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Pakistan deadline for third Hajj fee installment under government scheme ends today

Pakistan deadline for third Hajj fee installment under government scheme ends today
An official of Makkah Route handovers the passport of a pilgrim at immigration as he leaves for Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj pilgrimage from Pakistan on May 20, 2024. (SPA/File)
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Updated 48 min 4 sec ago
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Pakistan deadline for third Hajj fee installment under government scheme ends today

Pakistan deadline for third Hajj fee installment under government scheme ends today
  • Religious affairs ministry spokesperson urges pilgrims to deposit remaining fees at the designated banks
  • Around 179,210 Pakistanis will perform the annual pilgrimage this year under the Hajj Agreement 2025
Updated 48 min 4 sec ago
Hasaan Ali Khan
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ISLAMABAD: A deadline for intending Pakistani Hajj pilgrims to submit their third installments of Hajj fees is set to expire today, Friday, Pakistani state media reported, citing the religious affairs ministry.
The Hajj Policy 2025 allowed pilgrims for the first time to pay in installments, easing financial constraints. Under the scheme, the first installment of Rs200,000 ($717) was required with the application, followed by Rs400,000 ($1,435) within 10 days of balloting. The remaining amount had to be paid by Feb. 10, which was extended till Feb. 14.
Last month, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Hajj Agreement 2025, under which 179,210 Pakistanis will perform the annual pilgrimage this year. The quota is divided equally between government and private schemes.
“Today is the last day for intending pilgrims to deposit the third installment of their Hajj dues,” the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported, citing religious affairs ministry spokesperson Muhammad Umar Butt.
“The intending pilgrims under the Government Hajj Scheme have been asked to deposit their dues in the designated bank branches.”
Pakistan has also introduced a shortened Hajj program of 20 to 25 days to make the pilgrimage more convenient and accessible, according to the Ministry of Religious Affairs. It set the cost at around Rs1,075,000 ($3,854) for the long Hajj package and Rs1,150,000 ($4,122) for the short Hajj package, as shorter stays often incur higher airfare, premium accommodation rates, and expedited transport services, which drive up overall costs.
The government has also launched the ‘Pak Hajj’ cellphone app to provide real-time updates, guidance, emergency contacts, lodging details, route navigation and complaint registration to ensure a smooth pilgrimage experience.
This month, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain announced a reduction of up to Rs50,000 (179) in this year’s Hajj packages and a refund of over Rs4.75 billion (17 million) to 2024 Hajj pilgrims to be disbursed from Feb. 7, citing savings in sacrificial animal costs and airfare reductions.

Topics: Pakistan Hajj mission Hajj 2025 Pakistan Saudi Ties

Pakistan PM receives high-level IFC delegation, urges increased investment in key sectors

Pakistan PM receives high-level IFC delegation, urges increased investment in key sectors
Updated 14 February 2025
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Pakistan PM receives high-level IFC delegation, urges increased investment in key sectors

Pakistan PM receives high-level IFC delegation, urges increased investment in key sectors
  • IFC visit comes weeks after the World Bank pledged $40 billion in assistance to the South Asian country
  • Shehbaz Sharif stresses the importance of maximizing private sector participation in development process
Updated 14 February 2025
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday urged the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to enhance its support in key sectors during a high-level delegation visit, weeks after the World Bank pledged $40 billion in assistance to the South Asian country.
The IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets.
The World Bank last month announced a decade-long Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Pakistan, marking the unprecedented commitment, including $20 billion in sovereign lending through the International Development Association and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The IFC will mobilize an additional $20 billion to spur private sector investments in Pakistan.
“The Prime Minister lauded IFC’s role in fostering private sector investments and expanding its portfolio in Pakistan,” said a statement circulated by Sharif’s office after the meeting with IFC Managing Director Makhtar Diop, who is leading the delegation. “He encouraged IFC to enhance its support under key areas including infrastructure and logistics, outsourcing of large airports, agriculture, information technology, mining, climate resilience, health care, and water & sanitation.”

