Pakistan and the United States have renewed a major higher education partnership for another five years. The agreement brings together Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP). It aims to expand scholarships, research opportunities and academic exchanges for Pakistani students and scholars. USEFP Executive Director Dr. Peter Moran and HEC Executive Director Professor Dr. Zia Ul Haq signed the agreement in Islamabad on Tuesday. USEFP said the partnership will broaden access to American education and strengthen Pakistan’s higher education sector. “Through this partnership, Pakistani students and scholars gain access to the renowned American education system while improving capacity across Pakistan’s higher education sector,” USEFP said. Fulbright and Other Exchange Programmes Included The renewed arrangement covers several major academic exchange programmes. These include the Fulbright Master’s and PhD programmes and the Visiting Scholar Programme for post-doctoral researchers. It also includes the Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Programme and the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Programme. The agreement sets a target of supporting 66 PhD scholars over five years. HEC will provide at least $4.54 million annually, according to Associated Press of Pakistan. Its total funding commitment is capped at Rs6.48 billion over the five-year period. The selection process will remain merit-based. The agreement sets no fixed quota for any specific group, region or category. HEC will join selection panels and help identify priority fields linked to Pakistan’s development needs. USEFP is a binational educational organisation created by Pakistan and the United States in 1950. More than 9,000 Pakistanis and nearly 1,000 Americans have participated in USEFP-administered programmes. The partnership also supports Americans who travel to Pakistan for academic and professional collaboration. These exchanges can support research, business and public health projects in both countries. “This milestone agreement underscores our shared vision of empowering Pakistani scholars and higher education institutions that will serve our country for generations to come,” Haq said. Long-Running Pakistan-US Education Partnership The latest agreement builds on the Fulbright-HEC PhD partnership launched in 2016. APP said that earlier initiative committed $25.786 million to support 125 Pakistani scholars during fiscal years 2016 to 2020. Moran said USEFP programmes help participants develop practical knowledge and professional skills. He said those skills can directly support Pakistan’s development across different sectors. “We are grateful for the continued partnership of the governments of the United States and Pakistan in advancing this mission,” he said. The renewed agreement also opens the door to wider academic cooperation. HEC and USEFP plan joint awareness initiatives across universities in Pakistan. For many Pakistani students, Fulbright scholarships provide access to leading American universities without bearing the full financial cost. The programmes also support long-term educational links between Pakistan and the United States. Radio Pakistan said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to academic excellence, research and human capital development. It will also expand opportunities for Pakistani students, scholars, faculty members and professionals.
Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air Officially Starts Flights to Pakistan
Saudi Arabia’s new national carrier Riyadh Air has officially started operations in Pakistan, opening a new direct air link between Riyadh and Islamabad. The airline’s inaugural flight RX-660 arrived at Islamabad International Airport on Friday evening with 69 passengers. Pakistan Airports Authority said airport teams welcomed the aircraft with a ceremonial water salute as it taxied towards the terminal. Read More: Airblue Launches Airflix Inflight Entertainment for Passengers The launch marks Riyadh Air’s first commercial service to Pakistan. The carrier is expected to operate seven flights per week between Riyadh and Islamabad, giving passengers a daily connection between the two capitals. “Riyadh Air is expected to operate seven flights per week between Riyadh and Islamabad, providing an additional direct air link between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” the PAA said. Inaugural Flight Gets Ceremonial Welcome The PAA hosted an inauguration ceremony at Islamabad International Airport following the flight’s arrival. