Pakistan Financial News

While skipper Rohit Sharma will take charge of the squad from the front, the key highlight would be Pant who will return to the Indian Test squad after nearly 20 months for the two-match series against Bangladesh. Having played in the second and final Test against Bangladesh at Mirpur from December 22-25, 2022, Pant met a road accident a few days later on December 30 and made his return to top-flight cricket only in IPL this year. The 26-year-old swashbuckling batter returned to the national side in their title-winning campaign in the T20 World Cup.

Nehru’s First Recruits: The Diplomats Who Built Independent India’s Foreign Policy, is a reminder that India’s foreign policy did not take shape in the hands of the current external affairs ministry, but has been built on a long legacy of a storied foreign service founded in 1948 by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. As the title suggests, Bhattacherjee’s book is about India’s very first diplomats, the men and women recruited to the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in the first dozen years after independence who helped shaped an independent foreign policy for a country that had been a British colony for nearly two centuries.

Pakistan is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, it has got new hope. It has reportedly found a substantial deposit of petroleum and natural gas in its territorial waters. It's said to be so large that it can change the country's destiny. DawnNewsTV has reported that a three-year survey was undertaken in collaboration with a friendly country to verify the presence of the oil and gas reserves. Pakistan has been struggling with mounting debt and rising inflation for quite some time and has been depending substantially on foreign aid, which is often elusive. To make matters worse, political instability and rising terrorism in some provinces only add to Pakistan's economic plight. Can the new discovery save Pakistan? The news of the discovery of oil and gas reserves sure offers hope to Pakistan, but that hope lies buried at the bottom of the sea. It can't help Pakistan tide over its economic crisis in the near future.

Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir accepted that it was involved in the 1999 Kargil War on Saturday, reported Pakistani news channel G News Network. Lt Gen (retd) Shahid Aziz, Musharraf, Nawaz Sharif had accepted involvement, but not when they were in office. Munir was speaking at an event on the occasion of Pakistan Army Day. He said that the Pakistani army had given tough fight to its enemies over the years. «Be it 1948, 1965, 1971 or 1999 Kargil Pakistan-India wars, thousands of Shuhadas have sacrificed their life for the country and nation,» he said, adding that sacrifices continued even today. Munir said that the Pakistani army was brave and knew the importance and the cost of independence

BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari on Saturday reacted to former JK CM Omar Abdullah's remarks on Afzal Guru and said that his statement reflects mindset of INDIA alliance which is about backing the terrorists. Bhandari further praised PM Modi and his policies for Jammu and Kashmir and said that PM Modi has always a vision of development. BJP National Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said, «Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for Jammu and Kashmir has been a vision of development. It has been a vision which has ensured that there is no terror or terror is uprooted from the valley. On the other hand, the Congress party, Rahul Gandhi and Omar Abdullah, believe in giving soft support to terrorists. Omar Abdullah said that if it had been in his capacity, he would not have allowed Afzal Guru's hanging, a terrorist's hanging. This speaks volumes about the mindset of the INDI Alliance, which is about backing the terrorists. In the last 10 years, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed no stone pelting incident and the terror in the valley has gone down. We are extremely confident that that the people of Jammu and Kashmir will choose a BJP-led government in order to continue to be on the path of development.»

Pakistani origin person from the Toronto area is facing terror charges in both Canada and the United States, “for allegedly attempting to illegally enter the U.S. to carry out a mass shooting at a Jewish Centre in New York City”, according to a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) report. Press releases issued Friday by the U.S. Department of Justice and the RCMP identified the accused in the case as 20-year-old Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, who investigators say is also known by name Shahzeb Jadoon, according to CBC. Khan was arrested Wednesday in the town of Ormstown, Que., about 60 kilometres south of Montreal. U.S. authorities described him as a Pakistani citizen residing in Canada, CBC reported.

National Conference's manifesto, Union Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah said on Saturday that they want to bring back the old system and start talks with Pakistan but «till there is no peace, there will be no talks with Pakistan.» Criticising the Congress and National Conference's manifesto, Shah said that they want to spread terrorism, snatch reservations of Gujjars, Bakarwal, Paharis and Dalits, release criminals and start LOC trade with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir. Stating the BJP's 10 agendas for elections, Shah said, «Congress and NC want to bring back two flags, article in Jammu and Kashmir, will you? They want to snatch the reservation of Gujjars, Bakarwal, Paharis and Dalits. I want to tell one thing to Rahul Gandhi: no matter how much effort you put in, we will not let the reservation of Gujjars, Bakarwal, Paharis and Dalits be touched. Abrogation of Article 370 has given rights to women, will you let them snatch their rights? They want to release the criminals wrapped up in terrorism, but we won't let them spread terrorism in Jammu, Poonch, Rajouri, and Doda. They say we will re-start LoC trade, but who will benefit from it? There profit will be used in spreading terrorism. They want to talk to Pakistan but I want to say that till there is no peace, there will be no talks with Pakistan.»

