Pakistan Financial News

China has rolled over a $2 billion loan to Pakistan, caretaker finance minister Shamshad Akhtar confirmed in a response to Reuters on Thursday. The $2 billion loan was due in March and has been extended for one year, Geo News which first reported the news said, citing sources in the Pakistan finance ministry. Beijing had communicated the decision to Islamabad, it added.

New Delhi stating that the nation that has institutionalized the systemic persecution of its minorities and has a truly abysmal human rights record has no right to comment on India. Speaking at the high-level segment of the 55th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council, First Secretary Anupama Singh on Wednesday said it is regrettable that the Council's forum has once again been abused to propagate flagrantly false accusations about India.

Sharif said 'Shehbaz is the best choice for the prime ministership, especially in the current circumstances Pakistan is in’, English daily Dawn reported. “Nawaz officially nominated his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif and party loyalist Sardar Ayaz Sadiq for the posts of prime minister and speaker of the National Assembly.

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Jab We Met, Mohabbatein and others have been re-released over the past few weeks, as have southern language hits from the 1990s and 2000s. While ticket prices are kept nominal to ensure footfalls, trade experts point to the tactic to keep things going at a time when returns from new titles have hit rock bottom.

Rajya Sabha member Syed Naseer Hussain posted a video in 'clarification' of alleged pro-Pakistan sloganeering in the state's Vidhana Soudha by his supporters during celebration following his victory declaration. In a video post shared on 'X', Hussain said, «Today, as some of our party supporters and workers and some people were celebrating the victory of three candidates, I was there in the midst of them and then lots of slogans like 'Naseer Hussain Zindabad', 'Naseer Khan Zindabad', 'Naseer Sahab Zindabad' and 'Congress Party Zindabad' were being raised by some of the workers.» «Then all of a sudden as I was leaving for my house, I got called by the media saying that somebody had raised slogans of 'Pakistan Zindabad'. I would like to say here that when I was there in the midst of the people, a lot of slogans were being raised but I never heard the slogan 'Pakistan Zindabad', but whatever it is we have asked the police and let the police investigate it,» he said further.

indicted jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his third wife Bushra Bibi on Tuesday on charges that they allegedly received land as a bribe by misusing his office during his premiership, his party said. The latest charges follow a string of convictions against Khan in the months leading up to the Feb. 8 national election, where his supporters won the most seats overall.

Ravi River to Pakistan. Situated on the Punjab-Jammu and Kashmir border, this project will help Jammu and Kashmir region and Punjab to benefit as previously the water was destined for Pakistan. Some media outlets in Pakistan termed it as 'Water Terrorism' despite Indus Waters Treaty giving India exclusive rights over the water usage of the Ravi river. Pakistantoday.com.pk reported the news under the headline of "‘Water terrorism’ intensifies as India stops Ravi River water to Pakistan". The Dawn reported that a rally was organized in Lahore, calling for a review of the Indus Waters Treaty between Pakistan and India and restoration of the natural flow of rivers, including the Ravi. They urged the government to prevent toxic sewage from draining into the Ravi and other abandoned rivers. A Samma.tv report accused India of India persuing 'water terrorism' agenda. (Also read: India completely stops Ravi river water flow to Pakistan. Historical context and significance)

Congress in Karnataka and BJP have locked horns over UK professor Nitasha Kaul being denied entry into India for the state-organised conference on the Constitution over the last weekend. The ruling Congress has hit out at the BJP, calling the incident yet another example of how the Centre restricts both individual and state rights. “It is a stark reminder of the multiple challenges to the constitutional idea of India. All patriotic Indians must reflect on these threats and unite to reclaim our Constitution,” Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa said on Monday. The Karnataka government, he added, had every right to host a programme on Constitution awareness and invite an expert to speak at the convention. Industries Minister MB Patil said the incident showed what type of democracy there was in India. “This is not a good thing for our country because in our country Baba Saheb Ambedkar has given a world class Constitution where everyone’s views are respected. There is a freedom to talk,” he said.

Article 370 Box Office Collection Day 4: Yami Gautam's new Bollywood movie, Article 370, managed to pass the Monday test and earned ₹3.25 crore net at the box office. The movie, directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale and produced by Jio Studios and B62 Studios, has received positive responses from critics and audiences alike. The movie opened on February 23 with ₹5.9 crore net collections.

S Jaishankar on Monday said that on India's western front, the long-standing challenge of cross-border terrorism now elicits more befitting responses. Speaking at Pandit Hriday Nath Kunzru Memorial Lectures 2024 on 'Bharat and the World' at Convention Centre, JNU, S Jaishankar said, «On the western front, the long-standing challenge of cross border terrorism now elicits more befitting responses. »Believe me, Uri and Balakot sent their own message," he added.

