Asfandyar Yahya

Salt once sparked wars, fueled revolts, and toppled rulers. What we now toss into fries was once the spark of revolutions. Today, Pakistan holds the world&rsquo;s second-largest salt reserves, a quiet giant beneath our feet.

Tell Me Why

Once a catalyst for wars and revolts, now quietly powers Pakistan’s vast salt reserves.

Salt Wars: How a pinch changed history

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: The United States is considering a second round of negotiations with Iran in Pakistan, with the White House expressing optimism about a potential agreement and praising Islamabad&rsquo;s central role in mediating the process.&nbsp;White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said discussions were ongoing about further engagement, noting that talks &ldquo;would very likely be in the same place as they were last time,&rdquo; referring to Islamabad.&nbsp;&ldquo;Those discussions are being had&hellip; and we feel good about the prospects of a deal,&rdquo; she told reporters.&nbsp;The remarks come after an initial round of more than 20 hours of negotiations in Islamabad, brokered through Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic efforts following a fragile two-week ceasefire that paused weeks of conflict. While US Vice President JD Vance said no agreement was reached, both Washington and Tehran signaled that diplomacy would continue, with Iranian officials stressing that progress depends on &ldquo;seriousness and good faith.&rdquo;&nbsp;Leavitt underscored Pakistan&rsquo;s role as the sole channel for mediation, describing Islamabad as &ldquo;the only mediator in this negotiation.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;The Pakistanis have been incredible mediators throughout this process&hellip; and we really appreciate their friendship and their efforts to bring this deal to a close,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;She added that while discussions remain ongoing, no formal request has been made to extend the ceasefire, emphasizing that negotiations are still in progress.

Americas

White House says a second round of US-Iran talks is being discussed in Islamabad, expressing optimism about a deal and praising Pakistan’s mediation, as diplomacy continues following initial negotiations held after a fragile ceasefire.

US eyes second Iran talks in Islamabad, praises Pakistan mediation

ISLAMABAD: Pressure on Israel over its military campaign in Lebanon intensified on Tuesday, as Italy suspended defense ties, Spain issued a blunt legal rebuke, and China called for respect for Lebanese sovereignty. In Rome, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the suspension of a long-standing defense cooperation agreement with Israel. The pact, in place since 2006, covers military training, industrial cooperation, &nbsp;and technology sharing. According to AFP, Italian officials said the move followed reports that Israeli forces fired warning shots at a United Nations peacekeeping convoy in southern Lebanon that included Italian personnel, an incident that drew strong backlash in Italy, a key contributor to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). &ldquo;In view of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defence agreement with Israel,&rdquo; Meloni said on the sidelines of an event in Verona, according to Italian news agencies ANSA and AGI. In Beijing, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro S&aacute;nchez delivered a sharp condemnation, accusing Israel of violating international law and describing its conduct as &ldquo;intolerable,&rdquo; AFP reported. Speaking during an official visit, S&aacute;nchez said the war had been a &ldquo;mistake&rdquo; from the outset and called for the European Union to suspend its cooperation framework with Israel. He also urged accountability, warning that there should be &ldquo;no impunity&rdquo; for what he described as criminal acts, and said Lebanon must be included in any ceasefire arrangement. Separately, Iran&rsquo;s President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a post on X that &ldquo;the essence of civilizations reveals itself at critical historical junctures,&rdquo; adding that positions taken by countries including Spain, China, Russia, T&uuml;rkiye, Italy, and Egypt against what he described as &ldquo;warmongering and crimes&rdquo; reflect their deep cultural and historical roots.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2044063688584507580&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=3362cbd2995e2849f5202d296d2c5f703c1a9990&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 321px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div> China&rsquo;s response included Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning saying Lebanon&rsquo;s sovereignty &ldquo;should not be violated&rdquo; and stressed the need to protect civilian lives, urging all parties to de-escalate. Israeli officials did not immediately respond to the remarks.

A photograph taken from the Israeli side of the border with Lebanon shows Israeli soldiers driving along a road running beside destroyed buildings in southern Lebanon on April 15, 2026. (AFP)

Europe

Asia

Middle East

Italy suspends defense ties, Spain condemns Israel, and China urges restraint as global pressure mounts over Lebanon strikes. Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian also criticizes Israel, highlighting the widening international backlash.

