Simran Siraj

KARACHI: As dusk settled over Saint Patrick&rsquo;s Cathedral, four young volunteers arranged chairs for the evening vigil, their quiet coordination punctuated by a familiar seasonal aroma drifting through the air. Warm raisins, cinnamon and fresh yeast. For many gathered near the cathedral, Easter in Karachi is inseparable from a ritual just a short walk away. Just two streets down, outside Misquita Bakery, customers clutched paper bags heavy with freshly baked hot cross buns, their warmth still escaping into the evening air. The bakery, a Saddar institution, produces the spiced loaves only once a year, a tradition that has endured for more than six decades. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s the most iconic Easter treat,&rdquo; one volunteer told Pakistan TV Digital, gesturing toward the bustling bakery. Each spring, the scene repeats itself: long queues, hurried exchanges and the unmistakable scent of spice-laced bread. At the center of it all is a single, symbolic loaf, the hot cross bun. For those waiting patiently, the experience is as much about memory as it is about taste. &ldquo;The thing very famous here is their hot cross buns,&rdquo; said Christopher Miranda, a long-time patron. &ldquo;They are famous all over the world. Not only in Karachi or Pakistan, people even freeze them and send them abroad. The taste is just very nice.&rdquo; For Miranda, the buns are more than a seasonal indulgence; they mark a moment in time. &ldquo;These buns are significant. We buy them once a year. They are only had on Good Friday. It&rsquo;s a very old tradition that pulls all our people over here.&rdquo; A legacy baked in spice and memory Inside the bakery, preparation begins weeks in advance. According to Tanzim, the manager, the demand shows no sign of slowing. &ldquo;We have been making hot cross buns here for about 60 to 70 years,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The demand is unlimited. Customers are always lined up, and sometimes we can&rsquo;t even meet the full demand.&rdquo; The recipe, however, remains closely guarded. A blend of spices and techniques passed down through generations. &ldquo;We have a specific formula. We add many different spices into it. That is how the preparation is done,&rdquo; Tanzim explained. Beyond the ingredients, he added, the buns carry a deeper cultural meaning. &ldquo;Just as we Muslims visit each other&rsquo;s homes during our festivals and bring sweets, similarly, the community gifts each other hot cross buns during this festival.&rdquo; For families, the ritual spans generations. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been taking these buns from Misquita Bakery for many, many years, from my childhood, in fact,&rdquo; said Sarah, balancing several bags. &ldquo;Now my children are eating them, and my grandchildren. I&rsquo;m so happy that every year we get a chance to buy them.&rdquo; Others echo the same loyalty. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been coming here for the past 25 years,&rdquo; said Roger Anthony. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve tried other places also, but these are exceptional.&rdquo;

Golden buns bind Karachi in timeless Easter ritual tradition.

Culture

In Karachi, Misquita Bakery draws Easter crowds with its once-a-year hot cross buns, a 60-year tradition blending faith, family, and flavour, as generations gather to share and celebrate the seasonal ritual.

Golden buns bind Karachi in timeless Easter ritual tradition

KARACHI: Infectious disease experts at Aga Khan University Hospital have reassured the public that the Nipah virus poses no immediate threat to Pakistan, despite renewed regional concern following reports from parts of South Asia. Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital during a media roundtable earlier this week, specialists emphasized that while Nipah is a highly lethal virus, its current transmission patterns and geographical concentration make the risk to Pakistan exceptionally low. Public anxiety has largely centered on fruit bats in Pakistan, which are known to be natural reservoirs of the virus. Addressing these concerns, Dr Nosheen Nasir, the section head of Infectious Diseases at AKUH, said the virus does not spread merely because bats are present. &ldquo;We want to clarify that simply having bats in the area does not mean an outbreak is imminent,&rdquo; Dr Nasir told Pakistan TV Digital. &ldquo;The virus isn&rsquo;t transmitted through casual exposure, like a bat flying nearby.&rdquo; &ldquo;The real risk lies in spillover events, such as consuming food or raw tree sap contaminated by an infected animal. For the average citizen, basic food hygiene is the most powerful tool we have.&rdquo; Dr Nasir added that recent Nipah clusters remain confined to eastern India and Bangladesh, with no reported cases in regions bordering Pakistan. Preparedness over panicExperts acknowledged the virus&rsquo;s high fatality rate but stressed that Nipah is far less contagious than respiratory viruses such as COVID-19. Dr Faisal Mahmood, professor of Infectious Diseases and associate chief medical officer at AKUH, said the focus should remain on healthcare preparedness rather than public alarm. &ldquo;Nipah is a serious infection, but it is not a current domestic emergency,&rdquo; Dr Mahmood said. &ldquo;Our healthcare resources are better spent addressing immediate challenges, such as the rise in measles cases. That said, vigilance is critical.&rdquo; He explained that clinicians have been advised to closely monitor patients presenting with severe fever and neurological symptoms. &ldquo;Early isolation and specialized protocols are already mapped out to prevent any potential spread,&rdquo; he noted, describing this as a key part of managing the patient journey. The roundtable also highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s ongoing screening of travelers at international entry points as an important preventive measure.&nbsp; Drawing on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, the experts underscored that long-term health security depends on early coordination, clinician awareness, and informed communities. The medical community&rsquo;s message to the public remains clear: maintain high standards of food hygiene, avoid consuming raw date palm sap, and rely on verified medical guidance rather than unverified information circulating on social media.

