Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Sep 2 (APP): Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Australian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg on Thursday exchanged views on the latest developments in Afghanistan as well as on bilateral relations.

During the telephonic conversation, the Austrian Foreign Minister thanked Pakistan for its support in facilitating transit of Austrian nationals and others from Afghanistan.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 31 (APP): Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday underscored that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan was vitally important for Pakistan and the region.

He stressed that at this pivotal moment in Afghanistan’s history, it was important for the international community to remain in support and solidarity with the Afghan people.

The Prime Minister was talking to German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who called on him here.

During the meeting views were exchanged on the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan-Germany bilateral relations.

Islamabad, Aug 31 (PTI) Pakistan on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of allowing the long-term presence of US troops coming from Afghanistan in Islamabad, saying the American forces' stay in the country would be for a limited period.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad's response came after pictures of US troops at Islamabad airport circulated on social media, sparking rumours about a possible long-term presence of American forces on Pakistani soil.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 30 (APP): Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday said the government would launch the Universal Pakistan Emergency Helpline 911 to control crimes.

The Prime Minister was given an update about the Universal Pakistan Emergency Helpline during a meeting with the officers of ministries of interior, information technology and telecommunication.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Former Pakistan captain and renowned cricket commentator Ramiz Raja is set to become the new chairman of the country’s cricket board.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, in his role as patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board, nominated Raja to the governing board on Friday after Ehsan Mani declined to accept a short-term extension when his three-year term expired this week.

Khan had met with both Mani and Raja before nominating the former test opener. The patron’s nominee traditionally gets elected chairman, as Mani was three years ago.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 26 (APP): Denmark on Thursday said that without Pakistan’s “rapid, efficient and broad assistance”, the success of joint operations for evacuations and airlifts from Afghanistan would not have been possible.

​“In the situation evolving in Afghanistan, we are deeply grateful for the professional assistance and outstanding support to enable airlifts of vulnerable persons to Islamabad International Airport for their continued journey,” State Secretary of Denmark Steen Hommel said as he met Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood in Islamabad.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 24 (APP): The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has received US$ 2.75 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as part of Special Drawing Rights (SDR) allocation announced by the fund recently, the central bank confirmed through a tweet here Tuesday.

“#SBP has received US$ 2.75 billion from the IMF, as part of SDR allocation announced by IMF recently,” the central bank tweeted Tuesday morning.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 24 (APP): Managing Director International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva has sent a note of thanks to Prime Minister Imran Khan, expressing gratitude over the “safe and swift evacuation” of its staff from Afghanistan

“| wish to offer my deep and sincere gratitude on behalf of the International Monetary Fund and its staff for Pakistan’s assistance, in the safe and swift evacuation of Fund personnel and their families from Afghanistan,” reads the letter dated 23 August 2020, as shared by the PM Office on Tuesday.

ISLAMABAD, Aug 23 (APP): Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Monday said Pakistan desires a better future for Afghanistan and supports a conducive environment to help the Afghan people achieve the goals of development and prosperity.

He stressed that international community must restore ties with Afghanistan for the betterment of its people.

The foreign minister in a statement stressed that the protection of the lives of the people in Afghanistan and the sanctity of human rights was of utmost importance.

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- A total of 80 people died of COVID-19 in Pakistan on Sunday, raising the death toll to 25,003 in the country, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said on Monday.

Amid the serious fourth wave of the disease, Pakistan confirmed 3,772 new COVID-19 cases as the positivity rate of the virus exceeded 7 percent in the country, the NCOC, the department leading the country's campaign against the pandemic, said in updated figures on its dashboard.