ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government has lifted a ban on the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) religious political party, the interior ministry said on Sunday, after weeks of clashes and talks between the two sides.
TLP began a protest march last month calling for the release of its leader Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi, who has been under arrest since April. The group also wants the expulsion of France’s ambassador over the publication of anti-Islam caricatures in a French satirical magazine last year.
On October 31, the group reached a deal with the government, ending more than a week of clashes with police that left at least six policemen dead and scores injured on both sides. The details of the pact were not shared with the public but it was widely reported that the agreement included a commitment by the government to release TLP leaders and supporters and lift a ban on the party.
The Punjab government also last week requested the federation to remove TLP from its list of banned organizations.
“In exercise of the powers conferred under sub-section (1) of Section 11U of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, the Federal Government is pleased to remove the name of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan from the First Schedule of the said Act as a proscribed organization,” a notification issued by the interior ministry said.
As part of the peace deal, the government has already released at least 2,000 arrested workers of the proscribed group, though Saad Rizvi still remains in jail pending a decision by the Lahore High Court.
On Saturday, an anti-terrorism court in Lahore granted bail to several TLP leaders.
The government banned TLP in April this year after violent protests by the group in which at least six policemen were killed and 800 people were injured, according to government figures.
After the protests, the government also agreed to have a parliamentary vote on kicking out the French ambassador but backtracked, with Prime Minister Imran Khan saying such an action would isolate Pakistan internationally.
Government lifts ban on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan party after weeks of clashes, talks
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Government lifts ban on Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan party after weeks of clashes, talks
- Six cops were killed last month in clashes between supporters of the religious political party and police
- TLP reached peace deal with government on October 31, was banned last April after similar violent clashes
Pakistan leaders mark Independence Day with calls for unity, hail ‘victory’ in May conflict with India
- Civilian and military leaders reaffirm solidarity with Kashmiris, vow to defend Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity
- May conflict with India has become a rallying point for Pakistani leaders to emphasize unity, resilience, renewed national confidence
KARACHI: Pakistan’s civilian and military leaders marked the country’s 78th Independence Day on Thursday by hailing what they described as a decisive victory against India in a brief military conflict earlier this year, using the anniversary to call for unity at home and reiterate support for disputed Kashmir.
The South Asian nation, which has fought three major wars with India since partition in 1947, said it had downed six Indian jets in fighting through missiles, drones and artillery that raged between May 6 and 10 before ending through US mediation. Officials have since framed the confrontation — which Islamabad has dubbed Marka-e-Haq, or “Battle of Truth” — as a moment of national resurgence.
Pakistan, carved out of British India in 1947, has seen repeated bouts of political turmoil, economic instability and tense relations with its neighbor in the decades since. This year’s Independence Day messages underscored how the May conflict has become a rallying point for its leaders to emphasize unity, resilience and renewed national confidence.
“Pakistan’s great victory in Marka-e-Haq during the war imposed by India on 6-10th May 2025 has not only increased the significance of freedom, but has also enliven a new ambition and enthusiasm in the hearts of Pakistanis, which has amplified the joy and celebrations of the Independence Day,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement.
“The military capability, valour and faith of our brave soldiers and air warriors forced the enemy to kneel down … With same passion, we stand vigilant to defend and safeguard our national interests including water resources.”
In a separate message, President Asif Ali Zardari also linked the country’s birth anniversary to the May conflict.
“Our success in Marka-e-Haq … is a landmark moment in our history,” he said, calling it “a demonstration of unshakable national will, professional excellence, and united purpose.”
Zardari added that “the world witnessed a nation that is peace-loving, but fully capable of defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
The president used his address to urge Pakistanis to channel “the same discipline, courage, and clarity” into economic revival and social reform, saying recent military success should inspire efforts to eradicate poverty and strengthen institutions.
Both leaders reiterated Pakistan’s long-standing stance on Kashmir, which is disputed between India and Pakistan since 1947.
“India also needs to demonstrate the same will for the resolution of all disputes, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute,” Sharif said, while Zardari pledged diplomatic, moral, and political support to Kashmiris “until their right to self-determination is realized.”
In a joint message, the chiefs of Pakistan’s army, navy and air force stressed that the “unbreakable bond between the Armed Forces and the people is the cornerstone of our collective strength,” pledging to safeguard Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and uphold the constitution.
