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China's Foreign Exchange Reserves See Slight Increase in October

China's Foreign Exchange Reserves See Slight Increase in October

China's Foreign Exchange Reserves See Slight Increase in October

Pakistani Astronaut to Join China's Tiangong Space Station Mission

Pakistani Astronaut to Join China's Tiangong Space Station Mission

A Pakistani astronaut is set to become the first foreigner to visit China's Tiangong space station, participating in the Shenzhou-24 mission. This development stems from a February 2025 agreement between Pakistan and China, establishing a Chinese government training program for Pakistani astronauts. While the China National Space Administration (CNSA) has not specified a departure date, the mission is anticipated to occur by the end of the year. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal previously indicated a November 25 launch. The Pakistani astronaut, designated as a payload specialist, will undertake a brief orbital flight before returning with the Shenzhou-23 spaceship, which docked at Tiangong in May. Astronauts Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud were selected for training in China, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif commending their efforts and highlighting the mission as a source of national pride.

UN Warns Against Peacekeeping Budget Cuts Amidst Global Crises

UN Warns Against Peacekeeping Budget Cuts Amidst Global Crises

The United Nations has been cautioned against reducing its peacekeeping budget, with Pakistan's Permanent Representative, Ambassador Syed Haider Shah, emphasizing that financial constraints should not compromise the organization's ability to maintain international peace and security. The General Assembly recently approved a budget of $5.1 billion for peacekeeping operations for 2026-27, which marks a 10% decrease from the previous year's allocation. This reduction follows a funding crisis in the preceding year that necessitated a cut in mission expenditures and the repatriation of a quarter of its uniformed personnel. Ambassador Shah, speaking to the Fourth Committee of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, advocated for reforms to enhance peacekeeping effectiveness without sacrificing essential capabilities. He highlighted the increasing complexity of political and security environments faced by peacekeeping operations and stressed the undiminished need for a credible UN presence, despite a growing...

Egypt Proposes Preferential Trade Access to U.S. Market for Pakistani Businesses

Egypt Proposes Preferential Trade Access to U.S. Market for Pakistani Businesses

Egypt Proposes Preferential Trade Access to U.S. Market for Pakistani Businesses

Southeast Asia's Largest Economy Records Higher-Than-Expected 5.47% GDP Growth in Q3

Southeast Asia's Largest Economy Records Higher-Than-Expected 5.47% GDP Growth in Q3

Southeast Asia's Largest Economy Records Higher-Than-Expected 5.47% GDP Growth in Q3

UN Security Council Issues Presidential Statement on Diplomacy During Active Hostilities

UN Security Council Issues Presidential Statement on Diplomacy During Active Hostilities

The United Nations Security Council has adopted a presidential statement emphasizing the critical role of diplomacy during active hostilities. Authored by Pakistan, the statement underscores the importance of maintaining communication channels between parties in armed conflict to prevent escalation, facilitate ceasefires, and create conditions for peaceful political settlements. This initiative builds upon Resolution 2788, adopted in July 2025, which reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to peaceful dispute resolution under Chapter VI of the UN Charter. The statement requests the Secretary-General to continue promoting and supporting diplomacy, de-escalation, and mediation efforts before and during conflicts, utilizing his good offices and UN capacities, and to keep the Council informed of these endeavors.

Pakistan Prime Minister Orders Coordinated Polio Eradication Plan Amidst Rising Cases

Pakistan Prime Minister Orders Coordinated Polio Eradication Plan Amidst Rising Cases

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed federal health officials and polio eradication teams to develop a coordinated strategy within a week to combat the rising number of polio cases. This directive follows the report of the ninth wild poliovirus case of 2026, detected in a seven-month-old boy from Khyber district in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). Seven of the nine cases this year have been reported from K-P, with the remaining two from Sindh. The Pakistan Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) has linked the cases in Khyber district to poliovirus strains circulating in Afghanistan, highlighting cross-border transmission as a significant factor. The Prime Minister expressed concern over the latest infections and called for a more effective strategy and intensified efforts to contain the virus, emphasizing that the government cannot afford to lose momentum in its campaign against the crippling disease.

