ISLAMABAD: A study published by the Asian Development Bank finds that Pakistani migrants tend to remit more when economic conditions are improving back home and when there is positive association between remittances and domestic economic activity. “This suggests that there is an opportunistic dimension to the remittance motives of Pakistani migrants. They remit money to take advantage of investment opportunities in times of economic upswings in their home country,” according to the study titled, “Understanding the Drivers of Remittances to Pakistan”, published this month. The results also show evidence of a negative association between domestic equities and remittance growth: a…
Author: Hasnain Abid Khanzada
ISLAMABAD: The Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has expressed serious concerns over the country’s deteriorating financial affairs, which have resulted in less than 4 per cent of the over Rs38.67 trillion budget being available for socio-economic services. Besides, around 93pc of supplementary grants, worth over Rs8tr, are not approved by the parliament and remain unspent, representing a loss of public resources. In its report on the audit year 2023-24, the AGP said that major financial management issues of the federal government during the fiscal year 2022-23 pertained to “unnecessary allocation of supplementary grants leading to blocking of public funds, the…
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved Rs502 million for the irrigation department to cover the repair and replacement costs of the damaged gates of Sukkur Barrage. The CM approved the funds while presiding over a meeting here at CM House. Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro, Secretary to CM Raheem Shaikh, Irrigatio Secretary Zarif Khero and other officers attended the meeting. The CM was informed that the emergency works cost Rs502m. The irrigation department was already facing a deficit, as the allocated funds were much less than the requirement according to the yardstick. Irrigation Secretary Khero, while…
KURRAM: A police official embraced martyrdom while another was injured in a militant attack on a police checkpoint in central Kurram tribal district on Sunday. Police sources said a group of militants stormed a police checkpoint in Marghai Cheena area of central Kurram with heavy weapons. As a result of the attack, Quwwat Khan embraced martyrdom while constable Shehzad suffered injuries. After the attack, the militants set the checkpoint on fire, the police sources said. The deceased policeman was a native of the area and was laid to rest in his native town. Police officials and locals participated in his…
RAWALPINDI: Fearing protest by the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) employees in front of Parliament House on Monday (today), the capital administration has planned to block the “Red Zone” with 97 freight shipping containers along with a deployment of a large number of police personnel. As employees of the USC staged protests in several parts of the country against proposed closure of stores, the government has dispelled the impression that the utility stores were to be shut down. The USC employees have now planned to protest outside the Parliament House on Monday due to which the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration has planned…
ISLAMABAD: Best by internal differences, the PTI has found itself in a new predicament as former president Arif Alvi has expressed reluctance to head the committee formed to bridge gaps among different groups. Sources have told Dawn the former president has not given his consent to play the role of a mediator. “We have been trying to convince him to play his role. In case [he] declines, we may look for some other figure who has to be acceptable and well respected for all sections of the party,” a senior leader said while wishing not to be quoted. The PTI leader said…
LAHORE: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said that the country can progress again provided invisible hands do not pull legs of the government. “(We) can work wonders and make the country great treading fast on the path of progress provided the invisible hands do not again pull legs (of the government),” he said, while speaking at the shrine of Ali Hajveri, better known as Data Gunj Baksh, here on Sunday. He said the country became a nuclear and missile power during the PML-N government, which would now make it an economic power too. He recalled the…
QUETTA/GWADAR: Armed men attacked Levies and police stations in Mastung, Kalat, Pasni and Suntsar, while gun and grenade attacks were also reported from the area along Quetta-Zahedan railway track and other parts of Balochistan late on Sunday night. According to reports, armed men attacked Pasni police station and after thrashing personnel burnt three vehicles and motorcycles parked there. Another police station in Suntsar, a coastal town of Gwadar, was ransacked and the attackers took away official weapons. Officials said that armed men attacked Levies Thana Khadkocha and took personnel hostage while in Kalat armed men exchanged fire with law enforcement…
ISLAMABAD: A fact-finding mission of the United Nations and three relief agencies has reported extensive damages and displacement due to the recent floods in Sindh’s Khairpur and Sukkur districts and Balochistan. Along with the UN, three relief agencies — Islamic Relief, Concern Worldwide, and Bhittai Social Watch and Advocacy (BSWA) — had sent their missions to the districts to identify the needs of the affected population, the response to floods, and gaps in relief activity. Four union councils in the Kutcha areas of Khairpur district suffered significant damage, resulting in the displacement of 33,178 persons, including 11,060 men, 13,700 women and 4,209…
LAHORE: With a renewed push to sort out differences, the PML-N and PPP meeting on Sunday remained inconclusive as both sides agreed to hold another sitting this week. The leaders of the two parties met at the Punjab Governor House and discussed issues relating to governance in Punjab. It was the fifth sitting of the coordination committees of both parties and was held days after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari at the PM House. The PML-N committee included Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, acting Punjab Governor Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, PM’s Advisor on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah…
