ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government on Monday sought a “viable business plan” for two state-owned broadcasting corporations, the Finance Division said, amid the South Asian country’s push for reforms in loss-making state entities.
The statement came after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on State-Owned Enterprises (CCoSOEs) in Islamabad, which was presided over by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb.
The development comes amid Pakistan’s push for privatization and reforms in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) as it negotiates with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) a fresh bailout program.
The cabinet committee reviewed a proposal of the information ministry regarding the Pakistan Television Corporation (PTVC) and the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC).
“The CCoSOEs recognized the strategic nature of Pakistan Television Corporation (PTVC) and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) and directed the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MoIB) to present a viable business plan to the committee for efficient management of these enterprises,” the Finance Division said in a statement.
Under the last $3 billion IMF program that helped Pakistan avert a debt default last year, the lender said SOEs whose losses were burning a hole in government finances would need stronger governance.
To negotiate a fresh bailout with the IMF, Pakistan must implement an ambitious reforms agenda, including the privatization of debt-ridden SOEs.
Among the main entities Pakistan is pushing to privatize is its national flag carrier, the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). The government is putting on the block a stake ranging from 51 percent to 100 percent.
ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday unveiled the schedule for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will take place from February 19 to March 9, with matches hosted across Pakistan and Dubai in a hybrid model.
The tournament’s structure follows a compromise decision after India refused to play in Pakistan, citing security concerns. Exercising its rights as the host nation, Pakistan designated Dubai as the neutral venue for India’s matches, ensuring all teams’ participation.
“The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 fixtures and groupings have been announced by the ICC ... with the tournament set to begin on 19 February in Karachi with the final on 9 March,” the global governing body of cricket announced in a statement on its website.
“The eight-team tournament will feature 15 matches, and will be played across Pakistan and in Dubai,” it added. “Lahore will also host the final on 9 March, unless India qualify, in which case it will be played in Dubai. Both the semifinals and the final will have reserve days.”
In Pakistan, Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi will host three group-stage games each. Lahore is also set to host the second semifinal.
Meanwhile, Dubai will host all three of India’s group matches and the first semifinal, should India qualify.
The tournament opener on February 19 will feature Pakistan taking on New Zealand in Karachi, while India will face Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.
This will be the ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy and its return after an eight-year hiatus, the last tournament having taken place in England in 2017. The event will feature the top eight teams in world cricket competing for one of the sport’s most prestigious titles.
The hybrid model, while a logistical challenge, aims to strike a balance between accommodating geopolitical realities and ensuring the integrity of the tournament, which cricket fans worldwide await.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to enhance its internet speeds and connectivity with the installation of the 2Africa submarine cable that is expected to go live next year, state media reported on Tuesday.
2Africa, one of the world's largest submarine cable systems, spans 45,000 kilometers and connects 46 locations across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, utilizing SDM1 technology to offer speeds of up to 180 Tbps.
Millions of Pakistanis have experienced a mysterious, months-long internet slowdown, sparking backlash from activists and business leaders who believe the government is testing a firewall to control online spaces.
The Pakistani government has attributed the slowdown to a surge in Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) usage and damaged underwater cables, while also acknowledging that the country is "undergoing a transition."
"The project, according to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), will improve Pakistan’s international telecommunications infrastructure and enhance connectivity," the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency reported.
"PTA has made significant strides in enhancing international connectivity through the facilitation of Transworld Associate, the landing partner of the 2Africa submarine cable for Pakistan."
The first phase of 2Africa cable project began on Dec. 1, with the Pre-Lay Shore End (PLSE) installation. This key step in deploying submarine cables involves the initial setup and preparation at the shore end before the deep-sea cable laying begins, according to the report.
The installation of the deep-sea section of the submarine cable will begin on April 1, 2025 in the second phase of the project, which will involve laying the cable across the ocean floor to connect various regions.
In August, the Pakistan Business Council (PBC) warned that frequent Internet disruptions and low speeds caused by poor implementation of the national firewall had led many multinational companies to consider relocating their offices out of Pakistan, with some having “already done so.”
The Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) had also warned that internet slowdowns and the restriction of VPN services could lead to financial losses and closures, and an increase in operational costs for the industry by up to $150 million annually.
