For 8MFY26, the country posted a current account deficit of $700 million, compared with a surplus of $479 million during the same period last year, stated AHL. However, in February 2026, a current account surplus of $427 million was recorded, compared with a deficit of $85 million in February 2025 and a surplus of $68 million in January 2026. "Country posted the highest monthly current account surplus in Feb'26 since Mar'25," according to AHL. Workers' remittances amounted to $26.49 billion during the July–February period, providing the single largest cushion for Pakistan's external account. Without these inflows, the current account deficit would have been significantly larger.

Cites humanitarian crisis, calls for ceasefireChinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun takes a question from a journalist at a press conference in Beijing, China January 7, 2025. PHOTO: REUTERSChina on Tuesday announced emergency humanitarian assistance for Iran, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq, citing worsening humanitarian conditions amid ongoing regional conflict. Read More: China proposes five-point plan on Iran conflict“There is a wide feeling across the Gulf that Iran has crossed every red line,” said Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Saudi-based Gulf Research Center. As the conflict enters its third week, Gulf leaders fear that leaving Iran with military capabilities could allow it to repeatedly threaten regional stability and energy flows. The White House said President Donald Trump was in close contact with regional partners, while Gulf states have so far avoided unilateral military action, favouring restraint amid rising tensions.

The Pakistani spinner was signed for the HundredFormer Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar says he can’t see Pakistan now being part of the Asia Cup amid tensions with India. Photo: AFP/FileIndia cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has alleged that the signing of Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed by an Indian-owned Hundred franchise in England "indirectly contributes to the deaths of Indian soldiers and civilians". That did not come to pass, but Sunrisers Leeds -- from the same group that controls IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad -- faced a fierce social media backlash after last week clinching a deal for Abrar, paying £190,000 ($252,000) for his services. Former India captain Gavaskar, 76, launched a blistering attack in a weekend column for the Indian newspaper Mid-Day. "There's still time to undo the wrong and hopefully wiser counsels will prevail," added Gavaskar, the first batsman to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket.

11th edition to host 44 matches at eight venuesThe HBL PSL 11 trophy is being displayed at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi. Photo: PCBThe tickets for the much-anticipated HBL PSL 11 will go on sale from Tuesday, 17 March, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced today. The upcoming edition of HBL PSL starting from 26 March will feature 44 matches with eight teams taking part in the marquee event for the first time. HBL PSL CEO Salman Naseer: “The sale of tickets for the HBL PSL 11 beginning tomorrow marks an important milestone as the league enters its 11th year and ushers in a New Era of growth and innovation. “For the upcoming season of HBL PSL, fans can look forward to thrilling contests, with traditional rivalries set to intensify and new rivalries beginning to take shape.

PHOTO: REUTERSA Pakistani national has been killed in the United Arab Emirates after debris from an intercepted missile fell in Abu Dhabi, according to Al Jazeera. On February 28, a Pakistani citizen died in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the interception of an Iranian missile after joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran prompted retaliatory attacks. Another Pakistani death occurred the same day, when a fisherman from Gwadar was killed in Iranian waters after debris from an Israeli missile, intercepted by Iranian air defences, struck his boat. On March 6, falling debris in Abu Dhabi injured six Pakistani and Nepalese nationals because of an intercepted drone and wider missile activity over the UAE. Since then, Iranian missile and drone attacks have targeted Israel as well as US-linked and strategic sites across several Gulf states, widening the danger zone for expatriate workers, including large Pakistani communities in the UAE and elsewhere in the region.

ISLAMABAD :- The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) on Monday refuted claims made by the Afghan Taliban regime regarding a Pakistani strike on a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul, rejecting the statement as “false and misleading”. According to the MoIB Fact Checker, the operation conducted on the night of March 16 was a precision strike aimed strictly at military targets. “Pakistan precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure including technical equipment and ammunition storage belonging to the Afghan Taliban and Fitna al-Khawarij in Kabul and Nangarhar,” the ministry said, adding these assets were being used against Pakistani civilians. The Ministry further noted that post strike detonation of stored ammunition being used by Master Terror Proxy also fully contradicts the fake claim that the facility was a civilian rehabilitation center. The MoIB emphasized that the Taliban’s narrative is a deliberate “misreporting of facts” designed to mislead public opinion and mask their “illegitimate support for cross-border terrorism.”The statement reaffirmed that Pakistan’s operations are carefully calibrated to ensure no collateral damage is inflicted.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to release salaries for government employees before Eid-ul-Fitr. The directive was issued during a meeting chaired by the prime minister to review austerity measures, relief initiatives, and the management of petroleum reserves amid regional tensions linked to the ongoing Iran conflict. According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division of Pakistan with the approval of the prime minister, March 20 and March 21 have been declared official public holidays for Eid-ul-Fitr. The notification stated that March 20 (Friday) and March 21 (Saturday) will be observed as government holidays across the country. However, the final date will be officially declared by the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee.

