BARCELONA: Lamine Yamal is fit again and ready to play a week before the first clasico of the season, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said Friday.&nbsp;Yamal and midfielder Ferm&iacute;n L&oacute;pez have both recovered from injuries and could play at least part of Barcelona&rsquo;s La Liga game against Girona on Saturday.&nbsp;&ldquo;They&rsquo;re back, but they can&rsquo;t yet play the full 90 minutes,&rdquo; Flick said.&nbsp;After Girona, Barcelona hosts Olympiakos on Tuesday in the Champions League and then visits Real Madrid on October 26, in the Spanish league.&nbsp;Yamal has been affected by a groin injury for weeks.&nbsp;The 18-year-old star missed four games for Barcelona before he returned for two appearances, only to aggravate the injury in a loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on October 1.&nbsp; That ruled him out of a game at Sevilla, which Barcelona lost 4-1, and then two World Cup qualifiers for Spain, which his national team won without him.&nbsp;Ferm&iacute;n has missed four games for Barcelona and was ruled out of Spain&rsquo;s qualifiers with a left-leg muscle injury.&nbsp;Flick said he hoped Brazil forward Raphinha will have recovered from a hamstring injury in time for the Madrid match.&nbsp;Barcelona&rsquo;s injury list still includes strikers Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres, midfielders Dani Olmo and Gavi P&aacute;ez and goalkeeper Joan Garc&iacute;a.&nbsp;Second-placed Barcelona trails Madrid by two points at the top of the Spanish league.

Football

Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Fermín López have recovered from injuries and could feature against Girona, coach Hansi Flick said. Yamal’s return boosts Barcelona before the October 26 clasico against leaders Real Madrid.

Yamal returns from injury ahead of Barcelona’s crucial Madrid clash

Adil Shahzeb

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Intelligence Chief Lt General Asim Malik are scheduled to depart for Doha on Saturday (today) to engage in talks with representatives of the Afghan Taliban. Official sources confirmed exclusively to PakistanTV Head Adil Shahzeb that the Afghan Taliban delegation is expected to be of equivalent seniority. Meanwhile, security sources have dismissed recent news reports suggesting that a Pakistani delegation is already present in Doha as baseless. The Pakistani government has previously communicated its concerns to Kabul about the presence of &ldquo;fitna al-khwarij&rdquo;, also known as TTP, elements within Afghan territory, which have contributed to recent tensions. Pakistan has expressed deep concern over the provocative attacks by Taliban forces and Fitna Al-Khwarij along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border from October 11 to 15.&nbsp; Pakistan has successfully repelled these assaults in self-defence. Highlighting the impact of such actions, Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office has stressed that these unprovoked attacks undermine the spirit of peaceful neighbourhood relations and mutual cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The upcoming talks in Doha are expected to address these security challenges and aim to foster stability along the shared border.

Security

High-level discussions aimed at tackling cross-border terrorism and regional stability set to commence with Taliban representatives in Doha today 


Pakistan Defence Minister, Intelligence Chief to Visit Doha for Talks with Afghan Taliban

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump on Friday said that the border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan were an &ldquo;easy one&rdquo; for him to solve, noting, &ldquo;if I have to solve it.&rdquo;&nbsp; Earlier this week, Islamabad and Kabul agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire, following several days of intense cross-border fighting, the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) confirmed. Talks are scheduled in Doha between the two countries to mediate the situation, aiming to &ldquo;defuse tensions and establish a mechanism to prevent future border incidents.&rdquo; While speaking to reporters as the US president participated in a bilateral lunch with the Ukrainian president, Trump said that the cross-border conflict between the two neighbors was &ldquo;an easy one for me to solve.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;If I have to solve it,&rdquo; he said. The US president was responding to a question about being termed as the &ldquo;peacemaker&rdquo; if he were to end the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.&nbsp; &ldquo;I solved eight wars,&rdquo; the US president said, citing the ceasefire that was brokered between India and Pakistan earlier this year.&nbsp; &ldquo;Look at all of the wars that we solved, and every time I solved one, they say, &lsquo;If you solve the next one, you&#39;re gonna get the Nobel Prize&rsquo;,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;I didn&#39;t get a Nobel Prize,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp; The US president said that he doesn&rsquo;t &ldquo;care about all that stuff.&rdquo; &ldquo;I just care about saving lives, but this will be number nine,&rdquo; he said, referring to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. &ldquo;Every time I solve one, they said Sir, if you solve one more, you&#39;re gonna be known as a peacekeeper,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp; Trump said that &ldquo;to the best&quot; of his knowledge, no US president had ever solved one war.&nbsp; &ldquo;Bush started a war. A lot of them start wars, but they don&#39;t solve the wars. They don&#39;t settle them, and especially when they have nothing to do with us,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp; While referring to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif&rsquo;s statement, Trump said, &ldquo;The Prime Minister of Pakistan said I saved millions of lives in interceding&rdquo; between Pakistan and India. &ldquo;You look at Pakistan and India as an example, that would have been a bad one. Two nuclear nations, right?&rdquo; Trump said.&nbsp; &ldquo;I love solving wars,&rdquo; he said, adding that he likes &quot;stopping people from being killed.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;I&#39;ve saved millions and millions of lives, and I think we&#39;re going to have success with this war (Ukraine-Russia),&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;