Pakistan’s IT exports have been growing at an average of 30 percent per year and are on way to achieving over $15 billion in the next 5 years, according to industry data. But it depends upon the government's ability to ensure continuity of export, fiscal, financial, infrastructure and IT policies, P@SHA said.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday extended his condolences to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish people over the loss of lives in a blast at an armament factory, which killed 12 people.
The blast occurred in the capsule production facility of the factory located in the province of Balikesir, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
Balikesir Governor Ismail Ustaoglu said the explosion collapsed the capsule production building and that the surrounding buildings sustained minor damage.
"Deeply saddened to learn about the accident at the explosive production facility in Balıkesir province, resulting in the loss of 12 precious lives," Sharif said on X.
"While expressing our solidarity with the people of Turkiye, we pray for the bereaved families & swift recovery of the injured."
Pakistan and Turkiye share strong bilateral religious, cultural, trade and defence relations. In May this year, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan visited Islamabad on a two-day official visit.
During the visit, both countries decided to increase bilateral trade volume to $5 billion, amid Pakistan's efforts to boost foreign investments and better manage its $350 billion economy.
KARACHI: Over a century ago, Khaliqdina Hall, a stately colonial-era building on Karachi’s M.A. Jinnah Road, became the stage for a pivotal moment in the history of the Indian subcontinent.
Originally established in 1906 as a library and community center, the iconic building served as a hub for political and literary gatherings, hosting leaders, thinkers and activists who shaped the region’s destiny.
On July 9, 1921, the hall witnessed the trial of Muhammad Ali Jauhar, a renowned journalist, activist and leader of the Khilafat Movement, who stood accused of sedition alongside other prominent figures such as his brother Shaukat Ali, Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew, Maulana Husain Madani, and Sri Shankaracharya.
While not a traditional courtroom, Khaliqdina Hall became a platform for debates that shaped history and a sanctuary for intellectuals seeking knowledge and inspiration since it first opened to the public.
But in recent decades, the hall fell into disuse as Karachi’s cultural and political life waned amid conflict and urban challenges. Now, following a meticulous restoration this year, the 118-year-old building is poised to reclaim its former glory, offering hope for a revival of the city’s lost vibrancy.
“This building is not just heritage but also history,” said Bashir Sadozai, President of the Students Welfare Organization, which occupies a room in the hall. “To many people, the history of this place starts in 1906 with the construction of the building, but it actually started long before, when the British, after occupying the Indian subcontinent, began reforms.”
This photo, taken on December 22, 2024, shows a general view of Khaliqdina Hall, a stately colonial-era building, located at the M.A. Jinnah Road in Karachi. Established in 1906, Khaliqdina Hall was a library and community center that become a hub of political activities and is now a revived heritage site. (AN Photo)
Sadozai explained that in 1851, the British set up a one-room library named the Native Library in the nearby Ranchore Line area. It soon became overcrowded, leading to the formation of a trust comprising local philanthropists. One such individual, Ghulam Hussain Khaliqdina, donated Rs18,000 out of the total Rs33,000, enabling the construction of the building in 1906.
The restoration, initiated in August and completed on November 15, 2024, addressed decades of neglect.
Saima Zaidi, director of Numaish, the organization tasked with the renovation by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), said the building was structurally sound but in a derelict condition.
She informed electrical work, seepage in the walls, paint and woodwork all required attention.
This photo, taken on December 22, 2024, shows a general view of Khaliqdina Hall, a stately colonial-era building, located at the M.A. Jinnah Road in Karachi. Established in 1906, Khaliqdina Hall was a library and community center that become a hub of political activities and is now a revived heritage site. (AN Photo)
“Doors, windows and grills were stripped of layers of paint, cleaned, polished and repaired across the building,” she told Arab News. “The library, with its rare collection of books, was in complete disarray, exposed to the elements in broken cupboards and panes.”
Additional touchups were made to the dock where Jauhar stood during his trial in 1921.
“Around 100 years ago, Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar stood exactly in this place where he was sentenced to two years imprisonment,” Mehdi Maloof, senior director of the KMC, said.
This photo, taken on December 22, 2024, shows a general view of Khaliqdina Hall, a stately colonial-era building, located at the M.A. Jinnah Road in Karachi. Established in 1906, Khaliqdina Hall was a library and community center that become a hub of political activities and is now a revived heritage site. (AN Photo)
Jauhar famously declared his desire for martyrdom, urging the court to deliver its verdict, as he had never denied opposing British colonial rule. Less than a decade later, he died in London and was buried in Jerusalem according to his will.
