DailyWorld News - The First International Newspaper From India https://dailyworld.in/ Tue, 23 Sep 2025 09:07:49 +0530 en https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-imf-close-to-signing-deal-440931.html Islamabad June 24 There has been a likely breakthrough in Pakistans longdrawnout parleys with the International Monetary Fund IMF for the tightlynegotiated ninth review and an official announcement regarding the signing of the deal is expected soon the media reported The development comes after a flurry of meetings between the two sides following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifs huddle with the International Monetary Fund IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva in Paris earlier this week Geo News reported Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund IMF on Friday narrowed down their differences after Islamabad offered to make adjustments in the budget and also immediately withdrew restrictions on imports Sources told The Express Tribune that the government informed the IMF that it was willing to make adjustments both in the budget and taxation sides The offer was equivalent to around 03 per cent of the gross domestic product GDP but it was nearly half of the gap that the global lender had identified they added The government offered to cut expenses by 200 billion PKR and impose new taxes of 100 billion PKR the sources said The authorities were hopeful that if the ongoing round of talks remained successful and the stafflevel agreement could be reached at the earliest The Express Tribune reported The sources said that the things really moved at a fast pace since Thursday The Finance Ministry has not officially commented on the development The discussions continued until late Friday night after the IMF asked Pakistan to make further adjustments At the next fiscal years projected size of the economy the offer made by Pakistan was equal to around 300 billion PKR but the exact figure could not be verified IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-imf-close-to-signing-deal-440931.html Sun, 25 Jun 2023 03:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/1-killed-3-injured-by-gunmen-in-pakistan-440732.html Islamabad June 24 One man was killed and three others were injured in an attack in Pakistans northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province local police said The deceased was heading towards home after hearing a court case when unidentified gunmen sprayed bullets at him outside the court killing him at the spot the police added on Friday Three people including a policeman were injured in the attack and shifted to a nearby hospital The attackers fled the spot following the attack and a search operation is underway Xinhua news agency reported No group or individual has claimed the attack IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/1-killed-3-injured-by-gunmen-in-pakistan-440732.html Sat, 24 Jun 2023 13:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lanka-emphasises-need-for-urgent-debt-restructuring-440754.html Colombo June 24 Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has emphasised the urgency of debt restructuring to avoid instability said a statement from the Presidents Media Division PMD The PMD said on Friday that the President made these remarks while participating in a highlevel panel discussion at the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact in Paris on June 22 Pointing out that Sri Lanka faced limited access to financing and took ownership of its debt and economic restructuring programme Wickremesinghe emphasised the need for timely and automatic access to concessional financing and highlighted the high costs incurred during the process Sri Lanka announced a suspension of foreign debt repayments in April 2022 when it was hit by its worst financial crisis since independence Xinhua news agency reported The IMF in March this year approved a 48month extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility of about 3 billion to support Sri Lankas economic policies and reforms IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lanka-emphasises-need-for-urgent-debt-restructuring-440754.html Sat, 24 Jun 2023 14:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/shebaz-sharif-snatches-umbrella-from-officer-leaves-her-drenched-440376.html New Delhi June 23 A viral video doing the rounds on social media shows Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who is in Paris to attend a global financing summit snatching an umbrella from a protocol officer leaving her drenched in the rain In the 45second video Sharif donning a grey suit is seen trying to grab the umbrella which is being held by the officer After a few seconds he proceeds to take the umbrella from her and proceeds to walk alone while the officer is following him in the pouring rain She keeps walking behind him until the Prime Minister reaches the entrance of the venue Netizens had a mixed response to the incident While one Twitter user said there are many others so she protocal officer could have used another female officers umbrella another person said Because last time in Iran when someone else held the umbrella for him Pakistani Twitter had a severe meltdown A Twitterati joked saying watching him reminds me of Mr Bean while another user said And he stole her umbrella The Summit for a New Global Financing Pact kicked off in Paris on Thursday with more than 300 participants from various sectors The participants are expected to discuss climate changerelated financing issues through six round tables including overhauling the international financial architecture restoring confidence forging partnerships for strategies and creating a conducive environment for the private sector Ahead of the summit Sharif met several world leaders and heads of the UN and International Monetary Fund IMF and highlighted the challenges faced by developing nations particularly because of climate change While addressing the event the premier stressed the need for a fair and equitable formula for the distribution of financial resources in the world in an effort to help mitigate the suffering of developing nations and ensure peace IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/shebaz-sharif-snatches-umbrella-from-officer-leaves-her-drenched-440376.html Fri, 23 Jun 2023 16:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/china-surpasses-us-in-popularity-among-arab-youth-440127.html Abu Dhabi June 22 More young Arabs see China as an ally of their countries than the US a survey of regional youth has found The US ranks seventh among nations considered as friendly compared to China which ranked second in the Arab Youth Survey conducted by Dubaibased public relations firm ASDAA BCW reports CNN The findings show that support for China has gradually risen over the years as Beijing expands its footprint in the region But they also reveal that as much as Arabs want the US to play a smaller role in the Middle East many believe the superpower will continue to be the most influential actor CNN reported Eighty per cent of respondents consider China to be an ally of their country while 72 per cent found the US to be one By contrast the 2018 edition of the survey found that other Arab nations dominated the top five countries seen as allies with the exception of Russia which ranked fourth Neither China nor the US were among the top five The 2015 survey ranked the US second This years survey in its 15th edition included facetoface interviews with 3600 Arabs aged 18 to 24 across 53 cities in 18 Arab countries reflecting evolving sentiments prompted by a changing political landscape in the region reports CNN While the US continues to remain popular other nations have overtaken it in ranking over the years Turkey was found to be the country that most young Arabs considered an ally this year at 82 per cent Of those polled 61 per cent said they support US disengagement from the Middle East with most support for this being recorded in North Africa and the Levant Arab states particularly those in the Gulf have been frustrated at what they see as the USs waning interest in the region and have in recent years begun charting their own foreign policy They have refused to take sides in the Ukraine war and have grown closer to China insisting that the world is moving towards multipolarity CNN reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/china-surpasses-us-in-popularity-among-arab-youth-440127.html Fri, 23 Jun 2023 01:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/china-issues-first-orange-alert-for-high-temperatures-in-2023-440392.html Beijing June 23 Chinas National Meteorological Centre has issued this years first orange alert the secondhighest for high temperatures as a scorching heat wave ha hits multiple regions of the country During daylight hours on Friday temperatures in areas including north China and regions along the Yellow and Huaihe rivers are expected to remain over 35 degrees Celsius Xinhua news agency quoted the Centre as saying According to the forecast temperatures in some areas of Beijing Tianjin Hebei and Shandong could soar to around 40 degrees Celsius From 8 am to 4 pm Thursday temperatures in parts of Beijing Tianjin Hebei and Shandong increased rapidly with the highest over 40 degrees Celsius A total of 17 national meteorological observatories located in these four provinciallevel regions reported recordhigh temperatures The temperature at a meteorological station in southern Beijing soared to 411 degrees Celsius at 319 pm Thursday the secondhighest reading since reliable records began according to the Beijing Meteorological Service The highest temperature ever recorded at the Nanjiao station was 419 degrees Celsius on July 24 1999 China has a threetier colourcoded warning system for high temperatures with red representing the most severe warning followed by orange and yellow Beijing issued an orange alert for high temperatures at 9 am Thursday and forecast that the heat wave will scorch vast regions of the capital city until Saturday On Thursday afternoon Hebei upgraded emergency responses to high temperatures issuing a red alert as temperatures in the cities of Langfang Cangzhou and Hengshui as well as parts of the cities of Baoding Shijiazhuang and Xingtai were expected to reach 40 to 42 degrees Celsius on Friday In the next 10 days places including the BeijingTianjinHebei region Henan Shandong and Inner Mongolia will face mediumlevel risks of high temperatures the demand for electricity and energy will surge and outdoor activities may lead to heat stroke said Zhang Fanghua chief forecaster of the National Meteorological Centre Efforts should be made in preventing heat stroke and ensuring energy supply Zhang said suggesting people take health protection measures when taking part in outdoor activities or working in the field IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/china-issues-first-orange-alert-for-high-temperatures-in-2023-440392.html Fri, 23 Jun 2023 16:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/shehbaz-to-virtually-attend-sco-india-meeting-440398.html Islamabad June 23 Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will virtually attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation SCO meeting chaired by India on July 4 We have received the official invitation from Indian Prime Minister for our Prime Minister for the virtual meeting of Heads of State of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation that is due to take place on July 4 The News quoted a spokeswoman at the Foreign Office as saying at a briefing Pakistan will be represented at the summit We will be making an announcement regarding our participation in coming days she added Earlier this month the Centre said that it was never announced that the July 4 meeting would be held in person As everyone is aware that in the past some years several events have taken place virtually so taking all factors into account we decided that the Summit of the SCO Council of Heads of State will be held in a virtual format on the 4th of July External Affairs Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said The statement came just days after the Ministry announced that it will host the annual SCO summit in virtual format on July 4 In September 2022 the inperson SCO summit was held in the Uzbek city of Samarkand which saw the participation of all the top leaders of the grouping including Prime Minister Narendra Modi Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin India had assumed the rotating chairmanship of the SCO at the Samarkand summit The Ministry has said that all the SCO member states China Russia Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Pakistan Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have been invited to attend the virtual summit IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/shehbaz-to-virtually-attend-sco-india-meeting-440398.html Fri, 23 Jun 2023 17:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/9-detained-after-china-restaurant-blast-kills-31-440183.html Beijing June 22 Nine people were detained in Thursday over a massive explosion at a barbecue restaurant in Chinas Yinchuan city which killed at least 31 people Authorities said that the detained persons included the owner of the Fuyang Barbecue Restaurant as well as staffers and shareholders of the eatery reports Xinhua news agency Assets of the nine people have also been frozen Verification of the identities of the victims is underway and local authorities are also conducting an investigation into the cause of the accident The explosion occurred at around 840 pm on Wednesday due to an alleged gas leak at the restaurant which is part of a cluster of eateries and entertainment venues in Yinchuan the capital of the Ningxia autonomous region Seven injured persons are currently being treated at a hospital The detentions came shortly after President Xi Jinping demanded to hold the relevant people accountable in accordance with the law He also called for maximum efforts in treating the wounded and boosting safety measures We must do our best to rescue the injured and reassure the families of the casualties identify the cause of the accident as soon as possible and seriously pursue responsibility according to the law the BBC quoted Xi as saying Fire and rescue services dispatched more than 100 personnel and 20 vehicles to the scene the Ministry of Emergency Management said The rescue operation lasted until 4 am on Thursday IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/9-detained-after-china-restaurant-blast-kills-31-440183.html Fri, 23 Jun 2023 03:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/ppp-mulls-leaving-ruling-pak-ruling-coalition-440201.html Islamabad June 22 The Pakistan Peoples Party PPP the second largest party in the ruling coalition government of the country is not happy with the current policies and is apparently preparing to part ways ahead of the general elections that are slated for October sources said According to the sources the PPP wants to cash in on the antiPakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz PMLN sentiments in Punjab the most populous province whose electoral conquest determines who will rule the country reports The Express Tribune They said the PPP may announce leaving the coalition after the passage of the federal budget for 202324 In this regard PPP Cochairman Asif Ali Zardari has started consulting with the party leaders The Express Tribune reported Murad Ali Shah the PPP appointed Chief Minister of Sindh province said during a provincial Assembly session on Wednesday that the federal government has increased allocations for the people affected by last years flood but PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the Sindh government are still not satisfied The Centre must provide more funds for the flood affected areas of Sindh he said Addressing a rally in Swat on June 17 Bilawal who serves as the Foreign Minister in Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifs cabinet accused the own government of totally ignoring the provinces that bore the brunt of last years devastating floods in the proposed budget IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/ppp-mulls-leaving-ruling-pak-ruling-coalition-440201.html Fri, 23 Jun 2023 05:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-doesnt-want-to-take-sides-in-us-china-rivalry-440206.html By Hamza Ameer Islamabad June 22 Pakistans Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar said her country does not want to be pushed towards taking sides in the ongoing rivalry between US and China stating that Islamabad has enough problems of its own In an interview she said that Pakistan no longer has the appetite to pick a side between the worlds two largest superpowers highlighting that Islamabad values its relations and wants to maintain a neutral balance with both the nations Khars interview was recorded before US President Joe Biden called his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping a dictator during a political event in California Beijing responded aggressively to the remark saying it was a serious contradiction of basic facts seriously violate diplomatic etiquette and seriously infringe on Chinas political dignity Pakistan maintains a critical and challenging position in the scenario as it has close ties with China while it also maintains a relationship with the US as well Analysts have expressed their concerns and warned that Bidens remarks and Beijings response would make it even more difficult for Pakistan to maintain close ties with both US and China Khar further emphasized that Islamabad cannot be part of USChina rivalry as splitting the world into two blocs is threatening for Islamabad As a nucleararmed heavyweight of 250 million people Pakistan is one of the most closely watched frontline states in the contest for strategic influence in Asia While Pakistans old Cold War partner Washington in increasingly turning its focus on cooperation with Islamabads archfoe India China has swooped in to extend its sway in Pakistan particularly through giant infrastructure projects she added Khar said that Islamabad look at the USChina rivalry with serious concern We are highly threatened by this notion of splitting the world into two blocs We are very concerned about this decoupling anything that splits the world further We have a history of being in a close collaborative mode with the US We have no intention of leaving that Pakistan also has the reality of being in a close collaborative mode with China and until China suddenly came to everyones threat perception that was always the case With the USChina rivalry working on strategic influencing countries in Asia Pakistan may find itself in a difficult position and may be pushed towards expressing its inclination to a bloc which many say would be Beijing IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-doesnt-want-to-take-sides-in-us-china-rivalry-440206.html Fri, 23 Jun 2023 05:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/explosion-at-barbecue-restaurant-in-china-kills-31-440070.html Beijing June 22 At least 31 people were killed and seven others injured after an explosion caused by the leakage of a liquified gas tank ripped through a barbeque restaurant in Chinas Yinchuan city authorities said Thursday The blast occurred at around 840 pm on Wednesday night in the citys Xingqing district reports Xinhua news agency According to the authorities of the seven injured persons one remains in critical condition On Thursday President Xi Jinping called for allout rescue and treatment of the injured and enhanced safety overhaul Xi urged efforts to ascertain the cause of the accident as soon as possible and hold the relevant people accountable in accordance with the law All regions and related departments should screen for and rectify all types of risks and hidden dangers he noted Under Xis instruction a work group composed of several central government organs has been sent to the scene to guide the rescue efforts The cause of the accident is under investigation IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/explosion-at-barbecue-restaurant-in-china-kills-31-440070.html Thu, 22 Jun 2023 21:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-to-withdraw-objection-to-holi-celebration-at-university-440110.html Islamabad June 22 Salman Sufi who heads the Pakistan Prime Ministers Strategic Reforms Unit said Education Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain had asked the Higher Education Commission HEC to withdraw a notification in which it took exception to the Hindu festival of Holi being celebrated at a university Have spoken to Rana Tanveer sahib and he has taken stern notice of the notification by the HEC on discouraging religious festivals and has asked them to withdraw it tweeted Sufi after the media reported about the notification Dawn reported The notification was sent by HEC Executive Director Shaista Sohail to vice chancellors and heads of institutions In its letter the HEC claimed the widely reported publicised event of the celebration of Holi by the platform of a university had caused concern and disadvantageously affected the countrys image Unfortunately it is sad to witness activities that portray a complete disconnect from our sociocultural values and an erosion of the countrys Islamic identity One such instance that has caused concern was the fervour exhibited in marking the Hindu festival of Holi Dawn reported While the HEC letter did not name the varsity in question it comes after QuaidiAzam University in Islamabad gained attention on social media for hosting an event for Holi which took place on March 8 In one of the videos circulating on social media students can be seen dancing and throwing colours in the air as loud music plays in the background The letter advised HEIs to prudently distance themselves from all such activities obviously incompatible with the countrys identity and societal values The HECs letter drew the ire of netizens online Dawn reported Sindhi journalist Veengas said Islamabad needed to understand that Hindu festivals of Holi and Diwali were part of Sindhi culture Islamabad neither accepts our Sindhi language nor does it honour the Hindu festivals she said Dawn reported Former Dawn editor Abbas Nasir said HEC should focus on plagiarised papers by PhDs as those actually tarnish the countrys image Holi and other such festivals enhance the countrys image create a mirage of pluralism Activist Ammar Ali Jan said the commission should be more concerned about the dismal state of education in Pakistan Our universities are not even ranked in the top 1000 Yet HEC is more worried about students celebrating Holi Such misplaced priorities are the reason for the intellectualmoral decay we see in society he said Researcher Ammar Rashid termed HECs letter vile religious bigotry In another tweet he said Imagine the outrage if a European or Indian higher education secretary banned Eid celebrations in universities because they were incompatible with the countrys values Comedian Shafaat Ali pointed out that Holi was purely this regions especially Multans festival He further said that the festival could be made a source of religious tourism in Pakistan and could promote religious tolerance in society IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-to-withdraw-objection-to-holi-celebration-at-university-440110.html Thu, 22 Jun 2023 23:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/afghan-police-destroy-poppy-farms-in-badakhshan-province-439964.html Kabul June 22 Afghan counternarcotic police have destroyed poppy farms on 123 acre of land in northern Badakhshan province Provincial Director for Information and Culture Qari Maazudin Ahmadi said The illegal crop according to the official has been destroyed around the provincial capital Faizabad city and adjoining areas over the past couple of days Hundreds of hectares of poppy farms have been smashed across Badakhshan over the past two months the official said pon Wednesday adding police wont allow anyone to cultivate poppy or other illegal crops in the province Afghan counternarcotic police have accelerated the poppy eradication campaign as police personnel has destroyed 80 acre of poppy farms in the northern Jawzjan province since early May Xinhua news agency reported Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada the supreme leader of the Afghan caretaker administration issued a decree in April last year to ban the cultivation of illegal crops including poppy and drug processing and trafficking IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/afghan-police-destroy-poppy-farms-in-badakhshan-province-439964.html Thu, 22 Jun 2023 16:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-education-department-faces-outrage-after-objecting-to-holi-celebrations-in-islamabad-university-439781.html New Delhi June 21 Pakistans Higher Education Commission HEC has taken an exception to the Hindu festival of Holi being celebrated at a university claiming that it had caused concern and disadvantageously affected the countrys image it emerged on Wednesday local media reported The letter said that HEC had been formulating its policies based on the concepts embodied in our own culture values and traditions thus preserving the nations ideology Unfortunately it is sad to witness activities that portray a complete disconnect from our sociocultural values and an erosion of the countrys Islamic identity One such instance that has caused concern was the fervour exhibited in marking the Hindu festival of Holi Dawn reported This widely reportedpublicised event from the platform of a university has caused concern and has disadvantageously affected the countrys image the letter said Dawn reported While the HEC letter did not name the varsity in question it comes after QuaidiAzam University in Islamabad gained attention on social media for hosting an event for Holi which took place on March 8 In one of the videos circulating on social media students can be seen dancing and throwing colours in the air as loud music plays in the background Dawn reported The letter advised HEIs to prudently distance themselves from all such activities obviously incompatible with the countrys identity and societal values The HECs letter drew the ire of netizens online Sindhi journalist Veengas said Islamabad needed to understand that Hindu festivals of Holi and Diwali were part of Sindhi culture Islamabad neither accepts our Sindhi language nor does it honour the Hindu festivals she said Dawn reported Former Dawn editor Abbas Nasir said HEC should focus on plagiarised papers by PhDs as those actually tarnish the countrys image Holi and other such festivals enhance the countrys image create a mirage of pluralism Activist Ammar Ali Jan said the commission should be more concerned about the dismal state of education in Pakistan Our universities are not even ranked in the top 1000 Yet HEC is more worried about students celebrating Holi Such misplaced priorities are the reason for the intellectualmoral decay we see in society he said Dawn reported Researcher Ammar Rashid termed HECs letter vile religious bigotry In another tweet he said Imagine the outrage if a European or Indian higher education secretary banned Eid celebrations in universities because they were incompatible with the countrys values Comedian Shafaat Ali pointed out that Holi was purely this regions especially Multans festival He further said that the festival could be made a source of religious tourism in Pakistan and could promote religious tolerance in society IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-education-department-faces-outrage-after-objecting-to-holi-celebrations-in-islamabad-university-439781.html Thu, 22 Jun 2023 04:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-army-chief-included-in-body-formed-for-economic-revival-439800.html Islamabad June 21 The Pakistan government has constituted a Special Investment Facilitation Council SIFC to provide an impetus to its efforts for economic revival to be chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and comprising the Army chief and federal ministers A notification in this regard has been issued by the Prime Ministers Office Pursuant to the meeting held on Friday with regard to attracting investment from GCC countries in the fields of defence agriculture minerals IT and energy the Prime Minister is pleased to constitute a Special Investment Facilitation Council the notification read The announcement came a day after the government unveiled an elaborate Economic Revival Plan with a view to capitalise on Pakistans untapped potentials in key sectors fasttrack the development projects and facilitate investment The plan was unveiled during a highlevel meeting chaired by Sharif in Islamabad which was attended by Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir Chief Ministers federal and provincial ministers and other highranking government officials At the meeting General Munir had assured allout support to complement the governments plan for the revival of the economy IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-army-chief-included-in-body-formed-for-economic-revival-439800.html Thu, 22 Jun 2023 06:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-army-to-oversee-economic-revival-with-investment-from-gulf-nations-439601.html Islamabad June 21 Pakistans civilmilitary leadership has presented an Economic Revival Plan stated to be bigger than the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor CPEC the media reported The plan is focused on harnessing the countrys untapped potential in key sectors through local development and foreign investments mainly from Gulf countries and expediting project implementation The Express Tribune reported This economic recovery project SIFC will prove to be a bigger economic project than CPEC a key cabinet minister told The Express Tribune The project is a gamechanger for the development of Pakistan the Minister added He stated that investment will come from the Gulf countries and the army will play a key role in the coordination of the projects If this project is completed by 2035 Pakistan could become a trilliondollar economy The Express Tribune reported citing a source as saying The new plan is announced just days before the 10th anniversary of the signing of CPEC deal which was also dubbed as a game changer project The project was signed on July 5 2013 during the then Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz PMLN government However so far less than 25 billion of Chinese investment has been made out of the planned amount of 62 billion due to Islamabads failure to honour its various commitments Now the source said under the SIFC direct jobs opportunities would be provided to 15 to 20 million people and indirect job opportunities to another 75 to 100 million people in the next four to five years Along with this the SIFC project will generate exports of 70 billion and import substitution of equal amount in the next four to five years The Express Tribune reported The SIFC plan will also increase Pakistans foreign direct investment by 100 billion In his speech Gen Asim Munir assured the armys allout support to complement the governments efforts for the revival plan considered to be fundamental to socioeconomic prosperity of the Pakistanis and reclaiming Pakistans rightful stature in the comity of the nations IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-army-to-oversee-economic-revival-with-investment-from-gulf-nations-439601.html Wed, 21 Jun 2023 16:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-enters-election-mode-poll-body-starts-preps-439380.html By Hamza Ameer Islamabad June 20 As Pakistan is entering an election mode the countrys poll body has started making arrangements for the electoral exercise With the terms of the National Assembly as well as the provincial assemblies in Sindh and Balochistan are moving closer to expiration within the next two months the Election Commission Pakistan ECP is making preparations for the general elections scheduled to take place in October Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja was briefed about the preparations for the upcoming general elections According to sources Raja was informed that the procurement of papers for necessary election material and ballot papers had been completed and its storage had been ensured Moreover the draft of listing of polling stations had also been prepared which will be forwarded to returning officers immediately after the notification As per law the last date of registration exclusion and verification of voters is July 13 The ECP has also initiated an awareness campaign and has been on constant contact with the National Database Regulatory Authority for printing and distribution of electoral rolls procurement of papers for polling material and ballots completed Analysts say that the current coalition government is now ready to go through with the elections after its arch rival Imran Khan and his party Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI have been stripped of fits political standing after May 9 violence The road for the current government to retain its power and reinstall a coalition setup is clear now Imran Khan was the biggest threat to the government Now that his party is broken and his political status has been weakened to the extreme the government has no problems or challenges in sight to form another coalition government with its partners said Javed Siddique a senior political analyst It was previously debated that the government was inclined towards delaying the general elections as it feared losing in the electoral process due to the strong political challenge posed by Khan and his party IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-enters-election-mode-poll-body-starts-preps-439380.html Wed, 21 Jun 2023 00:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/iran-repatriates-nearly-14-000-afghans-in-9-days-439416.html Tehran June 21 Nearly 13876 Afghan nationals living illegally in Iran were repatriated to their home country through Irans northeastern border crossing over the past nine days media reported The move aimed to counter the illegal presence of foreign nationals in Iran IRIB news agency report quoted Majid Shoja the border police commander of the northeastern Iranian province of Khorasan Razavi as saying on Tuesday Shoja called on foreign nationals to enter Iran through official and legal gateways lest they should face serious legal actions Xinhua news agency reported According to Afghanistans Ministry of Refugees more than 60000 Afghan refugees have reportedly returned home from Iran since January and over 25 million registered Afghan refugees reportedly have been living in Iran IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/iran-repatriates-nearly-14-000-afghans-in-9-days-439416.html Wed, 21 Jun 2023 03:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/china-railways-to-handle-71-mn-passenger-trips-during-dragon-boat-festival-439722.html Beijing June 21 The China State Railway Group Co Ltd on Wednesday announced that around 71 million trips will be made until Sunday during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday In a statement the Group said that on an average the daily railway trips will reach 142 million reports Xinhua news agency The passenger flow will peak on Thursday with about 16 million railway trips expected to be made Chinas railways are maximising their transportation potential and increasing capacity to satisfy peoples travel needs while improving service quality to ensure that passengers have better experiences the Group said The Dragon Boat Festival also called Duanwu Festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar The holiday is celebrated by holding dragon boat races and eating sticky rice dumplings called zongzi IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/china-railways-to-handle-71-mn-passenger-trips-during-dragon-boat-festival-439722.html Wed, 21 Jun 2023 23:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-pashtun-leader-ali-wazir-arrested-in-north-waziristan-439063.html Islamabad June 19 Pakistan lawmaker Mohsin Dawar has sought a comprehensive inquiry into the abduction of fellow MNA Ali Wazir who he said was arrested by the authorities in North Waziristan on Monday and taken to an undisclosed location media reports said Dawar raised these concerns during a National Assembly session chaired by Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf Dawn reported Speaker sahib early morning today we received information that our MNA Ali Wazir was arrested near a checkpost in North Waziristan he said claiming that there is no clue regarding his whereabouts the report said Dawar said Alis companions who were with him at the time of his arrest were also unaware of the latters location Apparently according to what is being run on social media Wazir was arrested in North Waziristan but a case against him has been registered at the Federal Investigation Agencys cybercrime circle in Peshawar he told the Speaker adding that the law and the Constitution had ceased to exist in the country Dawn reported Dawar also requested the Speaker to initiate a probe into Wazirs arrest and determine his whereabouts He highlighted that the National Assembly had recently passed a law which required the Speakers approval prior to arresting a lawmaker The session is underway but permission was not taken from the Speaker this means that this was not an arrest but abduction Dawar said Separately Dawar said in a tweet that Wazirs arrest shows that there is no rule of law in the country Dawn reported He has been abducted His whereabouts remain unknown Speaker NA was not notified of his arrest he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-pashtun-leader-ali-wazir-arrested-in-north-waziristan-439063.html Tue, 20 Jun 2023 06:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/taliban-pushes-for-resumption-of-pakistan-ttp-talks-439066.html Kabul June 19 There is a renewed push by the Afghan Taliban to restart talks between Pakistani officials and the banned TehreekeTaliban Pakistan TTP as a delegation of tribal elders reportedly met the TTP chief Though there was no official confirmation from either side sources claim that the tribal delegation recently met TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud The meeting was part of efforts to explore possibility of resumption talks that were called off in November last year Express Tribune reported A senior Pakistani official however said there was no change in the government policy We are no longer seeking talks with the TTP the official added while requesting anonymity However the official said Pakistan had laid down a clear condition TTP will have to surrender first for any dialogue Another official who deals with Afghanistan expresses complete ignorance to the reported meeting between Pakistan and the TTP Express Tribune reported Despite Pakistans refusal to peace talks the Afghan Taliban continue to push for the rapprochement Afghan Interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi during his visit to Islamabad in May advocated the dialogue with the TTP despite being told that Islamabad was not interested in talks Officials here said that given the previous rounds of talks Pakistan would not speak directly to the TTP If there were any talks in the future those would be conducted through the Afghan Taliban Express Tribune reported The TTP issue has emerged a major stumbling block between Pakistan and the interim Afghan government Pakistan was disappointed with the Afghan Taliban for not taking care of its security interests by sheltering the TTP There is a feeling in Islamabad that the Afghan Taliban would never use force against the TTP as they are ideological cousins IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/taliban-pushes-for-resumption-of-pakistan-ttp-talks-439066.html Tue, 20 Jun 2023 06:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistans-premium-motor-company-shuts-down-plants-amid-new-import-policy-439331.html By Hamza Ameer Islamabad June 20 The Pak Suzuki Motor Company Ltd has announced to shut down of its motorcycle and fourwheeler plants from June 22 to July 8 due to a shortage of parts and accessories due to a new mechanism introduced by the central bank of taking prior approval for all imports adversely affecting the clearance of consignments and inventory levels The company said that the new import policy introduced by State Bank of Pakistan SBP making it mandatory to take prior approval of the import of completely knockeddown kits has had a major impact on the inventory levels of the company Pak Suzuki is also suffering to major losses in terms of its production and sales as it recorded a steep fall of at least 54 per cent from at least 134270 units to 62354 units in 11MFY23 in the same period during the last fiscal year During the same period of the last fiscal year the imports stood at 155 billion while during the current fiscal year they have fell by 54 per cent to only 712 million This has also had a negative impact on the autofinancing and outstanding auto loans as they also continued their downward trajectory for the 11th consecutive month As per details the outstanding autoloans plunged to by 9 billion PKR to 300 billion PKR in May 2023 pushing down the total decline in autofinancing by at least 68 billion PKR The increase in the interest rate to 21 per cent from 7 per cent in March following by various measures by central bank to slow down auto financing and demand for fourwheelers is now finally paying off because shrinking sales car assemblies has resulted in heavy unemployment of people both directly of indirectly especially in the vending units said a source in the Pak Suzuki High interest rates prices and production suspension have adversely been affecting autofinancing Current share of autofinancing in total car sales ranges between 12 per cent on contrast to 25 30 per cent during the period of high vehicle demand and low prices said Tahir Abbas Head of Research at Arif Habib Limited The revival of autofinancing activities depends on the resolution of political stability alleviation of dollar crisis and most importantly on the approval of the IMF loan IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistans-premium-motor-company-shuts-down-plants-amid-new-import-policy-439331.html Tue, 20 Jun 2023 20:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-to-hand-over-karachi-port-terminals-to-uae-439341.html Karachi June 20 Pakistan has constituted a negotiation committee to finalise a deal with the United Arab Emirates UAE for handing over the Karachi port terminals This move may mark the first intergovernmental transaction under a law enacted last year to raise emergency funds The Express Tribune reported Finance Minister Ishaq Dar chaired the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on InterGovernmental Commercial Transactions The cabinet committee decided to set up a committee to negotiate a commercial agreement between the Karachi Port Trust KPT and the UAE government according to the decision The negotiation committee has also been permitted to finalise a draft operation maintenance investment and development agreement under the governmenttogovernment arrangements with a nominated agency of the UAE for handing over the Karachi port terminals The negotiation committee set up to finalise a framework agreement will be headed by the Minister for Maritime Affairs Faisal Sabzwari The committee members include the additional secretaries of Finance and Foreign Affairs the special assistant to PM Jehanzeb Khan the Chairman of the Karachi Port Terminal KPT and the general managers of the KPT Pakistan aims to reach a deal to hand over the terminals to Abu Dhabi Ports ADP a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Ports Group The UAE government had shown interest in acquiring the Karachi port terminals that were under the administrative control of the Pakistan International Containers Terminals PICT last year The Express Tribune reported Abu Dhabi Ports part of AD Ports Group owns or operates 10 ports and terminals in the UAE Last year the coalition government enacted the Intergovernmental Commercial Transactions Act aimed at selling state assets on a fasttrack basis to raise funds The country is in dire need of additional money after its deal with the International Monetary Fund has lapsed IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-to-hand-over-karachi-port-terminals-to-uae-439341.html Tue, 20 Jun 2023 21:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/1-043-people-killed-in-sl-road-accidents-this-year-439350.html Colombo June 20 A total of 8875 road accidents were reported in Sri Lanka so far this year resulting in the loss of 1043 lives Transport Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna said The majority of vehicles involved in these accidents were buses motorcycles and threewheelers Xinhua news agency quoted the Minister as saying A collaborative action plan has been initiated to reduce the number of accidents The Minister said a pilot program was launched on May 18 in the Western Province to identify drivers operating vehicles while under the influence of alcohol or drugs Last week a total of 1781 drivers suspected of driving under the influence of drugs were tested in the Western Province the state minister said Some 19740 road accidents were reported in Sri Lanka in 2022 killing 2485 people according to the police IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/1-043-people-killed-in-sl-road-accidents-this-year-439350.html Tue, 20 Jun 2023 22:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bangladesh-launches-campaign-to-distribute-vitamin-a-capsules-to-22mn-kids-439009.html Dhaka June 19 Bangladesh has launched a nationwide campaign to distribute vitamin A capsules to around 22 million children between six months and five years of age A total of 40000 health workers have been deployed to over 100000 permanent and makeshift centres across the country to make the campaign a success reports Xinhua news agency Parents were seen to take their kids to the centres in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country since Sunday morning to get the vitamin A capsules Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque had earlier said the governments target is to distribute capsules to around 22 million children across the country He said such campaigns contributed immensely to the governments efforts in reducing night blindness and the risk of child deaths from diseases such as measles and diarrhoea Bangladesh conducts vitamin Aplus campaign twice a year and places great emphasis on it IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bangladesh-launches-campaign-to-distribute-vitamin-a-capsules-to-22mn-kids-439009.html Tue, 20 Jun 2023 00:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/7-dead-over-70-injured-in-rain-related-incidents-in-pakistan-439265.html Islamabad June 20 At least seven people were killed and over 70 others injured in rainrelated incidents during the last 24 hours in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province as authorities have forecasted more thunderstorms and rain The National Disaster Management Authority of the country said that another spell of thunderstorms and rain is expected in the province by Tuesday morning reports Xinhua news agency According to official sources at least five people were killed and 67 others were wounded in the Bannu division of the province while two people were killed and five others were injured in Peshawar Commissioner of Bannu division of the province Pervaiz Sabatkhel told media that heavy rains coupled with strong winds lashed three districts of the division starting from Sunday afternoon The official said that the administration personnel including rescuers and medics had been on alert and teams were sent to the affected areas to provide available resources for quick relief to the calamityhit people Torrential rains along with strong winds also damaged several houses besides causing urban flooding and disruption in the communication system in the region On June 10 at least 27 people were killed and 145 others were wounded in the province during the first spell of powerful windstorms heavy rain and hailstones IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/7-dead-over-70-injured-in-rain-related-incidents-in-pakistan-439265.html Tue, 20 Jun 2023 17:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/torrential-rain-batter-several-chinese-provinces-439011.html Beijing June 19 Torrential rain have battered several provinces in China with local authorities launching emergency responses for disaster prevention From 8 am on Sunday to 8 am on Monday the Hubei province the Jianghan Plain and the southern northeast of Hubei experienced heavy rain Xinhua news agency quoted authorities as saying Affected by recent strong rainfall the water level of 611 reservoirs in Hubei exceeded the flood limit level as of 8 am on Monday Currently all of them have released floodwaters normally Hubei activated a Level IV emergency response for flood control on June 17 China has a fourtier floodcontrol emergency response system with Level I being the most severe The office is supervising and advising local authorities in areas with concentrated rainfall to do their best to brace for disasters such as floods flash floods landslides mudrock flows and urban and rural waterlogging From Sunday to Monday seven observation stations in five counties and districts in southwestGuizhou province saw excessive rain with the precipitation in Pingba District reaching 3124 mm according to the provincial meteorological bureau In addition 30 counties and districts in Guizhou have experienced heavy rain The bureau raised its emergency response for meteorological disasters from Level IV to Level III on Sunday afternoon IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/torrential-rain-batter-several-chinese-provinces-439011.html Tue, 20 Jun 2023 00:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/key-pti-leader-criticises-imrans-strategy-439278.html Islamabad June 20 Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI senior leader Asad Umar said his party is a political reality that polled 168 million votes but the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement PDM coalition made it to Parliament with 225 million votes and it was a big mistake not to negotiate with them Talking to a private TV channel he remarked that blaming some personalities of an institution means blaming not only that institution but also the entire nation he said adding that May 9 was a wakeup call and everyone must take two steps back The News reported I do not agree with the current strategy of the PTI chairman he said I have no intention of doing politics in any other party except the PTI The vote bank belongs only to Imran Khan and not to any other party leader If Imran Khan himself decides to be minus then maybe the party will disappear Umar said those who are telling Khan what he is doing is excellent and that he has to stand his ground have in fact no good intentions for the PTI chairman The News reported In decisionmaking senior political leadership was ignored he said We should have taken the election date that the government was giving us Umar said that around 80 per cent of PTI MNAs were against resignations There was a meeting in which Khan was not present but almost all the senior leadership of the party was present and everyone except Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the proposed election date should be accepted The News reported I take no responsibly for this crisis within the party In my opinion Imran Khan should prepare himself for modification in his current stance The people decide the future of a leader Umar said adding that it does not mean that a leader who has committed a crime should be forgiven he must be punished The News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/key-pti-leader-criticises-imrans-strategy-439278.html Tue, 20 Jun 2023 18:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/hundreds-of-pakistanis-dead-in-greece-migrant-boat-disaster-438826.html Karachi June 19 More than 300 Pakistani nationals have been killed in the capsized of a packed trawler off the coast of Greece the latest tragedy to expose the refugee crisis confronting the European Union EU as tens of thousands seek sanctuary from war persecution and poverty The chairman of Pakistans Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani disclosed the numbers in a statement CNN reported Greek authorities have yet to confirm Pakistans death toll Pakistan is in the midst of its worst economic crisis in decades The number of Pakistanis traversing dangerous routes to Europe in search of a better future has reverberated through the nation prompting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to declare Monday a national day of mourning for those who died in the boats sinking CNN reported In a tweet he ordered a highlevel inquiry into the incident I assure the nation that those found negligent towards their duty will be held to account Responsibility will be fixed after the inquiry and heads will roll Sharif wrote About 750 men women and children were on the boat when it capsized last week the UN Migration Agency IOM said killing hundreds and making the tragedy one of the worst in the Mediterranean Sea according to the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson The tragedy has shone a spotlight on the EUs refugee crisis in which every year tens of thousands of migrants fleeing war persecution climate change and poverty risk treacherous routes to Europe Johansson condemned the role of smugglers who put people on the boats CNN reported They are not sending them to Europe they are sending them to death This is what theyre doing and its absolutely necessary to prevent it she said IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/hundreds-of-pakistanis-dead-in-greece-migrant-boat-disaster-438826.html Mon, 19 Jun 2023 13:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/indian-navy-submarine-vagir-arrives-in-colombo-438829.html Colombo June 19 To commemorate the 9th International Day of Yoga under the theme of Global Ocean Ring the Indian Navy submarine Vagir arrived in Colombo on Monday Vagir is the latest indigenous Kalvariclass submarine of the Indian Navy Undertaking an operational visit from Monday to Thursday he submarine will be open for visitors including school children The High Commission of India in coordination with Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre in Colombo has organised a grand event at Colombo Port to celebrate the International Day of Yoga on Wednesday with participation of senior defence hierarchy and personnel from navies of the two neighbouring nations The Indian Navy is participating in the 9th edition of International Day of Yoga with the unique initiative of performing Yoga on selected ports across the world forming a Global Ocean Ring Connecting people the world over in a common pursuit of wellness IDY 2023 resonates with the theme of Indias ongoing presidency of the G20 Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam or One Earth One Family One Future the High Commission said in a statement Indian naval ships Delhi Sukanya Kiltan and Savitri visited Colombo and Trincomalee earlier this year during which yoga sessions were organised with the Sri Lankan Navy Also in June the Sri Lankan Armed Forces participated in the threeday yoga workshop across five cities which was organized by Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre Visits by Indian Navy ships and submarines in Sri Lanka aim to foster brotherhood and togetherness between the two neighbouring navies in keeping with the Indias vision of Neighbourhood First policy and Security and Growth for all in the Region SAGAR the High Commission added Meanwhile Pakistan Naval Ship PNS Tippu Sultan a Tariqclass destroyer which is on a visit to Sri Lanka will leave on Tuesday The 1341 m long warship which is manned by a crew of 168 arrived at the Port of Colombo on a formal visit on Sunday and it is now engaged in a Passage Exercise PASSEX with the Sri Lankan Navy ship off Colombo The Sri Lankan Navy said that during the ships stay the crew would take part in several programmes with a view to promoting cooperation and goodwill between two navies They are also expected to visit some of the tourist attractions in the country as well IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/indian-navy-submarine-vagir-arrives-in-colombo-438829.html Mon, 19 Jun 2023 14:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/dollar-crunch-to-force-import-suspension-of-eatables-drinks-in-pak-438887.html Islamabad June 19 Owing to the nonavailability of US dollars commercial importers in Pakistan have announced to stop the import of all eatables and drinks from June 25 According to a statement issued by Karachi Wholesale Grocers Association Secretary Farhat Siddique all banks have refused to provide them with dollars The News reported Monday After a thorough discussion the association decided that importers should inform their indenters that no shipment should be dispatched after June 25 The importers are only responsible for the clearance of goods that have reached the port or are on the way No shipment would be cleared that was dispatched after June 25 The association lamented that due to lack of foreign currency thousands of containers are stuck at the port and they are paying fines and other charges on them The statement said the State Bank of Pakistan SBP is not providing the muchneeded foreign exchange and its policies are extremely harmful to the countrys economy The News reported Left with barely enough foreign exchange reserves to cover one months imports the coalition government is desperately trying to manage a balance of payments crisis and bring inflation under control after it hit a record of nearly 38 per cent last month The dollar crunch restrictions on imports and delay in opening letters of credit have severely affected several sectors of the country as none of them met the growth targets set for the fiscal year 202223 IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/dollar-crunch-to-force-import-suspension-of-eatables-drinks-in-pak-438887.html Mon, 19 Jun 2023 17:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lanka-grants-over-100-ev-import-permits-to-migrant-workers-438709.html Colombo June 18 Sri Lankas Labour and Foreign Employment Ministry said on Sunday that it has granted 111 electric vehicle EV import permits under a new programme designed to facilitate Sri Lankan migrant workers in remitting foreign exchange to the country through official and legal channels Appearing on TV Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara emphasised that this initiative is part of several measures introduced by the Ministry to benefit migrant workers who send the foreign exchange to Sri Lanka via authorised remittance transfer banks or agencies Since May 2022 the Ministry has been issuing EV import permits to eligible migrant workers as part of these benefits Nanayakkara said The scheme allows the importing of electric cars motorcycles and scooters depending on the amount of foreign exchange the workers send Xinhua news agency reported He added that the first round of permit applications will remain open until the end of September and that only fully electric vehicles are eligible for importing under this programme Nanayakkara also highlighted the substantial increase in remittances from migrant workers in 2023 which amounted to 23 billion in JanuaryMay with an average monthly rate of more than 400 million This figure represents a significant rise compared to the corresponding period in the previous year he said Sri Lanka banned the import of most vehicles in 2020 Workers remittances have been a key pillar of Sri Lankas foreign currency earnings providing a substantial cushion against the trade deficit and thereby enhancing the resilience of the countrys external sector according to the countrys central bank IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lanka-grants-over-100-ev-import-permits-to-migrant-workers-438709.html Mon, 19 Jun 2023 00:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sls-domestic-debt-optimisation-strategy-not-finalised-yet-438734.html Colombo June 19 Sri Lankas State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe cautioned against premature speculation regarding domestic debt optimisation emphasising that a strategy for optimisation has not yet been finalised Speaking to media in Colombo Semasinghe stressed the governments commitment to ensuring the stability of the banking and financial sector Xinhua news agency reported He urged responsible and diligent discussions on the matter as premature speculations could potentially undermine market confidence Semasinghe highlighted the progress made in engaging with bilateral creditors for debt restructuring efforts The state minister expressed optimism that these engagements would lead to favourable agreements that contribute to overall stability Central Bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe also reassured the public about the safeguarding of public bank deposits and the stability of the banking system in any reorganisation of domestic debt Addressing a public forum Weerasinghe emphasised that financial sector stability was a key objective of the central bank and measures would be taken to ensure the protection of public deposits and the overall stability of the banking system IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sls-domestic-debt-optimisation-strategy-not-finalised-yet-438734.html Mon, 19 Jun 2023 02:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bangladesh-iom-call-for-urgent-action-on-climate-migration-438995.html Dhaka June 19 Bangladesh and the International Organization for Migration IOM on Monday called for united and urgent action on the issue of climateinduced migration during a policy dialogue held here Speaking as the chief guest Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said that the international community cannot afford to remain oblivious to the issue of climate migrants reports Xinhua news agency The number of Bangladeshis displaced by the impacts of climate change could reach 133 million by 2050 making it the countrys numberone driver of internal migration according to the World Bank Bangladeshs Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the government has begun mainstreaming climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction into its development planning frameworks Ugochi Daniels IOMs deputy director general for operations said the IOM works as a convening agency for climate migration as reflected in the agencys Institutional Strategy on Migration Environment and Climate Change 20212030 IOM is strongly committed to developing solutions for people impacted by climate change including people on the move people seeking to move and those seeking to stay Daniels said IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bangladesh-iom-call-for-urgent-action-on-climate-migration-438995.html Mon, 19 Jun 2023 23:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/blinken-meets-top-chinese-diplomat-wang-yi-in-beijing-438745.html Beijing June 19 As part of efforts to improve strained relations between the two largest economies visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi in Beijing on Monday The meeting is currently underway at the capital citys Diaoyutai State Guesthouse a lavish estate typically used to host visiting dignitaries reports the BBC Blinken is the first Secretary of State to travel to China in five years as well as the most senior official making the visit since President Joe Biden took office in early 2021 It is however unclear if Blinken will meet President Xi Jinping According to a State Department official Blinkens primary goal in China is to reestablish channels of communication especially direct militarytomilitary communication between Washington and Beijing reports CNN Upon his arrival in Beijing on Sunday the Secretary of State met Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang who took up the post six months ago after ending a stint as Beijings Ambassador to Washington Blinken and Qin shook hands in front of reporters at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse on Sunday afternoon their first inperson meeting in their current positions CNN reported During the meeting which lasted for more than five hours Blinken invited Qin to visit Washington and the invitation was accepted State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said in a readout of the meeting The Secretary invited Foreign Minister Qin to Washington to continue discussions and they agreed to schedule a reciprocal visit at a mutually suitable time Miller said adding that Blinken had emphasised the importance of diplomacy and maintaining channels of communication across the full range of issues to reduce the risk of misperception or miscalculation Blinken also expressed US concerns on a number of fronts and opportunities to work together with China where interests align Miller said US officials who took part in the meeting included Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink and US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns On the Chinese side Qin was accompanied by other Foreign Ministry officials including Assistant Foreign Minister Hua Chunying Besides his meeting with Wang on Monday Blinken is also scheduled to hold roundtable talks with American exchange students and business leaders The Biden administrations relationship with Beijing is one of its most complicated and consequential and one that has seen months of strain including two militaryrelated incidents in recent weeks Biden and Xi met in person for the first time as presidents on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Indonesia last November Blinkens trip which had been announced by Biden and Xi after their meeting was originally scheduled to happen in February and had been seen as a key followon engagement However it was postponed after the discovery of a suspected Chinese spy balloon transiting the US which Blinken said at the time created the conditions that undermine the purpose of the trip IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/blinken-meets-top-chinese-diplomat-wang-yi-in-beijing-438745.html Mon, 19 Jun 2023 08:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pml-n-to-win-elections-with-thumping-majority-maryam-nawaz-438562.html Lahore June 18 Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz PMLN Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz said the party would win the upcoming general elections with a thumping majority media reported She added the party was fully prepared to go to the elections and would emerge as an effective parliamentary force They felicitated the party leadership over successful holding of the General Council meeting in Islamabad and also congratulated Maryam on being elected the Chief Organiser of PMLN They also expressed confidence in the leadership of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz Maryam said the PMLN candidates would go to the elections with full preparation adding that policies and guideline of Nawaz Sharif would be followed The News reported She called upon the party workers to start people contact campaign Meanwhile Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif has summoned a meeting of PMLN leaders in London According to party sources Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif federal ministers and other leaders will participate in the London meeting The matters related to the possible date for next election political situation of the country and other issues will come under discussion in the meeting Consultations will also be made in connection with the return of Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan before the general election The News reported Party sources claimed consultation will also be made on possible seattoseat adjustment with PDM and other allied parties in the meeting Maryam Nawaz and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah will present to Nawaz Sharif lists of prospective candidates of the party from Pakistans Punjab IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pml-n-to-win-elections-with-thumping-majority-maryam-nawaz-438562.html Sun, 18 Jun 2023 14:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/mine-blast-kills-1-in-afghanistan-438608.html Maidan Shar Afghanistan June 18 One person was killed as a mine left over from past wars exploded in Afghanistans eastern Wardak province a provincial police officer said on Sunday On Saturday afternoon an Afghan street worker was collecting garbage on the streets of Maidan Shar city capital of Wardak province when an explosive device hidden among trash exploded killing the man on the spot the official said as quoted by Xinhua news agency report A similar accident claimed the life of a child and injured two others in Afghanistans western Ghor province last Monday IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/mine-blast-kills-1-in-afghanistan-438608.html Sun, 18 Jun 2023 17:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khan-sister-summoned-in-land-corruption-scandal-438660.html Lahore June 18 The AntiCorruption Establishment ACE of Pakistans Punjab has summoned the Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Chairman Imran Khan his sister Uzma Khan and her husband Ahad Majeed in the Layyah land corruption case media reported According to a notification issued by the spokesperson the PTI chief has been asked to appear before the ACE headquarters on June 19 whereas Uzma and her husband have been asked to present themselves before the ACE Director General Earlier Imran was summoned by the ACE on June 16 but he did not appear before it The summon was affixed at Imrans Lahore Zaman Park residence The spokesperson maintained that the ACE had clear evidence of Imrans involvement in the Layyah corruption scandal adding that pressure was exerted on revenue officials from Bani Gala Imrans residence in Islamabad for illegal transfer of land Express Tribune reported Uzma is accused of alleged fraud in purchase of 5261kanal of land in Layyah district reportedly worth billions of rupees for a mere Rs 130 million The ACE said that an FIR had been registered against the couple According to the spokesperson the land was bought in 202122 through fraud adding that Uzma and Majeed made a fake transfer of the land on their names He said the marker value of the land was about Rs six billion The purchase he added was made when the ADB announced aid for the Greater Thal Canal project which aimed at irrigating the barren lands through Thal canal The spokesperson said Uzma had prior knowledge of the project so the couple forced the landowner to sell it to them He added that the land owners had filed complaints against Uzma and others to the police for forcibly buying the land Express Tribune reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khan-sister-summoned-in-land-corruption-scandal-438660.html Sun, 18 Jun 2023 20:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/14-killed-20-injured-in-bus-crash-in-pakistan-438452.html Islamabad June 18 At least 14 people were killed and over 20 others injured when a passenger bus turned turtle in Chakwal district of Pakistans eastern Punjab province on Saturday police officers said The accident took place on the motorway near Kallar Kahar area of the district when the driver of the bus lost control of the vehicle due to brake failure leading to the tragic crash Deputy Inspector General of National Highways and Motorway Police Muhammad Yusuf Malik was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency At least five women and three children are among the people who have lost their lives in the accident the officer said adding that the bus was on its way to Lahore the provincial capital of Punjab from the federal capital Islamabad when it met the accident Upon receiving the information police and rescue workers reached the site and shifted the injured to a nearby hospital where several passengers were said to be in critical condition Taking notice of the accident Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives He sought a detailed report of the accident and directed authorities concerned to provide the best medical facilities to the injured IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/14-killed-20-injured-in-bus-crash-in-pakistan-438452.html Sun, 18 Jun 2023 06:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khan-would-never-be-a-key-player-in-national-politics-again-pak-minister-438368.html Islamabad June 17 Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has said that Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Chairman Imran Khan would never be a key player in national politics again hinting at his disqualification Embattled Khan faces a slew of cases from terrorism to murder since his ouster in April last year through a noconfidence vote was able to hit back at the government Geo News reported But after the May 9 riots when he was arrested and his party workers resorted to extreme violence the authorities began clamping down on his party with scores of leaders parting ways with the PTI He is a miscreant He brought indecency into politics the minister slammed the PTI chief for his tirade against the ruling coalition Geo News reported Sanaullah claimed that if PTI thinks its vote bank has increased postMay 9 it is living in a fantasy The people have seen their real faces Hes a scourge upon the nation whose only agenda is to cause destruction in the country When the authorities began arresting PTI workers for their alleged involvement in vandalism the party called it political victimisation with Khan vowing that come what may he would win the next elections Geo News reported Sanaullah said that the PTI chief had induced hatred in the youth Now every sensible person is wellaware about his plans to spread chaos In reference to PTI President Parvez Elahi he said it is common practice to shift prisoners from jail to hospital when they are in pain PTI has been claiming that Elahi is unwell and is being denied his rights His wife also claims the same and said that the manner in which Elahi was treated in the jail is very painful But Sanaullah refuted the allegations IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khan-would-never-be-a-key-player-in-national-politics-again-pak-minister-438368.html Sat, 17 Jun 2023 22:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/life-returns-to-normal-as-cyclone-biparjoy-largely-spares-pakistan-438169.html Islamabad June 17 Authorities in Pakistans Sindh said that normal activities can resume from Saturday as the threat of cyclone Biparjoy in the Arabian Sea off the coasts of the province has been averted after it weakened it into a cyclonic storm In a statement late Friday Muhammad Iqbal Memon the commissioner of Karachi said that all halted exams and educational activities can be resumed on Saturday as the threat of cyclonic danger has reduced reports Xinhua news agency The storm is still 145 km from Pakistan and the wind speed is 80 to 90 kmhour the NDMA added Talking to the media the countrys Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman said that there had been heavy rainfall in several areas of Sindh but no loss of life was reported due to precautionary measures taken by the government before the impact of the cyclone hit the province She added that several coastal areas were inundated by high sea levels but most people had been evacuated to safe areas so it did not harm anyone However the Pakistan Meteorological Department said in its advisory that despite the cyclone has been weakened people should still take precautionary measures and refrain from visiting the seaside as the sea conditions can be rough The weather office also alerted fishermen to avoid venturing out into the open sea until the system was over by Saturday The department also forecasted heavy rains coupled with 80100 kmhour winds in coastal areas till Saturday IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/life-returns-to-normal-as-cyclone-biparjoy-largely-spares-pakistan-438169.html Sat, 17 Jun 2023 09:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/shehbaz-says-nawaz-sharif-to-be-pak-pm-for-4th-time-438212.html Islamabad June 17 Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his brother PMLN supremo Nawaz Sharif would become premier for the fourth time after returning home The PMLN Central General Council reelected Shehbaz as party president for another four years in intraparty elections at a meeting here reports The News After his reelection Shehbaz said he would hand over PMLN presidentship to Nawaz Sharif once he returned home Shehbaz said Nawaz Sharif was the builder of modern Pakistan who eliminated energy shortages and laid down a network of roads built infrastructure and developed agriculture industry and other vital sectors of the economy during his tenure Addressing the meeting the premier said that he was waiting for his elder brother who has been in selfimposed exile in London since November 2019 owing to health reasons to return to Pakistan and then hold the party meeting so he could hand over the PMLNs presidentship back to him Geo News reported The election commissions sword was hanging which is why this meeting was held the Prime Minister added Shehbaz was given the PMLNs presidency after his predecessor Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court and barred from holding any party office He also said that the PMLN needed young leadership and commended Maryam Nawaz for her hard work You will see that the map of politics will change when Nawaz Sharif returns to Pakistan Shehbaz said Coming to his governance he once again reminded the workers that his government took charge at a time when they did not get roses but thorns Geo News reported Inflation has broken the back of the people oil prices were touching the sky The coalition government decided together that we would face the tough times he said adding that in the upcoming budget the government increased the salaries of employees and pensions IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/shehbaz-says-nawaz-sharif-to-be-pak-pm-for-4th-time-438212.html Sat, 17 Jun 2023 12:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/foreign-powers-want-pak-to-default-like-sri-lanka-fm-ishaq-dar-438033.html Islamabad June 16 Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar continued with his contradictory approach with the International Monetary Fund IMF alleging that geopolitics was behind a stalled loan programme as global institutions wanted Islamabad to default like Sri Lanka and then enter negotiations Testifying before the Senates standing committee on finance he once again stressed that the country would meet its obligations with or without the Funds bailout package Dawn news reported He said no reason had been given by the IMF for the unnecessary delay behind the ninth review which has been pending since November 2022 IMF or no IMF Pakistan will not default he added Dar made it clear that Pakistan is a sovereign country and cannot accept everything the IMF demands The News reported He said that as a sovereign country Islamabad should have the right to give some tax concessions The IMF wants us not to give tax concessions in any sector he added About the widespread rumours of default the Minister claimed that geopolitics was aimed at forcing Pakistan to default Foreign hostile elements want Pakistan to turn into another Sri Lanka and then the IMF will negotiate with Islamabad Dar alleged However he made it clear Pakistan would not become another Sri Lanka at all The News reported He said the Chinese understand that politics is being played with Pakistan so they rolled over deposits and refinanced the commercial loans Earlier they were also hesitant on moving ahead he noted IMF or no IMF there are difficulties but we will manage he claimed The IMF he said was delaying the revival of the programme and wasting time There are no valid reasons for delaying the 9th Review of the IMF and the Fund staff approach is nonprofessional he said and added that he had categorically refused to share the budgetary details with the IMF without completion of the pending 9th Review However when the prime minister instructed him after a telephonic conversation with the IMF MD then he had to share the budgetary framework The News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/foreign-powers-want-pak-to-default-like-sri-lanka-fm-ishaq-dar-438033.html Fri, 16 Jun 2023 17:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-braces-for-cyclone-biparjoys-landfall-437788.html By Hamza Ameer Karachi June 15 Pakistan is on the highest alert for disaster management response rescue and evacuation measures as the very severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy is set to make landfall on Thursday evening Authorities have remained on high alert since the past 24 hours as emergency evacuation of thousands of families gains pace Biparjoy is showing some sings of slowing down in pace and also took an expected curve moving away from the countrys Sindh provinces provincial capital Karachi However the expected areas to get the first hit of the landfall are Keti Bandar Badin and Thatta According to the Pakistan Meteorological Departments PMD the expected time for the cyclone landfall along with the wind speed also loosing some pace as it has fallen from 170 km per hour to about 120 to 140 kms per hour Cyclone Biparjoy has slowed down but core remains intense It will not make a landfall before nightfall now said Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman The cyclone was expected to landfall between Keti Bandar and Indias Gujarat by evening the PMD said As per the latest update the cyclone is about 210 km from Karachi at least 225 km south of Thatta and about 145 km Southsouthwest of Keti Bandar Pakistan Army Rangers and rescue authorities have evacuated over 200000 people so far Rehman said that at least 72000 people have been evacuated in the last 72 hours adding that there is a possibility of another cyclone during July as well The widespread winddustthunderstorm and heavy rain was likely in Sindhs Thatta Sujawal Badin Tharparkar Mirpurkhas and Umerkot districts from June 15 to 17 a PMD alert said Sea conditions along Sindh coast may get very roughhigh and roughvery rough along Balochistan coast While authorities remain on tenterhooks as it braces to witness the landfall of Biparjoy the estimates of the intensity of the cyclone remains unpredictable and unstable Directions of the cyclone were changing every hour Its landfall period is variable and has moved further between June 1516 We have at least 17 stations monitoring it said Rehman Biparjoy was the most monitored storm in the world right now Moreover amid looming threat of the cyclone heavy rainfall forecast flight operations at Karachi Hyderabad Nawabshah Sukkur have been directed to be suspended if the air pressure crosses the threshold of 30 nautical knots IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-braces-for-cyclone-biparjoys-landfall-437788.html Fri, 16 Jun 2023 00:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/chinese-graduates-go-viral-with-pictures-of-misery-amid-jobs-anxiety-437821.html Beijing June 15 As millions of young people in China graduate from university this month the traditional pictures of joyful students throwing their hats and gowns into the air have been replaced by photos of them lying on the ground or throwing their degree certificates into the bin the media reported Some photos show students draping themselves over bridges or park benches in poses of dejection In others students lie face down on stairs or in grassy fields The Guardian reported The pictures which have been going viral on social media allude to the fact that 116 million students are about to enter a difficult jobs market for young people On Thursday youth unemployment hit a record high for the second consecutive month as the economys postCovid growth spurt faded The unemployment rate for Chinese people between the ages of 16 and 24 rose to 208 per cent up from 204 per cent in April the National Bureau of Statistics said The Guardian reported University was once an elite pursuit but in the past decade enrolment rates have increased as young people saw a degree as a ticket to a better job in Chinas competitive market Between 2012 and 2022 the university enrolment rate rose from 30 per cent to 596 per cent according to the ministry of education But rather than celebrating their degrees many students now joke that their studies were a waste of time One commenter on Douyin a videosharing platform wrote I love this style of graduation photo its very much like my halfdead state of life Many of the photos echo the lying flat trend the trope used by young Chinese people frustrated with the competition of modern life Instead of struggling they opt for lying flat not buying a house not buying a car not getting married and opting for a more passive lowconsumption lifestyle Or in the words of another Douyin user The next step to look forward to is retirement The Guardian reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/chinese-graduates-go-viral-with-pictures-of-misery-amid-jobs-anxiety-437821.html Fri, 16 Jun 2023 03:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/chinese-police-target-prominent-rights-lawyers-with-harassment-travel-bans-437838.html New Delhi June 15 The police in China are keeping up their harassment of prominent rights lawyers putting pressure on recentlyevicted Wang Quanzhang and his family slapping a travel ban on Li Heping and his family while denying rights attorney Xie Yang a phone call with his ailing father a media report said A police officer from the Beijing suburb of Changping pushed his way into the Wang family home on Wednesday refusing to show ID and demanding to read the couples lease agreement according to a video clip posted by Wangs wife Li Wenzu on Twitter RFA reported The renewed harassment is the latest in a slew of stability maintenance actions by Beijing police and other Chinese officials who have targeted the families of prominent rights attorneys and other activists who were previously jailed in a 2015 crackdown on rights lawyers and public interest law firms the report said Meanwhile the family of Li Heping is now banned from leaving China after their landlord smashed a window at their rented apartment in a bid to get them to leave last month RFA reported The police at Chengdus international airport prevented the family from boarding a flight to Thailand last week as Li and his wife Wang Qiaoling are considered to be danger to national security And a court in the central city of Changsha recently denied detained rights lawyer Xie Yang a video meeting with his ailing 90yearold father who is terminally ill with Covid19 RFA reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/chinese-police-target-prominent-rights-lawyers-with-harassment-travel-bans-437838.html Fri, 16 Jun 2023 05:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/social-media-profiles-of-imran-others-sent-to-fia-for-forensics-437843.html Islamabad June 15 The social media profiles of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and other prominent leaders in Pakistan have been shared with the Federal Investigation Agency FIA for forensic test for allegedly sharing controversial content between March 8 and May 9 media reports said A total of 23 links of Instagram Facebook and Twitter have been dispatched to the FIA according to the police Samaa TV reported The police said the links shared are based on the videos and posts of Shah Mahmood Qureshi Murad Saeed and Hammad Azhar A forensic test is being conducted on the videos and posts over allegedly antistate statements contained in the shared links Samaa TV reported The statements of the political leaders will also form part of the JITs final report on the May 9 violence cases the police said They also said that prominent PTI personalities and social media handlers kept sharing allegedly offensive material The forensic reports of the links will be made part of the investigation report The police have alleged that the youth were incited against the state through the use of social media Samaa TV reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/social-media-profiles-of-imran-others-sent-to-fia-for-forensics-437843.html Fri, 16 Jun 2023 05:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/2-miners-killed-35-fainted-due-to-gas-suffocation-in-coalmine-in-afghanistan-437515.html Aybak Afghanistan June 15 Two miners were killed and 35 others fainted due to gas suffocation in a coalmine in DaraeSuf Bala district of Afghanistans northern Samangan province two days ago district chief Mohammad Nasim Khyber Shakan said The gruesome incident took place yesterday evening due to the emission of carbon monoxide gas in a coalmine Khybar Shakan told Xinhua news agency on Wednesday All the fainted miners have been taken to a hospital the official said adding they are recovering Xinhua news agency reported This is the second incident of its kind since Saturday in Afghanistan In a similar incident a coalminer lost his life and another went unconscious due to gas suffocation in a coalmine in Samangans neighbouring Baghlan province on June 10 police said Nonstandard mining poor equipment and unskilled workers to extract the underground treasures often claim the lives of miners in Afghanistan according to Afghans IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/2-miners-killed-35-fainted-due-to-gas-suffocation-in-coalmine-in-afghanistan-437515.html Thu, 15 Jun 2023 04:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/flooding-kills-6-injures-8-in-afghanistan-437779.html Kabul June 15 At least six people have lost their lives and eight others sustained injuries in recent torrential rains and flooding in Afghanistan local media reported on Thursday Thirty homes have been damaged or demolished entirely seven bridges have been wrecked 832 livestock perished and some agricultural areas and orchards have lost their crops Xinhua news agency quoted the local media as saying The provinces affected by heavy rains and flooding include Kunar Nuristan Badakhshan Paktia Takhar Ghor and Parwan Earlier some provinces of the country such as Badakhshan Takhar Baghlan Nuristan Kunar Laghman Parwan and Kapisa received 10 to 25 mm rains as the countrys meteorological department anticipated In May 2022 floods affected several parts of Afghanistan killing 429 people From June to August just as the country was recovering from an earthquake in Khost floods hit again killing 19 in June 39 in July and 182 others in August IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/flooding-kills-6-injures-8-in-afghanistan-437779.html Thu, 15 Jun 2023 23:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/largest-telecom-operator-in-bangladesh-launches-tourist-sim-437781.html Dhaka June 15 Grameenphone the largest telecom operator in Bangladesh has introduced Tourist SIM tailored for shortterm visitors The company held a launch event for the product which enables foreigners entrepreneurs travellers and others to enjoy seamless connectivity without paying excessive roaming and other charges reports Xinhua news agency We are thrilled to share this milestone of introducing the Tourist SIM for the first time in Bangladesh said Yasir Azman chief executive officer of Grameenphone With 8059 million customers at the end of April Grameenphone 558 per cent owned by Norwegian telecom company Telenor and 342 per cent owned by local Grameen Telecom is the largest telecom operator in Bangladesh IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/largest-telecom-operator-in-bangladesh-launches-tourist-sim-437781.html Thu, 15 Jun 2023 23:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/cyclone-biparjoy-paks-sindh-province-prepared-for-the-worst-437584.html Karachi June 15 As the very severe cyclonic storm Biparjoy is set to make landfall in Pakistan and India on Thursday authorities in Sindh province are prepared for the worst with tens of thousands of people being evacuated to safer areas The Pakistan Meteorological Departments PMD latest advisory released on Wednesday night showed that Biparjoy had moved northeastwards during the past six hours reports Dawn news Late on Wednesday night the cyclone lay at about 310 km south of Karachi 300 km southsouthwest of Thatta and 240 km southsouthwest of Keti Bandar The cyclone is likely to reduce its strength after hitting the land but the PMD has asked fishermen not to venture into the open sea until Saturday Addressing reporters Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman warned that both thunder and rainstorms were expected to occur which could cause substantial damage Dawn news reported She urged people especially in Karachi to refrain from dabbling in disaster tourism and going to the beach to witness the storm and called on them to cooperate with authorities The Minister also informed that 75 relief camps had been set up to accommodate those who were evacuated and most of them were places with stable roofs such as schools and colleges Driven by winds of around 100 to 120 km per hour and a huge cloud mass spanning over 200 to 300 km over the sea Biparjoy is projected to make landfall between Keti Bandar in Sindh and Indias Gujarats coast on Thursday evening posing multiple threats to the coastal areas in the two countries Keti Bandar one of the most impoverished towns of Sindh is likely to face the cyclones brunt and is officially stated to be completely evacuated Several lowlying settlements in Thatta and Sujawal most of which were already evacuated witnessed hightide flooding with rising seawater levels reported fishing villages of Karachis Ibrahim Hyderi and Badin According to the Sindh Chief Minister House 67367 people have been evacuated from the three vulnerable districts of Thatta Sujawal and Badin where 39 relief camps have been set up Meanwhile the army is continuing its rescue and relief operations evacuating scores of people in the coastal areas Over 82 per cent of the vulnerable population has been shifted to safe locations Nine relief camps have been set up in Thatta and 14 in Sujawal and Badin Troops are on high alert for the next 72 hours and the evacuation process will be completed tonight Dawn news quoted the armys media wing as saying late Wednesday IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/cyclone-biparjoy-paks-sindh-province-prepared-for-the-worst-437584.html Thu, 15 Jun 2023 11:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/ex-isi-chief-not-under-arrest-report-437622.html Islamabad June 15 The former Director General of Pakistans InterServices Intelligence ISI Lt Gen retd Faiz Hameed is not under arrest a media report said citing sources Some social media reports on Wednesday suggested that the former spy chief has been put under house arrest in his hometown Chakwal and is being probed in connection with the May 9 attacks The News reported The News contacted three different sources to ascertain the veracity of the social media reports All three sources rejected these reports and insisted that Gen Faiz had not been arrested with one of them saying he has met the former spymaster in the last few days Gen Faiz has been the focus of discussion both in the media and politics because of the controversies surrounding his role during his days in the ISI initially as DGC and later as DG ISI These controversies followed him even after his retirement Many in politics and media allege that he has been one of the closest advisers of Imran Khan after his removal from the Prime Ministers Office The News reported Some allege that Gen Faiz has also been advising Imran even during the recent months There are also speculations about the FaizImran connection behind the May 9 attacks These reports however remained unverified The News reported A case of alleged assets beyond means against former Gen Faiz was however referred to the National Accountability Bureau NAB before the arrival of the incumbent NAB chief The reference was returned by the Bureau The News had reported in March this year that the NAB Rawalpindi office had received a file containing complete details of Gen Faizs income tax record and a twopage complaint signed by some unknown locals from Chakwal for initiation of an inquiry against the former ISI chief These sources said that the NAB Rawalpindi DG considered the file and after consultation with thethen chairman the case was returned with the direction that a formal request be made to the Bureau by the concerned authorities Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah had also said a few months back that the investigation agencies are conducting an inquiry against Gen Faiz and any progress about it will be shared with the media Sanaullah did not disclose which government investigation agency was conducting the inquiry against Gen Faiz He also did not specify what was being probed against the former ISI DG Rana Sanaullah however said Only the institution can conduct General Faizs court martial He added that the General Headquarters holds the military trial not the Interior Ministry The News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/ex-isi-chief-not-under-arrest-report-437622.html Thu, 15 Jun 2023 13:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/iran-repatriates-178-convicted-afghans-437667.html Tehran June 15 Iran has sent 178 Afghan convicts back to their home country under a 2012 bilateral prisoner transfer agreement Askar Jalalian Irans deputy justice minister for human rights and international affairs elaborated on the latest transfer of prisoners between the two countries in a statement published on the ministrys website reports Xinhua news agency The convicted would continue their jail terms in Afghanistan under Taliban authorities supervision according to the Iranian official Jalalian added Afghanistan has also sent back three Iranian prisoners According to the Iranian ministry 1131 Afghan nationals from various prisons in Iran have been repatriated IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/iran-repatriates-178-convicted-afghans-437667.html Thu, 15 Jun 2023 16:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/531-afghan-refugees-return-home-from-pakistan-437485.html Kabul June 14 A total of 531 Afghan refugees have returned from Pakistan in the last two days the Talibanled government in Kabul announced on Wednesday The Ministry for Refugees and Repatriation said that more than 25 million registered Afghan refugees reportedly have been living in Pakistan and about the same number in Iran reports Xinhua news agency A couple of weeks ago the staterun Bakhtar news agency reported the return of more than 60000 Afghan refugees from Iran since January The Taliban government has urged Afghan refugees living abroad to return home and contribute to rebuilding their wartorn country IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/531-afghan-refugees-return-home-from-pakistan-437485.html Thu, 15 Jun 2023 01:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-to-evacuate-around-100-000-people-as-cyclone-biparjoy-intensifies-437272.html Islamabad June 14 Pakistan will evacuate around 100000 people as part of its efforts to ensure the safety of those living in the countrys coastal area as cyclone Biparjoy is intensifying according to National Disaster Management Authority NDMA chairman Inam Haider Malik The evacuations will be completed by early Thursday when Biparjoy is expected to make landfall between Keti Bandar in Sindh province and Kutch in Gujarat Xinhua news agency quoted the NDMA chairman as saying at a press conference Malik said the cyclones intensity has increased and has been declared from a severe to a very severe cyclonic emergency adding that measures are underway to control the storms effects and weather damage According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department PMD storm surges of up to 35 metres high are expected at the landfall point which can inundate lowlying settlements along the coastline reports Dawn news As a result sea conditions along the coasts of Sindh and Balochistan would be extremely rough A PMD alert issued on Tuesday night said the cyclonic storm had moved further northnorthwestward and lay just 380km south of Karachi The maximum speed of sustained surface winds is calculated to be between 140 and 150kmph rising to 170kmph around the centre of the system Biparjoy has been categorised as a very severe cyclonic storm over the northeast Arabian Sea Thousands of people have already been evacuated from the coastal regions of both India and Pakistan IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-to-evacuate-around-100-000-people-as-cyclone-biparjoy-intensifies-437272.html Wed, 14 Jun 2023 12:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/thousands-relocate-as-biparjoy-approaches-pakistans-coastal-areas-437287.html Families take shelter in a school after fleeing from their villages of costal areas due to Cyclone Biparjoy approaching in Gharo near Thatta a Pakistans southern district in the Sindh province Wednesday June 14 2023 In Pakistan despite strong winds and rain authorities said people from vulnerable areas have been moved to safer places in southern Pakistans districts With Cyclone Biparjoy expected to make landfall Thursday evening coastal regions of India and Pakistan are on high alert PTI By Hamza Ameer Islamabad June 14 Thousands are being relocated from the coastal areas in Pakistans Sindh province ahead of extremely severe cyclonic storm Biparjoys expected landfall in the country as well as in India on Thursday Thousands of families in different areas of Sindh including Thatta Sujawal and Badin have already left their homes and moved to safer places According to officials the category 3 storm is expected make landfall on Thursday evening between Karachi Pakistan and Mandvi India bringing with it extremely strong winds of 140 to 150 kph and gusts up to at least 170 kph as well Biparjoy is expected to maintain its northward trajectory until Wednesday and then it is anticipated to recurve eastward and make landfall at Keti Bandar in Thatta district and the Gujrat coastline in India The areas most likely to be affected include Thatta Badin Sajawal Tharparkar Karachi Mirpurkhas Umerkot Hyderabad Ormara Tando Allahyar and Tando Mohammad Khan weather experts said Authorities have started deploying the Pakistan Army Navy Rangers and district administration towards the coastal areas who have initiated emergency response services for the relocation of thousands of families living along the coastline of Sindh We have set up relief camps in schools and other government buildings said Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman The National Disaster Management Authority NDMA has also briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other relevant government quarters about the preparedness to tackle the super cyclone save lives and ensure provision of relief to thousands of families Ships and boats have been moved from some coastal areas while hospitals have been put on high alert said Sherry Rehman About 100000 people will be evacuated by Wednesday morning Till now at least 56985 people had been shifted to safer places from Thatta Sajawal and Badin districts by Tuesday night the NDMA said We have set up at least 37 relief camps in at least three districts of the Sindh province Thousands of people had voluntarily relocated themselves to the relief camps and other sites Sindh Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah said Seven relief camps had been set up in Keti Bander three in Ghobadari 10 in Shaheed Fazli Rahu three relief camps in Badin 10 in Shahbandar and four in Jati he added Meanwhile light to heavy rains coupled with dust storms have started hitting vulnerable districts Power supply was suspended in different parts of the rain and sand storm hit areas in Sindhas incidents have been reported of main transmission line poles collapsing due to extreme wind pressure disrupting the electricity supply IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/thousands-relocate-as-biparjoy-approaches-pakistans-coastal-areas-437287.html Wed, 14 Jun 2023 13:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sl-army-doctors-set-guinness-record-after-removing-worlds-largest-heaviest-kidney-stone-437289.html Colombo June 14 Sri Lanka Army SLA doctors have set a Guinness World Record after removing the worlds largest and heaviest kidney stone The stone measuring 13372 cm in length and 801 grams in weight was removed by a team of senior medical practitioners including Consultant Urologist Lieutenant Colonel Dr K Sutharshan Head of Genito Urinary Unit at the Colombo Army Hospital the SLAs Media Division said As per the existing Guinness World Records the largest kidney stone in the world which is around 13 cm was found in India in 2004 while the heaviest kidney stone which was 620 grams in weight was reported in Pakistan in 2008 IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sl-army-doctors-set-guinness-record-after-removing-worlds-largest-heaviest-kidney-stone-437289.html Wed, 14 Jun 2023 13:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-has-no-evidence-on-assassination-claim-pak-minister-437321.html Islamabad June 14 Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that former Prime Minister Imran Khan had confessed before the Joint Investigation Team JIT that he had no evidence to back the allegations that he levelled against the army and the government on his assassination conspiracy Sanaullah said that Khan was included in the investigation in a case registered at the Ramna police station in Islamabad adding that the PTI chief had accused senior army officers the premier and Interior Minister The News reported The JIT showed a video to the PTI chief and he confessed that it was his own voice During the investigation he confessed that all his statements against the prime minister interior minister and COAS that they wanted to kill him were baseless he added When the PTI chief was shown the FIR against him by the JIT he was unable to provide any evidence to support the allegations he had hurled in the video clips When the JIT further questioned him Khan replied that someone had told him of their involvement in the conspiracy Then the PTI chairman was asked who told you Imran Khan replied I do not remember who told me The News quoted the Minister as saying The JIT inquired why he mentioned the name of DG ISI in his videos and questioned whether he had met a senior military official whom he referred to as Dirty Harry The PTI chairman responded that the DG ISI had held a press conference adding that he had never held any meeting with the senior military officer whom he referred to as Dirty Harry Sanaullah averred that Imran did not contest anywhere that this was not his audio or statement He confessed to giving a statement on the basis of a gossip or rumour and the JIT had got him to sign the statement We can produce evidence if the PTI chief denies his statement IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-has-no-evidence-on-assassination-claim-pak-minister-437321.html Wed, 14 Jun 2023 14:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/uk-police-arrest-pakistani-social-media-activist-adil-raja-437423.html London June 14 Pakistani social media activist and YouTuber Adil Raja was arrested by British authorities however it is unclear on what grounds the arrest was made Cases under antiterrorism provisions are registered in Pakistan against Raja a vocal proponent of the Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Geo News reported The government had earlier filed various complaints against Raja in the UK The latest of these was regarding the riots of May 9 which were sparked after the PTI chief was arrested from the Islamabad High Court under a 190 million pounds settlement case Raja and other activists raised hateful and antistate sentiments via social media the Pakistani government complained to UK authorities Geo News reported The complaint added that the vocal PTI worker had tried to destabilise the country by spreading fake news The London police have not yet released a statement on the matter Earlier in April there were reports that police had approached a sessions court in Rawalpindi for seizure of properties belonging to a former army officer who is in the limelight these days for his antiestablishment vlogs and social media posts Dawn reported Raja went to the UK last year following the ouster of the PTI government in April 2022 He is active on Twitter and an ardent supporter of former Prime Minister Imran Khan Dawn reported The former army officer has also been very critical of the new government as well as the military establishment accusing them of hatching a conspiracy to remove Khan from power Raja was nominated in a case registered by Rawalpindis Banni police under Section 406 criminal breach of trust of the Pakistan Penal Code IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/uk-police-arrest-pakistani-social-media-activist-adil-raja-437423.html Wed, 14 Jun 2023 20:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bangladeshs-average-life-expectancy-rises-to-724-years-437464.html Dhaka June 14 The average life expectancy reached 724 years in Bangladesh in 2022 the countrys national statistical agency revealed The figure is slightly up from 723 years in 2021 the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics BBS said in its Bangladesh Sample Vital Statistics 2022 report reports Xinhua news agency According to the report the life expectancy for men saw a small rise to 708 years in 2022 compared to 706 years in 2021 For women it said the average life expectancy increased to 742 years in 2022 up from 741 years in 2021 The countrys overall infant mortality rate however increased in 2022 The mortality rate for children under five years of age increased from 28 per 1000 in 2021 to 31 in 2022 Additionally the death rate of children under the age of one also witnessed a rise The report said that the Covid19 pandemic wiped out some of the gains the country achieved in this area over the last decades IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bangladeshs-average-life-expectancy-rises-to-724-years-437464.html Wed, 14 Jun 2023 23:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-not-planning-to-freeze-foreign-currency-accounts-436836.html Islamabad June 12 Pakistans Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha said on Monday the federal government had no intention of freezing foreign currency accounts despite the nation facing a severe dollar crunch media reports said We do not plan on freezing foreign currency accounts and there have been no proposals to take such an action she told journalists outside the parliament Geo News reported In May 1998 the thengovernment of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif froze all currency accounts after the countrys first nuclear tests it said Pakistans foreign reserves today standing at rock bottom cover less than a months imports as the economy creaks under twin deficits and recordhigh inflation The risk of default remains high and the struggling nation remains in a deadlock with the International Monetary Fund IMF over a muchneeded bailout programme Geo News reported The minister said the government had shared the fiscal year 202324 budget numbers with the lender and the IMF is still negotiating with the State Bank of Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar unveiled a Rs145 trillion around 505 billion budget last Friday with over half set aside to service 73 trillion rupees of debt and experts believe it would not help the governments case much in unlocking the loan We have told IMF to conclude the ninth review at the earliest We have less time and a lot of tension for completing the ninth review Pasha noted The minister said the Fund will not have any issues with the budget She said IMF MD Kristalina Georgieva had assured the Pakistani authorities that her organisation would complete the latest review Geo News reported All our friendly countries have also given their assurances to the IMF IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-not-planning-to-freeze-foreign-currency-accounts-436836.html Tue, 13 Jun 2023 02:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/russia-seeks-expansion-in-ties-with-pakistan-437096.html Moscow June 13 Russia has sought to expand and deepen cooperation with Pakistan as the first shipment carrying Russian oil reached Karachi Port over the weekend the media reported On the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Moscow and Islamabad Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov issued a video statement expressing his countrys desire to expand cooperation with the South Asian nation The Express Tribune reported Pakistan and Russia have remained bitter coldwar rivals but their bilateral ties have taken a positive turn in recent years with both sides willing to bury the past and adjust to the new realities The two countries have been making efforts to translate their years of quiet diplomacy into tangible outcomes In April the two countries signed a landmark deal that allowed Pakistan to receive the first Russian oil shipment at the weekend The Express Tribune reported The first shipment is part of the pilot project to assess if Russian oil can be beneficial for Pakistan It is reported that the first shipment was imported at a discounted rate We know about the great interest and respect that the Pakistani people have towards Russia and President Vladimir Putin We appreciate it very much Lavrov said in a statement He said that there had been different periods in bilateral relations over the past threequarters of a century However he added Russia had always been interested in expanding cooperation with Pakistan and under no circumstances has abandoned its commitments The Express Tribune reported The participation of Soviet specialists in the construction of the largest steel mill in Karachi now called Pakistan Steel Mills in the 1980s despite the conflict raging in Afghanistan at the time is clear evidence of this The Guddu Thermal Power Plant then the largest in your country was also commissioned at that time Lavrov added IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/russia-seeks-expansion-in-ties-with-pakistan-437096.html Tue, 13 Jun 2023 18:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pti-clueless-on-survival-strategy-436865.html Islamabad June 12 In the post May 9 situation the PTI has no strategy for its revival The party is clueless about what to do except adopt the policy of wait and see media reports said Those PTI leaders who have not yet deserted because most of them are hiding believe that minus Imran Khan will mean minus PTI The News reported In a party meeting of such trusted leaders attended via Zoom Imran Khan was told that he should not concede to any minus one formula A PTI source who attended the meeting said the partys Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi was not among the participants of the Zoom gathering The News reported When asked why Qureshi was missing from the meeting the source laughingly said that only the ideological leaders attended the discussion Let them minus the entire PTI we will not accept minus Imran Khan the meeting unanimously told Khan adding that they will not accept any minus Imran Khan formula If they want to minus Imran Khan let them minus the entire PTI said the source The News reported Imran Khan was also of the view that no one except him and the PTI could help lead the country out of the present economic quagmire Referring to the trust of overseas Pakistanis in him he said that he could ensure investments of billions of dollars once come into power They overseas Pakistanis will never trust the PDM leaders and their government The party source said that Imran Khan while appreciating those who are still standing by his side told the party leaders that his wife Bushra Bibi also supported him and stayed as solid as a rock The News reported Discussion with the PTIs insider however shows that the party is devoid of any strategy to get out of the present crisis Wait and see is the only policy The PTI and its chairman who has been fond of street protests and long marches in the past also realise that the May 9 events have seriously dented the party leaving hardly any space to mobilise its supporters Dozens of