Asia

Talks are scheduled in Doha between the two countries to mediate the situation, aiming to “defuse tensions and establish a mechanism to prevent future border incidents.”

Conflict between Pakistan, Afghanistan ‘easy one’ to solve: Trump

Muhammad Imad Abbas

ISLAMABAD: Interim Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has dismissed claims that Afghanistan poses a security threat to its neighbors, even as multiple reports highlight that militant organizations continue to operate from Afghan territory, fueling instability across the region. During a recent visit to India, Muttaqi addressed concerns about militancy and regional security. Responding to questions from the Indian press, he said, &ldquo;Pakistan is not our only neighbor. China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan&mdash;why don&rsquo;t they have any complaints?&rdquo; However, a number of reports, including those by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), suggest that several armed groups maintain a presence in Afghanistan. These groups are said to threaten not only Pakistan but also other countries in the wider region. According to the UNSC&rsquo;s findings, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) remains the most prominent Pakistan-focused militant organization operating inside Afghanistan. The TTP, formed in 2007 and aligned with Al-Qaeda, is estimated to have around 6,000 fighters stationed across Afghanistan&rsquo;s Baghlan, Wardak, Nuristan, Kunar, Ghazni, Kabul, and Helmand provinces. The report further notes that the TTP &ldquo;continues to receive logistical and operational support&rdquo; from Afghanistan&rsquo;s de facto authorities and that its militants are &ldquo;trained in camps set up by Al-Qaeda.&rdquo; In April this year, Pakistan&rsquo;s military reported killing 54 TTP fighters attempting to infiltrate from Afghanistan. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that the operation was part of ongoing counterterrorism efforts along the border. Militant groups based in Afghanistan are not limited to the TTP. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which has waged an insurgency in Pakistan&rsquo;s southwestern Balochistan province, is also believed to maintain safe havens inside Afghanistan. BLA commander Aslam Baloch, also known as Achu, was killed in Kandahar in December 2018, according to Al-Jazeera.&nbsp; The UNSC report adds that the BLA has a &ldquo;non-aggression pact&rdquo; with the TTP, under which both groups refrain from targeting each other, and that TTP provides training support to Baloch militants. The Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), another major group, reportedly commands between 4,000 and 6,000 fighters in Afghanistan, including defectors from the Afghan Taliban, TTP, and Al-Qaeda. ISKP has expanded its reach across the region. Last year, Pakistan, in coordination with T&uuml;rkiye&rsquo;s National Intelligence Organization (MIT), arrested ISKP&rsquo;s media head, Abu Yasir al-Turki, during a joint intelligence operation near the Afghan border. Meanwhile, Al-Qaeda continues to maintain training facilities across Afghanistan, used by both its members and TTP operatives. The group&rsquo;s South Asian affiliate, Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), remains ideologically aligned with the Taliban. AQIS&rsquo;s second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, was killed in a US drone strike in Kabul in July 2022, according to the US Department of War. Other regional outfits, including the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP), which targets China, and Tehrik-e-Taliban Tajikistan, reportedly operate from Afghan soil. The TIP, led by Abdul Haq Turkistani, maintains ties with both the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, with Abdul Haq serving on Al-Qaeda&rsquo;s executive council, according to the UNSC. Similarly, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), with an estimated 500 to 800 fighters based in northern Afghanistan, continues to pose a threat to Central Asian states. Afghanistan-based outlet Amu TV has described the IMU as maintaining &ldquo;deep historical ties&rdquo; to Afghanistan&rsquo;s insurgency. Despite these documented presences, the Afghan Taliban government continues to deny harboring foreign militants. Muttaqi&rsquo;s remarks in India reflect Kabul&rsquo;s consistent position that Afghanistan is not a source of regional instability. Still, the contrast between official statements and international assessments underscores the region&rsquo;s lingering security dilemma, where assurances of peace coexist uneasily with the persistent activity of transnational militant networks.