World Bank Reports Developing Countries' External Debt Reaches Record $9.4 Trillion in 2025

World Bank Reports Developing Countries' External Debt Reaches Record $9.4 Trillion in 2025

The World Bank Group announced that the external debt of developing countries surged to a record $9.4 trillion in 2025, marking a 5.5% increase and the fastest growth since 2021. This information was released in its International Debt Report (IDR) 2026. The report highlights that this increase is approximately four times the average recorded between 2022 and 2024. A significant portion of this rise is attributed to private financing, with borrowing from private creditors increasing substantially. Bond issuance by public entities also saw a nearly 35% rise, reaching $251 billion, the highest level in five years. The report also noted that the cost of finance has not improved despite better access to international finance. Developing countries paid $436 billion more in debt service than they received in new financing between 2022 and 2025, though this trend shifted in 2025 to a net inflow of $45 billion. Currency movements, particularly a weakening U.S. dollar, also contributed to the increase in reported de...

Pakistani astronaut to board Shenzhou 24 and become the first foreigner on China's space station

Pakistani astronaut to board Shenzhou 24 and become the first foreigner on China's space station

A Pakistani astronaut will board China’s Shenzhou 24 spacecraft as the first foreign national on Beijing’s space station

Former Minister Naveed Qamar Warns Pakistan of Renewed IMF Program Amid Election Concerns

Former Minister Naveed Qamar Warns Pakistan of Renewed IMF Program Amid Election Concerns

Syed Naveed Qamar, former federal minister and chairman of the National Assembly standing committee on Finance, has warned that Pakistan may enter another International Monetary Fund (IMF) program after its current arrangement concludes in September 2027. Speaking at the SDPI 29th sustainable development conference, Qamar expressed concerns that the upcoming general elections, approximately 18 months after the current IMF program's expected end, could lead to increased government spending and a reversal of economic discipline. He emphasized that Pakistan faces potential renewed economic instability unless the government utilizes the remaining period of the IMF program to establish a sustainable growth framework and implement structural reforms. Qamar suggested that the country might transition directly from the existing arrangement into a new IMF program rather than achieving economic independence. He urged the government to leverage the current program to build institutional and policy frameworks for sust...

IMF Country Director Reports Pakistan's Economic Growth Rate Rising to 3.5%

IMF Country Director Reports Pakistan's Economic Growth Rate Rising to 3.5%

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Country Director Mahir Binici announced that Pakistan's economic growth rate is increasing from 2% to 3.5%. Speaking at a conference organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in Islamabad, Binici characterized this development as significant, indicating that Pakistan has transitioned from an economic crisis to a period of stability. He highlighted the ongoing implementation of economic reforms and the importance of sustaining this growth momentum. Binici also mentioned discussions with Pakistani authorities aimed at boosting tax revenues and improving the tax-to-GDP ratio. Concurrently, Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director for Pakistan Dr. Emma Xiaoqing Fan emphasized the necessity of providing greater growth opportunities for the private sector and reducing industrial costs to enhance exports. She also pointed out that over half of Pakistan's female population is not contributing to economic development and advocated for increased opportuni...

Developing Countries' External Debt Reaches Record $9.4 Trillion in 2025, World Bank Reports

Developing Countries' External Debt Reaches Record $9.4 Trillion in 2025, World Bank Reports

The external debt of developing countries surged by 5.5% to a record $9.4 trillion in 2025, marking the fastest increase since 2021 and approximately four times the average growth rate observed between 2022 and 2024. This data comes from the World Bank Group’s International Debt Report 2026. The report highlights that while access to international finance has improved for these nations, the cost of borrowing has not, leading to significant debt burdens that threaten essential investments in human capital. Private financing was a primary driver of this increase, with borrowing from private creditors jumping and bond issuance from public entities rising by nearly 35% to $251 billion, the highest level in five years. The most vulnerable countries, those eligible for concessional financing from the World Bank Group’s International Development Association (IDA), experienced an 8.1% increase in external debt, reaching $1.3 trillion.