the party leaders have already left the PTI several are behind bars whereas many are hiding There is no clarity on how long those hiding will continue to hide The News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pti-clueless-on-survival-strategy-436865.html Tue, 13 Jun 2023 05:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/hindu-minor-in-pakistan-forcibly-converted-436630.html New Delhi June 12 The heartwrenching tale of 14yearold Sohana Sharma Kumari a Hindu minor girl who was converted to Islam in Pakistans Sindh province has come to light Sukhi Chahal Founder and CEO of The Khalsa Today said in a tweet that Sohana was abducted at gunpoint in Benazirabad district after which was she was subjected to the unthinkable forced conversion to Islam and marriage The pain her father Dilip Kumar must endure is unimaginable Helpless he watches as his daughter is condemned to a life of suffering Chahal tweeted The courts refusal to reunite Sohana with her anguished family deepens the wounds of injustice This heinous act symbolizes the darkest depths of a society that has lost its moral compass How can we bear witness to such atrocities and stay silent Where are the voices of the socalled human rights activists who claim to champion justice Does humanity still exist or have we lost sight of compassion and empathy Chahal added IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/hindu-minor-in-pakistan-forcibly-converted-436630.html Mon, 12 Jun 2023 15:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pti-can-fit-in-a-rickshaw-after-defections-maryam-nawaz-436701.html Multan June 12 Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz PMLN Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz took a jibe at the Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI saying the entire opposition party can fit in a rickshaw following defections in the wake of May 9 violence Today he himself is the president general secretary chief organiser and spokesperson of the party and the only candidate of his party she said while referring to PTI chief Imran Khan The News reported She said the PTI which was formed after the hard work of 26 years disintegrated in 26 minutes Khan is the mastermind of May 9 attacks on defence and civilian installations but now he is begging for talks and meetings she said She strongly criticised the former Prime Minister for inciting people for attacking the state institutions saying the PMLN supremo Nawaz Sharif never asked his workers to set fire to state buildings when he was removed from power The PMLN senior vice president said youth were the bright future of Pakistan and they should join hands for protection of the country This fitna evil is buried now Lets start a new journey of prosperity Maryam said while referring to Khan without uttering his name His party has been reduced to the extent that it can be carried in a rickshaw now she said sarcastically The News reported Maryam said the one who used to say that he would make the PMLN leaders cry was now himself crying day and night IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pti-can-fit-in-a-rickshaw-after-defections-maryam-nawaz-436701.html Mon, 12 Jun 2023 17:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/un-report-finds-strong-links-between-afghan-taliban-ttp-436464.html Islamabad June 11 The link between the Afghan Taliban and proscribed militant outfits Al Qaeda and TehreekiTaliban Pakistan TTP remains strong and symbiotic as per a report published by the United Nations UN media reports said The 14th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team of the UN Security Councils 1988 Taliban Sanctions Committee noted that a range of terrorist groups has greater freedom of manoeuvre under the Taliban de facto authorities Dawn reported They are making good use of this and the threat of terrorism is rising in both Afghanistan and the region the report read While they have sought to reduce the profile of these groups and conducted maintaining links to numerous terrorist entities the Taliban have lobbied member states for counterterrorism assistance in its fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Khorasan Province ISILK which it perceives as its principal rival The report said that the Taliban forces have conducted operations against ISILK in general but they have not delivered on the counterterrorism provisions under the Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan between the US and the Taliban There are indications that Al Qaeda is rebuilding operational capability that TTP is launching attacks into Pakistan with support from the Taliban that groups of foreign terrorist fighters are projecting threat across Afghanistans borders and that the operations of ISILK are becoming more sophisticated and lethal if not more numerous it added Dawn reported However the Afghan Taliban dismissed the report and called it full of prejudice The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan considers the continuation of UN Security Council sanctions and such reports as full of prejudice and in conflict with the principles of independence and noninterference and calls for an end to it Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement Dawn reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/un-report-finds-strong-links-between-afghan-taliban-ttp-436464.html Mon, 12 Jun 2023 04:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/school-children-account-for-nearly-quarter-of-sri-lankas-dengue-patients-official-436477.html Colombo June 12 Nearly 25 per cent of Sri Lankas dengue patients are school children a health official said Nalin Ariyaratne the director of the National Dengue Control Unit said on Sunday that there are more than 42000 dengue cases reported so far this year in Sri Lanka Addressing the media a day before Sri Lankan schools open for a new academic term he added the spread of dengue at the school level must be minimised Xinhua news agency reported He said around 50 per cent of cases have been reported from the Western province the most populous area in Sri Lanka and epidemiologists worry that 2023 will see a large dengue outbreak Sri Lanka registered more than 76000 dengue cases in 2022 according to official data IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/school-children-account-for-nearly-quarter-of-sri-lankas-dengue-patients-official-436477.html Mon, 12 Jun 2023 05:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-unlikely-to-devalue-rupee-as-pressure-has-eased-436279.html Islamabad June 11 Amid negotiations with the International Monetary Fund IMF to restart a 67 billion bailout programme Fitch Ratings said that it is unlikely that Pakistan will devalue its currency again as pressure on the rupee has eased media reported Krisjanis Krustins a Hong Kongbased director at Fitch said We currently do not expect a large further devaluation of the Pakistan rupee Although the currency has been very stable over the past few months pressure on the reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan has also been contained which suggests minimal interventions to support the currency Krustins said in a response to questions sent by Bloomberg The multilateral lender has said it is working with authorities to fix its currency market and other issues before it resumes the bailout programme which is set to expire this month The rupee has slumped more than 20 per cent this year after officials devalued the currency in January making it one of the worst performers globally Geo News reported The nations dollar stockpile has remained stable at about 4 billion since late February after falling more than 50 per cent in the past 12 months Funds will be crucial to prop up the economy beset by supply shortages and avert a sovereign default with billions of dollars of debt payments approaching We continue to assume that the IMF and Pakistan will conclude the ongoing programme review likely after the IMF has clarity on the budget Krustins said However the window for this is rapidly closing with the programme originally set to expire in June and substantive progress unlikely in the immediate runup to elections due by October IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-unlikely-to-devalue-rupee-as-pressure-has-eased-436279.html Sun, 11 Jun 2023 14:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khan-upset-over-losing-armys-backing-bilawal-bhutto-436354.html Karachi June 11 Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said PTI Chairman Imran Khan is not against the militarys interference in politics Rather the former Prime Minister is upset with the army only because it is no longer supporting him media reported Mr Khans problem with the Pakistan Army began in April of last year when it declared that it would not get involved in politics and would not take sides Bilawal who also serves as PPP Chairman said during an interview with Al Jazeera Mr Khans issue with the army in Pakistan is not that theyre involved in politics his problem with the army is theyre not getting involved to support him he added Express Tribune reported He said the role of the army in the politics of the country cannot be denied More than half of our history has been covered by military rule My party the PPP has challenged each and every single dictatorship in Pakistans history Bilawal said Imran has supported every dictatorship in Pakistan including the last dictatorship of former president General retd Pervez Musharraf Mr Khans political history is that he has supported every dictator and he supported every autocrat in Pakistans history The foreign minister said Imran Khans rise to power in 2018 is welldocumented It is an established fact that he was brought into power through a rigged election in collaboration with some former officers of the Pakistan Army He said the majority of Pakistanis are deeply offended by the actions that took place on May 9 where Khan encouraged his supporters to attack army installations The Corp Commander House in Lahore the GHQ General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and many military installations were targeted Such an attack has never been carried out by any political party in the history of Pakistan and now those who were involved in these attacks on our military installations must face the consequences of the law of the land he added Express Tribune reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khan-upset-over-losing-armys-backing-bilawal-bhutto-436354.html Sun, 11 Jun 2023 18:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-govt-to-wait-and-watch-as-imran-khan-gets-exhausted-from-onslaught-of-cases-436412.html Islamabad June 11 A member of the Pakistans federal cabinet has revealed that the governments current strategy is to simply watch and wait for former Prime Minister Imran Khan to get exhausted from an onslaught of cases as party leaders abandon him in flocks media reports said The minister who requested anonymity said Imran Khan used to assail his rivals over corruption and for criticising the military among other things Now he said Imran Khan is himself now facing criminal charges and is accused of inciting his party workers to attack civil and military installations on May 9 Express Tribune reported Things are coming full circle the minister said adding that the government meanwhile has adopted a chill policy and is only seeing how things politically and legally move ahead To a question he said Imran Khan would not be immediately allowed to go abroad as it is time to face the music Express Tribune reported He alleged that Imran Khan used the National Accountability Bureau NAB and other investigating agencies against his opponents kept accusing them of committing corruption and poisoned the political arena by labeling others as thieves looters and traitors Just see the irony He Imran is facing the same criminal charges now that he used to level against others It is karma I guess the minister said Express Tribune reported A day after the coalition government presented its second federal budget another member of the ruling alliance seconded the ministers statement and also agreed with Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah who recently said either Imran Khan or his political opponents would survive as things had reached to a point of no return In March Sanaullah had said that Imran had brought politics to a point where they would be forced not to follow any principle let alone talk about democracy saying that either Imran or they would survive Express Tribune reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-govt-to-wait-and-watch-as-imran-khan-gets-exhausted-from-onslaught-of-cases-436412.html Sun, 11 Jun 2023 23:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistans-brain-drain-witnesses-sharp-increase-436172.html Islamabad June 10 The brain drain phenomenon in Pakistan has witnessed a sharp increase with a growing number of highlyeducated professionals opting to leave the country in search of better opportunities elsewhere media reports said According to recent data cited by Twitter user Yousuf M Farooq sourced from the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment the percentage of engineers doctors accountants and managers emigrating from Pakistan has risen from 12 per cent in 2011 to 65 per cent in 2023 Samaa TV reported This suggests a growing trend of educated individuals opting to leave Pakistan the report said Also after experiencing a decline between 2017 and 2021 the number of workers registering for employment abroad has seen a notable resurgence in 2022 and 2023 This resurgence aligns with the observation of a severe brain drain in the country as talented individuals seek opportunities outside Pakistan While the brain drain phenomenon undoubtedly has implications for lower overall productivity within the country it also leads to increased competition and higher prices for acquiring skilled talent The ongoing crisis seems to have a direct correlation with the exodus of qualified professionals from Pakistan The massive outflow of individuals and the remittances they bring back are likely to contribute to what can be termed as Pakistans version of the Dutch disease a term used to describe a situation where an influx of foreign currency leads to an overreliance on sectors such as services or remittances potentially hindering overall economic growth Samaa TV reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistans-brain-drain-witnesses-sharp-increase-436172.html Sun, 11 Jun 2023 04:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistans-defence-budget-increased-by-16-436001.html Islamabad June 10 The Pakistan government has proposed a roughly 16 per cent increase in the defence budget as the country continues to face internal and external security challenges the media reported Interestingly all three services Army Navy Air Force were given an equal increase in the budget although the military takes the major share given its size and the role The Express Tribune reported Pakistans defence spending is now 17 per cent of its GDP showing a decline compared to last year The defence spending in 202223 was around 2 per cent of the countrys GDP the size of which has grown due to the rebasing of the economy The Express Tribune reported Defence spending has always been the subject of discussions with some seeking greater transparency and open debate about the militarys budget In recent years the government provides more details about the defence budget However there has never been open debate within the parliament on the subject Observers believe that the increase in the defence budget is justified given the impending external and internal security challenges The Express Tribune reported Despite the US troops withdrawal from neighbouring Afghanistan Pakistan still deploys thousands of troops along the western border as well as in the erstwhile tribal areas to deal with the threat of terrorism The budget document shows that defence outlay for 202324 would be 1804 billion PKR compared to the revised defence spending of 1591 billion PKR earmarked for the outgoing fiscal year IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistans-defence-budget-increased-by-16-436001.html Sat, 10 Jun 2023 15:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/daesh-militant-leader-sanaullah-ghafari-killed-in-afghanistan-435878.html Islamabad June 9 One of the mostwanted terrorists in the world and Daesh Khorasan leader Shahab alMuhajir also known as Sanaullah Ghafari has been killed in Afghanistans Kunar province Ghafari who belonged to Afghanistans capital city Kabul was not only wanted in Pakistan but internationally following his involvement in several terror attacks in countries including Pakistan Iran Uzbekistan Tajikistan and Afghanistan The News reported He was leading Daesh Khurasan since April 2020 during which he was the mastermind and head of operations in all the activities conducted by the terrorist group He had been nominated as the mastermind and operation leader in several attacks in Pakistan and other countries in the world The terrorist was involved in the attack on Pakistans embassy in Kabul and the one that blew up an imam bargah in Peshawars Qisa Khawani Bazar He was also a part of the jailbreak in Afghanistans Nangarhar province as well as the rocket attacks in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan Ghafari was declared a global terrorist by the United Nations the United States of America and the European Union in December 2021 which also set head money worth 10 million for information related to him The US State Department stated he was responsible for approving all ISISK operations throughout Afghanistan and arranging funding to conduct operations In Iran Ghafaris involvement was found in the Shah Cheragh attack and one on a mosque in Afghanistans MazariSharif The News reported According to the US State Departments national security rewards programme Rewards for Justice a reward of up to 10 million was placed for information on Ghafari In June 2020 ISIS core leadership appointed alMuhajir also known as Sanaullah Ghafari to be the leader of ISISK a USdesignated Foreign Terrorist Organisation An ISIS communique announcing his appointment described alMuhajir as an experienced military leader and one of ISISKs urban lions in Kabul who has been involved in guerrilla operations and the planning of suicide and complex attacks a statement on the programmes website read as per The News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/daesh-militant-leader-sanaullah-ghafari-killed-in-afghanistan-435878.html Sat, 10 Jun 2023 02:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/plan-to-privatise-sri-lanka-telecom-delayed-over-national-security-concerns-435893.html By Susitha Fernando Colombo June 10 The Sri Lankan government has decided to delay its plan to privatise Sri Lanka Telecom SLT following Parliamentary Committees warning that it could create a potential threat to national security The SLT in which the government owns a majority stake is the national information and communications technology ICT solutions provider and the leading broadband and backbone infrastructure services provider of Sri Lanka The decision was taken following the advice of the countrys Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security which suggested the government not pursue any plans to privatise SLT as it could create a potential threat to national security The effects of the privatisation of SLT on National Security given 4498 of SLT is already in private hands would expose the countrys critical communication infrastructuresensitive information to private entities whose profitoriented interests can compromise national security the committee said a report submitted to the Parliament Committees Chairman and government MP Sarath Weerasekara told the Parliament on Friday that the divestment of the 495 stake in SLT held by the government could expose the countrys strategic communication infrastructure and sensitive information to private companies that are motivated by profit which could pose a threat to national security The committee went on to suggest that organisations or individuals that have been blacklisted or have helped terrorists and extremists in any form should not be allowed to buy any share and have any control over the countrys national assets It urged the government to consider buying back the other large shareholder of SLT as provided for in the agreement and then divide the segments into sensitive and vulnerable excess lands and buildings critical infrastructure and the business Responding to the committees suggestion Presidents Media Division PMD stated that the government has focussed its attention to the committee report which was presented to Parliament emphasising the concerns surrounding the potential risk to national security resulting from the privatisation of SLT The government has reassured that the policy decision taken will not compromise national security contrary to what is indicated in the report PMD stated adding that the final decision would be taken during an upcoming cabinet meeting while considering the report along with recommendations from the information and communication sector Early this year Opposition MP Wimal Weerawansa complained to the Parliament that the government was trying to sell SLT shares to Sri Lankaborn British citizen Subashkaran Aliraja the chairman of Lycamobile and Indian film producer who owns Chennaibased Lyca Productions SLT trade union had also charged that Indias Adani Group also has plans to acquire the stateowned shares of the SLT IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/plan-to-privatise-sri-lanka-telecom-delayed-over-national-security-concerns-435893.html Sat, 10 Jun 2023 06:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-turkmenistan-sign-pact-to-accelerate-work-on-tapi-project-435786.html Islamabad June 9 Pakistan and Turkmenistan have signed a Joint Implementation Plan JIP to accelerate work on the TAPI Gas Pipeline project Pakistan has suggested Turkmenistan to lay down some portion of the gas line up to Herat in Afghanistan to ensure the ownership from the Taliban regime in Kabul which will also help move the project The News reported The government of Pakistan also invited Turkmenistan to explore gas connectivity from the Chaman border to Gwadar and build LNG terminals at Gwadar which would expand supplies to Europe and global LNG markets The TAPI TurkmenistanAfghanistanPakistanIndia gas pipeline project aims to bring natural gas from the Galkynysh gas field in Turkmenistan to Pakistan through Afghanistan via a 56inch diameter pipeline The Galkynysh gas field is located in the eastern region of Turkmenistan The News reported The proposed route supply source is Herat Kandahar Chaman Zhob DG Khan Multan and Fazilika with a pipeline length of 1849 km It will transport up to 33 billion cubic meters bcm average 32 BCFD of natural gas per year over a 30year period where Pakistans offtake will be 135 BCFD The JIP seeks the constitution of a Senior Coordination Committee SCC to expedite and oversee the project activities The News reported Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expressed confidence that the gas pipeline project would usher in an era of regional cooperation development and prosperity Addressing the signing ceremony of the TAPI JIP Sharif said the project was of utmost importance for the development of the four countries and the region He said the project would help the region to secure natural gas with concrete assurances and mutuallyagreed terms and conditions He mentioned that in view of the global situation energy had become a real challenge The News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-turkmenistan-sign-pact-to-accelerate-work-on-tapi-project-435786.html Fri, 09 Jun 2023 18:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/reckless-govt-spending-pushes-pakistan-closer-to-default-435574.html Islamabad June 8 The Pakistan government approved a staggering 66 per cent increase in the discretionary budget for parliamentarians reaching a record Pak Rs 116 billion for the outgoing fiscal year This decision continues the reckless fiscal policy that is pushing Pakistan closer to default The Express Tribune reported It seems the government is neglecting the revival of the International Monetary Fund IMF programme It is spending money in complete breach of the understanding reached with the IMF in February this year which aimed to restrict the primary deficit to just 05 per cent of the GDP For the outgoing fiscal year the federal budget deficit is now projected to be around Rs 64 trillion or 81 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product GDP surpassing the target of Rs 45 trillion The government had initially allocated Rs 70 billion for parliamentarians schemes in the current fiscal year a sum that has proven insufficient due to competing demands for additional funds by the 13 coalition parties The Express Tribune reported This decision comes at a critical time when Pakistan is facing the threat of default and urgently needs to negotiate debt restructuring with domestic banks and international creditors to create some fiscal space However instead of taking a prudent approach the government is allocating funds to schemes where the chances of misuse are high due to the lack of proper scrutiny The Express Tribune reported The coalition government had previously decided to allocate Rs 500 million to each Member of the National Assembly MNA which has now been substantially increased in an attempt to appease the coalition partners IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/reckless-govt-spending-pushes-pakistan-closer-to-default-435574.html Fri, 09 Jun 2023 04:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/wild-poliovirus-detected-in-environmental-sample-in-karachi-435843.html Karachi June 9 An environmental sample collected from Karachi has tested positive for the wild poliovirus the Pakistan Health Ministry said The sample was collected on May 15 and its genetic sequencing is still awaited the Ministry said in a statement adding that the last positive sample in the port city was detected in August 2022 reports Xinhua news agency Pakistan is committed to eradicating polio and ensuring a healthier future for children Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel was quoted as saying in the statement The swift detection of the virus in the environment highlights that we are maintaining the highest standard of polio surveillance but it also means children are at constant risk he said The Minister added that polio eradication is a collective national responsibility and parents must ensure repeated polio vaccination and essential immunization for their children to boost their immunity Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two polio endemic nations According to a recent report from the World Health Organization all the new polio cases reported in Pakistan since January 2021 are from seven polioendemic districts in the southern part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province In 2021 there was one documented case in Pakistan and 84 in 2020 In 2019 there were a record 147 cases Last year there were 20 cases IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/wild-poliovirus-detected-in-environmental-sample-in-karachi-435843.html Fri, 09 Jun 2023 22:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/8-killed-in-road-accident-in-pakistan-435613.html Islamabad June 9 At least eight people were killed and 12 others injured when a passenger vehicle fell into a gorge in Upper Dir district of Pakistans northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province a rescue team has said A passenger vehicle fell into the gorge due to unknown reasons when it was on the way from Upper Dir to Chitral district of the province on Thursday Xinhua news agency reported citing the rescue team Locals and the rescue team rushed to the site and shifted the bodies and injured to a hospital Medics feared that the death toll might rise further because several of the wounded were in critical condition due to severe injuries There were 20 people on board including the driver when the accident occurred the rescue team said Local police have registered the case and started an investigation into the accident IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/8-killed-in-road-accident-in-pakistan-435613.html Fri, 09 Jun 2023 08:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-central-banks-forex-reserves-fall-179-mn-435615.html Islamabad June 9 The State Bank of Pakistan SBP said that its foreign exchange reserves had decreased by 179 million During the week ending on June 2 the total foreign exchange reserves of the Pakistani central bank fell to around 39 billion Xinhua news agency reported citing a statement issued by the SBP on Thursday The decrease was due to external debt repayments the statement added Net foreign reserves held by commercial banks came at 54 billion the central bank said Total liquid foreign reserves held by the South Asian country stood at about 93 billion according to the SBP IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-central-banks-forex-reserves-fall-179-mn-435615.html Fri, 09 Jun 2023 08:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/overseas-pakistanis-under-radar-as-may-9-probe-expands-435686.html Islamabad June 9 The Pakistan government has decided to expand the investigation into the May 9 events the day when violent protests erupted after former Prime Minister Imran Khans arrest and include overseas Pakistanis in the probe The authorities have collected and analysed the data of hundreds of expats mostly from the UK Europe and the US Geo News reported All those expats found to be involved in the instigation glorification and support physical moral and financial of the incidents on May 9 will be proceeded against the government said In this regard the relevant data of more than 500 Pakistanis has been collected Their call records social media activity travel history financial transactions immigration status and other relevant data have also been analysed the authorities said Moreover the government shall initiate criminal proceedings against all those involved and the relevant foreign governments will be contacted for handing over the culprits Geo News reported Their legal status in the host countries mode of entry and pending dual nationality applications will also be made part of the proceedings In this regard the host countries will be informed accordingly On May 9 protests were triggered countrywide after the Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chief was arrested which led to the deaths of at least 10 people and injured several others prompting the authorities to arrest thousands of party workers Following the attacks over 100 PTI workers and leaders including Fawad Chaudhry Shireen Mazari Imran Ismail and Ali Zaidi left the party condemning the 9 attacks amid a countrywide crackdown on them Geo News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/overseas-pakistanis-under-radar-as-may-9-probe-expands-435686.html Fri, 09 Jun 2023 13:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bushra-bibi-moves-court-to-avoid-possible-arrest-435215.html Lahore June 6 Bushra Bibi the wife of former Pakistan Prime Minister and Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Chairman Imran Khan filed a petition in the Lahore High Court on Tuesday seeking a blanket cover in all cases registered against her across the country media reports said The move came amid the ongoing crack down against the PTI leadership following the May 9 attacks on civil and military installations a day the army dubbed as Black Day Geo News reported In her petition the former first lady expressed fear that she could be arrested in any case and sought details of all the disclosed and undisclosed cases registered against her in the country the report said Bushra Bibi pleaded with the court to issue an order restraining the police and law enforcers from arresting her in any undisclosed case She made federal and provincial governments IGs FIA and other bodies parties in her petition Meanwhile the National Accountability Bureau NAB Rawalpindi has summoned Bushra Bibi on Wednesday to record her statement as a trustee of the AlQadir University Trust in the 190 million pounds National Crime Agency NCA UK settlement case According to sources Bushra Bibis statement will be recorded as a witness NAB under the new law is bound to tell a person whether heshe is being summoned as an accused or a witness to record statement Geo News reported NAB has already recorded the statements of ministers of the previous government It also asked for the records of all the donations received from the AlQadir University and those who donated to the trust IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bushra-bibi-moves-court-to-avoid-possible-arrest-435215.html Thu, 08 Jun 2023 00:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pti-vice-chairmans-advice-of-stepping-back-irks-imran-435491.html Multan June 8 A meeting between Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chairman Imran Khan and the partys Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi ended in bitterness After the meeting Qureshi left for Karachi to look after his ailing wife without addressing a press conference as announced by him after his release from Adiala Jail The News reported The PTI vice chairman was released from Rawalpindi jail on May 6 He was arrested multiple times under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance According to a very close friend of Qureshi in Multan the PTI vice chairman advised the former prime minister to retreat for the time being go abroad or at least maintain silence if he doesnt want to leave the country The News reported He also asked the PTI chairman to let him and others settle issues and let pardoning be done in the meantime He further told the former Prime Minister he could take over the party again when everything had been set right Qureshi told the PTI chief that it was a difficult time and there was a need for making wise decisions instead of giving in to emotions Sources said that the two exchanged heated words during the meeting According to a source Qureshi also made it clear to the PTI chairman that retired people who are misleading him cannot help him in these circumstances The News reported At this Khan expressed his anger at Qureshi After the meeting Qureshi then left Zaman Park for Karachi without speaking to media persons All of Qureshis phone numbers were found switched off when efforts were made to contact him to confirm these developments After the exchange of heated words with Qureshi the PTI chairman repeated in a video address most of what he had been saying The News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pti-vice-chairmans-advice-of-stepping-back-irks-imran-435491.html Thu, 08 Jun 2023 21:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/24-dead-in-afghanistan-after-minibus-plunges-into-ravine-435291.html Kabul June 8 At least 24 passengers were killed after a minibus plunged into ravine in Afghanistans Sari Pul province a police spokesman said on Thursday The deadly accident took place on Wednesday evening in Sayad district due to reckless driving and the victims comprised 12 women eight children and four men the spokesman said adding that only a woman survived but was badly injured reports Xinhua news agency This was the second road accident in Afghanistan on Wednesday On Wednesday morning a road accident in the central Bamyan province killed 14 people IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/24-dead-in-afghanistan-after-minibus-plunges-into-ravine-435291.html Thu, 08 Jun 2023 10:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bdesh-world-bank-ink-deals-to-boost-climate-resilient-agriculture-435370.html Dhaka June 8 The Bangladesh government and the World Bank signed two financing deals totaling 858 million to enhance climateresilient agricultural growth food security and road safety improvement The agreements were signed by Sharifa Khan the secretary of Economic Relations Division and Abdoulaye Seck the World Bank country director for Bangladesh and Bhutan reports Xinhua news agency One agreement concerns a program on Agricultural and Rural Transformation for Nutrition Entrepreneurship and Resilience that will help transform Bangladeshs agriculture sector by promoting crop diversification food safety and climate resilience the world bank said in a statement It said the program will support sustainable and nutritious food production through greater efficiency in input use good agriculture practices and the promotion of stresstolerant and nutrientdense varieties The Washingtonbased lender said the other agreement on Road Safety Project the first dedicated road safety project in South Asia supported by the World Bank will help the country improve road safety in selected highrisk highways and district roads IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bdesh-world-bank-ink-deals-to-boost-climate-resilient-agriculture-435370.html Thu, 08 Jun 2023 14:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/china-pakistan-iran-hold-1st-ever-anti-terror-talks-435374.html Islamabad June 8 China Pakistan and Iran held their first counterterrorism dialogue in Beijing in a move that suggests new alignments in the region the Foreign Office in Islamabad confirmed The Office issued a statement confirming the first meeting of PakistanChinaIran Trilateral Consultation on counter terrorism and security was held at Directors General level on Tuesday in Beijing reports The Express Tribune Abdul Hameed Director General Counter Terrorism Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan Bai Tian Director General of the Department of External Security Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and Seyed Rasoul Mosavi Assistant to the Foreign Minister and Director General of South Asia Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran led their respective delegations The statement said the delegations held detailed discussions on the regional security situation particularly the threat of terrorism faced by the region Based on the outcome of these consultations they decided to institutionalise the Trilateral Consultations on counter terrorism and security for which further details will be worked out The Express Tribune reported A separate statement issued by the Chinese foreign ministry also said that the three countries had indepth exchanges on the regional counterterrorism situation and decided to hold the meeting on a regular basis The meeting is seen as new alignments in the region with China in the lead role Beijing recently brokered a landmark deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran The rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran led to the restoration of diplomatic ties between the two countries The Express Tribune reported Many observers believe that China Pakistan Iran Saudi Arabia and Russia to name a few are the natural allies as their interests are converging in the increasingly bipolar world IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/china-pakistan-iran-hold-1st-ever-anti-terror-talks-435374.html Thu, 08 Jun 2023 14:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/ozempic-frenzy-sweeping-through-china-as-diabetes-drug-touted-for-weight-loss-435062.html Prince Harry arrives at the High Court in London Wednesday June 7 2023 Prince Harry has given evidence from the witness box and has sworn to tell the truth in testimony against a tabloid publisher he accuses of phone hacking and other unlawful snooping He alleges that journalists at the Daily Mirror and its sister papers used unlawful techniques on an industrial scale to get scoops Publisher Mirror Group Newspapers is contesting the claims PTI Hong Kong June 7 Ozempic originally a medication for treating diabetes is in high demand worldwide with celebrities and social media users touting it as a miracle drug for weight loss Now the frenzy is sweeping through China where being wafer thin is a prevailing beauty standard leading to shortages in the country the media reported Chinese social media apps such as Douyin and Xiaohongshu have been flooded by posts from users bragging about how theyve easily lost 10 or more pounds within a month with just a few injections of Ozempic which is the brand name of semaglutide CNN reported This is a wonder drug according to a popular series of posts on Xiaohongshu a Chinese social app similar to Instagram No diet no exercise you can reduce weight even when you are lying still Ozempic was officially approved in China in April 2021 for treatment of type 2 diabetes But users can get it from doctors for other uses or buy it on ecommerce platforms such as Taobao and JDcom with other peoples prescriptions CNN reported Medical experts say the drug can have serious side effects Studies and patient reports show that many patients see their weight rebound soon after stopping the injection But its soaring popularity in China means many hospitals and drugstores have run out of Ozempic since late last year according to the state owned Peoples Daily Health That has caused problems for patients with diabetes who depend on the medication A doctor at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yatsen University in the megacity of Guangzhou told official media last month that the hospital briefly ran out of Ozempic because of surging demand from patients seeking to lose weight The hospital has since stopped prescribing it to people who dont have diabetes CNN reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/ozempic-frenzy-sweeping-through-china-as-diabetes-drug-touted-for-weight-loss-435062.html Wed, 07 Jun 2023 16:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-rejects-ttps-offer-to-resume-talks-435089.html Peshawar June 6 Pakistani authorities have declined an offer from the outlawed TehreekeTaliban Pakistan TTP to resume talks citing their previous negative experience with dialogue media reports said The TTP through various sources and individual contacts expressed their willingness to reengage in talks in recent days However the government rejected the offer and instead urged the militants to surrender according to sources The Express Tribune reported The government had engaged in talks with the proscribed TTP last year at the insistence of the Afghan Taliban government in Kabul For that purpose a ceasefire was also announced However the TTP unilaterally terminated the truce in November last year a few days before the appointment of General Asim Munir as the new army chief of Pakistan Subsequent to the ceasefires termination a wave of attacks on police security personnel and government installations ensued with particular emphasis on the southern districts of KhyberPakhtunkhwa These targeted attacks were attributed to the TTP Express Tribune reported A senior government official revealed that during the previous rounds of talks Afghanistans acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani acted as a mediator However it is important to note that he did not hold the role of guarantor in those discussions The Pakistani authorities have made it explicitly clear to the TTP that individuals willing to surrender are welcome to do so the officials said adding that Pakistan sustained losses whenever it engaged in talks with them The current coalition government since assuming power has attributed the ongoing wave of terrorism in the country to the talks held between the thenruling PTI government and the TTP In response to parliamentary directives a committee was formed on this matter headed by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif However no meetings of the committee have taken place thus far The Pakistani government has been urging the Afghan Taliban to take action against the TTP As part of this effort the Kabul government has detained or deported several TTP leaders Express Tribune reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-rejects-ttps-offer-to-resume-talks-435089.html Wed, 07 Jun 2023 17:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/afghan-national-heckles-ex-pak-army-chief-wife-in-europe-434895.html Islamabad June 6 Former Pakistan army chief General retd Qamar Javed Bajwa and his wife were heckled by an unruly man apparently an Afghan national in a European country the media reported A short video clip of the incident which went viral on social media shows the couple vacationing in a European country Geo News reported In the video the duo could be seen sitting on stairs and using a mobile phone when the unidentified man emerged and started hurling abuses in his native language at the former army chief Geo News reported Despite the aggressive behaviour and use of cuss words by the rowdy man the former army chief kept his cool and ignored him Independent sources could not verify when and where this video was recorded However social media users while condemning the aggressive and immoral attitude of the man claimed that the incident took place in France Geo News reported General Bajwa retired from the post of army chief in November 2022 after serving six years in office Prior to his appointment as Chief of Army Staff in November 2016 General Bajwa was serving as Inspector General of Training and Evaluation at the General Headquarters GHQ in Rawalpindi General Bajwa has commanded X Corps Rawalpindi Corps which is responsible for the most sensitive areas of the country and a position that plays a pivotal role as almost the entire border with India comes under its jurisdiction The entire defence installations including the army navy and air headquarters and PM Secretariat are also under the responsibility of X Corps IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/afghan-national-heckles-ex-pak-army-chief-wife-in-europe-434895.html Wed, 07 Jun 2023 03:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/shehbaz-rejects-ptis-claims-on-rights-abuses-434641.html Islamabad June 5 Rejecting Pakistan TehreekeInsafs PTI propaganda against rights abuses in the country Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday that every case related to the violence committed by the party on May 9 is being dealt with due process under the law media reports said Taking to Twitter the Prime Minister wrote I assure everyone that the culprits are being dealt with under the law and that I will ensure that no rights violations take place The News reported Violent protests erupted in Pakistan on May 9 leaving dozens injured across several cities with demonstrators attacking military buildings after former Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested The police launched a crackdown against all those allegedly involved in the violence vowing to hold each one of them accountable However PTI is holding demonstrations overseas and claiming in international media that human rights violations are taking place in Pakistan Sharif said Pakistan fully respects and is committed to all its constitutional and international obligations on human rights He said the PTI chief in his interviews with international media outlets is openly and deliberately disinforming local and foreign audiences by glibtalk laced with fake news and plain misrepresentation The News reported His expedient description of the postMay 9 events as human rights abuses and stifling of the right to political protest is not only misleading but aimed at manipulating and swaying opinionmakers outside the country Sharif wrote The premier categorically stated that what PTI did on May 9 was a brazen attack on the state of Pakistan with malafide intent and sinister objectives No country in the world will tolerate such an attempt at destroying its integrity he said The News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/shehbaz-rejects-ptis-claims-on-rights-abuses-434641.html Tue, 06 Jun 2023 11:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/paks-struggle-with-imf-reflect-changing-gestures-from-friendly-nations-434464.html By Hamza Ameer Islamabad June 5 The Pakistan governments struggle to revive the International Monetary Fund IMF bailout programme has now started to show its negative effects on the countrys global image leading to a change of gestures from friendly nations The governments struggle continues despite making unpopular and political damaging decisions to increase tarrifs fuel prices energy prices to meet the preconditions of the IMF for revival of the 65 billion Extended Funding Facility EFF Till date the government has failed to convince the IMF of its progress and has looked completely clueless in dealing with the unique scenario where the ruling PDM coalition takes tough economic decisions with hopes of the bailout programmes revival and creating economic stability to showcase as its political success However the global lenders rigid positioning has forced the government to succumb to its temptation as its previous history of years of corruption mismanagement and growing fatigue and mistrust among leaders coupled with IMFs observations that Pakistans political leadership is habitual of violating its commitments for political point scoring and gains has now brought the country to a point where securing the deal is no longer in control of the government and it needs firm guarantees and backing from friendly countries And even on that front Pakistan is now faced with a notion of distrust and suspicion even by its friendly countries which are now sliding their support away from Islamabad showing clear signs of Islamabads deteriorating image at the international level as well While Islamabads last ditch to convince the leder for revival of bailout programme failed after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reached out to IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva seeking support in securing the remaining tranches worth 25 billion friendly countries like Turkey China Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates UAE also seem to be changing their gestures One major reason for IMF snub towards Pakistan is the political unrest in the country PDM government has not only failed to meet the IMF demands but has also failed to stabilize the political situation IMF itself has mentioned this concern in its most recent statement about Pakistan A political unstable country cannot be considered a reliable one at least not in the eyes of the IMF said Adnan Shauqat senior political analyst And in time Islamabads failure to secure IMF deal has now started to show its effects on the countrys image internationally Shehbaz tried to show a friendly gesture to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the latters reelection And we all saw how reluctant Erdogan was to reciprocate the gesture Its all because Pakistan currently stands on the verge of a political and financial meltdown And the government looks insanely clueless It is believed that Pakistans only option banks on to announce elections in October dissolve Assemblies in July and use this announcement to convince the IMF to reconsider the revival of its bailout programme With friendly countries slipping away from supporting or assisting Pakistan the government is faced with an embarrassing situation on ground and at the global stage where it is being viewed as a country in economic and political shambles IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/paks-struggle-with-imf-reflect-changing-gestures-from-friendly-nations-434464.html Mon, 05 Jun 2023 20:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/all-airports-in-afghanistan-operational-434469.html Kabul June 5 The Talibanled government in Afghanistan on Monday said that all the airports in the wartorn nation were currently operational The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation said that 20 foreign flights are using the countrys airfields daily reports Xinhua news agency Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Transportation and Aviation Institute the acting Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Hamidullah Akhundzada stressed the need for Afghanistan to be selfsufficient the ministry said on Twitter Thirty students were sent to Uzbekistan to get educated in the development of the aviation industry the Ministry said International and domestic flights were halted in Afghanistan after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in August 2021 Service have gradually resumed after engagement between the Taliban government and some regional countries IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/all-airports-in-afghanistan-operational-434469.html Mon, 05 Jun 2023 21:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/primary-schools-in-bdesh-shut-due-to-heatwave-434481.html Dhaka June 5 The Bangladesh Education Ministry has announced a fourday closure of government primary schools across the country because of the ongoing heatwave The Ministry noted the decision was taken considering the health and safety of the children reports Xinhua news agency The heatwave has gripped many parts of Bangladesh including the capital Dhaka as the country enters the height of summer pushing temperatures to record levels The authorities are expected to take further preventive measures if the heatwave continues IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/primary-schools-in-bdesh-shut-due-to-heatwave-434481.html Mon, 05 Jun 2023 22:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/polls-will-be-held-in-oct-this-year-says-pak-defence-minister-434484.html Islamabad June 5 Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has rejected all speculations about a possible delay in polls saying that the next general elections for the national and provincial legislatures will take place in October this year media reports said The assemblies will complete their fiveyear term in August and polls will take place within the next 60 days Elections will be held on time Asif said The Express Tribune reported When asked what he means by on time he replied In October Elections will take place in October without any delay the report said Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI had dissolved the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies in January this year hoping that the move would force the ruling alliance into dissolving the other legislatures as well and hold elections within the 90day period However that did not happen The government has repeatedly opposed holding snap polls or holding polls for the national and provincial legislatures separately citing lack of security funds and fresh census results Earlier the PTI had expressed fears that the government might not hold polls even in October The Pakistan Peoples Party PPP which is a part of the ruling coalition had also constituted a threemember committee to convince other parties in the ruling alliance about holding polls on time PPP Cochairman Asif Ali Zardari had even said delaying general elections beyond October would be foolish The PPP had swung into action after diplomats and foreign delegations started frequently inquiring about election timing in their official meetings and social gatherings with the government officials as economy and political stability depend on timely elections The Express Tribune reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/polls-will-be-held-in-oct-this-year-says-pak-defence-minister-434484.html Mon, 05 Jun 2023 22:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/14-dead-after-mountain-collapse-in-china-434255.html Chengdu June 4 Fourteen people were confirmed dead and five others remained missing following a mountain collapse on Sunday in Leshan City southwest Chinas Sichuan Province according to local publicity department The collapse took place at around 6 am in a forest farm in Yongsheng Township Jinkouhe District of the city Xinhua news agency reported A rescue team of more than 180 people are still searching for the missing IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/14-dead-after-mountain-collapse-in-china-434255.html Mon, 05 Jun 2023 00:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-anti-corruption-body-summons-imran-khan-bushra-bibi-in-190mn-pounds-case-on-june-7-434278.html Islamabad June 4 Pakistans National Accountability Bureau NAB has summoned Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi on June 7 for the investigations of the 190 million pounds settlement case related to the transfer of funds from Britains National Crime Agency NCA account the media reported on Sunday As per details NAB Rawalpindi has summoned the former first lady to record her statement as a witness for being the trustee of the AlQadir University Trust while the former Pak Prime Minister has been called by the combined investigation team CIT of the antigraft watchdog The News reported The sources said that the CIT was not satisfied with the PTI chiefs reply which he submitted during his last appearance before NAB Rawalpindi on May 23 They said that the former premier had been directed to answer the questionnaire on June 7 given to him on May 23 the media reported on Sunday The law binds NAB which is an autonomous anticorruption body to inform whoever it is summoning whether they are being summoned as an accused or a witness to record the statement The News reported Following the procedure the NABs CIT has already recorded the statements of ministers of the previous government The body has also asked for the records of all the donations received from AlQadir University Trust and those who donated It may be noted that an accountability court had granted bail to the PTI chief in the corruption case till June 19 last week after the Islamabad High Court IHC directed him to approach the relevant forum for bail Meanwhile the NAB officials had informed the court that Bushra Bibis arrest was not required in the case but she should cooperate with the antigraft body whenever summoned for investigations IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-anti-corruption-body-summons-imran-khan-bushra-bibi-in-190mn-pounds-case-on-june-7-434278.html Mon, 05 Jun 2023 02:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/china-mountain-collapse-toll-rises-to-19-434369.html Beijing June 5 At least 19 people were killed and five others injured following a mountain collapse in Leshan City of Chinas Sichuan province local authorities said