Author: dailybalochistantimes.com

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Pakistan focuses on broadening tax-base, becoming export-led economy: Aurangzeb


Islamabad: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb on Monday said Pakistan was committed to broadening its tax base and advancing with a focused approach to becoming an export-led economy.



‘We are well on our way to achieving the target [tax-base expansion], not only because the IMF is saying that but also because, from my perspective, the country needs to reach that benchmark to make our fiscal situation sustainable,’ he said in a television interview with Bloomberg on the sidelines of the Asian Financial Forum in Hong Kong.



The finance minister said the IMF, scheduled to visit Pakistan next month, wanted the country to broaden its tax base and achieve a tax-to-GDP ratio of 13.5 percent, up from 10 percent in December.



After Pakistan secured the IMF bailout last year, it has received some reprieve, including cooling inflation, which provides space for policymakers to cut borrowing costs further and help stabilize a nation still grappling with structural weaknesses.



Stronger remittances, a bright spot, have helped shore up currency reserves. As a result, the rupee rose about 2 percent in 2024, making it one of the best performers in emerging markets. The benchmark stock index also outperformed nearly all other equities markets last year.



Commenting on Pakistan’s economic transformation plan, Aurangzeb said, ‘We are in the phase of stabilization. Now, where do we go from here? We must focus on sustainable growth. Our current focus is on fundamentally changing the DNA of the economy to make it export-led.’



Aurangzeb predicted that the nation’s GDP would likely expand by 3.5 percent in the fiscal year ending June 30, compared to a 2.5 percent expansion in the prior financial year, with a 3.6 percent economic growth target set for the upcoming year.



In response to a question, Aurangzeb said Pakistan was preparing to debut Yuan-denominated bonds this year to strengthen its finances, while the government remained optimistic about meeting the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) bailout loan conditions.



He mentioned that Pakistan planned to raise $200 million to $250 million from Chinese investors over the next six to nine months. The plan comes after Pakistan’s sovereign rating was recently upgraded by all three major credit agencies.



The finance minister expected further upgrades and emphasized that the challenge was to enter the ‘single-B’ category, which would allow the country to return to global bond markets to raise funds.



‘The country is very keen to tap the Panda bonds and the Chinese capital markets. We have been remiss as a country in not tapping them previously,’ he said, adding that China International Capital Corporation was advising Pakistan on the issuance of Panda bonds.



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Bilawal Bhutto visits Dr Ruth Pfau civil hospital


Karachi: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday visited Dr. Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital, Karachi.



Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah was also accompanying him during his visit to the hospital.



PPP chairman was received by Provincial Secretary Health Rehan Baloch, Medical Superintendent Khalid Bukhari, Chief Executive Officer of Child Life Foundation Ahsan Rabbani and others on arrival at the hospital.



Bilawal Bhutto Zardari inspected the control room of Childlife Foundation’s Telemedicine Satellite Center.



The PPP Chairman also observed the teleconsultation of patients from the control room of the Telemedicine Satellite Center where he was briefed on the contents of the report on the lowest child mortality rate in government hospitals of Sindh.



Bilawal Bhutto was briefed on the fact that the infant mortality rate in Sindh has been halved compared to other provinces of the country. He was also briefed on the extraordinary reduction in the child mortality rate in Sindh and Howard Business School also described it as a test case.



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Finance minister highlights importance of innovative approaches to compete in global economy


Islamabad: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb on Monday highlighted the importance of adopting innovative approaches, technologies and business models to unlock new growth opportunities; enhance competitiveness and address emerging challenges in the global economy.



He expressed these remarks while addressing the plenary session of Asian Financial Forum-2025 titled ‘Innovation: The Solution to Unlock the Next Growth Engines,’ where he shared insights on leveraging innovation to drive economic growth and prosperity.



Aurangzeb highlighted the transformative power of innovation in shaping the future of economies, particularly within Asia’s evolving financial landscape. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to providing a stable policy framework and continuity, enabling the private sector to lead the country toward progress and prosperity.



He emphasized the significance of learning from Hong Kong as a leading financial center, particularly in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology.



The finance minister elaborated on Pakistan’s dedication to fostering a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, and technological advancement to propel the country toward sustainable development and inclusive growth. He underlined the government’s role in creating an enabling environment for innovation and collaboration to drive economic progress and meet societal needs.



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DPO holds crime meeting


Sargodha: District Police Officer (DPO) Dr. Asad Ejaz Malhi held a crime meeting with SP Investigation, DSPs of circle Shahpur and Bhulwal and SHOs of the entire district.



The DPO reviewed 15 calls regarding implementation of timeline, issued orders for the registration of cases in police stations.



He reviewed progress on serious criminal cases, arrest of wanted suspects and fugitives. The DPO issued orders to all DSPs and SHOs to arrest fugitives in their circles and settle the under-investigation cases on merit.



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PU to organize Pakistan’s biggest book fair from Feb 20


Lahore: Punjab University administration will organize Pakistan’s biggest three-day book fair from February 20 to 22 at the New Campus.



