Already the poorest country in Asia, Afghanistan’s economic base has long been too small to support its population of 40 million. Annual per capita income had declined from US$650 in 2012 to US$508 in 2020 and is expected to drop precipitously to US$350 next year. The report indicates that the …
South Asia has seen an accelerated job growth and a substantial decrease in poverty over the past three decades, second only to East Asia, says a World Bank report, released during the IMF-WB meetings. The region will be the largest contributor to the global workforce over the next two decades. …
Pakistan wants China to construct a rail link through Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) and a network of oil and gas pipelines, which will help cut costs for Beijing's burgeoning energy needs and ensure mutual benefit. Pakistan has also offered to be part of a Chinese plan to build a new Silk Road …
As the Punjab provincial government here grapples with the dengue menace, conspiracy theories abound with some blaming the origin of the disease on the American spy agency CIA while others claim it is because of “God’s annoyance with Pakistanis.” Some members of the Punjab Assembly claimed dengue had affected the …
The US has asked Pakistan to abandon the multi-billion dollar gas pipeline deal with Iran and instead pursue the TAPI project, warning that Islamabad may face US sanctions if it continues with I-P pipeline. The US raised the pipeline project during the fourth round of a dialogue on energy with …
South Asian nations agreed on Thursday to work to promote closer energy links for electricity grids and power generation, a senior energy official said. Energy ministers from the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) - bringing together Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - finished …
The Ministry of Water and Power is reportedly not taking due cognisance of Afghanistan's move to build multi-purpose dams on Kabul river, with India's backing. About 90 percent of Afghanistan's land area is located in the five rivers basins namely Panj-Amu Darya River Basin, Northern River Basin, Harirud-Murghab Basin, Helmand …
A consortium of Indian public sector and private companies will compete with American, Canadian and Iranian companies to win the bid for the exploring the the prized Hajigak iron ore mines in Afghanistan. The seven-member grouping, which has planned to set up a steel plant in the country’s Bamiyan province, …
Steel plantA consortium of leading Indian steel and iron ore producers, led by Steel Authority of India (SAIL), today said it was hopeful of getting selected as the preferred bidder for Afghanistan's Hajigak iron ore deposits. Bids for the 1.8 billion tonne iron ore mines were opened today, but the …
Seven-member consortium may bid for all four iron ore blocks, estimated to contain 1.8 BT reserves; Tatas exited the group last week With a few days left for closing of bids for Afghan iron ore deposits at Hajigak, India has reorganised its consortium to pitch for the mines, estimated to …
The leader of the Afghan Taliban said his group wants to boost the country's mining and energy sectors once it regains strength after the Nato-led force fighting them pulls out in 2014. Interest in economic stability and investment in mining marks a new approach for the resurgent Islamist group, ousted …
Barely days after state-owned companies SAIL, NMDC and RINL stitched together a consortium with private sector biggies Tata Steel, Sajjan Jindal-promoted JSW Steel and Navin Jindal’s Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) to bid for the Hajigak mines in Afghanistan, the Tatas have pulled out. The Tata Steel board reportedly …
In most Afghan households, winter is heralded by the strong aroma of fried mint leaves that lingers till late in the night. The smell is a sure give away of what a family has had for dinner—Aashak, a speciality dish of Kabul comprising dumplings and noodles. The dumplings stuffed with …
India has made remarkable progress in the fight against polio and is on track to eradicate it by the end of 2011, a group of international health experts has said.
Expensive valuations push back efforts to acquire overseas coal mines International Coal Venture Ltd, the five-member consortium formed to scout for coal assets overseas, may choose to wait for softening of coal prices before making any acquisition as mines have become very expensive.
Lengths of winter, summer and rainy seasons in Bangladesh have increased, while spring has decreased, changes that are likely to have an adverse impact on agriculture, said a study based on farmers' perceptions. Winter, traditionally around two-and-a-half months long, now prevails for three-and-three-quarters, while summer takes five months, almost double …
This paper looks at the progress made in the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in the eight countries of the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region using the national reports to the CBD as the primary source. The paper concludes that all the Hindu Kush-Himalayan countries are making efforts to …
The head of Nato said Tuesday he was confident Pakistan's nuclear weapons were safe, but admitted it was a matter of concern, the day after the worst assault on a Pakistani military base in two years. Anders Fogh Rasmussen was in Afghanistan on a one-day visit and met President Hamid …