The collapse took place at around 6 am in a forest farm in Yongsheng Township Jinkouhe District of the city Xinhua news agency reported More than 600 people rushed to the site for rescue and search with the help of professional rescue equipment The rescue operation ended at 8 pm on Sunday An investigation into the cause of the mountain collapse is underway IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/china-mountain-collapse-toll-rises-to-19-434369.html Mon, 05 Jun 2023 11:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lanka-president-mourns-loss-of-lives-in-odisha-train-tragedy-434010.html Colombo June 4 Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe has conveyed his heartfelt condolences to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India following the tragic multiple train collision in Odisha In a letter addressed to Indias Prime Minister President Wickremesinghe expressed his profound sadness upon learning about the devastating incident Presidents Media Division PMD announced on Saturday The President emphasised that the people of Sri Lanka stand united in their sympathy and support for India during this difficult time President Wickremesinghe extended his condolences to the Government of India and the bereaved families who have suffered an unimaginable loss He also expressed his wishes for a swift recovery to those who have been injured PMD said The President also assured Modi that the thoughts and prayers of Sri Lanka are with the families of the victims and he hoped that they would find the strength and resilience to overcome their grief the statement added IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lanka-president-mourns-loss-of-lives-in-odisha-train-tragedy-434010.html Sun, 04 Jun 2023 04:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khans-trial-likely-in-military-court-434168.html Islamabad June 4 Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said the chances are that PTI Chairman Imran Khan could be tried in a military court in connection with his alleged involvement in the May 9 attacks on civil and military installations in different cities days after Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah had hinted at that possibility too a media outlet reported The Defence Minister told The Express Tribune that the former premier could stand trial in a military court if evidence of his involvement in the May 9 violence surfaced in the coming days He also confirmed that no case had been registered against Imran so far in connection with the May 9 attacks the media outlet reported Definitely there are chances that Imran Khan can be tried in a military court the minister said while responding to a question if the deposed premier could be prosecuted under the Army Act Earlier Asif was reported as saying that no decision had been made in connection with trying Imran under the Army Act but he had not ruled out that possibility allegedly on the grounds that the PTI chief was the mastermind behind the May 9 violence and knew everything about what was happening on that day Now Asif has said Imrans trial in a military court was more likely to take place provided that evidence of his involvement in the mayhem came to light Express Tribune reported The Defence Ministers remarks have come on the heels of the statement by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah who said Imran would face trial in a military court for his role in the May 9 attacks IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khans-trial-likely-in-military-court-434168.html Sun, 04 Jun 2023 17:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/chinese-censors-remove-protest-site-in-beijing-from-online-maps-433666.html New Delhi June 2 Chinese censors scrubbing the internet of any words or symbols that could be used to reference the Tiananmen Square massacre in the runup to Sundays anniversary have a new target in their sights a bridge in Beijing where a rare protest was staged last year as per media reports As the 34th anniversary of the 1989 massacre approaches anyone searching in Chinese for Sitong Bridge on Baidu maps will draw a blank On October 13 2022 white banners with large red characters criticising the Chinese Communist Party CCP were hung over the bridge near Beijings university district in advance of a major CCP congress The Guardian reported According to pictures posted on social media the road sign for Sitong Bridge has been removed Searches on Baidu for Sitong Bridge return the message No related places were found It is still possible to search for the bridge using the traditional Chinese characters used in Hong Kong and Taiwan rather than the simplified characters used on the mainland And it is still possible to find related locations such as Sitong Bridge East a nearby bus stop on Baidu Octobers Sitong Bridge banners called for freedom respect and the right to be citizens not slaves as well as the removal of Xi Jinping Chinas leader who was about to begin an unprecedented third term as the CCPs general secretary The man responsible for the banners Peng Lifa was detained by police shortly after they appeared and has not been seen since The Guardian reported He has come to be known as Bridge Man a reference to the Tank Man of the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989 Pengs stunt precipitated the White Paper protests which called for an end to the zeroCovid policy that swept Chinese cities in late November and early December It was a period of mass unrest the likes of which have not been seen in China since 1989 The Guardian reported The Tiananmen Square massacre is one of the most sensitive topics in China Discussion of the event in which hundreds of protesters who had been calling for political reform were killed by the Peoples Liberation Army is strictly controlled IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/chinese-censors-remove-protest-site-in-beijing-from-online-maps-433666.html Sat, 03 Jun 2023 03:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-opens-barter-trade-with-afghanistan-iran-russia-433810.html Islamabad June 3 In another step to release pressures on dwindling foreign exchange reserves Pakistan has opened up barter trade with Afghanistan Iran and Russia for certain items including petroleum LNG coal wheat pulses minerals metals and several food items According to a statutory regulatory order SRO issued by the Ministry of Commerce on Friday the government allowed the import and export of goods under B2B barter trade with the three countries The News reported At a time when the CPI Consumer Price Index touched 38 per cent and Sensitive Price Indicator SPI based inflation clocked to 48 per cent Pakistan took a decision to allow barter trade with neighbouring countries in the wake of the IMF not coming up to rescue ailing economy of the country The government has notified the products to be imported from Afghanistan which include fruits and nuts vegetables and pulses spices minerals and metals coal and its products raw rubber items raw hides and skins cotton and iron and steel From Iran Pakistani importers are allowed to import fruits nuts vegetables spices minerals and metals coal and related products petroleum crude oil LNG and LPG chemical products fertilisers article of plastics and rubber raw hides and skins raw wool and articles of iron and steel From Russia Pakistani traders will be allowed to import pulses wheat coal and related products petroleum oils including crude LNG and LPG fertilisers tanning and dying extracts articles of plastic and rubber minerals and metals chemicals products articles of iron and steel and items of textile industrial machinery The News reported The Ministry of Commerce in its statement said that they held several meetings with highlevel delegations of various countries in this regard to make the barter trade system possible It was an ideal step taken by the current administration to stabilise the countrys economyIt will not only increase foreign reserves of the country but also increase the quantum of trade it added The News reported Sources said that the barter trade would help overcome banking transactions because in the case of Iran there was no possibility of transactions through official channels because of the economic sanction imposed by the US Khaqan Najeeb a former advisor to Ministry of Finance said it is hoped the barter trade mechanism would help the economy in the middle of prevailing gaps in Pakistans import and export potential He said regional trade is key to reaching a vast number of people so to facilitate barter trade with the three countries is a good idea Barter can help discover innovative products and trading opportunities and can help citizens near border areas to earn a better living The News reported The business community has been advocating proposals aimed at moving forward to operationalise the barter trade arrangement with the three very important countries The government has agreed with the business community proposals at a time when the country faces a severe dollar liquidity crunch to pay for important supplies he concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-opens-barter-trade-with-afghanistan-iran-russia-433810.html Sat, 03 Jun 2023 14:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-isolated-after-closest-aides-leave-pti-433420.html Chennai Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin with former West Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi and others during the inaugural event of yearlong celebrations to mark the birth centenary of former DMK president and former Tamil Nadu chief minister Karunanidhi in Chennai Friday June 2 2023 PTI By Hamza Ameer Islamabad June 2 Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chief and former Prime Minister Imran Khan is faced with the toughest battle of his life as he struggles to tackle a severe political isolation after his closest aides announced their departure from the party in the wake of the May 9 violence following his arrest in Islamabad Adding to the towering list of leaders announcing their departure from PTI are former Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak and former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser Nothing good happened on May 9 I have condemned the incident before may Allah prevent such an incident from happening again The political environment of the country is bad I have decided to leave the post of the party I will decide about the future course of action after consulting with friends said Khattak who was also the former Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as the partys president in the province Just recently Khattak and Qaiser had been nominated as part of the PTI negotiation team after Khan called on the powerful quarters to sit for table talks and find a solution to what he termed as political chaos in the country to target him and his party Since the May 9 chaos more than 100 PTI leaders have announced their departure from the party However the consistency of statements and reasoning stated by all the PTI leaders for their departure has raised many questions over the true reason behind their disassociation with Khan From the first person announcing departure from the party to the 102nd all seem to be reading the same lines in the same sequence and with expressions that speak the truth about what pressures assaults torture and mental stress they have been forced to go through before being compelled to announce their departure said Raoof Hassan the Information Secretary of PTI Khan has being saying that his party leaders and workers are kidnapped put behind bars and threatened by the authorities and the countrys intelligence agencies of dire consequences It seems that all those who agree to hold a press conference and announce their departure from the party are freed from the jails Even the Islamabad High Court IHC judge told one of our party leaders that they will not leave you until you dont hold the press conference he said I want to call on the powerful quarters to not destroy the whole country only to finish me and my party At the moment there is no democracy or rule of law in the country On the other hand the government maintains that those leaving the party have seen the true agenda behind Khans politics They all have now seen the true face of Imran Khan who has been throwing all others under the buss and calling them on to come out and fight for him while he himself hides behind the walls of his residence and tries to dodge accountability on himself cowardly Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said PTI and Khan found itself in deep hot waters after its leaders workers and supporters responded aggressively and violently to the party chiefs arrest on May 9 from Islamabad There was unprecedented scenes of mob attacks vandalism looting and destroying of military installations and state owned buildings The protesters also attacked General Headquarters GHQ in Rawalpindi Corps Commander House in Lahore and other important installations across the country Since then the government and the military establishment have joined hands to launch a serious and aggressive crackdown against the PTI leaders and workers arresting over 1000 supporters on allegations of being part of the May 9 riots and initiating trials in antiterrorism courts under relevant terrorism laws Pakistan Army Act 1952 and Official Secrets Act 1923 IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-isolated-after-closest-aides-leave-pti-433420.html Fri, 02 Jun 2023 12:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/central-bank-of-sri-lanka-reduces-key-rates-433280.html Colombo June 1 The Monetary Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka CBSL decided to reduce the Standing Deposit Facility Rate and the Standing Lending Facility Rate by 250 basis points to 1300 per cent and 1400 per cent respectively the CBSL said in a statement on Thursday The Board arrived at this decision with a view to easing monetary conditions in line with the fasterthanexpected slowing of inflation gradual dissipation of inflationary pressures and further anchoring of inflation expectations Xinhua news agency reported citing the CBSL as saying The commencing of such monetary easing is expected to provide an impetus for the economy to rebound from the historic contraction of activity witnessed in 2022 while easing pressures in the financial markets the bank said During the four months ending April 2023 the trade deficit decreased notably compared to a year earlier reflecting mainly the subdued import expenditure which outweighed the impact of moderation of external demand for merchandise exports The downward adjustment in market interest rates will accelerate in line with the envisaged singledigit inflation thereby supporting credit to the private sector and softening the pressures in the financial sector the CBSL added IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/central-bank-of-sri-lanka-reduces-key-rates-433280.html Fri, 02 Jun 2023 00:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-releases-198-indian-fishermen-433540.html Karachi June 2 Pakistani authorities have released 198 Indian fishermen who had been detained in the countrys territorial waters in the Arabian Sea On Thursday the fishermen who were imprisoned in Karachis Malir Jail boarded a train destined for Lahore from where they will make their final journey to India The News reported Pakistan decided to release the Indian fishermen as a gesture of goodwill According to the authorities at the Malir Jail the initial group of released Indian fishermen comprised 200 individuals Unfortunately two of them succumbed to illness during their detention and the remaining 198 were released The News reported The remaining batches of detained Indian fishermen are scheduled for release in June and July As impoverished fishermen of both Pakistan and India often transgress into the other countrys territories the maritime security forces of both countries frequently apprehend them The Edhi Foundation organised the train travel for the Indian fishermen ensuring their safe passage to Lahore Upon their arrival in Lahore the fishermen would be transferred to the Federal Investigation Agency which would oversee their transportation to the Wagah border The News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-releases-198-indian-fishermen-433540.html Fri, 02 Jun 2023 17:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/civilian-supremacy-a-casualty-in-pakistans-political-crisis-433298.html Islamabad June 1 The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan HRCP has said that the country could not get rid of its multiple crises unless all political stakeholders desisted from any further measures that could imperil the countrys fragile democracy as per media reports In a statement issued by HRCP Chairperson Hina Jilani the human rights watchdog noted that the governments inability or unwillingness to safeguard civilian supremacy or to preserve the dignity of parliament had proven tremendously disappointing The HRCP has closely monitored the ongoing political crisis and notes with great alarm that civilian supremacy has emerged as the greatest casualty the statement said The Express Tribune reported At the same time the political oppositions history of hostile politics and contempt for the rule of law has played no small part in triggering the wanton destruction of property during 910 May it added These were not peaceful protests The evidence points to acts of arson rioting looting vandalism and trespass onto state and private property The statement also said that the judiciary too had been found wanting in its unity and nonpartisanship compromised with serious implications for the trichotomy of powers The Express Tribune reported It expressed regrets that the failure of the judiciary to credibly maintain its independence and impartiality had exacerbated the ruleoflaw crisis in the country Though the allegations of violence and custodial torture against political workers and PTI supporters had yet to be verified the HRCP stressed that all such allegations merited independent investigation Expressing concern over the trial of civilians under the Army Act the HRCP emphasised that those responsible for the destruction of public and private property must be held accountable and that there was ample provision in the civilian laws for it The Express Tribune reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/civilian-supremacy-a-casualty-in-pakistans-political-crisis-433298.html Fri, 02 Jun 2023 02:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pti-president-pervaiz-elahi-arrested-in-lahore-433556.html Lahore June 2 The AntiCorruption Establishment ACE with the help of the police in Punjab province has arrested former Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI president Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi from near his Lahore residence an official said Caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir confirmed Elahis arrest on Thursday saying he was in his vehicle and trying to flee when he was arrested The Express Tribune reported Yes he has been arrested from the Zahoor Elahi Road He was arrested while trying to flee the Minister told a private news channel Several raids were carried out at his residence He was wanted Today out of the blue a couple of bulletproof cars came out of the house He was in one of the cars Mir said that law enforcers tried to stop and check the bulletproof cars at a checkpost The Minister said that the former chief minister resisted the arrest and was not opening door of his bulletproof vehicle therefore the law enforcers had to break the side mirror of his vehicle The Express Tribune reported After resistance there was an attempt to break the cars window on the drivers side Pervez Elahi was inside the car he said The Minister emphasised that during initial attempts to apprehend Elahi there were significant instances of mismanagement thus the arrest was made after proper planning today The series of arbitrary arrests began in January and it was then that my father told me that even if they arrest me we must stand by Imran Khan the former chief ministers son Moonis Elahi tweeted shortly after the arrest He said that his parents had expressed the same sentiments three days ago The Express Tribune reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pti-president-pervaiz-elahi-arrested-in-lahore-433556.html Fri, 02 Jun 2023 18:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-intel-has-evidence-of-foreign-involvement-in-may-9-vandalism-433321.html Lahore June 1 PMLN leader Mian Javed Latif has claimed that Pakistan state institutions have evidence of the involvement of foreign hands in May 9 vandalism as per media reports State institutions have evidence of involvement of foreign hands and on whose directions all that was done he said while addressing the media in Lahore Latif also alleged that the PTI had been training its supporters for the past year for attacking military installations in case of PTI chief Imran Khans arrest Dawn reported Special Assistant to Prime Minister Attaullah Tarar has said that no leniency will be given to those involved in the violent protests of May 9 Addressing a press conference in Islamabad he said that the miscreants are not deserving of any leniency and no leniency will be provided no matter how much propaganda they do He reiterated the governments stance that the women who were detained in jails were being provided all their rights and that any mistreatment could not even be imagined Dawn reported Tarar further said that if the few people who were deceived by Imran Khan were to be released then all criminals behind hideous crimes such as rape murder and abductions must be released as well IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-intel-has-evidence-of-foreign-involvement-in-may-9-vandalism-433321.html Fri, 02 Jun 2023 04:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-to-approach-imf-for-new-programme-433330.html Islamabad June 1 Pakistan has decided to negotiate a new programme with the International Monetary Fund IMF immediately after the budget as the coalition government is planning to conclude the 65 billion Extended Fund Facility EFF without completing all the pending review The coalition government has been negotiating with the Washingtonbased lender to revive its bailout programme since November with the financing gap among the biggest roadblocks Theres about 25 billion left to disburse from the 65 billion programme thats scheduled to expire on June 30 Geo News reported The sources said that while negotiations on the ninth review were almost complete a stafflevel agreement is yet to be reached Even after this review completes the 10th and 11th reviews will remain pending Completion of both reviews before June 30 seems impossible and the government has decided against seeking an extension the sources said adding that Ishaq Darled Ministry of Finance will approach the Fund for a new programme after budget which is expected to be tabled on June 9 Geo News reported The sources further revealed that if the coalition government fails to complete the negotiations before its term ends in August the caretaker government will hold talks with the Washingtonbased lender Disclosing some of the details of the new programme the sources said that the economic team has begun working on the agreement which is expected to be tougher than the existing programme agreed in 2019 by the Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI government Geo News reported Moreover they said that the new bailout programme will likely be for more than three years Pakistan will desperately need an IMF programme in September as the country needs to pay around 911 billion dollars in repayments of external debt by December 2023 they added IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-to-approach-imf-for-new-programme-433330.html Fri, 02 Jun 2023 05:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bdesh-unveils-71bn-budget-on-digital-economy-cashless-society-433594.html Dhaka June 2 The Bangladesh government has unveiled a record 762 trillion taka 71 billion national budget for the 202324 fiscal year starting in July The government projected an economic growth of 75 per cent in the annual budget reports Xinhua news agency With a focus on tackling inflation job creation the fourth industrial revolution and Smart Bangladesh Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presented the budget to Parliament On the whole we expect to return to higher growth trajectory and achieve a 75 per cent GDP growth in the coming fiscal year by way of investing in the productive sectors and stimulating productivity and domestic demand Kamal said during the budget speech in the parliament As the total size of the expenditure budget has been estimated at 762 trillion taka the outlay is 152 per cent of the South Asian countrys gross domestic product GDP To achieve the growth target we will gradually come out of the contractionary policy and invest in ongoing and new growthinducing projects including the megaprojects Kamal said For this purpose the minister said the budget of the next fiscal year has set a higher target of raising the public investment to 63 per cent of GDP He said the government is committed to containing the rising trend of inflation by addressing inconsistencies between supply and demand According to the budget proposal Bangladesh is targeting an average inflation rate of 65 per cent in the next fiscal year Kamal said there has been a recent spike in prices mainly due to external factors Although inflationary pressure increased due to the RussiaUkraine war the government has been making an allout effort to check the inflation and mitigate its impact on the people the Minister added Due to the decrease in the prices of fuel food and fertilizer in the global market along with the adjustment of fuel prices in the domestic market and government initiatives to keep the food and supply systems normal the inflation will remain much controlled in the next fiscal year and the annual average inflation is expected to stand at around 6 per cent he said Amid geopolitical risks Kamal said the total outlay of the proposed budget for the 202324 fiscal year is up by 1234 per cent over that of the original budget of the outgoing fiscal year According to the proposal the overall budget deficit will be 258 trillion taka which is 52 per cent of GDP Kamal said the total estimated revenue will be over 5 trillion taka On the expenditure side he said the size of Annual Development Program ADP for the next fiscal year will be 278 trillion taka with transport power infrastructure rural development and education sectors getting the biggest chunk of money This is the largestever budget for Bangladesh a long way from the first budget of 786 billion taka for the 197273 fiscal year The theme of the budget has been shaped by the idea of Smart Bangladesh envisioning a 100per cent digital economy science and technologybased literacy and a paperless and cashless society IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bdesh-unveils-71bn-budget-on-digital-economy-cashless-society-433594.html Fri, 02 Jun 2023 21:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistans-inflation-touches-record-high-amid-turmoil-433622.html Islamabad June 2 Consumer inflation in Pakistan raced to 38 per cent in May the highest annual rise in prices on record driven mainly by skyrocketing costs of food house rents electricity and gas bills and transport official data revealed Nonperishable foods and transport costs climbed more than 50 per cent over May 2022 while average inflation for this fiscal year has reached 292 per cent Dawn news reported citing the data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics The May reading exceeded the Finance Ministrys projection of 3436 per cent for the month and comes as political turmoil continues to roil the country Years of financial mismanagement rupee depreciation and the governments failure to unlock IMF funding have also played a role in taking annual price hikes to such record highs Dawn reported Official data showed that the average price of a 20 kg wheat flour bag more than doubled to around 2700 PKR in May compared to the same month a year ago The average price of chicken live rose by 386 per cent to 435 PKR per kg that of milk by 41 per cent to 170 PKR a litre and that of eggs by 85 per cent to 280 PKR a dozen Pulses and vegetables also became costlier Dawn reported However monthly inflation measured by a basket of products and services called the Consumer Price Index CPI is likely to go down from June due to a highbase effect It has been rising since mid2022 after the government took painful measures as part of fiscal adjustments demanded by the International Monetary Fund to unlock stalled funding IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistans-inflation-touches-record-high-amid-turmoil-433622.html Fri, 02 Jun 2023 22:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistani-pm-to-attend-inauguration-of-turkish-president-433370.html Islamabad June 2 Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the inauguration ceremony of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Saturday Pakistans Foreign Ministry said The Prime Minister would convey warm felicitations on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan to the Turkish President on his recent reelection the Ministry said on Thursday in a statement Sharifs visit would be a reaffirmation of the deeprooted fraternal ties between Pakistan and Turkey the Ministry added as quoted by Xinhua news agency report The PakistanTurkey relationship is deeply embedded in commonalities of faith culture and history and strengthened by mutual trust and convergence of views on regional and global matters it said Frequent leadershiplevel exchanges are a defining feature of the eternal bonds of friendship between the two countries according to the statement IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistani-pm-to-attend-inauguration-of-turkish-president-433370.html Fri, 02 Jun 2023 09:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-slams-imfs-intervention-in-internal-matters-432952.html Islamabad May 31 Pakistan State Minister for Finance and Revenue Aisha Ghaus Pasha on Wednesday slammed the International Monetary Fund IMF for intervening in Pakistans internal matters local media reported Pakistans conduct is in line with the law the state minister said terming IMF Mission Chief for Pakistan Nathan Porters statement regarding the political situation in Pakistan extraordinary While the IMF does not comment on domestic politics Porter had said that the Fund hopes a peaceful way forward is found in line with the Constitution and the rule of law Hoping that both sides will reach a stafflevel agreement before the announcement of the federal budget expected to be unveiled on June 9 for the fiscal year 202324 the state minister said that the delay is neither good for Pakistan nor the Fund Dr Pasha confirmed reports that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif contacted IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva adding that the premier assured the funds chief that Pakistan will meet all its obligations Geo News reported On May 27 the Prime Minister contacted Georgieva requesting her to help Pakistan revive the stalled 65 billion facility The Prime Minister according to the sources requested her to intervene in order to complete the pending ninth review which would unlock 11 billion in financing for the cashstrapped nation Geo News reported The minister in response to a question regarding Pakistans plan of action in case it fails to convince the fund before the expiry of the programme June 30 said The Ministry of Finance is not sitting with its eyes closed there is always a Plan B but our priority is to revive the IMF programme IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-slams-imfs-intervention-in-internal-matters-432952.html Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-proud-of-its-contribution-to-un-peacekeeping-minister-432980.html Islamabad June 1 Pakistan is proud of its longstanding association and contribution to the UN peacekeeping operations Pakistans Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar said The Minister made the remarks in an event marking the 75th anniversary of UN peacekeeping organised in collaboration with the UN in the Pakistani Foreign Ministry the Ministry said on Wednesday in a statement Khar paid tribute to the services and sacrifices rendered by UN peacekeepers for advancing the shared goals of peace all over the world and reaffirmed Pakistans strong commitment to and support for the UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding architecture Xinhua news agency reported Today we are celebrating the more than 80000 brave peacekeepers women and men who are carrying out the extremely important task of creating peace around the world said Knut Ostby Resident Representative in Pakistan of the UN Development Programme who spoke on behalf of the UN Pakistan is among the largest troopcontributing countries to UN peacekeeping with nearly 4334 military and police personnel currently serving in nine locations around the world said the Ministry The event paid homage to the more than 200000 Pakistani personnel who have served in 46 UN Missions since 1960 including 171 who lost their lives according to the Ministry IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-proud-of-its-contribution-to-un-peacekeeping-minister-432980.html Thu, 01 Jun 2023 02:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/2-terrorists-killed-in-military-operation-in-pakistan-432981.html Islamabad June 1 At least two terrorists were killed by security forces in an operation in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province the military said The InterServices Public Relations ISPR the media wing of the Pakistan Army said on Wednesday that the security forces conducted an intelligencebased operation in the Dossali area of South Waziristan a district in the province bordering Afghanistan Xinhua news agency reported On receiving a tipoff about the presence of terrorists in the area the security forces cordoned off a hideout and killed two terrorists in an intense exchange of fire said the ISPR adding that weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the terrorists The ISPR said that the slain militants were actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces and the killing of citizens IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/2-terrorists-killed-in-military-operation-in-pakistan-432981.html Thu, 01 Jun 2023 02:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/buildings-damaged-during-earthquake-in-myanmar-432982.html Yangon June 1 An earthquake with a magnitude of 59 struck about 22 miles 3541 km northwest of Hopin in northern Myanmars Kachin state at 550 pm local time according to Myanmars Department of Meteorology and Hydrology DMH The epicentre with a depth of 10 km was initially determined to be at 2517 degrees north latitude and 9622 degrees east longitude Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday The quake caused damage to some buildings in the Mohnyin township of Kachin state local residents said Yin Myo Min Htwe deputy director from the earthquake division of the DMH told Xinhua that the epicentre of the earthquake is located in a sparsely populated area close to the surrounding villages and the number of casualties may be relatively low IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/buildings-damaged-during-earthquake-in-myanmar-432982.html Thu, 01 Jun 2023 02:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/security-forces-discover-arms-ammunition-in-afghanistan-432988.html PuleKhumri Afghanistan June 1 Afghan security forces have discovered a huge quantity of arms and ammunition in Afghanistans northern Baghlan province said a statement of the provincial General Directorate of Intelligence The confiscated arms and ammunitions include 19 pieces of Kalashnikovs an M24 sniper rifle a PK machine gun an M16 rifle thousands of bullets and explosive objects which have been discovered during operations in BaghlaneMarkazi district of Baghlan province The statement on Wednesday did not mention if anyone has been arrested Xinhua news agency reported Similarly Afghan security forces had also discovered and seized several weapon caches in Kandahar Nangarhar and Panjshir provinces over the past couple of weeks The Afghan caretaker government has vowed to collect arms and ammunition from anyone living outside security organs IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/security-forces-discover-arms-ammunition-in-afghanistan-432988.html Thu, 01 Jun 2023 03:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bangladesh-bans-1st-class-travel-for-govt-employees-433272.html Dhaka June 1 The Bangladeshi government has issued a directive banning firstclass travel for all government employees till further notice Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina signed the directive in this regard her Press Wing said in a statement To combat the Covid triggered impacts as well as the global economic crisis the government adopted the austerity measures reportsXinhua news agency As part of the multifaceted measures to rationalise government expenditure Bangladesh in November last year banned foreign travels of all public employees until further notice However in March this year some of the restrictions on expenditure were relaxed IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bangladesh-bans-1st-class-travel-for-govt-employees-433272.html Thu, 01 Jun 2023 23:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-bars-channels-from-giving-air-time-to-hate-mongers-433142.html Islamabad June 1 In a directive to television channels the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority Pemra said there should be a media boycott of hate mongers perpetrators and their facilitators and advised them to remain vigilant and not give airtime to such people Issued on Wednesday the Pemra notification stated that while the Constitution guarantees citizens the right to freedom of expression there are exceptions to this right Geo News reported It is crucial to strike a balance between protecting freedom of speech and maintaining public order it said Then it referred to the events of Black Day on May 9 when violent protests broke out across many cities in the country following the arrest of Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Chairman Imran Khan Geo News reported On this day the notification stated zealots of a political party attacked state and public properties endangered innocent lives and promoted antistate to weaken the country and state institutions adding that caution must be exercised in this regard This is a terrible trend which should be condemned the notification stated adding In the wake of aforementioned scenario all satellite TV channel licensees are directed to remain vigilant and not to promote any hate monger perpetrators and their facilitators inadvertently Stating that national unity should be promoted the media regulating agency directed that hatemongers be blacked out Planners and perpetrators of hateful violence should not be promoted on television and violent discriminatory content not should be broadcast the regulator stated Geo News reported The licensee shall ensure that nothing is contained in any programme or an advertisement which is prejudicial to the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of Pakistan Ideology of Pakistan security friendly relations with foreign states public order or which may constitute contempt of court defamation or incitement to an offence or brings into disrepute the State institutions including armed forces the notification read IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-bars-channels-from-giving-air-time-to-hate-mongers-433142.html Thu, 01 Jun 2023 15:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/moodys-downgrades-bangladeshs-ratings-despite-stable-outlook-432936.html Dhaka May 31 Global credit rating agency Moodys Investors Service has downgraded Bangladeshs longterm issuer and senior unsecured ratings from Ba3 to B1 and reaffirmed shortterm issuer ratings at Not Prime Moodys disclosed the downgraded rating following a review initiated on December 9 2022 reports Xinhua news agency The rating outlook is stable the credit rating agency said Moodys assessment read that Bangladeshs heightened external vulnerability and liquidity risks were persistent and together with institutional weaknesses uncovered during the ongoing crisis the sovereigns credit profile is consistent with a B1 rating Despite some easing ongoing dollar scarcity and deterioration in foreign exchange reserves indicate continued pressures on Bangladeshs external position exacerbating import constraints and as a result energy shortages A low level of fiscal revenues relative to the size of the economy constrains the governments policy choices and points to weaken debt affordability as higher interest payments result from the takas devaluation and short maturities for domestic debt Although Moodys expects external financing to help alleviate pressures on the external and fiscal metrics external buffers will remain weaker than before the pandemic and higher debt levels will weaken fiscal strength particularly as Moodys expects fiscal reforms will take years to materialize Bangladeshs local currency LC and foreign currency FC ceilings have concurrently been lowered to Ba2 and B1 from Ba1 and Ba3 respectively The LC ceiling is placed two notches above the sovereign rating reflecting weak predictability and reliability of government institutions and high external imbalances which raise risks for the garment export sectors contributions to government revenue balanced by a relatively small government footprint The FC ceiling is placed two notches below the LC ceiling reflecting low capital account openness weak policy effectiveness and some degree of unpredictability surrounding capital flow management but also taking into account a low external indebtedness IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/moodys-downgrades-bangladeshs-ratings-despite-stable-outlook-432936.html Wed, 31 May 2023 23:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sl-to-set-up-truth-reconciliation-commission-to-solve-ethnic-crisis-with-tamils-432686.html By Susitha Fernando Colombo May 31 The Sri Lankan Cabinet has approved the setting up of a South Africanstyle Truth and Reconciliation Commission to solve the ethnic crisis with the Tamils that had resulted in the 26yearold Civil War The cabinet nod has been received following a preliminary review done on South Africas Truth and Reconciliation Commission and how the country confronted its own apartheidera crimes through such a body Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabry and Justice Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe who had visited South Africa on an invitation by the South African International Relations and Cooperation Minister to conduct a preliminary study on the Commission had presented a jointcabinet paper for the approval The two ministers held discussions with the South African President International Relations and Cooperation Minister and other heads of the South African Government on South Africas Truth and Reconciliation Commission Cabinet CoSpokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardena said Since the end of war in 2009 successive governments had promised to investigate crimes committed by both sides during the 26year conflict between government forces and separatist Tamil Tiger rebels In 2015 the Sri Lankan government informed the UN Human Rights Council on setting up similar commission with the proposals to set up a criminal justice mechanism and compensate victims Human rights groups had complained that Sri Lanka has failed to address continuing incidents of torture by the police and military against minority Tamils and had demanded for an international investigation with the participation of a majority of international judges in an independent system and an independent international prosecutor IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sl-to-set-up-truth-reconciliation-commission-to-solve-ethnic-crisis-with-tamils-432686.html Wed, 31 May 2023 08:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-will-face-trial-in-military-courts-minister-432789.html Islamabad May 31 Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has said that former premier and PTI chairman Imran Khan would face trial in a military court for his role in the May 9 attacks Speaking to a private news channel Sanaullah accused Imran of personally planning attacks on military establishments claiming that there was ample evidence to substantiate these accusations The Express Tribune reported It is all documented The proof is in his Imrans tweets and messages he said Violent protests broke out across the country after the PTI chief was taken into custody by paramilitary Rangers on the orders of the National Accountability Bureau from the Islamabad High Court premises Rioters vandalised civilian infrastructure and military installations and even attacked the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and Lahore Corps Commanders residence also known as Jinnah House The Express Tribune reported During the interview when asked if the PTI chairman would be tried in a military court the Interior Minister replied Absolutely why shouldnt he be tried in a military court By looking at the programme he made to target military installations and how he had it executed this is absolutely a case for the military courts Sanaullah claimed that the former premier personally orchestrated the attacks The Express Tribune reported The PTI activists chanted the slogan Imran is our red line and the entire plot was prepared on Imran Khans initiative and instigation He carried it all out He is the architect of this chaos IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-will-face-trial-in-military-courts-minister-432789.html Wed, 31 May 2023 15:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/nepal-pm-embarks-on-4-day-visit-to-india-432817.html From left Thierry Breton European Commissioner for Internal Market Valdis Dombrovskis Executive VicePresident responsible for an Economy that Works for People Margrethe Vestager Executive VicePresident for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age and Competition Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Johan Forssell Minister of Energy and Industry Ebba Busch Minister of Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström Secretary Anthony Blinken Gina M Raimondo US Secretary of Commerce and Katherine Tai US Trade Representative pose for a family photo during the Trade and Technology Conference in in Lulea Sweden Wednesday May 31 2023 PTI Kathmandu May 31 Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Wednesday embarked on a fourday official visit to India at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi In a statement the Foreign Ministry in Kathmandu said Dahal popularly known as Prachanda is being accompanied by his daughter Ganga Dahal and an official delegation comprising Foreign Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat Finance Minister Shakti Basnet Energy Minister Prakash Jwala Physical Infrastructure Transport Minister Ramesh Rijal Chief Secretary Secretaries and senior government officials The Prime Minister was sent off at the VVIP lounge of the Tribhuvan International Airport by the Speaker of the House of Representatives Dev Raj Ghimire Chairman of the National Assembly Ganesh Timilsina deputy prime ministers ministers and top officials The Prime Minister is scheduled to return to Kathmandu on June 3 This is Prachandas first official after assuming office in December last year According to Foreign Minister Saud the entire gamut of bilateral interests and concerns will be discussed including electricity trade construction of transmission lines and opening of integrated check post among others Similarlythere will be discussions about Indian investment promotion in Nepals energy and hydropower sector trade and transportation and airways Nepal has also prioritised the issue of longterm energy trade with India Similarly Nepal has been urging India to pave the way for electricity trade in Bangladesh Bangladesh has already agreed to take 50 MW of electricity immediately with Nepal During the visit preparations have been made to discuss the matter of ensuring the airways between the heads of government of the two countries and reach a conclusion Prachanda and Modi will meet at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Thursday at 11 am After the meeting they will hold a joint press conference and will witness the signing of some agreements and a memorandum of understanding After completing the engagements in New Delhi Prachanda will visit Ujjain Madhya Pradesh IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/nepal-pm-embarks-on-4-day-visit-to-india-432817.html Wed, 31 May 2023 16:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/uae-using-wikipedia-to-control-narrative-amid-criticism-of-oil-boss-leading-climate-summit-432629.html London May 30 COP28 president Sultan Al Jaber has been accused of attempting to greenwash his image after it emerged that members of his team had edited Wikipedia pages that highlighted his role as CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Adnoc the media reported Work by Al Jabers team on his and the climate summits Wikipedia entries include adding a quote from an editorial that said Al Jaber the United Arab Emirates UAE minister for industry and advanced technology was precisely the kind of ally the climate movement needs the Guardian reported They also suggested that editors remove reference to a multibilliondollar oil pipeline deal he signed in 2019 the Centre for Climate Reporting and the Guardian can reveal Oil companies and their CEOs are taking greenwash to a whole new level seizing control of global climate conferences then getting their own employees to airbrush out criticism of their blatant hypocrisy on Wikipedia said Caroline Lucas the Green party MP The UAE government which controls about 6 per cent of the worlds oil reserves has been criticised for appointing a fossil fuel boss as head of COP28 which will be held in Dubai in November the Guardian reported Last week 130 US and EU lawmakers called on Al Jaber to be removed from his post as the summits president Meanwhile Al Jaber has been working with major consultancy firms and PR agencies to promote his work as an advocate for Emirati investment in green energy His appointment as COP28 president was welcomed by the likes of John Kerry the US special presidential envoy for climate and other key figures in international climate diplomacy the Guardian reported Pointing to Al Jabers work on climate issues over the past decade a spokesperson for COP28 said We will continue to ensure that all publicly available sources of information about the presidency and its leadership remain factually accurate and up to date IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/uae-using-wikipedia-to-control-narrative-amid-criticism-of-oil-boss-leading-climate-summit-432629.html Wed, 31 May 2023 00:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/adb-approves-350-million-loan-to-help-support-sls-economic-stabilisation-432283.html Colombo May 29 The Asian Development Bank ADB on Monday said it has approved a 350 million special policybased loan to provide budget support to Sri Lanka for the stabilisation of its crisishit economy The bank said that the program is part of a broader package of financial assistance anchored by the International Monetary Funds Extended Fund Facility for the country which aims to stabilise the economy and lay the foundation for economic recovery and sustained growth reports Xinhua news agency The ADB said Sri Lanka is facing a severe and unprecedented economic crisis and high inflation has eroded purchasing power livelihoods have been affected and past development gains have been reversed The ADB is concerned about the deep crisis in the country and its impact on the people of Sri Lanka especially the poor and the vulnerable particularly women said ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa The lender is committed to standing with Sri Lanka as it addresses its present challenges and strides toward economic stabilization sustainable recovery and inclusive growth said Asakawa Sri Lanka has embarked on bold reforms to address the causes of both internal and external imbalances and return to a sustainable debt trajectory the ADB said The country faces a long road to recovery and must remain steadfast in the implementation of necessary reforms which include enhancing tax revenue collection strengthening public financial management improving performance of stateowned enterprises ensuring autonomy and independence of the central bank safeguarding financial sector stability and bolstering governance frameworks the ADB said As these measures are implemented it is essential to ensure that adequate social protection is provided and implementing governance reforms and anticorruption measures will be critical it added In 2022 in close coordination with development partners the ADB repurposed 334 million of existing loans as emergency response to support the import of essential items such as fertilizers medicines chemicals for water treatment working capital for small and mediumsized enterprises and cash transfers to the poorest and the most vulnerable IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/adb-approves-350-million-loan-to-help-support-sls-economic-stabilisation-432283.html Tue, 30 May 2023 00:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-to-eliminate-interest-rates-from-economy-by-2027-432288.html Islamabad May 29 The aim is to eliminate interest from the countrys economy by 2027 said State Bank of Pakistan Governor Jameel Ahmad addressing the Islamic Capital Markets conference in Islamabad on Monday Express Tribune reported The Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan and SBP are working together on reforms to promote the Islamic finance sector he added The governor was seconded by SECP Chairperson Akif Saeed In the past decade the country has seen a 24 per cent risegrowth in Islamic banking with the Islamic capital market growing to around 3 trillion he said adding that this has reflected positively in the overall state of the countrys economy Islamic banking now makes up 20 per cent of the banking sector in Pakistan According to Ahmad Pakistan has issued Sukuk bonds Shariahcompliant bonds worth Rs 28 trillion A committee has been formed within the SBP to convert government debt into Sukuk he informed Express Tribune reported Ahmad said that there are ongoing discussions for funding from the capital market through Shariah compliance The SBP governor was of the view that financial requirements of the government can also be met through Sukuk issuance The size of the corporate banking sector in Pakistan is very small There is a need to increase the corporate debt market while the Islamic banking market can be promoted further by promoting Sukook added Ahmad Express Tribune reported Meanwhile SECP Chairperson Akif Mian while addressing the conference said that after the Federal Shariat Court FSC ruling last year directing that Pakistan implement a ribafree banking system and transform the economy by 2027 yearend important measures have been taken to promote a an Islamic financial system within the country The goal is to promote the capital market he added In April 2022 the Federal Shariat Court ruled that the prohibition of Riba interest is absolute in all its forms and manifestations according to the injunctions of Islam and in accordance with the Holy Quran and Sunnah Therefore it should be eliminated from the country in five years Express Tribune reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-to-eliminate-interest-rates-from-economy-by-2027-432288.html Tue, 30 May 2023 01:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/17-of-sl-population-still-in-moderate-acute-food-insecurity-report-432305.html By Susitha Fernando Colombo May 29 With 17 per cent of the total population still in moderate acute food insecurity especially in the regions of Indianorigin Tamil in the tea plantations and former war affected Northern and Eastern Tamil settlements there is an improvement in food security in other parts of Sri Lanka FAO and WFP report reveals Amid the severe financial crisis that Sri Lanka has been suffering from last year the food security is improving across all provinces except Nuwara Eliya district where Indianorigin Tamils who came as labourers to work in the tea plantations and former wartorn northern and eastern regions including Kilinochchi Mannar Batticaloa Vavuniya and Jaffna it reported The highest level of acute food insecurity was found within the tea plantation communities in the estate sector and among daily wage labourers and households who rely on social assistance programmes as their main source of income the report stated The Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission CFSAM report was jointly carried out in FebruaryMarch 2023 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO and the United Nations World Food Programme WFP The report estimates 39 million people or 17 per cent of the population is in moderate acute food insecurity which is nearly a 40 per cent decrease from JuneJuly last year Nearly 10000 people are severely acute foodinsecure down from 66000 people last year the report added It noted that the improvement in food security stems from better food consumption which could be attributed to reduced food prices and improved incomes among farming communities during the harvesting period when the mission was carried out After many months of challenges we are finally witnessing an improvement to the countrys food security but there is more to be done A high number of households more than 60 per cent are adopting negative measures to put food on the table including borrowing money and purchasing food on credit said Abdur Rahim Siddiqui WFP Sri Lankas Representative and Country Director The Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission CFSAM report is an eyeopener on the continuing vulnerabilities and challenges that exist within the food systems of Sri Lanka This report and its findings will no doubt serve as a guiding light for policymakers and stakeholders to collectively work towards ensuring food security strengthening agricultural resilience and mitigating risks faced by farmers and rural communities who have been disproportionately impacted by the economic crisis Vimlendra Sharan representative of FAO to Sri Lanka and the Maldives said speaking on CFSAM Report findings The joint FAOWFP Mission has recommended providing immediate support to farmers particularly by releasing available fertiliser stocks to provide adequate support to increase fodder and feed crop production and to minimize the impact on the livestock and fisheries sectors and continuing food andor cash assistance to facilitate access to food among households most vulnerable to food insecurity The WFP stated that it extends its emergency operation which commenced last year to provide food rations and cash assistance to people identified as food insecure while FAO assured that it remains committed to supporting Sri Lanka in its efforts towards achieving sustainable food systems food security and zero hunger IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/17-of-sl-population-still-in-moderate-acute-food-insecurity-report-432305.html Tue, 30 May 2023 02:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-called-for-questioning-over-attack-on-lahore-corps-commander-house-432569.html Lahore May 30 A Joint Investigation Team JIT probing the May 9 attack on the Lahore Corps Commander House or Jinnah House has summoned Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday Khan has been asked to appear before the JIT at 4 pm at the Qilla Gujjar police headquarters Dawn reported He has been called for questioning in a case registered with the Sarwar Road police station against the attack The former premier has been nominated in the case for allegedly abetting the attackers who ransacked and set fire to the Jinnah House when he was in prison Dawn reported Imran Khan is required to attend the office of the DIG Investigation to join the investigation proceedings entrusted to the JTI formed by the Punjab government reads the summon notice issued by Lahore DIG investigation Kamran Adil who is heading the JIT Lahore police chief Bilal Siddique Kamyana confirmed that the PTI chief has been summoned for questioning An official source said that the former Prime Minister will be questioned to determine the scale of his involvement in the attack Dawn reported He added that a number of other senior PTI leaders and activists have been nominated in the FIR Khan was summoned after Lahore SSP investigation Anoosh Masood visited Kot Lakhpat jail on Monday where PTI leader Yasmin Rashid and fashion designer Khadija Shah are being held They were arrested in connection with the attack The SSPs visit came after Khan accused the caretaker Punjab government of maltreating PTIs women supporters who were in prison I have heard about the rape of PTI women political prisoners he said on Sunday without providing any evidence IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-called-for-questioning-over-attack-on-lahore-corps-commander-house-432569.html Tue, 30 May 2023 20:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imrans-name-added-to-exit-control-list-to-prevent-him-from-going-abroad-432325.html Islamabad May 29 Pakistan authorities have put Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Chairman Imran Khans name on the Exit Control List ECL to prevent him from travelling abroad as a consequence of the 190 million pound settlement case media reports said on Monday The former Prime Minister who had been ousted via a vote of noconfidence last year has been facing a slew of cases including the infamous 190 million pound settlement case related to the transfer of multimillion pounds from the UKs National Crime Agency NCA in which his wife Bushra Bibi is also an accused Geo News reported Khan had been arrested by the Rangers from the Islamabad High Court IHC premises earlier this month in the same case which triggered countrywide violent protests The sources said that Khans name has been put on the nofly list as per the recommendation of the National Accountability Bureau NAB Rawalpindi after the federal cabinets approval for the circular summary Geo News reported They said that the decision to place the former first ladys name on the ECL has also been taken and the antigraft watchdog will write to the Interior Ministry in this regard It may be noted that the names of Khan and Bushra Bibi along with over 600 PTI leaders and former Assembly members had been added to the nofly list as per the Federal Investigation Authoritys FIA orders for alleged involvement in the May 9 violence However the former premier after being restricted from leaving the country had thanked the government for doing so saying that he had no plans to travel abroad Geo News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imrans-name-added-to-exit-control-list-to-prevent-him-from-going-abroad-432325.html Tue, 30 May 2023 04:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-always-wished-for-pakistan-to-default-shehbaz-432607.html Islamabad May 30 Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly criticised Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Chairman Imran Khan over his comments about the economy saying the latters understanding of the economy and the broader environment in which it operates is quite limited Khan also conveniently forgets his own role in deepening economic challenges From scrapping the IMF International Monetary Fund deal he has always wished Pakistan to default This is in addition to the adverse impact his politics of nonstop agitation long marches and dharna has had on the economy in terms of causing political instability Sharif said in a tweet His comments came hours after Khan claimed that the economy was in a freefall due to the policies of the Pakistan Democratic Movement PDM government Geo News reported Pointing to the widening gap between the interbank and open markets Khan said the dollarisation of economy meant that there is no local or foreign investment The question is how on earth is the Pakistani establishment allowing the country to head towards a complete economic meltdown Responding to his predecessors claims Sharif said Khan had deliberately created an unstable environment for investors especially after the dayslong violent riots that erupted after the PTI chiefs arrest on May 9 in which public and private properties in several cities were damaged Geo News reported The terrible events of May 9 alone have cost the economy billions of rupees and are an irrefutable endorsement of his nefarious designs This is not to mention the plethora of corruption cases he is involved in the Prime Minister said While acknowledging that Pakistan continues to face economic challenges the Sharif said the country had already passed the doomsday scenario IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-always-wished-for-pakistan-to-default-shehbaz-432607.html Tue, 30 May 2023 22:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-draws-flak-for-spreading-misinformation-432256.html Islamabad May 29 Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Chairman Imran Khan drew flak from social media users for propagating misinformation after he shared an old video of a burning truck citing it as one belonging to a member of his party Taking to Twitter Khan and partys handle had tweeted videos of burning trucks and claimed they belonged to Malik Shahzad Awan who according to them was being pressured to quit the PTI The News reported It was also claimed that his trucks were burned after he refused to do so Social media users were quick to call out Khan and his party for spreading misinformation as the trucks in the video were from a fire incident in Nowsheras oil depot The News reported Resultantly the former Prime Minister and the party had to take down the tweets In the nowdeleted tweets Khan wrote Our MPA from Sindh Karachi Malik Shahzad Awan was pressured to leave PTI When refused his fleet was put on fire and destroyed All PTI ticket holders and aspirants today are facing this fascism our fundamental rights are being openly violated while our judiciary helplessly watches on The PTI meanwhile tweeted Our MPA from Sindh Malik Shahzad Awans trucks have been put on fire when he refused to leave PTI His business has been completely destroyed IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-draws-flak-for-spreading-misinformation-432256.html Mon, 29 May 2023 22:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lankan-rupee-demonstrates-notable-appreciation-against-usd-in-recent-months-432271.html Colombo May 29 The Central Bank of Sri Lanka said the local rupee LKR demonstrated a notable appreciation of 198 per cent against the US dollar during the year up to May 26 The Sri Lankan rupee also experienced significant appreciation against various currencies during this timeframe as well Xinhua news agency reported citing the banks The LKR appreciated 264 per cent against the Japanese yen 17 per cent against the British pound 189 per cent against the euro and 197 per cent against the Indian rupee The LKR depreciated dramatically from 202 per dollar in March 2022 to around 360 after the government allowed it to float The Sri Lankan rupee however has been appreciating in the last few months The Central Bank had recently announced that the economy has stabilised following the worstever crisis and the interest rates will be reduced by the last quarter of the year IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lankan-rupee-demonstrates-notable-appreciation-against-usd-in-recent-months-432271.html Mon, 29 May 2023 23:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/cocaine-detected-in-imrans-urine-samples-claims-health-minister-431655.html Islamabad May 26 Pakistans Minister for National Health Services Abdul Qadir Patel claimed on Friday that alcohol and cocaine were detected in the urine samples of former Prime Minister and Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chief Imran Khan which were taken after his arrest on May 9 by the National Accountability Bureau NAB media reports said On May 9 Imran Khan Niazi was presented before the medical board for examination When he was taken into custody by the NAB he was in an intoxicated state Qadir claimed at a press conference here The Express Tribune reported The medical board according to Patel found Khan to be a habitual user of illegal substances as evidence of the presence of alcohol and cocaine in his urine samples was found the report said Qadir also said the board has come to the conclusion that the PTI chief was under severe psychological pressure Qadir also distributed Khans medical report to the journalists during the press conference which stated The gentleman Imran Khan was examined and appears under stress with anxiety symptoms There was extensive angeranxiety about the events happening in the last few weeks He had little insight into the seriousness and reality of the current situation The mental stability is questionable There were some inappropriate gestures If the Supreme Court deems Imran Khan mentally unstable we will accept the courts decision Qadir added He even suggested keeping the PTI chief in Giddu Bandar Mental Hospital in Hyderabad as a guest The Health Minister said that after the attack in November 2022 Khans leg was hit by bullet fragments and he plastered it saying it was a fracture But there is no mention of a fracture in his leg in his medical reports he claimed The Express Tribune reported He also asked which plaster in the world remains on the leg for six months Qadir said that doctors who recommended Khan to wear plaster cast for a period of six months will also be summoned Who wears plaster for a bullet wound he asked IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/cocaine-detected-in-imrans-urine-samples-claims-health-minister-431655.html Sun, 28 May 2023 00:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/kabul-tehran-issues-can-be-resolved-through-dialogue-afghanistans-acting-fm-431922.html Kabul May 28 Afghanistans acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi has stressed the need to resort to dialogue to resolve issues between Kabul and Tehran in a meeting with Iranian Ambassador to Afghanistan Hassan Kazemi Qomi the local media reported on Sunday Irans water rights to the Helmand River were discussed in the meeting and the acting foreign minister emphasised that the issues related to Kabul and Tehran can be resolved through dialogue and understanding Tolonews reported Based on an agreement signed between Afghanistan and Iran in 1351 in the Persian calendar which coincided in 1972 Kabul is obliged to allow Helmand River water to flow to neighboring Iran Xinhua news agency reported Tehran has been accusing Kabul of making excuses for giving Irans share in the water flow but the Afghan side rejected the allegation insisting the water level has receded due to continued drought Muttaqis remarks on solving issues between Kabul and Tehran were reported amid border clashes between the border forces of the two countries One person from the Afghan side and one from Iran were killed in a clash along the border with Afghanistans western Nimroz province on Saturday Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Nafi Takour said IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/kabul-tehran-issues-can-be-resolved-through-dialogue-afghanistans-acting-fm-431922.html Sun, 28 May 2023 21:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lanka-drafting-new-law-to-promote-religious-harmony-minister-431936.html Colombo May 28 Sri Lankas Ministry of Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs is drafting a new law to promote religious harmony state media reported on Sunday quoting the ministrys chief Vidura Wickramanayaka as saying Wickramanayaka said that the new law would require all religious institutions in Sri Lanka to register with the government which would allow the government to track and monitor religious activities and to intervene if necessary to prevent religious conflicts Xinhua news agency reported By registering religious institutions the government will be able to better understand the religious landscape of Sri Lanka Wickramanayaka said The minister added the new legislation is necessary due to various issues associated with the management of religious institutions He stated he will present a draft bill promoting peaceful religious coexistence to the cabinet within the next few weeks IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lanka-drafting-new-law-to-promote-religious-harmony-minister-431936.html Sun, 28 May 2023 22:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-govt-turns-down-imran-khans-talks-offer-431938.html Islamabad May 28 Pakistans ruling parties have rejected beleaguered former prime minister Imran Khans offer for talks stating that talks were held with politicians not terrorists local media reported The development came as the PTI chief constituted a sevenmember negotiating team to hold talks with the government for developing consensus on a date for general elections amid a massive crackdown The Express Tribune reported This crackdown which has thrown the PTI into a deep existential crisis with dozens of key party leaders jumping ship every day was launched after the party leaders and workers allegedly vandalised and set afire state and army properties in the wake of Khans arrest on May 9 The Express Tribune reported Responding to the offer the supreme leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz PMLN Nawaz Sharif took to Twitter to state that talks are held only with politicians There will be no talks with a group of terrorists and saboteurs who burn memorials of martyrs and set the country on fire he said In a statement Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said Those who attack the state are punished they are not negotiated with The Express Tribune reported When in power Khan often said former military ruler Gen retd Pervez Musharraf ended criminal cases against the leaders of various parties including the PMLN and the Pakistan Peoples Party PPP through the National Reconciliation Ordinance NRO but that he would not give looters any NRO She said holding talks with those who desecrated the memorials of martyrs is a desecration of martyrs She said Khan wants talks after burning ambulances hospitals schools and poisoning youths minds adding there will be no talks with him She said parties that are not political disintegrate in the same way the PTI has Imran has called for talks when his party leaders have abandoned him in flocks She reminded Khan that he had not talked with the opposition on economy Kashmir national security issues Covid19 and the FATF issue but he is now urging for talks The Express Tribune reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-govt-turns-down-imran-khans-talks-offer-431938.html Sun, 28 May 2023 22:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/intercepted-phone-call-reveals-pti-plot-to-stage-fake-encounters-431834.html Islamabad May 28 Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Sunday revealed that the intelligence agencies had intercepted a call which revealed that a fake encounter and rape incident were to be staged by some people belonging to the Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI local media reported Speaking at a hurriedly called news conference in the wee hours the minister stated that the PTI had hatched a gruesome plot to blame the government and institutions for these incidents in the international media The Express Tribune reported Without revealing the characters involved in the intercepted call as well as making the conversation public the minister said that the two types of plans were being made in the intercepted call The Express Tribune reported One plan was to raid the house of a PTI worker open fire there which should result in casualties so that it could be shown to the world that gross human rights violations were being committed in Pakistan he said The second one being planned the minister added was an act of rape the recording of which would be shared with the global media outlets to propagate the alleged abuse against the PTI The Express Tribune reported The minister said that chances were that the fake encounter and rape plans were to be executed on Saturday night and that was why he decided to share details with the nation through the TV screens after midnight Sanaullah claimed that the plan was to put the blame of the fake encounter of a PTI worker during the socalled raid at his or her residence and fake rape on the officials of the intelligence and law enforcement agencies The Express Tribune reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/intercepted-phone-call-reveals-pti-plot-to-stage-fake-encounters-431834.html Sun, 28 May 2023 14:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-revokes-party-membership-of-all-pti-defectors-431366.html Islamabad May 26 Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has revoked the basic membership of all leaders and officebearers who have quit his Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI party in the last few days After Khans arrest on May 9 PTI workers and supporters took to violent protests looting and widespread vandalism As a result some of the top PTI members including Secretary General Asad Umar senior vice president Fawad Chaudhry former federal Ministers Shireen Mazari Aamer Mehmood Kiani have parted ways with the party Meanwhile Khan has also ordered the removal of the defectors who were part of the partys core committee reports Dawn news They will no longer be part of PTIs WhatsApp groups and the social media accounts will be updated to modify the references of the defectors In a separate statement to mark a year since the PTI workers clashed with the police during the long march towards Islamabad Khan on Thursday said that PTI leaders and workers were currently facing the full force of state terror Last year on the 25th of May commenced our descent into fascism While three long marches by PDM during the 35 years of PTI govt were allowed without any hindrance we faced the full force of state terror Houses broken in the middle of the night and PTI office bearers and workers kidnapped And then whoever got to Islamabad faced tear gas rubber bullets and police brutality Some of us thought it was one off but that was just the beginning Today the largest and the only Federal party is facing the full fury of state power without any accountability Over 10000 PTI workers and supporters in jail including senior leadership and some facing custodial torture the PTI chairman added IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-revokes-party-membership-of-all-pti-defectors-431366.html Sat, 27 May 2023 04:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pti-faces-existential-threat-as-more-leaders-quit-431382.html Islamabad May 26 More leaders have left the Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI as desertion from the Imran Khanled party continued while some senior members were arrested and rearrested following their releases on court orders Maleeka Bokhari Jamshed Cheema and Musarrat Jamshed Cheema became the latest PTI leaders to announce their departure The Express Tribune reported Bokhari and the Cheemas also condemned the May 9 riots in which several government buildings and sensitive military installations were attacked after Khans arrest that day in a graft case Bokhari who was a member of the National Assembly MNA from August 2018 to January 2023 and served as the parliamentary secretary for Law from September 2018 till April 2022 told a news conference that her decision to quit the PTI was not taken under any pressure No one forced me to take this decision Bokhari said condemning strongly the events of May 9 The Express Tribune reported There should be a transparent investigation into the May 9 attacks The miscreants involved in arson attacks and vandalising of military installations should be brought to justice according to the law she added When asked about her future plans after quitting the party and resigning from all the party positions the former MNA said As a lawyer I will continue to work for the improvement of the justice system Jamshed Cheema termed the events of May 9 unacceptable The events he added caused embarrassment for Pakistan and damaged democracy and the partys democratic credentials Cheema said that they were also responsible for this failure The Express Tribune reported Earlier Senator Abdul Qadir who was elected as an independent senator from Balochistan in 2021 declared his disassociation with the PTI He added that he would now sit in the Senate as an independent member instead of aligning with the PTI Other media reports indicated that former Punjab Assembly members from Bahawalnagar Mumtaz Ahmad Maharvi and Asif Manzoor Mohal also joined the list of those who were quitting the former ruling party IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pti-faces-existential-threat-as-more-leaders-quit-431382.html Sat, 27 May 2023 05:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-thanks-pak-govt-for-adding-his-name-on-no-fly-list-431401.html Islamabad May 26 Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chairman Imran Khan on Friday thanked the sitting government for adding his name on the nofly list and said he had no plans for any foreign travel because I neither have any properties or businesses abroad nor even a bank account outside the country On Thursday the names of over 600 PTI leaders including Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were added to the nofly list for their involvement in the May 9 violence Geo News reported citing sources Taking to Twitter on Friday morning Khan said I want to thank the government for putting my name on the ECL Exit Control List as I have no plans to travel abroad because I neither have any properties or businesses abroad nor even a bank account outside the country If and when I do get an opportunity for a holiday it will be in our northern mountains my favourite place on earth In a bid to stop them from leaving the country their names were sent by the police the counterterrorism department CTD and intelligence agencies Thousands of party workers and leaders were arrested during the crackdown on the PTI since May 9 for the partys alleged involvement in the riots that claimed at least eight lives and injured dozens of others The violence broke out after Khan was arrested earlier that day IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-thanks-pak-govt-for-adding-his-name-on-no-fly-list-431401.html Sat, 27 May 2023 07:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/ppp-to-back-bid-to-ban-pti-bilawal-tells-shehbaz-431427.html Islamabad May 26 Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal BhuttoZardari said his Pakistan Peoples Party PPP will not resist any move to impose a ban on the Imran Khan ledPTI for promoting extremism and violence Earlier Bilawal had voiced his disagreement when some PMLN leaders proposed a ban on PTI as a political party reports Dawn news He made these remarks while speaking to the media in Islamabad which echoed the sentiments he expressed during the meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as well I have opposed the move to ban PTI in the federal cabinet but now we can do nothing as they the PTI have crossed the red line he said What can we do if a political party wants to be turned into a militant organisation he asked rhetorically On setting up military courts to prosecute PTI supporters who were involved in riots and violence on May 9 the PPP chairman said his party will support anything done under the law and Constitution Dawn reported Although he endorsed the trial under the Army Act 1952 the PPP leader ruled out the possibility of a constitutional amendment to establish new military courts The courts could be formed under the Army Act and thus there was no need for a constitutional amendment he added Bilawal has made his intentions clear the opinion within the PPP was divided on both issues the establishment of military courts and a ban on PTI Dawn reported Talking to Dawn PPP leader Farhatullah Babar said Bilawal met Sharif for the first time since the PPPs Central Executive Committee meeting on May 19 IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/ppp-to-back-bid-to-ban-pti-bilawal-tells-shehbaz-431427.html Sat, 27 May 2023 09:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/travel-to-india-proved-productive-for-pakistan-bilawal-431358.html Islamabad May 26 Bilawal BhuttoZardari who became the first Pakistani Prime Minister to travel to India since 2011 for a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation SCO meeting earlier this month said the trip proved productive and positive for Islamabad In a briefing to a Senate panel on Thursday the Minister said As far as the Kashmir issue bilateral issues between Pakistan and India and the responsibilities of multilateralism are concerned my conclusion after the trip is that it is productive and positive decision to participate in the event reports Dawn news Bilawal had attended the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting on May 5 in Goa The twoday event was hosted by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar as India is currently holding the SCO Presidency We thought we should project Pakistans case and point of view in front of not only Indian but the other participant countries the Minister said at the briefing adding that positive and productive meetings with all the Foreign Ministers of the members countries were held on the sideline of the event Bilawal also said that Pakistan would host the SCO conference in 20262027 and there was hope his Indian counterpart would attend the meeting During the Goa meeting Bilawal and Jaishankar did not hold any bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the event The last time a Foreign Minister of Pakistan came to India was in July 2011 when the thenForeign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar visited for peace talks Established in June 15 2001 in Shanghai the SCO originally comprised Russia China Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan and Uzbekistan India and Pakistan became members subsequently IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/travel-to-india-proved-productive-for-pakistan-bilawal-431358.html Sat, 27 May 2023 03:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/3-pakistani-policemen-injured-during-firing-on-polio-team-431152.html Islamabad May 25 Three policemen were injured in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Thursday when unidentified gunmen opened fire at a polio immunisation team The cops were deployed for the security of polio workers during a doortodoor campaign to administer vaccinate children when they were attacked the Khyber police said in a statement The polio team was safe and the immunisation drive has been temporarily suspended in the area The injured policemen were shifted to a nearby hospital whereas a search operation has been kicked off in the area to arrest the fleeing militants No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet A fiveday antipolio drive in 12 districts of the province kicked off on Monday with an aim to vaccinate over 35 million children under five years of age According to a recent report from the World Health Organization all the new polio cases reported in Pakistan since January 2021 are from seven polioendemic districts in the southern part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Pakistan is one of the two remaining countries in the world where polio is still categorised as an endemic viral infectionthe other one being Afghanistan In 2021 there was one documented case in the country and 84 in 2020 In 2019 there were a record 147 cases Last year there was 20 cases IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/3-pakistani-policemen-injured-during-firing-on-polio-team-431152.html Fri, 26 May 2023 14:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/china-to-help-pakistan-meet-debt-repayments-worth-23-billion-431175.html Islamabad May 25 As Pakistan struggles to secure the critical pending loan from the International Monetary Fund IMF the cashstrapped nation looks towards China to rollover more than 2 billion in debt due next month media reports said on Thursday Islamabad is still contemplating ways to meet other repayment deadlines as the country has about 37 billion in overseas debt due this month and in June against its current foreign exchange reserves of just 43 billion The News reported Beijing had committed to help the country meet two crucial debt repayments in June worth 23 billion by providing fresh funds immediately after Pakistan makes the payments Financial Times reported The refinancing of the commercial loans worth 13 billion and a Chinese government loan of 1 billion would help Pakistan avert immediate default the officials said China had earlier this year already rolled over some loans to Pakistan and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang also reiterated Beijings financial support for the country on a visit to Pakistan earlier this month The Chinese government did not respond to a request for comment on the latest developments Warning of a possible risk of default analysts said that they expected the relief from China one of Pakistans closest allies to come through Theres no way that the Chinesewill walk back from Pakistan at this time said Uzair Younus director of the Pakistan Initiative at the Atlantic Council a Washingtonbased thinktank referring to the June debt deadlines IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/china-to-help-pakistan-meet-debt-repayments-worth-23-billion-431175.html Fri, 26 May 2023 16:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-moves-supreme-court-against-undeclared-martial-law-431220.html Islamabad May 25 Pakistan TehreekeInsaf chief Imran Khan on Thursday filed a petition with the Supreme Court urging the apex court to take notice of the undeclared martial law in parts of the country and the ongoing aggressive crackdown on his party media reports said Khan through his lawyer Hamid Khan has requested the top court to probe the governments decision to call in the aid of the armed forces in the federal capital territory Punjab Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa KP in the purported exercise of powers under Article 245 of the Constitution The Express Tribune reported The dictated exercise of this power by the federal cabinet in the absence of objective conditions for the exercise of that power is clearly violative of the fundamental rights the petition stated Khan also pleaded the SC to appoint a commission led by an top court judge to probe the events surrounding his arrest on May 9 and the subsequent incidents Notably cases against 16 miscreants are scheduled to be heard by the military courts who were allegedly involved in attacking military installations and disrespecting memorials of the martyrs following the arrest of the former Prime Minister The Express Tribune reported Several questions were posed before the top court in the application not only about the nature of Khans arrest which the SC had already declared unlawful but also about the invocation of Army Act 1952 and Official Secrets Act 1923 against civilian offenders IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-moves-supreme-court-against-undeclared-martial-law-431220.html Fri, 26 May 2023 18:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pti-secretary-general-asad-umar-steps-down-430965.html Islamabad May 25 Amidst the resignations of a series of highprofile leaders Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Secretary General Asad Umar announced he was no longer part of the core committee while senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry also parted ways dealing a major blow to former Prime Minister Imran Khans beleaguered party Their announcements came a day after Shireen Mazari and Fayyazul Hassan Chohan resigned from the party The News reported Umar announced the decision hours after he was released from the Adiala Jail on the Islamabad High Courts IHC order Given the current situation after May 9 it is not personally possible for me to continue as the partys secretary general I am not quitting the party but would no longer remain a part of the core committee I am resigning as the secretary general of PTI and as the core committee member he said in a statement Another reason is that I want to talk openly about what needs to be done But when you are in a leadership position it is not apt that you give your individual opinion So I am resigning from these party positions On Wednesday the court had directed Umar to submit an undertaking that he would not become a part of violent protests following his release He was arrested under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order MPO The News reported Umar along with other PTI leaders was arrested hours after violent riots erupted across the country following Khans arrest on May 9 in the AlQadir Trust case Declaring Umars arrest null and void IHC judge Justice Gul Hassan Aurangzeb told the PTI leader to forget his political career in case he deviated from the undertaking The court also directed him to delete two tweets Umar said the scenes witnessed on May 9 were not just condemnable but also a moment of reflection that why such a situation arose The News reported And the message sent outside the country was also concerning he maintained However prior to announcing his resignation from party positions the PTI leader highlighted the importance of the army for the country and said the armed forces strength was signified by not just its weapons but the nations support for it He said that we would have seen a similar fate to Syrias if it was not for a strong army like ours The News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pti-secretary-general-asad-umar-steps-down-430965.html Fri, 26 May 2023 04:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-key-aides-planned-may-9-riots-report-430987.html Lahore May 25 Imran Khan and his close aides allegedly coordinated efforts to storm the residence of the Lahore Corps Commander and other buildings following the former Pakistan Prime Ministers arrest on May 9 police in Punjab province claimed citing a geofencing report Police detected over 400 calls made by the Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chairman and other senior leaders to allegedly incite party workers to move towards the military officers residence in Lahore Cantt and other sensitive public buildings Dawn reported It was observed that all the rioters were in contact with the PTI top leadership based in Zaman Park Lahore Inspector General of Punjab Police Usman Anwar confirmed to Dawn news of the geofencing record and the alleged use of Khans residence for planning the attack on the Corps Commanders residence A senior officer told Dawn that many important revelations had come from the analysis of the geofencing record it was detected that 154 calls were allegedly made by Khan to party leaders and rioters to provoke them to attack He said the PTI chairman was the prime suspect who allegedly planned the attack on the house of the Corps Commander The officer said records showed all phone calls were made on May 8 and 9 to prepare workers to attack the building He said as many as a total of 225 callers were reportedly in contact with six PTI leaders Hammad Azhar Yasmin Rashid Mahmoodur Rasheed Ejaz Chaudhary Aslam Iqbal and Murad Ras They were issuing particular instructions to the rioters he claimed adding that Yasmin Rashid received 41 calls from various activists of the party IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-key-aides-planned-may-9-riots-report-430987.html Fri, 26 May 2023 06:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khan-wife-barred-from-travelling-abroad-431261.html Islamabad May 25 The Pakistan federal government has decided to add the names of 80 people including PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to the nofly list the media reported Those included in the nofly list and barred from travelling abroad include Imran Khan Bushra Bibi PTI leaders Murad Saeed Maleeka Bukhari Fawad Chaudhry and Hammad Azhar Samaa TV reported PTIs Qasim Suri Asad Qaiser Dr Yasmin Rashid and Mian Aslam are also included in the nofly list Samaa TV reported The names of all the PTI leaders were put in the list on the recommendation of the institutions concerned The police department National Accountability Bureau and the anticorruption department had requested the Ministry of Interior to include these names to the nofly list Samaa TV reported Earlier the Lahore police sent names of over 700 PTI leaders to the Federal Investigation Agency FIA to impose a restriction on their foreign travel for one month Dawn reported The Pakistan Punjab government has also decided to expedite legal proceedings against those involved in riots and arson The 746 PTI leaders and activists have been on the authorities radar for their alleged involvement in the May 9 violence following the arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan The FIA has been requested to place their names on the Provisional National Identification List PNIL which temporarily bars people from travelling abroad Dawn reported The list sent to the FIA included the names of fashion designer Khadija Shah PTIs senior leader Shafqat Mahmood Imran Khans nephew Hassaan Niazi PTIs supporter Sanam Javed Khan who got famous after her protests outside Zaman Park and others The travel restrictions were proposed by the police after PTI leaders were identified through footage obtained from Punjab Safe City cameras video clips Nadras database reports from intelligence agencies and other sources Dawn reported According to the police the accused had stormed and attacked the military installations on May 9 IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khan-wife-barred-from-travelling-abroad-431261.html Fri, 26 May 2023 20:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-to-promote-ai-to-boost-national-development-minister-431098.html Islamabad May 25 Pakistans Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Amin Ul Haque said that Artificial Intelligence AI use and its promotion in the country is the need of the hour for national development Pakistan has to progress in multiple fields especially in AI in order to move alongside the digital world the Minister said in an official meeting on AI Haque highlighted that allout efforts are being made to encourage AI in the country saying that the incumbent government is going to launch its firstever national artificial intelligence policy in the coming days reports Xinhua news agency The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication is going to set up a policy committee comprising industry academia and AI experts which will give proposals to tackle different challenges regarding artificial intelligence he said adding that 100000 graduates will be given AI training in the next five years in collaboration with the academia The AI policy will be helpful for protecting datareadiness is vital to tackle challenges in the technology field the Minister noted Haque said that both foreign and local investors will be encouraged to invest in AI research and development underlining that modern technology will be helpful in the development of local industries IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-to-promote-ai-to-boost-national-development-minister-431098.html Fri, 26 May 2023 12:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sharifs-playing-india-card-against-imran-pak-journo-430601.html Islamabad May 24 In an article noted Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir has written that the India card is back in Islamabads political scenario Political opponents of Imran Khan are talking about the praise and appreciation Imran Khan has been getting on Indian media her writes in The News Imran Khan is the new agent for the Pakistani establishment Previously Fatima Jinnah sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah was declared an Indian agent by Ayub Khan Sheikh Mujibur Rehman was declared Indian agent by General Yahya Khan Benazir Bhutto was labeled as Indian agent by General Zia and Nawaz Sharif was declared Indian agent by the supporters of General Musharraf This new propaganda war shattered the nerves of many PTI leaders and some of them are leaving politics some PTI says the journalist Khan may be disqualified from politics like former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Mir notes adding Remember the India card was venomously used against Nawaz Sharif Now Sharifs are playing the India card against Khan Sharifs are trying to turn May 9th into a 911 for Imran Khan but I think that if Nawaz Sharif can make a comeback then Khan can also do the same after a few years He is down but not finished yet Mir says Like it or not Imran Khan is enjoying more public support than any other politician in Pakistan these days but unfortunately he is paying the price of his political blunders He never organized his party on democratic principles He never ran his government like a Prime Minister He was running his government like a King Mir says He forgot that he was installed in the PM office by the Army but then he started interfering in the transfer and postings of the Army and annoyed his real masters He tried to defeat a noconfidence against him by dissolving the national assembly The Supreme Court restored the Assembly Then he played an American conspiracy card It failed Then he resigned from the National assembly It also backfired Then he tried to capture Islamabad with public support on May and November 26 last year but failed to mobilize a huge crowd Then he dissolved the provincial assemblies of Punjab and KhyberPakhtunkhwa He thought that he may force the government to hold an early election but he failed again Mir says IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sharifs-playing-india-card-against-imran-pak-journo-430601.html Thu, 25 May 2023 06:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-appoints-special-representative-for-afghanistan-430617.html By Hamza Ameer Islamabad May 24 After a delay of more than two months Pakistan has appointed former Ambassador Asif Ali Durrani as the countrys special representative for Afghanistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued the notification of the appointment with immediate affect Durrani comes with a strong diplomatic background as he served as Deputy Chief of Pakistans mission in Kabul from 2005 to 2009 and also served as the countrys Ambassador to Iran The appointment holds pivotal importance as it comes at a time when both Pakistan and Afghanistan are facing a complex situation with Islamabad questioning the Taliban regime in Kabul of allowing terrorists to operate and use the porous borders to carry out terror attacks in Pakistan While on the other hand the Taliban have called on Pakistani authorities to initiate negotiations with the Tehrike Taliban Pakistan TTP terror group to resolve issues Durranis immediate challenge would be to find ways to engage with the Taliban regime and convince them to take action against the TTP factions and militants based and operating out of Afghan soil However the challenge will be an uphill task as Taliban have not only rejected Pakistans claims that the TTP uses Afghan soil to spread unrest and terrorism but has also dismissed the presence of the banned outfit in Afghanistan In comparison to its earlier stance Pakistan is no longer seeking any peace talks and maintains that TTP factions will be rooted out through military offensive However the Taliban have reiterated their call for Pakistan to engage in talks with the TTP insisting that a peace deal should be the way forward Experts say that Chinese influence may also be used to compel both Pakistan and Afghanistan in finding out a workable solution to handle the TTP Durrani had a major role behind Pakistans efforts to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table in 2018 which was done after former US president Donald Trump requested to jumpstart the peace process The former envoy was also part of the Pakistani delegation led by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif that recently visited Kabul and presented evidences of TTPs presence in Afghanistan Durrani has always opposed direct talks with the TTP and suggested to use the Taliban as the mediating party for the negotiations IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-appoints-special-representative-for-afghanistan-430617.html Thu, 25 May 2023 07:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/after-recovering-14-bodies-sl-navy-ends-rescue-operation-of-capsized-chinese-vessel-430621.html By Susitha Fernando Colombo May 24 After the recovery of 14 bodies the Sri Lankan Navy has ended a search and rescue operation to assist the ongoing operations of a capsized Chinese deepsea fishing vessel The vessel which capsized on May 16 in the central Indian Ocean had 39 people on board missing 17 Chinese mariners 17 Indonesian mariners and five Philippine mariners Navy spokesman Captain Gayan Wickramasuriya told IANS that after a crucial mission divers recovered 14 bodies trapped inside the vessel that hadcapsized over 700 nautical miles off from Sri Lanka Navy divers located 12 more bodies of the crew members inside the vessel and the operation was handed over to the Chinese salvage team that arrived on MV Shandong De Long Due to decomposition and the potential health hazards posed by operating in contaminated waters with limited protective gear it was determined that retrieving those bodies would be exceedingly dangerous Next the decision was made to map the locations of the bodies while prioritizing the safety of the Sri Lanka Navy divers the spokesman said He said that a comprehensive briefing on the mapped locations of corpses safe passages for divers to enter and exit the overturned vessel as well as the onward action was given to the Chinese salvage team The Navy launched the operation after the Chinese government sought assistance from five countries in the region including India Australia and Sri Lanka Responding to Beijing request for support the Indian Navy had deployed its Air MR assets in the southern Indian Ocean region The vessel had capsized within Australias vast searchandrescue region and the location was 5000 km to the west of Perth Australia also sent three aeroplanes and four ships to help in the international searchandrescue efforts IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/after-recovering-14-bodies-sl-navy-ends-rescue-operation-of-capsized-chinese-vessel-430621.html Thu, 25 May 2023 08:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-govt-considering-ban-on-pti-430714.html Islamabad May 24 As Pakistans political crisis deepens the incumbent government is mulling a possible ban on Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Wednesday in light of the May 9 protests against arrest of party chief Imran Khan in the 190 million pounds settlement case local media reported He however said that the matter will be referred to the Parliament for approval if the government finally decides to ban the former ruling party Geo News reported The move comes days amid political instability in the country by Khans arrest on May 9 on corruption charges before he walked free on bail as per court orders Responding to the leaders call for countrywide protests the PTI workers and supporters took to the streets but the demonstrations turned deadly as they attacked public and private property including military installations and buildings They also resorted to arson and set afire the Corp Commander House also known as the Jinnah House in Lahore The armed forces have since then resolved to try the arsonists and those involved in antistate activities on the day of the protests under relevant laws including the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secrets Act The PTI has attacked the very basis of the state that never happened before It cant be tolerated Asif said while addressing a presser in Islamabad on Wednesday Geo News reported Is there a crime that didnt happen on May 9 he asked Asif said that the miscreants involved in the violent episode had nefarious motives Referring to the events that unfolded ahead of the noconfidence vote against Khan in April last year Khawaja Asif said All the steps taken by Imran Khan after April 9 have cost him We did not harm him He is suffering due to his own actions IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-govt-considering-ban-on-pti-430714.html Thu, 25 May 2023 13:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/faiz-hameed-biggest-beneficiary-in-imrans-corruption-case-says-ex-minister-430743.html Islamabad May 24 Former federal minister of Pakistan Faisal Vawda has said that exspymaster Faiz Hameed was the architect and the mastermind in the corruption case that Imran Khan is currently facing media reports said Speaking to reporters in here Vawda said My compulsion today was to tell the nation that when you say the beneficiary is Imran the biggest is Faiz Hameed Dawn reported He added said that this was a very small case and that bigger crimes would be uncovered when things are probed further the report said As the countrys political crisis deepens Pakistans incumbent government is mulling a possible ban on Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Wednesday in light of the May 9 protests against party chief Imran Khans arrest in the 190 million pound settlement case Geo News reported Asif however said that the matter will be referred to the Parliament for approval if the government finally decides to ban the former ruling party The move comes amid political instability in the country sparked by Khans arrest on May 9 on corruption charges before he walked free on bail as per court orders Responding to the leaders call for countrywide protests the PTI workers and supporters had taken to the streets but the demonstrations turned violent as they attacked public and private properties including military installations and buildings They also resorted to arson and burnt the Corp Commander House also known as the Jinnah House in Lahore The armed forces have since then resolved to put to trial the arsonists and those involved in antistate activities on the day of the protests under relevant laws including the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secrets Act IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/faiz-hameed-biggest-beneficiary-in-imrans-corruption-case-says-ex-minister-430743.html Thu, 25 May 2023 15:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/lahore-police-seeks-foreign-travel-ban-on-746-pti-leaders-430553.html Lahore May 24 The police in Lahore have sent the names of 746 Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI leaders to the Federal Investigation Agency FIA to impose a restriction on their foreign travel for a month The Punjab government has also decided to expedite legal proceedings against those involved in riots and arson Dawn reported The 746 PTI leaders and activists have been on the authorities radar for their alleged involvement in the May 9 violence following the arrest of party chairman Imran Khan The FIA has been requested to place their names on the Provisional National Identification List PNIL which temporarily bars people from travelling abroad Dawn reported The list sent to the FIA included the names of fashion designer Khadija Shah PTIs senior leader Shafqat Mahmood Khans nephew Hassaan Niazi party supporter Sanam Javed Khan who got famous after her protests outside Zaman Park and others The travel restrictions were proposed by the police after PTI leaders were identified through footage obtained from Punjab Safe City cameras video clips Nadras database reports from intelligence agencies and other sources Dawn reported According to the police the accused had stormed and attacked the military installations on May 9 A senior FIA official said the Ministry of Interior has three options to stop a person from travelling abroad These included the Exit Control List ECL Passport Control List PCL and the PNIL The travel restrictions are imposed on those wanted by law enforcement agencies criminals and terrorists Dawn reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/lahore-police-seeks-foreign-travel-ban-on-746-pti-leaders-430553.html Thu, 25 May 2023 02:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistans-ex-army-chief-shared-graft-evidence-with-imran-report-430571.html Islamabad May 24 Months before Pakistan Chief of Army Staff COAS General Asim Munir apprised Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chairman Imran Khan about the activities of his wife Bushra Bibi and her close friend Farah Khan former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa handed a dossier to Khan about the alleged corrupt practices of former Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and Ahsan Gujar a media report said Citing sources The News said in the report that the former premier opted to remain silent instead of taking action against the accused Chief Minister and Gujar who happens to be Farah Khans husband When Gen Bajwa shared the evidence with Khan he had said that Buzdar was not only incompetent but that he and his family together with Gujar were involved in corruption the sources said Gen Bajwa asked Imran Khan not to ask where the corruption money finally ended up Please dont ask me further as you will be embarrassed the source quoted the former army chief as telling the PTI chief with an oblique reference to two ladies Imran Khan didnt enquire further The News reported When Gen Munir as ISI DG decided to share his information with Imran Khan he first consulted Gen Bajwa Initially it was decided that they would both hold a meeting with Imran Khan to share the evidence with him and request him to keep his family away from a certain property tycoon However with Gen Bajwa away on a visit Gen Asim told the details to Khan in the formers absence According to reports Imran Khan was furious and on Gen Bajwas return complained to him The former Prime Minister was determined to remove Gen Asim from office at all costs Subsequently Gen Munir was removed from office only eight months after his appointment as the DG of ISI There wasnt even a wait for a working day to make the announcement it was Sunday when Gen Asims transfer was notified The News reported Instead of setting his own house in order Imran Khan was also insistent on the armys role in arresting his political opponents and would reportedly often refer to the example of late President Pervez Musharraf Gen Asim was not receptive to Imran Khans demand either Instead he recommended a working relationship with political opponents for a smoother functioning of the government However reining in the opposition was Imran Khans top concern His wishes were only addressed when Lt Gen Faiz Hameed was appointed DG of ISI the arrests of PMLN and PPP leaders started around that time Meanwhile the PTI chief managed to get a clean chit for his ministers Shaukat Tarin and Pervez Khattak and his principal secretary Azam Khan from NAB through Lt Gen Faiz The News reported Imran Khans grip on the accountability apparatus eroded again after the exit of Lt Gen Faiz from the ISI The former Prime Minister tried to persuade LetGen Faizas successor incumbent ISI DG Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum In the interview Imran Khan conducted with three lieutenant generals to select the new ISI chief he had asked what they thought was the biggest issue of Pakistan On his turn LtGen Anjum is said to have rated the economy as the biggest issue Imran Khan corrected him In his view the opposition was the biggest issue of Pakistan and must be handled sternly IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistans-ex-army-chief-shared-graft-evidence-with-imran-report-430571.html