Nipah virus antibody test. Identifying antibodies to the Nipah virus indicating exposure to the virus, and specifically, the type of antibody (IgM or IgG) provides clues about the timing of exposure. (AFP)

Health

Infectious disease experts at Aga Khan University Hospital say the virus poses no immediate risk to Pakistan, urging preparedness over panic, emphasizing food hygiene, surveillance, clinician vigilance, and public awareness.

Nipah virus poses no immediate threat to Pakistan: Health experts

KARACHI: In many South Asian households, confrontation is often replaced by quiet endurance. Emotional restraint is learned early, folded into a cultural ideal that venerates the &ldquo;sacrificial mother.&rdquo; A figure so consumed by caregiving and stability that the woman behind the role slowly disappears.&nbsp;The Mother, running until January 18 at the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) in Karachi, ruptures this long-held myth.&nbsp;Originally written by Oscar-winning French playwright Florian Zeller, the Urdu adaptation, translated and directed by Usama Khan, marks a rare and significant moment for Karachi&rsquo;s theatre scene. Structured as a &ldquo;farce tragedy,&rdquo; the play is both sharply witty and emotionally devastating, confronting the unspoken fractures families often learn to live with.&nbsp;Starring Nimra Bucha, Sonil Shanker, Ashmal Lalwany, and Eshah Shakeel, the production centers on a woman&rsquo;s isolation, drawing audiences into the psychological debris of her inner world. At its core is the stark reality of Empty Nest Syndrome. The moment a mother confronts the fact that her life&rsquo;s work has been to raise people who must, inevitably, leave.&nbsp;Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, Bucha described the play as a rejection of sentimental portrayals of motherhood. She reflected on how a mother&rsquo;s existence is frequently reduced to &ldquo;perpetually feeding and clothing&rdquo; her family, only to culminate in a profound sense of erasure.&nbsp;&ldquo;It talks about how a woman who is a mother just loses all sense of self&hellip; and also how age makes people invisible,&rdquo; Bucha said. &ldquo;How slowly it diminishes, diminishes, diminishes to the point where you can&rsquo;t hear.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think I ever listened, I didn&rsquo;t hear my mom. It was as if she was just talking.&rdquo;&nbsp;While the tragedy is universal, it resonates acutely with a generation suspended between tradition and individual agency. The play asks an uncomfortable question: can personal freedom ever be achieved without being underwritten by someone else&rsquo;s sustained sacrifice?&nbsp;That tension crystallizes in the relationship between mother and son. Lalwany, who plays the son, told Pakistan TV Digital that the guilt associated with leaving home is deeply ingrained from childhood.&nbsp;&ldquo;There&rsquo;s this guilt attached to walking away. It&rsquo;s never easy, even though it&rsquo;s the only option you have,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The amount of guilt you go through when you even raise your voice a little&hellip; you want to find out who you are and what you want to be, but children are never sure about their relationship because there are such different demands and expectations from both sides.&rdquo;&nbsp;The production has also drawn international attention. Zeller himself shared the play&rsquo;s poster on Instagram and now follows members of the cast, an endorsement that underscores the adaptation&rsquo;s fidelity and impact.&nbsp;Khan, the director, said he was intent on resisting moral absolutes. Explaining his approach to Pakistan TV Digital, he noted why the story transcends its French origins.&nbsp;&ldquo;Emotion, every person everywhere feels the same, especially in a mother&rsquo;s relationship to her family,&rdquo; Khan said. &ldquo;The story is very simple, but the way it&rsquo;s written is quite complicated. He hasn&rsquo;t shown a &lsquo;helpless&rsquo; mother or son; every character exists in a complete grey area.&rdquo;&nbsp;The Mother is deliberately unsettling, abstract, disorienting, and emotionally dense, mirroring the fractured consciousness of its protagonist. It asks audiences to sit with silence, to examine what goes unsaid at family tables, and to recognize the quiet disappearances that occur within familiar walls.&nbsp;If you have ever felt the weight of an empty room or the tension beneath a shared meal, The Mother speaks directly to that experience.&nbsp;

The Mother is an Urdu adaptation by Usama Khan, portraying a woman’s emotional erosion through time, distance, and relationships, capturing the universal pain of Empty Nest Syndrome.