In this regard, a meeting of the Book Fair Coordination Committee was held under the chairmanship of Acting PU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood, in which deans of various faculties and heads of administrative departments participated.



Addressing the meeting, Acting PU VC Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood said that the provision of affordable books to the people will be ensured in the Pakistan’s biggest book fair. He said that best arrangements will be made for the book fair as per tradition of the university. He said that a record 145,000 books were sold in the three-day book fair last year. The heads of various committees gave briefings in the meeting.



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KU awards 64 PhD, 187 MPhil, other degrees in various disciplines


Karachi: The Advanced Studies and Research Board of the University of Karachi awarded 64 PhD, 187 MPhil, four M.S. Course Work (30 Cr. Hr.), and one LLM degree in various disciplines during the recently held ASRB meeting.



A statement on Monday said that the KU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi chaired the meeting which awarded PhD degree to Kashif Riaz, and Syeda Kishwar Zehrah Naqvi (Applied Chemistry and Chemical Technology), Qaisar Mansoor, Sheeza Sheikh, and Umaira (Biochemistry), Syeda Saima Razzaq (Biochemistry [NCP]), Maham Ghouri (Biotechnology [KIBGE]), Sheikh Muhammad Fakhre Alam Siddiqui, Muhammad Furqan Saleem, Asim Mabashir, and Salman Hameed (Karachi University Business Administration [KUBS]), Abdul Rafiq Khan, and M. Zeeshan Ul Haq (Chemistry), Muhammad Ikram Nabeel, Rubina, Syed Muhammad Zaki Shah, Nurmeen Adil, Sajjad Haider, Naheed Akhtar, Urooj Qureshi, Muhammad Sajid, Azra Akbar, Muhammad Ali Minhas (Chemistry [HEJ]), Muhammad Ali, Saad Uddin Khan, Aysha Zamir, and Afshan Uroos (Economics), Karim Aman (Education), Syed Arsalan Ali (Food Science and Technology), Muhammad Asim, and Muhammad Ali Khan (Islamic Banking and Finance [SZIC]), Anwar ul Haq, Rabia, and Mumtaz Ali (Islamic Learning),
Ambrin, Shabana Abdul Waheed, Faiza Shamim, and Shyam Lal (Law), Seharish, and Tayyaba Hamid (Marine Science), Saba Naz (Mass Communication), Shaista Urooj (Microbiology), Sarah Rizwan Qazi Molecular (Medicine), Sidrah Shams, and Syeda Farah Shah (Molecular Medicine [PCMD]), Muhammad Ali (Pharmaceutics), Ghulam Mustafa, Junaid Kareem Khan, and Muhammad Ali Qureshi (Physics), Erum Afaq (Physiology), Syed Asim Ali (Political Science), Mahrukh Amjad (Psychology), Syeda Nabila Hasan Zaidi (Public Administration), Umahani Urf Sindhu (Sindhi), Nadil Shah, Safia Habib, Qurat-Ul-Ain Rana, and Farah Naseer (Sociology), Rabia Tabassum (Space and Planetary Astrophysics [ISPA]), Aamna Shaikh (Special Education), Arshad Mahmood, Rizwan Azam, and Zulfiqar Ali (Teacher Education), Tabinda Shameem Jafri (Women’s Studies).



