Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, chaired a high-level meeting with the All Pakistan Marble Industry Association and the Pakistan Stone Development Company (PASDEC) in Islamabad today. During the meeting, participants discussed bottlenecks in marble exports, challenges in value addition, and potential measures for incentives and facilitation in the marble sector. Haroon Akhtar …

Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Commerce, participated in a high-level policy roundtable on “Strengthening the Role of Parliament in Public Debt Management,” jointly organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) Pakistan. Khan emphasized the importance of transparent debt reporting, institutional reforms, and strong parliamentary oversight to ensure fiscal responsibility …

ISLAMABAD (Internews): SK Hydro (Private) Limited has donated USD 20,000 to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Fund to aid reconstruction in disaster-affected areas near the Suki Kinari Hydropower Project on Thursday. The donation ceremony was attended by Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (KPK), Secretary of Relief, Rehabilitation & Settlement Department KPK, Director General of the Provincial Disaster …

The ITF Pakistan National Foods World Junior Tennis Championship J-60 continued at the PTF-SDA Tennis Complex, with young players from across the globe showcasing top-level talent. The event marks the first time a J-60 tournament is being held in Pakistan. A significant number of junior players from China, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Lithuania, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the Czech …

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, has called for a fundamental shift from reactive policymaking to a forward-looking, reform-driven approach aimed at stabilizing Pakistan’s economy, restoring investor confidence, and setting a sustainable course for growth. Addressing the inaugural session of The Future Summit’ s 9th Edition in Karachi, he outlined the government’s commitment to structural reforms, fiscal …

A delegation of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), led by Shaikh Salman Ebrahim Hamid Al Khalifa, President of the AFC, Senior Vice President of FIFA and a senior member of the Royal Family of Bahrain, called on Acting President Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani at Aiwan-e-Sadr today. The delegation included Datuk Seri Windsor Paul John, General Secretary of the AFC, and …

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Pakistan, Samuel Rizk, along with his delegation, called on the Federal Minister for Law & Justice and Human Rights, Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, in Islamabad today. Van Nguyen, Deputy Resident Representative, was also present during the meeting. The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration between the Ministry of Human Rights, UNDP, and …

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has announced special measures to assist manual income tax filers as part of its ongoing efforts to fully digitize tax operations across Pakistan. According to official sources, with the objective of ensuring a smooth transition to the online filing system, the FBR has discontinued manual return filings from Tax Year 2024. Recognizing that a …

Freedom Network, an independent media rights organization, marked the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists (IDEI) with a roundtable on “Journalist Safety Mechanisms and Ending Impunity” at a local hotel in Islamabad, held in collaboration with the Embassies of Germany, the Netherlands and France. The roundtable brought together senior representatives from media bodies, civil society and the …

Pakistan’s squad has departed for Hong Kong to take part in the upcoming Hong Kong Cricket Sixes tournament, scheduled from November 7 to 9 at the Tin Wan Road Recreation Ground. The team will be led by fast bowler Abbas Afridi, with seven players named in the final squad. The annual tournament will feature 12 international and franchise teams, divided …

Renowned Pakistani actor Saba Qamar has issued a legal notice worth Rs10 crore to journalist Naeem Hanif over what she termed as defamatory, false, and sexist remarks made during a recent podcast. The notice served through the law firm Saigal, Tarar & Leghari LLP accuses the journalist of making “derogatory, sexist and concocted” statements about the actor’s personal life and …

Renowned actor Hamza Ali Abbasi has revealed that he once cleared the Central Superior Services (CSS) exam and was offered a position in the Police Service of Pakistan, but chose not to join the civil service as it did not align with his interests. Speaking during a recent podcast, Abbasi said he had appeared in the CSS exam on his …

The Punjab government has moved to strengthen legal protections for forests by introducing key amendments to the Forest Act 1927, proposing tougher penalties, stricter enforcement mechanisms, and the establishment of new forest protection units. The Forest Amendment Bill 2025 was tabled in the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday, outlining a series of stringent measures to curb deforestation, timber smuggling, and encroachment. …