Urdu adaptation of ‘The Mother’ confronts motherhood, loneliness, empty nests

KARACHI: As the red double-decker bus pulls away from popular Zainab Market, Sakina Attaria climbs the narrow stairs to the upper deck, claiming a window seat just as Karachi opens itself below her.&nbsp;From the top, the city looks different.&nbsp;Painted bright red and wrapped in illustrations of Karachi&rsquo;s landmarks, Mazar-e-Quaid, Frere Hall, and the old Empress Market, the bus moves steadily along Shahrah-e-Faisal, the city&rsquo;s main commercial artery. Below, banks, corporate headquarters, and advertising agencies rush past, marking the daily grind of Pakistan&rsquo;s financial hub.&nbsp;&ldquo;This is my first day on the double-decker, and the experience is fantastic,&rdquo; Sakina says, smiling as the wind presses against the sealed glass. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been using public transport since April. This is good, affordable, and it&rsquo;s quite pretty too.&rdquo;&nbsp;After a gap of nearly 65 years, double-decker buses have returned to Karachi, a city of more than 23 million people struggling with traffic congestion and a chronic shortage of reliable public transport.&nbsp;The Sindh government officially launched the service on December 31 last year, with Sindh Transport Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon inaugurating the fleet. Operations for the public began on New Year&rsquo;s Day.&nbsp;The initial rollout includes five Chinese-made diesel buses running a 22-kilometre route from Model Colony in Malir to Zainab Market in Saddar. The journey begins near residential neighborhoods, cuts through downtown Karachi&rsquo;s business district, continues toward Jinnah International Airport, and then reconnects via the highway that marks both the city&rsquo;s exit and its gateway.&nbsp;Each bus can carry up to 120 passengers and is fully air-conditioned, with an adjustable roof designed for Karachi&rsquo;s extreme and unpredictable weather. Fares range from Rs80 [$0.28] to Rs120 [$0.42], depending on distance.&nbsp;For Sakina, who commutes regularly across the city, affordability matters as much as comfort. &ldquo;For students like us, transport costs add up quickly,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;This makes a big difference.&rdquo;&nbsp;Other commuters share her enthusiasm. Nida, a schoolteacher travelling on the first day, calls the service overdue. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great experience for students, working professionals, and especially ladies,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;We need more of these in Karachi. All cities should get such buses.&rdquo;&nbsp;The novelty of the upper deck, a rarity in Pakistan&rsquo;s urban transport, has drawn young riders eager for a new perspective. &ldquo;The top-deck view makes the daily commute feel different,&rdquo; says Urooj Kaifulwara, a university student. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re very excited and hope there are more initiatives like this.&rdquo;&nbsp;But the buses are not only about the future. For some passengers, they are a moving archive of the past.&nbsp;Friends Muhammad Danish and Ahmed Khan boarded the bus to relive memories from decades ago. &ldquo;Last I saw this was in the 1960s,&rdquo; Danish recalls. &ldquo;What memories. We just came to see it again.&rdquo;&nbsp;The transport minister says the service is part of a broader effort to revive public transport in Karachi, including electric buses and expanded routes. He has announced plans to increase the fleet through 2026, with the goal of deploying double-deckers on all major roads across the city.&nbsp;For now, as the red bus glides past office towers, airport roads, and highways leading out of Karachi, Sakina watches the city move beneath her, a commuter suspended between nostalgia and necessity.&nbsp;&ldquo;It feels like Karachi is finally moving forward,&rdquo; she says, as the bus heads toward the city&rsquo;s edge.

Climate & Environment

Karachi’s iconic double-decker buses return after 65 years, offering affordable, air-conditioned travel, nostalgic city views, and hope for improved public transport as commuters welcome the Sindh government’s new service across Pakistan’s largest and busiest metropolis.