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Armed Forces carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan and successfully targeted Afghan Taliban military installations in Kabul and Nangarhar on the night of March 16 in response to unprovoked aggression by the Afghan Taliban regime. Security sources said the airstrikes effectively destroyed technical support infrastructure and ammunition storage facilities at two locations in Kabul. Flames rising due to secondary detonations after the airstrike confirmed that the site contained a large cache of explosives, the sources added. They also termed Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid’s claim that a drug hospital was targeted as “ridiculous.”During operations in Nangarhar, the Pakistan Armed Forces also successfully struck Afghan Taliban military installations at four locations. Security sources said that in Nangarhar, logistics facilities, ammunition depots, and technical infrastructure adjacent to the military installations were also destroyed during the airstrikes.

ISLAMABAD : Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar spoke with Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov. They exchanged views on the latest developments in the ongoing regional situation and discussed bilateral matters of mutual interest, the Foreign Office said in a statement on Tuesday. A day earlier, Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to discuss the evolving regional situation. During the conversation, Ishaq Dar stressed that diplomatic engagement and dialogue are essential for maintaining peace and stability. The spokesperson added that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia remain in close consultation regarding the regional situation.

Regional conflict inflates fuel prices, straining airlines and flying schools alikeEscalating hostilities between Iran, Israel, and the United States are now sending shockwaves through Pakistan's aviation sector, with commercial flights and pilot training facing unprecedented financial pressures. Jet fuel prices have surged, and aviation gasoline for training planes has followed suit, hitting aspiring pilots the hardest. In Pakistan, aviation experts say, commercial flight fuel, Jet A-1, has risen by Rs154 per litre, while aviation gasoline, used in smaller training aircraft, has hot up by Rs80 per litre. Unlike commercial planes, training aircraft rely on aviation gasoline, produced at just five locations worldwide. As Middle East tensions persist, Pakistan's aviation sector finds itself navigating both literal and financial turbulence, with the cost of flight reaching new heights long before takeoff.

It cautioned that the levy could significantly increase export costs and create new hurdles for the apparel industry. PHMA North Zone Chairman Abdul Hameed said the association had formally conveyed concerns of apparel exporters to the chief minister, highlighting that the proposed cess on goods entering or leaving Punjab had already created serious anxiety among business circles. In such circumstances, imposing an additional cess will inevitably increase the cost of doing business and make it more difficult for exporters to compete globally. Former PHMA North chief Naseer Butt explained that apparel exporters operated on thin margins because international prices were largely determined by global buyers and intense competition. He added that the proposed cess would not only impact exports but could also have wider economic consequences for the domestic trade and consumers.

More than 90 flights were cancelled from airports across countrySmoke rises above the city skyline in Riyadh, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Photo: ReutersFlight operations across Pakistan continue to face severe disruption due to the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States-Israel. Thousands of passengers are cancelling travel plans and airlines are suffering heavy financial losses, aviation sources said. According to airport sources, over 110,000 passengers travelling from Pakistan to countries including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Iran, Iraq and Azerbaijan have sought ticket refunds due to the flight suspension. However, flight operations continue for destinations including Saudi Arabia, Muscat, Europe, Canada, Malaysia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, airport sources added.

Markets fill with families as employees begin Eidul Fitr purchasesWith the payment of salaries to employees of government and private institutions from Monday, March 16, Eidul Fitr shopping has gained momentum across Rawalpindi. Markets, commercial centres and shopping plazas have become lively, and shopkeepers have also expressed happiness over the start of shopping activity. For the past ten days, markets remained open until late at night but customers were relatively few. Government employees said that earlier in Ramadan most spending was focused on daily iftar expenses, but now after receiving salaries they have started Eid shopping. Muhammad Ali and Feroz Hassan said they were not compromising on children's Eid shopping.

✅ 17 March 2026✅ Pakistan’s Armed Forces successfully carried out precision airstrikes on the night of 16 March as a part of Operation Ghazab Lil Haq, targeting Afghan Taliban regime terrorism sponsoring military installations in Kabul and Nangarhar. ✅ Technical support… pic.twitter.com/b8YJkGC0cv — Attaullah Tarar (@TararAttaullah) March 16, 2026He said four Afghan Taliban regime “terrorism sponsoring” military sites were also struck in Nangarhar, destroying associated logistics, ammunition and technical infrastructure. The Afghan Taliban authorities in Kabul said the strikes hit a drug treatment centre, killing civilians – a claim Pakistani security sources rejected as “ridiculous”. The clashes intensified after Afghanistan launched a border offensive in response to earlier Pakistani air strikes targeting terrorist positions. In a separate development, Pakistani forces also conducted retaliatory actions in the Bajaur sector along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, targeting Afghan Taliban posts near the frontier.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Monday welcomed the canal excavation initiative launched by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, describing it as a positive step for the country’s waterways. The Jamaat-e-Islami chief stressed that restoring navigability through adequate dredging of major rivers should be a top national priority. Dr Shafiqur Rahman also pointed out that canal excavation alone would not produce the desired benefits unless rivers regain their vitality and navigability. “Only then will people fully benefit from canal excavation,” he added. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated the nationwide canal excavation and re-excavation programme by cutting soil with a spade at Sahapara Canal in Kaharol Upazila, Dinajpur.