ISLAMABAD: August 21 –
ISLAMABAD: August 21 – Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrives for a joint press stakeout at Ministry of Foreign Affairs. APP/IFD/MAF/TZD
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrives for a joint press stakeout at Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
ISLAMABAD: August 21 –
ISLAMABAD: August 21 – Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrives for a joint press stakeout at Ministry of Foreign Affairs. APP/IFD/MAF/TZD
Exports up by 18.76 to Rs.762,746 mln in July 2025
ISLAMABAD, Aug 21 (APP):The exports from the country in rupee term increased by 18.76 percent on year-on-year basis in July 2025 compared to the corresponding month of last year, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported on Thursday.
The exports in July 2025 were recorded at Rs. 762,746 million as compared to Rs. 642,272 million during July 2024, according to PBS provisional figures.
On month-on-month basis, the exports increased by 8.79 percent in July as against the exports of Rs. 701,091 million recorded in June 2025.
Main commodities of exports during July, 2025 were knitwear (Rs. 145,799 million), readymade garments (Rs.113,683 million), bed wear (Rs. 84,180 million), cotton cloth (Rs. 40,281 million), rice other than basmati (Rs. 31,871 million), towels (Rs.26,666 million), madeup articles (excl towels & bedwear) (Rs. 19,847 million), fruits (Rs.16,469 million), cotton yarn (Rs.15,931 million) and basmati Rice (Rs.15,824 million).
On the other hand, the imports into Pakistan during July, 2025 amounted to Rs. 1,669,239 million as against Rs. 1,516,458 million in June, 2025 and Rs. 1,328,237 million during July, 2024 showing an increase of 10.07% over June, 2025 and of 25.67% over July, 2024.
The main commodities of imports during July, 2025 were petroleum products (Rs.180,489 million), petroleum crude (Rs.113,169 million), palm oil (Rs. 86,013 million), electrical machinery & apparatus (Rs.83,232 million), plastic materials (Rs.77,291 million), iron and steel (Rs.68,994 million), natural gas liquified (LNG) (Rs.65,728 million), iron & steel scrap (Rs.43,883 million), mobile phones (Rs.41,385 million) and raw cotton (Rs.40,735 million).
Pakistan, Poland agree to enhance cooperation to provide employment opportunities for Pakistanis
ISLAMABAD, Aug 21 (APP): Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Chaudhry Salik Hussain met with the Polish Ambassador to Pakistan, Maciej Pisarski.
During the meeting, both sides agreed to enhance cooperation to provide employment opportunities for Pakistanis in Poland.
The federal minister stated that over the past year, Pakistan exported products worth USD 450 million to Poland in the sectors of textiles, leather and sports, said a press release on Thursday.
The Polish ambassador expressed condolences for the loss of life and property due to recent floods in various areas of Pakistan.
He also indicated that there were employment opportunities for Pakistanis in Poland and that stringent measures have been taken to curb illegal immigration.
Poland’s Foreign Minister expected to visit Pakistan in October, during which several Memoranda of Understanding (MoU’s) would be signed.
Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain noted that in one year, 742,000 Pakistanis went abroad for employment and that Pakistan ranks fourth worldwide in exporting its workforce.
He reiterated that strong actions have been taken to prevent illegal immigration. Pilot projects with Korea and Japan to provide employment for Pakistanis were progressing successfully.
KP Govt announces compensation package for flood victims
PESHAWAR, Aug 21 (APP): The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government on Thursday has announced compensation package for flood victims of the province.
The package announced by KP Cabinet includes approval of Rs. 2 million compensation for families of those who died in the floods and Rs. 500,000 for the injured, Rs. 1 billion for PDMA under the “Food Stamp” scheme to provide Rs. 15,000 per affected family and special martyr’s package for the crew killed in a helicopter crash during Bajaur air relief operations.
Approval of a Rs. 180.3 million special package for police martyrs’ families and injured personnel, Rs. 20 billion supplementary grant to complete ongoing development schemes and restore damaged infrastructure and intra-sectoral re-appropriation to improve financial management and efficient use of resources.
The package also includes approval of Rs. 62.3 million grant for holding Seerat conferences across the province during the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal, exemption of Peshawar High Court from release policy and full access to the SAP system.
Approval of Rs. 20 million financial assistance for medical treatment of former MPA Shaukat Yousafzai, transfer of two kanals of land for establishing Rescue 1122 station in Tehsil Barang, District Bajaur, Rs. 1.38 billion project for construction of Kambar Bypass Road (4.5 km) in District Lower Dir, amendments in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Public Services Act 2014, appointment of Chief Commissioner for Right to Public Services Commission and nomination of two members for the Workers Welfare Board.
