ISLAMABAD, Feb 15 (EW):  The federal government has convened a session of the National Assembly today after President Arif Alvi refused to approve the ordinance regarding the imposition of new taxes. A meeting of the federal cabinet was presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in which the country’s economic and political situation came under discussion. The meeting participants also …

  ISLAMABAD, Feb 14 (EW): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday asked the provinces and administrative units to submit a comprehensive strategy to the federal government on the provision of food items at subsidized rates during the holy month of Ramazan. Chairing a meeting on the availability of essential commodities and food items, he stressed using technology to control the …

  KARACHI, Feb 14 (EW): Remittances from Pakistani citizens working abroad fell to a 32-month low of $1.9 billion in January, the central bank data showed on Monday, primarily as a result of an increase in the use of illegal routes by these migrants to send money home. In January, remittances to Pakistan decreased by 13 percent compared with the …

  ISLAMABAD, Feb 14 (EW):  Pakistani authorities informed the international Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday night that the government was going to lay down different tax proposals before the federal cabinet on Tuesday (today) to get its final nod in order to fetch additional taxation of Rs170 billion through a presidential ordinance. The IMF has suggested adopting the path of permanent …

  LAHORE, Feb 13 (EW): \ Prime Minis­ter Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday issued directives for speedy completion of solar and wind energy projects. While chairing a meeting on renewable energy, he said it was the government’s main priority to encourage the production of electricity through solar and wind energy sources. The renewable sources would produce low-cost and environment-friendly electricity, he …

  ISLAMABAD, Feb 13 (EW):  Clearing the air of uncertainty about his party affiliation, former prime minister and senior politician Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has categorically stated that he will contest the upcoming elections only on the ticket of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN). Rumours started making rounds on social media that Abbasi was quitting the PMLN and setting up a new …

  NANKANA SAHIB, Feb 13 (EW):   Police on Sunday arrested 12 suspects involved in the lynching of an alleged blasphemer in Nankana Sahib, a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the incident. The suspects were identified through the videos after the investigation was launched into the ghastly incident, Punjab police said in a statement. On Saturday, a …

  United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Sunday described terrorism as an “affront to humanity” and called on the international community to not lower its guard against it. His remarks marked the first-ever ‘International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism as and when Conducive to Terrorism’. The UN chief described terrorism as an “affront to humanity as …

  UN Relief chief Martin Griffiths has said that the death toll from massive earthquake in Turkiye and Syria will double or more from its current level of 28,000. Griffiths arrived on Saturday in Turkey’s southern city of Kahramanmaras. In an interview with Sky News on Saturday, Griffiths said: “I think it is difficult to estimate precisely as we need …

  ISLAMABAD, Feb 10 (EW):  Minister of State for Petroleum Musadiq Malik has said that the deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will have an impact on the common man. Speaking to Hamid Mir in Geo News programme ‘Capital Talk’ on Thursday, the minster said that the government was striving to ensure minimum effect of deal on the common …