ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday called on the country’s diplomats to improve their services and support to overseas Pakistanis, a state-run news agency, Associated Press of Pakistan, reported.
The prime minister’s address to the envoys comes days after his office initiated a formal inquiry against the country’s embassy in Riyadh, suspended the outgoing ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and recalled several members of staff following complaints by expat Pakistani workers in the kingdom who said their embassy had mistreated them.
“It is unfortunate how we (embassy staff) deal with overseas Pakistanis. This is unacceptable. It cannot go on in this way during the current era. The embassies were duty-bound to serve the diaspora,” Khan said in an online conference with Pakistani ambassadors and chiefs of foreign missions.
“Overseas Pakistanis are our major strength. Pakistan is running on their remittances,” the PM said. “If they would not have been remitting, the country would have gone toward bankruptcy.”
Despite the coronavirus pandemic and ensuing lockdowns across the world, Pakistani workers’ remittances in March 2021 increased by 43 percent $2.7 billion compared with to the inflows in the same period last year.
The increasing inflows last month prompted Khan to thank to thank the foreign workers for the “record-breaking remittances.”
“You sent over $2 billion for 10 straight months despite COVID, breaking all records. We thank you,” he said. “The love and commitment of overseas Pakistanis to Pakistan is unparalleled.”
The inflows came mainly from Saudi Arabia, standing at $5.7 billion, the United Arab Emirates at $4.5 billion, Britain at $2.9 billion, and the US at $1.9 billion, according to central bank data.
PM Khan urges Pakistani diplomats to improve services to expats
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PM Khan urges Pakistani diplomats to improve services to expats
- PM’s call comes in the wake of inquiry against the country’s embassy in Riyadh over complaints by expat Pakistani workers
- Without remittances from overseas workers, the country would have run into bankruptcy, PM Khan says
As PM urges new tourism push, Swat river tragedy raises alarm over tourist safety
- 13 tourists from family of 17 swept away in Swat River on Friday during rise in water levels caused by monsoon rains
- Rains and floods in 2022 inundated a third of the country, killing 1,737 people and causing widespread destruction
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed Pakistan’s tourism authorities to take immediate steps to boost the country’s international profile as a travel destination, including launching a global branding campaign, creating special tourism zones and attracting long-term investment in the sector.
While the prime minister did not refer to it during a Monday meeting on tourism development, his comments come just three days after a deadly flash flood in the scenic Swat Valley killed 13 members of a single tourist family.
According to rescue officials in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where Swat is located, 17 family members were swept away in the Swat River on Friday during a sudden rise in water levels caused by monsoon rains. Twelve bodies had been recovered as of Sunday, with search operations ongoing for the final missing person. The incident drew widespread condemnation in the media and online over what many called a slow response by emergency services.
“Pakistan’s tourism sector holds unlimited potential to earn foreign exchange,” the prime minister said at Monday’s meeting, according to a statement from his office.
“God Almighty has blessed Pakistan with natural resources and timeless beauty.”
Pakistan offers a diverse range of tourism attractions, drawing visitors with its dramatic landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture.
From the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush in the north, home to some of the world’s highest mountains like K2, to the ancient ruins of Mohenjo-Daro and Taxila, the country blends natural beauty with archaeological significance.
The Hunza, Swat, and Skardu valleys are popular for trekking, mountaineering, and scenic retreats, while cities like Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad offer a mix of Mughal architecture, bustling bazaars, colonial-era landmarks, and modern urban life.
Religious tourism is also growing, with sites such as Kartarpur for Sikh pilgrims and the Buddhist ruins in Takht-i-Bahi. Pakistan’s coastline along the Arabian Sea, its deserts, forests, and diverse cultures make it a unique destination with year-round tourism potential.
Sharif directed the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation to move swiftly on plans to showcase the country abroad as a tourism brand, stressing public-private partnerships and stronger federal-provincial coordination to develop tourism infrastructure across the country.
“With snow-covered mountains, forests, rivers, as well as plains and desert areas, our country is not behind any nation in the world in terms of tourism,” Sharif said.
“Under the vision for national development, we will place Pakistan among the world’s leading tourist destinations.”
Officials at the meeting briefed the prime minister on proposals to promote medical tourism, develop recreational areas and improve access to northern tourist regions.
Sharif emphasized encouraging domestic tourism alongside international promotion.
“Special measures should be taken to encourage domestic tourism and the arrival of local tourists at recreational spots,” he said. “Planning should be done to ensure long-term investment in the tourism sector.”
Since Friday’s tragedy in Swat, videos widely shared on social media have showed tourists stranded on rocks midstream, shouting for help as floodwaters surged.
Survivors have widely said rescue services took hours to reach the scene.
The incident has sparked criticism over disaster preparedness in tourist areas.
