Pakistan

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has asked the country’s lenders to increase scrutiny over funds flowing indirectly from Pakistan, according to a letter seen by Reuters that cited a “high risk” of such money being used to buy arms. Direct flows of funds from Pakistan to India are largely prohibited, with every transaction requiring the central bank’s approval. The directive, dated August 6, follows investigations by Indian agencies after the two neighbouring countries engaged in a fierce military conflict in May, triggered by India blaming Pakistan, without evidence, for the April 22 Pehalgam attack in occupied Kashmir. The RBI named Pakistan a “high risk” jurisdiction from an arms financing perspective and cited Indian investigations into arms financing, but did not go into detail about their findings. According to a government source with direct knowledge of the matter, Indian investigative authorities found that some Pakistani nationals had sent funds to India via other countries. India’s banking channels a...

The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) has purchased an initial 30,000 tonnes of white sugar in an international tender seeking around 200,000 tonnes, European traders said on Tuesday. On July 8, the government had approved plans to import 500,000 tonnes of sugar to help maintain price stability. Market analysts said that retail sugar prices in the country have risen sharply since January. The validity of other price offers submitted in the tender, which closed last week, has been extended until tomorrow, so more purchases are seen as possible, traders said. The initial 30,000-tonne purchase was believed to have been made from Al Khaleej Sugar for medium-grade sugar at an estimated $582.50 a ton, cost and freight (c&f) included, they said. Reports reflect assessments from traders, and further estimates of prices and volumes are still possible later. The tender sought sugar from worldwide origins, excluding India and Israel. The TCP is believed to have purchased about 55,000 tonnes of white sugar in a previ...

The Sindh government and the World Bank have agreed to strengthen collaboration across multiple sectors, with a particular focus on health and education.

India on Tuesday released additional water into the Sutlej River, prompting a flood alert in Punjab as water levels continue to rise.

Two human traffickers were arrested in Balochistan’s Gwadar for attempting to send citizens to Iran via illegal sea routes, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said in a statement on Tuesday. Human smuggling from Pakistan to Iran has been a persistent issue, with many migrants attempting to cross through perilous land and sea routes in search of better economic opportunities or to reach onward destinations in the Middle East and Europe, according to a report by the National Initiative against Organised Crime. Gwadar and other parts of Balochistan are frequently used as key transit points, where traffickers exploit vulnerable citizens by charging hefty sums for the dangerous journeys. Per the FIA’s statement, “major operations” were carried out by the agency’s Composite Circle Gwadar, through which the suspects were arrested from different areas of the district. “The arrested suspects are involved in sending citizens from Pakistan to Iran through illegal sea routes,” it said. “The suspect extorted Rs10,000 ...

Two more poliovirus cases were confirmed in the southern parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bringing Pakistan’s total count this year to 23, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) said on Tuesday. Pakistan is one of the last two countries in the world, alongside Afghanistan, where polio remains endemic. Despite global efforts to eradicate the virus, challenges such as security issues, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation have slowed progress. A statement from the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at Islamabad’s NIH said the latest cases include a 16-month-old girl from Union Council Mullazai in Tank district and a 24-month-old girl from Union Council Miran Shah-3 in North Waziristan district. “With these detections, the total number of polio cases in Pakistan in 2025 has reached 23, including 15 cases from KP, six from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan,” the statement noted. “Polio is a highly infectious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis. The only effecti...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has announced the arrival of 100 additional state-of-the-art electric buses for the province, as part of her government’s effort to provide affordable and modern transport facilities to the public.

The absent Alexander Isak dominated the build-up to Newcastle United’s clash at home to Liverpool but the Swede was temporarily forgotten in a rip-roaring contest that ended 3-2 to the reigning champions thanks to a stoppage-time winner by teenaged Premier League debutant Rio Ngumoha. Isak’s desire to leave Newcastle, with Liverpool his destination of choice, guaranteed a boisterous St James’ Park atmosphere and it seemed Arne Slot’s visitors had buckled as they threw away a flattering 2-0 lead against a side reduced to 10 men by Anthony Gordon’s red card in first-half stoppage time. But 16-year-old Ngumoha broke Newcastle’s hearts shortly after coming off the bench, thrashing in the winner with a first-time right-foot shot in the 10th minute of stoppage time to become Liverpool’s youngest ever scorer and the fourth youngest in Premier League history. View this post on Instagram It was a sickening blow for Newcastle who were again without outcast striker Isak, but who began the game in superb fashion. Even wh...

The Punjab government is set to launch the second phase of its free laptop distribution scheme, aimed at enhancing digital learning opportunities for students across the province.

LAHORE: The Punjab government and opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) have been wrangling over “exorbitant spendings, chartered jet and private persons in the delegation” of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s Japan’s five-day tour. Ms Nawaz concluded her Japan visit on Monday and reached Thailand. Questions are also being raised on social media regarding CM Maryam’s ‘official visit’ to Japan, in which ‘private individuals’, including her family members, as also a part. It is being argued that even if such participants claim to bear their own expenses, the practice undermines the sanctity of official delegations and blurs the line between state affairs and personal interests. Questions are also being raised on social media platforms over the inclusion of private persons as part of her visit, causing a huge sum of money to the exchequer. Entourage comes under scrutiny; PTI’s Waqas claims bank borrowing spent on excursion; Azma says PTI will consume in its own frustration Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhar...

ISLAMABAD - Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited the Pakistan Railways Headquarters where he attended a special meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi.

Indian shares dropped in early trades on Tuesday and erased their gains for August after a US Homeland Security notification confirmed Washington will impose an additional 25 per cent tariff on all Indian-origin goods from Wednesday. The Nifty 50 and the BSE Sensex were down about 0.7pc each at 24,787 and 81,028.63 points, respectively, as of 10:39am IST (10:09am PKT). The benchmarks traded little changed for the month, on top of a nearly 3pc drop in July. Fifteen of the 16 major sectors traded lower on the day. The broader mid-caps and small-caps declined about 1pc each. Indian exports will face US duties of up to 50pc — among the highest imposed by Washington — after President Donald Trump announced extra tariffs as a punishment for New Delhi’s increased purchases of Russian oil earlier in August. “While this is sentimentally negative for the market, we do not expect deeper correction from hereon as it is not shocking news,” said Pankaj Pandey, head of retail research at ICICI Securities. Reliance Industrie...

Police on Tuesday arrested renowned religious scholar Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (3MPO).

The Balochistan government has launched a large-scale tree plantation drive under the “Green Vision” initiative of Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, with the aim of turning the province’s barren mountains green.

DPM Dar urges OIC to act with urgency Calls for accountability of Israel over war crimes Says Gaza a graveyard for innocent lives, international law.

PML-N LEADER RANA SANAULLAH HOUSE ATTACK.

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Monday launched 10 million digital wallets for Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) beneficiaries, calling it a historic milestone in Pakistan’s journey towards transparency, financial inclusion, and a cashless economy.

LAHORE - Former Thai prime minister and telecommunications entrepreneur Thaksin Shinawatra, alongwith his daughter and current Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, hosted a dinner in honor of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

QUETTA - Balochistan CM Mir Sarfraz Bugti on Monday said that the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award is an important opportunity to promote harmony between the strong federation and the provinces.

ISLAMABAD - The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced on Monday that polling for the by-election in PP-73 Sargodha—vacated following the disqualification of Member of Provincial Assembly Muhammad Ansar Iqbal—will be held on October 5.