I am honoured to announce that the historic ‘Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding’ has been electronically signed today between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Memorandum has been signed by honourable Presidents of both the countries and also endorsed by me as the mediator. The signing of this agreement at the highest level of the respective governments demonstrates the commitment of both sides to a diplomatic resolution of the conflict. Islamabad MoU shall enter into force with immediate effect and as a first step, Islamic Republic of Iran will instantly reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the United States of America will immediately lift the naval blockade. I offer my heartfelt congratulations and sincere appreciation to the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump whose steadfast commitment to diplomacy and preference for peaceful resolution have once again helped end a conflict that could have led to devastating consequences for the region and beyond. I also commend the dedication and tireless efforts of the United States negotiating team, including J.D. Vance, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, for their invaluable contributions to this achievement. I express my profound respect and appreciation to His Eminence Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Islamic Republic of Iran and President Masoud Pezeshkian for their wisdom, foresight and statesmanship in embracing the cause of peace. I also wish to recognize the efforts of the Iranian negotiating team, including Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Abbas Araghchi and Eskandar Momeni, whose patience, perseverance and commitment to constructive engagement were instrumental in bringing this agreement to fruition. I would especially like to acknowledge the sincere efforts and constructive engagement of the leadership of the State of Qatar in helping reach this point. I also highly commend the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Türkiye and the Arab Republic of Egypt for their indispensable role and invaluable contributions in this regard. I would also like to make special mention of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, whose tireless efforts, selfless dedication and instrumental role were critical in facilitating this breakthrough and advancing the cause of peace and regional stability. May this Memorandum of Understanding serve as an enduring foundation for greater understanding, mutual respect and shared prosperity for the complete region. @realDonaldTrump @JDVance @SecRubio @SteveWitkoff @SEPeaceMissions @drpezeshkian @mb_ghalibaf @araghchi

He is Pakistani and has stated multiple times that he's proud of his Pakistani roots, which is due to his father who's from Sahiwal. He was eligible to represent Pakistan till 2021, I would say fortunate for him that PFF was in turmoil at that time and couldn't approach him for recruitment before Iraq, otherwise people here would have kept questioning his Pakistani identity like they do with many Pakistan national team players who were not born here.

Free kardetay hain 🤭

Following intensive talks, we are pleased to announce that the Peace Deal between the United States of America and Islamic Republic of Iran has been REACHED. Both sides have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon. The official signing ceremony will be on Friday, 19 June in Switzerland. We would like to thank the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran for their commitment to finding a diplomatic solution to the conflict. We would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to our brothers in this mediation effort, the great leadership of State of Qatar, for their support in reaching this agreement. I would also especially thank the visionary leadership of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Republic of Türkiye for their immense contributions in this regard. With the agreement now in place, mediators will facilitate a series of meetings this week. These pre-implementation discussions will lay the foundation for the technical talks and the official signing ceremony. @realDonaldTrump @JDVance @SecRubio @SteveWitkoff @SEPeaceMissions @drpezeshkian @mb_ghalibaf @araghchi

OICCI’s Statement on FY Budget 26-27 The Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) welcomes the Federal Budget 2025–26. Crafted under significant fiscal pressure, IMF commitments, external imbalances and the residual weight of years of consolidation, this is a budget that shows restraint, some structural ambition, and meaningful forward movement in select areas. It is not a perfect budget which will magically bring FDI into the country, but in difficult times, it is not an unserious one. FBR's collection of Rs13 trillion as pointed by the Finance Minister is a milestone worth acknowledging. OICCI notes it as such. But the chamber must also state plainly: most of it was collected from those who were already paying. Organised businesses, formal sector companies and salaried taxpayers bore the brunt — visible, reachable and compliant — while the informal economy continued to expand unchecked. The cash economy has grown from Rs9 trillion last year to Rs12 trillion this year, a 33 percent surge in a single year. That is not a rounding error; it is a policy failure. Inaction on formalisation carries a measurable cost, and this number makes it undeniable. OICCI welcomes the partial rationalisation of the super tax, abolition for income slabs between Rs150 million and Rs500 million, and a reduction from 10pc to 8pc for income above Rs500 million. It eases pressure on mid-sized formal enterprises and is consistent with the chamber's long-standing advocacy. But the core corporate income-tax rate remains unchanged; OICCI looks to the Finance Bill for further clarity and urges a broader rate reduction in due course. The reduction in withholding and advance tax on export proceeds from 2pc to 1.25pc is a sensible step. Similarly, the rationalisation of advance tax rates in the real estate sector — sections 236C and 236K reduced and converted to flat rates of 2.75% and 1.5% respectively — is a constructive step to revive the economic activity. The IT sector and selected input categories also benefit from targeted relief. These are good measures, and OICCI commends them. The proposed National Faceless Assessment Centre and system-based assessment regime is among the more significant structural announcements in this budget. It promises to reduce taxpayer-officer contact, curtail field discretion and lower harassment risk for compliant companies, concerns OICCI members have raised for years. The intent is right; delivery will be what counts. Two areas of serious concern must be recorded. First, there is no mention of restoration of sales tax status or introducing zero-rating on oil refineries and marketing companies. This is a huge burden on the OMCs which is also holding back an expansion investment of $6-$10 billion in the refinery sector. Second, OICCI is deeply concerned that the budget makes no move to review the Minimum Tax on Turnover under Section 113 or the Alternate Minimum Tax under Section 153 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001. These provisions have long distorted the tax burden by imposing tax on turnover rather profit, particularly in low-margin sectors. OICCI also notes the absence of any specific measures to accelerate corporate income-tax or sales-tax refund settlements. Pending refunds remain a material liquidity constraint on formal businesses. A clear, time-bound refund mechanism through the Finance Bill would send a strong signal of good faith to the investor community and the chamber urges the government to deliver one. @Financegovpk

