ISLAMABAD: The prices of all petroleum products are estimated to fall by up to Rs14 per litre for the next fortnight, ending March 31, owing to fluctuation in the international market and import premiums. This relief is, however, subject to unchanged tax rates. An official said there were considerations on the part of the government…
LAHORE: PML-N President Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday regretted that the talks between the government and the opposition remained inconclusive due to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s “inflexible and non-serious approach”. In a meeting with National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, the PML-N president said: “You had facilitated negotiations between the government and the opposition as the custodian of…
ISLAMABAD: Experts have urged the government not to overburden the formal industry and salaried class, which could lead to increased tax evasion. Addressing the launch of a report titled, Pakistan’s Tobacco Tax Policy Boosts Illicit Trade, Sakib Sherani, former principal adviser to the Ministry of Finance, said that a more balanced, well-enforced tax regime is…
WASHINGTON: Many Muslim students in the US, especially those involved in last year’s pro-Palestinian protests, are increasingly worried about the Trump administration’s efforts to deport foreign nationals linked to such demonstrations. These students are now hoping that the US judicial system will protect them from potential deportations as part of the administration’s broader crackdown on…
ISLAMABAD: Despite enabling legislation passed by all the four provincial assemblies on agriculture income tax (AIT), ongoing review talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have yet to achieve final clarity on its implementation mechanism for effective collection, targeted to take effect from July 1, 2025. Informed sources told Dawn that the visiting IMF review…
THE chilling ambush of the Jaffar Express on Tuesday by terrorists is a rude wake-up call, reminding us of the state’s shrinking writ in Balochistan. Late Wednesday evening, the military confirmed the counterterrorism operation was over. But the fact that BLA terrorists were able to waylay and hijack the train carrying hundreds of passengers, as…
PAKISTAN’S social protection system is at a crossroads. Traditional social protection systems, while providing critical support for poverty reduction, are not designed to address the compounding challenges of climate-triggered disasters. The country’s flagship Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) needs to integrate an adaptive social protection system that can respond to climate risks and shocks while…
• Omar Ayub attributes attack to ‘incompetence, gross intelligence failure’• MNAs irked by ministers’ absence ISLAMABAD: The coalition government on Wednesday maintained an uncanny silence in the National Assembly over the hijacking of the Jaffar Express in Balochistan, despite scathing criticism from Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan, who slammed the handling of the attack that…
QUETTA: The war in Balochistan has reached every home, and there is dire need to launch coordinated actions to tackle the situation, Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said on Wednesday. Speaking in the Balochistan Assembly on Wednesday, a day after the Jaffar Express was hijacked en route to Peshawar, he said that they should respond through…
• Military spokesperson says 33 terrorists killed; four FC men martyred; clearance operation underway• Says snipers took out suicide bombers guarding hostages, who then fled to safety• Claims terrorists were in touch with ‘handlers in Afghanistan’ via satellite phones• ISPR chief, information minister flay misinformation on social media, Indian media’s propaganda ISLAMABAD / QUETTA: After…