Multiple UN and intelligence reports indicate that militant networks, including the TTP, BLA, ISKP, and Al-Qaeda affiliates, continue operating from Afghan soil despite Taliban denials, raising fresh concerns over regional stability and cross-border security threats

Militants expand footprint in Afghanistan as Taliban downplay regional threat

ISLAMABAD: South Africa continued their winning streak in the ICC Women&rsquo;s World Cup 2025, thrashing Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in a rain-hit match at R. Premadasa International on Friday.&nbsp;Due to rain, the match was reduced to 20 overs, with South Africa restricting Sri Lanka to 105-7 before comfortably chasing a revised target of 121 in 14.5 overs to consolidate their hold on second place in the points table.&nbsp;Sri Lanka, who chose to bat first, were 46-2 when rain stopped play. After the break, left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlba took 3-30 as the bowlers allowed only 59 runs in the last eight overs while taking five wickets.&nbsp;Vishmi Gunaratne&rsquo;s quick 34, which included six fours, was the only notable contribution for Sri Lanka.&nbsp;Chasing six an over, South Africa&rsquo;s openers made the task look easy. Captain Laura Wolvaardt struck an unbeaten 60 off 47 balls, while Tazmin Brits hit 55 not out off 42 balls with four fours and two sixes. Their 125-run stand came off just 89 deliveries to complete a commanding victory.&nbsp;For a team bowled out for just 69 by England in their opening game, South Africa&rsquo;s recovery has been impressive with four wins in a row.&nbsp;Sri Lanka remain winless after five matches in a campaign affected by rain and inconsistency.&nbsp;The victory took South Africa to eight points, one behind defending champions Australia on nine. England, the four-time winners, are third with seven points and a game in hand.

Cricket

South Africa crushed Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in a rain-shortened Women’s World Cup match in Colombo, restricting them to 105-7 before chasing a revised 121-run target in 14.5 overs to secure their fourth straight win.


 South Africa crush Sri Lanka to extend dominant World Cup run

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed all federal and provincial authorities to expedite the repatriation of Afghans illegally residing in Pakistan, citing security concerns and recent cross-border attacks from Afghan soil. According to a statement from the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office, Sharif chaired a high-level meeting attended by Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, federal ministers, and provincial representatives to review the situation along the Pakistan&ndash;Afghanistan border and ongoing repatriation efforts. &ldquo;Pakistan has helped Afghanistan in every difficult time,&rdquo; the prime minister said. &ldquo;But recent terrorist attacks from Afghan soil and the involvement of Afghans in these attacks are deeply worrying.&rdquo; Sharif noted that Pakistan had &ldquo;suffered thousands of precious lives and billions of dollars in the war on terror,&rdquo; stressing that the country &ldquo;can no longer bear the burden of Afghan refugees.&rdquo; Border clashes and security concernsHostilities erupted on the night of October 11&ndash;12, when Taliban fighters, reportedly supported by an India-backed group, launched an unprovoked assault on Pakistani forces along the border. The clashes intensified late Saturday, resulting in 23 Pakistani soldiers martyred, while around 200 Taliban and allied militants were killed in retaliatory action, according to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). Sharif commended the Pakistan Armed Forces for &ldquo;responding in a befitting manner&rdquo; under the leadership of Field Marshal Asim Munir. Repatriation efforts intensifiedOfficials briefed the meeting that 1,477,592 Afghans had already been repatriated as part of the ongoing phased process. Only Afghans holding valid Pakistani visas will be permitted to remain in the country. Authorities said additional exit points are being opened on the Afghan border to speed up departures and ensure a smoother process. Shelter providers assisting illegal residents are being identified and prosecuted, officials added. The prime minister instructed that &ldquo;the elderly, women, children, and minorities should be treated with respect and dignity during the repatriation process.&rdquo; The forum decided to strictly enforce all recommendations and ensure full coordination among provinces for the early completion of the repatriation campaign.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairs high-level meeting on repatriation of Afghan refugees in Islamabad. (PMO)

