Tuesday, October 14th, 2025
Pakistan finance minister sees staff deal on $1.2 billion IMF payout this week
By Karin Strohecker and Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON, OCT 14: Pakistan is poised to sign a preliminary deal on a review of its loan programme with the International Monetary Fund this week, the country’s finance minister said, a key step required to pave the way for another $1.24 billion payout from the lender. An IMF mission left Pakistan last week without signing a so-called staff level agreement on the second review of the Washington-based lender’s $7 billion Extended Fund Facility and the first one on its $1.4 billion Resilience and SustainabilityRead More
PHC directs KP governor to administer oath to CM-elect Sohail Afridi tomorrow
PESHAWAR, OCT 14: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) directed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Tuesday to administer the oath to Chief Minister-elect Sohail Afridi tomorrow by 4pm. PHC Chief Justice (CJ) S.M. Attique Shah issued the directive, further instructing that KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati should administer the oath if Governor Faisal Karim Kundi did not. Afridi’s election on Monday was held amid uncertainty about the status of Ali Amin Gandapur’s resignation from the provincial chief executive’s position. The two resignations submitted to KP Governor Faisal KarimRead More
Azerbaijan to facilitate ‘Asan Khidmat Markaz’ in Islamabad
The Azerbaijani delegation, representing the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations, assured full technical cooperation for the project, including assistance in design and the integration of IT-based service delivery systems Saifullah Ansar ISLAMABAD, OCT 14: Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) Muhammad Ali Randhawa on Tuesday met with a delegation of architects and consultants from Baku, Azerbaijan, here, to discuss bilateral cooperation on the establishment of the Asan Khidmat Markaz — a one-stop citizen service centre planned for Islamabad. The discussions focused on areas of mutual interest and potentialRead More
26th Amendment: SC judges debate whether CJP has powers to form full court
ISLAMABAD, OCT 14: The Supreme Court’s (SC) Constitutional Bench (CB) on Tuesday engaged in a debate over whether the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) holds the authority to constitute a full court, as hearings continued on petitions challenging the 26th Constitutional Amendment. SC constitutional bench, headed by Justice Amin-ud-Din, heard several petitions filed against the 26th Constitutional Amendment passed by parliament in October 2024. Other members of the bench include Justice Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Ayesha A Malik, Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Musarat Hilali, Justice NaeemRead More
Pakistan hold strong despite South Africa’s late surge in first Test
LAHORE: Pakistan maintained control in the opening Test despite a spirited fightback from South Africa on the third day at the Gaddafi Stadium. The visitors struck five crucial blows to slow the hosts’ progress, but Pakistan still holds a commanding 259-run lead. Resuming after lunch, Abdullah and his partner put together a 31-run stand as Abdullah approached his half-century. However, Senuran Muthusamy gave South Africa their third breakthrough, dismissing Shafique for 41 off 73 balls, which included six boundaries, leaving Pakistan at 64-3 in 19 overs. Babar Azam kept theRead More
Pakistan and Afghanistan: From Tensions to Trust?
By Qamar Bashir When Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s acting foreign minister, arrived in New Delhi in October 2025, his message to Pakistan resonated with both challenge and invitation. Speaking in Urdu at moments—an echo of time spent within Pakistani linguistic and cultural space—he proclaimed that Afghanistan seeks peaceful ties with all neighbors but would not accept interference. He claimed the Taliban regime had cleansed its soil of terror groups and demanded Pakistan reciprocate. Behind his words lay the centuries-deep entanglement of Pakistan and Afghanistan: geography, religion, culture, trade, andRead More