KARACHI – The SBP reserves have reached a major milestone, crossing $14.51 billion by the end of Fiscal Year 2024-25. This is a sharp rise of $5.12 billion compared to the previous year. The State Bank of Pakistan confirmed this figure in a statement on June 30. The number surpasses the $13.9 billion target set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). One year ago, on the same date, SBP reserves were at $9.39 billion. The increase highlights stronger external account management and the successful realization of planned inflows. While the SBP did not give an exact reason for this large…
Author: Web Desk
The political situation in the KP Assembly has taken a sharp turn after the restoration of reserved seats. This recent development has tilted the power dynamics and given the opposition a fresh edge in the provincial legislature. The Election Commission of Pakistan has formally notified 25 reserved seats—21 for women and 4 for minorities. These new additions have pushed the opposition’s total strength in the KP Assembly to 52 members. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) now leads the opposition ranks. The party holds 19 seats, which includes eight women and two minority members. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has also grown stronger with…
Thousands of Afghan nationals are being forced out of Iran in a mass deportation drive. A senior Iranian official has confirmed that over 70 percent of undocumented Afghan migrants are being expelled against their will. Ahmad Masoumifar, who heads the Foreign Ministry’s office in northeast Iran, said the majority of the recent Afghan deportations were not voluntary. On Monday, June 30, he revealed that during the week from June 22 to June 28—corresponding to the first week of Saratan in the Solar Hijri calendar—about 85,000 undocumented Afghans were deported through the Dogharoun border. Masoumifar explained that only 25 to 30…
A deadly bomb blast struck Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday, targeting a vehicle carrying local officials. According to District Police Officer (DPO) Waqas Rafiq, the explosion killed Assistant Commissioner Faisal Ismail, a Tehsildar, and two police personnel. The blast occurred near Phatak Mela, a known route in the hilly region of Bajaur. Police spokesperson Mansoor Khan confirmed the use of an improvised explosive device (IED). In addition to the four fatalities, at least 12 others sustained injuries and were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. No group…
The BLA militancy has once again drawn sharp criticism after the group publicly claimed responsibility for killing Rasool Bakhsh Balwani Khetran, a resident of Barkhan in Balochistan. In a recent statement, the banned Balochistan Liberation Army accused Rasool of working as an “MI agent” for Pakistan’s military. The BLA claimed that he supplied intelligence which led to raids on militant hideouts and resulted in arrests and casualties. If the BLA’s own statement is taken as true, it indirectly confirms that Pakistan’s counter-terror operations are based on solid intelligence. This undermines the repeated claims made by self-styled activists who accuse the…
The Swat River tragedy has sparked widespread anger after 14 tourists drowned near the Mingora Bypass on June 27. The district administration is under fire for failing to act on repeated flood warnings issued well in advance. Sources within the Irrigation Department revealed that the first alert came early in the morning. At 6:30 a.m., 6,000 cusecs of water were released from Khwazakhela. Just two hours later, by 8:30 a.m., the flow jumped to 26,000 cusecs. Then, at 9:00 a.m., the surge intensified drastically, reaching 66,000 cusecs. By 10:30 a.m., officials formally alerted the Swat administration about an extreme flood…
Intra-party conflict has intensified in PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a heated exchange erupted between provincial president Junaid Akbar Khan and Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s spokesperson. The internal friction has laid bare deep divisions within the party’s provincial leadership, according to a report. The rift emerged when Junaid Akbar accused the provincial government of sidelining him. He alleged that development projects tied to MPAs who supported him were deliberately scrapped. He claimed the chief minister was working against him and targeting his political allies. Junaid Akbar also pointed fingers at Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, the government’s spokesperson and CM’s adviser…
The Quad alliance—comprising the United States, India, Japan, and Australia—has urged swift justice after the Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which killed 26 tourists. In a joint statement released from Washington on Tuesday, the group condemned the violence and demanded immediate action against those responsible. The Pahalgam attack occurred on April 22. It led to a surge in hostilities between Pakistan and India, both nuclear-armed nations. India quickly pointed fingers at Pakistan, although no evidence was presented. In response, Pakistan firmly denied any involvement. Islamabad instead called for an impartial international probe into the incident.…
UNITED NATIONS — Pakistan officially began its UNSC presidency on Tuesday, taking over leadership of the United Nations Security Council for the month of July. This marks Pakistan’s eighth term as a Council member and its first Council presidency since 2013. Islamabad began its current non-permanent seat in January 2025. This two-year term will run until the end of 2026. While the Security Council leadership rotates each month and doesn’t carry executive authority, it does allow the presiding nation to steer the Council’s focus, set agendas, and guide discussions. This becomes especially important during global deadlocks over crises like Gaza…
SWAT:The ongoing anti-encroachment operation along the Swat River has stirred a major controversy. Many are accusing the district administration of selective action after demolition reportedly stopped at a property linked to a senior PML-N leader, while structures owned by common citizens were torn down without delay. On the second day of the encroachment drive, officials demolished over 25 illegal buildings. These included several hotels in the Fizagat and Bypass areas. The goal was to clear unauthorized structures from the riverbanks and restore the natural flow of the water. But when the team reached a hotel reportedly associated with PML-N’s central…