Thu, 25 May 2023 03:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/slew-of-party-leaders-have-left-pti-after-may-9-chaos-430388.html Islamabad May 23 Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI leaders Shireen Mazari and Fayyazul Hassan Chohan announced quitting the Imran Khanled Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI in a major setback to the top opposition party which has seen a slew of leaders parting ways with it following the May 9 violence media reports said The development came as several party leaders and lawmakers including Aamir Mehmood Kiani Malik Amin Aslam Mahmood Moulvi and Aftab Siddiqui among others have publicly denounced the attacks on the state installations and announced leaving the former ruling party since the May 9 vandalism triggered by the arrest of Imran Khan The News reported Addressing a press conference here Mazari a former federal minister and a close aide of Khan condemned the May 9 riots during which PTI supporters ransacked and torched public and defence installations across the country The News reported I strongly condemn the May 9 violence I have always condemned violence of any kind she remarked Mazari said she is not only leaving the party but also politics From today onwards I am not a part of any political party she said The senior PTI leader also said that her health deteriorated during in the last 12 days of detention My children and parents are now my priority I condemn the violence against state symbols like the GHQ parliament and the Supreme Court she added Sharing her ordeal Mazari said her daughter Imaan Mazari had to go through a tough time due to her repeated arrests When I was taken to jail for the third time my daughter was crying a lot I saw her video she said The seasoned politician went on to say that she had also submitted an affidavit to the Islamabad High Court IHC pledging that she will not become part of any violent protest in the future The News reported The senior vicepresident of the former ruling party had been arrested several times during the past few days following the May 9 riots triggered by the arrest of the former Prime Minister in the AlQadir Trust case IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/slew-of-party-leaders-have-left-pti-after-may-9-chaos-430388.html Wed, 24 May 2023 15:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/lahore-corps-commander-under-probe-for-letting-protesters-enter-his-house-430156.html Lahore May 23 Former Lahore Corps Commander Lt Gen Salman Fayyaz Ghani is under probe for allowing protesters to enter his house and carry out vandalism on May 9 amidst the violent protests that broke out after the arrest of PTI chairman Imran Khan the media reported His links with different functionaries are also under investigation The News reported Ghanis wife is the first cousin of Pakistan Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial it has been learnt Earlier some social media posts claimed that Lt Gen Ghani had gone missing Reports have said he wasn abducted at the orders of the army chief for conspiring against the latter On May 13 the Pakistan military spokesman rejected news that made rounds in the social media that some top ranking army officials have resigned and disobeyed Chief of Army Staff COAS Gen Asim Munir Dawn reported InterServices Public Relations ISPR Director General Maj Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry Sharif said I want to say very clearly that Gen Asim Munir and the senior army leadership under him wholeheartedly support democracy and will keep doing so There is no question of martial law He reiterated his response when pressed for elaboration Neither any resignation was given nor any disobedience was committed the DG said Dawn reported On May 9 widespread protests broke out after paramilitary Rangers arrested Khan from the premises of the Islamabad High Court IHC The protesters vandalised public and state properties and even attacked the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and Lahore Corps Commanders residence The rioting was followed by a harsh crackdown against the PTI leaders and workers that still continues The Express Tribune reported Following the attack on Pakistan Armys General Headquarters GHQ and ransacking of the Lahore Corps Commanders home authorities have registered cases against senior PTI leaders Geo News reported Punjab Interim Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said that rioters wanted to torch planes at Pakistan Air Force PAF Base in Mianwali during violent riots on May 9 Samaa TV reported Mohsin Naqvi said PTI rioters burnt 108 cars and 26 buildings and also damaged safe cities cameras Naqvi said PTI woman leader Yasmin Rashid was the key player in the attack on Jinnah House He said around 3400 people were present outside the Jinnah House while around 400 people were present inside Samaa TV reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/lahore-corps-commander-under-probe-for-letting-protesters-enter-his-house-430156.html Wed, 24 May 2023 00:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/nepals-kami-rita-sherpa-climbs-mt-everest-for-record-28th-time-430190.html Kathmandu May 23 Setting another record Nepals legendary climber Kami Rita Sherpa summited Mt Everest for an unprecedented 28th time on Tuesday just a week after he scaled the worlds tallest peak for the 27th time The 53yearold reached the summit of the 84886metre peak at 923 am reports Xinhua news agency Kami Rita Sherpa has made history by scaling Mt Everest for the 28th time on Tuesday reported Bigyan Koirala an official at the mountaineering division of Nepals Department of Tourism His health condition is stable and he is currently descending to the lower camps informed Migma Sherpa the chairperson of the Seven Summit Treks the agency with which Kami has been associated On May 17 Kami had ascended the mountain for the 27th time Another Nepali guide Pasang Dawa Sherpa also made it to the summit for the 27th time on Monday Kami Rita had scaled Mt Everest for the first time on May 13 1994 Besides Everest he has also climbed the K2 and Lhotse one time each Manaslu thrice and Cho Oyu eight He holds the record for most climbs over 8000m His mountaineering journey began in 1992 when he joined an expedition to Everest as a support staff member Similarly British mountain guide Kenton Cool also broke his own record as he stood on top of Everest for a record 17 times He has the most summits of the Everest by any foreign climber A record 478 climbers from 65 countries and regions have been granted permits to climb Mt Everest during the spring climbing season This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first successful ascent of the peak according to the Department IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/nepals-kami-rita-sherpa-climbs-mt-everest-for-record-28th-time-430190.html Wed, 24 May 2023 03:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-to-promote-green-public-transportation-430204.html Islamabad May 23 Pakistan President Arif Alvi said that there is a need to further promote environmentfriendly public transportation in the country to reduce environmental pollution The use of green transportation could help reduce carbon emissions environmental pollution and Pakistans import bill for fossil fuels Alvi said in a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Climate Change and others The President called for promoting efficient and climatefriendly transportation technology to reduce environmental pollution as well as the countrys dependence on traditional fuels saying new technologies are essential for the development of the country He said that the business community needed to focus on industrial upgradation and modernisation to remain competitive adding that modern transport technologies could help promote new industries in Pakistan and create more job opportunities for youth besides improving the overall socioeconomic condition of the country IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-to-promote-green-public-transportation-430204.html Wed, 24 May 2023 04:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lanka-approves-incentives-to-businesses-at-colombo-port-city-430205.html Colombo May 23 The Sri Lankan cabinet has approved a proposal by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to grant incentives to businesses with strategic importance that will commence operation at the Colombo Port City a spokesman said here on Tuesday Cabinet spokesman Bandula Gunawardena told reporters that the Port City is an important part of the island nations attempts to attract foreign investment which is crucial to stabilising and modernizing the economy reports Xinhua news agency Spanning 269 hectares of reclaimed land from the sea the Port City will comprise five precincts including the Financial District Central Park Living Island Living the Marina and the International Island Primary and secondary businesses that are strategically important to the Port City have been identified according to Gunawardena Colombo International Financial City is a special economic zone and International Financial Centre which is currently under construction on reclaimed land adjacent to the Galle Face Green The land reclamation work had been completed as of January 2018 The project is part of Chinas Belt and Road initiative IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lanka-approves-incentives-to-businesses-at-colombo-port-city-430205.html Wed, 24 May 2023 04:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/4-killed-in-rainstorms-flash-floods-in-afghanistan-430470.html Firoz Koah Afghanistan May 24 Heavy rains and flash floods killed four people in Afghanistans western Ghor province provincial government spokesperson Mawlawi Abdul Wahid Hamas said Heavy rains triggered flash floods on Tuesday morning outside the provincial capital Firoz Koah killing the four people including three women in Madrasa village the official said on Tuesday adding the number of casualties could increase as survey is still continuing in the affected areas The floods have also washed away or badly damaged several houses the official said Similar floods claimed the lives of four people and injured 25 others in Afghanistans eastern Nangarhar province weeks ago Xinhua news agency reported In the wartorn Afghanistan especially in rural areas residential houses are mostly built of mud which are prone to natural disasters and easily gutted in rainstorms and floods IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/4-killed-in-rainstorms-flash-floods-in-afghanistan-430470.html Wed, 24 May 2023 20:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/1-killed-1-injured-in-landmine-blast-in-bangladesh-430471.html Dhaka May 24 At least one person was killed and another injured when a landmine went off in the Bandarban district in southeastern Bangladesh the police have confirmed Alamgir Hossain officerincharge of Bandarbans Ruma police station told Xinhua on Tuesday that the landmine exploded near a camp of the BGB Border Guard Bangladesh when some workers were cleaning a place of the camp and a worker was killed Weve got information that one civilian died and another was injured the police officer said adding they have launched investigations into the incident in the Bandarban district nearly 316 km away from the capital Dhaka Xinhua news agency reported No one has claimed responsibility for the latest attack Hossain said The landmine was allegedly planted by KukiChin National Front KNF which has conducted similar attacks in the past IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/1-killed-1-injured-in-landmine-blast-in-bangladesh-430471.html Wed, 24 May 2023 20:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistans-anti-corruption-body-grills-imran-khan-for-over-2-hours-430229.html Islamabad May 23 Pakistans National Accountability Bureau NAB on Tuesday sought the records of the funds related to the 190 million pounds settlement case from Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chairman Imran Khan who remains entangled in several legal cases local media reported The former Pakistan prime minister appeared before the antigraft watchdogs office in Rawalpindi as per the commitment he made in response to the NAB summons and underwent questioning for over two hours Geo News reported During the investigation NAB officials grilled Khan over the records of correspondence with the National Crime Agency NCA in the UK and freezing orders from Khan regarding the 190 million pounds sources said Geo News reported Imran Khan who is facing a number of cases had come with a legal team comprising Salman Safdar Khawaja Haris Intezar Panjotha and others at the NAB office Meanwhile the PTI chiefs wife Bushra Bibi who was accompanying him stayed in the car outside the office As per the sources the former prime minister told the NAB officials that the watchdog had already received the AlQadir Trusts records He said that the record of orders related to the 190 million pounds was with the cabinet division and he did not have access to NCAs records Sources said that the team has asked the PTI chief to submit the records of all donors of the university as well as the donations he has made himself The NAB team as per the sources has also sought a record of the universitys affiliation with Punjab Higher Education and the trust deed between the trust and company of all the accused Geo News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistans-anti-corruption-body-grills-imran-khan-for-over-2-hours-430229.html Wed, 24 May 2023 07:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bdesh-records-520-758-deaths-due-to-extreme-weather-since-1970-wmo-430508.html Dhaka May 24 Bangladesh has the highest death toll from extreme weather climate and waterrelated events in Asia recording 520758 fatalities from 281 events between 1970 and 2021 according to a report by the World Meteorological Organization WMO The WMO issued the report for the quadrennial World Meteorological Congress which opened on Tuesday with a highlevel dialogue on accelerating and scaling up action to ensure that early warning services reach everyone on Earth by the end of 2027 reports Xinhua news agency Asia accounted for 47 per cent of all reported deaths worldwide with tropical cyclones being the leading cause of reported deaths Tropical cyclone Nargis in 2008 led to 138366 deaths the report said Extreme weather climate and waterrelated events caused 11778 reported disasters between 1970 and 2021 with over 2 million deaths and 43 trillion in economic losses it said According to the report over 90 per cent of the reported deaths worldwide occurred in developing countries The most vulnerable communities unfortunately bear the brunt of weather climate and waterrelated hazards said WMO Secretary General Petteri Taalas In the past both Myanmar and Bangladesh suffered death tolls of tens and even hundreds of thousands of people Thanks to early warnings and disaster management these catastrophic mortality rates are now thankfully history Early warnings save lives said the secretary general The WMO report said the United States alone incurred 17 trillion in economic losses accounting for 39 per cent of the total worldwide in the 51 years It said Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States suffered a disproportionately high cost in relation to the size of their economies Improved early warnings and coordinated disaster management have slashed the human casualty toll over the past half a century although economic losses have soared according to the report The WMO compiled the figures as an update to its Atlas of Mortality and Economic Losses from Weather Climate and Water Extremes which initially covered the 50year period 19702019 based on the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters Emergency Events Database IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bdesh-records-520-758-deaths-due-to-extreme-weather-since-1970-wmo-430508.html Wed, 24 May 2023 22:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/six-killed-as-heavily-armed-militants-strike-private-gas-plant-in-pakistan-430269.html Hangu Pakistan May 23 At least four Frontier Constabulary FC personnel and two private security guards were martyred when a gas plant in Tall tehsil of Hangu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan came under terrorist attack media reports said Talls Deputy Superintendent of Police said that heavilyarmed militants struck the private gas extraction plant in the mountainous region Geo News reported He also said that the militants have also damaged a solar power plant at the affected plant before fleeing to the adjoining North Waziristan area where they had come from He said that a joint search operation was underway in the area The News reported The security personnel fought bravely for two hours and repulsed the attack the police official added A large number of police are standing guard at the gas plant after the terror attack Various militant factions including the banned TehreekeTaliban Pakistan TTP have operated out of remote mountains in the northwest for years launching attacks on the security forces and infrastructure in their campaign against the state The News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/six-killed-as-heavily-armed-militants-strike-private-gas-plant-in-pakistan-430269.html Wed, 24 May 2023 09:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-alleges-members-being-forced-to-leave-pti-at-gunpoint-430281.html Islamabad May 23 Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chief Imran Khan claimed on Tuesday that members of his party are being forced to leave the PTI at gunpoint media reports said Speaking informally to journalists at an antiterrorism court ATC in Islamabad Khan said People are not leaving the party on their own they are being forced to do so and that too at gunpoint The Express Tribune reported However the former premier maintained that he is not bothered by the several PTI leaders who have in recent days called it quits saying that parties never die down like that they are weeded out like the ruling coalition PDM is eroding the way their vote bank is depleting I am only worried about the workers especially the women he added The Express Tribune reported The PTI chief made these remarks ahead of his hearing at the ATC where judge Raja Jawad Abbas is hearing his petition for bail in eight different cases Khan was booked under terrorism charges over violence that ensued outside the judicial complex ahead of his hearing with regard to the Toshakhana case in April During the proceedings Khans lawyer Salman Safdar told the court that his client faced security threats and for that reason the Lahore ATC had granted him permission to have his statement recorded by the judicial investigation team JIT at his residence in Zaman Park It is not that we do not wish to face these cases the lawyer argued We are prepared to answer every question he added saying that if the court permits he would present his arguments for all cases in the next hearing The Express Tribune reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-alleges-members-being-forced-to-leave-pti-at-gunpoint-430281.html Wed, 24 May 2023 10:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/senior-leader-shireen-mazari-quits-pti-after-being-arrested-several-times-430283.html Islamabad May 23 Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI senior leader Shireen Mazari has decided to quit the Imran Khanled party local media reported The development came as Mazari had been arrested several times during the past few days following the May 9 riots triggered by the arrest of the former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in the AlQadir Trust case The News reported Earlier she was rearrested once again after a court in Gujarat city in Pakistans Punjab province approved her bail in a case related to the vandalism and attacks on defence and public installations including Lahore Corps Commander House and General Headquarters GHQ during the violent protests The News reported Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chief Khan on Tuesday claimed that members of his party were being forced to leave the party at gunpoint The Express Tribune reported Speaking informally to journalists at an antiterrorism court ATC in Islamabad Khan said People are not leaving the party on their own they are being forced to do so and that too at gunpoint The Express Tribune reported However he maintained he was not bothered by several PTI leaders who have in recent days called it quits saying that parties never die down like that they are weeded out like the ruling coalition PDM is eroding the way their vote bank is depleting I am only worried about the workers and especially the women he added The Express Tribune reported The PTI chief made these remarks ahead of his hearing at the ATC where judge Raja Jawad Abbas was hearing his petition for bail in eight different cases Khan was booked under terrorism charges over violence that ensued outside the Judicial Complex ahead of his hearing in regard to the Toshakhana case in April During the proceedings Khans lawyer Salman Safdar told the court that his client faced security threats and for that reason the Lahore ATC had granted him permission to have his statement recorded by the judicial investigation team JIT at his residence in Zaman Park It is not that we do not wish to face these cases the lawyer argued We are prepared to answer every question he added saying that if the court would permit him he would present his arguments for all cases in the next hearing The Express Tribune reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/senior-leader-shireen-mazari-quits-pti-after-being-arrested-several-times-430283.html Wed, 24 May 2023 10:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/former-baloch-militant-leader-says-problems-can-be-solved-peacefully-430310.html Quetta May 23 Exleader of the Baloch National Army BNA Gulzar Imam alias Shambay said on Tuesday that Balochistans problems can be resolved peacefully as he urged the nation not to waste its time in fighting media reports said For the past 15 years I had been an active part of the militancy in Balochistan Shambay the founder of the banned outfit BNA told a press conference in Quetta alongside government officials Geo News reported Shmbay a hardcore militant was apprehended in April during a highprofile and successful intelligence operation the InterServices Public Relations had said the report said BNA responsible for dozens of violent terrorist attacks in Pakistan including attacks on law enforcement agencies in Panjgur and Noshki was formed after the amalgamation of the Baloch Republican Army BRA and United Baloch Army UBA At the presser the exBNA leader said he has faced all circumstances during his time as a militant but his foremost priority was to safeguard his people I was arrested recently and during my detention I got time to think about my past from a new perspective Shambay said Geo News reported The former BNA commander who has written several booklets for militants said after meeting Baloch leaders who lead peaceful movements he has concluded that his provinces issues can only be resolved through legal and political means I want to say something We went into this war without understanding the state I have lost several loved ones but after these painful experiences I learnt that the path I was on was wrong he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/former-baloch-militant-leader-says-problems-can-be-solved-peacefully-430310.html Wed, 24 May 2023 11:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pti-moves-pak-supreme-court-against-trials-in-military-courts-429838.html Islamabad May 22 The Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI on Monday challenged the deployment of the armed forces under Article 245 alleging that it was being used to politically victimise the Imran Khanled party and trial of the civilians accused of May 9 arson under military courts a clear violation of due process and Pakistans commitment to international laws media reported The petition has been moved by PTIs Additional Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan on behalf of the party seeking the top courts intervention under Article 1843 The petition has put 22 questions before the court asking for its input on the scope of the law whether the requisition violates Article 17 or not and if the deployment is a threat to the system of parliamentary democracy The petition also asks the court to examine if the requisition of the armed forces is malafide and in excess of jurisdiction as the federal government had claimed that they could not be deployed due to the security situation during elections Geo News reported The petition also questioned whether the labelling of the PTI as a terrorist organisation was a tactic not to hold elections and oust the Imran Khanled party from the electoral process Geo News reported Whether the trial of civilians through military courts is a clear violation of the Constitutional guarantees of due process and fair trial and violation of Pakistans existing obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ICCPR as well as the jurisprudence developed by this Honourable Court asked the plea The petition also questioned the federal governments support of the public gathering held by the Pakistan Democratic Movement PDM outside the Supreme Court showed a discriminatory attitude towards the use of Article 245 and Section 144 IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pti-moves-pak-supreme-court-against-trials-in-military-courts-429838.html Tue, 23 May 2023 04:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/lanka-inks-deal-with-chinas-sinopec-to-secure-fuel-supply-429844.html By Susitha Fernando Colombo May 22 Sri Lanka inked a deal with Chinas Sinopec to secure fuel supply a business that was jointly operated by the staterun Ceylon Petroleum Corporation CPC and Indias Lanka Indian Oil Company LIOC According to the agreement Sinopec will involve in importing storing distributing and selling petroleum products in predetermined distribution dealer operated networks in Sri Lanka Battered by dollar crunch one of the key requirements for the new retail supplier was to secure forex requirements without depending on Sri Lankas banking sector It was mandated that these companies source their own funds for fuel procurement through foreign sources at least during the initial oneyear period of operation Presidents Media Division PMD stated in a statement In response to the ongoing foreign exchange crisis in Sri Lanka the Ministry of Power and Energy has taken this decisive action to ensure an uninterrupted fuel supply to consumers With the inability to provide sufficient foreign exchange for fuel shipments the CPC and LIOC faced significant challenges the PMD added In a significant move to address Sri Lankas fuel supply challenges a contract agreement was signed with Sinopec a leading international petroleum company The agreement signed marks a crucial step in ensuring a steady and uninterrupted fuel supply for the nation the Presidents Media added Ms Sinopec Fuel Oil Lanka Private Limited along with its affiliated companies was selected among other two competitors Ms United Petroleum Pvt Ltd in Australia and RM Parks in the USA in collaboration with Shell PLC Sinopec is set to commence operations in Sri Lanka within 45 days following the issuance of the licence PMD stated The deal is also part of governments decision to restructure loss making stateowned enterprises such as the CPC The move is also an initiative to win the much needed International Monetary Fund IMF for a 29 billion US dollar extended fund facility Sinopec with its address in Hambantota Sri Lankas southernmost city where Chinese controlled port is situated already runs bunkering operation there Sri Lankas deal with Sinopec also marks Chinas entrance to energy sector which only the immediate neighbour India had the outside access IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/lanka-inks-deal-with-chinas-sinopec-to-secure-fuel-supply-429844.html Tue, 23 May 2023 04:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-takes-stringent-measures-to-control-drug-peddling-minister-430138.html Islamabad May 23 Pakistans Minister for Narcotics Control Nawabzada Shazain Bugti said that the country has been taking stringent measures to control the movement of drugs Out of the total recovery of drugs and narcotic substances across the world 17 per cent was recovered in Pakistan the Minister said while addressing a session of the National Assembly Bugti said that a comprehensive strategy is being devised to curtail drug peddling while legislation for ensuring effective control on the selling and use of narcotics is under consideration as well reports Xinhua news agency A number of effective measures are being implemented for the rehabilitation of drug addicts he said adding that federal and provincial governments are working jointly to achieve the set goals The Minister highlighted that several model addiction rehabilitation and treatment centres have been functioning and more of such are being set up in various provinces of Pakistan To control the use of drugs among youth Bugti said that the incumbent government is working on a legislative framework that would empower the enforcement agencies to carry out random drug testing in the countrys educational institutions IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-takes-stringent-measures-to-control-drug-peddling-minister-430138.html Tue, 23 May 2023 23:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/gen-asim-munir-showed-imran-proof-of-his-wifes-corruption-in-2019-429911.html New Delhi May 22 Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif claimed on Monday that he has personal knowledge of thenspymaster General Asim Munir showing Imran Khan proof of his wifes corruption in 2019 an act that eventually resulted in his dismissal as chief of the countrys premier intelligence agency a media report said The claim was first made by British newspaper The Telegraph in a report claiming that Chief of Army Staff COAS Gen Asim Munir who was then serving as Director General of the InterServices Intelligence ISI brought to then Prime Minister Imran Khans attention the allegations of corruption against his wife Bushra Khan in 2019 Gen Munir is reported to have informed Khan that he wanted to investigate the allegations of corruption against his wife and her circle Then in June 2019 he was removed from his post only eight months into what was meant to be a threeyear term The Telegraph reported The PTI Chairman however rubbished the report saying the claims were completely false The article claims that I had made Gen Asim resign as DG ISI because he had shown me my wife Bushra Begums corruption cases This is completely false Neither did Gen Asim show me any proof of my wifes corruption nor did I make him resign because of that Khan tweeted on Sunday evening But speaking on the floor of the National Assembly on Monday Sharif accused the PTI chief of lying to the nation again claiming that he has personal knowledge of the incident actually taking place Shehbaz alleged that then premier Imran Khan removed General Asim Munir from his position as DG ISI after he unveiled the corruption allegations against his wife Bushra Khan The Express Tribune reported Sharif said Gen Munir had identified instances of corruption by Bushra Bibi but his disclosures were not wellreceived by the PTI chief leading to his dismissal from the role IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/gen-asim-munir-showed-imran-proof-of-his-wifes-corruption-in-2019-429911.html Tue, 23 May 2023 10:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistans-disaster-management-authority-warns-of-extreme-climate-events-429950.html Islamabad May 23 The National Disaster Management Authority NDMA of Pakistan has said that the country is likely to face extreme climate events from May to October this year The country is likely to face intensive heat waves snow melting land sliding flash floods forest fires and cyclones the NDMA added on Monday directing the provincial bodies of the authority to brace up for meeting the challenges The NDMA also directed the provincial bodies to release regionspecified alerts and advisories for timely proactive preparations Xinhua news agency reported The authority also directed the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission and the Pakistan Meteorological Department PMD to monitor changes in the glaciers in the countrys northern areas The two offices will closely follow the glacier lake outburst flood sites and their impact on river flows downstream in the water reservoirs and issue monitoring reports on a fortnightly basis Earlier on Sunday the NDMA issued an advisory alert to all the federal and provincial departments concerned to ensure disaster preparedness measures after the PMD made a rainthunderstorm forecast from May 22 to May 26 IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistans-disaster-management-authority-warns-of-extreme-climate-events-429950.html Tue, 23 May 2023 12:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-advises-supporters-to-remain-peaceful-even-if-hes-arrested-429957.html Security personnel secure a vehicle carrying the Pakistans former Prime Minister Imran Khan leaves after his court appearance in Islamabad Pakistan Tuesday May 23 2023 Khan on Tuesday pressed his legal battle before a court in the capital Islamabad which granted him protection from arrest until early next month in several cases where he faces terrorism charges for inciting violence PTI Islamabad May 23 Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has advised his supporters to remain peaceful even if he is arrested by the National Accountability Bureau NAB on Tuesday I urge people to remain peaceful because if you get violent they will get a chance for a crackdown again We have to always protest peacefully Dawn news quoted Khan as saying The Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chairman claimed the chances of his arrest were high even though he had secured bail in all cases I have all the bails required but the situation is such that they can arrest me again he claimed The former premier however said peaceful protest was a fundamental right and nobody could stop people from organising a nonviolent demonstration even outside the General Headquarters Dawn reported He claimed that his party had made many efforts to initiate dialogue with the government but they were not interested in elections We made our team for negotiations but they put our leaders behind bars This means that it is preplanned so that dialogue doesnt bear fruit The PTI chairman reiterated that he had no quarrel with the military But I have heard that there are differences from the other side apparently they have something against me But I dont know what that is they would know better According to Khan the caretaker government of Punjab is a proxy of the Pakistan Democratic Movement and establishment Dawn reported When I get a chance I will lodge cases against them and IGs They can do whatever they want but they will have to refer to jails Khan also blasted the fascist government and said the PDM governments ongoing crackdown against the PTI and unlawful detention of party leaders workers and supporters was a clear replica of Hitlers policy who used arson as a pretext to crush his political opponents IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-advises-supporters-to-remain-peaceful-even-if-hes-arrested-429957.html Tue, 23 May 2023 13:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-receives-luxury-tax-notice-for-zaman-park-residence-429814.html Lahore May 22 Pakistan Punjabs excise and taxation department on Monday sent a luxury tax notice to Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Chairman Imran Khan for his Zaman Park residence in Lahore media reports said The department has issued a notice to Khan for payment of Pak Rs 1440000 for the house where he currently stays The last date for filing the tax was May 12 but the notice was sent on Monday The News reported According to the excise and taxation department the PTI chiefs old house in Zaman Park has been demolished while a new house was constructed in its place which is owned by him and his sisters the report said The department added that the record of the house was sought from Khan last month which he has submitted After estimation according to the provincial tax collecting authority a luxury tax challan worth Rs 1440000 was sent to the deposed Prime Minister for which the last date of submission is Monday May 22 As per the department the cricketerturnedpolitician has received the notice The PTI chairman had earlier filed his tax regularly But if he fails to do it this time he will be sent another notice as per the law Last month the department had issued a notice to the politicians mother the late Shaukat Khanum for assessment of luxury house tax The notice issued had directed Khan to clear the arrears under the luxury tax amounting to Pak Rs 36 million According to a notification available with The News the notice was served in the name of Khans late mother Shaukat Khanums Zaman Park residence His late mother a housewife passed away around 38 years ago in 1985 due to cancer The property continues to be in her name To deliver the notice a twoperson excise and taxation team travelled to Zaman Park The PTI chairman owes Rs 36 million in taxes as per the department It was also alleged that if no compliance is made with the notice the Election Commission of Pakistan would be approached The News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-receives-luxury-tax-notice-for-zaman-park-residence-429814.html Tue, 23 May 2023 01:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khan-sees-80-chances-of-his-arrest-429621.html Islamabad May 22 Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said there was an 80 per cent chance of his arrest on Tuesday when he will be in Islamabad to pursue prearrest bail in various cases In an interview with CNN the PTI chief said that PDM was aligned with the army and was dismantling the democratic system to keep me out Dawn reported Right now he said over 10000 workers had been arrested and his partys entire senior leadership was in jail Referring to violence and arson attacks on state buildings and army installations on May 9 following his arrest Khan said The way they have used the pretext of arson they have used that reaction after my arrest to dismantle the party Claiming that hundreds of women and children have been jailed the PTI chief said They are now trying to try us in military courts The former premier said he did not have any problem with the army knowing they have been entrenched recalling that he had worked with former army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa before he switched horses He claimed the ruling coalition wanted to bump him off because it was scared of losing elections Asserting that there was still a threat to his life the PTI chief said he had predicted that a religious fanatic would be used to kill him like a former Punjab governor was assassinated Dawn reported Responding to a question he said Pakistan is passing through unpredictable time and expressed the fear over the coalition government not holding the national elections later in October this year My worry now is that they wont hold the national elections even in October I fear they will hold the elections when clear that PTI will not win Khan said the situation had deteriorated to such an extent that even the decisions of judges and courts were being discarded Dawn reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khan-sees-80-chances-of-his-arrest-429621.html Mon, 22 May 2023 13:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khan-his-various-shades-of-grey-429691.html By Hamza Ameer Islamabad May 22 Imran Khan Pakistans most popular leader who is seen by many as the only hope for the countrys better and prosperous future But is this the only side of the picture one wants to see and believe while screening his personality and political credentials In view of the recent history when in 2018 Khan took over Pakistans political stage and became the Prime Minister till today his personality his political positioning and his definition of a democratic rule has seen many twists and turns showcasing various shades of grey in his personality his capability political compatibility and flexibility Imran Khan has two main attributes he is either antiestablishment or he is proestablishment And both are to the extreme inclination in every possible way said Amir Rana an analyst When he was proestablishment illegal recordings of Prime Ministers House conversations ministers and political leaders ridiculing the parliaments opposition parties having open and illegal interventions of intelligence agencies in political affairs openly stating that the ISI should be engaged to find out corruption of politicians and punishing them accordingly and using the military establishment to force political leaders to give consent to political decisions in Parliament are some of the illegal and undemocratic ways Khan practiced openly and blatantly during his time in power since 2018 said Mona Alan a political analyst And when he was ousted last April through the vote of no confidence in Parliament which in itself is a democratic and constitutional process as per law we saw and other side of Imran Khan starting from being in an extreme love affairs with the military establishment to going absolutely against them she added Khan after his ouster lashed out at the military establishment blasting them for becoming party to what he initially claimed as a USled regime change conspiracy He slammed the opposition alliance and the military establishment for teaming up against him on orders of the Biden administration accusing them as traitors of the state Khans public rallying campaign was able to spread his regime change narrative among the masses as he even used the word animals for the then military establishment under then sitting army chief General Qamar Jawed Bajwa With his demands of early elections started to fade away and his decision to create political pressure on the coalition government of Shehbaz Sharif along with the military establishment lost the steam Khan ended up dissolving his own provincial assemblies in Punjab and the Khuber Pakhtunkhwa KP Khan opted to a smart dual approach for the newly appointed military chief General Asim Munir by using a different narrative spread on the local and the foreign media outlets For the consumption of local media outlets Imran Khan was seen stating that he is promilitary establishment Khan has maintained that he has nothing against the military establishment and insists that he has no idea of the reason why the military establishment got annoyed with him and decided to dismantle him and his political party said Javed Siddique a senior political analyst But if you see his statements on various foreign media publications and media outlets he is clearly seen pinpointing the military establishment and specifically the Army Chief for being the prime reason for all the troubles in the country Khan has even said that the military establishment is scared and petrified of his popularity because they know that he will win the next elections It is a startling contrast on how Khans political narrative changes for the local media and his Pakistani support through promilitary establishment statements and how it takes a 180degree turn when he is speaking to the foreign specifically western media where he not only slams the army chief and the institution but also goes to the extent of accusing them and their serving intelligence officers of assassination attempts on his life However one thing that remains constant on both shades of grey for Khan is the fact that he happens to be a political leader who wants to be the face of a smooth democratic leadership and process of formation of a stable democratic and constitutional ruling governance in the country Yet he demands the very same military establishment to use its military might an intervene in political matters to ensure that he not only is brought back to power but is also supported through all means which may be unconstitutional illegal and undemocratic And if that doesnt happen he foresees the country in a state of either a civil unrest or a martial law which for him surprisingly is also a viable option if it can result in him coming back into power Such undemocratic demands of military intervention in political affairs to form a democratic setup that runs without any political resistance can never pave the way to a strong democracy in Pakistan And it can never have a government setup in its true democratic spirit said Javed Siddique IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khan-his-various-shades-of-grey-429691.html Mon, 22 May 2023 17:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistans-slant-towards-china-iran-seen-as-most-likely-reason-for-delay-in-imf-bailout-429447.html Islamabad May 21 Pakistan is deep in troubled economic waters and the only available lifeline revival of the International Monetary Funds IMF 65 billion bailout has become next to impossible most likely because of the US frets over the countrys slant towards China and Iran media reports said The cashstrapped nation of more than 220 million people has a history of violating the terms and conditions laid forth by the lender of the last resort but the authorities in the past still somehow managed to convince the Fund Geo News reported However this time the Pakistan Democratic Movement PDMled coalition government is facing difficulties as the Washingtonbased lender is not showing any leniency Pakistan entered a 39month 6 billion IMF programme in 2019 which was extended till June 2023 and added another 1 billion in August last year when the board approved a combined seventh and eighth tranche A look at the past shows that most of Pakistans previous bailouts 13 since the late 1980s were left incomplete due to which the economy never fully recovered Geo News reported While the government continues to claim that it has met all the conditions of the IMF analysts and economists are trying to weigh the reasons behind the boards reluctance to complete the ninth review which has been stalled since November last year Some said there is a political angle to the entire ninth review fiasco and others are now blaming Pakistans pivot towards China and Iran as the primary reason Geo News reported While Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal BhuttoZardari denied any such claims saying PakistanIran relations have nothing to do with IMF financial pundits still believe that this will further complicate the relations China by the way has been extremely positive and helped us a lot in recent weeks by rolling over large amounts of debt And that obviously kept Pakistans financial position better which is part of what the IMF wants China is not at all a problem at this point former Finance Minister Dr Hafiz Pasha Geo News reported A whopping 30 per cent of Islamabads overall debt is owed to Beijing with the muchstalled ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor CPEC contributing to Pakistans fiscal predicament through skewed loan agreements The country is in more Chinese debt than that of the IMF and World Bank Geo News reported However Dr Pasha said that relations with Iran were a problem for the US Now that is a new relationship The situation has changed in this regard as Saudi Arabia and Iran have signed an agreement of normalising relations So that kind of has improved the Middle Eastern situation and Pakistan at this point has to honour some past commitments like the lines that Iran laid and are still pending So there is a possibility that America which is a notable member of the IMF might raise an objection to it he said adding until now he doesnt feel this has impacted the ninth review IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistans-slant-towards-china-iran-seen-as-most-likely-reason-for-delay-in-imf-bailout-429447.html Mon, 22 May 2023 00:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/militants-blow-up-2-girls-schools-in-paks-north-waziristan-429756.html Islamabad May 22 In another extremist act terrorists blew up two girls schools in North Waziristan district located in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa KP province Deputy Commissioner Rehan Gul Khattak confirmed an explosion at the Government Girls Middle School Hafizabad in Hassu Khel and said that the building of the school was damaged but no loss of lives occurred The News reported Meanwhile District Police Officer Saleem Riaz said there were reports of two girls schools to have been targeted and destroyed by explosives on Sunday night However no casualties had been reported he added The official confirmed that the affected schools were located in Musakki and Hassu Khel villages of Mir Ali subdivision He said that cases against the terrorist acts were being registered under the AntiTerrorism Act This was the latest incident of violence against educational institutions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa The incident comes after eight including five teachers had been killed in separate shootings in Upper Kurram Tehsil earlier this month Local police said that in the first incident in Parachinar which falls in Upper Kurram and is the capital of Kurram district a teacher was killed whilst in a moving vehicle Separately unidentified gunmen shot seven people including four teachers in the staffroom of Government High School Tari Mangal All the educators were at the building for performing their exam duties The News reported The district administration said the three others killed were drivers who brought construction materials to the school School shootings are rare in Pakistan Over 140 people mostly students were killed in a gunandbomb attack at an army school in Peshawar in December 2016 IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/militants-blow-up-2-girls-schools-in-paks-north-waziristan-429756.html Mon, 22 May 2023 21:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/1-dead-2-missing-in-avalanche-in-nepal-429518.html Kathmandu May 22 A woman was killed and two others went missing in an avalanche in the Bajhang district in farwestern Nepal Five people who went uphill searching for yarsagumba a caterpillar fungus was hit by the avalanche at around 1000 am local time on Sunday Two were recused alive by locals and the dead body of a woman was uncovered Xinhua news agency reported Two are still missing A joint team of the Armed Police Force and Nepal Police have been deployed for the search and rescue Satya Kumari Joshi the assistant chief district officer told Xinhua on Sunday This is the third similar incident in Nepal this month Seven pickers of yarsagumba were killed in two avalanches in two districts early this month IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/1-dead-2-missing-in-avalanche-in-nepal-429518.html Mon, 22 May 2023 07:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bangladesh-announces-discovery-of-new-gas-field-429785.html Dhaka May 22 The Bangladesh government on Monday announced the discovery of a new gas field in the southern district of Bhola State Minister for Power Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid formally announced Bholas Ilisha1 as the countrys 29th gas field reports Xinhua news agency Ilisha1s daily production is around 20 million cubic feet said Hamid adding that its believed that it has a reserve of 200 billion cubic feet of gas The whole Bhola area including Ilisha1 has a reserve of 3 trillion cubic feet of gas The gas field was discovered by the staterun Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration Company BAPEX which discovered over a dozen small to mediumsized gas fields Bangladesh previously had 28 gas fields with the latest one in Zakiganj in Sylhet some 240 km northeast of the capital Dhaka discovered in August 2021 The countrys 27th gas field was also discovered in Bheduria of Bhola an offshore island covering an area of 340348 sq km and about 205 km south of the capital Dhaka which boasts hundreds of billions of cubic feet reserves IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bangladesh-announces-discovery-of-new-gas-field-429785.html Mon, 22 May 2023 23:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/latest-audio-leak-reveals-imran-khan-appealing-to-us-for-help-429139.html Islamabad May 20 An alleged audio leak has come to the fore wherein a voice said to belong to former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan can be heard appealing to the US for help media reported In the audio recording of a purported Zoom meeting with a US Congresswoman the voice said to be of Imran Khan can be heard claiming that 99 per cent of Pakistan wants him in power In the alleged audio Imran Khan is repeatedly begging the American politician to make an antiPakistan statement and begging her to raise her voice in his favour Samaa TV reported In the Zoom meeting Imran Khan blamed the political failure of the noconfidence movement on the former army chief while as usual also blamed the army and others for the murderous attack on him without evidence He also allegedly claimed to be the most popular leader in front of the US He also exaggerated the economic performance of his era in front of American politician At the end of the Zoom meeting Imran Khan and his associates appeared quite happy after making antiPakistan statements before the Congresswoman Samaa TV reported Begging the US Congresswoman is one of Imran Khans systematic efforts to get help from the proUS powers that have now come to light the report said IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/latest-audio-leak-reveals-imran-khan-appealing-to-us-for-help-429139.html Sun, 21 May 2023 02:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/2-pilots-killed-in-afghan-air-force-chopper-crash-429417.html Kabul May 21 Two pilots died after a military helicopter of the Afghan Air Force crashed in Afghanistans northern Samangan province on Sunday Afghan Defence Ministry has confirmed An MD530 model chopper of the Air Force was on patrol mission when it struck a power transmission line in Khalm district of Samangan province at 0900 am local time today and crashed and resultantly two pilots were martyred the Defence Ministry said in a statement posted on its Twitter account In addition to launching an investigation into the accident the Defence Ministry offered condolences to the bereaved families Xinhua news agency reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/2-pilots-killed-in-afghan-air-force-chopper-crash-429417.html Sun, 21 May 2023 22:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lanka-to-investigate-death-of-migrant-worker-in-singapore-429192.html Colombo May 21 The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment SLBFE has initiated an investigation into the death of a migrant worker in Singapore Minister of Labor and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara told media The Minister said on Saturday that a worker from Sri Lanka took her own life on May 19 by jumping from the eighth floor of the apartment complex where she was employed Xinhua news agency reported Meanwhile PGGS Yapa deputy general manager of training at SLBFE told media that all arrangements have been made to repatriate the deceased workers body back to Sri Lanka When a migrant worker dies the heir or immediate relative of the deceased can apply for compensation from the SLBFE in accordance with the insurance policy agreed upon prior to their departure Yapa said Migrant workers remittances are one of main sources of foreign exchange for Sri Lanka with workers remitting more than 18 billion in the first four months of 2023 IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lanka-to-investigate-death-of-migrant-worker-in-singapore-429192.html Sun, 21 May 2023 06:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/3-soldiers-killed-in-terror-attack-in-pakistan-429197.html Islamabad May 21 Three Pakistani soldiers were killed in a terrorist attack in the countrys southwestern Balochistan province the Pakistani military said A group of terrorists attacked security forces post in the Marget area of Balochistan early Saturday the InterServices Public Relations ISPR the media wing of the Pakistan Army said in a statement adding that the post has recently been established to help check extortions targeting coal mines in the area Troops on the post retaliated readily to the fire raid thereby pushing back the terrorists the ISPR said However in the ensuing heavy exchange of fire three soldiers lost their lives while one terrorist was also killed by the security forces Xinhua news agency reported Based on followup a likely hideout of fleeing terrorists has been identified in nearby mountains and a deliberate blocking and sanitisation operation has been launched it said At present the operation is progressing well and security forces are maintaining pressure to block terrorists from escaping from the area it added The military said the Pakistani security forces have remained determined to thwart attempts at sabotaging peace stability and progress in Balochistan IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/3-soldiers-killed-in-terror-attack-in-pakistan-429197.html Sun, 21 May 2023 07:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-cabinet-backs-military-court-trials-428905.html Islamabad May 20 The Pakistan federal cabinet has approved decisions taken in a National Security Committee NSC wherein it was decided that the protesters who ransacked and vandalised military installations on May 9 would be tried under the Army Act and the Official Secrets Act The meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister House gave approval for trying civilians in the military courts just days after the NSC and the Corps Commanders Conference vowed to bring those behind the violent protests to justice The Express Tribune reported On May 9 widespread protests broke out after paramilitary Rangers arrested Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chief Imran