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In a significant move to stimulate business activity and attract foreign direct investment (FDI), the federal government has prepared a wide-ranging reform package aimed at protecting industries and the private sector from harassment. The proposed measures include full digitalization of sales tax processes, legal safeguards for investors, and limits on the intervention of regulatory bodies. The government has decided to completely digitalize all sales tax processes to ensure transparency and reduce human interference. According to official documents obtained by Samaa TV, fines and surcharges on one-time return revisions will be abolished as part of the reform package. Authorities say these steps…

Pakistan’s role in counter-terrorism and regional stability has received renewed global recognition, with the United States describing Islamabad as an important partner in the region. US Assistant Secretary of State Paul Kapoor emphasized that cooperation between the two countries is expanding across multiple strategic sectors. Paul Kapoor stated that collaboration between the United States and Pakistan in the mineral resources sector is steadily advancing. He noted that bilateral trade in energy and agriculture is also progressing rapidly, reflecting stronger economic ties between the two countries. According to officials, these developments signal a broader effort to deepen economic engagement alongside security…

Pakistan and Russia held discussions on launching a direct flight between Moscow and Islamabad on the sidelines of the OIC ministerial conference in Istanbul. Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan met Russian Deputy Minister for Transport Zverev Dmitry Stanislavovich during the conference. Both sides agreed to promote land and air connectivity between the two countries. The Russian deputy minister invited Aleem Khan to attend the International Transport and Logistics Forum scheduled to take place in Saint Petersburg on April 1-3, 2026. Talks were also held on increasing bilateral banking channels and removing existing obstacles affecting trade and transport. Aleem…

Just ahead of the International Monetary Fund’s visit to Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates has rolled over a $2 billion loan to Islamabad for another two months, providing crucial support to the country’s external financing position. The development comes as Pakistan prepares for the IMF’s third economic review under its $7 billion loan program. According to officials from the Ministry of Finance, the UAE has extended the $2 billion deposit until April 16 and 22. Previously, the UAE had rolled over the same amount for only one month, with that extension set to expire on February 16 and 22. Pakistan…

The much-anticipated T20 World Cup clash between Pakistan and India could face disruption due to rain, with thunderstorms forecast in Colombo on match day. According to the Meteorological Department, there is a strong likelihood of rainfall during the scheduled match hours, raising concerns for fans and teams alike. Weather officials have predicted thunderstorms in Colombo on Sunday, with intermittent rain and gusty winds expected throughout the day. The forecast shows a 55 to 60% chance of rain in the afternoon and evening, while reports indicate a 55 to 59% probability of rainfall between 1:30pm and 6:30pm — directly overlapping with…

Residents across parts of Sindh and Balochistan were shaken after earthquake tremors were felt in multiple cities on Friday. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), a 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck near Khuzdar, with tremors recorded at a depth of 13 kilometers. The tremors were felt in Zehri and its adjacent areas located in the eastern part of Khuzdar district. The PMD confirmed that the earthquake measured 5.6 on the Richter scale, with its depth recorded at 13km beneath the surface. Despite the noticeable shaking, there were no immediate reports of casualties or property damage from the affected areas. Tremors…

Just weeks after a dramatic purge of China’s top general, the CIA is moving to capitalize on any resulting discord with a new public video targeting potential informants in the Chinese military. The US spy agency on Thursday rolled out the video depicting a disillusioned mid-level Chinese military officer, in the latest US step in a campaign to ramp up human intelligence gathering on Washington’s strategic rival. It follows a similar effort last May that focused on fictional figures within China’s ruling Communist Party that provided detailed Chinese-language instructions on how to securely contact US intelligence. CIA Director John Ratcliffe…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday the US needed to put more pressure on Russia if it wanted the war to end by summer, adding it was unclear whether Moscow would attend US-brokered peace talks next week. The Ukrainian leader, who has said previously that Washington wants to end the four-year-old war by June, said Russia was still deliberating over whether to participate in the proposed next round of trilateral peace talks in Miami. Zelenskiy said Ukraine was ready to attend the meeting, which follows two rounds of trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi over the past month that have…

US President Donald Trump is planning to scale back some tariffs on steel and aluminium goods, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. Trump hit steel and aluminium imports with tariffs of up to 50% last year, including the country rate on the non-steel and non-aluminum content. The administration is now reviewing the list of products affected by the levies and plans to exempt some items, halt the expansion of the lists and instead launch more targeted national security probes into specific goods, the report added. Reuters could not immediately verify the report.

Less than two months after returning from nearly two decades of self-imposed exile in London, Tarique Rahman is poised to become Bangladesh’s next prime minister following a dramatic electoral turnaround. A coalition led by his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) crossed the halfway mark in parliamentary elections during early counting on Friday, according to local broadcaster Ekattor TV — marking one of the most remarkable political comebacks in the country’s history. Thursday’s election signaled a stunning reversal of fortune for the soft-spoken 60-year-old leader. Rahman left Bangladesh in 2008 after being released from detention under a military-backed caretaker government that had…