Foreign Affairs

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif orders an accelerated repatriation of illegal Afghan residents amid renewed border tensions and recent militant attacks from Afghan territory, while praising Pakistan’s forces for a robust response under Field Marshal Asim Munir’s leadership.

Pakistan PM orders swift repatriation of illegal Afghan nationals

Mariam Ellahi

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s security sources on Friday denied reports that a Pakistani delegation was already in Doha for talks with the Afghan Taliban, clarifying that the team is scheduled to depart for the Qatari capital on Saturday.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Pakistani delegation is still in Pakistan and will leave for Doha tomorrow morning,&rdquo; security sources said. &ldquo;Reports suggesting the delegation is already in Doha are baseless.&rdquo;&nbsp;The clarification came after several foreign news outlets reported that Islamabad&rsquo;s delegation had arrived in Doha for negotiations with Taliban representatives.&nbsp;Ceasefire and planned talks&nbsp;Earlier this week, Islamabad and Kabul agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire, following several days of intense cross-border fighting, the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) confirmed.&nbsp;Security officials told Pakistan TV Digital that the upcoming Doha talks aim to &ldquo;defuse tensions and establish a mechanism to prevent future border incidents.&rdquo;&nbsp;Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said both sides are making &ldquo;sincere efforts&rdquo; to achieve a peaceful resolution.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan believes in dialogue and remains committed to peace,&rdquo; Khan said at a weekly press briefing. &ldquo;Both countries are exploring constructive and sustainable solutions to these complex but solvable issues.&rdquo;&nbsp;Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim government also confirmed the continuation of discussions. Speaking to Ariana News, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the ceasefire has been extended until the conclusion of planned talks, according to a report by Reuters.&nbsp;Khan added that Islamabad continues to maintain diplomatic engagement with Kabul.&nbsp;&ldquo;There is no downgrade in relations,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But Pakistan will continue to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and people at all costs.&rdquo;&nbsp;Repatriation of Afghan nationalsMeanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed all federal and provincial authorities to expedite the repatriation of Afghans residing illegally in Pakistan, citing mounting security concerns and recent attacks originating from Afghan territory.&nbsp;Chairing a high-level meeting attended by Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, federal ministers, and provincial representatives, Sharif said:&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan has always stood by Afghanistan in difficult times, but the involvement of Afghans in recent terrorist attacks on Pakistani soil is deeply concerning.&rdquo;&nbsp;Officials briefed the meeting that 1,477,592 Afghans have already been repatriated under the ongoing phased process. Only those holding valid Pakistani visas will be permitted to stay in the country, they added.&nbsp;Pakistan launched its Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP) in 2023, under which tens of thousands of Afghans who had fled decades of war and deprivation have since returned to Afghanistan.

Security sources have denied claims that a Pakistani delegation is in Doha, stating that the team will leave Pakistan on Saturday morning.

