When Pakistan received tranche of US$1.2 billion from International Monetary Fund (IMF), it was anticipated that PKR would find solid ground against the US$. However, against expectations, the currency continued depreciation. While the country’s borrowing needs for the year are fully met, the outlook beyond FY23 remains uncertain. As per the latest IMF document, Pakistan’s gross borrowing needs over the […]

The Pakistan Stock Exchange benchmark index for 3Q2022 declined 1% after falling 8% in 2Q2022. The index has now recovered 3% from its 2022 low of 39,831 touched on July 21, 2022. This was on the back of revival of IMF program and expectations of increased foreign flows. To recall, the IMF Executive Board approved release of US$1.1 billion tranche […]

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari wants the world to engage the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) and has warned of dangerous consequences if Afghanistan’s rulers are again isolated. In an interview with AFP, Zardari cautioned against creating “parallel governance” after the United States, distrustful of the IEA, put Afghanistan’s frozen assets in a professional fund in Switzerland. “We’ve learned from […]

Pakistan and Afghanistan have deep rooted bonds of history, culture, geography and faith. Always Pakistan extended a helping hand to Afghanistan and continues to stand by their Afghan brothers and sisters. Pakistan is an active partner to support economic and social development there. For this purpose, Pakistan has invested in building its relationships with Afghanistan in several fields including education, […]

The Pentagon said the proposed sale “greatly improves Pakistan’s ability to support counterterrorism operations through its robust air-to-ground capability”. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took a sharp dig at the US deciding to send the F-16 fighter jet fleet sustainment programme to Pakistan earlier this month to meet ‘current and future counterterrorism threats’, he said “you are not fooling anybody […]

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently warned that his country needs “an infinite amount of funding” to support flood relief efforts. Torrential rains and heavy flooding have killed more than 1,550 people and displaced millions. Compounding the challenge are Pakistan’s intensifying food and health crises, as flood-borne diseases surge and nearly two-thirds of the country’s food basket has been destroyed. […]

A court in Pakistan ordered terrorism charges against former Prime Minister Imran Khan dropped, saying that his alleged crime did not rise to the level of the charges. The charges were filed after a speech Khan gave last month in Islamabad in which he said he would sue police officers and a female judge over the arrest of his close […]

Authorities in Pakistan said they have offered the Taliban “intelligence and operational assistance” to hunt down the leader of a Pakistani militant group who is believed to be in Afghanistan. Masood Azhar, the head of the Jaish-e-Mohammed organization, was designated a global terrorist by the United Nations Security Council in 2019. The issue of Azhar’s presence in Afghanistan has been […]

When it comes to any terrorism related issue, Pakistan insists on taking the high moral ground and never tires of repeatedly reminding the world about its participation in the most extensive war against terror in history. And herein lies the paradox because ever since 2018, the name of this self-anointed crusader against terrorism continues to figure in the grey list […]

The president of Iran and the prime minister of Pakistan weighed plans for cooperation between the two neighbors in the energy industry. In a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Samarkand on Thursday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the idea of cooperation between Tehran and Islamabad in the energy […]