Red double-deckers roll Karachi forward, reviving memories and mobility

KARACHI: Zoha Malik, a Pakistani-American home baker, reached the finals of Gordon Ramsay&#39;s &quot;Next Level Baker&quot;, an international food show, showcasing Pakistani food to a global audience. During the holiday-themed competition watched by millions, she showcased fusion dishes like chicken tandoori naan buns and an Eid-themed cake, which received high praise from the judges. Zoha Malik, who shares her culinary journey on her popular platform &quot;@bakewithzoha,&quot; took to Instagram to reflect on the experience. Though she didn&#39;t win the top prize, she expressed a deep sense of achievement. &quot;I know it sounds cheesy, but I still feel like a winner,&quot; Malik told her followers. &quot;My main goal on the show was to make it till the end... I got to compete in every single challenge, had an absolute blast, and was proud of every single bake I presented.&quot; <div class="fr-embed instagram-embed" style="width: 50%; display: block; max-width: 600px;"><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSdQlm_EvF8/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=14&wp=675&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com&rp=%2Farticles%2F3006#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A1288504.8999999762%2C%22ls%22%3A862.8999999761581%2C%22le%22%3A977.6999999880791%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="1527" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background: white; max-width: 540px; width: calc(100% - 2px); border-radius: 3px; border: 1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219); box-shadow: none; display: block; margin: 0px 0px 12px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px;"></iframe></div>Staying true to her rootsThroughout the series, Malik remained authentic and refused to compromise her cultural identity. In a heartfelt post-finale message, she emphasized the importance of representation. &quot;I want you to know you don&#39;t have to thank me. I wasn&#39;t trying to represent, I was just being myself, and that&#39;s the biggest takeaway from this entire experience,&quot; she said. &quot;It is an HONOR to be able to show who I am and where I come from on a platform like this.&quot; Growing up in Wah Cantt, Pakistan, Malik developed her skills by observing her mother and grandmother, learning early that food is a powerful way to connect with others. From engineering to bakingHer path to professional baking was unconventional. Malik moved to the United States in 2013 to pursue a STEM career, earning a biomedical engineering degree from Vanderbilt University and working as a consultant at McKinsey &amp; Company. However, she rediscovered her passion for baking during the pandemic, launching &quot;Bake With Zoha&quot; in 2020.&nbsp; What began as a digital hobby became a full-time career by 2023. Today, she balances her culinary pursuits with motherhood to her young son. Mastering the competitionDuring &ldquo;Next Level Baker,&rdquo; Malik consistently blended traditional Pakistani flavors with advanced Western baking techniques. Her standout creations included Chicken Tandoori Naan Buns, an Eid Finale Cake, and Chai Tiramisu. For the final challenge, she created an Eid celebration cake featuring festive colors and a crescent moon that impressed judges with its storytelling and technical execution. Though outside her comfort zone, Malik said she felt &quot;seen and appreciated.&quot; Malik&#39;s impact resonated deeply with the Pakistani diaspora, proving that traditional flavors can shine on the most competitive international stages. What&#39;s nextLooking ahead, Malik plans to expand her digital presence and share the recipes that defined her journey on the show, including her celebrated tandoori bread that Gordon Ramsay called &quot;delicious.&quot;&nbsp; Her path from a home kitchen in Pakistan to a Gordon Ramsay finale stands as an inspiring story of cultural authenticity through food. &quot;I&#39;m so proud of myself for doing something so out of my comfort zone... hindsight is 20/20, but it&#39;s all rooted in inspiration, not disappointment,&quot; she reflected on Instagram.

Zoha Malik (Photo @bakewithzoha/Instagram)

Zoha Malik presented Pakistani culture on the global stage with her chicken tandoori naan buns and Eid-themed cake, earning high praise from the judges for her fusion of flavors.

