Banks’ housing finance sharply rises 85% in 2021 KARACHI: Bank financing for housing and construction sharply increased 85 per cent, or Rs163 billion, to Rs355 billion in the financial year 2021, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reported on Thursday. -SHAHNAWAZ AKHTER Read more Pakistan’s forex reserves fall $255 million to $24.019 billion KARACHI: Pakistan’s … Read more
HONG KONG: Asian financial hub Hong Kong banned flights from eight nations on Wednesday as part of strict new virus curbs, with Omicron outbreaks spiralling out of control from Europe to the United States. The new coronavirus variant is spreading rapidly across continents, leaving governments rushing to roll out vaccine boosters and bolster healthcare systems … Read more
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has said Pakistan’s civil aviation regulator claimed to have resolved major safety concerns that arose from a scandal over fake pilot licences in 2020. Pakistan grounded 262 airline pilots in June 2020 after they were suspected of cheating on mandatory licence tests. The scandal had tainted Pakistan’s aviation industry … Read more
ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib has said that record tax collection of Rs 2,920 billion by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) with an increase of 32% in the second quarter of the current financial year reflected the best economic activities in the country Read more: FBR defers implementation of … Read more
CCoP to omit Mari Petroleum from Privatisation list ISLAMABAD: The Cabinet Committee on Privatisation (CCoP) has decided to omit Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) from the privatisation list. –HAMZA HABIB Read more Gwadar Free Zone promotion plan to be submitted to Cabinet panel soon ISLAMABAD: The governments of Pakistan and China held meetings of the … Read more
Security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan, and during an intense exchange of fire with terrorists, four soldiers embraced martyrdom, the military’s media wing said on Friday. Read more: Two terrorists killed in Tank IBO: ISPR The IBO was conducted on the reported presence of terrorists in the … Read more
Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar, who also heads the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), a body that oversees the Covid-19 operations in Pakistan, announced on Friday that Pakistan successfully achieved the target of vaccinating 70million people by year’s end that some people thought was impossible. Read more: Covid-19 vaccinations in Pakistan crosses … Read more
Setting aside rumours that the tenure of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government would be cut short soon, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday assured that the government was not in any trouble. Read more: Cabinet approves Finance Bill 2021, will be tabled in NA today: Fawad Talking to the media informally on his way to … Read more
The National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), a body that oversees the Covid-19 operations in Pakistan, confirmed on Thursday that 30% of the country’s total population and 46% of the eligible population now stand vaccinated. Read more: 79 confirmed Omicron cases detected so far in Pakistan, says NIH In a message on Twitter, the NCOC … Read more
Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced that the federal government will bear all the financial burden of Reko Diq for the progress and prosperity of Balochistan. Read more: Why Balochistan is still the poorest province despite great natural resources In a tweet, he said that the step was part of the government’s vision for the … Read more
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday once again extended stay order against the show-cause notices of the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) issued to several sugar mills owned by politicians of the ruling and opposition parties, for alleged violation of laws to monopolise the commodity. SW Sugar Mills, Gojra Samundari Sugar Mills and … Read more
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has claimed that the opposition parties did not have the guts and prowess to overthrow the present democratically-elected government with their so-called protest movement. Replying to questions during the media briefing on the decisions of the federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday, … Read more
Rupee’s free-fall continues as dollar hits new high of Rs178.19 KARACHI: The free-fall in the rupee value continued on Tuesday, as the dollar hit a new record high of Rs178.19 at the closing of the interbank foreign exchange market, dealers said. –SHAHNAWAZ AKHTER Read more PDWP approves 4 uplift projects worth Rs3.40 billion LAHORE: The … Read more
The National Institute of Health (NIH) has confirmed a total of 79 cases of Omicron across the country, claiming that it has also isolated the patients and initiated contact tracing to control the spread of the variant. Read more: NIH confirms Pakistan’s first Omicron case after analysing samples An NIH statement issued by the institute … Read more