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Riyadh Air | طيران الرياض (@riyadhair) Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf Bin Said Al-Malki attended as the chief guest. PAA Director General Air Vice Marshal Zeeshan Saeed, senior government officials and Riyadh Air executives also joined the ceremony. The Saudi ambassador highlighted the importance of the new service for longstanding Pakistan-Saudi relations. He also stressed its role in strengthening direct air connectivity between the two countries. Read More: Air Indus Breaks 11-Year Silence With Flight Relaunch Plan Meanwhile, Zeeshan Saeed welcomed Riyadh Air’s entry into the Pakistani market. He highlighted the route’s potential to improve connectivity, facilitate passenger movement and expand cooperation in aviation. Officials marked the launch with ribbon-cutting and cake-cutting ceremonies. Riyadh Air’s senior management also discussed future expansion plans and the potential for further growth in Pakistan. Following the ceremony, RX-660 departed Islamabad at 9:56pm with 272 passengers onboard. Riyadh Air Plans Further Pakistan Expansion The Islamabad launch forms part of Riyadh Air’s wider expansion into Asia. The airline officially opened ticket sales for Islamabad, Lahore and Manila earlier this month. Its Islamabad service started on August 14, while Lahore flights are scheduled to begin on August 18. Reports say the Lahore route will operate three times per week. Riyadh Air is wholly owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. The airline plans to connect Riyadh with more than 100 destinations worldwide by the end of the decade. Read More: Air New Zealand Unveils First-Ever Economy Bunk Beds for Long Flights Pakistan represents an important market because Saudi Arabia hosts more than two million Pakistani nationals. Travel demand also comes from workers, families, businesses and religious pilgrims. The PAA described the launch as an important milestone for bilateral aviation links. “The commencement of Riyadh Air’s operations marks an important milestone in Pakistan-Saudi Arabia air connectivity and represents a positive development for bilateral relations and the aviation sector,” it said. With daily Islamabad flights now underway and Lahore services next, Riyadh Air is positioning Pakistan as an important part of its growing international network.
ECC Gives Petrol Dealers Major Margin Increase Before Strike
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has approved a Rs1.34 per litre increase in dealers’ margins on petrol and high-speed diesel, easing a dispute that had threatened fuel supplies across Pakistan. The decision raises the dealer margin on both Motor Spirit (MS) and High-Speed Diesel (HSD) from Rs8.64 to Rs9.98 per litre, effectively taking it to around Rs10. Read More: Why Your Petrol Price Could Change Every Morning in Pakistan Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb chaired the ECC meeting at the Finance Division on Friday. The committee considered a Petroleum Division summary seeking a revision in margins for petroleum dealers. The approval came after petroleum dealers threatened a nationwide strike from Saturday, August 15. Following the government’s decision, the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association postponed the planned action. The PPDA said it “had postponed Saturday’s planned strike based on the government’s assurances”. Dealers Get Rs1.34 Per Litre Increase The Rs1.34 increase represents a rise of about 15.5% over the previous Rs8.64 margin. Dealers will now receive Rs9.98 on every litre of petrol or diesel sold. The adjustment follows months of demands from fuel retailers for higher margins. Dealers had argued that rising operating expenses had made the existing structure difficult to sustain. Earlier this year, industry representatives warned that margins below 2% were putting pressure on filling station operators. Read More: Pakistan Becomes South Asia’s Most Expensive Country for Petrol The government had previously approved a phased revision of petroleum sector margins. An earlier ECC decision linked part of the increase to progress on digitising fuel sales and stock monitoring. The Petroleum Division had to report on that progress by June 1, 2026. Vice Chairman of the All Pakistan Petrol Pump Owners Association Nauman Ali Butt confirmed Friday’s increase. He also thanked the prime minister and petroleum minister for addressing the dealers’ demand. Nationwide Fuel Strike Averted The decision appears to have removed the immediate threat of widespread petrol pump closures. PPDA Chairman Malik Khuda Baksh said the petroleum minister had personally discussed the issue with him. He said the minister indicated that dealers would receive a Rs1.34 increase after securing special approval from the prime minister. The revised margin applies separately to both petrol and HSD. Therefore, the dealer margin stands at Rs9.98 per litre for each fuel rather than a combined Rs19.96 charge on a single litre. Read More: SBP Introduces Rs.1 Per Litre Incentive for Digital Fuel Payments Federal ministers Rana Tanveer Hussain, Ali Pervaiz Malik and Ahad Khan Cheema attended the ECC meeting. Federal secretaries and senior officials from relevant ministries and divisions also participated. The agreement provides immediate relief to dealers while avoiding a possible disruption in fuel supplies during the Independence Day weekend. Attention will now turn to how the revised margin fits into the government’s wider petroleum pricing and digitisation reforms.
