Pakistan and the Philippines: An Emerging Partnership and the Dynamic Role of Ambassador Emmanuel R. Fernandez
By Nawabzada Shah Ali In international relations, some partnerships develop quietly, away from the spotlight, yet gradually evolve into relationships of significant strategic importance. The ties between Pakistan and the Philippines represent one such success story. Despite the geographical distance separating South Asia and Southeast Asia, the two nations have cultivated a relationship based on […]
Austerity Without Vision: A Reading of Pakistan’s Budget FY2025–26 and What FY2026–27 Must Answer
By Abdul Rafay Niazi On June 10, 2025, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presented the federal budget for FY2025–26 before a noisy National Assembly. It was passed on June 26 and signed into law on June 30. The government called it a budget for a “historic moment.” Critics called it more of the same. Both, in […]
Govt decides to extend closing hours of markets till 9 pm
Islamabad : Federal Government has decided to extend closing hours of shops, markets and malls till 9:00 pm. The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad. The meeting reviewed ongoing austerity measures in context of market closing hours. It was decided that restaurants, cafés and eateries […]
Upcoming budget to include measures aimed at providing relief to public: PM
ISLAMABAD : Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the upcoming budget will include measures aimed at providing relief to the public. He was talking to a delegation of leading industrialists and prominent businessmen who called on him in Islamabad. The Prime Minister said a strong partnership between the government and the private sector is a […]
Govt, PTI at loggerheads over alleged restrictions on GB election campaign
ISLAMABAD: The government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have traded barbs over alleged restrictions on political campaigning ahead of the Gilgit-Baltistan elections, with the ruling coalition rejecting claims of discrimination and the opposition alleging efforts to sideline its supporters. Political activity in GB reached its peak ahead of the elections on 24 Assembly seats, as senior […]
Taxpayers alliance demands relief in upcoming budget, urges FBR to rationalise tax rates
Representatives of the Taxpayers Alliance Pakistan have expressed grave concerns over the upcoming federal budget, urging the government to implement immediate fiscal measures to provide relief to a public already reeling under intense economic strain. Addressing a press conference following the inaugural Taxpayers Convention in the federal capital which drew around 400 participants from various […]
Electricity tariff set to rise by Rs1.74 per unit in June bills
The price of electricity is expected to increase by Rs1.74 per unit in next month’s bills as the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) considers a request for higher fuel cost adjustment amid disruptions caused by the US-Iran conflict. The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) has sought an additional fuel cost recovery of Rs1.73 per […]
Trump says US, Iran close to peace deal as reports reveal ceasefire, sanctions relief proposals
US President Donald Trump has said that Washington and Tehran are close to finalising a major peace agreement, as international and Iranian media reports revealed details of a proposed framework involving ceasefire arrangements, sanctions relief and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement posted on Truth Social, president Trump said extensive consultations […]
Budget 2026-27: IMF pushes for further reduction in tax exemptions
ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has asked Pakistan to further reduce tax exemptions in the upcoming fiscal year 2026-27 budget, with the government considering the withdrawal of several tax concessions as part of broader revenue-enhancement measures, sources said. According to sources, tax exemptions currently available to the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and […]
PM orders swift conversion of Pak-China MoUs into formal agreements
ISLAMABAD : Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed the immediate transformation of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed during the recent Pak-China Business-to-Business Conference in Hangzhou into formal agreements and joint ventures. Chairing a high-level review meeting in Islamabad on Monday, the Prime Minister emphasised the need for prompt follow-up on the outcomes of his […]