The disaster was part of a broader wave of flash flooding across northern Pakistan last week, which has killed at least 32 people, according to rescue agencies.
Weather officials have warned of above-average monsoon rains this year, raising further concern over the vulnerability of tourist destinations in mountainous areas.
Forecasters say they cannot rule out a repeat of the “extreme situation” seen during devastating floods in 2022 when rains inundated a third of the country, killing 1,737 people and causing widespread destruction.
Pakistan name Azhar Mahmood as latest red-ball head coach
- Azhar Mahmood becomes fourth man to be appointed to the post in last 18 months
- Pakistan will host South Africa in their first series of latest WTC cycle in October
KARACHI: Pakistan on Monday named former all-rounder Azhar Mahmood interim head coach of the Test side, the fourth man to take the post in the last 18 months.
The 50-year-old will remain in the position until January, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said.
As a pace bowling all-rounder Mahmood played 143 one-day internationals and 21 Tests for Pakistan, and has been serving as assistant coach since last year.
“The PCB announces Mahmood as the acting red-ball head coach of the Pakistan men’s team,” said a PCB press release.
Mahmood replaces Aaqib Javed, who was interim head coach for the Test series in South Africa in December-January and at home against the West Indies.
Javed left after Pakistan lost all four Tests and finished ninth and last in the third cycle of the World Test Championship.
Javed took over from former Australia pacer Jason Gillespie, who quit six months into his stint in December 2024 after differences with the PCB.
Before Gillespie, former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez was team director and oversaw a 3-0 Test defeat in Australia.
Monday’s appointment is part of a series of changes the PCB has taken to improve the performances of the national team after a poor two years.
Last month, New Zealand’s Mike Hesson took over as white-ball head coach for two years.
Pakistan will host South Africa in their first series of the latest WTC cycle in October this year and then Sri Lanka in December-January.
Pakistan’s inflation rate to remain within 3-4% range in June — finance ministry
- Higher remittances and exports to keep current account in surplus, report say
- Topline Securities sees FY25 inflation averaging 4.6%, expects no major rate changes
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s inflation is expected to remain between 3–4% in June, the country’s finance ministry said in its monthly economic outlook report on Monday, reflecting a sharp decline from the record highs of 2023, when inflation peaked at 38% amid political turmoil and external account pressure.
Annual inflation rose to 3.5% in May 2025, up from just 0.3% in April, according to official data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. However, it remains far below the 38% peak recorded in May 2023 amid political turmoil and external account pressure.
“Inflation is expected to remain within the range of 3.0–4.0 percent for June 2025,” the finance ministry said, citing stable food supplies and fiscal discipline.
The ministry said recent economic indicators showed signs of recovery, with increased lending to the private sector suggesting a pickup in production and business confidence. On the external front, it projected that higher remittances from overseas workers and a modest uptick in exports would help maintain a current account surplus for the full fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.
From July 2024 to April 2025, federal revenue growth outpaced expenditures, which the ministry attributed to the effectiveness of its fiscal reform measures. Net federal receipts grew by 44.4% to Rs8,124.2 billion, up from Rs5,627.5 billion a year earlier.
“The rise in revenues is primarily contributed by 68.1% growth in non-tax collections,” the report said. “Similarly, tax collection witnessed a significant increase, as in Jul-May FY2025, it grew by 25.9% to Rs10,233.9 billion from Rs8,125.7 billion last year.”
Breakdowns of tax categories showed a 33.8% increase in federal excise duty, a 27% rise in direct taxes, a 26.5% jump in sales tax, and a 16.3% increase in customs duties.
Independent analysts say the macroeconomic outlook is improving, though risks remain.
Brokerage house Topline Securities estimated on Monday that June 2025 inflation will clock in at around 3.2%, compared to 12.6% in the same month last year. This would bring average inflation for FY2025 to 4.6%, a significant drop from 23.9% in FY2024.
On a month-on-month basis, Topline expects a slight 0.2% increase in overall prices, driven largely by a 0.4% rise in the housing index due to fuel cost adjustments in electricity bills. However, food prices are forecast to decline by 0.5%, led by falling poultry prices.
Within the sensitive price index (SPI) basket, sharp price increases were observed in tomatoes (59.3%), potatoes (26.4%), eggs (7.4%), fresh fruits (5.7%) and onions (5.0%), while notable declines were seen in chicken (-32.5%), fresh vegetables (-12.2%), LPG (-6.6%), vegetable ghee (-0.4%), and cooking oil (-0.4%).
Topline said the recently announced FY2026 federal budget was broadly non-inflationary, with minimal changes to the tax structure and no major new levies, in line with IMF-supported fiscal goals. However, it cautioned that the government’s move to raise fixed charges for domestic gas consumers could push inflation slightly higher in coming months.