The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), under its RASTA Competitive Grants Programme, organized a seminar on “Automotive Value Chains in Pakistan” featuring Dr. Muhammad Shafaat Nawaz, RASTA Fellow and Fulbright Scholar, moderated by Dr. Usman Qadir, Senior Research Economist and Director (CITDE), PIDE. Dr. Nawaz presented findings from his doctoral research on OEM-mediated Global Production Networks (GPNs) in Pakistan’s …

President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari met with His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, in Doha on Wednesday. The Amir welcomed the President and thanked him for his visit. He said Qatar was proud of Pakistan and its achievements, and deeply valued the contribution of the Pakistani community to Qatar’s development. His …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s headline inflation, measured by Consumer Price Index (CPI), rose to 6.2 percent in October, up from 5.6 percent in September, official data showed. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), urban inflation reached 6 percent in October, up from 5.5 percent in September, while rural inflation rose to 6.6 percent compared with 5.8 percent in the previous …

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, chaired a high-level meeting of the Prime Minister’s Committee on Meat Export to Malaysia. During the meeting, four working groups established earlier under the committee presented their reports. Senior officials from the Ministries of Commerce, Industries, and Food, along with representatives from both public and private sectors, …

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi has said that no province has the authority to restrict the movement of food and commodities to another province, stressing that inter-provincial trade is a constitutional right. He made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation of the Senate Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination, which called on him to congratulate him on …

Federal Minister for Communications, Abdul Aleem Khan, visited the Islamabad–Murree Expressway to inspect ongoing development works and review final preparations for the project’s completion. The Minister expressed satisfaction over the significant progress and commended the National Highway Authority (NHA) team for upgrading the Islamabad–Murree Expressway to international standards. He noted that the Expressway, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors …

President Asif Ali Zardari held a bilateral meeting with the Vice President of China, Han Zheng, on the sidelines of the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha today. Recalling his recent visit to China, the President said that Pakistan and China are iron brothers and all-weather strategic cooperative partners. He thanked China for its consistent and unwavering support …

The Field Enforcement Unit (FEU), Rakhni, under the Collectorate of Customs (Enforcement), Quetta, has successfully foiled a major attempt to smuggle a large consignment of foreign-origin cigarettes concealed under a coal load. According to official statement, (FEU), Rakhni, acting on credible intelligence, a Hino truck, Reg. No. TTD-853, ostensibly carrying coal was intercepted near Rakhni. Upon thorough examination, 188 cartons …

A key accused in the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) mega corruption scandal has confessed to his role in the multi-billion-rupee fraud, the accountability court was informed on Wednesday. According to case proceedings, RDA stenographer Jahangir Ahmed reportedly admitted before the court that his share in the Rs2.5 billion corruption was Rs135 million. Following the approval of his plea bargain request, …

Bread makers across Rawalpindi launched a citywide strike on Wednesday to protest the sharp rise in wheat flour and fine flour (maida) prices, forcing the closure of tandoors and disrupting routine life in the city. According to reports, all small and large tandoors across the district remained shut, severely affecting small hotels, tea stalls, and restaurants. At several locations, tea …

The Punjab government has extended for another 30 days the ban on the use of wheat in poultry feed across the province, in a bid to ensure uninterrupted supply of wheat and flour for human consumption. According to a notification issued by the Home Department, the decision has been taken to stabilise the supply of wheat, flour and bread for …

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday issued notices to the Punjab government, the Secretary of Local Government, and other respondents on a petition challenging multiple sections of the Punjab Local Government Act 2025. Justice Sultan Tanveer heard the petition filed by Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Moin Raza Qureshi and others, through Barrister Abu Zar Salman Khan Niazi. The petitioner …

Federal Minister for Communications, Abdul Aleem Khan, has expressed Pakistan’s strong desire to further enhance cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the fields of transport, logistics, and infrastructure development. During a meeting with the Minister of Transport and Logistic Services of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Engineer Saleh bin Nasser Aljasser, on the sidelines of the Pakistan International …

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, visited the Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) today. During the visit, CEO PIDC briefed Haroon Akhtar Khan on the Corporation’s performance, ongoing projects, and future initiatives. The meeting also reviewed key developments including the Master Plan of Karachi Industrial Park, land lease policy of Bin Qasim Industrial …

