Islamabad: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised serious concerns over the effectiveness and independence of Pakistan’s top anti-corruption agency, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), describing it as a political compromise. In response, the government has agreed to implement significant reforms aimed at improving transparency, accountability, and integrity standards among high-level public officials. According to the IMF’s Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment (GCDA), released by the Ministry of Finance as part of the ongoing $7 billion loan programme, Pakistan will begin publishing asset declarations of senior public officials in 2026. The programme also includes risk-based verification of these declarations to…
Author: Imran Ali Khan
Kathmandu: Pakistani rapper Talha Anjum has been served a legal notice by a Pakistani citizen after he raised and wrapped himself in the Indian flag during a concert in Kathmandu last week, sparking nationwide outrage and heated debate online. The legal notice alleges that Anjum’s act inflicted widespread outrage, mental anguish, and profound injury to the national, patriotic, and religious sentiments of millions of Pakistani citizens both domestically and abroad. It also claims the incident exacerbated existing tensions between Pakistan and India, where diplomatic and military relations remain severely strained due to historical conflicts, border disputes, and ongoing security concerns.…
Bagh: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday celebrated Pakistan’s military success during the four-day clash with India in May, citing a recent report submitted to the United States Congress that, he said, validated Pakistan’s strategic superiority. Addressing the foundation-laying ceremony of a new Daanish School in Bagh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), the premier highlighted the role of advanced Chinese weaponry in Pakistan’s triumph. The exemplary performance of the Pakistan Armed Forces brought the enemy to its knees, by the grace of God, he stated, commending the leadership of Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir. The report, submitted…
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump announced that he has launched an initiative to help end the devastating war in Sudan an effort he says began immediately after a personal appeal from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during their high-profile White House meeting this week. Speaking at the US–Saudi Investment Forum, Trump said the Crown Prince persuaded him to view the Sudan conflict through a new lens, offering a detailed account of the region’s history, culture, and the catastrophic consequences of the ongoing violence. I viewed it as just sort of a freelance no government, no this, no that, Trump…
KYIV/WASHINGTON: The United States has quietly signaled to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Ukraine should accept a Washington-drafted framework for ending the war with Russia a proposal that includes ceding territory, reducing the size of its armed forces, and surrendering certain weapons systems, according to two people familiar with the discussions. The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said Washington wants Kyiv to agree to the core principles of the plan, which has already been shown to Moscow. Ukraine, notably, played no part in drafting the proposals. If adopted, the framework would mark a…
RIYADH: Pakistan asserted complete dominance in the men’s javelin throw at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games on Thursday, with Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem comfortably defending his title and teammate Muhammad Yasir securing silver in a dramatic final round finish. Arshad, widely regarded as one of the world’s elite throwers, entered the seven-man final as the outstanding favourite. His personal best of 92.97 metres achieved at the Paris 2024 Olympics towered over the rest of the field, and he quickly reaffirmed his supremacy. The 28-year-old claimed gold with a best throw of 83.05m, delivered on his second attempt. Although well short…
WASHINGTON/RIYADH: The United States and Saudi Arabia this week signed a landmark Strategic Artificial Intelligence (AI) Partnership, cementing a new phase in bilateral cooperation following a high-profile meeting at the White House between US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The agreement signed by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was hailed by both sides as a “historic step” that elevates the strategic relationship into the frontiers of future technology. It comes alongside the signing of the US–Saudi Strategic Defense Agreement (SDA) and Washington’s formal designation of the…
Washington/Islamabad:A report submitted to the US Congress has acknowledged Pakistan’s military success over India during the four-day conflict in May 2025, describing the clash as a real-time demonstration of China’s growing defense capabilities. The report, presented by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, noted that Pakistan claimed to have shot down seven Indian aircraft initially announcing five kills while denying the loss of any of its own planes. Islamabad also stated that it struck 26 Indian targets in retaliation for attacks on three of its airbases. Former US president Donald Trump, who has continued commenting on the confrontation, recently…
Washington, D.C.: In a landmark announcement on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump declared Saudi Arabia a “major, non-NATO ally,” a status previously granted to only 19 countries, including Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, and Qatar. The announcement came during a formal black-tie dinner at the White House, underscoring a new chapter in US-Saudi relations focused on deepening military and economic ties. Tonight, I’m pleased to announce that we’re taking our military cooperation to even greater heights by formally designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally, which is something that is very important to them, Trump said. He emphasized that while this…
Washington, D.C: The upcoming visit of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman, to the United States has been described as a historic milestone in bilateral relations, highlighting the strategic depth and evolving partnership between Riyadh and Washington. Saudi Ambassador to the U.S., Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, while speaking ahead of the visit, emphasized that the trip would open new and broader horizons for strategic cooperation between the two nations. Princess Reema said the visit symbolizes the deep-rooted partnership between the two countries and underscores the shared commitment of their leaderships to strengthen…