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Pakistan receives India’s invitation to SCO Summit in New Delhi: FO
Pakistan has received an invitation from India to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in New Delhi, but the final decision on participation will be taken by Pakistan’s leadership after institutional consultations, it said on Friday.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan confirmed the development at a weekly press briefing and said the summit is scheduled to be held in the Indian capital from November 20 to 22. He also considered the possibility of Indian Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s visit to Pakistan and said permission for such a visit rests with the Indian government. He added that Islamabad does not impose any visa restrictions on Indian nationals. Sikh Pilgrims and Kartarpur Corridor
Responding to a question about the chief minister of India’s Punjab state reportedly expressing interest in visiting Pakistan, the spokesperson highlighted Islamabad’s efforts to promote religious travel between the two countries.
He said Pakistan had issued visas to an additional 4,000 Sikh pilgrims in the first six months of 2026. In 2025, Pakistan issued 9,318 visas to Indian pilgrims and 9,000 Sikh and 248 Hindu pilgrims visited Pakistan.
However, India has suspended the movement of pilgrims through the Kartarpur corridor from May 2025, the spokesperson said. He said Pakistan is ready to welcome and facilitate Sikh pilgrims as soon as India lifts restrictions. Islamabad was also looking forward to hosting Sikh pilgrims for the celebrations marking the 557th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Initiatives for regional peace
The Foreign Ministry spokesperson also discussed Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts towards promoting stability in the region, particularly Pakistan’s role in promoting dialogue between Iran and the US. He said Pakistan played the role of an honest mediator in the Iran-US conflict by bringing the two countries, who had not directly negotiated for 47 years, to the negotiating table under one roof.
He added that Pakistan will continue its efforts to promote peace and stability in the region, stressing that peace in the region is in the interest of Pakistan, neighboring countries and people outside the region. Mr. Khan also announced that Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmoud (retd.), secretary-general of the Mecca-based Joint Defense Alliance, would soon take up his post in Riyadh.
UN resolutions on arms control
Meanwhile, the spokesperson said that Pakistan’s draft resolution on conventional arms control was adopted by the United Nations with 180 votes. He said the resolution called for restraint, balance and dialogue to reduce the risks associated with regional conflicts.
Khan said India and Israel were the only countries to vote against the resolution. He said their opposition raises serious questions about the seriousness of their commitment to international peace and stability, adding that the negative voices reflect a mindset that he calls destabilizing in the region.
- Jamaat-e-Islami Party leader Hafiz Naimur Rehman has warned that his party will take to the streets again if the government does not take steps to abolish the oil tax.
At a press conference in Idara Noor Haq, Hafiz Naeem said the party’s campaign against oil tax will continue until the government provides relief to the people. He said he had raised the issue with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and asked him to abolish the tax, adding that the government collects Rs 1,500 billion every month through this tax.
Hafiz Naeem said Ishaq Dar promised that the government would share the relevant figures within a day or two. He added that Mr. Dahl argued that abolishing the tax would also benefit owners of heavy vehicles. In response, Hafiz Naim proposed increasing the tax on expensive cars from Rs 100 to Rs 200 while providing relief to the middle and lower income sections of the society.
The Jamaat-e-Islami chief said he had also met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who sought more time to consider additional relief measures. However, he reiterated that his party’s primary demand was the abolition of the petroleum levy. He also said that the federal and provincial governments had seized power through Form 47 and blamed corruption for the deteriorating situation in Sindh, especially Karachi.
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has increased the electricity tariff by Rs 2.36 per unit under the Monthly Fuel Charge Adjustment (FCA), increasing the financial burden on electricity consumers.
According to NEPRA’s notification, the price increase has been made due to fuel cost adjustment in September 2026. The adjustment reflects the difference between the actual cost of fuel used to generate electricity and the previously determined baseline fuel cost.
As per the decision, electricity consumers will be charged an additional fee of Rs 2.3673 per unit on their bills as per the applicable FCA mechanism. The adjustment will be reflected in energy bills for November 2026.
Pakistan’s trade deficit increased by about 16% to $14.6 billion in the first four months of the current fiscal year (July-October) compared to $12.6 billion in the same period last year.
According to a document released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the trade deficit in October 2026 also expanded by 19.7% compared to the same month last year. On a monthly basis, it increased by 10.3% compared to September.
According to the data, Pakistan’s exports increased by 2.2% in October compared to the same month last year, while imports increased by about 12%. In October, the country’s total exports amounted to $2.93 billion and imports amounted to $6.8 billion, resulting in a monthly trade deficit of $3.87 billion.
Compared to September 2026, exports in October increased only by 0.2%. However, the country’s trade deficit widened further due to a significant increase in imports.
JI warns of renewed protests if government fails to abolish petroleum levy
NEPRA increases electricity price by Rs2.36 per unit
Pakistan’s trade deficit rises 16pc to 14.6 billion dollars in four months
ICC board meeting in India: Mohsin Naqvi gets invitation
‘Self-Reliance in Digital ID’: NADRA launches locally produced QR code-based National Identity Card
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