ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday efforts to alleviate poverty must focus on long-term solutions that lead to economic independence, according to an official statement issued to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
The day, observed globally on October 17, raises awareness about the need to eliminate poverty and improve living conditions worldwide. In September last year, the World Bank reported that nearly 40 percent of Pakistan’s population was living below the poverty line due to the country’s ongoing economic challenges.
“We believe that lifting people out of poverty is not just about immediate relief but about creating sustainable pathways to economic empowerment,” the prime minister said. “Eradicating poverty is not just a moral duty but a fundamental cornerstone for achieving sustainable development and ensuring peace and prosperity for all.”
Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to the global community in ensuring a world where successful opportunities were not limited to a person’s background or circumstances, he said the government was making efforts for poverty alleviation.
“Our targeted efforts aim at empowering communities, especially women and children, and giving them the tools they need to build a better future,” he added. “As we face global challenges, including inflation and economic uncertainty, the Government of Pakistan remains committed to making life more affordable for its people.”
The prime minister noted Pakistan would continue collaboration with global partners in the inclusive growth, education, health care and environmental sustainability sectors.
“Poverty eradication is also at the forefront of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which Pakistan remains fully committed to achieving,” he said. “We are also proud of the progress made in empowering women and ensuring that their contributions are integral to the nation’s economic and social fabric.”
Sharif expressed confidence in Pakistan’s “unwavering dedication” to alleviating poverty, urging people to join their efforts of building a more “equitable and inclusive” world.
“On this day, I extend my deepest appreciation to all those, both in Pakistan and around the world, who are working tirelessly to eradicate poverty,” the prime minister concluded.
Pakistan PM advocates economic empowerment on World Poverty Day
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Pakistan PM advocates economic empowerment on World Poverty Day

- Shehbaz Sharif terms poverty eradication a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development
- He says government wants to bring down the cost of living amid global economic uncertainties
Pakistan’s factory PMI dips in early sign of global tariff headwinds

- New orders slumped while export orders in particular plummeted
- Employment fell for a second month as manufacturers cut costs
KARACHI: Pakistan’s manufacturing sector growth slowed to a seven-month low in April, with the HBL Pakistan Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI)easing to 51.9 from 52.7 in March, as concerns over global trade weighed, HBL said in a press release.
The latest dip in the index hints at the impact of US President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs, said Humaira Qamar, Head of Equities & Research at HBL.
“We believe that the latest PMI dips are early signs of the headwinds to the global economy from the introduction of US tariffs,” said Humaira Qamar — Head Equities & Research at HBL.
New orders slumped while export orders in particular plummeted. Employment fell for a second month as firms cut costs, said Qamar.
Qamar warned that any US stagflation would hurt Pakistan’s exports, particularly to the US which accounts for 18 percent of its total, potentially prolonging the manufacturing downturn, though lower commodity prices could provide some relief, she added.
Despite the slowdown, the PMI remains above 50, indicating expansion amid a favorable inflation outlook.
Qamar said she expects an interest rate cut on Monday due to strong deflationary pressures. But a Reuters poll suggests Pakistan’s State Bank will hold rates steady at 12 percent, following a surprise pause in its last meeting due to geopolitical tensions and inflation concerns.
Pakistan’s annual inflation rate fell to 0.3 percent in April, well below the Ministry of Finance estimate of 1.5 percent to 2 percent. The central bank forecasts average inflation to be in the range of 5.5 percent to 7.5 percent for the fiscal year ending June.
Pakistan’s largest bank, HBL, and global financial information and analytics firm S&P Global launched the index In February to track the country’s manufacturing sector.
China’s BYD partners with local firms to launch largest EV charging network in Pakistan

