We may soon hit oil jackpot, says Imran

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that Pakistan is on the verge of making a major oil and gas discovery that could turn out to be a game-changer in the region’s geopolitics.

“Just pray that our hopes and expectations from the offshore drilling carried out by the Exxonmobil-led consortium proves to be true,” Imran told reporters in Islamabad. “If the indications we are getting are anything to go by, there’s a strong possibility we may discover a very big reserve in our waters. If that happens, Pakistan will be in a different league.”

CLERIC SURVIVES ATTEMPT ON LIFE

A prominent Islamic scholar survived an assassination attempt on Friday as unidentified gunmen opened fire on his convoy, killing the cleric’s two guards. Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani, who runs a religious seminary, and his wife were in one of the two cars targeted by four gunmen on motorcycles near a flyover here.

The cleric and his wife escaped unhurt but a police guard and a private guard were killed.

CHINA SET TO SEND $2 BILLION LOAN

Cash-strapped Pakistan will receive over $2 billion loan from its “all-weather” ally China by Monday to provide a boost to its ailing economy, the finance ministry has announced.

PAK, MALAYSIA HOLD TALKS ON BETTER TIES

Imran held talks with his Malaysian counterpart Mahathir Mohamad on Friday to strengthen bilateral economic and commercial ties.