PM felicitates Qatari’s Amir on 9th anniversary of his govt

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Saturday extended his congratulations to Amir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on the 9th anniversary of assuming reins of the government.

On his Twitter handle, the prime minister said that Qatar was making massive strides under the leadership of Amir of Qatar and the bilateral relations between Pakistan and Qatar remained excellent.

$2.3b received from Chinese banks: Miftah

Finance Minister Miftah Ismail announced that a Chinese consortium loan of RMB 15 billion (roughly $2.3 billion) has been credited into the State Bank of Pakistan’s account, increasing Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves.

Earlier, Pakistan had signed a loan facility agreement with a Chinese consortium of banks to aid the depleting foreign exchange reserves and depreciation of the local currency.

“We thank the Chinese government for facilitating this transaction,” the finance minister wrote in a tweet after the signing of the agreement.

The agreement with Chinese banks is expected to bolster the country’s reserves and enable it to make import payments while lending some support to the rupee as well which has lost over 34% since the start of the outgoing fiscal year 2021-22.

COAS lauds armed forces’ role in tackling security challenges

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited Pakistan Navy War College on Friday and exalted the role of armed forces in tackling the national security challenges proficiently.

He made these remarks while addressing the participants of 51st PN Staff Course at Pakistan Navy War College in Lahore, the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement on Friday.

While addressing the participants, General Bajwa dilated on geostrategic environment, national security challenges and response measures. He underscored that Pakistan Navy’s history is studded with glorious traditions of valour and sacrifices.

Gen Bajwa emphasised that Pakistan Navy is a formidable force defending the maritime frontiers of the country and has always lived up to the expectations of the nation.

Gen Qamar, the ISPR said, appreciated the quality training imparted by the war college to the officers of armed forces and friendly countries. Upon arrival at Pakistan Navy War College, the army chief was received by Commandant Pakistan Navy War College Rear Admiral Shifaat Ali Khan.

The COAS laid floral wreath at Shuhada Monument to pay homage to martyrs of Pakistan, the military’s media wing said.

Pak opens more border crossings for Afghan quake victims

Pakistan has opened more border crossings to help provide medical aid to injured Afghan people hit by the devastating earthquake, an official statement said.

Opening of more border crossings will allow injured Afghans to reach Pakistani hospitals sooner. According to the statement released late Thursday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke with the interim Afghan government’s acting Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund and informed him about Pakistan’s decision. “Prime Minister conveyed that Ghulam Khan and Angoor Adda border crossing points have been opened for the transportation of the seriously injured Afghans for their treatment in the Pakistani hospitals,” said in the statement. Shehbaz also reassured his country’s continued assistance in the coming days as well.

He also conveyed deep sympathies and condolences on behalf of his government and the Pakistani people on the loss of so many precious lives and material damage caused by the devastating earthquake in Afghanistan. “Pakistan stood shoulder-to-shoulder with its Afghan brethren in this difficult hour,” Shehbaz told the acting Afghan premier.

Pakistan was the first country to send emergency assistance to Afghanistan, including the dispatch of emergency medicines, tents, tarpaulins, and blankets on Wednesday after the deadly quake.

So far, 1,150 people lost lives, and over 1,600 were wounded in the magnitude 6.1 quake which shook the country’s eastern provinces on Tuesday night.

PM Shehbaz pays homage to BB on 69th birth anniversary

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday paid tributes to slain Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairperson and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on the occasion of her 69th birth anniversary.

“I pay my rich tributes to Shaheed Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto on her 69th birthday,” the premier said in a post on his official Twitter handle.

PM Shehbaz, who is also the president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), further said that democracy was “poorer” without the PPP leader, saying the void “left by her martyrdom will never be filled”.

He recalled that the former prime minister fearlessly and staunchly advocated the causes she believed in. “May Allah rest her soul in peace.”