Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Specialised committees set up by the prime minister to promote a cashless economy have outlined ambitious national targets for the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), aimed at accelerating the growth of digital financial services and fintech adoption across the country. Under the PM’s Cashless Economy initiative, key goals include raising the number of active digital merchants to 2 million by the end of 2025-26, increasing mobile and internet banking users from the current 95 million to 120m within a year, and doubling annual digital payment transactions to 15 billion. According to finance ministry sources, another primary target is routing 100pc of overseas remittances through bank accounts or mobile wallets, up from the current 80pc. This move seeks to eliminate cash payouts and boost transparency in remittance flows. Following the directives of the committee chaired by the prime minister, the SBP is expected to play a pivotal role in expanding mobile banking services to all segments of society. 2m dig...

RAWALPINDI: A mother of three was allegedly tortured to death by her husband due to some domestic issues, police said on Friday. An FIR has been filed against her husband and children for murder and concealing evidence of the crime. Ghulam Akhtar, a resident of Kot Adu (District Muzaffargarh), lodged an FIR with the Dhamial police stating that his daughter Samina had married Amir Abbas of her own choice about 19 years ago and was settled in Malik Colony, Girja Road, Dhamial. The couple had three children — Mohammad Zaman, 17, Shan Haider, 15, and Maryam Rani, 12. He said that on Wednesday morning, an announcement was made in their native town that the funeral of his daughter would be held at 8am in a local graveyard without his family being informed about her death. Mr Akhtar said he along with his brothers Ghulam Rasool and Abdul Rehman, sister Kalsoom Bibi and others reached Amir Abbas’s home. He said his sister, Kalsoom Bibi and other women had seen torture marks on the body of Samina. He said he contacted...

PESHAWAR: Adviser to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister on housing Dr Amjad Ali on Friday urged authorities in Charsadda and Nowshera districts to take necessary measures to prevent damage to public life and property due to flash floods. During a provincial assembly’s session presided over by Deputy Speaker Suriya Bibi here, Dr Ali said that floods in Malakand and Hazara divisions claimed several lives and destroyed buildings. He said that the chief minister would be approached with a request for declaring emergency in both divisions to help out the calamity-hit residents. The aide to the CM warned that floodwaters would soon reach Charsadda and Nowshera. He asked authorities to take all necessary steps to prevent loss of public life and property to the natural disaster. Dr Amjad Ali calls for measures to prevent damage to public life, property Special assistant of the chief minister for population Liaquat Ali Khan claimed that when Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf founder Imran Khan was the prime minister, neithe...

LAHORE - The Punjab Government has selected SSP Akhtar Farooq for Sitara-i-Imtiaz in recognition of his excellent performance against terrorists, miscreants, and criminal elements.

The Local Government Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has established a special control room at the Directorate General to monitor the ongoing floods and emergency developments caused by heavy rains across the province.

ISLAMABAD - Twenty Pakistani students were awarded fully funded scholarships to have advance studies in ecology and green development in China.

Five crew members die as helicopter on a rescue mission crashes PM Shehbaz gets briefing on damage caused by cloudbursts, flash floods Directs NDMA to expedite rescue and relief efforts in KP Stranded individuals, tourists must be promptly relocated to safe locations: PM Survivor in Buner says floods.

ISLAMABAD/UNITED NATIONS - Pakistan on Friday strongly condemned and rejected recent statements made by the Israeli Occupying power, alluding to the creation of so-called “Greater Israel,” and its designs aimed at the forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday launched a Special Economic Zone to be set up by a Chinese textile group, with a $100 million investment over five years, projected to yield $400 million in exports.

ISLAMABAD - Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Friday said that counterterrorism dialogue between the United States and Pakistan would help in formulating a joint action plan to eliminate the menace of terrorism.

MITHI: Tharparkar — rendered parched by delayed or erratic rains — is now on the brink of famine, the local farming and herder communities say. The situation poses a serious threat to the local population that depends on earning from their crops. The threat of famine looms large as a long dry spell has destroyed crops; and locals have already consumed or disposed of their produce during the period. Livestock is the second source of income for many families but, at present, no fodder is available for millions of animals being reared in the region. For Tharparkar’s farming and herding communities, rainfall in mid-June and mid-August periods is necessary. The timely rainfall is their lifeline. Adequate amount of rain soaks the soil deep enough enabling the farming community to cultivate crops like guar, bajra, sesame, watermelon etc, besides growing fodder on grazing pastures. Growers, herders fear erratic or inadequate rainfall in coming days may invite natural calamity This year, clouds have reached the region...

The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday (August 16) announced a one-day mourning to honour the five crew members of its MI-171 helicopter who embraced martyrdom in a crash during a relief mission.

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif chaired a special meeting on Friday to review the progress on clean drinking water projects, water filtration plants, and other major development projects in the province.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has taken the lead in rallying regional support for a fair and effective Global Plastics Treaty, calling for equitable access to green financing and technology for developing nations.

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan has instructed the Federal Secretary Communications and Chairman National Highway Authority (NHA) to reach personally and take immediate steps for restoration of roads.

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Friday said Pakistan faced the challenge of a rapidly increasing population, which was not merely a matter of numbers, but a defining factor in the country’s developmental trajectory and future prosperity.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday expressed deep concern over delays in adjudication across all tiers of the judiciary, warning that such tendencies erode public confidence, undermine the rule of law, and disproportionately harm the weak and vulnerable who cannot afford prolonged litigation. “Delay in adjudication carries severe macroeconomic and societal consequences: it deters investment, renders contracts illusory, and weakens the institutional legitimacy of the judiciary,” observed Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah. Justice Shah made the observation while heading a two-judge bench, also comprising Justice Ay­esha A. Malik, which was hearing an appeal filed by Abdul Salam Khan challenging the Peshawar High Court’s Nov 3, 2021 rejection of his plea. The judge suggested introducing age-tracking protocols to automatically identify dormant cases, along with the judicious use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to assist in scheduling and triage, while preserving judicial discretion. Justice Shah warns slow ...

Islamabad - Pakistan yesterday expressed deep grief at the tragic loss of precious lives and extensive damage to property caused by the recent cloudburst in Kishtwar, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

QUETTA: The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Friday directed the provincial government to review its blanket suspension of mobile and data services and to immediately restore public transport, which had been suspended across the province for security reasons. A two-judge bench of BHC, comprising Chief Justice Rozi Khan Barrech and Justice Sardar Ahmad Halimi, issued the directives while hearing a petition challenging the government’s shutdown orders. The petition was filed by Khair Muhammad Shaheen, chairman of the Balochistan Consumer Civil Society. The Additional Chief Secretary for Home Muhammad Hamza Shafqat informed the court that public transport services were temporarily suspended. The court found this justification for halting public transport services to be unreasonable and ordered the immediate withdrawal of the suspension order. Regarding the mobile network shutdown, scheduled to last until Aug 31, the court instructed the government to reconsider its province-wide ban. The bench directed officials ...

ISLAMABAD - The launching ceremony of submarine PNS/M MANGRO (Desig) was held at Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group Company Ltd, Shuangliu Base, Wuhan, China.