Pakistani-American home baker showcases Pakistani food on global show

MATIARI: Climate change has become a serious threat, especially in a country like Pakistan that is highly vulnerable to its effects. Experts and field reports show a clear connection between rising temperatures and adverse outcomes for mothers and newborns.&nbsp;Research from the Aga Khan University&rsquo;s Institute of Global Health Development examined how heat stress affects pregnant women and children under five in the Matiari district of Sindh. They modeled interventions that incorporate indigenous knowledge to improve climate-resilient infrastructure and raise awareness of heat&rsquo;s harmful effects within the health system.&nbsp;Dr Zulfiqar Bhutta, Founding Director of the Institute for Global Health and Development, speaking with Pakistan TV Digital, emphasized that urgent action and systemic changes are essential to protect women and children from this growing threat. &lsquo;Surprisingly, we are not even the ones responsible for climate change, and yet it affects our women and children,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Dr Jai Das, the institute&#39;s associate director, highlighted the alarming link between rising temperatures and pregnancy complications. He said that existing research shows every pregnant woman exposed to higher temperatures &mdash; such as a 1-degree increase &mdash; has a 10-15% higher chance of experiencing pre-term birth, low birth weight, or of newborns being small for their gestational age.&nbsp;This finding aligns with broader studies indicating that heat exposure triggers physiological responses that lead to similar complications.&nbsp;Beyond pregnancy, heat stress also disrupts women&#39;s reproductive health, especially for those in rural areas who often engage in strenuous physical labor.&nbsp;Gulshad, a senior research associate at AKU Matiari Research and Training Center, said that many women face severe heat-related problems.&nbsp;&ldquo;Their menstrual periods last longer and occur more frequently. Moreover, many women lack knowledge about sanitary protection,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;She noted that some women&#39;s cycles became &ldquo;very irregular,&rdquo; while others did not have periods at all.&nbsp;&ldquo;The health of pregnant women is also affected, and the likelihood of miscarriages increases significantly because they work in the fields and do household chores,&rdquo; she added.&nbsp;These testimonies show how high temperatures, combined with physical labor and limited access to hygiene products and healthcare, cause serious menstrual irregularities.&nbsp;Tackling this complex crisis requires a dual approach focusing on community awareness and healthcare system reforms.&nbsp;Dr Bhutta calls for public protection and system improvements. He suggests raising public awareness, especially in rural areas, to help safeguard women, particularly pregnant women, from the heat. He also stresses the importance of providing care to quickly identify and reduce harmful effects.&nbsp;He said there is a need to improve the healthcare environment, especially during the summer, as current conditions are overcrowded. This highlights the urgent need for heat-resilient infrastructure and better-trained staff to handle heat-related maternal emergencies.&nbsp;The situation in provinces like Sindh is especially dire, with climate threats endangering the lives of every mother and child. Localized research is vital for developing community-informed interventions, such as heat adaptation strategies, enhanced nutritional support, and strengthened rural health systems, that can be scaled nationwide.&nbsp;Addressing this climate-induced heat stress crisis requires coordinated efforts from policymakers, healthcare providers, and communities to reduce risks, improve health infrastructure, and ensure that climate change does not condemn future generations to poor health.

There is a need to develop community-informed interventions, such as heat adaptation strategies, enhanced nutritional support, and strengthened rural health systems.

Climate-induced heat stress serious threat to maternal, child health in Pakistan

KARACHI: The 4th European Film Festival (EUFF) 2025 successfully concluded its Karachi chapter last weekend at the Karachi Film School, celebrating international cinema and cultural dialogue.&nbsp; Hosted by the Delegation of the European Union to Pakistan and curated by Olomopolo Media, the two-day event showcased 19 feature films and 10 short films from EU member states, emphasizing cinema&rsquo;s unique power to foster human connection and resilience. The festival now moves to Lahore after having offered audiences in Karachi and Islamabad a diverse program of comedies, dramas, and documentaries exploring universal themes, including identity, climate change, and human resilience.&nbsp; Among the films screened were &quot;Behind the Curtain of High Mountains&quot; (Czech Republic), &quot;Without Air&quot; (Hungary), &quot;That They May Face the Rising Sun&quot; (Ireland), and &quot;The Olive Tree&quot; (Spain).&nbsp; The short film lineup included &quot;HABĀ&quot;, &quot;White Ribbons&quot;, &quot;Diamond &amp; Narcissus&quot; (Austria), and &quot;A Sea of Trash&quot; (Portugal). The event drew a particularly strong youth demographic.&nbsp; University students from the media, arts, and communications departments attended the festival not just for the screenings but for an immersive, interactive classroom experience. A particular focus of the festival was bringing the big screen experience to those who rarely access it.&nbsp; Kanwal Khoosat, Executive Director of Olomopolo Media, reflected on the power of this access.&nbsp; &ldquo;It was the first time for so many. We have met people, students, young girls, adults, watching a film on a big screen for the first time in their lives,&rdquo; Khoosat shared, calling the moment of shared discovery the &ldquo;best part&rdquo; of her work. The exposure to global narratives proved invaluable for aspiring filmmakers.&nbsp; Shafia, a student from the Institute of Business Management in Karachi, said, &ldquo;As an aspiring photographer, this is a brilliant opportunity to be exposed to such storytelling and see how different cultures frame their narratives.&rdquo; Building community through filmLeading actors and filmmakers present at the festival highlighted its significance as a platform for genuine dialogue and artistic participation, setting it apart from other cultural activities. Pakistani actor and director Sania Saeed praised the communal experience, noting that cinema and theater provide a profound type of &ldquo;community building&rdquo; that sports cannot match. &nbsp;She argued that art is inherently collaborative.&nbsp; &ldquo;Arts are not competitive .&hellip; It&#39;s all about synchronizing,&rdquo; Saeed said.&nbsp; She added that the festival allowed young audiences to see quality filmmaking that looks &quot;very different from what they see on Netflix,&quot; creating a more valuable viewing experience. &quot;Joyland&quot; actor Ali Junejo agreed with Saeed and asserted the need for broader access: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s very rare for us to have film festivals here in Pakistan broadly speaking .... I think more people need to watch films. More people need to participate in films.&rdquo; Bridging global crises: from floods to wildfiresRaimundas Karoblis, the European Union Ambassador to Pakistan, emphasized that films serve as a powerful tool for global solidarity, making universal issues relatable at the local level. Ambassador Karoblis, in an exclusive conversation with Pakistan TV Digital, said that the festival proves that &ldquo;Cinema is for everyone.&rdquo;&nbsp; He highlighted how the films actively confront global crises: &ldquo;While Pakistan battles climate change with floods, southern Europe has wildfires.&rdquo; He added that the festival provides essential context, showing that &ldquo;the human story and the resilience needed to face them are the same everywhere.&rdquo; EUFF 2025 will conclude its mission of connection and conversation in Lahore on November 22 and 23.