Pakistani delegation to depart for Doha today for Taliban talks

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday voiced strong concerns over continued border violations from Afghanistan and dismissed allegations made by the Taliban government, underscoring Islamabad&rsquo;s right to self-defense amid escalating tensions along the shared frontier. Speaking at the weekly media briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said Pakistan was &ldquo;deeply concerned&rdquo; about what he described as &ldquo;unwarranted aggression&rdquo; by militant groups affiliated with &ldquo;Fitna al-Khawarij,&rdquo; Islamabad&rsquo;s term for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and &ldquo;Fitna al-Hindustan,&rdquo; referring to what Pakistan says are Indian-sponsored proxies operating in southwestern Balochistan. &ldquo;Pakistan exercised its legitimate right to self-defense after repeated cross-border attacks,&rdquo; Khan said. &ldquo;Our retaliatory actions were carefully targeted and not directed against Afghan civilians.&rdquo; Rebuttal to Taliban and Indian remarksKhan rejected recent comments by Afghan interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who during a visit to India termed terrorism &ldquo;an internal issue of Pakistan.&rdquo; &ldquo;Islamabad completely rejects such assertions,&rdquo; the spokesperson said, adding that the Taliban administration was attempting to &ldquo;divert attention from the presence of terrorist elements inside Afghanistan.&rdquo; Khan pointed to multiple United Nations Monitoring Team reports documenting the continued presence of TTP and other militant groups within Afghan territory. He also condemned the Afghanistan&ndash;India joint statement, which described Indian-administered Kashmir as part of India, calling it &ldquo;a blatant denial of the Kashmiri people&rsquo;s right to self-determination&rdquo; and a violation of UN Security Council resolutions. &ldquo;Pakistan has conveyed its objections to the Afghan envoy in Islamabad,&rdquo; Khan said. &ldquo;We remain sensitive to the sacrifices and sentiments of the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in their struggle for self-determination.&rdquo; Ceasefire and diplomatic engagementConfirming a temporary truce, Khan said both countries had agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire at Kabul&rsquo;s request to de-escalate hostilities and pursue dialogue. &ldquo;During this time, both sides are making sincere efforts to find a constructive and sustainable resolution to these complex but solvable issues,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Pakistan believes in dialogue and remains committed to peace.&rdquo; Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told Ariana News that the ceasefire &ldquo;has been extended until the conclusion of planned talks,&rdquo; according to Reuters. Khan stressed that Islamabad continues to maintain diplomatic channels with Kabul, adding: &ldquo;There is no downgrade in relations. But Pakistan will continue to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and people at all costs.&rdquo; Refugees and governance in AfghanistanThe spokesperson reiterated that Pakistan hosts more than four million Afghan nationals and will regulate their presence &ldquo;in accordance with international norms and domestic laws.&rdquo; He urged the Taliban to act &ldquo;responsibly&rdquo; and work toward &ldquo;a peaceful, stable, friendly, and inclusive Afghanistan.&rdquo; &ldquo;We hope one day the Afghan people will be emancipated and governed by a genuine representative government,&rdquo; Khan said. militant presence and regional SecurityKhan accused India of &ldquo;training, financing, and sheltering&rdquo; militant outfits such as the TTP and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), adding that &ldquo;India&rsquo;s negative role in Afghanistan is well-documented.&rdquo; He also condemned reports of mutilation of Pakistani soldiers&rsquo; bodies, calling the act &ldquo;unforgivable and deeply offensive.&rdquo; &ldquo;This kind of savagery cannot be condoned,&rdquo; Khan warned. &ldquo;Pakistan reserves the right to respond at a time and place of its choosing.&rdquo; Broader foreign policy and human rightsKhan reaffirmed that Pakistan&ndash;China relations remain the &ldquo;cornerstone&rdquo; of Islamabad&rsquo;s diplomacy, with both countries working to advance an upgraded phase of the China&ndash;Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He further highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s re-election to the UN Human Rights Council, describing it as &ldquo;a reaffirmation of the international community&rsquo;s confidence in Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to human rights and multilateralism.&rdquo;

Islamabad and Kabul have agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire following recent cross-border clashes, officials confirmed Wednesday, with both sides saying the truce aims to ease tensions and pave the way for constructive dialogue toward a lasting resolution.


Pakistan condemns Afghan border violations, rejects Taliban allegations of aggression

