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Pakistan eyes $50 billion Chinese exports in 10 years, greenlights joint venture for industry relocation

Pakistan Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal is chairing a meeting in Islamabad on June 22, 2024, to develop a roadmap ahead of the visit of Chinese experts at the end of June. (@PlanComPakistan/X)
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Updated 26 June 2024
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Pakistan eyes $50 billion Chinese exports in 10 years, greenlights joint venture for industry relocation

  • Chinese experts scheduled to visit Pakistan this month “to foster innovation, technology transfer, capacity building”
  • Earlier this month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was on a five-day visit to China in which dozens of MoUs were signed 
Updated 26 June 2024
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan planning ministry said this week it planned to increase exports to China to $50 billion in the next ten years, as the Prime Minister on Wednesday greenlit a joint venture project to relocate Chinese industries to Pakistan.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif went on a five-day visit to China that included meetings with top political and business leaders with the aim of upgrading the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), through which Beijing has pledged over $60 billion to Pakistan. Dozens of MoUs were also signed during the visit. 

“The Planning Minister highlighted the goal of exporting fifty billion dollars to the Chinese market. The aim is to increase Pakistan’s exports from 30 billion dollars to 150 billion dollars in the next 10 years,” the ministry said in a statement, emphasizing the importance of learning from China’s experience and know-how.

“A delegation of Chinese experts from various fields is scheduled to visit Pakistan at the end of this month, aiming to foster innovation, technology transfer, and capacity building,” the statement added. 

“The focus will be on capacity building of Pakistani experts through training and knowledge sharing, learning from China’s experience in innovation and technological advancements, adapting innovative solutions to Pakistan’s specific needs, and skill development in key sectors.”

While chairing a meeting to prepare for the Chinese delegation’s visit, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal directed line ministries to be “selective and strategic” and focus on areas where China had experience that could be shared with Pakistani professionals. 

“He noted that China has 2.7 trillion dollars in imports, and Pakistan must focus on areas through which it could enhance exports and secure a share in Chinese imports,” Iqbal said, emphasizing the need for Pakistan to learn from China’s strategic advancements in knowledge and technology. 

“The visit aims to transfer Chinese expertise to promote innovation and technology across various sectors in Pakistan, with a focus on mutual cooperation and knowledge sharing.”

Separately on Wednesday, Sharif chaired a meeting of the Board of Investment (BoI) to discuss promoting both local and foreign investment in Pakistan.

“There was significant potential for relocating China’s textile, leather, footwear, and other industries to Pakistan,” state-run APP said in a report, quoting the PM, who okayed a joint venture project to relocate Chinese industries to Pakistan.

Topics: China Pakistan Pakistan China Ties CPEC BOI Arab News Pakistan

PM approves modern digital ecosystem for Pakistan revenue watchdog to increase collection

Updated 5 sec ago
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PM approves modern digital ecosystem for Pakistan revenue watchdog to increase collection

  • The move is tied to the government’s economic stabilization agenda, structural benchmarks under a $7 billion IMF program
  • Pakistan has set a record-high tax collection target of $47 billion for 2025–26, marking a 9% increase from the previous year
Updated 5 sec ago
KASHIF IMRAN

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved the development of a modern, world-class digital ecosystem in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and directed hiring of world-renowned experts, his office said, in a bid to increase revenue collection.

The prime minister issued the directives at a meeting he presided over to review ongoing reforms in the FBR, during which officials briefed participants about linking FBR data to a single hub for real-time monitoring.

The reforms are tied to the government’s economic stabilization agenda and structural benchmarks under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program. Pakistan has one of the lowest tax-to-GDP ratios in the region, despite a population of more than 240 million.

Speaking at the meeting, Sharif said the country's economy was moving in the right direction, thanks to the ongoing FBR reforms, and the government could only reduce tax on common people by increasing the tax base and eliminating informal economy.

"An entire digital ecosystem should be created to strengthen the new [FBR] system," he said. "All data from raw material production and import, product manufacturing to consumer purchases should be linked to a single system."

In June, Sharif's government set a record-high tax collection target of Rs14.13 trillion ($47.4 billion) for the fiscal year 2025–26, marking a 9 percent increase from the previous year. Officials say meeting this goal is essential to reducing reliance on external debt and ensuring long-term fiscal sustainability.

The prime minister said this consolidated data, collected under the new FBR system, should be used for economic, strategic decision-making.

