ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has recorded modest growth in its non-textile exports in the current fiscal year, helped by steps taken by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to boost trade, state media reported on Tuesday.
The textile sector dominates Pakistan’s export economy, accounting for around 60 percent of it, contributing 8.5 percent to gross domestic product and employing roughly 40 percent of the country’s industrial labor force.
While textiles continue to play a major economic role, the SIFC, a hybrid civil-military body designed to streamline investment and export procedures, has been actively promoting diversification through targeted support and policy incentives.
“In the first eight months of the current fiscal year, non-textile exports have grown by 2.3 percent, reaching $9.8 billion,” Radio Pakistan said, citing official statistics.
Among the notable gains, sesame seed exports to China surged by 179 percent, reaching $28 million, while crude petroleum exports doubled.
Cement exports rose by 26 percent, and jewelry exports climbed by 66 percent.
Radio Pakistan also highlighted the first-ever exports from the Gwadar Free Zone, including an approved annual consignment of 10,000 tons of potassium sulfate fertilizer.
In line with the government’s export-led growth strategy, Pakistan’s automotive sector has also made a new push into global markets, with a first shipment of 40 locally manufactured cars exported to Japan.
Radio Pakistan said the government has termed this a “golden opportunity” for local auto manufacturers, pledging continued policy support.
Pakistan sees modest rise in non-textile exports — state media
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Pakistan sees modest rise in non-textile exports — state media
- Textile sector has dominated Pakistan’s export economy, but efforts are underway to promote diversification
- Pakistan has increased its exports of sesame, crude petroleum, cement, jewelry and automobiles this fiscal year
Authorities warn of action as nationalist party announces Quetta march for Baloch activists’ release
Authorities warn of action as nationalist party announces Quetta march for Baloch activists’ release
- The development follows Sardar Akhtar Mengal’s announcement of the protest march for the release of BYC leaders
- The provincial government says it will take legal action against people delivering anti-state speeches at BNP protest
QUETTA: The provincial administration of Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan on Saturday warned of strict action after a Baloch nationalist party announced to march to Quetta to pressure authorities for the release of activists from an ethnic rights group.
The Balochistan National Party (BNP-M) led by Sardar Akhtar Mengal on Friday announced the march toward the provincial capital after holding two inconclusive rounds of talks with officials, demanding the release of detained ethnic rights activists.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee’s (BYC) top leader, Dr. Mahrang Baloch, and several of her colleagues were arrested on March 22 after staging a sit-in outside the University of Balochistan.
Pakistani authorities charged them with terrorism, sedition and murder following a protest in which three demonstrators were killed, according to police documents.
Mengal decided to launch a protest after objecting to the government’s treatment of female BYC leaders, calling for their immediate release and condemning what he described as the suppression of their democratic rights.
“The provincial government is ready to allow Mengal and his party to protest at Sariab Road [in Quetta], but he is adamant on entering the Red Zone,” Shahid Rind, the Balochistan administration’s spokesperson, said at a news conference, referring to a high-security area housing key government buildings.
“The Government of Balochistan will not allow anyone to violate Section 144, and action will be taken against the protesters,” he added, citing the legal provision that empowers authorities to ban public gatherings of more than four people to maintain law and order.
Rind said Mengal had demanded the release of BYC activists at the very start of the negotiations.
“If the courts provide relief to Mahrang Baloch and other activists, the government will accept the decision,” he continued while explaining the authorities’ position over the issue during the talks.
“We still stand by the offers made to Sardar Mengal,” he added. “But now the ball is in his court.”
During the media interaction, Rind said anti-state speeches had been made during Mengal’s protest, and the government would take legal action against those responsible.
His comments came a day after Pakistan’s top army generals met to review the national security situation and pledged not to let “foreign-backed proxies” and their “political supporters” destabilize Balochistan.
Authorities have long claimed a nexus between Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) militants and BYC activists, an allegation the latter deny.
The crackdown on BYC leaders followed a deadly train attack last month in Balochistan, in which BLA separatists took hundreds of passengers hostage. The standoff lasted nearly 36 hours until the army launched a rescue operation, killing 33 militants.
A final count showed 26 passengers had also died in the incident.
Authorities later accused BYC activists of storming a mortuary in Quetta and seizing the bodies of three militants.
Asked about reports of government negotiations with BYC chief Dr. Mahrang Baloch in prison, Rind said the provincial administration was not engaged in any such dialogue.
Pakistan to offer full Urdu commentary for PSL this year to reach wider audience
- Cricket commentary was once offered in both Urdu and English during radio and early TV’s golden era
- A senior PCB official calls Urdu commentary a ‘historic moment’ for the league and its growing fanbase
KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Saturday it will offer full-match commentary in Urdu for the first time in the history of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) this year, saying the move will make the tournament more accessible to a wider national audience.
Cricket commentary in Pakistan was long delivered in both Urdu and English, especially during the golden era of radio and early television. Legendary commentators like Omar Kureishi and Chishti Mujahid often switched between the two languages or provided parallel coverage.
Urdu commentary was particularly prominent on Radio Pakistan, helping bring the game closer to the masses and expanding its reach across the country.
“Fans will now be able to follow live broadcasts in Urdu, allowing them to enjoy the excitement and action of PSL matches in Pakistan’s national language,” the PCB said in a statement. “This initiative strengthens our connection with the millions of cricket lovers who have long awaited this addition.”
The upcoming edition of the HBL PSL will run from April 11 to May 18 across four cities — Lahore, Karachi, Multan and Rawalpindi.
