High-level Pakistan delegation to visit US ‘shortly’ to address trade imbalance, finmin says

High-level Pakistan delegation to visit US ‘shortly’ to address trade imbalance, finmin says
In this handout photo, released by Pakistan’s Finance Ministry on April 26, 2025, senior representatives of the United States Export-Import Bank (EXIM), led by Vice Chairman Jim Barrows (3L), gesture during the meeting with Pakistan Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb (not pictured) in Washington, on the sidelines of the IMF–World Bank Spring Meetings. (Photo courtesy: Handout/Finance Ministry)
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Updated 26 April 2025
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High-level Pakistan delegation to visit US ‘shortly’ to address trade imbalance, finmin says

High-level Pakistan delegation to visit US ‘shortly’ to address trade imbalance, finmin says
  • The development comes as the South Asian country mulls options to offset a trade imbalance that has triggered higher tariffs from Washington
  • The US is Pakistan’s largest export market with over $5 bln annual exports as of 2024, while Pakistan’s imports from the US are about $2.1 bln

KARACHI: A high-level Pakistani delegation will “shortly” visit the United States to address trade imbalance between the two countries, Pakistani Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Friday.

The statement came after Aurangzeb’s meeting with Thomas Lersten, a senior State Department Official for economic growth, energy and environment, in Washington, on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund-World Bank spring meetings.

The development comes as Islamabad mulls options, which range from importing crude oil from the US to abolishing tariffs on American imports, to offset a trade imbalance that has triggered higher tariffs from Washington.

In his meeting with Lersten, Aurangzeb thanked the United States for the participation of a well-represented US delegation in a minerals summit held in Pakistan this month, according to the Pakistani finance ministry.

“He expressed Pakistan’s desire to engage constructively to address the trade imbalance between the two countries and informed that a high-level trade and investment delegation was expected to visit the United States shortly to explore avenues of mutually rewarding economic engagement,” the ministry said.




This handout photo, released by Pakistan’s Finance Ministry on April 26, 2025, shows officials from Pakistan (right) and senior representatives of the United States Export-Import Bank (left) during a meeting in Washington, on the sidelines of the IMF–World Bank Spring Meetings. (Photo courtesy Handout/Finance Ministry)

Pakistan is looking to buy more cotton and soybean from the US, while it is also in talks to tear down non-trade barriers to open its markets to more US products.

“We can also look at if there are any issues with respect to non-tariff discussion, whether there are any onerous inspections at our end for US products, we can obviously view that,” Aurangzeb told Bloomberg this week.

Islamabad is trying to appease the US to seek reprieve from the 29 percent reciprocal tariffs imposed by Trump. Those levies are on hold until July.

The US is Pakistan’s largest export market with over $5 billion in annual exports as of 2024, while Pakistan’s imports from the US are about $2.1 billion.

Aurangzeb also held a meeting with senior representatives of the US Export-Import Bank (EXIM), led by its Vice Chairman Jim Barrows, according to his ministry. The finance minister briefed the EXIM delegation on Pakistan’s improving macroeconomic fundamentals and the fiscal consolidation measures undertaken by the government.

“He called for the EXIM Bank’s enhanced support to facilitate greater US investment in Pakistan,” the finance minister said.

“Senator Aurangzeb further expressed Pakistan’s desire to engage constructively with the United States to address tariff-related issues and strengthen bilateral trade relations.”

Authorities are trying to rebuild Pakistan’s tattered economy after it came close to a default in 2023. The South Asian nation last year secured a 37-month, $7 billion IMF program to help stabilize the $350 billion South Asian economy.

This month, Fitch upgraded Pakistan’s credit rating, citing confidence that the South Asian country will be able to sustain reforms under the IMF loan program.


Spotify names Pakistani artist Afusic to Radar program 

Spotify names Pakistani artist Afusic to Radar program 
Updated 18 July 2025
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Spotify names Pakistani artist Afusic to Radar program 

Spotify names Pakistani artist Afusic to Radar program 
  • Breakout single ‘Pal Pal’ tops 64 million streams as artist’s listenership surges
  • Spotify says Afusic’s audience has grown over 1,200 percent since April 2025

ISLAMABAD: Spotify has named rising Pakistani musician Afusic as its featured artist for the third quarter of 2025 under its global Radar program, spotlighting the viral star’s rapid ascent in the country’s evolving music scene.