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry and Romanian Ambassador Dr. Dan Stoenescu discussed closer cooperation between Karachi Port and Romania’s Port of Constanța, focusing on logistics integration, trade facilitation, and regional connectivity. Rear Admiral Atiq-ur-Rehman, Acting Chairman of the Karachi Port Trust, also attended the meeting. The minister said Pakistan wants to play a bigger role in …

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb has described the blue economy as a game changer for Pakistan’s future growth, underscoring its potential to reach USD 100 billion by 2047 and reaffirming the government’s commitment to policy continuity, investment facilitation, and sustainable maritime development. He made this statement while delivering a virtual address today as the Chief Guest …

Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA), Mohammed Ali Randhawa, called on Acting President Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani at Aiwan-e-Sadr today. Randhawa briefed the Acting President on the ongoing development schemes in the federal capital and the progress of key infrastructure projects. The Acting President emphasized that befitting arrangements should be made for the upcoming Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference (ISC), scheduled to be …

Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan represented Pakistan at the 41st Session of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), being held in Istanbul from 1–4 November 2025. In his opening remarks, Jam Kamal Khan underscored the urgent need for enhanced economic cooperation, digital integration, and sustainable development among OIC …

On the invitation of Zamrud Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Sweet Home, President Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, along with tennis players and PTF officials, visited Pakistan Sweet Home, H-9, Islamabad. During the visit, the tennis players interacted warmly with the children of Sweet Home, sharing moments of joy and inspiration. On this special occasion, Zamrud Khan nominated Mikaeel Ali …

Heavy rain and hailstorm last night lashed the upper districts of Dir and Swat, triggering a sharp drop in temperatures and causing widespread disruption to daily life. In Dir, intense hailstorm and rain reportedly plunged the area into darkness as flash floods in streams and nullahs led to the suspension of traffic on the GT Road. Soil erosion damaged roads …

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Suhail Afridi has directed a zero-tolerance crackdown on illegal logging and the timber mafia, ordering strict legal action, including criminal cases, against those involved in cutting forests and exploiting wildlife. Chairing a high-level meeting of the Environment, Forest and Wildlife Department, the chief minister said that the province’s forests were a national trust and would not …

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Tuesday issued a seventh non-bailable arrest warrant for Aleema Khan after she once again failed to appear in court in a case linked to the November 26 protest. The ATC heard the case against 11 accused, including Aleema Khan, where the court was informed that neither she nor her lawyers attended the proceedings. …

The Lyari Football Academy team has departed for Singapore to participate in the Singa Cup 2025, Asia’s largest international youth football tournament. The squad is being led by Academy President Sheikh Abdul Rahman. A total of 160 teams from 13 countries will be competing in the event across five age categories Under-8, Under-10, Under-12, Under-14, and Under-16. The tournament, which …

The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has imposed bans on several officials and athletes associated with the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWF), following confirmed anti-doping rule violations determined under the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) “Operation Jasmine” and the International Testing Agency (ITA). Those banned include athletes Sharjeel Butt, Abdul Rehman, Ghulam Mustafa, and Farhan Majeed, along with former PWF President Hafiz Imran …

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Singapore, and Norway have emerged as global frontrunners in the rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), while Pakistan remains significantly behind, with less than 15% of its population using AI tools, according to a new report. The statistics were revealed in the “AI Diffusion Report 2025,” released by Microsoft’s AI Economy Institute. The report shows …

The Ministry of Health organized a “Safety Medicine” event, where Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal delivered a keynote address, stressing the urgent need to reform Pakistan’s healthcare and medicines system. Speaking at the ceremony, the federal minister acknowledged that Pakistan’s medicines and healthcare system was far from ideal and required immediate improvement. “Pakistan does not have an ideal …

Federal Minister for Commerce, Jam Kamal Khan held a meeting with Türkiye’s Minister of Trade, Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, in Istanbul on the sidelines of the 41st Session of the Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC). During the meeting, both ministers discussed avenues to further strengthen trade and economic cooperation between the two brotherly nations. The Turkish Trade Minister, …