14 h. ago Food or housing? Ahsan Iqbal sounds alarm on land conversion

Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal has raised a red flag over Pakistan’s growing housing sprawl. He warned that the rapid conversion of fertile farmland into housing societies is a major threat to national food security. Chairing a high-level committee in Islamabad on Wednesday, he called for urgent legislation and long-term planning to protect agricultural land. Iqbal […]

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43 h. ago ADB report highlights weak digital growth, calls for urgent reforms

ISLAMABAD – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has released a report on Pakistan’s digital ecosystem, stressing the urgent need for investment and reforms to improve connectivity and boost economic output. According to the report, Pakistan’s digital sector contributes only 1.5% to the country’s GDP, highlighting the sector’s underdevelopment. Fixed broadband access remains low at just […]

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6 d. ago Zelenskyy calls for urgent boost in defence funding amid Russian attacks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged leaders and businesses in Rome to increase defence investments as Russian attacks grow stronger. Speaking at the Ukraine Recovery Conference, he stressed that stopping Russian drones and missiles must be a top priority. He called for more supplies of air defence systems, interceptor drones, and missiles to protect the country. […]

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6 d. ago Aurangzeb urges swift action on population surge and climate crisis

ISLAMABAD – Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Thursday underscored the urgent need to tackle population growth and climate change, calling them two of the biggest threats to Pakistan’s future. Speaking at a World Population Day event hosted by the Ministry of National Health Services, he stressed that unchecked population growth was putting immense pressure on […]

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1 week ago Furniture council calls for urgent digital shift to boost economy

Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC) CEO Mian Kashif Ashfaq has called on the government to prioritise digital transformation to create a transparent, accountable, and efficient economic system. While chairing a PFC Board of Directors meeting on Saturday, Ashfaq emphasised that adopting modern digital tools improves transparency in financial activities, reduces corruption, and simplifies business operations across […]

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1 week ago UN nuclear inspectors exit Iran amid rising military tensions

Inspectors from the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), have safely departed Iran and returned to Vienna, according to an official statement from the agency. The IAEA is now calling for the urgent restoration of monitoring and verification activities in Iran, which were halted after Iran formally suspended cooperation last Wednesday. The […]

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1 week ago China helped Pakistan during India conflict, says Indian Army deputy chief

China gave Islamabad “live inputs” on key Indian positions during Pakistan’s deadly conflict with its neighbor in May, the deputy chief of India’s army said on Friday, calling for urgent upgrades to the country’s air defense systems. The nuclear-armed rivals used missiles, drones and artillery fire during the four-day fighting – their worst in decades […]

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2 w. ago PM Shehbaz celebrates historic 42% tax revenue growth, pushes for digital reforms

ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday lauded the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) for achieving a record 42% rise in federal tax revenue during FY 2024–25 — the highest in a decade. While chairing a high-level meeting to review FBR’s digitization and reform progress, the prime minister was […]

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2 w. ago Pakistan assumes UN security council presidency, renews call for Kashmir resolution

Pakistan has officially taken over the presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the month of July, with Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad calling for urgent attention to the Kashmir dispute. Speaking at a press conference in New York, he emphasized that the decades-old issue continues to fuel tensions between Pakistan and India and […]

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3 w. ago OIC foreign ministers condemn Israeli aggression, call for unity

ISTANBUL – Foreign ministers from more than 40 Islamic countries gathered in Istanbul on Saturday for a special session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The urgent meeting was called to address rising violence in Gaza and Israel’s recent strikes on Iran. Leaders strongly condemned Israeli actions and urged immediate dialogue to restore peace […]

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