Author: Mehrab Shah Afridi

Pakistan arrests mastermind and facilitators of deadly Islamabad imambargah bombing that killed 33, raising urgent fears over worship place security By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Saturday that the alleged mastermind of the Islamabad suicide bombing, linked to the banned Daesh group, had been taken into custody along with all facilitators involved in the attack, as authorities claimed a major breakthrough in the investigation into one of the deadliest assaults in the capital in recent years. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Naqvi said the arrests were carried out in raids in Peshawar and Nowshera…

By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: Cotton House, a Pakistan-based global textile sourcing and supply organization, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Uzbekistan’s Agency for the Development of Textile, Leather, and Silk Industries, marking a new step in regional textile cooperation. The agreement was formalized by Nozimjon Kholmurodov, Director of the Uzbek agency, and Fouzia Atif, Founder and CEO of Cotton House, in a ceremony aimed at fostering closer ties between Uzbek manufacturers and international markets. The MoU is designed to integrate Uzbekistan’s textile sector into global supply chains through Cotton House’s extensive network of buyers across Europe, North…

Officials said the funding formed part of Trump administration initiatives to boost infrastructure and investment, strengthening economic ties in South Asia By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: The United States has approved a $130 million loan to support Pakistan’s landmark Reko Diq project, officials confirmed on Thursday, in a move hailed by industry experts as a potential turning point for the country’s mining and industrial sectors. The announcement followed a high-level meeting in Washington, chaired by the US Secretary of State, where senior officials and delegates from both countries discussed strategies to secure the supply of critical minerals. The discussions reportedly…

Audit reveals persistent Rs413.3bn fiscal gap, with Punjab contributing Rs144.4bn to the country’s Rs342bn provincial discrepancy By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: Debt servicing continued to outpace both defence and development spending in the first half of the current fiscal year, putting additional pressure on Pakistan’s economy under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, according to a report by Daily Metro Morningon Saturday. Statistics released by the Ministry of Finance showed that markup payments on the country’s accumulated public debt reached Rs3,563 billion in the first six months of CFY26, more than twice the combined allocations for defence (Rs1,044 billion) and…

By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Health Services, Syed Mustafa Kamal, announced that the government was taking decisive steps to make Basic Health Units (BHUs) fully functional across the country, aiming to ease the growing pressure on hospitals. Mustafa Kamal made the remarks while addressing a ceremony held by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan in Karachi, where health professionals and officials gathered to discuss ongoing reforms in the country’s healthcare system. The Minister emphasized that a robust primary healthcare network was essential not only to manage patient loads in larger hospitals but also to ensure…

By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Jordan agreed to enhance cooperation across multiple sectors during a meeting of the Pakistan-Jordan Inter-ministerial Commission held in Islamabad on Thursday, reflecting a shared commitment to deepening ties long described by officials as “brotherly.” The discussions focused on expanding trade, investment, and broader economic collaboration, signaling both countries’ intent to translate cordial diplomatic relations into a robust, results-oriented partnership. He expressed optimism that this year could mark a breakthrough in bilateral trade and economic ties. Speaking at the event, Jordanian Minister for Industry and Trade Yarub Qudah announced the formation of a dedicated…

By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Uzbekistan have exchanged 28 agreements and memoranda of understanding covering a wide range of sectors, as the two countries moved to strengthen bilateral cooperation. Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and Uzbek president Shavkat Mirziyoyev also signed a joint declaration. The signing ceremony was held at the Prime Minister’s House, where documents were exchanged between the two sides, including a memorandum aimed at enhancing cooperation between their foreign ministries. Agreements were also concluded on the establishment of an inter-regional forum and on the transfer of convicted prisoners between the two countries. Both sides signed a…

By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari emphasized the importance of interfaith harmony in a world increasingly defined by conflict, division, and rising intolerance. In a message issued to mark the start of World Interfaith Harmony Week, observed from Monday until the seventh of this month, he highlighted the enduring relevance of shared values such as peace, compassion, mutual respect, and coexistence. President Zardari noted that the observance serves as a reminder of the principles that bind humanity across faiths, stressing that fostering understanding and dialogue among different religious communities is essential for social cohesion. He underlined that…

By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: Minister for Petroleum, Ali Pervaiz Malik, emphasized that the longstanding brotherly ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were increasingly being translated into practical outcomes, ranging from investments and technology transfers to collaborative projects in strategic sectors. His remarks came during a meeting with the Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malkiy, in Islamabad, where both officials discussed avenues to deepen bilateral cooperation in energy and mineral resources. Malik highlighted the significance of the “Future Minerals Forum” recently held in Riyadh, describing it as a pivotal platform for fostering stronger collaboration between the two countries.…

The Prime Minister underscored the GSP Plus scheme as a vital driver of Pakistan-EU trade, calling it a cornerstone for deepening economic partnership By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening ties with the European Union, highlighting the importance of mutually beneficial trade initiatives, particularly under the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP Plus).The remarks came during a meeting with EU Ambassador Raimundas Karoblis, who called on the Prime Minister in Islamabad on Tuesday. During the discussion, Prime Minister Sharif underlined Pakistan’s determination to work closely with the EU across a wide spectrum of…