Afusic — the stage name of Affan Khan — gained widespread recognition this year after his single “Pal Pal” went viral on the platform, amassing over 64 million streams. The song’s success has placed him among a new wave of artists reshaping Pakistan’s independent music landscape.

As the Pakistani music industry undergoes a digital transformation, platforms like Spotify have played a key role in spotlighting emerging talent and connecting local voices with global audiences.

“Spotify’s Radar Pakistan returns this quarter, spotlighting Afusic as its latest featured artist,” Pakistani agency Asiatic Public Relations said in a statement on Friday. “This milestone marks a significant moment in his rapidly rising career with his viral track ‘Pal Pal’ being featured on the Radar Pakistan playlist.”

According to Spotify data shared by the agency, Afusic’s audience has surged by more than 1,200 percent since April 2025, with his music landing on nearly 270,000 playlists globally.

Streams have spiked over 440,000 percent since the song debuted in the platform’s Fresh Finds Pakistan playlist in February.

“In the past 28 days alone, the demographic breakdown of his global audience reveals a strong connection with younger listeners — 60 percent male and 40 percent female — led by the 18–24 age group, followed closely by 25–34-year-olds,” the statement said.

Afusic called the Radar selection a “huge moment.”

“Radar is an incredible platform that shines a light on independent artists and helps us reach new audiences, while also giving fans a chance to connect with who we are beyond the music,” he said. “I’m truly grateful for the support Spotify has shown me — watching ‘Pal Pal’ grow from Fresh Finds to Hot Hits Pakistan shows just how powerful this journey can be.”

Afusic joins past Radar Pakistan alumni including Hasan Raheem, Taha G, Shae Gill, and Rovalio, all of whom have gained both domestic and international acclaim in recent years.


Police say no toxins detected in Pakistani actress Humaira Asghar Ali’s body

Police say no toxins detected in Pakistani actress Humaira Asghar Ali’s body
Updated 18 July 2025
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Police say no toxins detected in Pakistani actress Humaira Asghar Ali’s body

Police say no toxins detected in Pakistani actress Humaira Asghar Ali’s body
  • Ali’s decomposed body was found in her apartment on July 8, nearly nine months after her death
  • Police say while it appears to be a natural death, the possibility of murder has not been ruled out

KARACHI: Pakistani police said on Friday no toxic substances were found in the body of Humaira Asghar Ali, a 42-year-old actress whose remains were discovered in Karachi last week, nine months after her death.

Ali, originally from Lahore, had been living alone in a rented apartment in Karachi’s Ittehad Commercial area for nearly seven years while pursuing an acting career.

Her decomposed body was discovered on July 8 when a court-appointed bailiff broke into her apartment to vacate the property over unpaid rent.

“The chemical report confirms that no sedative, psychotic, narcotic or poisonous substance was detected in the samples,” said Mahroz Ali, Senior Superintendent of Police, citing findings by the Industrial Analytical Center at the University of Karachi’s HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry.

The forensic analysis included tests on hair, lung and liver samples, and found no evidence of foul play from toxic substances.

According to Deputy Inspector General of Police, Syed Asad Raza, police believe Ali died sometime between the evening of October 7 and 8, 2024.

Speaking in an interview with Arab News last week, Raza said the considerable delay in discovering the body has complicated the investigation.

“We are pursuing four possibilities: natural death, accidental death, suicide or homicide,” Raza said. “At present, natural or accidental death appears more likely based on the available evidence.”

The room where the body was found served as both a painting studio and a passage to the washroom.

Raza noted Ali may have slipped and fallen while doing laundry.

A tub filled with washed clothes was discovered in the washroom, suggesting she may have been in the process of household chores at the time of the incident, though there was no blood around her.