Balakot airstrike, a historic military operation conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in response to the Pulwama terror attack. The Balakot airstrike, conducted on February 26, 2019, was a meticulously planned and executed operation that demonstrated India's unwavering commitment to national security. The codeword "Bandar Mara Gaya" was reportedly used to relay the success of the mission, signaling the elimination of a significant threat. Background and Context The operation was a response to the heinous Pulwama terror attack on February 14, 2019, where a suicide bomber affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed targeted a convoy of Indian paramilitary personnel, resulting in the loss of over 40 lives. In a swift and calculated move, the IAF struck the terror camps in Balakot, situated deep inside Pakistani territory, sending a strong message that India would not tolerate cross-border terrorism.

Zomato sparked a playful exchange reminiscent of a popular Instagram meme. In this game, participants typically engage in a series of silly phrases and actions, such as saying “Ek machhli" (one fish) followed by “Paani mein gayi" (went into the water), while incrementally adding to the count of fish.

Bengaluru airport. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Kashmiri Pandit academic based in London wrote, “Denied entry to #India for speaking on democratic & constitutional values.

Civil Society Organisations Sunday said that there is no mandate for the adoption of the proposed agreement on investment facilitation for development (IFD) which is being negotiated by a group of members of the World Trade Organization (WTO), led by China. A WTO decision of 2004 prohibits negotiations on investment facilitation and efforts are on to bring the issue in through plurilateral means. Around 130 members support the pact. The US, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are also not part of this proposed pact. India and South Africa have opposed it as it neither has the WTO mandate or its members’ consensus and cannot be brought to the formal process in the WTO.

Also read | Pakistan election 2024: Presidential polls set to take place by March 9 This will translate into the Jammu and Kashmir region now benefitting from the 1150 cusecs of water that was previously allocated to Pakistan. The water is expected to be utilised for irrigation purposes, benefiting over 32,000 hectares of land in the Kathua and Samba districts.

PTI, the report, released by the Aircraft Investigation Board (AIB), detailed the reasons behind the Airbus 320's failure to land safely at Karachi airport, resulting in its crash into a residential area adjacent to the airport. The primary cause of the fatal crash, resulting in the loss of 101 lives, including 99 passengers, was attributed by the board to the pilots' lack of appropriate judgment during landing. Additionally, numerous homes in the vicinity and parked vehicles were wrecked and harmed in the incident.

Shahpur Kandi barrage has effectively ceased the flow of water from the Ravi river into Pakistan, according to a report. Located on the Punjab-Jammu and Kashmir border, this development signifies a significant shift in water allocation, with the Jammu and Kashmir region now set to benefit from the 1150 cusecs of water previously destined for Pakistan. The diverted water will serve irrigation purposes, providing a boon to over 32,000 hectares of land in the Kathua and Samba districts. Despite facing numerous challenges over the past three decades, the Shahpur Kandi barrage project, essential for irrigation and hydropower generation, is on the brink of completion. Under the 1960 Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan, India possesses exclusive rights over the waters of the Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas rivers, while Pakistan controls the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers. The successful implementation of the Shahpur Kandi barrage empowers India to maximize the utilization of the Ravi river's waters, redirecting previously allocated resources from the old Lakhanpur dam towards Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.

Pakistan’s imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan is writing a letter to the International Monetary Fund urging it to link any talks with Islamabad to an audit of the country’s recent election

CEO Carl Pei, now known as 'Carl Bhai' on X (formerly Twitter), engaged with the Indian audience and expressed enthusiasm for the market. The smartphone is set to debut in India and global markets on March 5, with notable features and a competitive price point. Apple's recent release, the Vision Pro, garnered mixed reactions among users.

Indian warship provided critical assistance to a merchant vessel after it caught fire following a suspected drone or missile attack in the Gulf of Aden, the latest in a series of such support missions in the region. Palau-flagged vessel MV Islander came under attack on Thursday and a crew member of the ship sustained injuries, Indian military officials said on Saturday. An explosive ordnance disposal team of the Navy embarked the vessel and sanitised it for any residual risk following which the vessel was cleared for onward transit, they said. The fresh incident comes amid growing global concerns over attacks on various commercial vessels in the Red Sea by Houthi militants.

Pakistan government has finally approved the commencement of the much-delayed construction work on its segment of the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline which will help address the increasing energy needs of the cash-strapped country. The approval, which came after a delay of several years, for the first phase of the 80-km segment inside Pakistan was given by the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) of the interim government just days before the new government takes office after the February 8 elections. «The Pakistan government has approved the start of construction work on its segment of the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline,» said an official statement.