Pakistan, Canada discuss climate cooperation
Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Senator Dr Musadik Malik, met with the High Commissioner of Canada to Pakistan, Tarik Ali Khan, to discuss ongoing collaboration and future avenues of partnership between Pakistan and Canada.
The Canadian high commissioner conveyed condolences over the recent tragic attack on Cadet College Wana, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). He expressed Canada’s hope for peace and stability in the region. He also thanked the minister for his support in facilitating the import of Canadian Canola Oil into Pakistan.
According to an official statement issued on Thursday, discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in areas of mutual interest. These included community welfare, climate-adaptive agriculture, and sustainable economic growth. The high commissioner noted that the Canadian Commercial Commission could support Pakistan through the provision of Canadian goods and services under government-to-government arrangements.
Pakistan blocks Afghan fruit import
The government has foiled an attempt to import Afghan-origin fresh fruits through Iran to circumvent the suspension of bilateral trade, as over 5,500 Afghan transit containers are stranded in Pakistan due to the closure of international borders.
The growing number of Afghanistan-bound cargo stuck in Pakistan despite the closure of international borders after recent skirmishes highlights Kabul’s dependence on Pakistan, even as it seeks alternative trade routes.
Meanwhile, to protect Central Asian Republics from disruptions in international trade via Afghanistan, Pakistan has decided to allow Uzbekistan to airlift five cargoes and reroute 29 containers through China under an international convention signed by all regional countries.
Government sources said Uzbekistan will airlift urgently needed goods while other consignments will be transported through China under the Customs Convention on the International Transport of Goods. Pakistan is completing procedural formalities to facilitate Uzbekistan’s trade.
| Population In Pakistan (million) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | All Areas | Male | Female | Rural areas | Urban areas |
| 2015 | 191.71 | 99.04 | 92.67 | 116.52 | 75.19 |
| 2016 | 198.79 | 102.69 | 96.10 | 115.85 | 82.93 |
| 2017 | 207.68 | 106.34 | 101.34 | 131.94 | 75.74 |
| 2018 | 211.82 | 108.41 | 103.41 | 134.37 | 77.45 |
| 2019 | 216.08 | 110.54 | 105.53 | 136.87 | 79.20 |
| 2020 | 220.40 | 112.71 | 107.69 | 139.39 | 81.01 |
| 2021 | 224.78 | 114.90 | 109.88 | 141.96 | 82.83 |
| 2022 | 229.22 | 117.11 | 112.10 | 144.53 | 84.69 |
| 2023 | 241.50 | 124.32 | 117.15 | 147.61 | 93.88 |
US-firm eyes Pakistan’s gold and rare earth projects
Federal Minister for Board of Investment (BOI) Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh held a meeting with a delegation from Nova Minerals Ltd, a US-based mining exploration and development company listed on the ASX and NASDAQ, focusing on gold, antimony, and rare earth minerals.
During the meeting, Sheikh highlighted Pakistan’s vast and largely untapped potential in the minerals and mining sector, emphasising that the country offers promising investment opportunities across multiple areas, particularly in the exploration and processing of high-value minerals.
According to an official statement issued on Thursday, Sheikh underscored that foreign investment in mining would not only unlock Pakistan’s natural resources but also strengthen bilateral economic relations, promote technology transfer, and create opportunities for skill development and higher education exchanges, enabling Pakistani professionals and students to return with advanced expertise. He stressed that the government is committed to promoting value-added exports and aims to transition from raw mineral extraction toward local mineral processing and industrial upscaling. The BoI, he assured, will provide maximum facilitation to foreign investors and joint ventures.
Centre refuses development funds
The Finance Division has refused to allocate funds under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) in the ongoing fiscal year for reduction in loans of the power sector.
During discussions in a recent meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), the Power Division highlighted the background of the proposal. It told the forum that for loan adjustments, the authorisation of the Ministry of Planning was required.
It said that PSDP allocation, in particular, was needed to reduce the loan portion, adding that it should be a non-cash adjustment.
The Finance Division cited the limited fiscal space available in the current PSDP and suggested that the Power Division should re-submit the proposal in consultation with the Economic Affairs Division and the Ministry of Planning.
Experts warn Pakistan’s poverty reduction
Pakistan’s progress in poverty reduction has stalled after nearly two decades of steady gains, experts warned at the Fifth Annual International Conference of the School of Economics and Social Sciences (SESS), Institute of Business Administration (IBA), held on November 13-14, 2025, under the theme “A New Global Order, Yet Again.”
During a panel titled “Pakistan at a Crossroads: Poverty, Growth, and the Global Shift,” economists, policymakers, and development experts discussed the World Bank’s first comprehensive Poverty Assessment Report in twenty years. The report shows that while Pakistan made remarkable progress between 2001 and 2015 – reducing poverty from 64.3 percent to 21.9 percent – those gains have stalled or reversed since 2018-19 due to overlapping economic, political, and environmental shocks.