Author: MM Report

Aurangzeb hailed the initiative as a key step in Pakistan’s broader strategy to re-engage global capital markets and lure foreign investment MM Report DAVOS: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb outlined the government’s intentions during an interview with Bloomberg at the World Economic Forum in Davos, emphasizing that international financial advisers would be appointed in the coming weeks to guide a new bond issuance. Aurangzeb described the initiative as part of a wider strategy to reconnect Pakistan with global capital markets and attract international investment. For the first time, he said, the country was also preparing to issue panda bonds, denominated in…

MM Report DAVOS: The International Monetary Fund’s Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, praised Pakistan’s recent reform efforts and stressed the need to sustain momentum to ensure long-term economic resilience. Her remarks came during a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos. During the discussion, Prime Minister Sharif briefed Georgieva on Pakistan’s improving macroeconomic indicators, ongoing stabilization measures, and progress on structural reforms. PM Shehbaz highlighted the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline, enhanced revenue mobilization, and policies aimed at promoting sustainable growth, signaling a more predictable and investor-friendly…

MM Report SYDNEY: Former Australia batsman Mark Waugh said the Sydney Sixers might need to rethink their top-order combination ahead of the Big Bash League knockout match scheduled for January 23, suggesting that Babar Azam could be left out of the playing XI for the must-win fixture. Speaking during television commentary on the Hobart Hurricanes’ knockout clash against the Melbourne Stars, Waugh questioned whether the Sixers’ current batting setup was delivering the urgency required in high-pressure games. He said the side might benefit from a more explosive option at the top of the order, particularly in matches where fast starts…

MM Report DHAKA: Jamaat-e-Islami has secured 215 seats within a 10-party electoral alliance, while seven seats remain undecided, according to party officials. The remaining seats have been allocated among other alliance members, reflecting a complex distribution ahead of the upcoming national elections. The allocation breakdown includes the National Citizens’ Party (NCP) with 30 seats, Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis 23 seats, Khilafat Majlis 10 seats, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) 7 seats, Bangladesh Nezam-e-Islami Party 3 seats, Amar Bangladesh Party 3 seats, and Bangladesh Development Party 2 seats. Maulana Gazi Ataur Rahman, Jamaat-e-Islami’s assistant secretary general and spokesperson, confirmed that the final tally…

MM Report NEW DEHLI: A recent report published by the Indian news outlet The Wire drew renewed attention to allegations of human rights violations against religious minorities in India, particularly Muslims, and warned that such abuses were taking place under the oversight of the state. The report argued that the incidents it documented were not isolated or sporadic but formed part of what it described as a broader and systematic political and ideological project pursued under the RSS-influenced government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to The Wire, extremist Hindu groups had increasingly targeted Muslims in the name of religion,…

MM Report BEIJING: China has reported record exports for 2025, a year when US tariffs and trade policies under President Donald Trump caused turmoil in the global economy. Beijing announced on Wednesday that its trade surplus—the value of goods and services sold overseas compared with imports—reached $1.19tn (£890bn), the largest ever recorded. It is the first time China’s full-year trade surplus has passed $1tn, surpassing 2024’s figure of $993bn. China’s monthly export surpluses topped $100bn seven times last year, a sign that Trump’s tariff campaign had little effect on its overall trade with the world. While trade with the US…

MM Report MANAMA: President Asif Ali Zardari met King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain in Manama on Wednesday for talks aimed at strengthening the long-standing fraternal ties between the two countries. The discussions reflected a shared resolve to deepen cooperation and give practical momentum to bilateral engagement. The king conferred upon him the Order of Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa First Class, Bahrain’s highest award, in recognition of his contribution to strengthening Pakistan-Bahrain relations. The president also recorded his remarks in the palace visitors’ book. The president first held a one-on-one meeting with King Hamad, reviewing the…

Tehran claims US policy is designed for regime change, accusing Washington of using sanctions, threats and engineered unrest to destabilise Iran MM Report TEHRAN: Tehran has warned neighboring countries hosting US troops that it would retaliate against American bases if Washington intervenes in protests in Iran, a senior Iranian official told the international media outlet on Wednesday. Three diplomats said some personnel had been advised to leave the main US air base in the region. There were no immediate signs of a large-scale evacuation, unlike the rush of troops seen last year before an Iranian missile attack. US President Donald…

MM Report BEIJING: China has rejected India’s objections to infrastructure work in the Shaksgam Valley in Kashmir and New Delhi’s criticism of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). “First of all, the territory you have mentioned is part of China’s territory, and China’s infrastructure development activities in its own territory are beyond reproach,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said during her regular briefing on Monday. Mao said that Pakistan and China signed a border agreement in the 1960s and formally determined the border between the two countries. Spokesperson Mao Ning added that such agreements reflect the rights of Pakistan and…

MM Report WASHINGTON: A US-based research group, India Hate Lab, has reported a rise in hate crimes targeting minorities in India during 2025. According to the report, Muslims and other minority communities experienced a 13% increase in hate-related incidents compared with the previous year. The group noted that many of these incidents occurred in states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led nationally by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is a longstanding member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The report describes the RSS as the ideological backbone of the BJP, alleging that extremist elements within the organization are…