West Asia

Mohammed bin Salman pledged a “moderate, open” Saudi Arabia

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledged a “moderate, open” Saudi Arabia on October 24, breaking with ultra-conservative religious figures in favour of an image catering to foreign investors and Saudi youth at the occasion of the launch of a..

Saudi Arabia’s economy has slipped back into recession

Saudi Arabia’s economy has slipped back into recession as the oil sector stagnates and the government sector is hit by austerity policies designed to curb a state budget deficit caused by low oil prices. Gross domestic product, adjusted f..

Gulf “blockade”: Qatar to claim compensations

Qatar’s Attorney General Ali bin Fetais al-Marri on 9th July announced it was establishing a committee to pursue compensation claims potentially worth billions of dollars over the country’s “blockade” by Gulf States. Com..

Migrants stuck in Saudi: An evil face of ban

Migrants employed to work as farmers and domestic staff are stuck in Saudi Arabia after their Qatari bosses were ordered out of the kingdom amid a major regional crisis, a rights group has said. According to the Ali Bin Smaikh al-Marri, chairman ..

Bahrain ‘asks Qatari troops to leave’

Bahrain has ordered on 18th June, Qatari troops serving with a coalition fighting the militant Islamic State (IS) group to leave its territory. The soldiers, part of the US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) which is headquartered in Bahrain,..

Qatar: spree to dissolve isolation effect

Qatar, isolated by its neighbours in a diplomatic crisis, on 9th August, introduced a visa-free entry programme for 80 nationalities to stimulate air transport and tourism. By this visa exemption scheme will make Qatar the most open country in the ..

Saudi Arabia's royal shuffle

According to a royal decree on 21st June Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef has been relieved of his post and replaced by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a royal decree. Mohammed bin Nayef, was relieved of all his roles, including deput..

Sanctions on Iran hampering IP gas pipeline project

Pakistan’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources said that few international sanctions on Iran including 'dollar transaction' are causing delay in execution of the much-awaited Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project. Pakistan..

Qatar signs $12bn deal to buy F-15 jets from US

Qatar's Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday the country signed a deal to buy F-15 fighter jets from the United States for $12 billion. US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Qatari Minister of State for Defense Affairs Khalid al-Attiyah were set to meet We..

The seventh round of negotiations on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Pakistan and Turkey

The seventh round of negotiations on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Pakistan and Turkey were being held in Ankara these days. Pakistan and Turkey will also discuss specific sectors, including textile, during the negotiations. Free Trad..

Pakistan’s LNG import from Qatar remains unaffected

Pakistan saying that its commercial deal of importing LNG from a Qatari company remains unaffected. The agreement, signed in February 2016, will enable Pakistan to import at least 35 million tons of LNG in 15 years at the rate of 13.35% of Brent ..

Qatar crisis: Pakistan in tight corners

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain cut relations with Qatar in a coordinated move. Yemen, Libya's eastern-based government and the Maldives joined in later. Gulf Arab states and Egypt have already long resented Qatar's support for ext..