BARCELONA: Barcelona coach Hansi Flick and his players are not pleased at having to travel 4,500 miles to play a regular season La Liga match near Miami in December.&nbsp;Replying to a question at a press conference on Friday, Flick made his feelings clear.&nbsp;&ldquo;My players are not happy, I am not happy, but La Liga decided that we will play this game,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;The December 20 match will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, home of the NFL&rsquo;s Miami Dolphins.&nbsp;Barcelona president Joan Laporta has defended the Spanish league game by saying it represents the opportunity to further push into the American sports market.&nbsp;But for Flick and his players, it represents added travel before a short winter break. Barcelona will also travel to Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup starting January 7.&nbsp;Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has criticized playing the game in the US, saying players are already overloaded with travel and a packed playing calendar.&nbsp;Like Barcelona, Villarreal is also playing in the Champions League this season.&nbsp;La Liga president Javier Tebas has said that the league plans to make an international soccer match an annual event. The league has chartered planes to bring to Florida what it estimates will be 2,000 to 3,000 fans from Villarreal, which is the home team.&nbsp;Barcelona plays Girona in the Spanish league on Saturday.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick and his players voiced frustration over La Liga’s decision to stage a December 20 match in Miami, citing excessive travel before their winter break and upcoming Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.

Barcelona coach and his players are 'not happy' with Miami match

Shizza Jasmin

If you&#39;re a regular online shopper, you know the annoyance of hearing &quot;card not accepted&quot; right before you pay. Even worse is being told, &quot;You can transfer online.&quot; Navigating banking apps and entering merchant details can feel clumsy and frustrating. After recently returning to Pakistan, I decided to tackle this issue. To get more insight, I interviewed Pakistan&rsquo;s Minister of State for Finance and Railways, Bilal Azhar Kiyani, on my podcast, &quot;Chatroom with Shizza.&quot; Our goal was to explore Pakistan&#39;s digital transformation plans. The vision of a cashless Pakistan A cashless future isn&#39;t just a dream; it&#39;s becoming a reality. Kiyani said the &quot;Cashless Pakistan&quot; initiative is more than just government talk. It is a top priority for the Prime Minister, who meets biweekly with the Cashless Economy Steering Committee. The stakes are high: increased transparency, improved efficiency, and an alarming ₨18 billion ($63.8 million) lost each year in payment processing. A unified effort: Government, telecom, and banks One of the most promising aspects of this transformation is the cooperation among key players. Major telecom companies like Jazz and Easypaisa, along with the Pakistan Banks Association, are now working together. Kiyani described the effort as a comprehensive movement, merging both government and private sector goals. The strategy is built on three main pillars, each led by a government organization. The State Bank of Pakistan aims to increase the number of merchants accepting digital payments from 500,000 to 2 million. They also want to grow digital banking users from 95 million to 120 million and double annual digital transactions from 7.5 billion to 15 billion by June 2026. Economic transparency and tax reform This transformation isn&#39;t just about technology. For instance, the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) is the largest social safety net in the country. Previously, it relied on cash payments, which led to issues like middlemen and mistakes. Now, 10 million beneficiaries are receiving e-wallets, making digital banking more accessible. &quot;This isn&#39;t just about technology,&quot; Kiyani said, &quot;It&#39;s about education.&quot; The new Pakistan Digital Authority will oversee digital payments and promote financial literacy across the country. Tax reform is also critical. Pakistan&#39;s tax-to-GDP ratio improved from 8.2% to 10.6% last fiscal year. Digital transactions can help with better economic documentation and fairer tax distribution. &quot;Digital payments increase transparency,&quot; Kiyani said. &quot;They reduce wrongdoing and lessen our reliance on human resources.&quot; Expected timeline The government has set an ambitious timeline. By the end of 2026, all payments involving federal, provincial, and state-owned enterprises will be digitized. They plan to subsidize QR-based payment systems for small merchants and encourage digital payment adoption through lower processing fees. When I asked Kiyani if this effort might be too late, he remained positive. &quot;The pace has been organic,&quot; he said. &quot;But the ecosystem is maturing. The Prime Minister has set clear targets.&quot; The road ahead After the interview, I felt hopeful. The combination of improved infrastructure, political will, and private-sector cooperation appears stronger this time. Success will depend on effective implementation, education, and convincing everyday vendors that digital payments are not just feasible but preferable. As someone who prefers scanning to fumbling with cash, I&rsquo;ll be watching this digital revolution closely. Until then, I&rsquo;ll continue with manual transfers&mdash;and some grumbling. Catch the full episode of &quot;Chatroom with Shizza&quot; on our YouTube channel.

Business

Banking

Taxation

Pakistan’s digital payment push aims to boost digital transactions by 2026 through government-private cooperation, improving transparency, tax reform, and financial education.