With gas having a weight of about 1.1% in the urban consumer price index, the brokerage estimated the hike could result in a 23% month-on-month increase in the gas index, translating to a 0.85 percentage point uptick in headline inflation.
Looking ahead, Topline projected that average inflation for FY2026 would hover around 5.4%, assuming no major shocks to the domestic supply chain or global commodity prices. It also expects the central bank to keep interest rates steady, noting that the full impact of recent rate cuts, totaling 1,100 basis points, has yet to fully transmit through the economy.
Pakistan urges world to stop Israel’s ‘murderous course,’ reaffirms support for Palestinian state
- Israel’s retaliatory campaign against Hamas in Gaza has killed at least 56,412 people since October 7, 2023
- Ishaq Dar criticizes Israel’s “wanton killing” of women and children, targeting aid workers and blocking Gaza aid
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday urged the international community to mobilize and stop Israel from its “murderous course” and military operations in Gaza, reiterating Islamabad’s firm support for an independent Palestinian state.
After claiming victory in a 12-day war against Iran that ended with a ceasefire last Tuesday, the Israeli military said it would refocus on its offensive in Gaza, where Hamas still holds Israeli hostages.
Israel’s retaliatory military campaign against Hamas has killed at least 56,412 people in Gaza since October 2023. Most of the dead are civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The United Nations considers these figures to be reliable.
“The international community must mobilize to stop Israel from its murderous course and persuade it to pursue a path of reason,” Dar said during his speech at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad.
“Palestinians must be granted their inalienable right to self-determination,” he added.
He condemned Israel’s “wanton killing of women and children,” blaming the Jewish state for using starvation as “an instrument of war” in the densely populated Gaza territory, targeting humanitarian workers and destroying homes, schools, hospitals and critical infrastructure there.
Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s foreign minister, said Islamabad reiterates its support for the establishment of a viable and independent Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
The Pakistani deputy premier condemned Israel and the United States for attacking key Iranian nuclear facilities earlier this month, saying they violated the United Nations Charter, international law and put regional peace in danger.
He welcomed the Iran-Israel ceasefire announcement, urging all parties to resolve their disputes peacefully through dialogue and diplomacy.
Pakistan finmin to discuss global finance challenges at international conference in Spain this week
- Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development will be held in Seville, Spain, from July 1-3
- Muhammad Aurangzeb to meet global policymakers, speak on debt transformation and financial cooperation
KARACHI: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb will discuss global finance challenges and meet policymakers from other countries at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) being held in Spain this week, the finance ministry said on Monday.
The conference, which is being held from July 1 to 3 in Seville, will bring together leaders, policymakers and international development experts to explore innovative and sustainable financing strategies to accelerate progress toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly for developing and emerging economies, the finance ministry said.
Aurangzeb is scheduled to take part in several key conferences and high-level side events, where he will present Pakistan’s take on the prevalent global finance issues and greater cooperation among nations.
“The Finance Minister’s participation at FFD4 underscores Pakistan’s commitment to promoting innovative financing solutions, strengthening international cooperation, and enhancing the country’s voice in global development discourse,” the finance ministry said.
Sharing details of the finance minister’s engagements at the conference, the ministry said he will co-chair the multi-stakeholder roundtable on ‘Leveraging Private Business and Finance’ on July 1 and deliver a keynote address at the International Business Forum Policy Dialogue on ‘Accelerating EMDEs Investment: The Role of Credit Ratings.’
The minister is also scheduled to address the General Debate of the conference and participate in the roundtable discussion on ‘Revitalizing International Development Cooperation,’ the ministry said.
It added that as part of a UNICEF-hosted side event, Aurangzeb will speak on ‘Driving Capital Towards Children and Young People: A Dialogue on Innovative and Sustainable Financing for Children.’
It said the finance minister will also attend and speak as the chief guest at a special session titled ‘Swapping Out Debt for Development: The DCS Financing Approach,’ where he will highlight Pakistan’s perspectives on debt transformation and the potential of deposit protection mechanisms to support development finance.
He will also participate as a panelist at the International Business Forum’s side event on ‘Scaling Up SME Finance,’ focusing on enhanced financial inclusion for small and medium-sized enterprises, the ministry added.
“In addition to his conference engagements, the Finance Minister will hold bilateral meetings with key international figures, including Mr. John W.H. Denton AO, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce, and H.E. Mr. Steven Collet, Vice Minister for Development of the Kingdom of the Netherlands,” the finance ministry said.
Pakistan has been navigating a tricky path to recovery from a prolonged macroeconomic crisis that has weakened its foreign exchange reserves, drained its resources and triggered a balance of payments crisis.
The government says it is committed to the reforms course, which includes privatizing state-owned enterprises incurring losses, widening the tax base and improving its energy sector.
