar Asim, and other members. He described the project as a significant step towards improving facilities for small-scale fisherfolk, adding that the jetty was expected to be completed by June. He said the initiative would ensure safer, more reliable access to water and facilitate the smooth landing and unloading of the fish catch. He noted that the project aimed to improve operational efficiency and create new economic opportunities for coastal communities. The meeting was informed that, unlike fixed structures, the floating jetty would adjust to tidal variations, reducing dependence on water levels an...

Rawalpindi police on Saturday denied reports regarding the closure of markets across the city until further notice, terming them baseless. A statement posted on the social media platform X quoted City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Khalid Mahmood Hamdani as saying that no directives had been issued by Rawalpindi police regarding the closure of markets. He said that all markets and businesses were open as usual till 8pm as per the government’s policy. He added that effective security arrangements were being ensured in view of the “movement of foreign delegations”. He said police teams were actively conducting search, sweep, and combing operations in different parts of the city to maintain law and order. He said police were working day and night to ensure foolproof security at all times. Separately, Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema also shared visuals regarding reports of hotels and markets being closed until further notice. “This news is fake and not issued by the district administration. The publ...

Six people were killed in Kyiv on Saturday after a gunman opened fire and took hostages at a supermarket in the Ukrainian capital before being killed during an arrest attempt, officials said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that at least 14 people were hospitalised with wounds and trauma after the shooting and hostage-taking, which took place in a residential district in the city’s south. “He was holding hostages and, unfortunately, killed one of them. He killed four people right on the street. Another woman died in the hospital from severe injuries,” Zelensky said on social media, adding that four hostages from the supermarket “have been rescued”. Footage posted by the UNIAN news agency, which AFP was unable to immediately verify, showed a man carrying a gun and shooting at a person from close range near a block of flats. The suspect then entered a supermarket where gunshots were heard, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Four hostages from the supermarket “have been rescued”, Zelensky said on soci...

ISLAMABAD - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, on Saturday, held a productive discussion on regional developments.

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif expressed satisfaction over the performance of six flagship health initiatives, as more than 21 million patients were provided treatment and medical facilities in a short span of time through field hospitals and the “Clinic on Wheels” programme.

RAWALPINDI - Passing out parade of cadets of 153rd PMA Long Course,38th Technical Graduate Course, 72nd Integrated Course, 15th Mujahid Course and 27th Lady Cadet Course was held at Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul on Saturday.

RAWALPINDI - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir wrapped up separate diplomatic visits aimed at advancing efforts to end the United States-Iran conflict, with Field Marshal Asim Munir leaving Tehran and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif returning from Turkiye on Saturday.

Peshawar - Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Muhammad Sohail Afridi, on Saturday chaired a high-level meeting to review proposals for the Annual Development Programme (ADP) 2026–27, with a focus on water infrastructure, flood resilience, and road connectivity.

Twelve countries, including Pakistan, on Saturday expressed “their strongest condemnation” at Israel’s announcement of appointing a diplomatic representative to Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland, according to a joint statement shared by the Foreign Office (FO). The statement was issued by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Bangladesh, Algeria, Palestine, Türkiye, Indonesia, Pakistan and Kuwait. Israel appointed on Wednesday its first ambassador to Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland. Michael Lotem was appointed as a non-resident ambassador to Somaliland, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The statement issued on Saturday by the FO said that Israel’s action was “considered a flagrant violation of the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia”. According to the statement, the ministers reaffirmed their “unequivocal rejection of all unilateral measures that undermine the unity of states or infringe upon their sove...

Pope Leo sought to downplay his feud with US President Donald Trump on Saturday, saying reporting about comments he has made so far during his Africa tour “has not been accurate in all its aspects”. Speaking to reporters in English aboard his flight to Angola for the third leg of his ambitious 10-day Africa tour, the first American pope said comments he made two days earlier in Cameroon, decrying that the world was being “ravaged by a handful of tyrants”, were not aimed at Trump. That speech, said Leo, “was prepared two weeks ago, well before the president ever commented on myself and on the message of peace that I am promoting”. On Sunday, as the pontiff prepared to embark on his tour, Trump called him “weak on crime, and terrible for foreign policy” in a post on Truth Social. Trump also posted an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure, drawing widespread criticism even from some religious conservatives who typically support him. The post was removed on Monday morning. Trump appeared to be resp...

New Delhi on Saturday summoned Iran’s ambassador to convey the country’s “deep concern” after two Indian-flagged vessels were shot at near the Strait of Hormuz, India’s foreign ministry said. In a statement, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Iran’s Ambassador to India Dr Mohammad Fathali was summoned “for a meeting with [the] foreign secretary this evening”. During the meeting, the foreign secretary “conveyed India’s deep concern at the shooting incident earlier today involving two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz”, the MEA said. “He noted the importance that India attached to the safety of merchant shipping and mariners and recalled that Iran had earlier facilitated the safe passage of several ships bound for India.” Reiterating his concern at “this serious incident of firing on merchant ships”, the foreign secretary urged the ambassador to convey India’s views to the authorities in Iran and “resume at the earliest the process of facilitating India-bound ships across the strait”. Th...

KARACHI. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said on Saturday that the government had paid $2 billion to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Earlier this month, a senior Pakistani official said Abu Dhabi had sought the immediate return of $3.5bn; the funds were part of external financing support extended in 2019 to help stabilise Pakistan’s balance of payments. The government had already paid $500 million to the UAE. The remaining amount is expected to be paid on April 23. The outflow of $3.5bn dollars could be a big shock to the central bank’s foreign exchange reserves. However, Saudi Arabia on Thursday pledged an additional $3bn in deposits for Pakistan and extended its existing $5bn facility for a further three years. A day later, the SBP said it had received $2bn from Saudi Arabia. As of April 10, the central bank’s foreign exchange reserves stood at $20.52bn. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said earlier this week that Pakistan was considering Eurobonds, loans from other countries and commercial debt to repl...

Tehran 'examining' new peace proposals Supreme leader says navy ready to inflict 'new defeats' on enemies Trum

Total repayments to Abu Dhabi stand at $2.5b

CDF Munir, PM Shehbaz wrap up parallel Iran, Gulf visits

Officials warn against use of women, children as shields

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Says 'not in my interest' to debate him