Global pressure grows on Israel as Italy, Spain, China criticize Lebanon strikes

ISLAMABAD: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Tuesday that China does not recognize the &ldquo;so-called &lsquo;Arunachal Pradesh&rsquo; illegally set up by India.&rdquo;&nbsp;He made the remarks at the ministry&rsquo;s regular press conference in Beijing. China&rsquo;s newly announced standardized names for places in Zangnan are &ldquo;fully within China&rsquo;s sovereign rights,&rdquo; he said, using the Chinese name for the region, adding that&nbsp;&ldquo;Zangnan region is China&rsquo;s territory.&rdquo; <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2044256901417054517&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=59cf929660b953b1a57fd64f6b4703305659807c&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 640px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The statement followed the publication by China&rsquo;s Ministry of Civil Affairs of a sixth batch of standardized names for places in Zangnan on April 10, according to Guo&rsquo;s remarks at the briefing. At the same press conference, Guo said China-India relations are &ldquo;generally stable at the moment,&rdquo; adding that&nbsp;China&rsquo;s commitment to improving and growing relations with India &ldquo;has not changed.&rdquo; India has rejected China&#39;s decision to assign new names to places in the region India calls Arunachal Pradesh. The foreign ministry statement was China&rsquo;s response to India&rsquo;s criticism. The English-language&nbsp;China Daily, in a report, quoted Guo as saying that both countries should &ldquo;move toward each other&rdquo; and take more steps conducive to bilateral relations. It reported that India said the move detracted from efforts to stabilize bilateral ties.

China

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun has said that China’s latest standardized place names in Zangnan are within its sovereign rights, and that Beijing rejects Indian occupation of Arunachal Pradesh.

China says it has never recognized Arunachal Pradesh as part of India

RAIPUR: The death toll from a boiler blast at a power plant in central India has risen to 19, a police officer said Wednesday, noting that 17 others were injured. The explosion occurred Tuesday at a facility operated by Vedanta Limited, a subsidiary of London-listed Vedanta Resources, in Chhattisgarh state&#39;s Sakti district. &quot;The death toll in the power plant blast has reached 19 whereas 17 are undergoing treatment in various hospitals,&quot; district police chief Praful Thakur told AFP. The explosion likely occurred after a pipeline burst, spewing &quot;superheated steam&quot; onto people having lunch at the time, the Indian Express newspaper said. Indian-born billionaire Anil Agarwal, chairman of Vedanta Resources, said he was &quot;distressed by the extremely tragic accident&quot;. &quot;A high-level investigation into this incident has been initiated. We will leave no stone unturned in getting to the bottom of this matter,&quot; he said in a statement. Chhattisgarh state authorities have also launched a probe, with chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai vowing the &quot;strictest possible action&quot; against those found guilty. Industrial accidents are common in India, often due to poor adherence to safety regulations and weak enforcement. A fire at a fireworks factory in western India last month killed 17 people.

India

A boiler explosion at a Vedanta power plant in central India kills 19 people and injures 17, prompting investigations into the cause.

India power plant blast death toll climbs to 19: Police

ISLAMABAD: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has granted a license to Alibaba-backed Koko Tech Pakistan Pvt. Ltd. to operate a &quot;Buy Now Pay Later&quot; business in Pakistan. In a press release issued on Tuesday, the SECP said the development marked a significant step for Pakistan&rsquo;s digital financial ecosystem.&nbsp; Koko Tech is owned by Alibaba, making the move a notable entry by a major global technology company into Pakistan&rsquo;s fintech space. The regulator said Alibaba&rsquo;s move reflected growing international confidence in Pakistan&rsquo;s large consumer base, expanding digital economy and untapped financial services market.&nbsp; It added that Koko Tech was expected to introduce innovative, data-driven lending solutions in the Buy Now Pay Later segment by using advanced AI-driven credit assessment systems and globally tested digital infrastructure. According to the SECP, the company&rsquo;s entry would help expand access to consumer financing, particularly for young users, freelancers and small businesses that remain underserved by traditional banking channels.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2044020211641397593&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=59cf929660b953b1a57fd64f6b4703305659807c&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 897px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The commission said the new license could also help support small and medium-sized enterprises, increase e-commerce activity and accelerate the shift toward a more inclusive, technology-led financial system. The SECP described the development as a direct inflow of foreign investment into Pakistan&rsquo;s financial sector.&nbsp; In the press release, SECP Chairman Dr Kabir Ahmed Sidhu said the entry of Alibaba Group would boost competition and innovation in Pakistan&rsquo;s fintech market.&nbsp; He added that Pakistan remains an attractive destination for international investment because of its large population, growing digital adoption and an improving regulatory framework. The licensing of KTPL comes as Pakistan seeks to deepen financial inclusion and broaden the use of digital financial services across the economy.&nbsp; Buy Now Pay Later services, which allow consumers to pay for purchases in installments, have expanded rapidly in many markets as an alternative form of short-term consumer credit, especially in online retail. The move is likely to be closely watched by Pakistan&rsquo;s banking, fintech and e-commerce sectors, as Alibaba&rsquo;s entry in the Buy Now Pay Later segment could intensify competition and spur further innovation in consumer lending and digital payments. Alibaba Group has a significant and growing presence in Pakistan. Its operations span e-commerce, digital payments, logistics, and cloud computing, including platforms such as Daraz and AliExpress.