The 4th European Film Festival 2025 in Pakistan showcased 29 EU films, fostering cultural dialogue, youth engagement, and global solidarity through cinema across Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore.

European cinema sparks dialogue on resilience, identity and climate across Pakistan

KARACHI: Ahya Technologies, &ldquo;Ahya,&rdquo; a Pakistan-origin artificial intelligence startup headquartered in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, has won the 2025 AI for Climate Action Innovation Award from the UN-led AI for Good Impact Initiative.&nbsp;The award was presented earlier this week in Bel&eacute;m, Brazil, recognizing Ahya&rsquo;s leadership in deploying AI for the net-zero transition.&nbsp;Ahya was selected from more than 300 global contenders working in carbon reduction, sustainable agriculture, and biodiversity protection. Founder and CEO Salaal Hasan showcased the company&rsquo;s flagship platforms, AhyaOS and AhyaAI, during the ceremony.&nbsp;In an official statement, the company said the award highlighted Ahya&rsquo;s &ldquo;unique ability to overcome data limitations,&rdquo; a persistent obstacle for climate-vulnerable economies in the Global South.&nbsp;Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, Shehan Rayer, SVP Business, said Ahya tackles the region&rsquo;s most fundamental problem: fragmented, incomplete, and non-digital climate data.&nbsp;He explained that AhyaOS standardizes data from all sources, whether &ldquo;spreadsheets, ERPs, invoices, utility bills, or even handwritten notes.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;Winning the AI for Climate Action Innovation Award from UN-ITU is both an honor and a responsibility,&rdquo; Hasan said in the press release.&nbsp;&ldquo;It reinforces our belief that artificial intelligence for data accuracy in emissions management is an economic need for transforming the Global South&rsquo;s climate ambitions into measurable growth.&rdquo; Rayer described the win as &ldquo;powerful global validation&rdquo; that net-zero pathways built on &ldquo;accuracy, transparency, and economic growth&rdquo; are both viable and necessary.&nbsp;He emphasized that the award proves sustainability is a &ldquo;competitive advantage, not just a compliance cost.&rdquo;&nbsp;He added that the recognition brings an &ldquo;immediate responsibility&hellip; to ensure the equitable and ethical rollout of AI in the Global South,&rdquo; including advocacy for new governance frameworks in Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).&nbsp;These, he said, are essential to ensuring AI mitigates, rather than deepens, inequality.&nbsp;Ahya&rsquo;s technology is designed to convert climate risk from a regulatory burden into a profit-driving opportunity, particularly for banks and development financial institutions. Rayer cited a practical example: AhyaOS enables lenders to calculate financed emissions (PCAF) with a verifiable data trail across entire portfolios.&nbsp;This transparency allows banks to identify climate risks early and support the creation of green bonds, sustainability-linked loans, and Sukuks for clients demonstrating real emissions reductions.&nbsp;As an award recipient, Ahya will participate in the AI for Good Global Summit 2026 in Geneva. Rayer said the company&rsquo;s core objective is &ldquo;policy integration and collaborative scaling.&rdquo; Ahya aims to position AhyaOS and its Tawazun platform as &ldquo;foundational digital infrastructure&rdquo; for national climate-action systems across the Global South.&nbsp;He added that these partnerships are crucial for unlocking developmental financing, including concessional funds, to scale localized climate solutions.

