Pakistan has been reeling under economic stress for the past few years. Even the Prime Minister acknowledged that the country could not survive if the IMF did not provide adequate funds.
Biden, since assuming office in January 2021, neither dialled Imran Khan after his election victory nor spoke to Shehbaz Sharif who succeeded Khan in April 2022. This was his first official communication to a Pak PM in four years.
According to the reports published in Pakistani media, PM Shehbaz assured Beijing to “conduct a high-level and early investigation of the incident and punish the perpetrators and facilitators.”
The devotees, smeared in coloured powder, sprinkled coloured water on each other while dancing to songs. People also exchanged sweets as part of the celebrations.
The Hindu community in Pakistan and across the world is celebrating Holi on Monday. In the Punjab province, a special Holi package was announced for 700 Hindu families.
The comments by Sharif came a day after the IMF said it had agreed to a provisional or staff-level agreement with Islamabad which, if approved by its board, will disburse the last tranche of $1.1 billion under the $3 billion standby arrangement.
Pakistan's austerity measures aim to promote fiscal responsibility amid a severe economic crisis, causing them to seek a financial bailout from the IMF. The global moneylender reached a staff-level agreement with Pakistan to release the last tranche of the $3 billion bailout package.
An old video resurfaced, falsely linking a woman reciting the Gayatri Mantra in the presence of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the swearing-in ceremony of Shehbaz Sharif as the country's Prime Minister.
A Kashmiri-origin chartered accountant, Ishaq Dar has served as Pakistan's Finance Minister four times, the latest under Shehbaz Sharif till 2023. He has the critical task of mending bilateral relations with neighbours India and Afghanistan, which are now at their lowest.
At least 45 fishermen belonging to Ibrahim Hyderi-- a fishing village in the Malir District of Karachi-- had gone fishing but their boat capsized at Hijamkro Creek near Keti Bandar in Thatta on March 5 at around 3:00 am.
Shehbaz Sharif's reply on social media came a day after PM Modi extended greetings to Sharif on being elected as Pakistan's PM.
Though the military chief did not name any political party, it was directed at jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which has been alleging that the powerful establishment had supported the PML-N party to steal its mandate.
Shehbaz Sharif was nominated as the PM candidate after PML-N's poor performance in the February 8 elections forced his elder brother Nawaz to withdraw his plans and form a coalition with other parties. He became the 24th Prime Minister of Pakistan after securing 201 votes in the National Assembly.
"Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will not make any difference. The condition of the people is deteriorating day by day and their problems will not be solved by this election. This is the continuity of the same status quo which has prevailed in the country from the beginning," said a local resident.
The oath ceremony was attended by Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and other PML-N workers. PPP’s Murad Ali Shah and Sarfaraz Bugti were also in attendance.
President Arif Alvi will administer the oath to Shehbaz in a ceremony at the President's House at 3 pm. Army Chief Gen Asim Munir, caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar, Chief Ministers and governors of all provinces will attend the ceremony.
Sharif returned to the role he held until August when parliament was dissolved ahead of the elections and a caretaker government took over.
The PML-N president Shehbaz is the younger brother of former three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif, 74, who sprang a surprise last month after being projected as the party's prime ministerial candidate ahead of the February 8.
Foreign countries including the UK and European Union had also expressed concerns over alleged rigging in elections, an internet shutdown and unusual delay in results. Pakistan is heading for a coalition government with Shehbaz Sharif expected to become the next premier.
Nawaz said the upcoming coalition government will prioritise on fixing the economy of the cash-strapped Pakistan and remained hopeful that all members complete their five-year tenure. He asserted that Shehbaz Sharif was the best choice under the current circumstances.
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