Pakistan buys about 55,000 tons white sugar in tender, traders say
- Pakistan buys about 55,000 tons white sugar in tender, traders say
- 25,000 tons of fine grade bought from Dreyfus at around $580 a ton cost and freight included
HAMBURG, Aug 13 : Pakistan’s state trading agency TCP is believed to have purchased about 55,000 metric tons of white sugar in an international tender seeking up to 100,000 tons which closed this week, European traders said on Wednesday.
Some 30,000 tons of medium-grade sugar was said to have been purchased from Al Khaleej Sugar at $586.00 a ton cost and freight included (c&f) while 25,000 tons of fine grade was bought from Dreyfus at around $580 a ton c&f.
One other tender participant has been asked to modify its offer and another award is still possible this week, traders said.
Pakistan’s government has approved plans to import 500,000 tons of sugar to help to maintain price stability after retail sugar prices rose sharply. Offers in the tender were reported on Monday.
For these Pakistani women, Independence Day offers a chance to earn and celebrate
- Housewives, maids, mothers turn to selling flags and festive goods for extra income during Aug. 14 rush
- Seasonal stalls in Pakistan’s commercial center can bring women vendors savings of up to $54 in a few days
KARACHI: In the days before Pakistan’s Independence Day, the streets of Karachi fill with green and white flags, bunting and balloons, but for many women in the city, the national celebration is also a time to step into business — if only for a few days.
Housewives, maids and street vendors set up temporary stalls along busy roads and markets, selling flags, badges, hats and T-shirts to customers celebrating the August 14 holiday.
In an economy where inflation has eroded incomes and steady jobs are scarce, the seasonal rush offers a welcome boost to household finances.
“August 14 is Independence Day, a day of happiness, so we also celebrate our happiness and earn a livelihood for the children,” said Shama Sikandar, a housewife selling Independence Day T-shirts for the first time this year from a roadside stall on Shahra-e-Quaideen.
“Before this, I would just stay at home and do nothing all year.”
She said the sight of other women working outside the home inspired her to try.
“It feels good to be working. I have seen many women even driving rickshaws, some riding motorcycles, some pushing carts, and others doing various jobs to earn a livelihood for their children.”
In Karachi, seasonal vendors crowd key intersections and shopping strips ahead of the holiday, calling out to passing motorists and pedestrians. The sales supplement incomes for women who otherwise rely on low-paying, year-round work.
For 32-year-old maid and mother of three, Saima Babar, the August rush is a planned investment.
From her savings of 30,000 rupees ($105), she buys flags and other celebratory goods to sell on the streets.
“Thanks to Allah, the household runs, we manage one meal a day, and that’s fine, right? My children are doing okay,” she said. “[By selling flags] I manage to save about 10 to 12 thousand rupees ($36–$43).”
Husna, a mother of seven who usually sells pens and keychains at traffic lights in Karachi’s upscale Defense area, shifts her stall to the Sindhi Muslim neighborhood every August.
“On some flags, I earn 20 rupees ($0.07) profit; on others, 30 rupees ($0.11). In this way, I make around 1,200 rupees ($4.30) a day,” she said, before handing over a badge and a couple of flags to a customer.
“Our livelihood is made; there’s enough for bread, water, and lentils. It’s happiness for you, and it’s happiness for us too. Pakistan Zindabad.”
Even women who have been selling for years say the holiday provides a reliable boost.
Sajan Kumar and his wife, Suman, have been setting up a flag stall on Shahra-e-Faisal every August for the past eight years.
“As soon as August 14 arrives, we come here to sell flags,” Kumar said. “It’s a day of celebration. We sell every year. People buy them, celebrate, and also come with their children to stroll around. We manage to save around 10 to 15 thousand rupees ($36–$54).”
Pakistan marks its 79th Independence Day this year under the theme “Marka-e-Haq – the Battle of Truth,” with celebrations beginning on Aug. 1 and running through the month. Across Sindh and Punjab provinces, flag-raising ceremonies, cultural shows, boat parades, marathons, and even donkey cart races have drawn large crowds.
For Babar, the more the merrier.
“The more people celebrate, the more purchases there are, right?” she said with a smile.