The PCB said details regarding broadcast arrangements and commentary panels for both Urdu and English will be announced in due course.
PCB Chief Executive Officer Salman Naseer called it a “historic moment” for the league and its expanding fanbase.
He said cricket was a unifying force in Pakistan, and by offering commentary in Urdu throughout the tournament, the PCB aimed to bring the excitement and energy of the PSL closer to fans across the country.
PM Sharif hails Ramadan relief success, orders digital wallet model for future welfare programs
- Government transferred cash directly into digital wallets to provide Ramadan relief to deserving citizens
- Over 951,000 digital wallets were used and 1.9 million payments made, according to official statistics
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday lauded the successful implementation of Pakistan’s Ramadan Relief Package 2025, praising the transparent use of digital wallets for fund distribution and instructing officials to adopt the model for future government programs, state media reported.
The premier made the comments during a meeting in Islamabad to review the execution of the nationwide relief scheme, which aimed to provide financial support during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
The package, rolled out across the country including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, utilized digital tools to deliver assistance to beneficiaries and was promoted as a step toward the country’s broader digital transformation agenda.
Under the initiative, aid was transferred directly into recipients’ digital wallets — secure mobile accounts linked to national ID numbers — allowing beneficiaries to access funds via mobile apps, ATMs or designated agents without needing a traditional bank account.
“Appreciating the effective and transparent implementation of the Ramazan Relief Package 2025, [the prime minister] directed the authorities concerned to emulate this model in future government schemes,” the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency reported the PM Office as saying.
It said 1.9 million digital payments were made and over 951,000 digital wallets used, marking what officials described as a significant move toward realizing the “Digital Nation Pakistan” vision.
More than 823,000 women and over 2,500 persons with disabilities accessed the funds through digital platforms, APP added.
Authorities said 79 percent of the allocated funds had been disbursed, with a team of 2,224 employees resolving over 1,200 complaints during the scheme’s implementation.
Millions of robocalls, SMS alerts and outbound calls were also made to raise awareness, the report added.
Pakistan elected to UN narcotics commission with top regional vote share
- Pakistan’s term at the commission will begin in 2026 and run through 2029
- Commission members guide global drug policy and tackle transnational crime
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan was elected as a member of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) for a four-year term on Friday, securing the highest number of votes among member states contesting for seats from their respective regional groups, its UN mission said.
The CND, operating under the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), serves as the main policymaking body for international drug control.
Member states of the commission guide global narcotics regulations, including decisions on how certain substances are categorized and controlled.
Pakistan’s inclusion in the commission will allow it to influence international drug policy, particularly on issues affecting regional trafficking routes, public health and transnational crime.
“Pakistan is gratified by the resounding support received from ECOSOC,” the country’s mission to the United Nations said in a statement. “It reflects the confidence and trust reposed in Pakistan to play its active role in the CND as part of global counter narcotics efforts and multilateral policy discourse on drug related issues.”
“Pakistan has been at the forefront of global counter-narcotics efforts, playing a crucial role in combating illicit drug trafficking, production, and abuse,” the statement added.
Pakistan’s new term at the CND will begin in 2026 and continue through 2029.
The country has previously participated in global drug policy forums and says it looks forward to strengthening the role of the CND in ensuring effective and balanced international drug control in line with the UN conventions.
Pakistan urges UN to recover weapons left in Afghanistan, warns militants gaining access
- Pakistan tells the world body TTP and BLA militants are getting support from its ‘principal adversary’
- It maintains militant groups are using new technologies like cryptocurrency to finance their activities
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday voiced concern at the United Nations Security Council over militant groups like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) acquiring sophisticated weapons, urging the international community to recover stockpiles left behind by foreign forces in Afghanistan.
Pakistan has previously highlighted that US-led international forces abandoned automatic assault rifles and night vision devices in Afghanistan during their hurried withdrawal from Kabul in August 2021.
The pullout was widely criticized as unplanned and chaotic, leading to Congressional inquiries in the US and intense criticism of former US President Joe Biden’s administration.
However, the previous American government denied Pakistan’s claims, saying all military hardware was intended for the Afghan National Army, which collapsed as the Taliban seized power. US officials acknowledged that these weapons subsequently fell into the hands of the Taliban.
“We know that non-state actors do not have many of the capabilities to manufacture advanced illicit arms, thus raising questions of culpability of certain state actors in these nefarious activities,” Syed Atif Raza, Counsellor at Pakistan’s UN Mission, said during a UNSC meeting on small arms and light weapons management.
“Pakistan is concerned at the acquisition and use of modern and sophisticated illicit arms by terrorist groups such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, a UN-listed terrorist organization, which operates with impunity from Afghanistan, as well as the so-called Baloch Liberation Army and Majeed Brigade,” he added.
Raza noted these militant groups possessed lethal weapons left in Afghanistan that were now used against civilians and Pakistan’s armed forces.
“We call upon our international partners to recover the vast stockpile of abandoned weapons, prevent their access to armed groups and take measures to close this thriving black market of illicit arms,” he added.
Pakistan has witnessed a significant uptick in militant violence in its western provinces bordering Afghanistan in recent years.
The Pakistani diplomat asserted that militants receive external support and financing from Pakistan’s “principal adversary,” alluding to India.
He also highlighted that the evolving nature of warfare and new technologies posed challenges in combating the proliferation of increasingly lethal small arms.
“Criminal groups and terrorists are leveraging new technologies such as cryptocurrency for anonymous transactions by using the dark web to evade detection,” Raza said, adding that these technologies also offered more tools to law enforcement to address the situation.
