Pakistan

PM aide says tax relaxation, incentives are under consideration

Experts blame lack of demand forecasting as predictable shortages recur each year

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Expects exports of 22m units over 7 years, plans shift to full-scale manufacturing

Finance minister stresses effective CPF execution on climate, population priorities

Minister says hundreds of CCORR reforms are under way to cut bottlenecks, support SMEs

Selling in banking, energy, cement stocks keeps KSE-100 index in red

Say amendments to Trade Organisation Rules will devastate district economies

LAHORE - The purchase of a luxury aircraft by the Punjab government echoed strongly in the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday, as the opposition members, alongwith the ruling coalition partner PPP, raised sharp questions over the necessity and cost of the plane reportedly bought for Rs11 billion.

ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Wednesday approached the Supreme Court, seeking the transfer of the party’s founder, former prime minister Imran Khan, to Al-Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for medical treatment.

Shehbaz Sharif urges whole-of-govt’s approach to address economic challenges Unveils PSDP data portal for transparent governance Assures full support to Sindh govt for early completion of projects.

Iran sees the chance of a good outcome from a third round of talks with the United States, its President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday, as a delegation left for Geneva for negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme. A senior US official said on Monday that envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are slated to meet with the Iranian delegation, led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, in Geneva on Thursday. The two countries resumed negotiations over the long-disputed nuclear programme earlier this month as the US builds up its military capability in the Middle East ahead of possible strikes on the Islamic Republic. Iran has threatened to strike US bases in the region if it is attacked. Trump on February 19 said he was giving Tehran about 10 to 15 days to make a deal. “In relation to the talks, we see a good outlook, tomorrow in the meeting that Dr Araqchi will hold in Geneva … we have tried, with the guidance of the supreme leader, to manage this process to get out of th...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi told lawmakers in Jerusalem on Wednesday that India stands “firmly” with Israel following Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023. Modi also met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a two-day visit aimed at deepening trade and defence ties that has drawn criticism at home. “I … carry with me the deepest condolences of the people of India for every life lost and for every family whose world was shattered in the barbaric terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7,” Modi said in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. “We feel your pain, we share your grief. India stands with Israel firmly with full conviction in this moment and beyond.” In his speech, Modi did not explicitly mention the tens of thousands of Palestinians killed in Gaza during the more than two-year-long Israeli onslaught. But he said that India “supports all efforts that contribute to durable peace and regional stability”. Modi also told Israeli lawmakers that his country’s economic growth and Israel’s leadership...

ISLAMABAD: The PTI on Wednesday approached the Supreme Court seeking the medical treatment of jailed party founder Imran Khan at a hospital of his choice, along with access to his personal physicians. The application, filed by PTI lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa under Order XXXV Rule 6 of the Supreme Court Rules 2025, comes after Imran underwent a government-facilitated follow-up treatment for his eye ailment. The application, available with Dawn, was filed on behalf of Imran and named the Islamabad district election commissioner as the respondent, as it invoked the Toshakhana case in which the PTI founder was first arrested on Aug 5, 2023. The plea requested the SC that Imran be “immediately shifted to Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad for proper treatment of his eyes from [a] retina specialist”. It may be mentioned that Shifa International Hospital — where Imran’s family and personal doctors want him to be taken — is in Islamabad, whereas Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, a doctor of which was involved in Tuesda...

New Zealand knocked co-hosts Sri Lanka out of the T20 World Cup on Wednesday with a 61-run win in Colombo that boosted their semi-final hopes. Sri Lanka needed an emphatic win to stay alive but instead exited with a whimper, limping to 107-8 chasing New Zealand’s 168-7. A win for New Zealand against England on Friday at the same R. Premadasa stadium would see them top the Super Eights group and qualify for the semi-finals along with Harry Brook’s side. A defeat would open the door for Pakistan, who would probably need a big win against Sri Lanka in Kandy on Saturday to sneak through on net run rate. Sri Lanka were never in the chase as Matt Henry dismissed their leading batsman Pathum Nissanka with the first ball of the innings. Henry also removed Chairth Asalanka with the first ball of his second over to leave Sri Lanka in trouble at 6-2. Sri Lanka crawled to 20-2 at the end of the six-over power play, the lowest in the competition and Sri Lanka’s second lowest ever in T20 internationals. Part-time spinner R...

LAHORE: Five senior PTI leaders incarcerated in Lahore’s Koth Lakhpat Jail have written an open letter, urging the chief justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi to again look into the matter of PTI founder Imran Khan’s health and treatment and “see that justice is done”. Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed and Omer Sarfraz Cheema made the appeal in a joint handwritten open letter, which was shared by their counsel Rana Mudassar on Wednesday. They also drew a comparison between the events surrounding the jailed ex-prime minister’s treatment today and that of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif in 2019. Nawaz, who was serving a prison sentence granted by an accountability court that found him guilty of corruption in the Al Azizia case in 2019, had been allowed to travel to London for treatment after he was diagnosed with an immune system disorder. Prior to that, he was also provided treatment at the hospital in Pakistan. The five PTI leaders said in their letter that in 2019, “when Naw...

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday extended interim bail for several leaders and workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in connection with the May 9 attack on Jinnah House.

President Asif Ali Zardari has given approval to convene a joint sitting of Parliament on March 2, formally initiating the new parliamentary year.

Music icons Pink, Mariah Carey, Shakira and Billy Idol are among 17 nominees announced by the Rock Hall for inclusion

'Jaws' harpoon gun, 'Star Wars' treasures among items to be auctioned off in Los Angeles