Amit Shah on Saturday assured that Jammu and Kashmir's statehood would be restored after the Assembly elections a rally addressing BJP workers in Jammu. He termed the upcoming polls historic as it was the first under “one flag” and “one constitution”. Further, He accused the Congress-National Conference alliance of making attempts to revive the «old system». «The coming elections in J-K are historic because after Independence, the polls are happening for the first time under our national flag and Constitution, unlike in the past practice of two flags and two constitutions. We have only one prime minister from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and he is Modi,» Shah said.

A three-year survey was undertaken in collaboration with a friendly country to verify the presence of the oil and gas reserves, DawnNewsTV quoted a senior security official as saying on Friday. The geographic survey has allowed Pakistan to identify the location of the deposits, and the relevant departments have informed the government of the resources found in Pakistani waters.

The video quickly sparked rumors, with many fans questioning if it was from a real wedding. “OMG, my first thought was, ‘ARE THEY GETTING MARRIED?’” commented one fan, while another remarked, “Mahira and Fawad are true icons of Pakistan. Their chemistry still screams magic after 13 years!” However, insiders reveal that the footage is from an upcoming project, possibly a commercial. Despite this, the excitement hasn’t waned, with fans eagerly anticipating their next on-screen appearance together in Neelofer and JBHSSL.

Bangladesh's national anthem, a leading cultural organisation — Udichi Shilpi Gosthi — on Friday organised a nationwide protest against radicals demanding a new anthem and flag. In Dhaka, Udichi members and some other cultural organisations protested by singing the national anthem — written by Rabindranath Tagore. Speakers at the event said they will not tolerate any conspiracy against the country's national anthem. They also promised a united front against all malicious forces if such attempts are made.

Punjab, recently intercepted a Maruti Suzuki Swift driven recklessly. Despite the police's attempt to stop the vehicle, its occupants fled, ultimately crashing into police barricades. Inside the car, authorities discovered Harpreet Singh, alias Happy, and Lovepreet Singh, both with criminal backgrounds. A search of the vehicle uncovered four Glock 19 pistols—one marked 'Made for NATO army'—four magazines, seven live cartridges, and ₹4.8 lakhs in hawala money.

Coca-Cola and rival PepsiCo spent hundreds of millions of dollars over decades building demand for their soft drinks in Muslim-majority countries including Egypt to Pakistan. Now, both face a challenge from local sodas in those countries due to consumer boycotts that target the globe-straddling brands as symbols of America, and by extension Israel, at a time of war in Gaza. In Egypt, sales of Coke have cratered this year, while local brand V7 exported three times as many bottles of its own cola in the Middle East and the wider region than last year. In Bangladesh, an outcry forced Coca-Cola to cancel an ad campaign against the boycott. And across the Middle East, Pepsi's rapid growth evaporated after the Gaza war started in October. Pakistani corporate executive Sunbal Hassan kept Coke and Pepsi off her wedding menu in Karachi in April. She said she didn't want to feel her money had reached the tax coffers of the United States, Israel's staunchest ally.

Bangladesh made history by defeating Pakistan by 6 wickets in the second Test of the two-match series, securing a remarkable 2-0 series whitewash. This victory has dramatically reshaped the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 points table, further diminishing Pakistan's chances of reaching the final at Lord's in June 2025. With this series loss, Pakistan has plummeted to 8th place in the WTC standings, just above the last-placed West Indies. Pakistan's disappointing performance in the current WTC cycle has seen them win only two of their seven Test matches, leaving them with 16 points—the fewest among all nine teams—and a PCT of just 19.05. Bangladesh's triumph has propelled them to 4th place in the WTC table. With three wins and three losses, they have accumulated 33 points and a PCT of 45.83. Prior to this series, Bangladesh was in 6th place but has climbed two spots due to their impressive performance against Pakistan.