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speaks during a meeting with the International Finance Corporation Managing Director Makhtar Diop in Islamabad on February 14, 2025. (PMO)

“He also encouraged IFC to enhance collaboration with the private sector arms of other multilateral institutions for maximizing private sector participation in the development process and achieving greater impact,” the statement added.
The prime minister emphasized the need for export-led growth and called for the digitization of Pakistan’s economic ecosystem. He also highlighted ongoing digitization efforts within the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to streamline financial and economic processes.
Diop agreed with Sharif, according to the statement, by stressing the need for increased private sector investment in Pakistan’s road and power sector infrastructure, particularly transmission lines, airport services and wheat storage facilities such as silos to strengthen exports.
He also underscored the importance of private investment in water, health care and sanitation, with necessary social safeguards, to ensure sustainable economic growth.
The IFC official commended Pakistan’s engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and ongoing economic reforms. He noted that the government’s efforts to create an enabling environment for private sector operations had boosted investor confidence. He assured Sharif of the IFC’s continued support, aligned with Pakistan’s development priorities.
Earlier in the day, Diop and his team met with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, who briefed them on Pakistan’s macroeconomic stability in terms of both debt and equity, as well as key structural reforms undertaken by the government, according to the finance ministry.
The World Bank’s lending program for Pakistan, set to commence in 2026, will focus on six core outcomes: improving education quality, tackling child stunting, boosting climate resilience, enhancing energy efficiency, fostering inclusive development, and increasing private investment.

Topics: International Financing Corporation

Pakistan Air Force demonstrates long-range JF-17 capabilities in Saudi exercise

Pakistan Air Force demonstrates long-range JF-17 capabilities in Saudi exercise
Updated 2 min 34 sec ago
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Pakistan Air Force demonstrates long-range JF-17 capabilities in Saudi exercise

Pakistan Air Force demonstrates long-range JF-17 capabilities in Saudi exercise
  • PAF pilots and ground crew participated in Exercise Spears of Victory-2025 at King Abdul Aziz Air Base
  • JF-17 displayed combat performance against advanced fighter jets, showing its operational potential
Updated 2 min 34 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) demonstrated the long-range operational capabilities of its indigenous JF-17 fighter jets during an international exercise in Saudi Arabia, the military’s media wing said on Friday, as the PAF contingent returned home.
The PAF participated in Exercise Spears of Victory-2025, held at King Abdul Aziz Air Base, alongside air forces from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, France, Greece, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The drills, which began earlier this month, aimed to enhance interoperability through realistic air combat scenarios.
“For this international deployment, PAF fighters executed a non-stop flight from their home base in Pakistan to Saudi Arabia and back, conducting in-flight air-to-air refueling, demonstrating long-range operational capabilities of the JF-17 Block-III aircraft,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.
The PAF contingent included JF-17 Block-III fighter jets, combat pilots and technical ground crew, who actively participated in the exercise. The JF-17 Block-III displayed its combat performance against advanced fighter jets, earning recognition for its technological strengths and operational potential.
The PAF’s participation highlights its commitment to staying at the forefront of aerial warfare through joint exercises and modern combat training, ISPR added.

Topics: pakistan air force Pakistan Saudi Defense Collaboration Exercise Spears of Victory-2025 King Abdul Aziz Air Base

Clinical New Zealand thump Pakistan to win tri-nations series final

Clinical New Zealand thump Pakistan to win tri-nations series final
Updated 14 February 2025
AFP
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Clinical New Zealand thump Pakistan to win tri-nations series final

Clinical New Zealand thump Pakistan to win tri-nations series final
  • O’Rourke’s 4-43 helped New Zealand bowl out Pakistan for 242 before securing a five-wicket win
  • Victory boosts their confidence ahead of Wednesday’s Champions Trophy opener against Pakistan
Updated 14 February 2025
AFP

KARACHI: Pace bowler Will O’Rourke claimed four wickets while Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham hit half centuries as New Zealand defeated Pakistan by five wickets to clinch the tri-nations series final on Friday.
O’Rourke’s 4-43 helped the tourists dismiss Pakistan for 242 in 49.3 overs before Mitchell’s 58-ball 57 anchored the chase as the Black Caps finished on 243-5 in 45.2 overs at Karachi’s National Stadium.
The victory gives the New Zealanders a timely boost ahead of the Champions Trophy opener against the same opponents at this venue on Wednesday.
New Zealand lost opener Will Young in pacer Naseem Shah’s first over for five before Devon Conway (48) and Kane Williamson (34) steadied the chase with a second wicket stand of 71.