Economy

Pakistan’s SECP grants a 'Buy Now Pay Later' license to Alibaba-backed Koko Tech Pakistan, signaling the growing confidence of foreign companies in its digital financial market.

Alibaba-backed firm granted Buy Now Pay Later license for Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his official visit to Saudi Arabia, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office (PMO) said in a press release. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 694px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2044514583872749882&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=4ef725290cec625d11ab9f6161e0727108fdf9d6&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Separately, in a post on X, FM Dar said that meeting with the crown prince was &quot;marked by warmth, brotherhood, and a shared vision for a stronger Pakistan&ndash;Saudi Arabia partnership.&quot;&nbsp; &quot;The Prime Minister reaffirmed our deep-rooted ties, built on faith, trust, and mutual respect, and explored avenues to further enhance cooperation across all sectors,&quot; he said, adding that Saudi Arabia was a &quot;special place for Pakistanis, and we remain committed to strengthening this historic and fraternal relationship for generations to come.&quot; <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 744px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2044516185262493975&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=4ef725290cec625d11ab9f6161e0727108fdf9d6&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div> Prime Minister Sharif arrived in Jeddah on Wednesday for an official visit to Saudi Arabia, accompanied by a high-level delegation, the PMO said in a press release earlier. PM Sharif was received at the airport by Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of the Makkah region, along with Saudi Arabia&rsquo;s ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, and Pakistan&rsquo;s envoy to Riyadh, Ahmed Farooq, said the statement. The talks between the crown prince and the prime minister are expected to focus on strengthening cooperation between the two countries and exchanging views on the evolving regional situation, the statement said. Foreign Minister Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi, and foreign media coordinator Musharraf Zaidi are part of the visiting delegation. Earlier, the announcement of the PM leaving for Jeddah came shortly after Finance Minister Aurangzeb said that Saudi Arabia has committed an additional $3 billion in deposits to Pakistan, with disbursement expected within a week, providing timely support for the country&rsquo;s external financing needs.&nbsp;Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-finance-minister-outlines-macroeconomic-outlook-reform-progress-at-uspakistan-business-council-luncheon" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings 2026</a>, the finance minister said the Kingdom has also agreed to extend its existing $5 billion deposit for a longer period, moving away from the earlier annual rollover arrangement. During his visits to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the prime minister is expected to hold high-level meetings with the leadership of both countries to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional peace and security.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 720px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2044421268162703720&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=4ef725290cec625d11ab9f6161e0727108fdf9d6&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>In T&uuml;rkiye, the prime minister will participate in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, where he will join a panel of leaders to present Pakistan&rsquo;s perspective on key global issues. On the sidelines of the forum, Sharif is also expected to meet Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other world leaders. Pakistan&rsquo;s participation in the forum reflects its commitment to constructive diplomacy, multilateral cooperation and engagement on global challenges.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"> </div></div>

Foreign Affairs

The talks between the crown prince and the prime minister are expected to focus on strengthening cooperation between the two countries and exchanging views on the evolving regional situation.

PM Sharif meets Saudi crown prince during official visit to Saudi Arabia

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&#39;s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said Tuesday that the country&#39;s leadership is not giving up on efforts to help the US and Iran negotiate.&nbsp; &quot;We would very much like to see if we can continue to pursue the dialogue,&quot; he said during an interview with the Associated Press on the sidelines of the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. &quot;We&#39;ll keep at it, and our leadership is at it.&quot; Aurangzeb said&nbsp;the&nbsp;talks marked the first direct discussion between the two nations in nearly 50 years. The finance minister said he also met this week with US officials, including Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, to discuss trade and finance concerns. He plans to meet Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday. In a phone call with The New York Post, President Trump said Tuesday a second round of talks with Iran &quot;could be happening over the next two days,&quot; indicating that the venue could be Islamabad.

Muhammad Aurangzeb - (File Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Pakistan's Finance Minister says Pakistan will continue to push US-Iran dialogue as talks resume, and Donald Trump signals a possible second round soon.

