Debt risks keep economy vulnerable

LAHORE: The fragile external financing system of Pakistan is one of the main reasons for the weak economic structure of the country, as heavy reliance on foreign loans continues to expose the economy to sudden shocks, business leaders and economists said. They added that the external debt profile remains tilted towards short-term borrowing, leaving little room for policy mistakes. “The government must immediately begin serious negotiations with friendly nations to secure longer repayment periods and ease pressure on foreign exchange reserves,” said Raja Waseem Hassan, Vice Chairman of the Pakistan…

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Banks urged to scale up agri-finance

KARACHI: State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) governor has urged banks to focus on expanding the agricultural borrower base, strengthening inclusion of small farmers and scaling up digital delivery channels to support sustainable growth in the farming sector. Jameel Ahmad noted that agriculture remained critical for improving farm productivity, supporting rural livelihoods and ensuring food security. He emphasised the need for strengthening agricultural financial intermediation to support value addition, market linkages and sustainable growth in the sector. He made the remarks at a meeting of the Agricultural Credit Advisory Committee (ACAC)…

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Afghan soil must not be used for terrorism, Pakistan tells UN

Pakistan on Friday reiterated its call for Afghan territory to cease being used for terrorism against neighbouring states, urging steps to prevent what it described as “external spoilers” from exploiting the situation, during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The UNSC unanimously adopted a draft resolution renewing the mandate of the Monitoring Team supporting the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee—responsible for overseeing the Taliban sanctions regime—for a further 12 months. All 15 Council members, including Pakistan, voted in favour of the resolution, extending the mandate until Feb. 17,…

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PTI-govt ice may be melting behind closed doors

ISLAMABAD: Winds of change appear to be blowing through the political landscape, with recent developments suggesting that prolonged tension between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and major stakeholders may be giving way to cautious engagement, according to sources familiar with the development. With some recent confidence-building measures, the PML-N led coalition government may establish a contact with incarcerated PTI leader Imran Khan, through Mehmood Khan Achakzai, the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, a key aide of PM disclosed to The Express Tribune on Wednesday. The move comes on…

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Imran health row triggers PTI-govt showdown in Senate

ISLAMABAD: Heated scenes unfolded in the Senate on Thursday after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senators staged a protest over Imran Khan’s health, placing his photographs on their desks, prompting objections from treasury members and ultimately forcing the chair to adjourn proceedings. The confrontation followed remarks by Opposition Leader and Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) chief Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, who told the house that PTI founder Imran Khan had lost 85% of the vision in one eye due to alleged medical negligence while in custody. In response, the prime minister’s adviser on…

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Is another judicial murder in the making?

ISLAMABAD: A growing chorus within the legal community has voiced serious concern over what it describes as the superior judiciary’s failure to ensure the availability of basic rights to former prime minister Imran Khan during his imprisonment. Senior lawyers say the findings contained in the report submitted by lawyer Salman Safdar regarding Imran Khan’s living conditions point to grave violations of the jail manual. For them, the issue has moved beyond routine prison administration and entered the domain of constitutional guarantees and judicial responsibility. Lawyer Faisal Siddiqui stressed judges must…

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Damning SC report on Imran’s health stirs political storm

ISLAMABAD: In a major development, the federal government on Thursday assured the Supreme Court that PTI founder Imran Khan would be provided access to specialist eye doctors for a fresh medical assessment and allowed telephonic contact with his sons, Qasim and Salman, amid growing concerns over his deteriorating eyesight in custody. The assurances were given during the hearing of a case concerning facilities available to the incarcerated former prime minister at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, conducted by a two-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi and comprising…

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UNSC findings support Pakistan’s TTP stance

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday said the latest report of the UN Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee has “extensively supported” its long-held position that terrorist groups, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), continue to operate from Afghan soil with operational space and support. Responding to questions during his weekly news briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the February 4 report corroborates Pakistan’s narrative about the resurgence of the TTP following the 2021 takeover by the interim Afghan government. “We have seen and studied the report. We believe that it extensively supports…

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Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka will attend the Munich Security Conference on February 13-14, 2026

By Muhammad Sohail On the occasion of this conference, Minister Macinka will hold a series of bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Austria, Argentina, Montenegro, Moldova, Slovenia, India and several other countries. He will also hold talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of China. The minister considers a meeting with the Minister of the Interior of the Federal Republic of Germany, Alexander Dobrindt, as well as negotiations with the director of the Schwarz Group, which operates the Kaufland and Lidl retail chains in the Czech Republic, Gerd Chrzanowski, to…

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PSX eyes 12 new listings

KARACHI: Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) plans to list 12 new companies in 2026 and has secured full membership of the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE), PSX Chief Executive Officer Farrukh H Sabzwari said on Wednesday during a special media briefing held with National Clearing Company of Pakistan Limited (NCCPL) CEO Naveed Qazi and Central Depository Company (CDC) CEO Badiuddin Akbar. Sabzwari said that PSX continues to modernise its market infrastructure and strengthen investor access. He revealed that the number of Unique Identification Numbers (UINs) reached an all-time high of 23,400…

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