"The system should be made so effective that the entire value chain can be directly monitored digitally," the prime minister added.

Earlier this month, the FBR launched simplified digital tax returns for salaried individuals, aimed at increasing tax compliance and widening the narrow tax base.

Topics: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Pakistan tax Pakistan economy

Pakistan’s Sindh reports first dengue-related death of this year

Updated 41 min 34 sec ago
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Pakistan’s Sindh reports first dengue-related death of this year

  • Dengue is an illness that spreads through vectors, carried by the bite of an infected mosquito
  • 2024 recorded highest dengue levels with 14,305,764 cases and 10,576 deaths in 112 countries
Updated 41 min 34 sec ago
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: The health department in Pakistan’s Sindh on Saturday reported first dengue-related death of this year in the southern province.

Dengue is an illness that spreads through vectors, carried by the bite of an infected mosquito. There is currently no cure or vaccine for dengue fever and in its most severe form, it can lead to fatalities.

People affected by dengue go through intense flu-like symptoms including high fever, intense headache, muscle and joint pain, and nausea and vomiting, typically persisting for approximately a week.

The Sindh health department on Saturday confirmed that a 48-year-old woman resident Karachi’s East district died of the virus during treatment at a private hospital.

“The patient was admitted on July 23, 2025, and tested positive for dengue the same day,” it said.

“She also had underlying health conditions, including diabetes and a urinary tract infection (UTI), which contributed to complications in her case.”

The virus has been surging worldwide, aided by climate change.

The year 2024 recorded the highest levels of dengue with 14,305,764 cases and 10,576 deaths reported from 112 countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

Pakistan reported nearly 16,000 dengue case from Jan. till Oct. 2024, according to the National Institute of Health.

Topics: dengue fever

Pakistan arrests five suspects involved in human smuggling, defrauding citizens

Updated 26 July 2025
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Pakistan arrests five suspects involved in human smuggling, defrauding citizens

  • The development comes amid a crackdown against agents involved in sending impoverished Pakistanis abroad through dangerous routes
  • A record 10,457 migrants died trying to reach Spain in 2024, mostly attempting to cross the Atlantic route from West African countries
Updated 26 July 2025
KASHIF IMRAN

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested five suspects involved in human smuggling and defrauding citizens, it said on Saturday.

The development comes amid a crackdown against agents involved in sending impoverished Pakistanis abroad through dangerous routes, luring them with a chance at a better life in Europe.

The latest arrests were made by the FIA in different areas of Gujranwala and Gujrat districts for swindling citizens out of millions of rupees by offering fake visas and jobs abroad.

“The suspects were found involved in illegally sending innocent citizens abroad,” the FIA said in a statement, identifying the suspects as Rifaqat, Shabraiz, Muhammad Siddique, Muhammad Yasin and Qasim Shaheen.

Rafaqat and Shabraiz took Rs2.4 million from a citizen for employment in Italy, but sent him to Kyrgyzstan from where he was deported, according to the agency.

Siddique took over Rs2 million from a citizen for employment in Spain, while Yasin received more than Rs645,000 promising to find overseas employment to a citizen. Shaheen duped another man into paying Rs4 million for a job in the United Kingdom (UK).

“The accused had gone into hiding after receiving huge sums of money,” the FIA said, adding that an investigation has been launched against them.

Earlier this month, the FIA said it had arrested an agent involved in the Morocco boat tragedy, in which dozens of Pakistanis attempting to travel illegally to Europe had drowned near the African country’s coast.

The boat had set off from Mauritania in January with 86 migrants on board, among them 66 Pakistanis, for the Canary Islands administered by Spain, international rights group Walking Borders had said. Moroccan authorities said on January 16 that 36 people were rescued from the vessel, while Pakistan confirmed survivors of the tragedy included 22 of its nationals.

A record 10,457 migrants, or 30 people a day, died trying to reach Spain in 2024. Most of them died while attempting to cross the Atlantic route from West African countries such as Mauritania and Senegal to the Canary Islands, according to Walking Borders.

In 2023, hundreds of migrants, including 262 Pakistanis, drowned when an overcrowded vessel sank in international waters off the southwestern Greek town of Pylos, marking one of the deadliest boat disasters ever recorded in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Pakistani government has ramped up efforts in recent months to combat human smugglers facilitating dangerous journeys for illegal immigrants to Europe, resulting in several arrests.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also urged increased collaboration with international agencies like Interpol to ensure swift action against human trafficking networks.

