Afridi warns against meddling in governance

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said on Wednesday that individuals with no legitimate role in public affairs were meddling in provincial politics, stressing that such interference threatened efforts to stabilise a region already scarred by decades of terrorism and institutional strain. Speaking at a joint gathering of police officers and civil servants in Peshawar, he said the provincial government was urgently supplying bulletproof vehicles, modern weapons and anti-drone systems, while a policy for the families of martyred civil servants was being developed. “The province is passing through…

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Bugti for implemention of action committees decisions

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has declared that decisions made by the National and Provincial Action Committees will be implemented with full diligence, responsibility, and consistency. The chief minister on Wednesday presided over a high-level meeting of the CounterTerrorism Provincial Harden the State Committee at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, where progress on national and provincial action plans, law-and-order conditions, and ongoing security operations was reviewed in detail. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Balochistan Shakeel Qadir Khan, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Hamza Shafqaat, and senior security officials.…

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Imams to get stipend from next month

LAHORE: Issuance of cards for paying honorarium to prayer leaders in Punjab will be completed by February. The decision was taken in a meeting where Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif approved the launch of the CM Punjab Honorarium Card for Imam Masjid. The chief minister said the payments under the scheme would commence on January 1 with the first payments to be made through pay orders. Relevant authorities informed the chief minister that all payment from February 1 onward would be made through the card. Officials said 62,994 registration forms…

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PM announces live broadcast of PIA bidding process on December 23

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday announced that the bidding process for the privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) would be broadcast live on national television, emphasizing that full transparency and merit would remain the government’s foremost priorities. “The entire bidding on December 23, 2025, will be aired live on all media channels so that the nation can witness the process firsthand,” he added. Speaking during a meeting at the Prime Minister’s House with all business leaders and company representatives participating in the PIA privatisation, the PM said the…

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Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský took part in the NATO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Brussels on 3 December

By Muhammad Sohail Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský took part in the NATO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Brussels on 3 December. The foreign ministers of the thirty-two Allied nations discussed further support for Ukraine and the strengthening of collective defence in the face of the growing threat posed by Russia and the increasing challenge represented by China. The programme also included a session of the NATO–Ukraine Council.   The Allied ministers agreed that support for Ukraine must continue — politically, militarily and financially. According to the Czech minister, the…

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Canada, Pakistan discuss GM canola trade

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr Musadik Malik met with Canadian High Commissioner Tarik Ali Khan. The meeting focused on various aspects of trade in GM canola between the two countries, particularly the limitations associated with Harmonised System (HS) codes and the need for greater clarity and efficiency in related procedures. Musadik Malik assured the high commissioner that the ministry remains committed to minimising procedural delays and ensuring that any new policies or amendments to existing frameworks are aimed at streamlining processes and facilitating both importers…

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Gold down, rupee edges up amid global cues

KARACHI: Gold prices fell in Pakistan on Tuesday, tracking the decline in international markets, where the metal slipped more than 1% as investors took profits after a six-week high in the previous session. In global trade, spot gold dropped 1.4% to $4,173.91 per ounce by 11:09 am ET (1609 GMT), with markets awaiting key US economic data ahead of Federal Reserve’s policy meeting next week, according to Reuters. Reflecting the global trend, domestic prices also retreated. Gold rate per tola fell by Rs2,700 to Rs444,162. The price of 10-gram gold…

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FBR issues new order to tighten tracking of tax-concession imports for FATA, PATA

KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has issued a new Customs General Order (CGO) No 8/2025 to ensure secure transportation and transparent clearance of plant, machinery, equipment and industrial raw materials imported at concessional sales tax rates for industrial units located in erstwhile FATA and PATA. The new order applies to those industrial units that are availing concessional tax rates under Clause 89 of the Eighth Schedule of the Sales Tax Act, 1990. This new procedure is a continuation of the previously enforced CGO 01/2021. In 2018, the federal…

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Pakistan’s fintech bet pays off in a new era for South Asian finance

“Pakistan is undoubtedly a rising star in digital assets, even if this is still a “honeymoon phase” for the South Asian country in a notoriously volatile fintech segment. How Pakistan responds to its first major crypto shock will ultimately reveal the depth of its commitment.” This is what Forbes has reported on Pakistan’s current fintech landscape. Fintech’s centre of gravity in South Asia may finally be shifting, and Pakistan is emerging as the region’s unexpected powerhouse. For years, India’s dominance kept neighbouring fintech ecosystems in its shadow. Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal lagged…

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