West Bengal Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a new bill, the Aparajita Women & Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024, even as the opposition continued their clamour for chief minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation. Law minister Moloy Ghatak introduced the new Bill. «The new bill includes certain amendments and aims to expedite investigation, ensure fast justice delivery and enhanced punishment,» Mamata Banerjee said in the House. Speaking on the bill, which seeks to make amendments in relevant provisions under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012, Mamata Banerjee said, «It was a matter of shame that the Prime Minister could not do what her government did». Demanding the resignation of the PM and the Union home minister, Banerjee said: «I have written two letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and wanted a stringent law on rape but there was no reply from the PM.»

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, thanks to the rain Gods here for not pouring down. The Tigers chased down a target of 185 in the second innings on the fifth day of the second test to clean sweep the series 2-0. At lunch on the fifth day of the second Test in Rawalpindi, Bangladesh reached 122-2, needing just 63 more runs for victory.

Kalna Dhanu Parole, situated south of the Pir Panjal range, is a village difficult to access, with inconsistent or nonexistent cell and internet service, according to the report (Sanjay Khajuria). The residents, accustomed to uncertainty and wary of nightly door knocks, live in precarious conditions, especially following a deadly terrorist ambush near Badnota on July 8 that killed five soldiers of the 22 Garhwal Rifles. A resident from the village was arrested on suspicion of aiding Pakistani terrorists. This summer has been particularly deadly for the Jammu region, with 15 security personnel killed since May and a total of 52 such casualties since 2021. Civilians have also suffered from terrorist attacks, leaving deep scars on the community. In response, the administration has increased security efforts, deploying additional paramilitary forces across districts with heightened terrorist activity such as Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kathua, and Reasi.

Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India, is awash with anti-India sentiment. That's because Hasina, who has been friendly with India, has taken shelter in India and an Islamist opposition including the main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and Jamaat-e-Islami feel empowered after Hasina's ouster. In fact, the BNP, which used to provide launch pads to anti-India terrorists during its rule, had started an «India Out» campaign months before Hasina's ouster. The BNP was understood to have taken a cue from Maldives ruling party that launched the “India-Out” campaign to win presidential polls last year. While Maldives President Md Muizzu’s “India Out” campaign was allegedly backed by China, the BNP is seen to be backed by Pakistan and many Western countries. While the interim government has said it will cooperate with India, anti-India sentiment has only increased along with attacks on the Hindu minority. Recently, one of the advisers to the interim govt, Mohammad Nahid Islam, blamed India for floods in Bangladesh. Islam alleged that flooding of districts on the eastern borders of Bangladesh had been caused by the opening of Dumbur dam upstream of the Gumti river in Tripura. India refuted his allegations.

Karachi, Dream Bazaar Mall, experienced chaos on its opening day when a large mob of people surged into the building, leading to vandalism and looting. The incident, which occurred on September 1, 2024, was marked by the apparent absence of police, leaving mall staff helpless in managing the unruly crowd. Videos of the chaos have since gone viral on social media. Dream Bazaar Mall, located in the Gulistan-e-Johar area of Karachi, was an ambitious project initiated by a Pakistani businessman living abroad. The mall's opening had generated significant anticipation due to special discounts offered to attract customers. The excitement quickly turned into disorder shortly after the mall opened its doors at 3pm. As soon as the gates were unlocked, a massive crowd surged forward, overwhelming the security personnel and forcing their way into the mall. According to videos circulating on social media, the frenzied crowd began vandalizing property and looting stores. They were seen attacking the security personnel who were attempting to control the situation.

Pakistan is facing a growing concern over the spread of mpox as Peshawar reports its fifth case this year, raising fears that the city may be emerging as a hub for patients arriving from the Gulf region, The Express Tribune reported. A 47-year-old man who recently returned from the Gulf region has tested positive for the virus and was isolated by Border Health Services staff on August 29. «This is the fifth mpox case reported in Pakistan this year and the fourth since WHO declared mpox a global health emergency,» said Dr. Shabana Saleem, Federal Director General of Health.

Pakistan on Sunday reported another case of monkeypox (mpox) virus amid the confusion about the total number of cases confirmed so far in the country. The fourth case was detected in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province where authorities confirmed three previous infections of the virus. «The medical team at Peshawar airport transferred the patient (fourth case) to the Police and Services Hospital (PSH) after detecting symptoms of the virus during the screening,» KP Health Director Dr Irshad Ali Roghani said. Roghani said the rapid response team took samples from the patient's wound in the hospital and sent it to the laboratory which confirmed mpox in the patient, who was reported in a stable condition.