After partition, the hall hosted the All-India Muslim League’s conference, where it was decided to remove “All India” from its name. The country’s founding father, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, also delivered a speech here to civil servants of the newly independent Pakistan.
This photo, taken on December 22, 2024, shows the dock where freedom fighter Muhammad Ali Jauhar stood during his trial in 1921, at the Khaliqdina Hall, a stately colonial-era building, in Karachi. Established in 1906, Khaliqdina Hall was a library and community center that become a hub of political activities and is now a revived heritage site. (AN Photo)
Asked about the decline in the hall’s relevance to the city’s cultural life in recent years, Zaidi explained that Karachi’s turbulent history— marked by decades of ethnic, militant and sectarian conflict— had also impacted Khaliqdina Hall, as public spaces fell silent amid the violence.
“M.A. Jinnah Road itself witnessed a lot of conflict, violent protests and deadly bomb blasts,” she said. “A whole generation grew up in fear.”
Despite these challenges, she said, the restoration marked a turning point.
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“In these politically and economically unstable times, this space offers an opportunity for the younger generation to connect with each other and the city, reclaiming their role in shaping its future,” she continued.
Zaidi also highlighted plans to restore the library with 2,000 books, including 500 rare editions from the 18th and 19th centuries, soon to be accessible to the public.
Designed by renowned architect Moses Somake, the hall features Ionic columns and intricate woodwork that have been carefully preserved.
“It’s a really precious gem of a building,” she said.
This photo, taken on December 22, 2024, shows a general view of Khaliqdina Hall, a stately colonial-era building, located at the M.A. Jinnah Road in Karachi. Established in 1906, Khaliqdina Hall was a library and community center that become a hub of political activities and is now a revived heritage site. (AN Photo)
For visitors like Mehwish Rafi, the restoration has brought Khaliqdina Hall back to life.
“Somebody who’s an average citizen, when I walk into this place, I feel overwhelmed,” Rafi said. “And that’s the beauty of this.”
ISLAMABAD: An end-of-year survey released by market research firm Ipsos has shown that the primary destinations for Pakistanis wanting to leave the country are Saudi Arabia and the UAE, debunking the commonly held belief that young people from the South Asian nation want to migrate to Western countries.
During the year 2015, the highest number of Pakistanis, 946,571, went abroad for the purpose of employment, according to the Pakistani Bureau of Emigration. As of September this year, 525,378 Pakistanis had moved for jobs abroad, while over 800,000 Pakistanis left the country of 220 million to take up jobs in 2022. This was up from a pre-pandemic total of 625,876 in 2019, and 382,439 the year before that.
Most Pakistanis wanting to leave the country are believed to be frustrated by a decline in purchasing power and limited opportunities to improve their standard of living.
“Among those who express a desire to relocate, the primary destinations are economically stable countries in close proximity to Pakistan, with Saudi Arabia (30%) and the UAE (20%) topping the list, nullifying the commonly believed myth of youth’s interest toward Western countries,” the survey report said.
It also said an “acute majority” of young Pakistanis, 74%, desired to stay in Pakistan, while a privileged
youth segment — which comprised people in the ages of 18-24 age in upper socio-economic classes living in the federal capital of Islamabad — had a greater inclination toward leaving Pakistan.
“The trend reveals that Pakistani youth (74%) are committed to their country and are NOT inclined to leave,” the Ipsos survey data showed.
“A couple of years back, Oct 2022 saw a 32% consider leaving, this number plummeted to 23% by February 2024 amidst pre-election hope indicating stability toward the end of 2024.”
Amid a prolonged economic crisis in recent years, Pakistani officials have expressed increasing worries about the snowballing brain drain that could hamper the country’s eventual recovery.
“The huge exodus of educated youth is of great concern,” Ahsan Iqbal, minister for planning, development and special initiatives, told reporters earlier this year.
“It is our responsibility to provide them an enabling environment to stem the emigration.”
The government has launched several development initiatives which it hopes will help retain talent, he added.
They include establishing 200,000 paid internships for young engineers, a 10-billion-rupee ($37.35 million) innovation fund and a 40-billion-rupee program to develop 20 poor districts.
