Tue, 21-Oct-2025

Import restrictions may help rupee stabilise

rupee

KARACHI: Import restrictions introduced through the Finance Supplementary Bill is expected to help the rupee remain stable next week. However, a surge in the international oil prices may prove otherwise. The National Assembly on January 13, 2022 approved the Finance (Supplementary) Bill, 2021. Through the legislation, the government withdrew exemptions and concessions worth Rs343 billion. … Read more

Legislation on mini-budget, SBP continues to echo in National Assembly

ISLAMABAD: The legislation on the mini-budget and the bill pertaining to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) continue to echo in the National Assembly as members of the opposition benches strongly criticised the government for burdening people with extra Rs350 billion taxes and making the central bank unanswerable to the government. A member of the … Read more

Rupee recovers 31 paisas against dollar

Rupee

KARACHI: The rupee recovered 31 paisas against the dollar on Friday, as the parliament approved the Finance (Supplementary) Bill, 2021, which contained measures to restrict imports, dealers said. The rupee ended at Rs176.06 against the dollar from the previous day’s closing of Rs176.38 in the interbank foreign exchange market. The dealers said the import restrictions … Read more

PILDAT report shows no new ordinance laid during 39th NA session

PILDAT report shows no new ordinance laid during 39th NA session

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) on Thursday issued its report regarding the parliamentary session and stated that the 15th National Assembly of Pakistan held six sittings during the 39th session held from December 22-31, 2021. According to a press release, these sittings were held on December 22, December 24, December 27, … Read more

NA adopts Finance (Supplementary) Bill by majority amid opposition’s sloganeering

PILDAT report shows no new ordinance laid during 39th NA session

National Assembly on Thursday passed the Finance (Supplementary) Bill, 2021 by majority vote with certain government amendments amid opposition parties’ sloganeering. All the amendments moved by the opposition parties including Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had been rejected with the majority vote. Read more: NA rejects opposition’s amendments on mini-budget The speaker ordered the … Read more

Opposition parties coming out on roads did nothing for Pakistan: Babar Awan

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan said that the opposition parties coming out on the roads had done nothing for the country. Addressing the media in Islamabad on Thursday ahead of the National Assembly (NA) session this evening, he asked, “what the people who are coming out on the roads have … Read more

What if Nawaz Sharif actually returns?

Nawaz Sharif reiterates desire to return to Pakistan soon

PML-N leader and National Assembly former speaker Ayaz Sadiq whipped up a political storm by claiming that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif – who has been living in London since November 2019 – would soon “return with a bang”. Ayaz made the revelation during a press conference held in Lahore on December 23. Later talking … Read more

Govt tables mini-finance, SBP bills in NA amid opposition’s protest

ISLAMABAD: Amid strong protest by the opposition, the government on Thursday tabled the heavily debated Finance Supplementary Bill 2021 and State Bank of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill 2021 in the National Assembly. The Finance Supplementary Bill 2021 which is also being regarded as the mini-budget would not be referred to the concerned standing committee as per … Read more

Pakistan may lose nuclear capability if it surrenders financial sovereignty, warns opposition

The National Assembly of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: While slamming the government on its plans to present a mini-budget, the opposition on Wednesday claimed that Pakistan would be stripped of its nuclear capability if the country surrenders its financial sovereignty to international financial institutions. The opposition expressed its concern when the National Assembly met under Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri’s supervision. Read more: … Read more

Government once again fails to meet quorum in National Assembly

The National Assembly of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: With plans to table a mini-budget, the government once again failed to meet the quorum in the National Assembly for the third consecutive time on Monday. At the onset of the sitting, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Sheikh Fayyazuddin, while pointing towards the empty chairs of the treasury benches, said that it’s a matter of … Read more

Turkey slaps Binance with $750,000 fine, first on crypto platform

crypto platform

Turkey’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) slapped cryptocurrency exchange Binance with a fine of the maximum amount of TL 8 million ($750,000) for running afoul of the country’s new regulations. According to a report by Anadolu Agency (AA), this fine is considered the first of its kind. Turkey had earlier this year put a new set … Read more

