The Pakistani rupee appreciated against the US dollar in the interbank market, closing at Rs280.36 on Friday, marking a gain of 75 paisa or 0.27% from the previous close of 281.11. The surge follows the approval of a $700 million IMF loan tranche on Thursday, part of a $3 billion bailout package. The loan aims to support Pakistan’s economic stabilization program and facilitate social and development spending. The IMF commended Pakistan’s fiscal discipline, exchange rate flexibility, monetary policy tightening, and structural reforms, contributing to positive developments in the energy sector, state-owned enterprises, and climate resilience. With increased foreign exchange reserves…
Author: Saifullah
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Rawalpindi police have neutralized six alleged criminals, including the mastermind behind a brutal crime against a British-Pakistani citizen, in two separate encounters. The first clash near Race Course Police Station involved Sajid alias Guttu, Hassan, Muhammad Ali alias Babio, and Waseem, members of an inter-provincial gang responsible for various crimes, including the recent robbery leading to the death of Tasir Mehmood. All four suspects were swiftly eliminated, and recovered items included the victim’s belongings, weapons, and police uniforms. In the Morgah Police Station area, a second encounter ensued as officers attempted to stop four motorcycle riders. In the exchange,…
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government, in consideration of the approaching Holy month of Ramzan, has opted to defer the matriculation exams originally set for March 14. The rescheduled date for the exams is now April 18. Nasarullah Khan Yousafzai, Chairman of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Peshawar, revealed the adjustment in consultation with all KP board chairmen. Read More: ECP Challenges PHC Decision on PTI’s ‘Bat’ Symbol The government’s directive, aimed at avoiding inconvenience for students and teachers during Ramazan, prompted this decision, as confirmed by the controller of examinations.
In a significant legal triumph for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday invalidated the in-camera trial orders for former party chairman Imran Khan and Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case. The IHC declared all proceedings post-December 14, 2023, as invalid. The special court, established under the Official Secrets Act 2023, had decided on the in-camera trial at Adiala jail on December 14. Imran Khan, appealing against the indictment, secured a stay on the trial until January 11, 2024, citing “legal errors.” Today, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb revoked the stay order, nullifying proceedings after…
The Foreign Office on Thursday distanced itself from Maulana Fazlur Rahman’s visit to Kabul, clarifying that the government of Pakistan does not support it. Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the FO spokesperson, initially refrained from commenting on the visit but later stated that the politician went to Afghanistan in a private capacity. Despite this, she mentioned that the FO plans to seek a briefing from him. Read More: PM Kakar Pledges Strong Anti-Terrorism Stance at KP Police Darbar Baloch emphasized Pakistan’s lack of interest in dialogue with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), urging the Afghan interim government to take action against the…
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, during his address at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Darbar in Peshawar, emphasized the nation’s commitment to eradicate terrorism vigorously. Commending the KP police force for their unparalleled sacrifices in the anti-terrorism campaign, he highlighted the tragic incident at Army Public School Peshawar, vowing that the state would not spare the cowardly terrorists responsible. Kakar stressed the importance of the correct approach in combating terrorism, asserting confidence in the government’s chosen path. He declared that terrorist attacks would not break the nation’s resolve, claiming moral victory in the war against terrorism. The Prime Minister reaffirmed the…
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is set to challenge the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) ruling reinstating the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) electoral symbol, the ‘bat,’ in the Supreme Court (SC). Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, along with four commission members and special secretaries, convened a meeting where the official team initiated the preparation of a petition to be filed in the apex court. Simultaneously, the caretaker Information and Broadcasting Minister, Murtaza Solangi, held discussions with election commission officials. Notably, the PHC deemed the ECP’s decision of December 22, 2023, as null and void, accepting PTI’s plea.
Islamabad: In compliance with a court order, the Missing Persons Commission has furnished comprehensive details to the Attorney General regarding individuals reported missing. The report reveals that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa accounted for the highest number of missing persons, totaling 3485 cases, attributed to mischief and drone attacks, while Balochistan reported 2752 cases of enforced disappearances. Factors contributing to forced disappearances include individuals going abroad without notifying their families about the war situation, as outlined in the report. Despite 744 production orders issued by the commission to present missing persons, only 52 were implemented. Notably, 692 production orders were left unimplemented, with…
Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has declared an increase in driving license fees across the province, effective from January 16. Emphasizing the importance of obtaining licenses before the deadline to avoid additional costs, Naqvi cautioned against driving without a valid license. The fee, initially proposed to rise from Rs60 to Rs1,000 on December 5, 2023, received approval during the 33rd meeting of the provincial cabinet, led by the caretaker chief minister. Notably, the deferred implementation was extended until January 15. Last year, over 10 million driving licenses were issued in the region.
Lahore: In response to the severe winter weather conditions, the Education Authority Lahore has recently released updated schedules for schools in the region. Commencing on Tuesday, classes are now scheduled to commence at 9:30 am and conclude at 2:30 pm on regular weekdays. Notably, on Fridays, classes will conclude at 12:30 pm. Uniformity is maintained across both boys and girls’ schools, operating in a single shift with the same timings. For schools employing a double shift, the first session will commence at 9:30 am, concluding at 1:30 pm. The second shift will start at 1:45 pm, concluding at 5:30 pm.…
