Pakistan

Offers technical assistance for AMI meters, battery storage studies as minister seeks NGC restructuring support

Calls for fiscal discipline, currency stability as devolution of agriculture, industry fails to deliver

KSE-100 index adds 466 points; late-session recovery lifts sentiment

Feasibility study to assess prospects of agreement with economic union

5,000 security personnel to be deployed to ensure safety of teams, spectators

Agent connected to the gang arrested from Hyderabad

Five deaths confirmed in Khairpur; health authorities seal affected facility, set up infectious disease wards

Utility held responsible for gas leak explosion killing consumers

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Efforts to facilitate talks between the US and Iran are still ongoing, two Pakistani sources with knowledge of the discussions told Reuters on Tuesday, as US strikes on Iran intensified and US President Donald Trump’s deadline to unleash “hell” neared. One of the sources, a senior security official, said Iran’s overnight strike on Saudi Arabia’s industrial facilities linked to US firms threatened to derail the talks. If Saudi Arabia were to respond to the strikes, the talks would be over, the source said, adding that retaliation could also draw Pakistan into the conflict under its defence pact with Riyadh. The second source said Iran was “walking on thin ice” and that the next three to four hours were critical for the future of dialogue. Pakistan has been at the centre of negotiations between the US and Iran in recent weeks, acting as the main go-between for proposals shared by both sides, but there has been no sign of a compromise. “We are in touch with Iranians. They have lately shown flexibility that they ...

A gunman was killed and two others wounded in a shootout on Tuesday with police outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, the local governor said, adding two officers were lightly wounded. Governor Davut Gul confirmed the killing of one of the assailants during the attack that took place around 12:15 pm (2:15pm PKT). It was not immediately clear if the intended target was the Israeli consulate. No Israeli diplomats “are currently on Turkish soil”, a source familiar with the matter told AFP. Israeli diplomatic missions had been evacuated “not only in Turkiye but throughout the region for security reasons” shortly after the October 7, 2023 attack that followed Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, according to the same source. Israel said it would not be cowed down, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the “treacherous attack” and vowed to fight “all kinds of terrorism”. “We will not allow … provocations to harm Turkiye’s climate of security,” Erdogan said in a televised speech. “We appreciate ...

Pakistan repaid $1.43 billion in external debt, including a $1.3 billion Eurobond maturing on April 8, Adviser to the Finance Minister Khurram Schehzad said on Tuesday. “As part of its routine course of external debt management, Pakistan has repaid its $1.3bn Eurobond maturing on April 8 — on schedule and in full,” he said in a post on the social media platform X. “Alongside, the country has also met $126.125 million in coupon obligations on other Eurobond issuances,” he said, adding that this brought total payments on Tuesday to “over $1.426bn”. “Debt servicing continues to be executed as a non-event — reflecting consistency, discipline, and strengthened capacity,” he said. “The seamless execution of large external repayments underscores both capacity and consistency — reinforcing Pakistan’s credibility across global investors and financial institutions,” he said. The development follows Pakistan’s decision to return $3.5 billion in debt to the UAE before the end of this month. According to a senior Pakistan...

The army’s top brass on Tuesday condemned attacks on Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure amid the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran as “an unnecessary escalation”, according to the military’s media affairs wing. The development came as Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir presided over the 274th Corps Commanders’ Conference (CCC) at General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, according to a statement by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). It said that the forum appreciated the “hectic efforts” taken by the government to bring an end to the war in the Middle East, “echoing the call for restraint, dialogue, and de-escalation, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to principled diplomacy and constructive engagement”. “The forum reiterated Pakistan’s role as a responsible regional stakeholder, actively contributing to peace and stability as a regional security stabiliser,” the statement said. It added that the forum noted with “concern and vehemently condemned the latest attacks on...

Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan on Tuesday directed the National Highway Authority (NHA) to expedite pending infrastructure projects across Sindh, emphasizing zero compromise on construction quality and transparency.

Pakistan on Tuesday strongly condemned the storming of Al Aqsa Mosque by Israeli occupation forces, the Foreign Office (FO) said. The reaction comes a day after far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stormed East Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Mosque compound, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa. The report quoted the Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem as saying that the minister toured the mosque’s courtyards, entering through the Mughrabi Gate and proceeding to the Chain Gate before returning via the same route, amidst a heavy deployment of occupation police. “He has stormed the mosque approximately 14 times since assuming his position in 2023, as part of an escalating policy towards the mosque,” the report said. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the FO said, “Pakistan condemns in the strongest possible terms the storming of Al Aqsa Mosque by Israeli occupation forces.” It noted that the “reprehensible act constitutes a direct assault on the sanctity and historical character of the holy s...

ISLAMABAD: The All Pakistan Petrol Pump Owners Association (APPPOA) and Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) on Tuesday demanded that the government immediately increase their commission. They warned that if their commission was not raised in proportion to recent price hikes, they would be forced to shut down fuel outlets nationwide. The associations demanded a margin revision to eight per cent of the invoice price, arguing that the current fixed profit of Rs8 per litre was insufficient to cover rising operational costs. Furthermore, they cautioned that existing margins made it financially impossible to continue accepting bank credit or corporate fuel cards. “Currently, we are paying 0.75pc to banks and card companies on every Rs100 of fuel sold,” explained one petrol pump owner. Addressing a press conference, PPDA Chairman Abdul Sami Khan highlighted that the cost of doing business had reached unprecedented levels, arguing that operating under profit margins that had remained unrevised for a long ti...

Former Australian opener and Karachi Kings captain David Warner has been charged with drink-driving after he was pulled over in Sydney during the weekend, reports said on Tuesday. The 39-year-old, who still plays Twenty20 cricket for franchises around the world, was allegedly at the wheel of a van that stopped and parked short of a random testing site on Sunday. National broadcaster ABC said officers approached the vehicle and breath-tested Warner, who returned a positive result. He was arrested and taken to a local police station, where he was charged with mid-range drink driving, ABC and other local media reported. He is due to appear in court on May 7. Police in a statement outlined the incident but did not name Warner, who retired from international cricket in 2024 after racking up 8,786 runs across his 112 Tests. He most recently appeared for the Karachi Kings last week in the ongoing Pakistan Super League. The Kings are the only team with a perfect record at the PSL this year, with three wins under thei...