New Zealand’s Michael Bracewell, center, and Glenn Phillips, right, shake hand with Pakistan’s players after winning the tri-series ODI cricket final match against Pakistan, in Karachi on February 14, 2025. (AP)

Williamson lost his wicket while charging down the wicket against spinner Salman Agha while Naseem returned for his second spell to dismiss Conway.
At 108-3 the tourists’ chase wobbled but Mitchell found an able ally in Latham (56) as the two added 87 for the fourth wicket.
When Mitchell fell caught and bowled off spinner Abrar Ahmed the tourists needed just 48 runs which Latham and Glenn Phillips (20 not out) reduced to ten.

New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell, left, and Tom Latham run between the wickets during the tri-series ODI cricket final match between Pakistan and New Zealand, in Karachi on February 14, 2025. (AP)

Mitchell hit six boundaries in his knock while Latham’s 64-ball innings featured five fours.
Naseem was the pick of an otherwise ineffective Pakistan bowling attack with 2-43 off eight overs.
Earlier, spinners Mitchell Santner (2-20) and Michael Bracewell (2-38) backed up O’Rourke to ensure Pakistan did not post a big total.
Skipper Mohammad Rizwan top-scored with a 76-ball 46, while Salman Agha hit 45 off 65 balls as slow and variable bounce on the National Stadium pitch proved tough for batting.

New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips, center, shakes hand with Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan, second right, after winning the tri-series ODI cricket final match against Pakistan, in Karachi on February 14, 2025. (AP)

Pakistan lost opener Fakhar Zaman to O’Rourke in the fourth over for 10 and then Saud Shakeel for eight.
Babar Azam looked good for his 29 runs, hitting four boundaries and a six, and reached 6,000 runs scored in one-day internationals when he was on 10.
He was playing his 123rd innings, the joint fastest to reach the 6,000-run milestone with South African Hashim Amla.

Pakistan’s Salman Ali Agha, left, walks off the field after his dismissal during the tri-series ODI cricket final match between Pakistan and New Zealand, in Karachi on February 14, 2025. (AP)

Azam fell to a miscued shot off Nathan Smith, leaving Pakistan struggling at 54-3.
Rizwan and Agha, who shared a match-winning 260-run partnership against South Africa on Wednesday, then revived the innings with an 88-run stand.

New Zealand’s Will O’ Rourke, center, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman during the tri-series ODI cricket final match between Pakistan and New Zealand, in Karachi on February 14, 2025. (AP)

Rizwan hit four boundaries and a six but he and Agha fell within 19 runs of each other to end any hope of a challenging total.
Tayyab Tahir hit a 33-ball 38, also with four boundaries and a six, while Faheem Ashraf (22) and Naseem (19) added 39 invaluable runs to get Pakistan past 240.

Pakistan’s Babar Azam plays a shot during the tri-series ODI cricket final match between Pakistan and New Zealand, in Karachi on February 14, 2025. (AP)

Brief scores:
Pakistan 242 all out in 49.3 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 46, Salman Agha 45; W. O’Rourke 4-43) v New Zealand 243-5 in 45.2 overs (D. Mitchell 57, T. Latham 56; Naseem Shah 2-43)
Result: New Zealand won by five wickets
Toss: Pakistan

Topics: Pakistan vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Pakistan takes steps to enhance workforce skills for Middle Eastern job market — official

Pakistan takes steps to enhance workforce skills for Middle Eastern job market — official
Updated 14 February 2025
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Pakistan takes steps to enhance workforce skills for Middle Eastern job market — official