Furthermore, the MPhil degrees were awarded to Ayesha Abdul Jabbar, and Waqas Shahab (Applied Chemistry and Chemical Technology), Amana Maroof, Imrana Saif, Mudassir Abdul Wahid Moorad, Sardar Adil Iqbal, Muhammad Saad Khan, Fatima, and Sameetah Rafique (Applied Economics Research Centre), Farid Alvi (Applied Physics), Rabeet Laeeque, Farhat Deeba, Bisma Farooqi, and Syed Shabib Muhammad Zaidi (Biochemistry), Bushra Syed, Syeda Ailya Batool, Masood Ahmed, and Umme E Hani (Biotechnology), Waseem Ahmed, Arifa Latif, and Syed Meesam Raza Naqvi (Biotechnology [KIBGE]), Urooj, Areeb Anjum, Rida (Botany), Javeeriya Khan, Abira, Zubia Mustafa, Qazi Ghulam Ahmed, Muhammad Ashraf, and Maryam Mehmood (Chemistry), Muhammad Naveed Akhtar, Muhammad Kamran, Muhammad Adnan Akram, Muhammad Talha Fareedi, Naved Iqbal, and Muhammad Asif (Chemistry [HEJ]), Rawan Saleh Abdul Rahman, Maliha Naz, and Yousaf Khan (Clinical Psychology), Sumaira Ahmed (Computer Science), Kanwal Rao, and Farha Zeba (Economics), Nazia Mazher (Educatio
n), Rabia Saadi (English [Literature]), Nageen Tayyab (Environmental Studies), Muhammad Junaid Anwar, Syeda Moahida Batool Sherazi, and Hifza Khan (Food Science and Technology), Shahab Uddin (Geography), Iqbal Ahmed Siddiqui, Urooj Ahmed Khan, Hira Aqueel, Sadaf Subhi, Mutraf Un Nisa (Health Physical Education and Sports Sciences), Mukhtiar Ahmed Burdi, and Maryum Urooj Khan (History), Aisha Kiyani (Institute of Clinical Psychology), Hina Bushra (Institute of Space and Planetary Astrophysics [ISPA]), Syed Nasim Hayder Naqvi, Zeeshan Hyder, and Muhammad Tabish Sarfaraz (International Relations), Mumtaz Fatima (Islamic History), Yasmeen Razzaque, Khalid Kamal, Asma Batool, Muhammad Saeed, Asadullah, Nida Umar, Ali Muhammad Rehmani, Najeeb Ullah, Asif Nawaz, Erum Bashir, and Shahzaib Khan (Islamic Learning), Salah Uddin, Abdullah Ibn e Masood, and Zainab Akmal (Islamic Studies with Computer Technology [SZIC]), Sadia Ishtiaq, Amna Shamim, and Furrukh Hussain Zai (Library and Information Sciences), Ramshah Abrar,
and Azka Rafique Malik (Marine Biology), Hina Tariq Iqbal (Marine Science), Noman Ali, and Mehr Feeroze (Mass Communication), Muhammad Junaid, Ayesha Shaikh, Syeda Nameera Akhtar, Areeba Azam Bajwa, Faiza Mukhtar, and Mateen Ahmed Ghaznavi (Mathematics), Mehkar Hussain, Sumaira Bibi, Shazia Fatima, and Allah Rakhya (Microbiology), Dr Shabana, and Dr Sana Tazeen (Microbiology [BMSI]), Muhammad Jahanzaib, Laleen Hammal, Anum Fatima, Syeda Maria Jilani, and Naveera Zafar (Molecular Medicine), Mehka Ruba (Molecular Medicine [PCMD]), Zubair Shah, and Muhammad Shah Fahad (Pakistan Studies), Farah Siraj (Pathology [BMSI]), Iffat Sultana (Pharmaceutical Chemistry), Imran Shakir, and Ghazala Rahim (Pharmaceutics), Samina Qadri, Rasikha Naseem, Nazish Mustafa, Wareesha Ateeq Ansari, Haseeb Ur Rehman, Nabeel Ahmed, and Muneeba Aijaz (Pharmacognosy), Maira Iqbal, Sumbul Ausaf, SadiaFeroze, and Syed Uzair Hasan (Pharmacology), Aqsa, and Ayesha (Pharmacy Practices), Bilawal Khan, Shoukat Hussain, Syed Qamar Shujat, Aafree
na Nasim (Physics), Aneela Sarwer (Physiology), Muhammad Fareed Ud Din Qadri, Salman Ali, and Muhammad Arsalan Naeem (Political Science), Kiran Sardar Zaidi, Maham, Abdul Karim, Sumeayya Manzoor, Muhammad Sufyan Anis, and Marium Khan (Psychology), Muhammad Osamah Ahmed Makhdoomi, Syed Salman Hassan, Warda Hussaini, Mohsin Mehmood, Zain Aman, Fahad Hussain, and Nayab Noonari (Public Administration), Asma Tufail, Pir Muhammad, Ilays, Bushra, Sana, Hafiz Syed Jalal Uddin, Rashid Ali, Muhammad Tahir Shah, Syed Shahrukh Ali, Sidra Akhlaq, Noaman Imam, Abdul Hafeez, Sayed Riaz Hussain Shah, and Sheikh Muhammad Tanveer (Quran and Sunnah), Syeda Saba Hashmi, Maryam Jan, and Fenantha Sanam (Sociology), Muhammad Huzefa Khan (Space Science and Technology), Sabeen Dossal, Farheen Dossal, and Sharmeen (Special Education), Zobia Mushtaq (Statistics), Rashida, and Muhammad Ali Hasnain (Teachers Education), Syed Hussain Haider Zaidi, and Safdar Abbas (Urdu), Tehmina Mukhtar, Abdul Rehman, Muhammad Arshad, Muhammad Imdad Ull
ah Alabashi, Afshan Rani, NidaSohail, and Muhammad Faraz (UsoolUd Din), Afna Mehtab, Muhammad Shahzaib Abbasi, Rimsha Naseem, Amina Jadoon, Sadia Mukhtiar, Yasir Khan, Asifa Ali Rehmani,, Sehrish Khan, Shaista Aslam, Mueid Ali Khan, Syed Wajahat Hussain, and Muzamil Ahmed (Zoology).



During the ASRB meeting, Safia Bibi received an LLM degree, and Rabiya Mateen (Chemistry), Sufiyan (Genetics), Muhammad Sami (Public Administration), and Muhammad Hashir Nadeem (Zoology) received M.S. Course Work (30 cr. Hr.) degrees.