These decisions were taken during the 37th meeting of the Provincial Cabinet held on Wednesday night in Peshawar under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Khan Gandapur. Key decisions were made regarding the recent flood situation, provincial development goals, and other administrative matters.
The meeting was attended by cabinet members, additional chief secretaries, the senior member of the Board of Revenue, administrative secretaries, and the Advocate General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The session began with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by prayers and Fatiha for those who lost their lives in the floods. A detailed briefing was then given on flood-related damages, relief efforts, and rehabilitation activities. It was informed that the rescue phase has been completed in the first stage, although the search for missing persons continues.
Speaking at the meeting, Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur praised the timely and efficient response of the district administration, rescue teams, and all concerned departments and institutions during the flood emergency. He stated that all institutions deserve appreciation for their excellent performance.
He assured that compensation payments to the families of the deceased and the injured are ongoing and no affected person will be left out. The Chief Minister directed immediate activation of healthcare centers in the affected areas and ensured availability of essential medicines. He also instructed the deployment of mobile hospitals and preemptive measures to prevent the outbreak of diseases. Additional directives included the provision of fodder for livestock and steps to protect animals from disease.
The Chief Minister ordered a special campaign for the complete cleaning of affected areas and swift restoration of drinking water tube wells. He also called for accelerating the rehabilitation of all connecting roads.
He stated that data on property damage is being collected. Homes destroyed by the floods will be rebuilt, and compensation will also be provided for livestock losses and affected businesses. He emphasized that the provincial government is fully capable of restoring the livelihoods of its people.
Further, the Chief Minister directed the deployment of more officers in flood-affected districts to expedite relief and rehabilitation work.
He mentioned that philanthropists are reaching out to the government to support victims, and a special account has been opened to ensure donations are delivered transparently to the rightful recipients. The provincial government has allocated five billion rupees for relief and rehabilitation in affected areas.
Additional Chief Secretary for Home and Tribal Affairs, Abid Majeed, briefed the cabinet that rescue operations are ongoing in flood-hit districts with senior officials present on-site. He provided updates on human casualties, destroyed infrastructure, and aid provided to victims.
Majeed stated that separate data for each affected district is being collected, including deaths, missing persons, destroyed homes, shops, crops, and livestock. He mentioned that after damage assessments in Bajaur, Dir, Buner, Battagram, Mansehra, Swabi, Shangla, and Abbottabad, detailed reports will be presented to the cabinet. Departments have been instructed to expedite data collection for early compensation payments.
PESCO and other departments are using provincial machinery in affected areas. Currently, 65% of mobile network coverage has been restored, but complete restoration is still needed to help people stay connected with their loved ones. Relief supplies including food and essential items are being distributed, and aerial surveys are underway to assess the damage.
The Planning and Development Department has developed an application through which all types of data from the affected areas can be accessed anytime.
Corn carbs bring millions of yuan for Inner Mongolia farmers
BEIJING, Aug. 21 (APP): Turning corn cobs into “cash” is no longer just a saying in Inner Mongolia. Through fully automated processing, Inner Mongolia Xinlianxin Biotechnology Co., Ltd. is transforming agricultural waste into high-value products, generating millions of yuan for local farmers.
Du Shuyuan, the company’s vice general manager, explained that corn cobs are processed in fully automated, unmanned facilities to extract furfural, a chemical used in synthetic resins, fragrances, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and petroleum refining. Any leftover residue is recycled for power generation or fertilizer, creating a zero-waste production cycle.
“The project produces up to 20,000 tons of furfural annually. Using corn cobs as raw material, we collect 250,000 tons each year from a 200-kilometer radius,” Du said. “Transporting these cobs from rural areas to the factory provides an additional 80 to 100 million yuan in income for farmers involved in planting, collection, loading, transport, and sorting.”
The facility features two 35-ton-per-hour medium-temperature, sub-high-pressure circulating fluidized bed biomass boilers and a 5 MW centripetal turbine generator. It delivers high thermal efficiency, top-quality steam, and low emissions. After treatment, flue gas meets ultra-low emission standards. The plant also reduces coal use by 66,000 tons per year and cuts carbon dioxide emissions by 180,000 tons annually. By turning waste into value and recycling resources, the project achieves energy savings, carbon reduction, and higher efficiency, contributing to China’s peak carbon and carbon neutrality goals, CEN reported on Thursday.
