ABBOTTABAD, March 26: National Assembly Deputy Speaker Sardar Mohammad Yaqoob has stressed the need for paying attention to the agriculture sector to face the upcoming challenge of the World Trade Organization. He was addressing the concluding session of a two-day workshop organized by the Muslim Commercial Bank in collaboration with the State Bank on ‘agriculture financing’ here on Saturday. Mr Yaqoob asked banks and financial institutions to increase agriculture financing in order to draw maximum benefits from the sector. The general manager of the MCB’s Abbottabad and AJK region said his bank had disbursed more than Rs4 billion loans in the country and launched an agriculture revolving scheme.

Opinion

Editorial

Token austerity
Updated 11 Mar, 2026

Token austerity

The ‘austerity’ measures are a ritualistic response to public anger rather than a sincere attempt to reform state spending.
Lebanon on fire
11 Mar, 2026

Lebanon on fire

WHILE the entire Gulf region has become an active warzone, repercussions of this conflict have spread to the...
Canine crisis
11 Mar, 2026

Canine crisis

KARACHI’S stray dog crisis requires urgent attention. Feral canines can cause serious and lasting physical and...
Iran’s new leader
Updated 10 Mar, 2026

Iran’s new leader

The position is the most powerful in Iran, bringing together clerical authority and political and ideological leadership.
National priorities
10 Mar, 2026

National priorities

EVEN as the country faces heightened risks of attacks from actual terrorists, an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi...
Silenced march
10 Mar, 2026

Silenced march

ON the eve of International Women’s Day, Islamabad Police detained dozens of Aurat March activists who had ...