PIA is continuing its relief flight operations to various countries bringing back Pakistanis and transporting expatriates to their home countries; major flights planned ahead for return of Pakistanis.
Routine municipal system being used to dispose of garbage of the isolation/quarantine centres and hospitals would create a serious environmental hazard that would lead to further spread of the Covid-19 cases in the country.
Pakistan has been ranked as 4th Generation Regulator (G4) by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and has become the only country in South Asia to have achieved this goalpost. Out of 38 economies in Asia-Pacific, only eight percent states have
"I don't want to single out taraweeh prayers, but any communal activity, such as people going to the large markets and congregations, is a total mistake in these times. Once you allow something like this, you cannot stop your more elderly and more religio
Pakistan launched an initial US$595 million coordinated multi-sectoral Preparedness and Response Plan (PPRP) on Thursday to combat Covid-19, and urged the international community to support the initiative in a bid to suppress and mitigate spread of the co
The country's current account deficit shrunk significantly, ie, 73 percent during the first nine months of this fiscal year, supported mainly by a steep decline in goods import bill.
The Government of Japan on Thursday reiterated grant assistance worth Rs 2.5 billion for Pakistan to respond to Covid-19 pandemic, said a press release.
The government has delayed the privatization of two RLNG power plants from the current fiscal year (2019-20) to the first quarter of next fiscal year (considered overly optimistic target) as ongoing COVID-19 has brought commercial activities to a standsti
The Prime Minister, Imran Khan, has said the government would unveil incentives in the second phase for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and incentives for the industries would increase incrementally in the days ahead.
China announced Thursday it will give another $30 million to the World Health Organization to help in the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic, days after Washington said it would freeze funding.
The coronavirus-related economic effects and government's stimulus package is projected to widen budget deficit to 10 percent of the GDP in the fiscal year 2020 (ending June 2020), from 8.9 percent in the fiscal year 2019, says Moody's Investor Services.
The leader of majority-Muslim Tajikistan on Thursday urged the faithful to forego fasting during Ramazan to safeguard against "infectious diseases" even as he stressed the absence of coronavirus cases in the country.
Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday sought the reply from Sindh Government in petitions, filed by textile mills challenging the notifications restraining them to lay off the employees and mandatory payment of wages to them.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Thursday declared the appointments of the chairperson and two members of the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) as illegal.
The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Thursday said that the government was releasing all the outstanding bills of media houses in order to enable them to pay wages and outstanding dues of the
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Dr Sania Nishtar Thursday said Rs69 billion had been distributed among 5.75 million deserving families under Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme and effective steps were bei
The Independent Power Producers (IPPs) are to request the government to put technical committee on ice until the Inquiry Commission approved by the Cabinet completes its assignment.
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has allowed disbursement of dividend to those banks, which Board of Directors (BoD) has approved dividends for the March 2020 quarter before April 22, 2020.
It has been decided that State Bank of Pakistan will continue to observe the following office hours during the month of Ramadan-ul-Mubarak 1441 A.H., which will also be followed by all banks / DFIs / MFBs:
The government has approved export of textile masks across the world except surgical and N-95 masks. This was revealed by Prime Minister Advisor on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood.
It is heartening to note that noted religious scholar from Barelvi school of thought Mufti Muneebur Rahman has announced that he has been offering prayers at home and will continue to do so during the Ramazan as well. That the Mufti of a grand stature in
The oil price collapse that took US crude prices sub-zero for the first time in history may turn out to be a silver lining for the world economy, possibly offering a springboard for recovery when coronavirus lockdowns finally end.
Global lockdowns have resulted in a drastic reduction in oil demand. A long and painful deliberative process to cut the global supply of oil by OPEC+ group of major oil exporting countries, each vying for greater oil revenues and lesser proportion of cutt
As mentioned in the last column [Tax bailout for economic revival, Business Recorder, April 17, 2020], all businesses-badly hit by lockdown in the wake of Covid-19 epidemic and due to sluggish economic activities, high utility bills and markup rate-are de
The collapse in WTI (West Texas International) crude oil futures to below zero early this week - down to negative $40 per barrel at the lowest point, a 300-plus percent drop in one day - doesn't exactly mean fuel will be available for free at the pump the
Eminent doctors in Karachi and Lahore, most of whom have a work history of dedication to serving the poor and the vulnerable, held press conferences in their respective cities warning the governments (federal and provincial) that until and unless strict l
With a hot and humid weather, the city is expected to witness temperature up to 36 degrees Celsius in the next 24 hours, the Met Office said on Thursday.
Violation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) framed to control spread of deadly coronavirus continued uncheck at every market of the capital city in spite of increase in cases of Covid-19 in the metropolis.
Pakistan has expressed deep concern over the discriminatory and anti-Muslim policies and practices of the RSS-inspired BJP government in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Supreme Court has been asked to set aside the Lahore High Court (LHC) order to grant bail to the nephew of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Chaudhry Sugar Mills Limited (CSML) scam.