Moody’s upgrades Pakistan’s credit rating to ‘Caa1’, finance minister hopes for rate cut
- Pakistan’s international bonds rose as much as 1 cent to between 90-100 cents on the dollar following ratings upgrade
- Aurangzeb says more room for central bank to cut key policy rate from 11 percent on back of positive economic indicators
Moody’s said on Wednesday it had raised Pakistan’s credit rating by one notch to ‘Caa1’ from ‘Caa2’ due to an improving external financial position and it assigned the country a “stable” outlook.
The announcement came within hours of Pakistan’s Finance Minister Mohammed Aurangzeb saying there was more room for the central bank to cut the country’s key policy rate from 11 percent on the back of positive economic indicators.
“The credit rating’s improvement is a sign that economic policies are heading toward the right direction,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement.
Pakistan’s international bonds rose as much as 1 cent to between 90 and 100 cents on the dollar following the ratings upgrade. It lifted most of them to their highest since early 2022 when fears of a full-blown debt crisis sent them plunging to as little as 30 cents.
Moody’s decision to raise the rating by one notch after Fitch and S&P did the same will help Pakistan’s capability to raise external debt. Pakistan says its economy is on a recovery path after a $7 billion IMF bailout helped to stabilize it.
“We changed the outlook for the Government of Pakistan to stable from positive,” Moody’s said in a statement.
“The upgrade to Caa1 reflects Pakistan’s improving external position, supported by its progress in reform implementation under the IMF Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program,” it said.
Pakistan’s debt affordability has improved, but remains one of the weakest among rated sovereigns, Moody’s said, adding that the Caa1 rating also reflected the country’s weak governance and high degree of political uncertainty.
Aurangzeb told a gathering of businessmen in Islamabad ahead of the Moody’s announcement that he was expecting an improvement in Pakistan’s credit rating by other agencies after Fitch and S&P.
“We are hopeful of progress in terms of the policy rate going south,” he added.
Aurangzeb said it was his personal view that there was more room for a rate cut toward the end of the year, adding that it was for the central bank to make the final call on the issue. The next policy rate announcement is due on September 15. The central bank left its key interest rate unchanged at 11 percent on July 30, going against analyst expectations. In a Reuters poll they had forecast a reduction of 50 to 100 basis points. The bank said the inflation outlook had deteriorated due to rising energy prices.
Inflation accelerated to 4.1 percent year-on-year in July.
Pakistan’s central bank sees FY26 growth up to 4.25%, trade gap to widen
- Current account deficit forecast at 0–1% of GDP despite remittance growth
- Forex reserves projected to reach $15.5 billion by end-December 2025
KARACHI: Pakistan’s central bank on Wednesday projected economic growth of up to 4.25 percent in the current fiscal year but warned the trade deficit would widen, even as reserves are set to climb on the back of steady remittances and foreign inflows.
The forecast comes as Pakistan implements reforms under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program approved in September 2024, which has helped stabilize the currency, ease inflation and restore investor confidence. The IMF deal is tied to fiscal consolidation, energy sector reforms, and measures to boost exports, part of a broader effort to strengthen macroeconomic stability after years of chronic external imbalances.
The economy returned to moderate growth last year, aided by improved agricultural output, lower global commodity prices, and a series of policy rate cuts totaling 1,100 basis points since late 2024. Inflation has eased from record highs, while the rupee has stabilized against the dollar after a crackdown on the illegal currency market.
“With the policy rate kept unchanged at 11 percent in the MPC meetings in June and July, the MPC expects the real policy rate to be adequately positive to stabilize inflation within the medium-term target range,” the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said in its Monetary Policy Report (MPR) released on Wednesday.
“In the external account, the MPR expects the trade deficit to widen further and, notwithstanding continued expected growth in workers’ remittances, result in a current account deficit of 0–1 percent of GDP in FY26,” it added.
The central bank said “projected financial inflows, coupled with continued SBP interbank FX purchases, would support further buildup in SBP’s FX reserves, which are projected to rise to $15.5 billion by end-December 2025.”
Economic activity, it said, was “projected to gain further traction, with the impact of the earlier reductions in the policy rate still unfolding,” and real GDP growth was expected to range between 3.25 percent and 4.25 percent in FY26.
The MPR also flagged “potential external and domestic risks to the baseline macroeconomic outlook” and included analysis of the lag in monetary policy transmission, comparisons with global central bank decisions, and the SBP’s use of alternative data and machine learning to fill gaps in labor market and agriculture statistics.
