Washington/Doha: The United States has formally pledged to protect Qatar from any external aggression, declaring that any armed attack on Qatari territory will be treated as a direct threat to Washington itself. The landmark decision came through an Executive Order signed by US President Donald Trump on Monday, marking a rare moment when America extended such an explicit security guarantee to a Gulf Arab state. In light of continuing threats to the State of Qatar posed by foreign aggression, it is the policy of the United States to guarantee the security and territorial integrity of Qatar against external attack, the…
Author: Imran Ali Khan
Islamabad: Pakistan has successfully repaid its $500 million Eurobond on schedule, reinforcing its commitment to financial discipline and sending a strong signal to international markets about its improving economic fundamentals. The Eurobond, issued in 2015 for a 10-year period, matured on September 30, 2025. Despite years of economic turbulence and debt concerns, the timely repayment has been hailed as a steady step towards sustainable recovery. Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Adviser to the finance minister Khurram Shehzad confirmed the development that timely debt servicing remains business as usual, reflecting the country’s commitment to financial discipline. Shehzad emphasized…
Islamabad: Pakistan has achieved a significant breakthrough in its energy sector with the discovery of substantial oil and gas reserves in the Khairpur district of Sindh. The discovery, made by Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) at the Bettarsim East-1 well, is being hailed as a major step toward reducing the country’s dependency on energy imports and achieving long-term self-reliance. According to the OGDCL spokesperson, the newly discovered reserves are expected to produce 22.5 million cubic feet of natural gas per day, along with approximately 690 barrels of crude oil daily. This significant addition to the domestic energy supply…
Washington D.C. / Islamabad: United States of America President Donald J. Trump has credited Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir with acknowledging his diplomatic efforts in preventing a full-scale war between India and Pakistan a conflict Trump claimed could have escalated into a nuclear confrontation, endangering millions of lives across the subcontinent. Speaking during an address to senior U.S. military officials at the Department of Defense, Mr. Trump recounted a meeting with Pakistan’s Prime Minister and the Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, during which, he said, the Pakistani military leader lauded him for his timely intervention” that helped…
ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Tuesday announced another increase in the prices of petroleum products, with petrol hiked by Rs4.07 per litre, setting the new rate at Rs268.68, while high-speed diesel (HSD) saw a rise of Rs4.04, reaching Rs276.81 per litre. The revised prices will come into effect from October 1, 2025, for the next fortnight. The fresh hike follows the previous fortnight’s upward revision when the price of HSD was raised by Rs2.78 per litre, from Rs269.99 to Rs272.77. The back-to-back increases have sparked fresh concerns over inflationary pressures, particularly as higher diesel rates directly impact transportation and agricultural…
ISLAMABAD: In a late-night move on Tuesday, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) extended the deadline for filing income tax returns for the tax year 2025 by 15 days, pushing the new cutoff date to October 15, 2025. The tax authority said the decision was made under Section 214A of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, in response to persistent demands from trade bodies, tax bar associations, and members of the general public. Until just a day earlier, however, the FBR had categorically denied reports of any extension, declaring September 30 as the final date. In a strongly worded statement on…
KARACHI: The Karachi Tax Bar Association (KTBA) has launched a scathing attack on the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), holding it directly responsible for what it calls a “2025 return filing disaster.” In a strongly worded letter to the FBR chairman, the association accused the tax authority of negligence, legal violations, and creating chaos for millions of taxpayers due to mismanagement of its online filing system, IRIS. KTBA President Ali A. Rahim said the problems were not simply technical. What we are witnessing is not just a glitch it is an institutional failure, he declared. Tax consultants across Pakistan have…
In a display of technological prowess and strategic vision, Pakistan on Tuesday successfully test-fired the indigenously developed Fatah-4 cruise missile a landmark achievement that marks a new chapter in the nation’s defense capabilities. The missile test conducted by the Pakistan Army, underscores the country’s growing self-reliance in military technology and its commitment to maintaining regional stability through credible deterrence. What makes the Fatah-4 particularly remarkable isn’t just its impressive 750-kilometer range, but its intelligent design. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the missile is equipped with advanced avionics and state-of-the-art navigational aids that give it a unique tactical edge.…
Riyadh: Former Saudi intelligence chief and ambassador, Prince Turki Al-Faisal, has sounded the alarm over the security of Gulf states in the wake of Israel’s recent strike on Qatar. Speaking at the Dean of Ambassadors Gala Dinner in Riyadh, Prince Turki denounced Israel as a “rejected state” and branded the attack on Hamas leaders in Doha as both aggression and treachery. Prince Turki cautioned that the incident underscored a growing vulnerability for Gulf nations and urged regional states to review their security policies in light of shifting threats. “The attack on Qatar poses a direct threat to the collective security…
RIYADH/PARIS: Saudi Arabia has taken another decisive step in advancing its technological ambitions by joining the Global Network of Artificial Intelligence Supervisory Authorities (GNAIS), established under UNESCO. The Kingdom’s Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) will represent Saudi Arabia in the network, marking a milestone that strengthens the country’s role in shaping global AI governance. The announcement came during the inaugural GNAIS meeting at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, where representatives from member states and international organisations discussed the network’s founding principles, membership criteria, capacity-building resources, and the framework for monitoring and oversight. The gathering also addressed practical projects, working groups,…