ISLAMABAD: In a major policy reversal, the federal government has withdrawn its notifications governing pension entitlement during re-employment, annulling decisions made earlier this year that restricted retirees from drawing salary and pension simultaneously. The move restores the status quo that existed prior to April 2025, offering immediate relief to thousands of government pensioners returning to service. An Office Memorandum (OM) issued by the Finance Division on Wednesday formally revoked its earlier notifications dated April 22 and June 19, 2025. The April notification, issued based on recommendations of the Pay and Pension Commission 2020, had required re-employed pensioners above the age…
Author: Imran Ali Khan
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday welcomed the positive momentum in Pakistan–Australia relations and underscored the need to expand bilateral trade and investment, identifying agriculture and livestock as key sectors with significant potential for enhanced cooperation. The remarks were made during a courtesy call by Australia’s newly appointed High Commissioner to Pakistan, Tim Kane, at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad. Felicitating the high commissioner on his appointment, the prime minister expressed confidence that his tenure would further strengthen the long-standing and friendly ties between the two countries, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Highlighting…
Pakistan is set to enter China’s onshore bond market for the first time with an inaugural Panda bond issuance of $250 million, part of a broader $1 billion programme, Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Friday. Chairing a high-level meeting at the Finance Division to review progress on the issuance, the finance minister was briefed by the Ministry of Finance’s Debt Management Office, along with senior officials, on regulatory approvals, investor outreach, and documentation status. According to an official statement, approvals from multilateral partners have already been secured, while engagement with Chinese institutional investors has remained constructive. Investor sentiment,…
Islamabad/Libia: Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, during his official visit to Libya, reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening defence ties with the North African country, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday. Upon arrival, Field Marshal Munir was received with a guard of honour by a disciplined contingent of the Libyan Armed Forces, reflecting the high-level protocol accorded to the visiting dignitary. During his visit, he held extensive meetings with Libya’s Commander-in-Chief, Field Marshal Khalifa Belqasim Haftar, and Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Lieutenant General Saddam Khalifa Haftar. According to the ISPR, the discussions…
Karachi: Pakistan’s auto financing market continued its gradual recovery in November, with outstanding auto loans rising to Rs318 billion, up from Rs315.4 billion in October, marking the 12th consecutive month of growth, according to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). While this upward trend signals positive momentum, experts note that the recovery remains modest compared to June 2022, when annual car sales volumes reached approximately 240,000 units and auto financing peaked at Rs368 billion, said Mashood Ali Khan, an industry analyst. The primary driver behind the recent uptick is the significant reduction in the policy rate, which…
Washington, D.C: The Trump administration has signaled a significant intensification of its efforts to strip certain naturalised Americans of their U.S. citizenship, according to internal guidance obtained by The New York Times. The directives instruct U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) field offices to submit 100–200 denaturalisation cases per month to the Office of Immigration Litigation in the 2026 fiscal year a stark increase from historical levels, which averaged roughly 11 cases per year between 1990 and 2017, according to the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. A USCIS spokesperson stated that the focus would remain on individuals who unlawfully obtained U.S.…
Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday ordered the removal of Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri from his position as a judge, ruling that his law degree was invalid at the time of his appointment. A division bench led by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Azam Khan announced the judgement, which had been reserved earlier, after reviewing a plea challenging the legitimacy of Justice Jahangiri’s LLB degree and his appointment as a high court judge. The court directed Justice Jahangiri to cease holding office immediately and instructed the Ministry of Law to denotify him as a…
Lahore, Pakistan: Former Punjab Chief Minister Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo passed away on Tuesday in Lahore at the age of 86. His grandson, columnist Hassan Kamal Wattoo, confirmed the news on social media platform X, saying that With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of my beloved grandfather, Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo. Funeral prayers will be held at the Wasawewala Stadium in Okara at 2pm tomorrow. Leaders across the country paid tribute to Wattoo’s decades-long public service. President Asif Ali Zardari, through a post on the Presidency’s X account, expressed deep grief, lauding Wattoo’s invaluable public service, role in strengthening…
Sydney, Australia: Australian authorities confirmed that the tragic Bondi Beach shooting, one of the nation’s deadliest mass shootings, was allegedly carried out by a father and son inspired by Islamic State ideology. The gunmen, identified as 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration, killing 15 people and injuring dozens more. Sajid Akram was killed by police, while Naveed remains in critical condition in hospital. Indian police revealed that Sajid Akram originated from Hyderabad, Telangana, but had limited contact with his family in India. Indian authorities confirmed that there was no prior record…
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb emphasized Pakistan’s strategic shift away from aid-based support towards trade- and investment-led engagement, particularly with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, to ensure long-term economic sustainability. In a recent interview with CNN Business Arabia, Aurangzeb outlined the government’s vision, driven by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which reflects Pakistan’s renewed economic confidence and ongoing reform momentum. Aurangzeb explained that over the past 18 months, Pakistan had implemented a comprehensive macroeconomic stabilization program that had yielded tangible results. He highlighted that inflation had been reduced to single-digit levels from an unprecedented 38%, and fiscal targets, including primary surpluses,…