Khan from the premises of the Islamabad High Court IHC The protesters vandalised public and state properties and even attacked the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and Lahore Corps Commanders residence The rioting was followed by a harsh crackdown against the PTI leaders and workers that still continues The Express Tribune reported A key cabinet minister while requesting anonymity told The Express Tribune that no new military courts would be established saying the accused would be tried in the special standing courts that are already working under the military act However renowned lawyer and expert of militaryrelated cases Colonel retd Inamur Rahiem said that the defence ministry or the Chief of Army Staff COAS will have to formally issue a notification for the establishment or revival of the special standing courts Federal government has already empowered the army chief to constitute or even issue a warrant to any formation commander to constitute special standing courts Rahiem said adding the military usually establishes courts in the units concerned for any crime committed in that particular unit The Express Tribune reported Once the special standing courts are established he said they can work throughout the year in one city or in different cities Previously he recalled that the special standing courts were set up in Karachis Malir area in 200506 due to the law and order situation in the restive city IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-cabinet-backs-military-court-trials-428905.html Sat, 20 May 2023 12:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/maryam-nawaz-pak-military-political-leaders-on-ttp-hit-list-428937.html Islamabad May 20 The names of Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz PMLN Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah are on a hitlist of terrorist outfits which are planning to launch attacks on leaders of the armed forces intelligence agencies and politicians the media reported The attacks are being planned by the banned TehreekeTaliban Pakistan TTP and its faction JamaatulAhraar JuA which are also planning to target government officials The News reported Furthermore they also plan to carry out attacks on vehicles and checkposts of law enforcement agencies LEAs A terror group which includes two suicide bombers has entered the Punjab province under the supervision of JuA leader Rafiullah Separately TTP commander Sarbakaf Mohmand praised those who participated in the countrywide riots on May 9 after Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Chairman Imran Khan was arrested and announced his support for the miscreants The News reported The latest information comes hours after JamaateIslami JI chief Sirajul Haq narrowly escaped a suicide attack on his convoy as he was travelling to a rally in Balochistans Zhob Terrorism incidents have risen in Pakistan in recent months with security forces ramping up operations to defeat terrorists According to a report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies more than 850 people were killed or injured in militant attacks and counterterrorism operations in the first quarter of 2023 a figure that was half the total number of killed or wounded people in 2022 The News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/maryam-nawaz-pak-military-political-leaders-on-ttp-hit-list-428937.html Sat, 20 May 2023 13:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/physically-challenged-malaysian-climber-missing-after-summiting-mt-everest-429028.html Kathmandu May 20 A physically challenged Malaysian climber has gone missing after summiting Mt Everest the company that organised his expedition said on Saturday Muhammad Hawari Bin Hashim 33 has been missing since Friday after he descended to Camp IV which is at 7925 meters above sea level Nivesh Karki executive director of Pioneer Adventure Pvt Ltd told Xinhua news agency When our mountaineering guides went for a rescue operation for another Malaysian climber who had become ill from Camp IV Hawari went missing Karki Hawari was no longer at Camp IV when the guides reached the site he added We have been searching for him by inquiring climbers from Camp I to camp IV since Friday but he has not been found yet added Karki Karkis team has four Malaysian climbers but Hawari is the only one to ascend the 884886meterhigh peak Ampuan Yaacub a Malaysian police officer died at Camp IV because of energy loss said Karki Yaacub became the ninth climber to die on the worlds tallest peak during this spring climbing season A record 478 climbers from 65 countries and regions have received permits to summit Mt Everest this climbing season as this year marks the 70th anniversary of the first ascent of the peak according to Nepals Department of Tourism IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/physically-challenged-malaysian-climber-missing-after-summiting-mt-everest-429028.html Sat, 20 May 2023 18:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lankan-navy-seizes-trawler-carrying-over-120-kg-narcotics-428545.html Colombo May 19 Sri Lankas Navy has said that it seized a multiday trawler carrying more than 120 kg narcotics off the southern coast of Sri Lanka The local multiday fishing trawler was carrying about 1116 kg heroin and about 102 kg hashish when it was intercepted on May 13 the Navy said on Thursday in a press statement The special operation was carried out about 413 nautical miles off Dondra south of Sri Lanka the Navy added The Navy said it also apprehended six suspects Xinhua news agency reported The drugs suspects and the vessel were brought to Colombo Port on Thursday The street value of the seized drugs is believed to be around 28 billion rupees 91 million Including the latest seizure the Sri Lankan Navy has confiscated drugs with a gross street value of more than 76 billion rupees 248 million this year IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lankan-navy-seizes-trawler-carrying-over-120-kg-narcotics-428545.html Fri, 19 May 2023 06:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/1-killed-3-injured-in-bomb-blast-in-pakistans-peshawar-428546.html Islamabad May 19 At least one person was killed and three others were injured in a bomb blast in Peshawar city of Pakistans northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province police said Senior Superintendent of Peshawar police Harood Rashid told local media on Thursday evening that the explosion occurred at a motorcycle workshop near the Ring Road of Peshawar Police and rescue teams rushed to the site and shifted the body and injured to Hayatabad Medical Complex hospital Xinhua news agency reported According to an initial investigation at least 200 gram of explosives were used in the blast said the officer The officer added that the bomb which was planted in a motorcycle exploded during the repair of the motorbike No group has claimed responsibility for the blast IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/1-killed-3-injured-in-bomb-blast-in-pakistans-peshawar-428546.html Fri, 19 May 2023 06:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/police-get-warrant-to-search-imran-khans-zaman-park-residence-428815.html Lahore May 19 Police in Pakistans Punjab province on Friday obtained warrants from court to carry out a search at former prime minister Imran Khans residence local media reported The development comes after the provincial government decided to send a team to hold talks with the Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chief before conducting the search operation at Zaman Park Geo News reported According to details an officer of the rank of superintendent of police will lead the party which will also include women personnel Commissioner Lahore Division will accompany the search team The provincial government on Wednesday had claimed that 3040 terrorists were hiding inside Khans residence and gave 24 hours to PTI to hand over these miscreants or face action Geo News reported However no action was taken after the deadline expired on Thursday Later Punjab Information Minister Amir Mir said that law enforcers will conduct a search operation at Khans residence after his permission and in front of cameras to apprehend terrorists We the interim government have decided that instead of a headon collision we will send a delegation to Khan sahab under the supervision of the Lahore commissioner Mir told Geo News They will ask him Khan to allow them to conduct a search operation A police party comprising 400 personnel will accompany the delegation as there is a reported presence of terrorists he said Earlier Lahore Capital City Police Officer CCPO Bilal Saddique Kamyana claimed to have arrested six more terrorists attempting to flee from Khans Zaman Park residence According to CCPO Kamyana four of the alleged terrorists were involved in the attack on Askari Tower while two of them were among those who ransacked the Corps Commander House Lahore On Thursday Punjab province Caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir shared that eight terrorists had been arrested while they were escaping from Lahores Zaman Park area The arrested terrorists were wanted in the attack on the Lahore Corps Commander House on May 9 he had said Geo News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/police-get-warrant-to-search-imran-khans-zaman-park-residence-428815.html Fri, 19 May 2023 23:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imrans-ex-wife-complains-about-using-her-kids-for-political-agenda-in-pak-428616.html London May 19 Directly addressing outgoing Twitter CEO Elon Musk Jemima Goldsmith the former wife of Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chief Imran Khan complained of fake accounts on the microblogging site pretending to be her sons which she claimed were created by imposters with a political agenda in Pakistan In a tweet late Thursday the 49yearold said Thanks elonmusk Fake accounts pretending to be my children created by imposters with a political agenda in Pakistan This is exactly what I feared would happen when you took away Twitters verification blue ticks FYI my children are not on social media have no plans to be Goldsmith and Khan were married in May 1995 and divorced nine years later in June 2004 Goldsmith has two sons from her marriage to Khan Sulaiman Isa born 1996 and Kasim born 1999 IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imrans-ex-wife-complains-about-using-her-kids-for-political-agenda-in-pak-428616.html Fri, 19 May 2023 12:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/may-9-violence-prompts-departure-of-multiple-pti-leaders-428651.html By Hamza Ameer Islamabad May 19 In the wake of the nationwide violence on May 9 following the arrest of Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chief Imran Khan over 18 members of the party have announced their departure while reports suggest that over 50 others are also ready follow suit According to latest reports senior PTI leaders including some very close aides of Khan have decided to leave the party while maintaining that an antistate agenda cannot be supported nor can attacks of on the countrys military establishment be tolerated Some of the PTI leaders who have announced their departure are Malik Amin Aslam Muhammad Amjad Imran Ali Shah Aamer Mehmood Kiani Muhammad Baki Moulvi and Sanjay Gangwani Meanwhile 10 PTI members from Multan have also quit the party The departing leaders have stated that after witnessing the widespread chaos violence and targeted attacks on the military installations by PTI workers it has become impossible to remain a part of the party Any patriotic Pakistani would not become part of an antistate agenda And unfortunately what happened on 9th May and those who led it and provoked it cannot be called Pakistani said one of the leaders Kiani a former Minister and close aide of Khan said that he comes from a very strong military family background and the PTI cannot justify for what its workers did I am parting ways from the PTI because I just cannot justify or stand by with those who attacked our military installations and the institution This antistate agenda is something I can never stand for he said Informed sources have also revealed a considerable number of PTI leaders from the Punjab province are also gearing up to part ways I can that there is active contact going on between Jahangir Tareen his associate political leaders and many PTI leaders They are being urged to leave PTI and Imran Khan to form a much stronger faction of PTI and continue to do politics in the country said the sources IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/may-9-violence-prompts-departure-of-multiple-pti-leaders-428651.html Fri, 19 May 2023 14:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lanka-up-to-strengthen-ties-by-promoting-ramayana-buddhist-trails-428702.html Colombo May 19 Sri Lanka and Uttar Pradesh are planning to strengthen ties by promoting the Ramayana trail in the island nation and the Buddhist trail in the Indian state through a formal framework In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry in Colombo the decision was taken following a meeting between Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday in Lucknow The discussions centred on the ancient and strong cultural and religious affinities between Uttar Pradesh and Sri Lanka and the ways to further strengthening them through tourism as well as religious and cultural exchanges the statement said Wednesdays talks were a follow up of an initial meeting between the envoy and the Chief Minister in October 2021 Symbolising the close ties between Buddhism and Hinduism and Uttar Pradesh and Sri Lanka High Commissioner Moragoda proposed to plant a Bo sapling from islands southern city of Rumassala in Ayodhya According to popular beliefs Rumassala is part of the mythical Sanjeevani mountain which was carried by Lord Hanuman when he was assigned to bring a herb of the same name to cure Lord Ramas brother Lakshman who was severely injured in a battle with Ravanas son During the meeting two large photographs of Sri Lankan origin were presented to the Chief Ministe to be installed at the Varanasi International Airport marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of IndoLanka diplomatic relations this year The photographs feature two murals painted by the eminent Sri Lankan painter Solias Mendis in the Kelaniya Rajamaha Vihara depicting the arrival of Arahat Mahinda in Sri Lanka from India to delivering the message of the Buddha to King Devanampiyatissa The second marks the arrival of Theri Sanghamitta to Sri Lanka bearing the righthand branch sapling of the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi tree Similar photographs have been installed at the Kushinagar and Ahmedabad airports the RSS Headquarters in Nagpur and office of the State Minister of External Affairs and Culture at the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi As part of an ongoing programme to celebrate the 75th anniversary of IndoLanka diplomatic relations action has been initiated to install similar photographs at Bodh Gaya International Airport as well the High Commission stated High Commissioner Moragoda also presented Adityanat a stone obtained from the stream flowing besides the Seetha Amman Temple in Seetha Eliya Ashoka Vatika in Sri Lanka which is believed to be the site where Sita was held captive By Ravana IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lanka-up-to-strengthen-ties-by-promoting-ramayana-buddhist-trails-428702.html Fri, 19 May 2023 17:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/tehreek-i-labbaik-pakistan-announces-march-428468.html Islamabad May 18 Amid the ongoing unrest in the country the TehreekiLabbaik Pakistan TLP has announced a KarachitoIslamabad Save Pakistan march from May 22 and asked its workers to get ready for the historical march In a statement TLP chief Saad Hussain Rizvi said he was saddened to see how the entire governance system was being sacrificed at the altar of the ego of a few Dawn news reported He said both the government and the opposition were to be blamed for the mess An organised and unbridled campaign against the national institutions only proves incompetence of the ruling elite Egotism arrogance and incompetence had ruined and is further ruining the state by causing collapse of the system Everyone knows how the current ruling elite PDM came to power and had destroyed the economy no segment of society has been left unaffected by the disastrous policies that the government is following The economic conditions are deteriorating by the day It necessitates efforts by all concerned to save the country and the TLP will be on the roads on Monday Rizvi says IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/tehreek-i-labbaik-pakistan-announces-march-428468.html Fri, 19 May 2023 00:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/arrangements-being-made-against-your-attacks-on-pak-minister-tells-imran-428509.html Islamabad May 18 Pakistan Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb while responding to a tweet by PTI Chairman Imran Khan has said that arrangements are being made to deal with your fascism antinationalism and attacks on the country Quoting Imrans tweet in which he criticised the government for illegally arresting PTI leaders Aurangzeb said Arrangements are being made so that no one attacks the state under the guise of politics Dawn reported You had attacks carried out on the homes of peoples daughters You arrested peoples daughters in front of their parents and dragged peoples sisters but still no one attacked the country like you did Arrangements are being made so that in the future no one will dare to commit this enmity against the country the Minister added Khan has accused the ruling coalition of hatching a conspiracy to pit the army against the largest political party and spread hatred among Pakistanis warning that it may lead to the countrys disintegration Dawn reported The PDM leaders and Nawaz Sharif who is absconding in London are least concerned whether the countrys constitution is desecrated state institutions are destroyed or even Pakistan Army earns a bad name They are looking for their vested interests of saving the looted wealth alone the former prime minister said I am seeing a frightening dream that the country is heading towards an imminent disaster the PTI chief claimed IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/arrangements-being-made-against-your-attacks-on-pak-minister-tells-imran-428509.html Fri, 19 May 2023 03:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/gold-bars-worth-233-mn-seized-at-dhaka-airport-428765.html Dhaka May 19 Customs officials at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka seized 204 gold bars worth some 233 million a local official said Kazi Farid Uddin a senior official of the customs intelligence department told journalists that the 204 gold bars were seized from a flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines reports Xinhua news agency He said the BG122 flight landed in Dhaka at around 1130 am on Thursday from Muscat via Chittagong According to the official the gold bars were left abandoned in the cargo hold of the aircraft Acting on a tipoff Uddin said the customs officials searched the aircraft and recovered the gold bars wrapped in clothes No one was arrested in connection with the seizure according to local authorities IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/gold-bars-worth-233-mn-seized-at-dhaka-airport-428765.html Fri, 19 May 2023 20:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bangladesh-to-keep-energy-prices-on-par-with-intl-rates-428780.html Dhaka May 19 Bangladeshi State Minister for Power Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said the government plans to keep energy prices on par with international rates Speaking at a program in Dhaka he said they are working to make a guideline about fixing the price of electricity and gas by the international market reports Xinhua news agency The Minister said subsidies given by the government in these two sectors will not be given in future He said steps are underway to set up a 2000MW solar power plant within the next two years to provide affordable electricity Experts here said more subsidy cuts would add to public fury over the spiraling cost of living Inflation in Bangladesh accelerated to 952 per cent in August last year the highest in 10 years mainly driven by higher food prices the Bureau of Statistics reported earlier IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bangladesh-to-keep-energy-prices-on-par-with-intl-rates-428780.html Fri, 19 May 2023 21:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/4-killed-3-injured-in-pakistans-wind-storm-428530.html Islamabad May 18 Four children were killed and three others injured in a wind storm in Pakistans Punjab province police said on Thursday The children were sitting beside the wall of a mosque in Mianwali district when it collapsed on them on Wednesday night the police told the media The injured children were shifted to a nearby hospital where one of them is in critical condition reports Xinhua news agency Pakistan is currently facing a weather pattern due to which wind and thunderstorms coupled with rain are expected to persist in the country till May 18 the meteorological department said in a statement IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/4-killed-3-injured-in-pakistans-wind-storm-428530.html Fri, 19 May 2023 05:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/1-terrorist-1-soldier-killed-in-military-operation-in-pakistan-428538.html Islamabad May 19 Pakistans military have claimed to have killed a terrorist in an operation in the countrys Bajaur district of northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province The InterServices Public Relations ISPR the media wing of the Pakistan Army said in a statement that a fire exchange took place between government troops and the terrorists on Thursday in the Loesam area of the Bajaur district The government troops effectively engaged the terrorists location and one terrorist was killed said the ISPR adding that a soldier of the security forces has also died in the operation The government forces had launched an operation in the area to eliminate the terrorists Xinhua news agency reported The military added that the security forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and the sacrifices of soldiers would further strengthen the resolve of the country against terrorism IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/1-terrorist-1-soldier-killed-in-military-operation-in-pakistan-428538.html Fri, 19 May 2023 06:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/2-terrorists-killed-in-clash-with-security-forces-in-pakistan-428299.html Islamabad May 18 Two terrorists were killed in a clash with security forces in Pakistans northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province an Army statement said The security forces conducted an intelligencebased operation in Bannu district of the province on the reported presence of terrorists in the area the militarys media wing InterServices Public Relations ISPR said on Wednesday in the statement During the conduct of the operation intense fire exchange took place between the troops and terrorists the statement added Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorists the ISPR added The military statement said that the killed terrorists remained actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces and innocent citizens Xinhua news agency reported Locals of the area appreciated security forces operation and assured of their full support in eliminating the menace of terrorism the ISPR said IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/2-terrorists-killed-in-clash-with-security-forces-in-pakistan-428299.html Thu, 18 May 2023 14:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/grand-operation-expected-against-terrorists-hiding-in-imrans-residence-428314.html Police officers patrol around the residence of Pakistans former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Lahore Pakistan Thursday May 18 2023 Pakistani police kept up their siege around the home of Khan as a 24hour deadline given to the former premier to hand over suspects allegedly sheltered inside was about to expire on Thursday PTI Lahore May 18 The Punjab Police may launch a grand operation to arrest the terrorists allegedly holed up in Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Chairman Imran Khans Zaman Park residence in Lahore According to the police all roads leading towards Zaman Park have been blocked and a heavy contingent of law enforcement is in the area Geo News reported The Punjab government had given a 24hour ultimatum to the PTI to hand over the terrorists who had taken refuge in the former Prime Ministers home The ultimatum would end at 2 pm on Thursday Sources said that the grand operation may be launched after the deadline ends Geo News reported Sources shared that the inspector general of Punjab police and the capital city police officer CCPO have asked the police to remain vigilant Punjab caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir said on Wednesday night that the provincial government has no plans so far of arresting the Khan First let the 24hour deadline expire then the government will reveal its plans the provincial minister said The Ministers comment came hours after the PTI chief expressed fears that he would be arrested Geo News reported Probably my last tweet before my next arrest Police has sic surrounded my house the PTI chief who was ousted as the Prime Minister last year in April said in a tweet Amir Mir added that Khan is inciting people just like always The information minister said the PTI chief was lying In his presser earlier in the day the Minister gave the PTI a 24hour deadline to hand over the 3040 terrorists that have taken refuge at the former Prime Ministers Lahore residence to the police IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/grand-operation-expected-against-terrorists-hiding-in-imrans-residence-428314.html Thu, 18 May 2023 15:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/deadly-dengue-reaches-epidemic-proportion-in-sl-428321.html A Catholic priest conducts a commemoration for those who died in the final stages of Sri Lankas civil war as ethnic Sinhala nationalists shouting anti Tamil slogans and showing placards attempt to disrupt the commemoration in Colombo Sri Lanka Thursday May 18 2023 Sri Lanka on Thursday marked the 14th anniversary of the end of the countrys civil war which killed 100000 people according to conservative United Nations estimates The actual number is believed to be much higher PTI By Susitha Fernando Colombo May 18 Deadly dengue disease has reached to an epidemic proportion in Sri Lanka with 22 deaths and more than 34500 cases recorded so far for the year 2023 However medical experts have warned that with the monsoon rains the worst is yet to come National Dengue Control Programme announced so far that 34511 dengue cases with 22 deaths were reported across the island nation with highest number 17049 reporting from the western province With 7725 cases Colombo district has recorded the second highest after Gampaha district in the western province which has recorded the highest 7797 among 25 districts Medical experts warn that the spread of dengue having connection to monsoon rains in Sri Lanka the worst is yet to experience with the majority cases are traditionally recorded during June and July the summer monsoon Nalin Ariyaratne the Director of the National Dengue Control Unit said that there is an increase of nearly 2000 dengue cases from the first quarter of last year to the present extending up to 2023 He has expressed concern over the possibility of surpassing last years record of 11000 cases reported in June and July Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed all government offices to join the fight against the spread of dengue and had ordered police and the military to join the battle The security forces that have been empowered to enter private premises without permission had been deployed to inspect dengue mosquito breeding places in houses schools and other public and private places The owners of premises with mosquito breeding places are charged under the law The National Dengue Control Programme has identified 59 Medical Officer of Health MoH divisions across the island as dengue HighRisk Zones and the Health Ministry has declared every Friday as a day to fight dengue by clearing breeding grounds for mosquitoes IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/deadly-dengue-reaches-epidemic-proportion-in-sl-428321.html Thu, 18 May 2023 15:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/salaries-of-pakistan-sc-judges-exceed-president-pm-428102.html Islamabad May 17 Salaries of the judges of Pakistans Supreme Court are more than those of the President Prime Minister ministers federal secretaries and parliamentarians according to the data submitted to the Public Accounts Committee PAC The highest salary is that of the Chief Justice of Pakistan CJP followed by the Supreme Court judges and President The News reported Meanwhile the Prime Minister gets lesser than the salaries of ministers and federal secretaries the data revealed The PAC sought details of perks and privileges received by the President Prime Minister CJP and other Supreme Court judges As the Supreme Court registrar did not appear before the PAC for the audit of over 10year expenditures of the apex court on Tuesday the committee resummoned him at the next meeting on May 23 and warned of issuing his warrants if he did not appear The committee members expressed annoyance over the absence of the registrar Attorney General Mansoor Awan said apex court expenditures could be audited and the Public Accounts Committee might review audit reports IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/salaries-of-pakistan-sc-judges-exceed-president-pm-428102.html Thu, 18 May 2023 01:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-condemns-illegal-arrest-of-pti-leaders-428114.html Lahore May 17 Pakistans former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday condemned the illegal arrests and abduction of PTI leaders including Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Secretary General Asad Umar who have been incarcerated for more than a week Qureshi and Umar were arrested on May 10 a day after Khans dramatic arrest from the Islamabad High Court which prompted nationwide violent protests staged by his supporters and Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI leaders and workers In a lengthy Twitter post the PTI chairman also claimed that despite court orders journalist Imran Riaz Khan has not been presented in court and there are confirmed reports of torture against him He also demanded the immediate release of all our female leaders workers and the female family members of our leaders and workers Many of our female MNAs supporters and workers are being held in jails across Pakistan under inhumane conditions vulnerable to police excesses These abductions and the treatment being meted out to women by this fascist government are not only grave human rights violations but are strictly against our culture and Islamic teachings All these women must be immediately released Their continued incarceration is unconscionable I am also raising this with International Human Rights Organizations Khan added IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-condemns-illegal-arrest-of-pti-leaders-428114.html Thu, 18 May 2023 02:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pti-ordered-to-handover-terrorists-hiding-in-imrans-lahore-residence-in-24-hrs-428132.html Lahore May 17 The interim government of Punjab province on Wednesday gave a 24hour deadline to the Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI to hand over the 3040 terrorists that have taken refuge at former Prime Minister Imran Khans Zaman Park residence in Lahore to the police PTI should handover these terrorists or the law will take its course Geo News quoted provincial caretaker Information Minister Aamir Mir as saying while addressing a press conference in Lahore He also added that the government was aware about the presence of these terrorists as it had credible intelligence reports The intelligence report that has come is very alarming said Mir He added that the agencies were able to confirm the presence of the terrorists in Zaman Park through geofencing Geo News reported PTI is starting to behave like a nonstate actor said Mir adding that the PTI chief has been targeting the military since over a year and urged the party to hand over the terrorists The PTI leadership had planned the attack before the arrest of Khan said Mir The Minister shared that attacks on military installations were carried out during May 9 violent protests under a set plan adding that the government has adopted a zero tolerance policy towards it and interim Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has given a freehand to the Punjab Police to deal with arsonists Geo News reported Multiple people were in touch with Zaman Park during the attack on the Corps Commander House They will be made an example so that no one will carry out such an act in the future said Mir He also shared that it has been decided that those who attacked military installations will be tried in military courts Those who have been arrested so far are being fully scrutinised Cases are being forwarded after 100 per cent confirmation of their involvement said Mir The Minister added that the PTI miscreants crossed a red line on May 9 He added that over 3400 attackers have been arrested and 254 cases have been registered Geo News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pti-ordered-to-handover-terrorists-hiding-in-imrans-lahore-residence-in-24-hrs-428132.html Thu, 18 May 2023 03:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/moldovan-climber-dies-en-route-to-mt-everest-428137.html Kathmandu May 17 A Moldovan climber died en route to summit Mount Everest on Wednesday morning bringing the death toll in the region to six during the ongoing spring climbing season Victor Brinza stopped breathing at Camp IV of the worlds highest peak The climber fell sick while pushing for the peak Efforts are being made to bring his body to the base camp and then airlift it to Kathmandu Yubraj Khatiwada director of the mountaineering section at Nepals Department of Tourism told Xinhua news agency A Nepali climbing guide who was working with a Nepal Army team tasked with collecting waste in the Mt Everest region died on Tuesday evening while descending from the peak We unfortunately lost one of the Sherpa guides who are supporting our staff in the cleaning mission Nepal Army spokesman Brig Gen Krishna Prasad Bhandari told Xinhua An army captain involved in the cleaning mission has fallen ill the spokesman said On May 2 American doctor Jonathan Sugarman died on Camp II while three Sherpa guides lost their lives in an avalanche close to Camp I on April 12 A record high of 478 climbers from 65 countries and regions have received the permits to climb the world highest peak as this year marks the 70th anniversary of the first ascent of the mountain according to the Department of Tourism IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/moldovan-climber-dies-en-route-to-mt-everest-428137.html Thu, 18 May 2023 04:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khan-warns-of-pakistans-disintegration-428432.html Islamabad May 18 Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chief Imran Khan has accused the ruling coalition of hatching a conspiracy to pit the army against the largest political party and spread hatred among the masses warning that it may lead to the countrys disintegration The PDM Pakistan Democratic Movement leaders and Nawaz Sharif who is absconding in London are least concerned whether the countrys constitution is desecrated state institutions are destroyed or even Pakistan Army earns a bad name They are looking for their vested interests of saving the looted wealth alone Dawn news quoted the former Prime Minister as saying I am seeing a frightening dream that the country is heading towards an imminent disaster the PTI chief claimed Speaking about the riots that erupted following is arrest on May 9 Khan asserted that it was a pure conspiracy hatched and executed allegedly on behalf of the PDM government and the Punjab provinces caretaker government Soon after the incident he said the government assumed the role of a judge jury and executioner to pave the way for declaring PTI a terrorist party reports Dawn news This is high time that the powers that be should sensibly rethink otherwise the country might face an East Pakistanlike situation he lamented Khan said a recent survey revealed that Pakistans 70 per cent population was standing with the PTI and the remaining 30 per cent people with all the parties that are part of PDM He said the only solution to end political instability was to hold elections I appeal to the powers that be to let the elections take place and save the country Khan requested Asserting that he had defended Pakistan Army even on international media throughout his political career Khan said When I reprimand the army it is like I am criticising my kids I have repeatedly stated that I do not interfere in state institutions internal matters I did not interfere when I had confirmed reports that the former army chief was conspiring against me he said claiming some politicians were telling the current army chief that Khan would denotify him if voted to power Dawn reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khan-warns-of-pakistans-disintegration-428432.html Thu, 18 May 2023 21:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-responsible-for-may-9-mutinous-attacks-pak-pm-428186.html Lahore May 17 Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that the roots of the mutinous attacks on the state its symbols and sensitive installations on May 9 lay in the contents of Imran Khans speeches over the past one year media reports said In a tweet Shehbaz Sharif said that Imran Khan has liberally deployed religious imagery to brand his political agitation as a war between truth and falsehood Samaa TV reported Imran Khan has relentlessly maligned and attacked the armed forces and the sitting Army chief and very cunningly prepared his cult with the slogans of Haqeeqi Azadi aimed at inciting them for violence we witnessed on May 9 Sharif said Listen to his speeches and you will get your answers he added Samaa TV reported The Prime Minister has directed the law enforcement agencies to leave no stone unturned to bring those involved in the incidents of vandalism arson and violence to justice At the same time they should make sure that no innocent person gets punished he said The interim Pakistan Punjab government has given a 24hour deadline to the Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI to hand over the 3040 terrorists who have taken refuge at Khans Zaman Park residence in Lahore to the police Geo News reported PTI should handover these terrorists or the law will take its course said caretaker Information Minister Aamir Mir while addressing a press conference in Lahore He added that the government is aware about the presence of these terrorists as it has credible intelligence report The intelligence report that has come is very alarming said Mir adding that the agencies were able to confirm the presence of the terrorists in Zaman Park through geofencing Geo News reported PTI is starting to behave like a nonstate actor said Mir He added that the PTI chief has been targeting the military since over a year and urged the party to hand over the terrorists The PTI leadership had planned the attack before the arrest of Imran Khan said Mir IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-responsible-for-may-9-mutinous-attacks-pak-pm-428186.html Thu, 18 May 2023 08:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imrans-close-aide-jumps-ship-as-noose-tightens-around-party-428217.html Lahore May 17 In a major blow to the Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI former federal minister and close aide of party chief Imran Khan Aamer Mehmood Kiani announced on Wednesday that he is quitting politics after reports emerged that the party was involved in the May 9 vandalism during which military installations were also attacked media reports said I am not only leaving PTI but also quitting politics Kiani was quoted as saying by The News The former health minister is the second PTI leader to jump ship after member of the National Assembly MNA Mahmood Baqi Maulvi the report said Kiani was elected from the NA16 constituency on a PTI ticket in 2018 and was considered a close aide of the PTI chief He was also the former president of PTIs North Punjab chapter On Tuesday Maulvi who was elected on a PTI ticket from Karachi announced that he is leaving the party following countrywide riots after PTI chairman Imran Khans arrest Khan was arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court IHC on May 9 by the rangers on the warrants of the National Accountability Bureau NAB Following his arrest the partys supporters wreaked havoc across the country and even attacked military installations At a press conference on Tuesday Maulvi said We can change political parties but we cannot change our army I have never gone against the army nor will I do it in the future He also shared that the party workers had been discussing before May 9 that they would go to the General Headquarters GHQ in Rawalpindi in case Khan was arrested I told them we should not fight against the army because there is no reason for it Maulvi said IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imrans-close-aide-jumps-ship-as-noose-tightens-around-party-428217.html Thu, 18 May 2023 10:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/police-have-surrounded-my-house-imran-khan-428239.html Lahore May 17 Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday claimed that the police have surrounded his house as he is addressing party workers via video link media reported Addressing his party workers the deposed Pakistan Prime Minister feared that the country is heading towards the path of destruction Earlier taking to Twitter the PTI chief said Probably my last tweet before my next arrest Police has surrounded my house The News reported In a major blow to the Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI former federal minister and close aide of party chairman Imran Khan Aamer Mehmood Kiani on Wednesday announced that he would be quitting politics after reports emerged that the party was involved in May 9 vandalism during which military installations were also attacked The News reported I am not only leaving PTI but also quitting politics Kiani was quoted as saying by the TV channel The former health minister is the second PTI leader to jump ship after Member of the National Assembly MNA Mahmood Baqi Maulvi The News reported Kiani was elected from the NA16 constituency on a PTI ticket in 2018 and was considered a close aide of the PTI chief He was also the former president of PTIs North Punjab chapter A day earlier MNA Maulvi who was elected on a PTI ticket from Karachi announced that he was leaving the party following countrywide riots after party chairman Imran Khans arrest Khan was arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court IHC on May 9 by the rangers on the warrants of the National Accountability Bureau NAB Following his arrest the partys supporters wreaked havoc across the country and attacked military installations In a press conference on Tuesday Maulvi announced to quit PTI We can change political parties but we cannot change our army I have never gone against the army nor will I do it in the future he stressed The News reported He also shared that party workers had been discussing before May 9 that they would go to the General Headquarters GHQ in Rawalpindi in case Khan was arrested I told them we should not fight against the army because there is no reason for it Maulvi said IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/police-have-surrounded-my-house-imran-khan-428239.html Thu, 18 May 2023 11:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/all-roads-leading-to-imran-khans-residence-in-lahore-blocked-428245.html Lahore May 17 All the roads leading to PTI Chairman Imran Khans Zaman Park residence have been blocked by the police media reported Video footage from the site showed a huge contingent of Punjab police outside the expremiers residence The Punjab police have reached outside PTI Chairman Imran Khans Zaman Park residence to arrest him Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday claimed that the police have surrounded his house as he is addressing party workers via video link The News reported Addressing his party workers the deposed Pakistan Prime Minister feared that the country is heading towards the path of destruction Earlier taking to Twitter the PTI chief said Probably my last tweet before my next arrest Police has surrounded my house The News reported In a major blow to the Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI former federal minister and close aide of party chairman Imran Khan Aamer Mehmood Kiani on Wednesday announced that he would be quitting politics after reports emerged that the party was involved in May 9 vandalism during which military installations were also attacked The News reported I am not only leaving PTI but also quitting politics Kiani was quoted as saying by the TV channel The former health minister is the second PTI leader to jump ship after Member of the National Assembly MNA Mahmood Baqi Maulvi The News reported Kiani was elected from the NA16 constituency on a PTI ticket in 2018 and was considered a close aide of the PTI chief He was also the former president of PTIs North Punjab chapter A day earlier MNA Maulvi who was elected on a PTI ticket from Karachi announced that he was leaving the party following countrywide riots after party chairman Imran Khans arrest Khan was arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court IHC on May 9 by the rangers on the warrants of the National Accountability Bureau NAB Following his arrest the partys supporters wreaked havoc across the country and attacked military installations In a press conference on Tuesday Maulvi announced to quit PTI We can change political parties but we cannot change our army I have never gone against the army nor will I do it in the future he stressed The News reported He also shared that party workers had been discussing before May 9 that they would go to the General Headquarters GHQ in Rawalpindi in case Khan was arrested I told them we should not fight against the army because there is no reason for it Maulvi said IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/all-roads-leading-to-imran-khans-residence-in-lahore-blocked-428245.html Thu, 18 May 2023 11:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-wont-resist-search-operation-at-his-residence-against-terrorists-if-shown-warrant-428267.html Lahore May 17 Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Chairman Imran Khan has said that if the police come with a search warrant to carry out a search operation at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore he will not resist the move media reports said I have just heard that 40 terrorists are hiding at my residence Please do come here but in a civilised manner and dont attempt to storm my residence he said while addressing his supporters from his Lahore residence on Wednesday Geo News reported Earlier the PTI chief had said in a tweet Probably my last tweet before my next arrest Police has sic surrounded my house His statement came as the interim Punjab government has given a 24hour deadline to the PTI to hand over the 3040 terrorists that have taken refuge at the former Prime Ministers Zaman Park residence to the police PTI should handover these terrorists or the law will take its course said caretaker Information Minister Aamir Mir while addressing a press conference in Lahore on Wednesday He also added that the government is aware about the presence of these terrorists as it has credible intelligence report Geo News reported The intelligence report that has come is very alarming said Mir adding that the agencies were able to confirm the presence of the terrorists in Zaman Park through geofencing Meanwhile all the roads leading to Khans Zaman Park residence have been blocked by the police Dawn reported Video footage from the site showed a huge contingent of Punjab police outside the expremiers residence Addressing his party workers Khan expressed fear that the country is heading towards the path of destruction IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-wont-resist-search-operation-at-his-residence-against-terrorists-if-shown-warrant-428267.html Thu, 18 May 2023 12:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/beijing-expects-hail-respite-from-heat-427812.html Beijing May 16 Hail and thunderstorms are predicted to lower temperatures in Beijing giving the people in the Chinese capital a much needed respite from the current heatwave the citys meteorological service said Parts of the city are expected to see thunderstorms strong winds and hail on Tuesday afternoon and evening Xinhua news agency quoted the Beijing Meteorological Service as saying The maximum temperature will drop to 28 degrees Celsius on Wednesday down from 3436 degrees Celsius on Monday and Tuesday said Zhao Wei chief forecaster at the service The Chinese capital on Monday ushered in its first hightemperature day this summer with the maximum temperature reaching 344 degrees Celsius IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/beijing-expects-hail-respite-from-heat-427812.html Wed, 17 May 2023 07:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/taliban-supreme-leader-appoints-new-acting-pm-of-afghanistan-428070.html Kabul May 17 Talibans Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada in a special decree has appointed Mawlawi Abdul Kabir as the new acting Prime Minister of Afghanistan It is reported that acting Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund is unwell and until he recovers Mawlawi Abdul Kabir will serve as the head of the Taliban government TOLO News reported Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund has served as the Prime Minister of the Taliban government since the groups return to power in 2021 Although the Taliban authorities have not provided any details about Mullah Hassans illness sources had previously said that he was suffering from heart disease Khaama Press reported Mawlawi Abdul Kabir is from the eastern Paktika province and it is said he belongs to the Zadran tribe He served as the governor of Nangarhar province during the former regime of the Taliban from 19962001 It is said after the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 he then served as the head of the Peshawar Council Mawlawi Kabir is one of the senior members of the Taliban who has played a significant role in the group negotiations with the US in Qatar which resulted in the signing of the Doha Agreement between the US and the Taliban After the Talibans return to power in August 2021 Mawlawi Kabir was initially appointed as the assistant to the economic deputy of Mullah Hasan and later as the political deputy of the Taliban Prime Minister Khaama Press reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/taliban-supreme-leader-appoints-new-acting-pm-of-afghanistan-428070.html Wed, 17 May 2023 23:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/child-killed-6-injured-in-pakistan-school-firing-427869.html Islamabad May 17 A school girl was killed and six others including five students and a teacher injured in firing inside a school in Pakistans northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province police said A policeman deployed at the security of the school in Swat district opened fire at the children when they were returning home after attending classes Divisional Police Officer of Swat Shafi Ullah Gandapur told media on Tuesday The nineyearold girls body and the injured were shifted to a nearby hospital and two of the students were in critical condition according to local media The suspect was arrested and an investigation was underway he said adding that apparently the policeman had some psychological problems which made him commit the crime Xinhua news agency reported Talking to police during the arrest the culprit said that the firing was accidental and he did not intentionally target the children school staff told media IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/child-killed-6-injured-in-pakistan-school-firing-427869.html Wed, 17 May 2023 11:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/xi-orders-all-out-rescue-efforts-after-chinese-deep-sea-fishing-vessel-capsizes-427938.html Beijing May 17 Chinese President Xi Jinping has demanded allout efforts to rescue the 39 people who went missing after a deepsea fishing vessel capsized in the Indian Ocean Xi gave the direction following the accident that occurred at around 3 am on Tuesday urging relevant departments to activate the emergency response mechanism immediately reports Xinhua news agency The missing persons comprised including 17 Chinese mariners 17 Indonesians and five Filipinos Xi ordered efforts to further strengthen the investigation and early warning of potential safety risks in deepsea operations to ensure the safety of life and property Premier Li Qiang has also urged allout efforts to reduce casualties and strengthen safety management of fishing vessels at sea to ensure safe maritime transport and production The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs the Ministry of Transport and Shandong province have activated emergency response mechanism to organise the rescue work Onsite rescue is underway IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/xi-orders-all-out-rescue-efforts-after-chinese-deep-sea-fishing-vessel-capsizes-427938.html Wed, 17 May 2023 15:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/nepals-kami-rita-sherpa-climbs-mt-everest-for-record-27th-time-427969.html Kathmandu May 17 Nepals legendary climber Kami Rita Sherpa has summited Mt Everest for a record 27th time The 53yearold broke his own record of climbing the worlds highest peak for the 26th time Kami Rita scaled the 884886metre mountain on Wednesday morning his expedition organiser Seven Summit Treks said This morning at 830 am Kami Rita successfully summited Mt Everest for an incredible 27th time said Mingma Sherpa chairman of Seven Summit Treks On May 14 Pasang Dawa Sherpa reached the summit of the worlds highest peak for 26th time equalising with Kami Rita Kami Rita who is working as a Senior Climbing Guide at Seven Summit Treks Pvt Ltd had scaled the Mt Everest for the first time on May 13 1994 Between 1994 to 2023 he has now scaled the peak 27 times Besides Everest he has also climbed the K2 and Lhotse one time each Manaslu thrice and Cho Oyu eight He holds the record for Most climbs over 8000m His mountaineering journey began in 1992 when he joined an expedition to Everest as a support staff member Similarly British mountain guide Kenton Cool has broken his own record as he stood on top of Everest for a record 17 times He has the most summits of the Everest by any foreign climber This year Nepals Department of Tourism has issued permits to 478 feepaying individuals the highest permits issuance on record to climb the Everest IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/nepals-kami-rita-sherpa-climbs-mt-everest-for-record-27th-time-427969.html Wed, 17 May 2023 16:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistans-top-security-body-confirms-military-trial-for-may-9-arsonists-427977.html Islamabad May 17 Pakistans National Security Committee NSC has endorsed the decision of the countrys top military brass to try those involved in the May 9 ransacking of military installations under the Pakistan Army Act and Official Secrets Act Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired the highpowered NSC meeting which was attended by senior cabinet ministers three services chiefs DG ISI and other relevant officials The Express Tribune reported While the civil and military leadership promised to bring to justice those behind the violent protests they stressed the need for dialogue over confrontation to resolve the political differences The meeting was convened to discuss violent protests triggered after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan Protesters ransacked and vandalised military installations including the Corps Commanders residence in Lahore The Express Tribune reported Army Chief General Asim Munir on Monday chaired a special corps commanders conference which decided to try perpetrators planners and executors of such attacks under the Pakistan Army and official secret act A statement issued by the PM office after the NSC meeting read The meeting endorsed the decision to initiate trials against the perpetrators conspirators and facilitators under relevant laws including the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secrets Act to ensure justice The meeting reiterated that the policy of zero tolerance would be adopted by not tolerating violence and mischief in the country It deemed May 9 as Black Day at the national level The participants of the National Security Committee expressed full solidarity and support with the armed forces of Pakistan The participants condemned in the strongest terms the arson encirclement and attacks on military installations for personal interests and political gains IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistans-top-security-body-confirms-military-trial-for-may-9-arsonists-427977.html Wed, 17 May 2023 16:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/gilgit-baltistan-cm-may-face-disqualification-on-fake-llb-degree-427759.html Islamabad May 16 Troubles for GilgitBaltistan GB Chief Minister Khalid Khursheed seem to be brewing as the Higher Education Commission HEC has withdrawn the equivalence letter issued to the Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI leader for his LLB degree after it was found to be fake An HEC letter of May 12 to Khursheed states This commission approached the