Tag: The Pakistan Times

Islamabad : 2 February, 2026(Kamran Raja): Mr. Ajay Banga, President, World Bank Group (WBG) calls on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad today. Prime Minister welcomed Mr. Ajay Banga at his first official visit as President of the World Bank Group. The Prime Minister appreciated the World Bank Group for its long-standing partnership with Pakistan and its commitment to supporting the development priorities of the country especially through the 10-year World Bank Group Country Partnership Framework (CPF). The Premier also appreciated Mr.Banga's leadership in transforming the World Bank Group into more impactful development partner.Prime Minister stated that Government of Pakistan is vigorously working on economic reform agenda with multi-pronged comprehensive structural ...

Islamabad, 02 February 2026(Kamran Raja): Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb reaffirmed the government’s commitment to macroeconomic stability, stronger foreign exchange buffers, and investor-friendly reforms during a meeting with a delegation of Wafi Energy Pakistan Ltd. The delegation indicated a potential investment of up to USD 100 million over the next two to three years to expand its retail network and storage capacity in Pakistan. The Finance Minister highlighted that improved macroeconomic indicators and foreign exchange availability are boosting investor confidence and facilitating business operations. Discussions also covered public-private partnerships, structured finance for infrastructure, digitization, privatization, and the need for a stable...

Islamabad : 29 January, 2026(Kamran Raja): H.E. Mr. Raimundas Karoblis, Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan, called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister’s House, today. The Prime Minister was assisted by Deputy Prime Minister & Foreign Minister Sen. Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Advisor to the Prime Minister Dr. Syed Tauqir Shah, SAPM Tariq Fatemi and Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch. Welcoming the EU Ambassador, who assumed his responsibilities in Pakistan only a few months ago, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthen cooperation with the EU in all areas of mutual interest, particularly trade, investment, development, security, migration and climate change. The Prime Minister emphasized upon the critical role of the GSP Plus sch...

Islamabad, 29 Jan 26(Kamran Raja): Pakistan Navy took over the command of Combined Task Force-150 (CTF-150) for the 14th time during a change of command ceremony held at the Headquarters of Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), Bahrain. Commodore Muhammad Yasir Tahir of Pakistan Navy assumed command from Commodore Fahad S. Al Joaid of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF). While addressing the audience, the incoming Commander CTF-150 assured that his team is fully prepared to shoulder this prestigious responsibility and contribute towards maritime security and stability across the region. Commodore Muhammad Yasir Tahir also reaffirmed Pakistan Navy’s resolve to counter illicit maritime activities while ensuring the safety and security of vital sea lines of communication.CTF-150 is one of the f...

Islamabad, January 29, 2026(Ghufran): The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad launched its Freedom 250 lecture series to engage the Pakistani public on key priorities such as entrepreneurship, the digital economy, and critical minerals. As part of this series, Donna Carpenter, co-founder and chair of the board of directors of U.S. company Burton Snowboards, and Samar Khan, a Pakistani professional athlete and alumna of the U.S. Department of State espnW Global Sports Mentoring Program, connected with sports professionals, youth, and business leaders. On January 28, at an event at the newly constructed United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan headquarters, they highlighted the role of sports entrepreneurship in youth development, innovation, and cross-cultural exchange. They emphasized that s...

Rawalpindi, 29 January 2026(Kamran Raja): Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces (COAS & CDF), Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ, visited Bahawalpur Garrison, where he was briefed on various operational, training and administrative aspects of the Corps, with special emphasis on preparedness for multi-domain warfare. During the visit, the COAS & CDF witnessed a high-intensity field exercise titled “Steadfast Resolve” at Khairpur Tamewali (KPT). The exercise showcased the integration of niche and emerging technologies, including unmanned aerial systems (drones), advanced surveillance assets, electronic warfare capabilities, and modern command-and-control mechanisms, reflecting the Armed Forces’ focus on technology-enabled multi-domain operations. Addressing the troo...

Islamabad – 28 January 2026(Nosheen): The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet met today at the Finance Division under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, to consider a range of important economic, fiscal and sectoral matters aimed at ensuring macroeconomic stability, protecting consumers, strengthening social services, and addressing operational requirements of key public sector entities. The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, Federal Minister for Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, along with federal secretaries and senior officials from the concerned ministries, divisions, and regulatory bodies. During the meeting, the ECC approved the disposal of 500,000...

January 27, 2026(Ghufran): The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) hosted a Public Talk titled “Europe, the Nordics, and the New Reality of Power Politics” on January 27, 2026, organised by the Centre for Strategic Perspectives (CSP) at ISSI. The talk featured Ms. Hedda Langemyr, Founder of UTSYN – Centre for Security and Resilience, Norway, as the Guest Speaker.In her introductory remarks, Dr. Neelum Nigar, Director, CSP, ISSI, welcomed the distinguished guest speaker and the participants. She highlighted the growing significance of European security dynamics and the relevance of Nordic strategic thinking in the evolving international environment. Dr. Neelum appreciated Ms. Hedda Langemyr for visiting ISSI and sharing her expertise on a timely and critical subject, noting ...

Islamabad, January 26, 2026(Kamran Raja): The President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, H.E. Mr. Asif Ali Zardari, will undertake an official visit to the United Arab Emirates from January 26 to 29, 2026, accompanied by a high-level delegation. During the visit, the President will hold high-level meetings with the UAE leadership to review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, with particular emphasis on trade and economic cooperation, defence and security collaboration, and people-to-people exchanges. The discussions will also cover regional and international issues of mutual interest. The visit follows the recent visit of His Highness the President of the United Arab Emirates to Pakistan and reflects the deep-rooted brotherly relations between the two countries. It also reaffi...