67,771 overseas Pakistanis lost jobs and returned home, ministry informs NA

National Assembly Extends NAB Ordinance For Another 120 Days

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development has told the National Assembly that in all 67,771 overseas Pakistanis have lost jobs abroad and got themselves registered on the web portal as overseas returnees since 2020. To a question raised by PPP MNA Shazia Marri on Wednesday, the ministry said that these overseas … Read more

NA concerned over lack of local recruitment in Gomal Zam Dam project

The National Assembly of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A National Assembly panel on Friday expressed concern over a lack of local recruitments in the Gomal Zam Dam project by WAPDA and Irrigation Departments. The standing committee also expressed its concern about shifting of Gomal Zam Dam office about 170 kilometres far from the dam site. The concerns were raised in a meeting … Read more

MPs concerned over ‘complex, vague’ compensation for tribal people

ISLAMABAD: The Special Committee on Development of erstwhile FATA on Tuesday raised concerns over the “complex and vague” compensation process for the rehabilitation of destructed markets, shops, houses in the tribal districts. The director-general of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement department briefed the lawmakers about the rehabilitation efforts launched by the provincial government. He said … Read more

NA committee recommends fixing price of tobacco at Rs260/kg

The National Assembly of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly’s Special Committee on Agricultural Products recommended that the minimum indicative price of tobacco should be fixed at Rs260/kg. The committee instructed the Pakistan Tobacco Board to ensure that no stock is left unsold with the farmers. It also said that urgent steps were needed to ensure that cigarette manufacturers purchase 1.4 million … Read more

NA unanimously passes Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill

National Assembly unanimously passes Journalists protection bill

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly unanimously passed the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill on Monday. Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Farrukh Habib, in a tweet, said that the bill was prepared by the Ministry of Human Rights after consulting journalist groups. Habib lauded the efforts of Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari … Read more

PCB did not audit its 2020 accounts, revealed in NA

PCB did not audit its 2020 accounts, revealsed in NA

Recently submitted documents in National Assembly (NA) revealed that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) only submitted the details of accounts for the year 2019 and not 2020. An in-camera session of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination was called after PCB looked forward to sharing some sensitive information. According to the documents, the … Read more

NA Unanimously Passes Resolution Condemning Attack On Hindu Temple

NA Unanimously Passes Resolution Condemning Attack On Hindu Temple

The National Assembly unanimously passed a resolution condemning the attack on the temple in Rahim Yar Khan. The resolution presented in the National Assembly by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan was unanimously passed. Ali Mohammad Khan while expressing his views in the House said that we as Muslims and human beings … Read more

PTI has left millions of people unemployed in the country: Shahbaz Sharif

Shahbaz Sharif

PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif condemned the PTI-led government and said that it is doing everything that it blamed the PML-N administration for doing before the 2018 election. While addressing a press conference in Lahore along with other PML-N leaders during which he praised the former government of his party for presenting power schemes in the … Read more

Agricultural sector is facing a lot of challenges: PM Imran Khan

Agriculture

PM Imran Khan talked about the challenges faced by the agricultural sector, the PM said locusts were attacking agricultural fields and the government’s equipment was operational even on Eid days to get rid of them. “We protected the crops, and as a result, there was record growth of wheat, rice, and corn,” he further, added … Read more

PTI-led government has made life a living hell for the masses in the name of Naya Pakistan: Bilawal

bilawal press conference

Following Prime Minister Imran’s budget speech in the National Assembly, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that the “PTI-led government has made life a living hell for the masses in the name of Naya Pakistan.” Bilawal said that all the measures the government has taken, are completely in the favor of the rich instead of the poor. … Read more