Climate

Ahya Technologies, a Pakistan-origin AI startup based in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, won the UN’s 2025 Climate Action Innovation Award for its data-focused platforms supporting net-zero goals and scalable climate solutions across the Global South.

Saudi Pakistani AI startup wins UN award for Climate Action Innovation

Three Pakistani films earned JIFF 2026 nominations, highlighting national cinematic talent, though diplomatic tensions and visa hurdles may prevent filmmakers from attending despite this major international milestone.

Pakistani cinema scores triple triumph at Jaipur festival amid uncertainty

KARACHI: In Pakistan&rsquo;s restless commercial capital, where thousands arrive each year to work, rebuild, and reinvent themselves, a centuries-old Sufi allegory found new breath and movement on stage.&nbsp;At the World Culture Festival this week, global theatre ensemble ANIKAYA performed &ldquo;Conference of the Birds,&rdquo; transforming the Arts Council of Pakistan into a living reflection of the city itself: searching, fragmented, striving, and endlessly becoming.&nbsp;Directed by American choreographer Wendy Jehlen, the multi-media movement performance reimagined Farid ud-Din Attar&rsquo;s 12th-century Persian epic, where a flock of birds journeys to find their divine king, the Simorgh, only to discover that the truth they seek lives within themselves.&nbsp;Karachi, home to migrants from every province, every language, every story, mirrored the allegory. Like Attar&rsquo;s birds, many here carry maps of places left behind, hopes folded into suitcases, and dreams stitched into survival.&nbsp;&ldquo;This journey began in 1991 when I was at Brown University,&rdquo; Jehlen told Pakistan TV Digital after the performance. &ldquo;It was when I first encountered Conference of the Birds and the poets and ideas that shaped my entire life.&rdquo;&nbsp;The production was performed by dancers from Benin, Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, South Africa, Japan, Palestine, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United States.&nbsp;Though drawn from different homelands, their bodies moved as one organism, separate rhythms, shared breath, evoking the poem&rsquo;s central revelation: unity is not sameness, but harmony across difference.&nbsp;Jehlen explained that the work evolves with each place it is performed.&nbsp;&ldquo;Everywhere we go, the story changes,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;The people, the air, the land, they shape how the birds fly.&rdquo;&nbsp;For Jehlen, movement itself is a philosophy.&nbsp;&ldquo;Movement is my language, but it&rsquo;s also a human and animal language, the most direct way to access empathy,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Through physical theatre, you don&rsquo;t just understand a story, you feel it.&rdquo;&nbsp;The performance drew deeply from real experiences of refugees and migrants, echoing the emotional terrain of Karachi: longing, uprooting, resilience.&nbsp;&ldquo;We are on this journey together, whether we like it or not,&rdquo; Jehlen added.&nbsp;&ldquo;Each imperfect, each necessary. Unity exists only through difference.&rdquo;&nbsp;Bringing the performance to Pakistan, she noted, felt like returning the story to one of its spiritual homelands.&nbsp;&ldquo;I liked doing it here because people in Pakistan already know Conference of the Birds,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;ve studied it, they understand it.&rdquo;&nbsp;The show concluded to a standing ovation. Fluid, fierce, wordless storytelling that needed no translation.&nbsp;As the audience rose, one truth hovered softly, like a final wingbeat:&nbsp;Karachi, too, is a flock in motion, wandering, weary, hopeful, still searching for the Simorgh it carries within itself.

Global performers reimagined Conference of the Birds in Karachi, blending movement, mysticism, and migration narratives, reflecting the city’s journey of belonging and unity through shared human experience.

‘Conference of Birds’ reimagines mystic journey in Pakistan’s migrant metropolis Karachi

Web Desk

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

Asia

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: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has departed for Jeddah for an official visit to Saudi Arabia, kicking off a significant four-day official tour spanning Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkiye from April 15 to 18, according to an official statement.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 688px; 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=2044273504418447435&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=8826cd1edd93237dc0a2dec520b30130f6da51cf&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The prime minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, the statement said, without sharing further details. The announcement comes 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:#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. 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 as well as regional peace and security. In T&uuml;rkiye, the prime minister will participate in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, where he will join a leaders&rsquo; panel to present Pakistan&rsquo;s perspective on key global issues. On the sidelines of the forum, Sharif is also expected to meet 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. The prime minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi, along with other senior officials.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Muhammad bin Salman on March 12, 2026, in Jeddah.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has departed for Jeddah for an official visit to Saudi Arabia, kicking off a significant four-day official tour spanning Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkiye from April 15 to 18.

