Day: June 3, 2025

Chairman CDA, Chief Commissioner Islamabad and DG Civil Defense Muhammad Ali Randhawa met with Jordan’s Ambassador, H. E. Dr. Maen A.M. Khreasat, at the CDA Headquarters. Chairman CDA welcomed the Jordanian Ambassador to the CDA Headquarters in Islamabad

capital

Press Release ISLAMABAD: (June 3, 2025): The meeting took place in a very cordial and friendly atmosphere, in which matters of mutual interest came discussion. The Ambassador of Jordan, H. E. Dr. Maen A.M. Khreasat appreciated the outstanding performance of CDA under the leadership of Chairman CDA Muhammad Ali Randhawa in further enhancing Islamabad’s development, prosperity, and beauty. He emphasized strengthening relations between Pakistan and Jordan, stating that the two countries have always enjoyed friendly and warm ties. He said that CDA plays a pivotal role in Islamabad’s development, prosperity…

Read More

New study suggests Milky Way-Andromeda collision less likely

capital

For years, the fate of our Milky Way galaxy has been seemingly sealed: a spectacular, inevitable collision with its neighbouring Andromeda galaxy. Hurtling towards each other at a breathtaking 250,000 miles per hour (400,000 kilometres per hour), past research had predicted this cosmic crash to occur in a relatively short 4 to 4.5 billion years. The envisioned scenario was a galactic grand slam, altering both stellar behemoths. However, a groundbreaking new study, incorporating recent observational data and introducing fresh variables, is throwing a cosmic wrench into those long-held assumptions. The…

Read More

AI cooperation ‘difficult’ in today’s divided world: DeepMind CEO

capital

LONDON: Artificial intelligence pioneer and head of Google’s DeepMind, Demis Hassabis, on Monday said that greater international cooperation around AI regulation was needed but “difficult” to achieve “in today’s geopolitical context”. At a time when AI is being integrated across all industries, its uses have raised major ethical questions — from the spread of misinformation to its impact on employment, or the loss of technological control. At London’s South by Southwest (SXSW) festival on Monday, Hassabis — who has won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his research on AI…

Read More

Pakistan secures $800m ADB support for fiscal reforms

capital

KARACHI: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved an $800 million financing package to help Pakistan strengthen fiscal sustainability and public financial management amid growing debt and reform challenges. The package comprises a $300 million policy-based loan and ADB’s first-ever policy-based guarantee of up to $500 million, intended to mobilise up to $1 billion from commercial lenders, the Manila-based institution announced on Tuesday. The funding falls under Subprogram 2 of the Improved Resource Mobilisation and Utilisation Reform Program, which backs comprehensive fiscal and governance reforms. These include overhauls in tax…

Read More

PSX rallies to new high ahead of federal budget

capital

Investor sentiment strengthened on Tuesday as equities rebounded to a record close ahead of next week’s federal budget, as market participants reacted to speculation over tax reforms, International Monetary Fund (IMF) negotiations, and development allocations. “Market is being driven by sentiments related to budget, rumours related to taxation on different sectors and market,” said Samiullah Tariq, Head of Research at Pak-Kuwait Investment Company, as investors priced in implications of fiscal constraints on growth and development spending. The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark KSE-100 Index settled at an all-time high of 120,450.87…

Read More

Budget FY26: Govt eyes lean Rs1tn PSDP amid Rs3tn ministry requests

capital

The federal government plans to allocate Rs1 trillion for development spending in fiscal year 2025-26, well short of the Rs3 trillion requested by ministries, official documents show. The Finance Ministry initially set an indicative budget ceiling of Rs921 billion, which was later raised to Rs1 trillion. A significant portion of the proposed spending is expected to go to the Cabinet Division, which has been allocated Rs50.33 billion. The government also plans to allocate Rs1.10 billion to the Board of Investment to support efforts aimed at attracting new investments into the…

Read More

CJCSC Gen Mirza says Pakistan did not seek help from any quarter during conflict with India

capital

RAWALPINDI:  Pakistan relied on its resources and did not seek help from any quarter during the recent conflict with India, said Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza. General Mirza added that all activities conducted to counter Indian aggression were solely carried out by the armed forces of Pakistan in an interview with a British media outlet. Responding to a question inquiring if Pakistan received assistance from China, General Mirza said that the weapons used by Pakistan in the recent conflict are certainly similar to those available…

Read More

Young TikToker killed in Islamabad’s Sector G-13-1

capital

ISLAMABAD: A 17-year-old TikToker, Sana Yousaf, was shot dead inside her home in Islamabad’s Sector G-13/1 on Monday evening, re-igniting concerns over the safety of social media influencers. The brutal murder, occurring within the jurisdiction of the Sumbal police station, has sent shockwaves through the online community and prompted calls for greater protection for public figures. Yousaf, who boasted a significant following of over 740,000 on TikTok, was reportedly at home with only her aunt when the assailant struck. Her father, a government officer, was at work, while her mother…

Read More

Balochistan is, will remain part of Pakistan: DG ISPR

capital

ISLAMABAD: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has firmly stated that Balochistan is an integral part of Pakistan and can never be separated from it. Addressing a special session with educators at the Hilal Talks forum, which brought together more than 1,950 senior faculty members from across the country, the DG ISPR issued a series of forceful statements highlighting Indian interference in Balochistan. He asserted that India is providing complete financial backing to the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), describing the group as “Fitna-e-Hindustan”. He…

Read More

Pakistan tells US South Asia can’t afford endless conflict

capital

A high-level Pakistani parliamentary delegation, headed by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has informed the United States that South Asia cannot afford to be embroiled in never-ending conflict. This was stated by the delegation when they met with Ambassador Dorothy Shea, the US acting permanent representative to the United Nations. The former foreign minister, along with a nine-member high-level parliamentary delegation, is currently in New York, US, on a two-day visit to present Pakistan’s stance on the recent military confrontation with India and to challenge New Delhi’s…

Read More