Author: capital

‘Pakistan resolute against terrorism’: FM Dar thanks outpouring of global support after Islamabad blast

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Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday expressed gratitude to fellow deputy prime ministers, foreign ministers and world leaders, as well as the foreign offices of friendly countries, who reached out with condolences, prayers and messages of solidarity after Friday’s heinous bomb blast in Islamabad. At least 32 people were killed and around 169 others injured when a suicide bomber struck Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra during Friday prayers, according to authorities and hospital officials. The blast occurred as worshippers gathered for Jumma prayers and was accompanied by explosions and…

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Pakistan showcases commitment to minority rights, interfaith dialogue in Washington

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LAHORE: Pakistani delegation highlighted Pakistan’s commitment to minority inclusion and interfaith harmony during its participation in major international gatherings held in Washington, DC. The delegation, led by Senator Khalil Tahir Sandhu and Shahid Rehmat, Executive Director of the Youth Development Foundation, represented Pakistan at the IRF Summit 2026, the Global Faith Forum 2026, and the National Prayer Breakfast. During the engagements, the Pakistani representatives held meetings with international policymakers, faith leaders, and human rights experts to discuss the promotion of freedom of religion or belief, strengthening social cohesion, and addressing…

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SC fixes 13 petitions involving Imran, Bushra Bibi for Monday hearing

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ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Saturday fixed 13 different petitions concerning Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, for hearing on February 9. According to the supplementary cause list issued, a two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan will take up the petitions at 9am on Monday. Among the petitions fixed for hearing are the Punjab government’s appeal against the grant of bail to the PTI founder and its appeal against the bail of Bushra Bibi. Read: ATC rejects Imran Khan’s plea for…

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Zardari warns of ‘pre-9/11’ conditions in Afghanistan

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ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday warned that Afghanistan under the Taliban has descended into conditions “similar to or worse than pre-9/11”, accusing neighbouring countries, including India, of enabling terrorist groups in the wake of recent attacks in Islamabad and Balochistan. The president thanked the world leaders and international organisations for expressing solidarity with Pakistan after Friday’s bombing at an imambargah in the federal capital that killed dozens of people, as well as the coordinated assaults in several cities and towns of Balochistan. In a statement issued by the…

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Saints and Satan-How Millions of Newly Unsealed Epstein Files Are Toppling Europe’s Elite

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Tahir Masood (Rafael) DUBLIN — The Jeffrey Epstein files have detonated across Europe like a political landmine. What began as an American legal saga is now a continent-wide crisis, with over 3 million pages of DOJ documents exposing how Europe’s self-appointed moral guardians: royals, prime ministers, ambassadors kept company with the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender. The files’ journey from courtrooms to catastrophe started simply enough. In January 2024, a New York federal judge unsealed 950 pages from Virginia Giuffre’s defamation suit against Ghislaine Maxwell, naming roughly 150 prominent…

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Bloodbath at PSX as market crashes nearly 3,700 points on security jitters

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KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) suffered its recent sharpest single-day drop in weeks on Friday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index plunging over 3,700 points to close at over 184,100. The PSX came under heavy selling pressure today, with the KSE-100 Index declining by 3,703 points (-1.97%) to close at 184,130. “Investor sentiment weakened amid a deteriorating security situation in Balochistan, where Barrick Mining announced a comprehensive review of capital allocation, security arrangements, development timeline, and budget for the Reko Diq project,” said Ali Najib, deputy head of trading at…

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Gold, silver drop on firm dollar, broad market selloff

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Gold and silver prices fell sharply in a broader market selloff on Thursday, as the dollar advanced to a near two-week high and US-China trade tensions showed signs of easing. Spot gold declined 0.9% to $4,917.61 per ounce, as of 0754 GMT, retreating from a near one-week high hit earlier in the session. Prices had fallen by nearly 4% earlier. US gold futures for April delivery dropped 0.3% to $4,936.30 per ounce. “The dollar received a new lease of life with the (Kevin) Warsh nomination (as Federal Reserve chair), ……

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Bitcoin dip brings key $70,000 level into view

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Bitcoin was on the cusp of breaking below the key $70,000 level on Thursday as a slide in the world’s largest cryptocurrency showed no signs of stopping. Bitcoin fell 2% in early European trade, having dropped as much as 3.5% earlier during the Asian session to $70,052.38, its lowest level since November 2024. Ether, meanwhile, was down 0.7% at $2,111.34. A drop below $2,000 would mark the first time the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency has breached that level since May last year. The latest rout in cryptocurrencies, which has come hard…

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PSO’s Rs30b receivables remain stuck at PIA

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ISLAMABAD: State-run oil marketing company Pakistan State Oil (PSO) is facing a financial setback as receivables of around Rs30 billion remain stuck at Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) after the air carrier failed to transfer its real estate asset to settle the outstanding dues. The government had declared a consortium, led by the Arif Habib Group, the winner in the bidding process for the acquisition of a 75% stake in PIA. The group submitted the highest bid of Rs135 billion but the real value at which PIA was sold was Rs10…

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Salaried class paid Rs315b in Jul-Jan

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ISLAMABAD: Income tax contributions by Pakistan’s cornered salaried class further jumped by 10% to Rs315 billion during the first seven months of this fiscal year, as one out of every three Pakistanis who left the country last year in search of jobs and better salaries were skilled to highly qualified people. According to provisional data compiled by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), salaried individuals paid Rs315 billion in income tax during the July-January period of the current fiscal year. This was Rs30 billion, or 10.5%, more than the already…

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