Politics

Supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political party protest against the fuel price hike in Karachi on June 3.
Politics

Pakistan unveils budget targeting 5% economic growth

Islamabad looks to raise taxes on rich, seeking IMF bailout

10 June 2022
Supporters of ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan protest fuel price hikes in Karachi on June 3. New leader Shehbaz Sharif is set to unveil a budget under volatile conditions. 
Politics

Pakistan to unveil budget in political tinderbox: 5 things to know

PM braces for anger as he aims to hike taxes, secure IMF cash, revive China projects

9 June 2022
Imran Khan waves to his supporters during an anti government rally in Lahore on April 21: Khan does not believe that democratic processes apply to him.
Opinion

Imran Khan wants to dismantle Pakistan's democracy

Wider middle classes will decide the former cricket star's political fate

8 June 2022
From a Maldives bond payment to India's central bank meeting and Pakistan's upcoming budget, South Asia's economic strain is in focus.
Asia Insight

Beyond Sri Lanka, economic cyclone bears down on South Asia

From Pakistan to Maldives, forex and debt risks grow as inflationary headwinds build

7 June 2022
Investigators gather after a bomb blast outside a Confucius Institute in Karachi in April. Pakistani authorities are under pressure to protect Chinese interests.
International relations

Pakistani Taliban cease-fire frees Islamabad to guard Belt and Road

Analysts say government aims to focus on separatists, ISIS-K after deadly attacks

1 June 2022
Ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, left, continues to apply pressure on his replacement, Shehbaz Sharif. (Source photos by Press Information Department and Reuters) 
Economy

Imran Khan ultimatum looms as Pakistan pushes for IMF deal

Experts say PM Sharif's longevity hinges on showing army he can stabilize economy

31 May 2022
Pakistan ranks 157th out of 180 countries in RSF's latest press freedom index.
Politics

Pakistan's erosion of press freedom poses challenge for PM Sharif

Experts urge new leader to reverse slide down RSF ranking for sake of democracy

14 May 2022
Supporters of the party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan chant slogans ahead of a speech by the ousted leader in Lahore, Pakistan, on April 21.
Politics

Pakistan cracks down on netizens amid rare anti-army discourse

Roundup comes as doubt surfaces over army's 'neutrality' in Imran Khan's ouster

10 May 2022
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends a news conference in Berlin on Monday.
International relations

Sri Lanka, Nepal woes are both headache and opportunity for India

New Delhi's aid to neighbors key in countering China's 'pound of flesh' strategy

6 May 2022
Police officers and a crime scene unit gather near a passenger van after a blast at the entrance of Karachi University's Confucius Institute on April 26: The attack crossed many red lines.
Opinion

Karachi terror attack strains Pakistan's ties with China

New government needs to listen to the concerns of Balochi separatists

3 May 2022
Police officers stand guard near a passenger van after a blast at the entrance of the University of Karachi's Confucius Institute. Three Chinese teachers were killed in the suicide bombing.
Terrorism

Suicide bombing stokes security concerns for Chinese in Pakistan

Blast tests Beijing's patience with separatist group behind other deadly attacks

30 April 2022
Newly elected Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addresses the National Assembly on April 11.
Economy

Pakistan's new Sharif government tiptoes into economic minefield

Fledgling administration faces unpopular decisions as forex pressure builds

13 April 2022
Pakistan's Shehbaz Sherif speaks to the media outside the Supreme Court on April 7, days before he was selected the country's new prime minister.
Politics

Pakistan's Shehbaz Sharif elected PM as Khan's party boycotts vote

Large protests signal uphill battle for new leader China sees as 'old friend'

11 April 2022
Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan, center, attends a military parade on March 23, amid the country's political crisis.
Politics

Pakistan's Imran Khan loses no-confidence vote

Opposition's Shehbaz Sharif poised to take over in dramatic reversal of fortune

10 April 2022
News channels broadcast a live address by Imran Khan in Islamabad on Mar. 31: Khan has drummed home the idea that he is the victim of a devious foreign plot to suppress Pakistani sovereignty.
Opinion

People are the losers in Pakistan's political battles

Imran Khan's power grab has polarized society and left its economy in shambles

8 April 2022
The Supreme Court of Pakistan in Islamabad on April 3.
Politics

Pakistan Supreme Court restores National Assembly in blow to Khan

Move allows no-confidence vote against prime minister to proceed

8 April 2022
Protesters burn a U.S. flag in Islamabad on April 1: The prime minister has accused Washington of plotting to overthrow him.
Politics

'Allah, army and America': How Pakistan's Khan played anti-U.S. card

PM paves way for South Asian nation's first 'foreign policy election'

4 April 2022
A shopkeeper in Islamabad tunes a TV to watch a speech by Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan on March 31, ahead of the no-confidence vote.
Politics

Pakistan PM Khan seeks election after no-confidence vote blocked

Opposition, which looked set to take power, vows to fight in Supreme Court

3 April 2022
The Taliban's U-turn last week on allowing girls to attend public high schools has sparked international condemnation.
Afghanistan turmoil

China, U.S., Russia and Pakistan to hold talks on Afghanistan

Gathering comes after Taliban makes U-turn on girls attending schools

30 March 2022
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is in danger of losing his job as his allies have abandoned him.
Politics

Pakistan's Khan on brink as no-confidence proceedings start

Defeat would make him first PM to be removed by National Assembly

28 March 2022
Stream article image
Podcast

Asia Stream: Pakistan's prime minister problem

Yet another prime minister of South Asia's most volatile country fights for political survival. We investigate what ails Pakistan's democracy

25 March 2022
A J-10C fighter jet on display at Airshow China 2021 in Guangdong Province.
International relations

China ramps up arms exports to Pakistan, aiming to squeeze India

Beijing and Islamabad grow closer with eye on mutual rival

24 March 2022
An injured Pakistani is carried away after a suicide bomber blew himself up at a Shiite mosque in Peshawar on March 4, killing 64. (Photo by Hussain Ali/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Terrorism

Surge in IS attacks forces Pakistan to engage on third front

Militant group likely pushed out of Afghanistan by Taliban crackdown

23 March 2022
A Pakistani official says the Xi Jinping administration is waiting to see how Pakistan's political crisis plays out. (Source photos by Getty Images and AP)
Belt and Road

China takes wait-and-see stance on Pakistan's political turmoil

Beijing thought to prefer opposition groups to reset direction of Belt and Road

16 March 2022
A no-confidence vote looms for Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Politics

Pakistan PM Khan faces ouster amid fears of failing economy

Opposition closes in on government, threatening IMF deal

8 March 2022