- 128 DC fast chargers will be installed across Pakistan over the next three years
- Pakistan approved EV policy in 2019 with a target of 30 percent electric vehicles by 2030
KARACHI: China’s BYD, the world’s largest New Energy Vehicle (NEV) manufacturer and Pakistan’s Mega Motor Company (MMC) have partnered with Hub Power Company (HUBCO) to launch the country’s largest NEV charging network, the company said on Friday.
NEVs refer to alternative-fuel vehicles that rely on electric, hybrid, hydrogen or other non-traditional power sources instead of conventional gasoline or diesel engines
BYD, a global leader in battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, has expanded aggressively in Asia, Europe and Latin America. Mega Motor, a subsidiary of Pakistan’s HUBCO, is spearheading the local manufacturing, distribution and sales of BYD-branded vehicles.
“This nation-wide rollout of infrastructure marks one of the most significant developments in the country’s shift toward electric mobility by addressing a critical gap in Pakistan’s EV ecosystem and establishing the most extensive NEV charging network,” BYD said in a statement.
“As part of this strategic and groundbreaking roadmap, HGL will install approximately 128 DC fast chargers across the country over the next three years, with 50 installations planned by December 2025.”
It added that the charging points would be placed every 150-200 kilometers of highways and motorways along with malls, hotels and hospitals.
“Range anxiety remains one of the most significant barriers to NEV adoption across Pakistan,” BYD Pakistan Vice President Sales and Strategy Danish Khaliq said.
“Through this groundbreaking partnership with HUBCO Green, we are not just addressing a logistical issue but shaping the entire mobility landscape of the country.”
BYD and MMC partnered last year to introduce electric vehicles (EVs) in Pakistan, aiming to accelerate the country’s transition toward sustainable mobility.
The government approved the National Electric Vehicles Policy in 2019, setting a target of 30 percent EVs by 2030. In March, Pakistan inaugurated the country’s fastest EV charging station in Islamabad.
Earlier this year, Pakistan announced a 45 percent reduction in power tariffs for electric vehicle charging stations. The government is also planning financing schemes for e-bikes and the conversion of two and three-wheeled petrol vehicles.
According to a report submitted by the power ministry, there are currently more than 30 million two- and three-wheeled vehicles in Pakistan, which consume more than $5 billion worth of petroleum annually.
In January, China’s ADM Group revealed plans to invest $250 million in setting up an electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Pakistan.
Pakistan stocks slide on India tensions, key sectors lose up to 15% after Kashmir attack

- Foreign investors remained net sellers in April, taking their outflows since July to $252 million
- The market recovered some of its losses on Friday but remains volatile heading into next week
KARACHI: Pakistan’s renewed tensions with archrival India have weighed heavily on the country’s stock market, with key sectors like refineries posting losses of up to 15 percent since a gun attack killed 26 tourists in the disputed Kashmir region on April 22, according to analysts and market data on Friday.
India blamed Pakistan for the attack despite Islamabad’s denial and call for a neutral probe. The escalation, which has seen border closures, tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions and fears of military confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbors, has drawn international concern.
The KSE-100 Index, Pakistan’s benchmark stock gauge, fell 6 percent over six trading sessions following the attack, according to Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) data.
The market recovered some losses on Friday but remained volatile heading into next week.
“Pakistan’s stock market experienced heightened volatility after the Pahalgam attack,” Sana Tawfik, an economist and head of research at Arif Habib Ltd., told Arab News while referring to the attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Between April 22 and April 30, the index dropped 7,104 points or 6 percent, she said.
Key sectors bore the brunt of the sell-off, including refineries (-15.4 percent), transport (-15 percent), pharmaceuticals (-12.9 percent), jute (-11.6 percent) and engineering (-9.2 percent).
“This decline reflects broad investor risk aversion amid geopolitical uncertainty,” she added.
The latest flare-up with India added to pressure on Pakistani equities, which had already been hit by US President Donald Trump’s tariff increases last month. That triggered panic selling and a one-hour trading halt at the PSX.
“Foreigners remained net sellers [in April] as well, taking 10MFY25 net outflow to around $252 million,” JS Global Capital Ltd., the largest broking and investment banking firm in Pakistan, said in a note to clients.
Muhammad Waqas Ghani, its head of research, said investor caution over Pakistan’s escalating tensions with India had driven the recent market volatility.
“The impact of geopolitical concerns is beginning to wear off,” he said.
On Friday, the KSE-100 rebounded 2.5 percent to 114,113 points, trimming overall losses to 3.6 percent. Ghani attributed the recovery to US diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions between the two neighbors.
“The market opened positive today [Friday], gaining 2,900 points or 2.6 percent in the first half,” he said.
Analysts said calls for restraint from the US, United Nations and other members of the International community contributed to Friday’s rally.
US Vice President JD Vance told Fox News in a podcast interview that Washington was working to prevent further escalation and preserve regional peace.
Mohammed Sohail, CEO at Topline Securities Ltd., said stocks bounced back as investors regained confidence amid “signals of easing tensions.”
JS Global said market sentiment could improve further after the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) expected release of funds for Pakistan following its upcoming executive board meeting this month.
“Materialization of planned foreign inflows, likely after IMF disbursement, along with geopolitical stability, remains crucial for the country and equity markets,” it added.
Six Indian gray wolf puppies rescued in southwest Pakistan