“There were no fractured bones, no signs of bleeding and no evidence of a physical struggle,” Raza said. “Typically, in cases of foul play, there are signs of resistance, but we didn’t find any.”

Despite the absence of overt signs of foul play, Raza said investigators are not ruling out any possibilities, including third-party involvement.

“It’s a remote possibility, but we are continuing to investigate that angle,” he said.

Police have collected and sent digital devices found at the scene, including mobile phones and tablets, for forensic analysis, he added.


Pakistan says Kashmir tourist attack probe ‘inconclusive’ as US blacklists militant group

Pakistan says Kashmir tourist attack probe ‘inconclusive’ as US blacklists militant group
Updated 18 July 2025
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Pakistan says Kashmir tourist attack probe ‘inconclusive’ as US blacklists militant group

Pakistan says Kashmir tourist attack probe ‘inconclusive’ as US blacklists militant group
  • US designated The Resistance Front a ‘terrorist organization’ for briefly claiming responsibility for Pahalgam attack
  • Islamabad says New Delhi has ‘a track record of exploiting such designations to push anti-Pakistan propaganda’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Friday a probe into the April killing of 26 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir remained inconclusive, hours after the United States designated a Lashkar-e-Taiba-affiliated group as a terrorist entity, and accused India of using such listings to spread an anti-Pakistan narrative internationally.

The group in question, The Resistance Front (TRF), also known as Kashmir Resistance, was blacklisted by Washington on Thursday as a “foreign terrorist organization” and “specially designated global terrorist” in connection with the April 22 attack in Pahalgam.

In a statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the group had claimed responsibility for the assault before withdrawing its statement, and described TRF as a “front and proxy” of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based outfit banned under US law.

Responding to the development, Pakistan’s foreign office said it had “zero tolerance” for militant entities, though any link between TRF and Lashkar-e-Taiba “belies ground realities,” noting the latter was a defunct group that had been banned in Pakistan.

“Investigations into the Pahalgam incident, that happened in the internationally recognized disputed region of IIOJK, are still inconclusive,” the statement read, using Pakistan’s official abbreviation for Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

“Pakistan has effectively and comprehensively dismantled concerned outfits, arrested and prosecuted the leadership, and deradicalized its cadres,” it continued.

The foreign office also said India had a track record of leveraging such terror listings to deflect global scrutiny from its human rights record in Kashmir and elsewhere.

“India has a track record of exploiting such designations to push anti-Pakistan propaganda with a view to divert international attention from its irresponsible and rogue behavior, including ongoing human rights atrocities, especially in IIOJK,” the statement said.

Pakistan cited its cooperation with international partners against extremist groups and the arrest of high-profile militants, including Sharifullah, the alleged mastermind of the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul that killed 13 US service members and about 170 Afghan civilians.

In April, after India blamed Pakistan for the Pahalgam attack, Islamabad called for a neutral and impartial investigation.

The attack triggered days of cross-border hostilities, with India targeting what it described as “terrorist infrastructure” in Pakistan on May 7. The escalation — involving missiles, drones and artillery — left dozens dead before a ceasefire was announced on May 10.

The foreign office said Pakistan urged the international community to adopt “objective and non-discriminatory policies” on counterterrorism and called for other groups, such as the Majeed Brigade of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), to be designated under US law.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused the BLA and other separatist groups operating in the volatile southwestern province of Balochistan of being Indian proxies, a claim New Delhi denies.

With input from Reuters


Pakistan and Libya to expand defense industrial collaboration after top military meeting

Pakistan and Libya to expand defense industrial collaboration after top military meeting
Updated 18 July 2025
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Pakistan and Libya to expand defense industrial collaboration after top military meeting

Pakistan and Libya to expand defense industrial collaboration after top military meeting
  • The understanding comes during the Libyan armed forces commander-in-chief’s visit to Pakistan
  • Defense ties between both countries remain robust with Pakistan training Libyan military officers

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Libya have agreed to pursue defense industrial collaboration and exchange technical expertise to tackle security challenges, according to an official statement issued on Friday after a meeting between the top army commanders of the two countries.

