Arab News Pakistan

‘Violations’ against Pakistani journalists surged 60% in past year - watchdog

kashaf.rehman — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 09:25:09 +0000

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Thu, 2025-10-30 12:14

ISLAMABAD: Violations against journalists in Pakistan jumped nearly 60 percent over the past year, a media watchdog said on Thursday, warning of a "worsening environment" for press freedom under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government.

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Pakistan issues over 2,100 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims for religion founder’s birth celebrations

fatimah.amjad — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 08:02:30 +0000

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Arab News Pakistan

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Thu, 2025-10-30 10:56

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan High Commission has issued more than 2,100 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims to participate in the birth anniversary celebrations of Sikhism founder Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji from Nov. 4 to 13 in Pakistan, state media reported this week.

Every year Sikh pilgrims travel from India to Pakistan through the visa-free Kartarpur Corridor, which links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib near Narowal in Pakistan’s Punjab with Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak in India’s Gurdaspur district.

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Pakistan

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Pakistan India Ties

Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur

Gurdwara Nankana Sahib

Indian sikh pilgrims

Lahore, Karachi among world’s top polluted cities as Pakistan grapples with toxic smog

kashaf.rehman — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 06:28:18 +0000

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Arab News Pakistan

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Thu, 2025-10-30 09:20

ISLAMABAD: Lahore once again topped the list of world's most polluted cities while Karachi ranked at number six, Swiss monitoring group IQAir reported on Thursday as Pakistan grapples with toxic smog choking its two largest cities.

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Pakistan imposes 40% duty on commercial used-car imports, plans reforms to curb misuse

kashaf.rehman — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 06:19:37 +0000

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Arab News Pakistan

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Thu, 2025-10-30 09:13

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Commerce Ministry said on Wednesday it had imposed a 40 percent regulatory duty on the commercial import of used cars and planned reforms to curb misuse of vehicle import schemes meant for overseas Pakistanis.

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cars

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China says Pakistani astronaut to participate in short-term space missions

kashaf.rehman — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 04:36:18 +0000

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Arab News Pakistan

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Thu, 2025-10-30 07:25

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani astronaut will train at the Chinese space station and will be part of upcoming short-duration spaceflight missions as a payload specialist, the Chinese Manned Space Agency announced on Thursday.

Pakistan’s national space agency signed a cooperation agreement with China in February this year, paving the way for the country’s first astronaut to embark on a mission to the Chinese space station, Tiangong. China said earlier this year it had begun the selection process for the Pakistani astronaut.

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Pakistani astronaut

Swiss air monitoring index ranks Pakistan’s Lahore as world’s most polluted city

fatimah.amjad — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 14:55:57 +0000

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Arab News Pakistan

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Wed, 2025-10-29 17:51

ISLAMABAD: Swiss air monitor index IQAir ranked Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore as the most polluted in the world on Wednesday, recording its Air Quality Index (AQI) at 331 as it continues to choke from toxic winter smog.

Lahore faces worsening smog each winter from crop burning, vehicle emissions and industrial pollution that threaten public health and daily life. Smog can cause sore throats, eye irritation and respiratory illnesses, while long-term exposure increases the risk of stroke, heart disease and lung cancer.

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Smog in Punjab

Lahore Smog

Pakistan calls for stronger ties with Iran on border security, drug trafficking

fatimah.amjad — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 10:37:39 +0000

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Wed, 2025-10-29 13:35

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has called for closer cooperation with Iran on countering militancy and drug trafficking along with border management, state media reported on Wednesday.

Naqvi’s remarks came during his day-long visit to Iran to attend the Economic Cooperation Organization’s (ECO) Ministerial Conference, where he held separate meetings with his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni and Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Ardeshir Larijani.

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Pakistan Iran Ties

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Pakistan seeks to deepen strategic partnership with Türkiye as Ankara marks Republic Day

fatimah.amjad — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 07:20:26 +0000

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Arab News Pakistan

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Wed, 2025-10-29 10:16

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said his country was committed to unlocking the “vast potential” of its relationship with Türkiye, calling the two nations “steadfast partners in a shared journey of progress” as Ankara marked its 102nd Republic Day.

|The remarks highlighted the close political and defense partnership between the two countries, which Sharif described as “united by bonds of faith, history, and fraternity that transcend geography and time.”