Markazi Tanzeem-e-Tajran Pakistan (MTTP) on Thursday urged the federal and provincials governments not to do politics on coronavirus and come up with a national action plan to combat COVID-19 to reduce its economic implications.
Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has called for summoning the session of Parliament immediately, and to approve the relief package given by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government to the poor people.
The President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Sardar Masood Khan has said that India intensified atrocities in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoK) amid coronavirus challenge.
Secretary Local Government Sindh Roshan Ali Shaikh has instructed the authorities concerned to continue the pace of fumigation and cleanliness drive in the province during the holy month of Ramazan.
Pakistan organised SAARC Health Ministers' Video Conference on Covid-19 on Thursday in which the member states agreed to enhance cooperation in the health sector, particularly in the context of efforts to combat Covid-19 at the regional level.
Philip Morris (Pakistan) Limited (PMPKL) Thursday launched a comprehensive project comprising of monetary and in-kind donations across Pakistan in collaboration with Kashf Foundation and Paiman Alumni Trust (PAT).
Pakistan and Bulgaria have enforced the convention for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income to be applicable from July 1, 2020.
Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Thursday called on Prime Minister Imran Khan and discussed the coronavirus situation in the province. They also discussed the measures being taken to contain the pandemic, operations of the reopened industries
The Ministry of Interior on Thursday asked chief secretaries of all the provinces, the Azad Jammu and Kashimr (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) to make appropriate arrangements for repatriation of stranded tableeghis and zaireen to their home towns before f
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has approved the application of M/s Organic Meat Company Limited to issue, circulate and publish the prospectus for initial public offering (IPO) of company's shares in the stock exchange.
President SITE Association of Industry, Suleman Chawla has demanded Ministry of Power to restrain K-Electric from collecting ISPA charges from the industrial consumers and immediately issue revised bills minus ISPA charges with one-week time extension, la
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Thursday proposed to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) measures for development of the capital market, changes in capital gains tax (CGT) regime for the stock market, steps for encouraging listing
With zero reported cases of Covid-19 in its exploration and production fields of KP through strictly maintaining health, safety and environment undertakings of the company, MOL Pakistan is wholly committed to keeping its operation running to meet the ener
Vice chancellors have expressed their full commitment to making online classes and e-learning a success amid the closure of universities in the wake of situation created due to the COVID-19 crisis.
In continuation of earlier relief measures announced on account of the COVID-19 crisis, K-Electric (KE) has announced that all single-phase residential customers, utilizing up to 300 units, can now pay their electricity bills for March, April and May resp
All Pakistan Motor Dealers Association (APMDA) has urged the federal government to withdraw SRO 52(1)/2019, which causes almost Rs100 billion revenue shortfall.
Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has enthusiastically participated in the Prime Minister's COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Fund. Through the Ehsaas Telethon that went on air Thursday in all the leading television channels of Pakistan, SSGC contributed Rs 30 milli
On 21st April, the Sindh Rescue and Medical Services (SRMS) in Karachi conducted controlled transfers of 37 confirmed Covid-19 victims from Gadap, Labour Square Isolation center to the largest quarantine facility established at the Expo Centre in Gulshan.
Chancellor of Sir Syed University of Engineering & Technology (SSUET) Jawaid Anwar, Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Vali Uddin and Registrar Syed Sarfraz Ali have expressed deep grief over the sad demise of former Vice Chancellor of SSUET Prof Dr Sayid Nazir Ahme
Secretary General (Federal) of the Businessmen Panel (BMP), Ahmad Jawad, said oil price crash in the international market is an opportunity for the country to buy and store oil in order to reduce inflation.
Sindh Minister for Information, Local Government, Housing & Town Planning, Religious Affairs, Forest and Wildlife Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has said that although Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah was conducting an inquiry into the deaths in Karachi,
The Sindh government has established the largest bio-safety level III (BSL-III) laboratory at the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences at the University of Karachi which has a capacity of conducting 2,400 tests per day. This was discl
Keeping in view the guidelines for heat wave/critical temperature conveyed from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Sindh in order to curb the Heat Stroke effects and minimize energy crises in the district, the Deputy Commissioner Tharpark
The Board of Directors of Soneri Bank Limited, in their 176th meeting held in Lahore on 23rd April 2020, approved the Bank's condensed interim financial statements for the quarter ended 31 March 2020.
Getz Pharma is proud to announce that it is the first and only organisation in Pakistan to have taken the initiative of testing each and every employee for Covid-19, and to close its factory and head office in Karachi, completely, till every employee has
The Punjab government has decided to abolish the stamp duty of Rs 100 on sale or transfer of registered vehicles and to delete it from respective provision of the Stamp Act, 1899.
While appreciating the governments' decision of allowing 800 exporting units of Sialkot export-oriented industry Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) on Thursday assured the government that industry would try to ach
Saudi Ambassador Nawaf Bin Saeed Al Maliki handed over 20,000 ration bags to Punjab Governor Chaudhary Mohammad Sarwar here on Thursday which will be distributed in Lahore and other cities of Punjab.
