Pakistan

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan speaks to Nikkei Asia at his residence in Lahore on July 12. (Photo by Rahat Dar)
Interview

Pakistan's Imran Khan vows to win with new party if PTI is banned

Ex-leader tells Nikkei Asia voters back his ideology; PM Sharif reveals caretaker plan

14 July 2023
Motorcyclists drive through a flooded road during heavy monsoon rains in Lahore, Pakistan, on July 5. Experts and residents fear a repeat of last year's massive flooding, compounded by unrepaired infrastructure.
Climate Change

Pakistan's flood-wrecked infrastructure faces deadly monsoons

Country fears last year's damage could compound this year's climate toll

11 July 2023
Truckers wait near Pakistan's border with Afghanistan during a temporary closure in February. Islamabad authorized formal barter trade in June, aiming to ease pressure on foreign reserves.
Economy

Pakistani barter trade with Afghanistan, Iran, Russia stuck in neutral

Plan to ease forex pressure met with disinterest amid strained Taliban ties

6 July 2023
A stock broker monitors the Pakistani market in Karachi on July 3, when share prices surged in reaction to the country's agreement with the International Monetary Fund.
Economy

Pakistan's IMF deal gives economy quick boost as next storm brews

Bailout agreement will push up tax and gas bills for citizens

5 July 2023
Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said he would strengthen the country's democratic system and institutions if he were to become prime minister.
Interview

Pakistan foreign minister says country not in China 'debt trap'

Bhutto Zardari hints at hopes to follow mother's footsteps as premier

4 July 2023
A dome is installed over a Hualong One nuclear reactor in China in 2018 -- the same type being exported to Pakistan.
Energy

China positions Pakistan as nuclear power export springboard

Experts say Beijing has something to prove with $4.8bn project in struggling nation

2 July 2023
A currency exchange in Karachi: Islamabad agreed to raise taxes, cut government spending and hike interest rates to meet the IMF's terms for releasing more funds.
Economy

Pakistan, IMF reach $3bn bailout deal after months of delays

Crucial last-minute agreement offers respite for nation on brink of default

30 June 2023
Afghan women wait to receive food packages at a distribution center in Kabul. 
Interview

World must unite to resolve Afghanistan crisis: Pakistan diplomat

Isolating the Taliban-controlled state risks further instability, says Asad Khan

30 June 2023
Part of Karachi's port will be controlled and developed by a UAE group under a new lease agreement, as Pakistan scrambles to scrape together foreign funds.
Economy

Pakistan shifts gears to avoid default with port lease, FDI drive

Experts doubt Islamabad's ability to lure much investment without IMF support

23 June 2023
The Port of Karachi is Pakistan's largest port, located across the Arabian Sea from the United Arab Emirates. (Karachi Port Trust handout via Reuters)
International relations

Cash-strapped Pakistan in talks to transfer largest port to UAE

Deepening economic crisis has government scrambling for money

22 June 2023
Gwadar Port is the heart of the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the Pakistani component of Beijing's globe-spanning Belt and Road Initiative. (Source photos by AP and Reuters)
Terrorism

Pakistani Taliban's 'shadow province' threatens China BRI projects

Extremist group aims to create parallel government in conflict-wracked Balochistan

21 June 2023
This fishing vessel was packed with migrants from Pakistan, Syria and Egypt. It capsized off the southern Greek coast on June 14.  (Photo by Hellenic Coast Guard via Reuters)
International relations

Greece shipwreck highlights Pakistan human smuggling woes

Hundreds still missing after migrant vessel capsizes in Mediterranean Sea

20 June 2023
Workers check the deck of the Russian oil tanker Pure Point, carrying crude oil for delivery to Pakistan, sits at anchor in Karachi on June 13.
Economy

Pakistan pins hopes on Russian energy imports shrouded in secrecy

Government says deals in yuan will bring economic relief; experts aren't so sure

16 June 2023
A lifeguard patrols Juhu beach in Mumbai during a red flag alert due to approaching cyclone Biparjoy.
14 June 2023
A TV salesman watches Pakistani Finance Minister Ishaq Dar present the budget for the next fiscal year on June 9. 
Explainer

Pakistan eyes China debt help in post-budget fog: 5 things to know

Islamabad's spending and borrowing plans draw skepticism as IMF hopes dim

13 June 2023
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina contends that the U.S. is pursuing a strategy of regime change in her country. (Pool via Reuters)
Opinion

Uneven U.S. treatment of Bangladesh and Pakistan makes little sense

Sanctions against Dhaka officials unlikely to help cause of democracy

12 June 2023
Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan claims the "military establishment" is trying to crush his party, while the army has criticized him for making "baseless allegations."
Asia Insight

Pakistan's Imran Khan takes on powerful military establishment

Allies break from embattled former PM in aftermath of May 9 violence

6 June 2023
People wait to receive food handouts in Karachi on March 30: Pakistan is caught in an economic crisis and faces a tight window to strike a deal with the IMF.
Economy

Pakistan enters crucial month for IMF talks to avoid default

Islamabad chafes at fund official's remarks on adhering to constitution

1 June 2023
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, left, meets with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on May 18 in Pishin on the two countries' border.
Energy

Militant attacks threaten cash-strapped Pakistan's energy plans

Forex crisis pushes Islamabad to eye local currency imports from neighbor Iran

29 May 2023
Trucks carrying wheat for Afghanistan move in a convoy near Lahore, Pakistan, in February 2022. Tensions between India and Pakistan hindered the transports, but now New Delhi plans to ship through an Iranian port.
International relations

India builds soft power in Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan

Donation of 20,000 tonnes of wheat to transit through Iranian port

23 May 2023
Imran Khan in Lahore High Court on May 19: Despite his close familiarity with the military, the populist politician has misjudged its tolerance for defiance.
Opinion

Imran Khan cannot win back power by targeting Pakistan's military

Supporters' hopes of following Turkish example are doomed

21 May 2023
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan gestures as he speaks to journalists at his residence in Lahore on May 18.
Politics

Pakistan crisis deepens as former PM Khan blocks house search

Ex-cricket star says authorities will plant evidence as his party suffers defections

20 May 2023
Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan, pictured in Lahore in March, has been granted two weeks of bail after being arrested in a graft case.
Politics

Pakistan's ex-PM Imran Khan granted bail for two weeks

What you need to know after days of violent protests and complex legal maneuvers

12 May 2023
A supporter of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan throws stones at police in Peshawar on May 10, during a protest against Khan's arrest.
Politics

Pakistan's Imran Khan supporters protest arrest, army called in

More leaders of former PM's party detained amid violence, internet disruptions

10 May 2023
A supporter of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan protests in Peshawar against his arrest on May 9: His detention will only add to the controversy surrounding the constitution and the Supreme Court.
Opinion

At age 50, Pakistan's constitution is having a midlife crisis

Political parties must come together to address role of judges and military

10 May 2023