For years, some people questioned their Pakistaniyat, called them "ghair mulki", said they didn't belong, and dismissed them as good for nothing. Tonight, those same sons of Pakistan have helped deliver our country's first proper international football tournament title. If you still look at these players and see "foreigners" instead of Pakistanis, then perhaps the problem was never their identity it was your inability to accept that Pakistan exists far beyond its borders. These players chose Pakistan. They wore the shirt with pride. They fought for the flag. And today, they made history. Pakistan is not limited to a piece of land. Pakistan lives wherever a Pakistani heart beats.

Home remittances at record high $4.25 bn in May 33% growth from UAE - reaching $1 bn - people are sending back money from UAE in the form of NPC (in PKR) and otherwise. The question is will it sustain.

Stop lying 🤥 i will have to report you things are going sideways with fake news . i have learned one thing in this day and age don’t believe social media straight away . Triple check if you have too .

Excerpt from an Article in Business Recorder mentioning OICCI’s Tax Proposals. The OICCI believe the government should seriously consider their recommendations, many of which are aimed at reviving investment, particularly FDI. What is needed is a clear and credible five-year roadmap. A key starting point should be the gradual elimination of the super tax. OICCI has proposed phasing it out over three years (FY27-FY29), with clearly defined milestones announced in the upcoming budget. At the same time, the corporate income tax rate should begin declining -falling to 28 percent by FY28 and eventually reaching 25 percent through annual reductions of one percentage point.

"The documented, organized sector is already fully compliant. How much more tax do you want to squeeze from them? Pushing tax rates to where a business pays more than 50% of its income in tax completely kills the incentive to grow. We need to respect the players who are actually contributing rather than killing the golden goose." As we near the Budget 2027, Irfan Siddiqui, Former President of OICCI, outlines why Pakistan must move away from penalizing profitability and overhaul its restrictive taxation system to incentivize new capital investments. - This Thought Leadership Series is brought to you by OICCI.

Yeah man. It's literally so easy to get cheap food from fancy restaurants. Idk why poor people don't just put 50 lakh in their account and become eligible for HBL world elite debit card to get 300rs discount on a croissant sandwich.

An excerpt from OICCI SG M Abdul Aleem’s article in Dawn titled 'Taxing the taxed'. A pragmatic approach would be to return to the drawing board before the FY27 budget. The federal and provincial governments must agree on a base-broadening issue: provinces should enforce agricultural income tax, while the federal government should bring retail, wholesale, and professional services into the net through a mix of incentives, digital documentation and credible enforcement. The IMF should also shift its focus from headline revenue targets to sector-wise collection in proportion to economic activity. All income should be treated equally and taxed proportionately.

Foreign investors: Pakistan should consider targeted tax relief for manufacturers in its upcoming federal budget to help businesses navigate economic uncertainty stemming from regional tensions, the head of a leading foreign investors’ group said on Tuesday, citing measures adopted by countries such as Sri Lanka and Türkiye.

70–80pc businesses delaying or revising investment decisions in Pakistan, reveals latest Overseas Chambers of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) Survey

Pakistan businesses are pulling back on expansion, with 70% to 80% of firms delaying or reassessing investment decisions in the latest OICCI survey 🧵

OICCI survey shows new investment index drops to 2%, services sector falls 20 points, 34% firms expect negative outlook over next six months; around 80% of businesses delay or revise investment decisions Read: profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/…

It's not a joke but an attempt at bringing the retailers into the tax net. The move should be appreciated since the aim is broadening. Once that has been achieved, the government can increase the tax rates for retailers in accordance with their contribution to the GDP.

That’s true. Sometimes fans place unrealistic expectations on global tournaments. I won’t name any player because people often take it as a comparison but many of the cricket’s all-time greats had to wait 10-20 years before finally winning major trophies.

This is how the country failed its poor section of the society.

This is literally a man. The fact that he had silicone and/or saline implanted under his chest to replicate the organs that actual women use to provide nourishment to infants, carved serveral milimeters of bone off his monsterous, giant male skull, took synthetic estrogen to attempt to imitate women does not make him a woman. When smaller male Cuttlefish disguise themselves as females to sneak into their spaces, it does not make them female and the same applies to human males.