Author: Sajjad Ali

As the South Asian nation nears the conclusion of a nine-month, $3 billion loan program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) aimed at addressing a balance-of-payments crisis that pushed it to the brink of default last summer, talks have commenced for a new multi-year IMF loan program worth “billions” of dollars, according to Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb in a recent interview in Washington. With the final $1.1 billion tranche of the existing deal expected to be approved later this month, Aurangzeb, who assumed office last month, expressed optimism about the improved market sentiment and confidence this fiscal year. He emphasized…

The Faizabad sit-in inquiry commission has exonerated former Director General (DG) of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lt. Gen (Rtd) Faiz Hameed, according to reports emerging from Islamabad. The commission’s report spans 149 pages and was formed following the Supreme Court’s directives, establishing a three-member panel chaired by former Inspector General (IG) Syed Akhtar Ali Shah. The other members included former IG Tahir Alam and senior officer of Pakistan Administrative Service, Khushal Khan. Reportedly, the commission has scrutinized the factors surrounding the Tehreek-e-Labeek Pakistan’s (TLP) sit-in at Faizabad and has provided recommendations accordingly. The media reports indicate that the inquiry commission’s findings…

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is set to embark on an official trip to Pakistan on April 22, with the objective of strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations. This visit follows an invitation extended by President Asif Ali Zardari and marks President Raisi’s first foreign visit since the Iran-Israel conflict. The discussions during President Raisi’s visit will focus on various aspects including bilateral relations, security cooperation, progress on the Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline project, and strategies to navigate potential challenges posed by the United States. dditionally, President Raisi’s agenda will also include exploring opportunities for potential free trade agreements between the…

WASHINGTON: US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that the United States wants to see rule of law in Pakistan, Dunya News reported. Briefing the media in Washington on Monday, Matthew Miller said that US will continue to work for freedom of expression in Pakistan and we also continue to support the rule of law in Pakistan. Matthew Miller refrained from making any comments over Saudi foreign minister’s visit to Pakistan but said that US Secretary of State spot with Saudi FM last week to discuss de-escalation in the Middle East. We have continued to work with Saudi Arabia not…

The Oil Tankers Owners Association has announced a suspension of petrol and diesel supply starting Tuesday, potentially causing disruptions in fuel availability across significant regions. This move is in response to what the association claims is a reduction in the allocated oil quota by Antamiya. Areas such as Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan are expected to be affected, posing challenges for consumers in accessing petroleum products. Furthermore, the association has declared a cessation of supply to all national airports. The association has stated that the supply halt will continue until their demands are met. Despite attempts to communicate with…

Bushra Bibi, the wife of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, has submitted an application to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking a medical examination. In her petition, Bushra Bibi expressed concerns about potential slow poisoning affecting her health. She requested the court’s permission for a medical test to be conducted at either Shaukat Khanum Hospital or any private hospital of her choosing. Filed through lawyer Shoaib Shaheen, the petition highlighted that Bushra Bibi has installed numerous secret cameras in the bathroom of the sub-jail due to compromised security. It further alleged incidents of food poisoning and a high presence…

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has challenged Jamiat-e-Ulema Islami’s (JUI) minority reserve seat in Peshawar high court (PHC). According to the details, in the plea of PML-N against JUI’s reserve seat the election commission, speaker national assembly and others have included as party. It is stated in the plea that the election commission had deprived PML-N from minority’s reserve seat. This seat is PML-N’s right because the party had won five general seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and two joined later. However, PML-N said in the plea that which party have won five general seats then it has his right that…

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has lodged challenges against the results of three seats in Islamabad with the election tribunal. In detail, PTI’s independent candidate Aamir Mughal has contested the electoral outcome of NA-46 Islamabad before the election tribunal, while another independent candidate backed by PTI, Shoaib Shaheen, has challenged the result of NA-47 Islamabad. Similarly, PTI’s independent candidate Ali Bokhari has raised objections against the result of NA-48 Islamabad in the election tribunal. The pleas assert that the elections conducted on February 8 were marred by irregularities, thus calling for the disqualification of successful members of the National Assembly from Pakistan…

LAHORE: The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed an appeal seeking to invalidate the allotment of 27 acres of land in Bahawalpur. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa presided over the hearing of the plea filed by a citizen named Iqbal Gujar in SC Lahore. The plea argued that the land in Bahawalpur was allocated to a private individual named Mijazi Begum, despite it being government-owned. The applicant contended that the Punjab government’s allocation of official land to a private individual was illegal and should be revoked. During the hearing, the CJP cautioned the lawyer against making speeches and…

According to statistics released on Sunday by research firm IDC, Apple experienced a nearly 10% decline in smartphone sales in the first quarter of 2024 due to heightened competition from Android smartphone manufacturers vying for the top spot, as reported by Reuters. Between January and March, global smartphone shipments increased by 7.8% to 289.4 million devices, with Samsung surpassing Apple to become the leading phone maker with a 20.8% market share. The significant sales drop for Apple follows a strong quarter where it overtook Samsung to claim the title of the world’s top phone manufacturer. However, with a 17.3% market…