Observer News

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will pay a two-day official visit to Qatar from Tuesday (tomorrow) on the invitation of Amir of state of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, ARY News reported on Monday.

This will be the prime minister’s first visit to the State of Qatar since assuming office in April 2022. He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including key members of the cabinet.

According to a statement issued by the foreign office, the two sides will review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, with a particular focus on advancing energy-related cooperation, deepening trade and investment ties, and exploring greater employment opportunities for Pakistanis in Qatar.

They will also exchange views on a range of regional and international issues of mutual interest. While in Doha, Prime Minister Sharif will also engage with leading Qatari and Pakistani business leaders, investors and entrepreneurs.
He will visit “Stadium 974” in Doha, where he would be briefed on the extensive preparations undertaken by the Qatari government to host the FIFA World Cup.

Pakistan and Qatar enjoy close and cordial fraternal ties, rooted deep in shared faith, mutual trust and understanding, and close cooperation. The relationship is marked by growing collaboration in all fields of bilateral interest as well as close coordination on regional and international issues.



Qatar is home to more than 200,000 Pakistanis, who are contributing to the progress, prosperity and economic development of the two brotherly countries.



Regular leadership-level exchanges are a hallmark of the Pakistan-Qatar partnership. The prime minister’s visit to Qatar will impart a renewed impetus to deepening cooperation between the two countries in diverse fields and further strengthen their growing economic partnership.

WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden’s latest security assistance package for Ukraine includes surveillance drones and for the first time mine-resistant vehicles, a senior US defence official said on Saturday.
Since Russian troops poured over the Ukrainian border in February in what Russian President Vladimir Putin termed a “special military operation,” the conflict has settled into a war of attrition fought primarily in the east and south of Ukraine.

The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the package would be valued at $775 million and also include additional ammunition and 16 105mm Howitzer systems.

The package would include 15 Scan Eagle surveillance drones, 40 MaxxPro MRAP (mine resistant ambush protected vehicles) and about 1,000 Javelin anti-tank missiles.

While this is the first time the United States is providing Scan Eagle drones, another country has provided them to Ukraine in the past, the official said, without elaborating.

ARY NEWS

Latest US aid package to Ukraine includes surveillance drones, official says
HomepageInternational

ukraine us drones
WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden’s latest security assistance package for Ukraine includes surveillance drones and for the first time mine-resistant vehicles, a senior US defence official said on Saturday.

Since Russian troops poured over the Ukrainian border in February in what Russian President Vladimir Putin termed a “special military operation,” the conflict has settled into a war of attrition fought primarily in the east and south of Ukraine.

The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the package would be valued at $775 million and also include additional ammunition and 16 105mm Howitzer systems.

The package would include 15 Scan Eagle surveillance drones, 40 MaxxPro MRAP (mine resistant ambush protected vehicles) and about 1,000 Javelin anti-tank missiles.

While this is the first time the United States is providing Scan Eagle drones, another country has provided them to Ukraine in the past, the official said, without elaborating.

Read more: Drone shot down at Russia’s Black Sea fleet headquarters

This would bring the total US military aid sent to Ukraine since the Feb. 24 invasion by Russia to $10.6 billion.

Explosions erupted overnight near military bases deep in Russian-held areas of Ukraine and Russia itself, an apparent display of Kyiv’s rapidly growing ability to wreak havoc on Moscow’s logistics far from front lines.

Since last month, Ukraine has been fielding advanced rockets supplied by the West to strike behind Russian lines. The overnight explosions in Crimea and Belgorod were beyond the range of ammunition Western countries have acknowledged sending so far.

The US dollar finally snapped its 11-day losing streak against the Pakistani rupee and gained Rs0.10 during the intraday trade on Wednesday.

In the interbank market, the dollar climbed to Rs214, according to forex.com.pk, down from 213.90 at the close of Tuesday's trade.

Head Of Research and Development at Pakistan Kuwait Investment Company, Samiullah Tariq, told Geo.tv that there was "a bit of a correction" as the rupee appreciated "too much".

However, he noted that "things seem under control".

The development comes after Minister for Finance Miftah Ismail confirmed Wednesday that the government has sent the letter of intent (LoI) back to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) following the fulfilment of pre-requisites, paving the way for the executive board's meeting.

Pakistan’s rupee, bonds, and stocks have rallied as investors bet the nation will win a bailout from the IMF this month and avoid a default.

Dollar bonds due in December were indicated at about 95 cents on the dollar on Tuesday from a low of 85 cents in July, as investors turn more confident the debt will be repaid.

The rupee surged 11% this month to 213.87 per dollar as of Monday, the biggest gainer in the world. The benchmark stock index climbed 9%, the top performer in Asia after Sri Lanka.

Pakistan has adopted austerity measures to win approval from the IMF to resume its stalled bailout package as frontier nations from Egypt to El Salvador battle the threat of a default.

Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investor Service said in late July they expect the nation to secure $1.2 billion from the IMF, while Saudi Arabia is said to renew its $3 billion deposit in assistance, easing financing pressure on Pakistan.

Observer News updated their business hours.