- The puppies were moved to a wildlife rescue center in Balochistan
- These wolves inhabit dry grasslands of India, Pakistan and Nepal
KARACHI: Six Indian gray wolf puppies, found in the care of local residents in Pakistan’s southwestern Zhob district, were relocated to a rescue center in Balochistan province, the Wildlife Department said on Friday.
The Indian gray wolf, also known as canis lupus pallipes, is a small, slender subspecies of the gray wolf found in India, Pakistan and Nepal, particularly in dry grasslands and scrublands. It has a pale brown or reddish-gray coat with short fur suited to hot climates.
The rescue followed a video that went viral on social media, showing locals playing with the puppies in the Kakar Khorasan area of Zhob. Wildlife officials then sought assistance from the police and Levies to take the animals into their custody, which they did.
“We have transferred all six to the rescue center in Zhob where they are being cared for,” Chief Wildlife Conservator Sharifuddin Baloch told Arab News over the phone. “Once they reach an appropriate age, they will be released into the wild.”
He said initial reports suggested that one wolf puppy had died, but wildlife officials later found all the puppies alive.
Compared to other wolves, Indian gray wolves form smaller packs, are more elusive and less vocal. They prey on livestock, small mammals and occasionally wild ungulates.
Genetically distinct and among the oldest wolf lineages, the Indian gray wolf is listed as endangered in India due to habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict and persecution.
Pakistan’s UN envoy says India’s suspension of water treaty ‘illegal,’ poses ‘existential threat’

- Ambassador Ahmad warns India’s action could set a dangerous precedent undermining rights of lower riparian states
- He says Pakistan rejects any attempt to associate it to the April 22 attack, which it condemned alongside other nations
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top diplomat at the United Nations on Friday raised alarm over India’s decision to suspend a decades-old river water sharing mechanism between the two nations after a gun attack killed 26 people in the disputed Kashmir region on April 22.
New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the assault in Pahalgam, a tourist hotspot in Indian-administered Kashmir, despite Pakistani denial of involvement and calls for an independent investigation. India also expelled Pakistani diplomats, shut a major border crossing and suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in the wake of the attack.
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, told a media briefing at the UN his country “categorically rejects any attempt to associate it with the 22 April terrorist incident” and had condemned it alongside other Security Council members.
He described India’s conduct as “incendiary,” saying it disregarded international law and could have “far-reaching consequences for global peace and stability.”
“Of grave and particular concern is India’s irresponsible decision to hold in abeyance the historic Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, a landmark, legally binding agreement brokered and guaranteed by the World Bank,” he said.
“Holding of IWT in abeyance is unilateral and illegal,” he continued. “There are no such provisions in the Treaty. India’s unilateral and unlawful actions are bound to undermine regional peace and stability with catastrophic implications.”
The Pakistani envoy warned that the suspension of the IWT posed “an existential threat to the people of Pakistan” and amounted to the usurpation of the rights of lower riparian states.
“If left unchecked by the international community, such actions risk setting a dangerous precedent that could undermine the legal rights for lower riparian states, potentially triggering new global conflicts over shared water resources,” he said.
Ahmad also expressed concern over escalating rights violations in Indian-administered Kashmir, the only Muslim-majority region under New Delhi’s control, since the Pahalgam attack.
He cited reports of arbitrary detentions, home demolitions and “collective punishment” imposed on civilians by the Indian authorities.
He reiterated Pakistan’s longstanding position that the root cause of instability in South Asia was the unresolved Jammu and Kashmir dispute, and warned of the risk of wider conflict in the nuclear-armed region.
“Escalation in South Asia, home to nearly two billion people, favors none,” Ahmad said. “It is time for sanity to prevail and allow dialogue and diplomacy to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.”