Pakistan's PM begins three-nation visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye

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.

Middle East

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.

Saudi Arabia commits $3B in additional deposits for Pakistan: Finance minister

GAZA CITY: Gaza&#39;s civil defense agency said on Tuesday that a toddler was among 10 people killed in separate Israeli strikes in the northern part of the Palestinian territory. Violence continues despite a ceasefire in the Gaza war that came into effect on October 10, with both Israel and Hamas regularly accusing each other of violations. Mahmoud Bassal, spokesman for the civil defense agency, said &quot;four people were killed, including a child and several others were injured... in a strike targeting a police vehicle&quot; in Gaza City. He identified the child as three-year-old Yahya al-Mallahi. Gaza City&#39;s Al-Shifa hospital confirmed receiving the bodies of the dead. Contacted by AFP, the Israeli army said it was looking into the details. In a statement, Gaza&#39;s interior ministry said Israeli warplanes had &quot;targeted a police vehicle&quot; in the city centre, &quot;causing several deaths and injuries.&quot; Bassal also said another person had been killed by Israeli fire in the northern Beit Lahia area earlier on Tuesday. The military said in a statement that its troops had identified an &quot;armed terrorist&quot; in the area of the so-called Yellow Line &mdash; behind which its forces have withdrawn &mdash; who approached their position. The army said he was killed in a strike, but it was unclear whether it referred to the same incident in Beit Lahia. AFP footage showed Palestinians gathering around the body of a man who was then placed on a stretcher and carried away to be buried through streets lined with rubble. Later on Tuesday evening, the civil defense agency reported that multiple people were killed in another strike near an intersection in the Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City. The Al-Shifa hospital confirmed receiving five bodies from &quot;an Israeli drone bombing with two missiles a group of citizens in front of warehouses for electricity generators&quot; in Al-Shati. The military did not offer an immediate response regarding the latest strike. The October ceasefire followed more than two years of war on Gaza. At least 757 have been killed in Gaza since the truce came into effect, according to the territory&#39;s health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations. The Israeli army says five of its soldiers have been killed in Gaza over the same period. Media restrictions and limited access in Gaza have prevented AFP from independently verifying casualty figures or freely covering the fighting.

Violence continues despite a ceasefire in the Gaza war that came into effect on October 10, with both sides accusing each other of violations; at least 757 have been killed in Gaza since the truce came into effect.

Gaza civil defense says toddler among 10 killed in Israeli strikes

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday briefed participants at a luncheon of the US-Pakistan Business Council on the country&#39;s macroeconomic outlook and reform progress. The finance minister departed for the United States to participate in the World Bank Group&ndash;IMF Spring Meetings 2026, to be held in Washington, from April 13 to 18, 2026. The minister met the United States Trade Representative on the sidelines of the World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings 2026 to discuss trade and investment cooperation. In a post on the Finance Ministry&rsquo;s X account, Finance Minister Aurangzeb interacted with representatives of US companies operating in Pakistan on the sidelines of the World Bank&ndash;IMF Spring Meetings 2026. Highlighting the approval of a staff-level agreement on the third review under Pakistan&rsquo;s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the second review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), the finance minister outlined the economic impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, particularly in terms of energy procurement, pricing, and logistics. According to the statement, the finance minister elaborated on the &ldquo;government&rsquo;s policy response, including measures focused on supply chain stabilization, demand management, and the provision of fiscally-neutral targeted subsidies.&rdquo; He also highlighted emerging positive developments, including a &ldquo;significant surge in transshipment volumes through Karachi Port and record inflows under the Roshan Digital Account initiative.&rdquo; Underscoring the ongoing efforts to broaden the tax base, the finance minister talked about the &ldquo;particular focus&rdquo; the government has &ldquo;on bringing segments of the informal professional economy into the tax net through targeted Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) audits and sector-specific engagement.&rdquo; An interactive question-and-answer segment was held at the end of the discussion, reflecting strong interest from participants in Pakistan&rsquo;s economic trajectory and reform agenda.

Finance minister interacts with representatives of US companies operating in Pakistan on the sidelines of the World Bank–IMF Spring Meetings 2026.



Articles by Simran Siraj