Topics: human trafficking Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Lahore police

Fast bowler Afridi back in Pakistan squad for white-ball series against West Indies in US

Updated 26 July 2025
AP
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Fast bowler Afridi back in Pakistan squad for white-ball series against West Indies in US

  • Fast bowler Haris Rauf, who suffered a hamstring injury, has recovered and was named in the T20 squad
  • Pakistan’s pace attack was further strengthened Friday with the return of Hasan Ali for both T20s, ODIs
Updated 26 July 2025
AP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan recalled fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi for the white-ball cricket series against West Indies, starting at Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida.

The three Twenty20 matches in the US — on July 31, Aug. 2 and 3 — will be followed by three ODI games in Trinidad and Tobago.

Afridi, who is also in the ODI squad, was surprisingly excluded from Pakistan’s last two T20 series against Bangladesh despite leading Lahore Qalandars to its third Pakistan Super League title in the last four years with a rich haul of 19 wickets this year.

In Afridi’s absence, Pakistan routed Bangladesh 3-0 at home but lost 2-1 to Bangladesh at Dhaka in a series which ended Thursday.

Fast bowler Haris Rauf, who was forced to miss the series against Bangladesh because of a hamstring injury he sustained during Major League Cricket (MLC) in the US, has recovered and was named in the T20 squad.

Pakistan’s pace attack was further strengthened Friday with the return of Hasan Ali for both T20s and ODIs against West Indies.

The selectors dropped pace bowlers Abbas Afridi and Salman Mirza, who both participated in the T20 series in Bangladesh, and retained all-rounders Hussain Talat and Mohammad Nawaz.

Middle-order batter Hasan Nawaz is the only uncapped player named in the ODI squad. Nawaz scored Pakistan’s fastest-ever T20 century against New Zealand in March this year.

Salman Ali Agha will continue to lead the T20 side while wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan was named skipper for the ODI series.

Twenty20 squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.

ODI squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.

Topics: Shaheen Shah Afridi Pakistan cricket

Police arrest two for allegedly poisoning Pakistani TikToker Sumeera Rajput to death

Updated 26 July 2025
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Police arrest two for allegedly poisoning Pakistani TikToker Sumeera Rajput to death

  • Sumeera Rajput, who had over 58,000 followers, was found dead at her home in Ghotki on Friday
  • A post-mortem of Rajput’s body has revealed that she had died of poisoning, a police official says
Updated 26 July 2025
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: Police have arrested two suspects for allegedly poisoning a local TikTok star to death in Pakistan’s southern Ghotki district, officials said on Saturday.

Sumeera Rajput, who had over 58,000 followers and one million likes on TikTok, was found dead at her residence in the Bago Wah area on Friday afternoon, according to Ghotki Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Muhammad Anwar Khetran.

Police arrested two suspects, Babu Rajput and Muhammad Imran, for poisoning the content creator and lodged a case against them on the complaint of the deceased’s sister.

“A post-mortem of Sameera Rajput has been conducted, which has revealed that she died because of poisoning,” Khetran said in a statement. “Further investigation is underway with the arrested suspects.”

This is the third death involving woman tiktokers in Pakistan in less than two months.

On July 11, a father shot dead his daughter in Rawalpindi after she refused to delete her account on TikTok.

In the Muslim-majority country, women can be subjected to violence by family members for not following strict rules on how to behave in public, including in online spaces.

On June 2, Sana Yousaf, a 17-year-old content creator, was shot dead at her Islamabad home by another social media influencer, Umar Hayat, 22, after she rejected his repeated advances, according to Islamabad police chief Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi.

Yousuf, originally from the scenic northern region of Chitral, was known for promoting traditional Chitrali music and dress through her videos. She also advocated for girls’ education.

Hours before her murder, she had posted a photo celebrating her birthday with friends.

Women have found both audience and income on the app, which is rare in a country where fewer than a quarter of the women participate in the formal economy.

However, only 30 percent of women in Pakistan own a smartphone compared to twice as many men (58 percent), the largest gap in the world, according to the Mobile Gender Gap Report of 2025.

Pakistani telecommunications authorities have repeatedly blocked or threatened to block the app over what they call “immoral behavior.”

In southwestern Balochistan, where tribal law governs many rural areas, a man confessed to orchestrating the murder of his 14-year-old daughter earlier this year over TikTok videos that he said compromised her “honor.”

Topics: Karachi Police TikTok honor killings

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