ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Saturday said the government had issued directives to the provincial governments to take action against those involved in creating artificial shortage of essential commodities on a war footing. Briefing reporters about the decisions taken at a meeting of party leaders presided over by Prime Minister …

Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani on Sunday said Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui should think about returning to the federal cabinet, adding that this would allow him to work more effectively for his people. Addressing a press conference following a meeting between the Senate chairman and the MQM-P leadership in Karachi, Sanjrani said: “Khalid bhai is intelligent himself, …

Apple was the top smartphone seller in the final quarter of last year, seizing the crown from Samsung, according to market trackers. Apple shipped an estimated 73.8 million iPhones during the fourth quarter, driven by the popularity of its newest models in the US and Europe and lower-priced handsets in other parts of the world, International Data Corporation reported this …

CARRY-LE-ROUET: Some 180 people evacuated from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre of a deadly SARS-like virus, landed in France on Friday, with one hospitalised on arrival with coronavirus symptoms, Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said. The rest of the passengers were taken to a seaside holiday camp, near Marseille in southern France, where they will be kept in quarantine …

WASHINGTON: The US issued a rare federal quarantine order of 14 days for 195 Americans who were evacuated from the Chinese city at the center of a deadly global virus epidemic. It came after one of the individuals tried to leave the California military base where the repatriated citizens landed on a chartered flight on Wednesday, and is the first …

KARACHI: Foreign investment in government’s debt papers — mostly treasury bills reached around $1.5 billion in January alone pushing up total investments in the risk-free papers to $2.9bn during the current fiscal year. Latest data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) showed foreign investors have increased their investment in the country’s treasury bills as investment in January alone …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday decided to introduce major amendments to at least a dozen of its laws over the next six months to remain in continuous compliance with requirements of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) — the country’s highest body on money laundering and matters related …

ISLAMABAD: With around 40 per cent increase in Pakistan’s public debt and liabilities in 15 months, the government on Friday conceded major violations of the Fiscal Responsibility and Debt Limitation Act (FRDLA) for massively exceeding debt acquisition limits. In its debt policy statement laid before the parliament, the ministry of finance noted that total debt and liabilities that stood at …

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has reshuffled top tax officers of Customs owing to shortfalls in revenue collection and poor performance. The much-awaited transfers of these officers were made on Friday when Federal Board of Revenue Chairman Shabbar Zaidi went on medical leaves for the second time in January. The government transferred Member Customs Operation Jawwad Uwais Agha, who was head …

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue missed collection targets for the first seven months of this fiscal year by Rs387 billion, as against the benchmark of Rs2.792 trillion. According to provisional figures, the tax body has collected Rs2.41tr during 7MFY20 as against the target of Rs2.79tr, leaving a shortfall of Rs387bn. However, collection figures show a growth of 16.8 per …