The Independent Power Producers' (IPPs) role is to be finally capped below 10 percent of the power mix and they have to compete for tariffs with the public sector, a model already being used in the developed world.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Thursday issued procedure for sealing and desealing of cargo containers meant for transshipment, transit, safe transportation and export including transit of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) cargo.
Dr. Zulfiqar A. Bhutta is the Robert Harding Inaugural Chair in Global Child Health & Policy at the Centre for Global Child Health, Toronto, Professor of Epidemiology at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, and the Distinguished
The German government unveiled a 10 billion euro ($10.8 billion) economic package on Thursday to pay for additional unemployment benefits and new tax cuts to help businesses affected by the coronavirus.
Sales of new US single-family homes dropped by the most in more than 6-1/2 years in March and further declines are likely as the novel coronavirus outbreak batters the economy and throws millions of Americans out of work.
A stunning 26.5 million Americans have sought unemployment benefits over the last five weeks, confirming that all the jobs gained during the longest employment boom in US history have been wiped out as the novel coronavirus savages the economy.
Global economic activity all but ground to a halt this month as government-imposed lockdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic took a particularly heavy toll on the world's service industry, surveys showed on Thursday.
One of Spain's deputy prime ministers apologised Thursday to the country's children for confining them to their homes since mid-March as part of a nationwide lockdown to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
Two alleged former Syrian intelligence officers went on trial in Germany on Thursday accused of crimes against humanity in the first court case worldwide over state-sponsored torture by Bashar al-Assad's regime.
The UN's special Middle East envoy, Nickolay Mladenov, on Thursday warned Israel not to annex parts of the West Bank, saying such a move would be a "devastating blow" to the internationally-backed two-state solution.
The US acting director of national intelligence is weighing ways to pressure countries with anti-LGBT policies, including reducing intelligence sharing, the New York Times reported Thursday.
The European Central Bank chief issued a dire warning to EU leaders as they met by video Thursday bitterly divided over a giant package to help their economies recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
Iron ore futures in China recovered all losses from the previous session to close higher on Wednesday, fuelled by hopes that demand from steelmakers will increase in the coming months.
On Wednesday at Pakistan Mercantile Exchange Limited, PMEX Commodity Index closed at 3,426. The traded value of metals, energy and COTS/FX was recorded at PKR 5.289 billion and the number of lots traded was 18,123.
Euronext wheat was mixed on Wednesday as spot futures eased after this week's export-fuelled surge and new-crop prices edged higher due to continuing dry weather in much of Europe. Front-month May milling wheat on the Paris-based Euronext exchange settled
The Karachi Port handled 63,298 tonnes of cargo comprising 33,356 tonnes of import cargo and 29,942 tonnes of export cargo including 4,221 loaded and empty containers during the last 24 hours ending at 0700 hours on Thursday.
Amid hopes of softening the lockdown during the holy month of Ramazan traders were hopeful that trading activity will improve in the cotton market. According to market sources traders were putting pressure on the government that they should allow them to
Chicago Board of Trade corn futures rebounded from a 10-1/2-year low on Wednesday, rising 2.4% on a round of short-covering traders said. Technical resistance for the benchmark CBOT July corn contract was noted at its 10-day moving average. Support from o
US natural gas futures jumped over 6% to a nine-week high on Wednesday on expectations gas production will decline in coming weeks as drillers shut oil wells in shale basins due to the recent collapse of US crude prices. Those oil wells produce a lot of g
Most stock markets in the Middle East ended higher on Thursday, buoyed by a recovery in oil prices from historic lows and a slew of better-than expected first-quarter earnings. Brent crude was up $1.55, or 7.61%, at $21.92 a barrel by 1200 GMT, a day afte
A rally in energy and bank shares lifted European stock markets on Thursday, while investors counted on more stimulus to revive the bloc's economy as the coronavirus-induced lockdowns brought activity to a halt in April.
Chinese stocks ended weaker on Thursday, as mounting economic uncertainty sparked by the coronavirus pandemic kept share prices under pressure, stopping investors from chasing the rebound from the previous session.
Wall Street jumped 1% on Thursday as a third straight decline in weekly jobless claims raised hopes the worst of the coronavirus pandemic's impact on the labour market was over, while energy stocks zoomed 5% on a rebound in oil prices.
Wall Street surged on Wednesday as oil prices recovered and Congress looked on course to approve nearly $500 billion more in aid to help small businesses ride out the coronavirus crisis.
Most Southeast Asian stock markets finished higher on Thursday, with Thailand leading the gains, as risk sentiment improved backed by a recovery in oil prices and expectations of a fresh relief package in the United States.
Britain's FTSE 100 rebounded from early losses on Thursday, as surging oil prices and signs that major UK homebuilders were planning to resume work boosted sentiment, with investors shrugging off some shockingly weak economic data.
Most Asian currencies were tepid on Thursday amid concerns over feeble oil demand and expectations of dire manufacturing and services survey data out of the United States and euro zone, while the Indonesian rupiah slid as much as 1%.