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Dawn report is based on dishonest reporting and an obsolete, outdated document: Ahsan Iqbal, PMO speak up against misleading report

Usman Mujib Shami 06:19 PM | 15 May, 2017
Dawn report is based on dishonest reporting and an obsolete, outdated document: Ahsan Iqbal, PMO speak up against misleading report
An article published in the Dawn revealing what it claimed to be the “original plan of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)” was based on the 'obsolete' and an outdated proposal from China Development Bank which dates back to 2015 and not the actual agreement between Pakistan and China, claimed Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary, Fawad Hassan Fawad.

Claiming the documents have been released to the public for the first time, the daily said that it is the final agreement between Pakistan and China, and the plan revealed “what Chinese intentions and priorities are in Pakistan for the next decade and a half, details that have not been discussed in public thus far.”


Dawn report is based on dishonest reporting. It is based on an outdated proposal by China Development Bank while the actual agreement is a bilateral document which is yet to be signed by China, how can we make it public unilaterally without consulting our partner before it is even signed? - Ahsan Iqbal


The Principal Secretary of PM Nawaz Sharif, Fawad Hassan Fawad confided to this scribe that the documents on which Dawn's story was based carry no relevance as they have been already rejected by the Pakistan government and numerous amendments have already been made to them.

"The document proposed by the China Development Bank dates back to 2015 and was later retracted by the Chinese government itself and has been subjected to amendments numerous times," the secretary said adding that the document is under final consultations and will be made public once it is finalized after mutual consideration and consensus.

"China itself has given another updated version, the one published by dawn is obsolete and outdated," the secretary vehemently refuted the document maintaining Pakistan and China, both have proposed several changes in it which are being pondered over.

'Dishonest Reporting' by Dawn

The Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Monday also refuted the article and termed it ‘Dawn Leaks II’ that seeks to malign the CPEC.

Talking to Daily Pakistan in China at OBOR Summit 2017, Mr Ahsan Iqbal said that Dawn report was based on dishonesty. Addressing the allegations of opacity, he said, "Dawn's story is based on an outdated proposal by China Development Bank while the actual agreement is a bilateral document which is yet to be signed, how can we make it public unilaterally without consulting our partner before it is even signed? We will even publish it on our website, but first it needs to be signed both by Pakistan and China. The document that Dawn claims is current is actually one and a half year old and was actually a proposal presented by China Development Bank - not the actual agreement, there have been so many changes since then."

“I am appalled by Dawn Leak II. CPEC long-term plan story based on working documents to distort final draft taken up with NDRC yesterday in Beijing,” the planning minister tweeted.

He further mentioned that the long-term plan could not have been disclosed by Pakistani government without consulting the Chinese. He called the Dawn story “half cooked” in a race to break the news first.

“Definite angling in story to malign CPEC by promoting fears,” he added.

Usman Mujib Shami
Usman Mujib Shami

Usman Mujib Shami is the Executive Editor of Daily Pakistan. He did his Masters in international Business from Hult University and his Bachelors from Institute of Business Administration, Karachi.

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Today's currency exchange rates in Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal rates on March 31, 2023

KARACHI - Following are the foreign currency exchange rates for US Dollar, Saudi Riyal, UK Pound Sterling, U.A.E. Dirham, European Euro, and other foreign currencies in Pakistan open market on March 31, 2023 (Friday).

Source: Forex Association of Pakistan. (last update 09:00 AM)

Currency Symbol Buying Selling
US Dollar ‎USD 283.8 286.6
Euro EUR 306 309
UK Pound Sterling GBP 347.5 351
U.A.E Dirham AED 77.2 79.9
Saudi Riyal SAR 75.6 76.4
Australian Dollar AUD 187.5 189.9
Bahrain Dinar BHD 753.99 761.99
Canadian Dollar CAD 206.5 208.7
China Yuan CNY 41.25 41.65
Danish Krone DKK 41.26 41.51
Hong Kong Dollar HKD 36.11 36.46
Indian Rupee INR 3.45 3.56
Japanese Yen JPY 2.15 2.22
Kuwaiti Dinar KWD 925.67 934.67
Malaysian Ringgit MYR 62.85 63.45
New Zealand Dollar NZD 175.57 177.58
Norwegians Krone NOK 26.33 26.63
Omani Riyal OMR 736.34 744.35
Qatari Riyal ‎QAR 77.92 78.62
Singapore Dollar SGD 209.5 211.5
Swedish Korona SEK 26.5 26.8
Swiss Franc CHF 308.25 310.75
Thai Bhat THB 8.28 8.43

Today's gold rates in Pakistan – 31 March 2023

KARACHI - The price of a single tola of 24-karat gold in Pakistan is Rs 208,200 on Friday. The price of 10 grams of 24k gold was recorded at Rs178,500.   

Likewise, 10 grams of 22k gold were being traded for Rs163,624 while a single tola of 22-karat gold was being sold at Rs 190,849.

Note: The gold rate in Pakistan is fluctuating according to the international market so the price is never been fixed. The below rates are provided by local gold markets and Sarafa Markets of different cities.

City Gold Silver
Lahore PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Karachi PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Islamabad PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Peshawar PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Quetta PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Sialkot PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Attock PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Gujranwala PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Jehlum PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Multan PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Bahawalpur PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Gujrat PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Nawabshah PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Chakwal PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Hyderabad PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Nowshehra PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Sargodha PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Faisalabad PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470

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