Pakistan takes steps to enhance workforce skills for Middle Eastern job market — official
  • Government is integrating interpersonal and problem-solving skills into technical and vocational training
  • Pakistan heavily relies on remittances which is a key source of foreign exchange for its struggling economy
Updated 14 February 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A senior Pakistani official said on Friday the government had taken key measures to bridge the skills gap and boost the global competitiveness of people aspiring to work abroad, particularly in the Middle East, to better integrate them into the international job market, state media reported.
Pakistan relies heavily on remittances sent by its overseas nationals, a key source of foreign exchange that serves as a lifeline for its struggling economy. Many Pakistani workers seek jobs in Gulf countries, where demand for skilled labor remains high.
At the same time, the government has been working to open legal avenues for employment abroad following a series of tragic boat accidents involving illegal immigrants attempting to reach European shores, with dozens of Pakistanis among the victims.
Parliamentary Secretary for Federal Education and Professional Training Farah Naz Akbar shared the government’s strategy for workforce development while responding to questions during a National Assembly session.
“The government is integrating life skills and soft skills — such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork, interpersonal skills and work ethics — into technical and vocational training programs,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency said while reporting on her briefing to the assembly. “These skills are highly valued by Middle Eastern employers and are crucial for workplace success.”
“The curriculum is also being updated to reflect the latest industry trends and technologies, ensuring that Pakistani workers are equipped with relevant knowledge and skills to meet evolving job market demands in the Middle East,” it added.
Akbar said as part of these reforms, Pakistan has established the Pakistan Skill Company and the Pakistan Skill Development Fund to centralize and improve technical and vocational training across the country, aiming to create better employment opportunities for workers abroad.
To align Pakistani qualifications with international standards, the government has revised National Vocational Qualification Framework (NVQF) regulations, ensuring that workers’ certifications meet the requirements of both European Union (EU) and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
Akbar said authorities were shifting toward competency-based training programs, which emphasize practical skills and hands-on experience, ensuring that workers are not only trained but also proficient in job-specific skills required by Middle Eastern employers.
She noted the measures were part of a comprehensive strategy to strengthen Pakistan’s labor force and increase employment opportunities for skilled workers in the Middle East.

Topics: National Assembly of Pakistan

New Zealand’s O’Rourke’s four wickets limit Pakistan to 242 in tri-series final

New Zealand’s O’Rourke’s four wickets limit Pakistan to 242 in tri-series final
Updated 14 February 2025
AFP
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New Zealand’s O’Rourke’s four wickets limit Pakistan to 242 in tri-series final

New Zealand’s O’Rourke’s four wickets limit Pakistan to 242 in tri-series final
  • Final is a dress rehearsal for opening Champions Trophy match between the two sides on Wednesday
  • Pakistan’s batting ace Baber Azam scored confident 29, reaching 6,000 runs in one-day internationals
Updated 14 February 2025
AFP

KARACHI: New Zealand pace bowler Will O’Rourke took four wickets to restrict Pakistan to a modest 242 runs in the tri-series final in Karachi on Friday.
O’Rourke finished with 4-43 and was ably supported by spinners Mitchell Santner (2-20) and Michael Bracewell (2-38) as Pakistan were dismissed in 49.3 overs after they won the toss and batted.
Skipper Mohammad Rizwan top-scored with a 76-ball 46, while Salman Agha hit 45 off 65 balls, with slow and variable bounce on the National Stadium pitch proving tough for batting.
The final is a dress rehearsal for the opening match of the Champions Trophy between the same teams at the same venue on Wednesday.
Pakistan lost opener Fakhar Zaman to O’Rourke in the fourth over for 10 and then Saud Shakeel for eight.
Babar Azam looked good for his 29 runs, hitting four boundaries and a six, and reached 6,000 runs scored in one-day internationals when he was on 10.
He was playing his 123rd innings, the joint fastest to reach the 6,000-runs milestone with South African Hashim Amla.
Azam fell to a miscued shot off Nathan Smith, leaving Pakistan struggling at 54-3.
Rizwan and Agha, who shared a match-winning 260-run partnership against South Africa on Wednesday, then revived the innings with an 88-run stand.
Rizwan hit four boundaries and a six but he and Agha fell within 19 runs of each other to end any hope of a big total.
Tayyab Tahir hit a 33-ball 38, also with four boundaries and a six, while Faheem Ashraf (22) and Naseem Shah (19) added 39 invaluable runs to get Pakistan past 240.

Topics: Pakistan vs New Zealand

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