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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio begins a Middle East tour in earnest on Wednesday, seeking to reassure Gulf allies who view concessions in Preside...
Azerbaijan has offered over $1 billion for Pakistan’s Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M-6), but internal disagreements delay progress amid economic instability.
ISLAMABAD: Azerbaijan has offered Pakistan over $1 billion to fund the $1.2 billion Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M-6), but government departments disagree on the loan structure.
During his visit, PM Shehbaz Sharif sought $1.8 billion for the M-6 and a new Hyderabad-Karachi Motorway (M-9), estimated at $600 million. Azerbaijan proposed either depositing funds in Pakistan’s central bank or directly financing the M-6 with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB).
Pakistan previously missed a $2 billion investment opportunity from Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, China, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait have deposited $12.7 billion to support Pakistan’s reserves.
The Finance Ministry opposes a cash deposit for road construction, preferring direct borrowing. Deputy PM Ishaq Dar urged finalizing investment proposals by April 3.
A feasibility study divides the M-6 into five sections. IDB may fund the first two, while Azerbaijan is interested in the rest. Under a public-private partnership, the project could be completed in 2.5 years.
The federal government recently prioritized a Rs436 billion Punjab motorway over the M-6. Meanwhile, the NHA plans a six-lane M-9 to improve Karachi-Hyderabad connectivity, costing over $600 million. However, political and economic instability continues to deter foreign investment in Pakistan.
At least thirteen people have died and sixty-six have been injured following an explosion at Qatar's main liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing hub at Ras Laffan, authorities said on Sunday.
Tehran has agreed to let the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommence inspections of its nuclear programme, U.S. Vice President JD Vance has said. The U.S. and Iran have settled on a 60-day roadmap aimed at reaching a final deal, according to mediators Qatar and Pakistan.
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited by the TASS news agency. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Three students have been killed and at least seven injured after two of their peers opened fire in a high school in the Philippines, police said. A spokesperson for the police said the two suspects, aged 14 and 15, had been arrested and a police pistol confiscated. Bullying is a possible motive.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced he will step down as Prime Minister and Labour Party leader in a tearful address outside Downing Street in London on Monday. Starmer's resignation comes two years after he won a landslide election victory.
Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo have surpassed 1,000, with health officials warning that the outbreak is spreading rapidly through displacement camps and across borders.
A North Korean soldier has been taken into custody by South Korean forces after crossing the heavily guarded border between the two countries, in what officials believe may be a defection.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday (24 June) as the alliance faces growing pressure over the war with Iran and uncertainty about the future of American troops in Europe.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 24 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the construction of two new 5,000-tonne warships every year over the next five years, signalling one of the country’s most ambitious naval expansion plans to date.
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