Author: Mehrab Shah Afridi

By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is moving rapidly to develop local vaccine production, with the government aiming to manufacture all essential childhood vaccines domestically before 2030, the federal health minister announced on Monday. Addressing an event in Islamabad, Minister for National Health Services Mustafa Kamal highlighted the country’s current dependence on imports, noting that all thirteen vaccines routinely administered to children are sourced from abroad. He said the government covers slightly more than half of the costs, with donors funding the remainder, a model that leaves Pakistan vulnerable to global supply disruptions and price fluctuations. The minister underlined the…

Digital bank licence marks milestone for financial inclusion and bilateral trade, says premier By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the launch of a Kuwaiti bank in Pakistan on Tuesday, describing the granting of its commercial licence as a significant milestone for the country’s financial sector and a fresh boost to bilateral economic ties. Speaking at the licence awarding ceremony in Islamabad, he said that strong political relations between Pakistan and Kuwait needed to be matched by robust economic engagement, emphasizing that sustainable partnerships could not flourish without trade, investment, and financial collaboration. The prime minister congratulated…

By Mehrab Shah Afridi ISLAMABAD: Pakistan sent a special plane carrying 100 tons of tents for the relief of Palestinian people on Thursday, as part of its ongoing humanitarian assistance to Gaza. The aircraft, which departed from Lahore airport, marked another step in the country’s efforts to support civilians affected by the ongoing conflict in the region. Speaking to reporters at the airport, Provincial Minister for Housing Bilal Yaseen said Pakistan had already dispatched a total of twenty-eight relief consignments to Gaza, amounting to 2,627 tons of essential supplies. He emphasized that the aid included tents, food, and medical equipment,…

By Mehrab Shah Afridi/ Dr Zardad wazir/Israr Ahmad Orakzai LANDI KOTAL/WANA: Supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) flooded streets across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal districts on 8 February, heeding the party’s call for a shutdown and mass demonstrations demanding the release of its founder, Imran Khan. From Landi Kotal to Wana and Hangu, rallies in towns and marketplaces highlighted both the party’s deep regional reach and the simmering public discontent over recent electoral outcomes. In Landi Kotal, protesters assembled at Bacha Khan Chowk in the bustling bazaar, joined by senior party figures including Haji Zarbulah Shinwari and the personal secretary…

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…