National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf on Tuesday announced that the federal cabinet has given a go-ahead for Pakistan’s first-ever National Security Policy (NSP), which was approved by the National Security Committee yesterday. Read more: NSC green lights Pakistan’s ‘first’ National Security Policy “After the NSC’s endorsement of Pakistan’s first-ever National Security Policy yesterday, the … Read more
KARACHI: The Pakistan stocks opened on a bullish note as the KSE-100 index witnessed an increase of 159.26 points, or 0.36 per cent, in the first hour of trading on Tuesday. The Pakistan stocks witnessed a dull session on Monday in the absence of any positive trigger, profit-taking continued across-the-board over rising concerns regarding resumption … Read more
Govt urged to take early steps for bridging gap between imports, exports LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has urged the government to take immediate measures for bridging widening gap between imports and exports, a statement said on Monday. –IQTIDAR GILANI Read more CDWP proposes two projects worth Rs191.2 billion to Ecnec … Read more
Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed condolence on the demise of anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu who died on Sunday at the age of 90. Also Read: ‘Insulting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) not freedom of expression’: PM welcomes Putin’s remarks In a tweet, the premier said Tutu was an icon of the anti-apartheid struggle and champion … Read more
Prime Minister Imran Khan has welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s that insulting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was not freedom of expression, statement, saying it “reaffirms my message that insulting Holy Prophet (PBUH) is not freedom of expression.” Read more: India will destroy itself by promoting Islamophobia, warns President Alvi “I welcome President Putin’s statement which reaffirms … Read more
NEW YORK: More than 2,300 flights were cancelled around the world Friday and thousands more were delayed as the highly infectious Omicron variant disrupted holiday travel. One route, however, was thankfully not affected: Santa was on track delivering presents to children across the globe, air defense officials assured US President Joe Biden. Read more: AstraZeneca … Read more
KSE-100 Index gains 92 points amid dull trading session KARACHI: The Pakistan Stocks witnessed another dull trading session with low volumes on Thursday. However, the cutoff yields in the Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIBs) auction remained largely flat; thus, the index remained strong throughout the day. –JAVED MIRZA Read more Fertiliser Policy 2022 will enable movement … Read more
LONDON: British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca said Thursday that a third, or “booster”, dose of its Covid-19 vaccine Vaxzevria “significantly” lifted antibody levels against the Omicron strain in a laboratory study. AstraZeneca also revealed in other findings that its preventative moniclonal antibody treatment, Evusheld, “retains neutralisation activity” against Omicron. Read more: US to distribute free Covid … Read more
Pakistan has welcomed a UN Security Council resolution to help humanitarian aid reach desperate Afghans and a United States announcement of additional steps easing sanctions against the Taliban. Read more: US issues additional exemptions to allow Afghanistan aid The UN Security Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted a US-proposed resolution to help humanitarian aid reach desperate … Read more
Taliban soldiers in Afghanistan disrupted the erecting of a security fence by the Pakistani military along the border between the two countries, claimed a Reuters report on Wednesday. Read more: US lauds Pakistan’s efforts for hosting OIC moot to address Afghan crisis The report quoted Afghan defence ministry spokesperson Enayatullah Khwarazmi as saying that the … Read more
KARACHI: Pakistani rupee gained 15 paisas against the dollar in early trade at the interbank foreign exchange market on Thursday. The dollar is being traded at Rs178 at the opening of the interbank market. The local currency hit a historic low of Rs178.15 on Wednesday. Read more: BOL NEWS BUSINESS DIGEST: December 23, 2021 Currency … Read more
WASHINGTON: The United States announced additional steps on Wednesday easing sanctions against the Taliban to allow aid groups to funnel desperately needed help to the people of Afghanistan. Read more: US lauds Pakistan’s efforts for hosting OIC moot to address Afghan crisis As the conflict-battered country faces an economic collapse and an acute shortage of … Read more
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the principles and objectives of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) charter for the welfare of the people of the region, economic integration and regional prosperity. Read more: US lauds Pakistan’s efforts for hosting OIC moot to address Afghan crisis The foreign … Read more
KARACHI: National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), in collaboration with European Union, funded Huqooq-e-Pakistan Project (HeP), launched its country-wide consultative process for the commission’s four-year strategic plan. Read more: Religious scholars, civil society activists vow to defeat violent extremism In this regard, two consultative sessions were held with civil society representatives and media where participants … Read more