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Pakistan

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Pakistan Turkiye ties

PM Shehbaz Sharif

Republic Day

Pakistan’s stabilization at risk as floods cut growth to 3 percent — World Bank

fatimah.amjad — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 07:15:05 +0000

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Arab News Pakistan

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Wed, 2025-10-29 10:07

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s fragile economic stabilization is at risk from fresh floods that threaten to undo hard-won gains, the World Bank said in its Pakistan Development Update released this week, warning that growth will slow to 3 percent in FY 2026 and inflation will rise to 7.2 percent.

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World Bank and Pakistan

World Bank

2025 Floods

Pakistan invites Meta to collaborate on AI ethics, digital safety and trade

kashaf.rehman — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 06:34:36 +0000

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Arab News Pakistan

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Wed, 2025-10-29 09:26

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday invited social media giant Meta to collaborate on artificial intelligence (AI) ethics, digital safety and e-commerce standards, said an official statement, as part of the government’s push to expand its digital economy and integrate AI governance into national trade policy.

The invitation came during a meeting between a Meta delegation, led by Rafael Frankel, the company’s Director for Public Policy (South Asia), and Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan in the federal capital.

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Pakistan seizes 25 kilograms of smuggled silver from passenger bus in Karachi

kashaf.rehman — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 06:03:07 +0000

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Arab News Pakistan

Wed, 2025-10-29 08:54

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Tuesday announced the seizure of 25 kilograms of silver worth about Rs 12 million ($40,000) from a passenger bus at the Mochko Check Post in Karachi, in an operation aimed at cracking down on precious-metal smuggling.

The consignment was discovered during an inspection at the Mochko Check Post after officers of the Anti-Smuggling Organisation found silver bars hidden in a passenger’s luggage. The suspect failed to produce import or purchase documents, confirming the consignment’s illegal origin, according to the FBR.

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Pakistan

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silver

Pakistan, Sri Lanka ponder linking coastal destinations to promote marine tourism

fatimah.amjad — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 19:01:09 +0000

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Tue, 2025-10-28 21:55

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Sri Lanka are considering linking their coastal destinations in a bid to boost marine tourism, Pakistani state broadcaster reported on Tuesday.

The understanding was reached at a meeting between Pakistan’s Maritime Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry and Sri Lankan Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister Bimal Niroshan Rathnayake in Islamabad.

Rathnayake said cooperation between Pakistan and Sri Lanka could increase tourism, regional visitor traffic and promote shared marine resources, the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.

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Pakistan

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Pakistan Sri Lanka Ties

Pakistan’s growth forecast at 3 percent as World Bank calls for reforms, flood recovery measures

fatimah.amjad — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 10:44:11 +0000

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Tue, 2025-10-28 13:38

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s economy is expected to grow by 3 percent in the current fiscal year, as recent floods weigh on agriculture and overall recovery, the World Bank said on Tuesday, urging the government to sustain economic reforms to ensure stability and inclusive growth.

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Pakistan says ready to extend assistance as 6.1 magnitude quake injures 22 in Turkiye

fatimah.amjad — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 10:30:33 +0000

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Tue, 2025-10-28 13:23

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday offered humanitarian assistance and aid to Turkiye after a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the country’s western region, injuring 22 persons.

The quake was centered in Sindirgi of Turkiye’s Balikesir province, according to the Disaster and Emergency Management (AFAD) agency. At least three unoccupied buildings and a two-story shop collapsed in Sindirgi, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.

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Pakistan Turkiye ties

turkiye earthquake

Billion hopes as India face formidable Australia in World Cup semis

kashaf.rehman — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 08:48:59 +0000

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Arab News Pakistan

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Tue, 2025-10-28 11:38

MUMBAI, India: Defending champions Australia surged unbeaten into the Women’s World Cup semifinals and are clear favorites to defeat hosts India in front of an expected sell-out crowd.

Seven-time champions Australia won six of their seven league matches to underline why they are the team to beat in the 50-over tournament, the other game being a washout.

India and Australia clash at the 45,000-capacity DY Patil Stadium on the outskirts of Mumbai on Thursday after the first semifinal between England and South Africa in Guwahati on Wednesday.

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Pakistan

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2025 Women’s World Cup