The meeting took place in Rawalpindi between Libyan Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Lt Gen Saddam Khalifa Haftar and Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, according to the military media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

Defense ties between the two countries date back to the Cold War era, when Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi famously called Pakistan “the fort of Islam” at the 1974 Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Lahore and later supported its arms procurement efforts.

In the post-Qaddafi period, the two nations signed a series of memoranda of understanding focused on labor, education and political consultations, laying the groundwork for broader cooperation.

“Meeting encompassed discussion on matters of mutual interest, evolving regional dynamics, security challenges and matters pertaining to defense cooperation,” the ISPR said in a statement after the meeting.

“Both leaders agreed to undertake defense industrial collaboration and exchange of technical expertise to address contemporary security challenges.”

Haftar was presented a guard of honor by a Pakistan Army contingent upon his arrival at the General Headquarters, where he laid a floral wreath at the Martyrs’ Corner.

The ISPR statement maintained the visit by Libya’s top military leadership marks a significant step in reinforcing the longstanding defense partnership between both countries.

Pakistan and Libya established diplomatic relations in 1951 and have maintained friendly ties rooted in shared Islamic heritage and cultural bonds.

Bilateral trade reached approximately $19 million in 2022–23, while defense ties remain robust, with Pakistan having trained Libyan officers in aviation, infantry and technical fields in the past.


Pakistan links 40,000 missing pilgrim figures in Middle East to outdated paper records

Pakistan links 40,000 missing pilgrim figures in Middle East to outdated paper records
Updated 18 July 2025
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Pakistan links 40,000 missing pilgrim figures in Middle East to outdated paper records

Pakistan links 40,000 missing pilgrim figures in Middle East to outdated paper records
  • Religious affairs minister says his ‘missing pilgrims’ remark did not imply mass disappearances in the region
  • Pakistan has unveiled a new system for pilgrims traveling to Iran, Iraq and Syria to improve record keeping

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s religious affairs minister, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, on Friday downplayed his earlier remarks about “40,000 missing pilgrims” in the Middle East, saying the number reflected outdated travel records, not mass disappearances, amid growing scrutiny of undocumented religious travelers in the region.

The clarification follows media reports, citing official data, that around 40,000 Pakistani pilgrims to Iran, Iraq and Syria had either gone missing or overstayed in the past decade, prompting the government to draft a new pilgrimage monitoring policy and raise the issue with host countries.

Each year, thousands of Pakistani Shia pilgrims travel to religious shrines in these countries, but host governments have repeatedly flagged the issue of undocumented or unreturned visitors.

Speaking to Arab News a day earlier, Mustafa Jamal Kazi, Director General of Immigration and Passports, said most of the disappearances occurred in Iraq due to the lure of employment in its booming construction sector, and that the exploitation of religious tourism for begging was among the most common motives for absconding.

He also confirmed the officially stated number of missing pilgrims, saying these people “never returned during the last almost one decade.”

“My reference to 40,000 pilgrims was never intended to give the impression that thousands of Pakistanis are missing abroad,” the religious affairs minister said in a statement. “The real issue is that older paper records have not yet been fully transferred to our central digital registry.”

He said the religious affairs ministry had launched a modern digital portal where pilgrims and group organizers are issued QR-coded e-cards, allowing families and the government to access real-time travel data.

“This step will eliminate room for misunderstanding or propaganda, and ensure timely sharing of pilgrim data with officials in Iran, Iraq, and Syria,” the minister said, calling the move a key measure toward secure and accountable pilgrimage.

Yousaf also appealed to tour operators and prospective pilgrims to register their information on the new system by August 31 to avoid being flagged as part of “incomplete lists.”

“Our goal is to make every Pakistani’s journey safe,” he said. “Let’s work together to show the world that our records are transparent and that Pakistan is using modern technology to ensure responsible oversight.”

As part of broader reforms, the government has also abolished the traditional “Salar system” — in which private group leaders managed logistics — and introduced a centralized framework under the new Ziyarat Management Policy, holding licensed organizers accountable for each pilgrim’s return.