A global parliamentary body has decided to send a representative to monitor the trials of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, his lawyer disclosed on Thursday. Khan’s lawyer, Khalid Yousuf Chaudhry, revealed that he discussed the former prime minister’s cases with an official from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), prompting the organization to send a trial observer. The IPU, which Pakistan is a member of, facilitates parliamentary diplomacy to promote global peace, democracy, and sustainable development. “The IPU representative was briefed on judicial proceedings in the £190 million case,” said Chaudhry. “They were also informed about the Toshakhana cases.” He added,…
Author: Web Desk
The Pakistani passport has been ranked among the weakest, securing the 103rd position in the 2025 Henley Passport Index, alongside Yemen. It offers visa-free access to only 33 countries. The Henley Index ranks 199 world passports based on the number of destinations they can access visa-free. The ranking relies on exclusive Timatic data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). For 2025, Singapore holds the top spot, granting visa-free access to 195 countries, while Japan ranks as the world’s second most powerful passport. Several EU countries, including France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, have dropped two places to third position. They…
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s alleged “cipher” as evidence of US involvement in regime change is not a one-page document but comprises 11 points, nine of which address trade and human smuggling, while two were framed as threats to build a political narrative. The cipher includes responses from US official Donald Lu to questions posed by Pakistan’s ambassador, which Imran Khan used to substantiate his claims of a conspiracy against his government. However, during the March 27 National Security Committee meeting, military leaders deemed the cipher harmless. Sources reveal that Imran Khan later sent three ministers to persuade then-Army Chief…
KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast a slight drop in the intensity of Karachi’s cold wave from Thursday night, predicting that the city’s weather will remain cold and dry over the next 24 hours. The minimum temperature in the port city was recorded at 8.5°C last night, while the Met Office predicts it may drop to 8–10°C in the next 24 hours. According to the PMD, the humidity level in the air is 81%, with light winds blowing from the northeast. At Jinnah Terminal, Karachi’s minimum temperature dropped to 6.2°C on Tuesday, marking one of the coldest points…
Supreme Court judges have raised concerns over the government’s decision to try civilians in military courts while other individuals involved in the same incidents are being tried in anti-terrorism courts (ATCs). During the hearing, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan stated, “In the May 9 incidents, cases against 103 accused were tried in military courts, while the rest are being tried in ATCs.” The constitutional bench, led by Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan, reviewed intra-court appeals challenging the trials of civilians in military courts. On October 23, 2024, a unanimous five-member bench of the Supreme Court declared civilians’ trials in military courts null and…
Karachi has been recognized as the top contributor to Pakistan’s tax revenue for the fiscal year 2024, significantly boosting the national economy. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) reported that the city played a crucial role in the country’s total tax collection. Specifically, Karachi contributed Rs1.36 trillion in income tax, Rs136.3 million in federal excise duty, and over Rs1 trillion in sales tax. This performance surpassed other major cities, emphasizing Karachi’s importance as a financial hub. Following Karachi, the Lahore Large Taxpayers Organization (LTO) secured the second position with over Rs1.402 trillion in tax revenues, while the Islamabad LTO ranked…
The benchmark KSE-100 Index at the Pakistan Stock Exchange recorded a significant increase of over 1,400 points during the opening hours of trading on Wednesday. By 9:50 AM, the index had reached 117,501.73 points, reflecting an increase of 1,449.05 points or 1.25%. Strong buying interest was observed across various key sectors, including automobile assemblers, cement, chemicals, commercial banks, fertilizers, oil and gas exploration companies, oil marketing companies, power generation, and refineries. Major index-heavy stocks such as NRL, PRL, HUBCO, PSO, SHEL, SSGC, MARI, OGDC, PPL, ENGRO, MCB, MEBL, and NBP were all trading in positive territory. Intermarket Securities commented on…
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced in a press conference in Islamabad that the rightsizing process for 43 ministries and their associated 400 departments will be completed by June 30 to reduce government expenditures and improve efficiency. He stated that during this fiscal year, by June 30, all recommendations and implementations regarding the 42 ministries and their departments will be finalized. The Finance Minister also revealed that 60% of the 150,000 vacant positions would be abolished or declared as “dead posts,” leading to significant financial savings. All decisions are being made with approval from the federal cabinet. Additionally, the committee has…
In Pakistan, the price of 24-karat gold increased by Rs1,000, reaching Rs276,000 per tola, compared to Rs275,000 on the previous trading day, according to the All Sindh Sarafa Jewellers Association. The price of 10-gram 24-karat gold rose by Rs857, reaching Rs236,625 from the previous Rs235,768. Similarly, the price of 10-gram 22-karat gold increased to Rs216,907 from Rs216,121. Silver prices remained unchanged at Rs3,350 per tola and Rs2,872.08 per 10 grams. In the international market, gold prices rose by $10, reaching $2,642 per ounce, up from the previous $2,632 per ounce.
As of January 7, 2025, the Pakistani rupee weakened by four paisa against the US dollar in the interbank market, closing at Rs278.66 compared to the previous day’s rate of Rs278.62. In the open market, the buying and selling rates for the US dollar were recorded at Rs278.60 and Rs280.10, respectively. The Euro saw an increase of Rs2.45, reaching Rs290.30 compared to the previous rate of Rs287.85. Meanwhile, the Japanese yen remained unchanged at Rs1.76. The British pound surged by Rs2.74, trading at Rs349.81, up from Rs347.07 the previous day. The exchange rates of the Emirati Dirham and Saudi Riyal…