University of London for reverification of your LLB degree transcript and letter of certification provided by you in a sealed envelope to the HEC The university has disclosed that the envelope and its contents a copy of the degree certificate a letter of certification and a transcript were not issued by the University of London Therefore the HEC equivalence letter of even number dated September 23 2022 issued to you is hereby withdrawn or cancelled The letter further notes that Khursheeds name and his CNIC have also been blocked and blacklisted on their online portal The News reported An informed source told The News that the Chief Minister will not only be immediately disqualified from his post due to the HECs notification but the authorities will also initiate criminal proceedings against him The degree presented by Khursheed had glaring differences like paper quality embossed stamp font and signature when his verification letter was compared with other verification letters issued by the same department at the University of London in the same time frame for other students said the source He had attached a fake degree from the University of London in his nomination papers after which HEC officially requested the UK authorities for verification of his degree which was declared as fake in an official response by the institution The News reported Earlier his lawyer Yasir Abbas had termed talk about the degree of propaganda by political opponents to malign PTIs government in Gilgit Baltistan saying that Khursheed intends to file a defamation suit against the perpetrators of this propaganda IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/gilgit-baltistan-cm-may-face-disqualification-on-fake-llb-degree-427759.html Wed, 17 May 2023 02:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khans-political-future-now-hangs-by-a-thread-427762.html By Hamza Ameer Islamabad May 16 Pakistan witnessed one of its worst violence clashes and chaos on May 9 following former Prime Minister Imran Khans arrest at the Islamabad High Court which prompted his followers to vandalise and damage sensitive army installations across the country The violence that went on for at least 72 hours saw mob attacks on General Headquarters GHQ in Rawalpindi Core Commander house in Lahore Jinnah House Lahore Radio Pakistans Peshawar office and other government and state institution offices and buildings across the country The chaos targeted at state institutions and the anger among Imran Khans supporters against the military has now been linked to the former premiers antimilitary stance open accusation and name calling of senior serving military officials of being behind attempts of assassination on his life The Pakistan Army has now decided to show zero tolerance against elements behind these attacks terming them as a blatant attempt to not only target the institution but also to create a division between the people and the army During a special session of the Core Commanders Conference held at GHQ Rawalpindi Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir was given a comprehensive briefing about incidents of violence and mob attacks on 9th May onwards as commanders expressed their anguish over the condemnable incidents The Core Commanders Conference mutually agreed to not show any restraint if such an attempts like that of 9th May are repeated in the future It also decided to show zero tolerance against all culprits behind the attacks which the armed forces termed as foreign supported and internally instigated promoted and provoked against military installations and publicprivate properties The army without naming Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI and its chief Imran Khan has hinted towards arresting all of its supporters instigated and provoked by him which has lead to the attacks against the military installations and initiating trial against them under the antiterrorism laws of the country The army has also decided to initiate the Army Act and the Official Secret Act in some cases as well going forward It claimed that it has irrefutable evidence to establish that the attacks were part of a preplanned strategy implemented immediately after Khans arrest The forum was briefed that a well coordinated arson plan involving desecration of Shuhada pictures monuments burning down of historical buildings and vandalism of military installations was executed to malign the institution and provoke it towards giving an impulsive reaction the InterServices Public Relations ISPR said in a statement These attacks and attempts were made to create distortions in this regard are absolutely futile the ISPR added It is a known fact that Imran Khan has been very vocal about naming and shaming the army chief as well as other senior serving army and intelligence officials In his statement on May 9 before leaving for Islamabad from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore he had lashed out at the military establishment yet again warning them of being ready for the consequences if any attempts to arrest him are made Now with the army geared up to not spare the narrative and respond it with legal cases Imran Khans coming days may just be numbered and he may be booked and trialed under the same references Under any of the references if a case against Imran Khan is lodged and he is put to trial under any of the Acts he may face life imprisonment or capital punishment IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khans-political-future-now-hangs-by-a-thread-427762.html Wed, 17 May 2023 03:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-govt-looks-to-pass-legislation-on-establishment-of-military-courts-427774.html By Hamza Ameer Islamabad May 16 After the Pakistan Armys decision to nab all and spare none establishment of military courts seems to be the way forward for the current government and the establishment with a special focus on former Prime Minister Imran Khan PTI leaders and workers who are being nabbed under the terrorism and army act regulations As per sources in the government the ruling coalition under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif does not trust Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Atta Bandial and many others in the judiciary who they believe continue to give blanket legal cover to Khan and his party leaders in many cases You can see the anger in the parliament against the Supreme Court Chief Justice Atta Bandial and other judges The government or even the establishment wants to make a strong statement in response to the May 0 mayhem and that is something that may not be achieved if Imran Khan or other PTI leaders and workers are put to trial under the current judicial setup said a government source It is also a fact that as per the law of the land the Pakistan Army Act or Official Secrets Act cannot be applied on a civilian In order to implement both the provisions an amendment in the Constitution and the Army Act 1952 would be required to reinstate the expansion of jurisdiction of the military courts and allow them to try civilians for terrorrelated offenses Military courts were established in Pakistan on January 7 2015 for a period of two years as part of the National Action Plan NAP and its 20point action plan formulated after the terror attacks on the Army Public School on December 16 2014 which killing at least 148 people including children The military courts saw serious criticism by global human rights bodies including the UN while opposition political parties raised questions over civilians being tried in military courts through secret court trials prompting questions over fair trial matters former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav who was arrested and taken into custody from Balochistan by Pakistani authorities was also put to trial on charges of spying terrorism and espionage under the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secrets Act He was given death sentence by a Pakistani military court as well which was later overturned by the International Court of Justice ICJ barring the Pakistani government from implementing decision of the military court to give capital punishment and directed them to have him trialed in a civil court However with the current political unrest in the country in which the ruling government and the military establishment has decided to take on Khan and his antimilitary narrative under terrorism related laws coupled with the distrust that prevails among both institutions in relation to the judiciarys alleged support for the former premier in all legal cases against him it is believed that all measures would be undertaken to reinstate the military courts and punish PTI workers its supporters leaders and even Imran Khan through sanctioned penalties IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-govt-looks-to-pass-legislation-on-establishment-of-military-courts-427774.html Wed, 17 May 2023 04:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-govt-to-introduce-reference-against-chief-justice-bandial-427587.html Islamabad May 15 The Pakistan federal government has reportedly decided in principle to introduce a reference against the Chief Justice of Pakistan with the Supreme Judicial Council media reports said on Monday A resolution to file the reference against Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial was approved in the National Assembly during a joint session of Parliament Samaa TV reported A special fivemember parliamentary committee has been formed to prepare the reference against the CJP and other judges The parliamentary committee will comprise members of various political parties Members of various parties are reportedly drafting the committees terms of reference In the ongoing joint parliament session Defence Minister Khawaja Asif suggested that the parliament send a reference to the Supreme Judicial Council against the CJP and play its historical role Samaa TV reported PMLN chief organiser Maryam Nawaz has demanded Chief Justice Bandials resignation Dawn reported She made the demand at a protest gathering outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad maintaining that free and fair elections are not possible until Umar Ata Bandial remains the countrys top judge The election will be held on its scheduled time after you step down she said addressing the CJP Dawn reported All of you should be aware that the anarchy and crisis that has taken over the country today the place of its genesis was not Zaman Park as much as Umar Ata Bandials post Maryam Nawaz has accused PTI Chairman Imran Khan of doing what terrorists or Pakistans enemies could not do Addressing supporters during the PDM sitin outside the Supreme Court she said He and his wife stole the publics money and then bought plots from this money Maryam went on to say that Imran Khan trained his minions at Zaman Park and set fire to the Jinnah House But when this man appeared before the court the CJP expressed pleasure over meeting him she said Dawn reported She accused the Supreme Court of imposing a judicial martial law in Pakistan Today when the army is standing with the democracy and Constitution of Pakistan the fifth martial law in Pakistan judicial martial law has been imposed from this building IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-govt-to-introduce-reference-against-chief-justice-bandial-427587.html Tue, 16 May 2023 14:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/maryam-nawaz-demands-chief-justice-of-pakistan-bandials-resignation-427602.html Islamabad May 15 PMLN chief organiser Maryam Nawaz has demanded Chief Justice of Pakistan CJP Umar Ata Bandials resignation the media reported She made the demand at a protest gathering outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad maintaining that free and fair elections are not possible until Umar Ata Bandial remains the countrys top judge Dawn reported The election will be held at its scheduled time after you step down she said addressing the CJP Dawn reported All of you should be aware that the anarchy and crisis that has taken over the country today the place of its genesis was not Zaman Park as much as Umar Ata Bandials post PMLN leader Maryam Nawaz has accused PTI Chairman Imran Khan of doing what terrorists or Pakistans enemies could not do While addressing supporters during the PDM sitin outside the Supreme Court she said He and his wife stole the publics money and then bought plots from this money Maryam went on to say that Imran trained his minions at Zaman Park and set fire to the Jinnah House But when this man appeared before the court the CJP expressed pleasure over meeting him Dawn reported The PMLN Chief Organiser has accused the Supreme Court of imposing a judicial martial law in Pakistan Addressing Pakistan Democratic Movement protesters outside the apex court she said Today when the army is standing with the democracy and Constitution of Pakistan the fifth martial law in Pakistan judicial martial law has been imposed from this building IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/maryam-nawaz-demands-chief-justice-of-pakistan-bandials-resignation-427602.html Tue, 16 May 2023 15:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/16-killed-in-pakistan-during-firing-between-rival-groups-427687.html Islamabad May 16 At least 16 people were killed and four others injured in an exchange of fire between two rival groups in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province police said on Tuesday The incident occurred late Monday night over the demarcation of a coal mine disputed between two groups in Darra Adam Khel tribal area of Kohat district police officials told Xinhua news agency The police said that the firing took place due to a longstanding dispute between the two tribal groups and that several sessions of Jirga a local tribal court had been held to reconcile the rival tribes However the groups turned violent when they faced each other while working in the coal mine earlier on Monday Following the incident the police and rescue teams immediately rushed to the site and shifted the victims to a nearby hospital according to the local media The police have registered a case against the culprits and started investigations Law enforcement agencies have taken control of the disputed coal mine said the police adding that some offenders fled the scene after firing and a search operation is underway to nab them IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/16-killed-in-pakistan-during-firing-between-rival-groups-427687.html Tue, 16 May 2023 20:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/join-the-investigation-shehbaz-responds-to-imrans-allegations-427444.html Islamabad May 15 In response to PTI chief Imran Khans revealing details of an alleged London plan Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday asked his predecessor to join the investigation and account for your corruption Responding to Khans lengthy tweet Sharif said Leave the fabrications here and there Join the investigation and account for your corruption End of the matter Early Monday morning Khan posted on Twitter the details of the alleged London plan which according to him has been devised to keep him out of the politics to delay and rig elections Using the pretext of violence while I was inside the jail they have assumed the role of judge jury and executioner The News quoted the former premier as saying He claimed that the plan now was to humiliate him by putting Bushra begum in jail and using some sedition law to keep me inside for next 10 years The development comes as the Pakistan Democratic Movement PDMled government has kicked off its sitin from Monday to press Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to resign for the judiciarys undue facilitation of Khan Terming it a drama the former premier wrote The JUIF drama being done outside the SC is only for one purpose to overawe the Chief Justice of Pakistan so that he doesnt give a verdict according to the Constitution The cricketerturnedpolitician claimed that the coalition government will once again suspend internet services and ban social media which is only partially open The News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/join-the-investigation-shehbaz-responds-to-imrans-allegations-427444.html Tue, 16 May 2023 04:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-may-turn-to-china-for-bailout-as-imf-deadlock-persists-427710.html Islamabad May 16 Pakistan is now looking for a Plan B for averting full fledge eruption of the balance of payment crisis if the International Monetary Fund IMF continues to delay the revival of the alreadydelayed 65 bailout programme according to sources The cashstrapped nation of over 220 million people will have no other option but to ask China for devising a mechanism to bailout the ailing economy The News reported Amid deepening political and economic crisis in the country the IMF has adopted a wait and see policy but this cannot be pursued for a longer period the sources said Either the IMF programme will have to be revived through the completion of the ninth review or the programme will be scrapped We will share no more data with the IMF without completion of the ninth review they added Several reports suggest that Pakistan has already conveyed to the Fund staff to conclude the review otherwise budgetary framework for 202324 would not be shared The News reported The sources recalled that an ambassador of the western capital during interactions with a minister inquired when the economy of Pakistan was expected to be in meltdown This blunt question from the dignitary shocked the minister who told the visiting diplomat that Pakistan would never default the sources narrated It should be noted that the diplomatic community also has started inquiring about domestic political affairs Keeping in view all these developments independent economists are now suggesting the government make lastditch efforts in order to revive the IMF programme or clearly look towards China to bailout the struggling economy The News reported Former Finance inister and renowned economist Hafiz A Pasha said that if the IMF doesnt move forward then Pakistan would have no other option but to request China to devise any mechanism for helping Islamabad to avert blown out of a full fledge crisis IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-may-turn-to-china-for-bailout-as-imf-deadlock-persists-427710.html Tue, 16 May 2023 22:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/nepal-army-team-atop-mt-everest-to-collect-waste-427456.html Kathmandu May 15 A Nepal Army team summited Mt Everest on Monday in order to collect waste discarded on the worlds highest peak Ten members of the team led by Lieutenant Col Kishor Adhikari including five Sherpa climbing guides reached the top of the mountain at 1005 am Ten of the 13member team have conquered the peak They will descend collecting the waste dumped en route to the mountain peak Nepal Army spokesman Brig Gen Krishna Prasad Bhandari told Xinhua news agency The Nepal Army has been leading in waste collection on Mt Everest and other tall mountains since 2019 and three teams have been mobilized this year to clean the highest peak as well as Mt Lhotse Mt Baruntse and Mt Annapurna The team led by Adhikari aims to collect around 10 tons of waste from the Mt Everest area alone This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first ascent of Mt Everest and a record high of 478 climbers from 65 countries and regions have received the permits to ascend it from the Nepal side during the spring climbing season according to Nepals Department of Tourism IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/nepal-army-team-atop-mt-everest-to-collect-waste-427456.html Tue, 16 May 2023 05:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/cyclone-mocha-nearly-2-000-affected-in-sri-lanka-427485.html Colombo May 15 One is reportedly missing and nearly 2000 people have been affected in Southern Sri Lanka due to the indirect influence of extremely severe cyclonic storm Mocha in the Bay of Bengal Director Disaster Management Centre DMS Sudantha Ranasinghe told media Due to the extremely showery weather condition over 425 families have been affected and seven psesons have been injured so far The DMC is planning to compensate the damage caused to the houses and has urged people to be alert on possible floods Meanwhile nearly 30 relief teams from Sri Lanka Navy SLN have been deployed to help those affected by the possible floods The Navy has sent relief teams to Galle and Matara districts in Southern Province as the the overflow of rivers has led to floods These teams are now prepared to assist the affected people with the necessary relief SLN said in a statement Meteorology Department has announced that heavy showers above 100mm are likely at some places in Southern province and people have been urged to take adequate precautions to minimise damages caused by temporary localised strong winds and lightning during thundershowers IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/cyclone-mocha-nearly-2-000-affected-in-sri-lanka-427485.html Tue, 16 May 2023 08:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/maryam-nawaz-joins-sit-in-outside-pakistan-supreme-court-427487.html Islamabad May 15 Jamiat UlemaeIslam Fazl JUIF chief Maulana FazlurRehman and Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawazS PMLN Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Monday reached the Pakistan Democratic Partys PDM sitin outside the Supreme Court SC here media reports said The protest was outside the apex court was turned into a sitin and according to reports the management committee has also started construction of tents and washrooms in the venue Express Tribune reported There were also reports of violence between JUIF volunteers and workers As per reports three stages were set up in front of the Supreme Court Moreover a banner with the picture of Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and PTI chief Imran Khan was burnt by a worker of the Pakistan Peoples Party PPP Earlier in the day workers of the ruling PDM had set up a stage in front of the Supreme Court Judges Gate as the ruling alliance announced to stage a sitin right outside the top court building to protest against what it describes as the judiciarys preferential treatment of former premier Imran Khan The PPP convoy also left for Islamabad under the leadership of Divisional Vice President Rana Raffakat to join the protest Meanwhile the Islamabad Capital Territory ICT Police requested the protesters to remain peaceful saying that there is a threat of terrorist activity Express Tribune reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/maryam-nawaz-joins-sit-in-outside-pakistan-supreme-court-427487.html Tue, 16 May 2023 08:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khan-renews-calls-for-protests-427304.html Security escort a vehicle carrying Pakistans former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi after their court appearance in Lahore Pakistan Monday May 15 2023 Thousands of Pakistani government supporters converged on the countrys Supreme Court on Monday in a rare challenge to the nations judiciary Protesters demanded the resignation of the chief justice over ordering the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan PTI Islamabad May 15 Lashing out at the Shehbaz Sharif government on Monday Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Chairperson and former Prime Minister and Imran Khan issued a call for peaceful protests against a threat to the sanctity of the Supreme Court and the Constitution of Pakistan media reports said All citizens be ready for peaceful protests as once again Constitution and SC destroyed it is the end of the Pak dream he said in a tweet Express Tribune reported The former Prime Minister condemned the arrests of PTI workers and protesters in the aftermath of his arrest and subsequent rioting last week So without any investigation into who was responsible for arson on government building or dozens of deaths of unarmed protesters by bullet wounds around 7000 PTI workers leadership and our women have been jailed with plans to ban the largest and only federal party in Pak sic he said The deposed Prime Minister has further called out the countrys security forces for colluding with the federal government in what he described as subversion of the Constitution Meanwhile these goons are being facilitated by our security agencies to take over the SC and subvert the constitution sic he said as he shared clips of people climbing over a gate and entering the Red Zone at the Pakistan Democratic Movements PDM protest outside the Supreme Court SC on Monday On May 9 personnel of the paramilitary Rangers barged into the Islamabad High Court IHC premises where Imran Khan had appeared in connection with the AlQadir Trust case to face graft proceedings against him and whisked the former premier away in a whirlwind raid carried out on the National Accountability Bureaus NAB behalf IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khan-renews-calls-for-protests-427304.html Mon, 15 May 2023 18:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bushra-bibi-will-be-arrested-to-humiliate-me-alleges-imran-427322.html Lahore May 15 As the Pakistan Democratic Movement PDMled government gears up to kick start its sitin from Monday to press Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to resign former Prime Minister Imran Khan has revealed details of an alleged London plan which according to him has been devised to keep him out of the politics to delay and rig elections the media reported Using the pretext of violence while I was inside the jail they have assumed the role of judge jury and executioner The News quoted the former premier as saying In a Twitter thread he claimed that the plan now was to humiliate him by putting Bushra begum in jail and using some sedition law to keep me inside for next 10 years The ruling PDM had announced staging a protest sitin outside the Supreme Court against CJP Bandial for the judiciarys undue facilitation of Khan Terming it a drama Khan wrote The JUIF drama being done outside the SC is only for one purpose to overawe the Chief Justice of Pakistan so that he doesnt give a verdict according to the Constitution The cricketerturnedpolitician claimed that the coalition government will once again suspend internet services and ban social media which is only partially open The News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bushra-bibi-will-be-arrested-to-humiliate-me-alleges-imran-427322.html Mon, 15 May 2023 19:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pti-leadership-instigated-riots-in-peshawar-by-paying-huge-bribes-to-afghan-citizens-427143.html Islamabad May 14 Afghans were also involved in the riots and violent incidents perpetrated by Pakistan TehreekeInsaf workers and supporters in Peshawar after the arrest of party Chairman Imran Khan as per security sources media reports said Security sources have claimed that the PTI leadership carried out the riots by paying huge amounts to Afghan citizens Samaa TV reported The law enforcement agencies have released an alleged confessional statement following a spree of arrests The sources said confessions of three Afghan citizens have been released while investigation with others is under way They added that Afghan residents were bribed by the PTI leadership Samaa TV reported The arrested criminals belonged to Kabul and MazareSharif the security sources claimed Meanwhile Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir on Saturday said the armed forces will not tolerate any further attempt at violating the sanctity and security of its installations or vandalism and resolved to bring to justice all the planners abettors instigators and executors of the vandalism of May 9 Pakistan Punjab Interim Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday said that rioters wanted to torch planes at Pakistan Air Force PAF Base in Mianwali during violent riots on May 9 Samaa TV reported He said most people in Mianwali were armed Its an attack on Pakistan he said Naqvi said PTI rioters burnt 108 cars and 26 buildings and also damaged Safe Cities cameras Addressing a press conference at CM House in Lahore on Sunday along with the Punjab IG and Chief Secretary Naqvi said PTI woman leader Yasmin Rashid was the key player in the attack on Jinnah House aka Corps Commander House He said around 3400 people were present outside the Jinnah House while around 400 people were present inside the Jinnah House IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pti-leadership-instigated-riots-in-peshawar-by-paying-huge-bribes-to-afghan-citizens-427143.html Mon, 15 May 2023 10:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/cyclone-mocha-leaves-trail-of-destruction-in-bangladesh-427186.html Dhaka May 15 In the biggest storm to hit the Bay of Bengal in over a decade cyclone Mocha ripped through Myanmar and southeastern Bangladesh leaving a trail of destruction The cyclone packing winds of up to 200 mph brought destructive winds and a devastating storm surge particularly in Bangladeshs southeastern Coxs Bazar district and its offshore island on Sunday Shaheen Imran Coxs Bazar districts deputy commissioner and district magistrate told Xinhua that the cyclone damaged houses and crops and uprooted trees Xinhua news agency reported According to the official at least 12000 houses were destroyed fully or partially in the cyclone in Coxs Bazar He further said they are collecting information through official channels from the affected remote areas on the loss of life and damage to property Hundreds of makeshift shelters were damaged in camps of Bangladeshs Coxs Bazar district housing nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar Officials said there were no report of casualties from the cyclone in the affected areas Bangladeshi State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Enamur Rahman told journalists that they have taken adequate measures to support the affected people in Coxs Bazar district where hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated The coastal district of Coxs Bazar and its offshore islands including Saint Martins Island came under Great Danger Signal 10 Md Azizur Rahman Director at the Bangladesh Meteorological Department said the wind speed in St Martins Island reached a maximum of 147 km per hour at 200 pm local time Sunday TV footage showed widespread flooding in the Saint Martins Island of coastal Coxs Bazar district nearly 300 km southeast of capital Dhaka where thousands of people have been evacuated Mocha has begun crossing the last borders of the country with half of it directed toward Myanmar and the other half towards Bangladesh The devastating cyclone made landfall between Bangladeshs Coxs Bazar and Myanmars Sittwe packing winds of up to 195 km per hour said Rahman He added that Mocha has already weakened and was being gradually reduced to a depression He said an inclement weather will persist in parts of Bangladesh including capital Dhaka on Sunday Fishing boats trawlers and maritime vessels over the bay have been advised to remain in shelter till further notice IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/cyclone-mocha-leaves-trail-of-destruction-in-bangladesh-427186.html Mon, 15 May 2023 12:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lankan-navy-rescues-6-fishermen-from-fishing-trawler-in-distress-off-southern-coast-427199.html Colombo May 15 The Sri Lanka Navy and Coast Guard rescued six fishermen from a fishing trawler in distress off the countrys southern coast said the Navy The Navy said in a press statement on Sunday that the fishing trawler was at risk of sinking due to seeping sea water following adverse weather conditions while it was found at sea about eight nautical miles off the Beruwala lighthouse Xinhua news agency reported The statement said the Navy and the Coast Guard are on constant alert to provide relief to the maritime and fishing community in distress within the search and rescue region of Sri Lanka Earlier Sri Lankas Meteorological Department had warned fishermen to guard against heavy winds and rough seas due to a tropical cyclone IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lankan-navy-rescues-6-fishermen-from-fishing-trawler-in-distress-off-southern-coast-427199.html Mon, 15 May 2023 13:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/paks-ruling-coalition-protests-outside-sc-against-preferential-treatment-to-imran-427239.html Supporters of Pakistan Democratic Movement an alliance of the ruling political parties take part in a rally outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad Pakistan Monday May 15 2023 Convoys of buses and vehicles filled with Pakistani progovernment supporters are flooding the main road leading to the countrys capital on Monday to protest the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan PTI Islamabad May 15 Workers of the Pakistan Democratic Movement PDM on Monday set up a stage in front of the Supreme Court Judges Gate as the ruling alliance announced to stage a sitin right outside the top court building today to protest against what it describes as the judiciarys preferential treatment of former premier Imran Khan Meanwhile the Islamabad Capital Territory ICT Police requested the protesters to remain peaceful saying that there is a threat of terrorist activity The Express Tribune reported Earlier PDM workers who came out in the form of caravans carried the flags of their parties while at some places in the form of protest rallies the workers raised slogans against the Chief Justice and in favour of the Pakistan Army According to reports the first convoy of Jamiat UlemaeIslam Fazl JUIF Rawalpindi reached Committee Chowk in the morning A day earlier JUIF chief Maulana FazlurRehman who is also the head of the ruling coalition PDM appealed to the entire nation to participate in a peaceful protest outside the apex court on Monday The PMLN and Pakistan Peoples Party PPP have announced full participation in the protest however Awami National Party ANP will not participate in the sitin The ruling coalition and a section of the superior judiciary led by Chief Justice of Pakistan CJP Umar Ata Bandial have been at odds since February this year when the top court started suo motu proceedings on delay in the announcement of dates for elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa KP provinces The Express Tribune reported However this acrimony intensified when a threejudge bench led by CJP Bandial on May 11 declared the arrest of the Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Chairman from inside the Islamabad High Court illegal IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/paks-ruling-coalition-protests-outside-sc-against-preferential-treatment-to-imran-427239.html Mon, 15 May 2023 16:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/7-dead-14-injured-as-bus-overturns-in-afghanistan-426760.html Kabul May 13 At least seven commuters were killed and 14 others injured in a road accident in Afghanistans northern Badakhshan province head of the provincial department of information and culture Qari Maazudin Ahmadi said Saturday The accident occurred in Kezer village of Khash district on Friday evening when a bus overturned due to technical problems killing seven people including women and children on the spot and injuring 14 others some in critical condition Ahmadi said Xinhua news agency reported Ramshackle roads reckless driving on congested roads and lack of safety measures during travel are mostly blamed for deadly road accidents in mountainous and warravaged Afghanistan IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/7-dead-14-injured-as-bus-overturns-in-afghanistan-426760.html Sun, 14 May 2023 00:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-pm-orders-arrest-of-lahore-corps-commander-house-vandals-in-72-hours-426821.html Lahore May 13 After visiting the Corps Commander House in Lahore that was ransacked by the Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI protesters Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the Punjab government to move swiftly and arrest the vandals within 72 hours media reports said I have given law enforcement apparatus a target of 72 hours to arrest all those involved in facilitating abetting and perpetrating the disgraceful incidents of arson ransacking sabotage and damaging public and private properties Sharif said after chairing a meeting at the Punjab Safe City Authority Headquarters in Lahore Geo News reported He said that all available resources including technological aid and intelligence are being deployed to chase down these elements Bringing these people to justice is a test case for the government Their cases will be tried by the antiterrorism courts he said adding that such kind of terrorism is unacceptable Geo News reported Lamenting the May 9 violence triggered by PTI Chairman Imran Khans arrest Sharif said that Jinnah House has been burnt down completely for which the whole nation is in grief Terrible events took place on May 9 The Corps Commander House is the historic Jinnah House and seeing it in such a condition is disheartening said the PM Slamming his predecessor Imran Khan Sharif said that the former Prime Minister and his mob are not less than antiPakistan elements Geo News reported Those involved in terrorist activities should be convicted as per the law said Sharif He also assured that the law will deal with the miscreants with an iron hand What the enemies could not do in 75 years the PTI miscreants were able to do it Government property was damaged under a plan he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-pm-orders-arrest-of-lahore-corps-commander-house-vandals-in-72-hours-426821.html Sun, 14 May 2023 06:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/no-islamabad-cop-attends-pak-supreme-court-security-meet-as-protests-loom-426963.html Islamabad May 14 A meeting was held presided over by the Pakistan Supreme Courts registrar to review the security arrangements for the SC in view of the Pakistan Democratic Movements PDM planned protest outside its premises on Monday but no representative of the Islamabad police attended the huddle local media reported The SC registrar expressed his concerns over the lack of cooperation by the Islamabad police A day earlier PDM president and JUIF chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced that the ruling coalition would stage a peaceful demonstration outside the top court building over its unjust behaviour shortly after the Islamabad High Court granted PTI Chairman Imran Khan interim bail for two weeks in the AlQadir Trust case as well as other ones registered against him anywhere in the country barring the authorities from arresting him till May 15 The Express Tribune reported We have decided that we will protest against this behaviour As someone who is representing the PDM I appeal to the entire nation to reach Islamabad on Monday We will stage a sitin and protest in huge numbers he said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad On Thursday the top court came to the rescue of the deposed premier as it declared his arrest from the premises of the IHC on Tuesday as illegal and directed his immediate release IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/no-islamabad-cop-attends-pak-supreme-court-security-meet-as-protests-loom-426963.html Sun, 14 May 2023 20:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bangladesh-wont-buy-anything-from-countries-that-impose-sanctions-sheikh-hasina-426971.html Dhaka May 14 Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that Bangladesh will not purchase anything from countries that impose sanctions against it The prime minister made the remarks on Saturday when inaugurating the 60th convention of the Institution of Engineers Bangladesh IEB in Dhaka Xinhua news agency reported There is now a tendency to impose sanctions and sanctions on those by whom we contain terrorism We have made a decision I have said that I will not buy anything from those who will impose sanctions said the prime minister Hasina had earlier slammed the US sanctions on officials of Bangladeshs special security force unit Rapid Action Battalion RAB over alleged rights abuse saying the move was very condemnable act She said the elite force has immensely contributed to the South Asian countrys efforts in containing militancy and terrorism In December 2021 the US Departments of Treasury and the Department of State imposed human rightsrelated sanctions on the RAB and its seven incumbent and former top officials IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/bangladesh-wont-buy-anything-from-countries-that-impose-sanctions-sheikh-hasina-426971.html Sun, 14 May 2023 20:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/rioters-wanted-to-torch-planes-at-paf-base-at-mianwali-on-may-9-interim-cm-426979.html Lahore May 14 Pakistan Punjabs interim Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday said that rioters wanted to torch planes at Pakistan Air Force PAF Base in Mianwali during violent riots on May 9 media reports said He said most people in Mianwali were armed Its an attack on Pakistan he said Samaa TV reported Naqvi said PTI rioters burnt 108 cars and 26 buildings and also damaged Safe Cities cameras Addressing a press conference at CM House in Lahore on Sunday along with the Punjab IG and Chief Secretary Naqvi said PTI woman leader Yasmin Rashid was the key player in the attack on Jinnah House aka Corps Commander House He said around 3400 people were present outside the Jinnah House while around 400 people were present inside it and vowed to hold people accountable involved in May 9 incidents Naqvi claimed it was a preplanned and coordinated attack on public and army installations He said two metro stations worth a billion rupees were burnt to ashes He said police were strictly advised not to open fire shots at any place and if someone trespasses in a government building then they should act within the law He acknowledged that police also complained that You send us to face stones He said it was his mistake to stop police personnel from firing bullets Samaa TV reported Naqvi said advertisements in the newspaper were met with very good response from the public and the government has started depositing Rs 02 million and Rs 05 million on tipoff information He also assured that if anyone has been arrested by mistake then he will be out from jail IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/rioters-wanted-to-torch-planes-at-paf-base-at-mianwali-on-may-9-interim-cm-426979.html Sun, 14 May 2023 21:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/security-tightened-in-sls-capital-after-intelligence-report-on-another-public-protest-426980.html By Susitha Fernando Colombo May 14 Security in Colombo and around Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardenas house has been tightened following intelligence reports over another peoples protest or Aragalaya in Sri Lanka a police officer said The military police Special Task Force and Riot police had been summoned to the capital following unspecified intelligence information that a group of more than 750 people is getting to resort to public protest as happened during last year Police media spokesperson SSP Nihal Thalduwa said that the security has been beefed up due to an intelligence information He told that the special security arrangement would be in place until the relevant information is updated by the intelligence agencies Security personnel had been deployed around universities key protest sites where people started protests last year and also surrounding the Temple Trees Prime Ministers official residence Police water cannons and fire trucks with firefighters too had been summoned to several places of Colombo Following severe economic crisis without basic needs such as food fuel cooking gas and medicine people resorted to public protest on March 31 2022 The protests which were mainly led by university students backed by some Marxist political parties spread across the country leading the protestors taking over public building They initially took over Presidents and Prime Ministers residences and later their official residents forcing former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country and his brother Mahinda to step down together with the government IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/security-tightened-in-sls-capital-after-intelligence-report-on-another-public-protest-426980.html Sun, 14 May 2023 21:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-takes-effective-measures-to-put-economy-back-on-track-minister-426504.html Islamabad May 12 Pakistans Federal Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar said that his country has been taking effective measures to put the economy back on track amid unprecedented challenges Short medium and longterm programmes for all sectors of the national economy are being initiated to enhance the competitiveness of the national economy and strengthen local footprints in regional and global economies the Minister said while addressing a seminar titled Islamabad Security Dialogue 2023 on Thursday Amid challenges like high inflation increasing trend of commodities in global markets and shrinking fiscal space Dar added that measures aimed at developing and creating a more inclusive and equitable society are being implemented promoting social welfare and poverty alleviation Talking about the unprecedented floods in 2022 the Minister said that the floods have affected all sectors of the national economy and inflicted losses of more than 31 billion Xinhua news agency reported The UN agencies and other development partners estimated that Pakistan would require about 163 billion for reconstruction and rehabilitation he added Besides Dar said that the government had banned the import of luxury items and tightened the monetary policy to control rising inflation adding that it was also striving to attract investment in the country with economic diplomacy to develop the national economy and strengthen relations with other countries Economic security remained key for Pakistans ability to strengthen its national security and continuity of economic growth and ensure lowing of input cost and success of its internal reforms he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pakistan-takes-effective-measures-to-put-economy-back-on-track-minister-426504.html Sat, 13 May 2023 11:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/2-terrorists-2-security-personnel-killed-in-pakistan-shoot-out-426510.html Islamabad May 12 Two terrorists and two security personnel were killed in an exchange of firing in Pakistans southwest Balochistan province on Friday an Army statement said The incident happened in the early hours when a group of terrorists attacked a camp of the paramilitary troops frontier corps in northern Balochistan the militarys media wing InterServices Public Relations ISPR said in the statement Three terrorists were also injured in the clash the ISPR added as quoted by Xinhua news agency report Operation by the security forces is underway to capture the terrorists who have been cornered into a building complex the statement added Identities of the terrorists engaged in the gun battle with the security forces have not been revealed in the statement IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/2-terrorists-2-security-personnel-killed-in-pakistan-shoot-out-426510.html Sat, 13 May 2023 11:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-military-rules-out-martial-law-426681.html Islamabad May 13 Ruling out any possibility of imposing martial law in the country in the wake of violent protests by Pakistan TehreekiInsaf PTI the military spokesman has rejected news that made rounds in the social media that some top ranking army officials have resigned and disobeyed Chief of Army Staff COAS Gen Asim Munir InterServices Public Relations ISPR Director General Maj Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry Sharif said I want to say very clearly that Gen Asim Munir and the senior army leadership under him wholeheartedly support democracy and will keep doing so There is no question of martial law Dawn reported He reiterated his response when pressed for elaboration Neither any resignation was given nor any disobedience was committed the DG said He said despite internal disturbance and external conspiracies armed forces of the country were united Dawn reported He said no army official had tendered his resignation and no order of the COAS had been disobeyed He said army leadership believed in the continuity of democracy even in the prevailing deadlock between the government and PTI There is no question of imposition of martial law MajGen Chaudhry reiterated IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-military-rules-out-martial-law-426681.html Sat, 13 May 2023 18:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-blames-pakistan-army-chief-for-arrest-426707.html Islamabad May 13 Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has blamed the army chief for his abduction on May 9 and distanced himself from violence that took place in several cities after his arrest He expressed these views while having brief conversation with media persons on the premises of the Islamabad High Court on Friday reports Dawn Its not the security agencies Its one man the army chief There is no democracy in the army The army is getting maligned with what is happening the PTI chief replied when asked about the impression that security agencies were against him whereas the judiciary was favouring him And he the army chief is worried that if I come to power I will denotify him Which I tried my best to send him a message I will not All this is happening is direct orders from him He is the one who is convinced that if I win he will be denotified alleged Khan The former premier also talked about victimisation of his party by the government alleging that 5000 people have been arrested during the last one year Dawn reported Khan said he had survived two assassination attempts and had only called for an investigation regretting that his demand had been rejected Reiterating his position which he took in the Supreme Court on Thursday evening the PTI chair said he was totally unaware of the developments which took place after his arrest and claimed that he had learnt that 40 people had lost their lives during the twoday protests Expressing sadness over the events that took place when he was in the custody of NAB Khan stated that the army is getting maligned because of just one man Dawn reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-blames-pakistan-army-chief-for-arrest-426707.html Sat, 13 May 2023 20:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/islamabad-high-court-grants-two-week-bail-to-imran-khan-426457.html Islamabad May 12 The Islamabad High Court IHC on Friday granted protective bail to Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Chairman Imran Khan in AlQadir Trust case hours after he warned of countrywide unrest if he was rearrested in any other case local media reported During the course of proceedings Khan had warned of unrest across the country in case of his arrest In the first session of the hearing a twomember special division bench of the Islamabad High Court IHC left the courtroom adjourning the hearing on Khans bail plea immediately after slogans were chanted in favour of the former premier Geo News reported The IHC took up former prime ministers bail plea a day after Supreme Court termed former prime ministers arrest in the AlQadir Trust case unlawful In response to a question that had he expected to be arrested Khan replied I was 100 per cent certain that I would be arrested Following this the courtroom erupted into slogans in favour of the PTI chief The courtroom staff tried to stop the chanting however they failed to do so At this Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb said that this was unacceptable Subsequently the hearing was briefly adjourned for a break for Friday prayers Khan arrived in a highsecurity convoy at IHC where hundreds of police and paramilitary troops have been deployed Geo News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/islamabad-high-court-grants-two-week-bail-to-imran-khan-426457.html Sat, 13 May 2023 08:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/shehbaz-condemns-imrans-allegations-against-coas-426716.html Islamabad May 13 Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has strongly condemned his predecessor Imran Khans allegations hurled against the Chief of Army Staff COAS General Asim Munir The premier deemed the Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chairmans comments a proof of his lowminded mentality Geo News reported It was a confession of the mastermind of the tragic incidents which unfolded on May 9 he added This was the same mentality the Prime Minister said which levelled false allegations of his murder against the patriotic army officers and concocted false stories of cypher and foreign conspiracy This is an expression of the real intentions of the antistate mastermind of the terrorists This is a confession that whatever happened on May 9 was done on the directions of Imran Niazi Sharif said calling out the PTI chief He added that Khans statement proved his plan to desecrate the monuments of martyrs and ghazis and attacks on sensitive installations and buildings The premier said Khans anger against the army chief stems from his fears regarding the worst corruption done by Khan his wife Bushra Bibi Farah Gogi and PTIs senior leadership being exposed which General Munir was aware of during his tenure as the directorgeneral of the InterServices Intelligence of Pakistan Geo News reported Allegations against the highly decorated General Syed Asim Munir who Sharif said was very admired in the rank and file and was appointed on merit was nothing but illintentioned The premier said Imran Niazi was afraid of the winner of the sword of honour HafizeQuran and the honest army chief He further mentioned that this kind of cheap talk against the chief of the brave army which was fighting against terrorism was akin to support of terrorists Geo News reported The whole nation stood with armed forces and the army chief he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/shehbaz-condemns-imrans-allegations-against-coas-426716.html Sat, 13 May 2023 21:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-pm-criticises-judiciary-for-being-biased-towards-imran-khan-426471.html Islamabad May 12 Reacting to the Supreme Court of Pakistans decision ordering the release of Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI Chairman Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday criticised the judiciary for being biased towards Khan local media reported The judiciary has become an iron shield for Imran Khan the prime minister said highlighting that the judiciary stands divided The prime minister while addressing a cabinet meeting in Islamabad questioned the judiciary about the treatment given to other politicians in the country Geo News reported The premiers comments came a day after Supreme Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial ordered the release of Khan declaring his arrest on May 9 as illegal Khan the former Prime Minister was arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court IHC by Rangers personnel acting on the National Accountability Bureaus warrant in the AlQadir Trust case Politicians were sent to jail in fake cases Did any court ever take its notice he asked The News reported Commenting on the history of cases by the NAB the premier said the antigraft body has not spared anyone and has poisoned the entire country from industries and educational establishments to religious institutions IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/pak-pm-criticises-judiciary-for-being-biased-towards-imran-khan-426471.html Sat, 13 May 2023 09:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khan-claims-hit-on-head-during-arrest-426492.html Islamabad May 12 Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI chief Imran Khan on Friday claimed that he was hit on the head with batons as Rangers personnel arrested him in the AlQadir Trust case earlier this week local media reported During a conversation with media personnel in the Islamabad High Court IHC the former prime minister reportedly showed swelling and wounds on the back of his head alleging that he was hit during his arrest He continued that the National Accountability Bureau NAB officials had treated the injury The PTI chairman was in IHC for the hearing of his bail plea in the AlQadir Trust case as per the Supreme Courts order He said that NABs treatment toward him was alright and reiterated that he was hit on the head with a baton during his arrest The Express Tribune reported When asked about the violent protests that began following his arrest on May 9 Khan questioned how he could stop everything that was happening and said that he had warned earlier that there would be a reaction if he was arrested How can I be held responsible when I was in NABs custody he asked adding that he had stated before the SC that whatever happened during the protests did not go well Khan maintained that When the Rangers arrested me I said this is my country my people Be peaceful The deposed prime minister said that he has filed for bail pleas in dozens of cases against him but he will not resist arrest The Express Tribune reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/imran-khan-claims-hit-on-head-during-arrest-426492.html Sat, 13 May 2023 11:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lankan-migrant-workers-remit-over-18bn-in-first-4-months-of-2023-426748.html Colombo May 13 Sri Lankan migrant workers remitted over 18 billion in the first four months of 2023 Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara said on Saturday The Minister said workers remitted 454 million in April which marks an 824 per cent increase from inflows recorded in April 2022 reports Xinhua news agency Official figures for the 2021 and 2022 totals were 549 billion and 38 billion respectively Migrant workers remittances are one of main sources of foreign revenues for Sri Lanka IANS https://dailyworld.in/neighbourhood/sri-lankan-migrant-workers-remit-over-18bn-in-first-4-months-of-2023-426748.html Sat, 13 May 2023 23:15:00 +0530