“Unlike traditional furfural producers, we collect and treat all wastewater and emissions, creating a near-zero-pollution, fully circular system,” said Lv Yunchen, vice general manager of Xinlianxin Biotechnology. “Next, we plan to use boiler ash, furfural residue, and other organic materials to make organic fertilizer for compacted soils and saline-alkali lands. This will further improve our manufacturing capabilities and support a greener, low-carbon transformation across the region and industry.”
Du concludes that the model combines agricultural value growth, industrial carbon reduction, and higher farmer income, creating a fully closed-loop system from field to factory. He noted that countries like Pakistan, with abundant corn production, could adopt similar technology to manage crop residues and develop new industries in energy, pharmaceuticals, and casting.
Four profiteers held
SARGODHA, Aug 21 (APP):The district administration arrested four shopkeepers for profiteering in various parts of the city on Thursday.
According to official sources, the price control magistrates inspected various markets and found that shopkeepers, including Akram, Javed, Gulzar and Nasir, involved in profiteering.
The magistrates got registered cases against them and also imposed fines.
Power thieves arrested
SARGODHA, Aug 21 (APP):Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) caught 14 pilferers involved in electricity theft from main lines through meter tampering during a crackdown here on Thursday
The task force team raided various areas of the district and caught Ramzan, Taimoor, Sqlain, Sanaullah, Abdul Shafique, Waleed Khan, Rana Khudadad, Naveed Arain, Tariq, Sufi Safiullah and others.
The police registered cases against them.
11 ‘criminals’ arrested
SARGODHA, Aug 21 (APP):The police have arrested 11 alleged criminals from various parts of the district on Thursday and recovered contraband from them.
The arrested accused were identified as Khadim, Khalil, Raheel, Imran, Kamran, Sami, Tahir, Kaleem, Waleed, Nouman and Khurram.
The police recovered 2.6-kg hashish, 1.3-kg heroin, 145 litres of liquor, 12 pistols, four guns, 135 bullets, 256 empty bottles and valuables worth millions of rupees from them.
Further investigation was underway.
DIG Tariq vows crackdown on criminals, orders strict tenant verification
ISLAMABAD, Aug 21 (APP):Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Muhammad Jawad Tariq on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting on crime prevention and directed strict measures to ensure the safety of citizens.
A police spokesperson told APP that the meeting was attended by SSP Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Zonal SPs, SP Dolphin, SP CTD, and other senior police officers. The DIG emphasized that complete bio-data, character verification, and registration of non-local tenants must be ensured at all costs.
DIG Tariq directed the immediate arrest of proclaimed offenders and record-holders involved in heinous crimes, adding that patrolling should be made more effective and purposeful with officers visibly present in the field.
A comprehensive crackdown against active criminal gangs was ordered, while indiscriminate action would also be taken against those involved in illegal weapons, brandishing of arms, and drug trafficking, the spokesperson said.
DIG Tariq stressed that all available resources should be utilized to combat crime and search operations across the capital must continue without interruption. He reaffirmed that the protection of citizens’ lives and property remains the top priority of the ICT Police.
Shipping activity at Port Qasim
KARACHI, Aug 21 (APP):Five ships, Hansa Africa, Groton, CMA CGM Otello, Khairpur and Sarwat Gas carrying containers, Mogas and LPG, berthed at Container Terminal, Oil Terminal and SSGC Terminal the other day.
Meanwhile seven more ships carrying Containers, Soyabean seeds, Chemicals, LNG and Palm oil also arrived at Outer Anchorage of Port Qasim during the same day.
Ten ships were engaged at PQA berths during the last 24 hours, out of them, Gas carrier Al-Qassar left the port on Thursday morning and five more ships, Hansa Africa, Groton, CMA CGM Otello, Morning Glory and Sarwat Gas are expected to sail on today afternoon.
A cargo volume of 157,244 comprising 119,216 tonnes imports cargo and 38,028 tonnes export cargo was handled at the Port, including containerized cargo carried in 5,705 Containers (3,621 TEUs Imports and 2,084 TEUs export) during the last 24 hours.
15 ships at outer anchorage of the port, out of them four ships namely MSC Lyse V, Al-Salaimi, Hafnia Andrea and Southern Robin & another ship Venus carrying Containers, LNG, Palm oil, Chemicals and LPG are expected to take berths at QICT, EETL, LCT, MW-1 and SSGC respectively on Thursday.