Pakistan won't quit US-Iran mediation, says finance minister

BEIJING: Russia&#39;s foreign minister said that his country could make up for China&#39;s energy shortages as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is choked by the US-Israeli war with Iran, Russian state media reported Wednesday. &quot;Russia can, without a doubt, compensate for the shortfall in resources that has arisen&quot; for China and &quot;other countries that are interested in working with us&quot; Sergei Lavrov said at a news conference in Beijing, in response to a question about the Hormuz blockage. He also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit China in the first half of the year, Moscow&#39;s TASS state news agency reported. Russia and China&#39;s close economic and political partnership has deepened since Moscow&#39;s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Lavrov, who began a two-day visit to Beijing on Tuesday and met President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, characterised the bilateral relationship as &quot;unshakable in the face of any storms&quot;, Russia&#39;s TASS and RIA Novosti news agencies reported. Ties between the countries &quot;play a stabilising role in world affairs&quot; and are &quot;becoming increasingly important... for the global majority that does not want problems or turbulence&quot;, he said. Lavrov&#39;s visit comes during the same week as a string of foreign leaders meet with Xi in the Chinese capital, including To Lam of Vietnam and Pedro Sanchez of Spain.

Sergei Lavrov says Russia can offset China’s energy shortfall amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, as Moscow and Beijing deepen strategic ties.

Russia can 'compensate' for China's resource gap from Iran war

Web Desk/AFP

WASHINGTON:&nbsp;Israel and Lebanon released a joint statement saying that they held &ldquo;productive discussions&rdquo; and agreed to launch direct negotiations as the two sides met in Washington, the United States said on Tuesday. &quot;The participants held productive discussions on steps toward launching direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon,&quot; State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement. &quot;All sides agreed to launch direct negotiations at a mutually agreed time and venue,&quot; he said. The announcement came after Israeli and Lebanese envoys held more than two hours of talks mediated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. &quot;The United States congratulated the two countries on this historic milestone and expressed its support for further talks, and for the government of Lebanon&#39;s plans to restore the monopoly of force and to end Iran&#39;s overbearing influence,&quot; Pigott said. And it &quot;affirmed that any agreement to cease hostilities must be reached between the two governments, brokered by the United States, and not through any separate track,&quot; he added. Lebanon was pulled into the region-wide Iran war on March 2 after pro-Tehran Hezbollah attacked Israel. Since then, Israeli strikes have killed more than 2,000 people and displaced more than one million, despite international calls for a ceasefire, and Israeli ground forces have invaded southern Lebanon.

Israel and Lebanon agree to launch direct negotiations after “productive” talks in Washington mediated by Marco Rubio, marking a potential step toward de-escalation.

Israel, Lebanon agree to direct negotiations after 'productive' talks: US

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&#39;s Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb said that Saudi Arabia has committed an additional $3 billion in deposits to Pakistan, with disbursement expected within a week, providing timely support for the country&rsquo;s external financing needs. Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-finance-minister-outlines-macroeconomic-outlook-reform-progress-at-uspakistan-business-council-luncheon" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings 2026</a>, the finance minister said the Kingdom has also agreed to extend its existing $5 billion deposit for a longer period, moving away from the earlier annual rollover arrangement. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2044247340308148616&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=6cce7b9fd498f49855a1f8e1b89c9a140954b443&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Aurangzeb said the fresh inflows would help strengthen Pakistan&rsquo;s foreign exchange reserves and support its external account, as the government aims to build reserves to around $18 billion, equivalent to about 3.3 months of import cover, by the end of the current fiscal year. He said Pakistan remains committed to meeting all external obligations on time, noting that the recent repayment of a $1.4 billion Eurobond was completed smoothly. The minister said Pakistan&rsquo;s external financing plan is well-defined and being implemented in a disciplined manner under the IMF-supported program. He added that during his visit, he held detailed talks with Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan and senior Pakistani officials to finalize the support package. Aurangzeb expressed gratitude to the Saudi leadership, particularly Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for continued financial backing and close cooperation. He said Pakistan is receiving strong recognition from international financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, as well as global investors, for its economic reforms and diplomatic engagement. The minister added that Pakistan is advancing efforts to diversify funding sources through initiatives such as the Global Medium-Term Note program and a planned Panda Bond issuance. Aurangzeb reaffirmed the government&rsquo;s commitment to macroeconomic stability, continuity of reforms, and sustained engagement with bilateral and multilateral partners.

Pakistan's Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, alongside State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmad, met Saudi Finance Minister H.E. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan in Washington on the sidelines of the World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings 2026.

The finance minister said the Kingdom has also agreed to extend its existing $5 billion deposit for a longer period, moving away from the earlier annual rollover arrangement.