Riaz Hussain The State Bank of Pakistan has raised its policy rate by 0.50 percentage points to 12 percent, raising concerns about higher borrowing costs for businesses and a potential slowdown in industrial growth. According to the central bank, ongoing tensions in the Middle East, elevated energy prices and domestic wheat supply problems have increased…
By Riaz Hussain Pakistan: For 45-year-old Batoor Khan, finding work is a daily struggle, and building a family remains an unaffordable dream. Living with his sister, the daily-wage labourer earns less than Rs900 on days he finds employment, with no guarantee that work will be available the following day.Some months, Khan manages to find work…
By Shamsul Haq The 77th founding anniversary of the People’s Republic of China was celebrated on October 1st. The longstanding fraternal ties between Pakistan and China serve as an example to the world. In the following lines, we will present a detailed overview of Pakistan-China relations and the journey of friendship between the two nations.Pakistan…
By Riaz Hussain SWABI: The hujra (guest house) of Abdul Karim Tordheer, a member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly from PK-51, was allegedly raided by unidentified armed men late Tuesday night, with reports that his brother, Abdul Nasir, and three security guards were abducted from the premises. According to sources, the armed men arrived at…
Riaz HussainPESHAWAR: Formal negotiations between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the fourth review of the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the third review of the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) are expected to begin as Pakistan faces a mixed economic picture.The IMF mission, led by Iva Petrova, is expected to…
Riaz Hussain MARDAN: Police in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province foiled a grenade attack on a police post in Mardan district, killing the suspected attacker and leaving three police officers with minor injuries, officials said. The attack took place at at the Sari Behlol police post, which falls within the jurisdiction of Takht Bhai police…
By Muhammad Younas and Islam Gul BARA, Khyber District, — Twice uprooted by conflict, tens of thousands of children from Pakistan’s Tirah Valley are now facing a growing health crisis in displacement, battling measles, malaria, skin infections and gastrointestinal illnesses as an overstretched health system struggles to cope. For families who fled their homes earlier…
By Riaz HussainPESHAWAR, — Frequent changes in fuel prices are adding to the financial pressures facing millions of ordinary Pakistanis, increasing transportation costs and putting further strain on household budgets already squeezed by higher food, education and healthcare expenses.For 46-year-old Nisar Khan, a taxi driver and father of six, the rising cost of petrol has…
ISLAMABAD – Afghanistan’s ambassador to Pakistan on Wednesday called for direct dialogue to resolve security disputes between the two neighbours, rejecting military action and the use of trade and transit as political pressure. Addressing the National Defence University in Islamabad, Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb acknowledged Pakistan’s concerns over militant threats allegedly emanating from Afghan territory, but…
Riyaz Hussain ISLAMABAD — Pakistan could suffer an estimated $4.5 billion loss in exports because of the prolonged closure of its border and trade routes with Afghanistan, according to a new report by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE). The report comes as trade between the two countries has faced serious disruptions since October…