Bilawal vs Qureshi showdown in National Assembly

bilawal and qureshi

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi traded heated words during a blaring session of the NA. After strictly criticizing the government over the budget 2021-22 and accusing the legislative process conducted on Tuesday, the PPP chairperson left the House. “He spoke a lot about [parliamentary] procedures; I would also like to … Read more

Electronic Voting is the only solution to end election conflicts, PM Imran Khan

ik in na

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday delivered a detailed address to the National Assembly, stressing on making elections controversy-free with Electronic Voting and inviting the Opposition to work with the government on improvements that will help achieve that aim. PM addresses the national assembly after the government effortlessly passed Finance Bill 2021-22. Imran Khan said … Read more

Shah Mehmood, Bilawal Trade Barbs In National Assembly

Shah Mehmood, Bilawal Trade Barbs In National Assembly

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari argued in the National Assembly session. Federal Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi while addressing the National Assembly on Wednesday said that if Imran Khan would not speak in the National Assembly then Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif would not be allowed … Read more

Opposition Gives Walkover To Govt For Rs3 Trillion Grant Approval

Opposition Gives Walkover To Govt For Rs3 Trillion Grant Approval

For the second year in a row, the opposition provided a walkover to the government, despite loud claims to block the approval of the budget in parliament, which approved 49 demands for a grant of over Rs3 trillion. According to the report, the lack of seriousness of the members of the opposition can be gauged … Read more

Budget 2021-22: What are the government’s revised plans

Shaukat Tarin Budget speech

Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin delivers the final session of debate on Budget 2021-22 in the National Assembly. House considers recommendations made by Senate for incorporation to Budget 2021-22. Tarin emphasized “comprehensive and sustainable development this time around” during his budget speech. “We will give interest-free loans up to Rs300, 000 for agriculture. An interest-free loan … Read more

Shehbaz Sharif Wants The NA Speaker To Issue A Production Order For Khursheed Shah

Shehbaz Sharif Wants The Na Speaker To Issue A Production Order For Khursheed Shah

Shahbaz Sharif, the leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Opposition leader, has urged the National assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser to issue a production order for PPP leader Khursheed Shah. Shahbaz raised this matter in an open letter to the NA speaker. Shahbaz Sharif has urged the NA speaker to issue production orders for … Read more

Shahbaz Sharif Appears Before FIA In Sugar Scandal

Shahbaz Sharif Appears Before FIA In Sugar Scandal

In a money-laundering probe that includes a sugar mill owned by the Sharif family, PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday appeared before the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to face an investigation.

The notice was sent to Shahbaz in the National Assembly that asked for a response to Rs25 billion allegedly having been sent to accounts of low-grade employees of the Ramzan Sugar Mill. A questionnaire of twenty items was sent via his advisor and he was asked to send responses along with his signature.

In another inquiry, the FIA has called Hamza Shahbaz on June 24.

The FIA called Shahbaz at 11 am, but, he arrived for the inquiry at 11:47 am.

Shahbaz and Hamza previously obtained pre-arrest bail till 10th July from a banking court that in its written verdict, directed both to submit bail bonds of Rs1 million each.

In the event the amount is not submitted, FIA reserves the right to arrest Shahbaz and Hamza. It is also mandatory for both to appear before the FIA whenever they are called.

A five-member FIA team interrogated him for half an hour, where Director FIA Punjab Zone-1 Dr. Rizwan leading the interrogation.

 

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Security was beefed up outside the FIA offices before Shahbaz’s arrival. A large crowd of PML-N supporters gathered outside the building.

When Shahbaz was leaving, officials called him again, sources said, adding that it was not clear on whose instructions and why he was called again. He was questioned for half an hour more.

FIA officials refrained from commenting on the matter.

Marriyum Aurangzeb, a PML-N spokesperson, speaking to media on the occasion, said that Shahbaz had been called due to the “FIA-Niazi nexus”.

She added, “FIA’s office is Imran Khan’s office now, just like NAB’s office was established at Prime Minister House. But now, after the fall of the NAB-Niazi nexus, the FIA-Niazi nexus has come into play,”

 

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